bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health Information Integration Based on Network Platform in Postpartum Maternal and Infant Health Care
Authors: Gao Hong , Wu Cuiyun , Huang Dunnian , Zha Dahui , Zhou Cuiping
Published: June 2021

Objective: The self-care ability of puerpera is poor, and their health knowledge of maternal and infant and care skills is relatively poor. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of health information integration based on network platform in the postpartum maternal
and infant health care. Methods: A total of 80 maternal women admitted to our hospital from September 2018 to March 2019 were randomly divided into a control group and a study group, with 40 patients in each group. The puerpera in control group received regular telephone visits after
discharge. The puerpera in study group received health information integration based on network platform. The uterus recovery of puerpera in two groups at 42 days postpartum, as well as the lochia, bloating, nipple splitting and breastfeeding behaviors were compared. The time of jaundice regression
and umbilical cord detachment of neonates in t two groups, as well as the incidence of facial eczema and umbilical inflammation were compared. Results: The uterus recovery rate and exclusive breastfeeding rate of puerpera in study group were higher than those in the control group at
42 days postpartum, and the incidences of abnormal lochia, swollen breasts, and nipple splitting were lower than those in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The neonates in study group were lower than the observation
group in terms of the days of jaundice regression, facial eczema, and umbilical inflammation. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the days of umbilical cord shedding (P > 0.05). Conclusions:
The health information integration based on network platform in postpartum maternal and infant health care can effectively improve maternal breastfeeding compliance and reduce the adverse symptoms of maternal and neonatal discharge.
Diagnostic Value of Multi-Row Spiral CT Imaging in Emergency Connoisseurs Injury Combined with Shock
Authors: Yang Ting , Yu Hui
Published: June 2021

In this paper, multi-slice spiral CT imaging is used to diagnose emergency connoisseurs injury hemorrhagic shock and brain perfusion scans in patients with the connoisseur’s injury. The EDS spectrum of multi-slice spiral CT obtained Perfusion imaging as the perfusion parameters.
The patient’s CTA and volume reproduction images can be displayed at the same time. The patient’s diagnostic relationship can be visually observed. The best results set up two recommended schemes and compare the perfusion parameters and radiation dose with the standard control
group. Ensuring the image quality required for diagnosis and effectively reducing the radiation, it had great diagnostic value in emergency connoisseurs injury which combined with shock. Three-dimensional image reconstruction results of this study can observe the anatomical positional relationship
between intracranial lesions and surrounding skulls, skulls, and other important structures before surgery. The design of the bony window provides a more intuitive and convenient basis and guarantee for the preoperative evaluation of the neurosurgery operation and the smooth operation of the
operation.
Computed Tomography Analysis Based on Imaging Manifestations of Pulmonary Lymphoma
Authors: Xin Fuping , Chen Qionghua , Lai Qingquan , Lin Zhenwei , Wang Meilan
Published: June 2021

Objective: The imaging manifestations of lung lymphoma are complex and diverse. This paper discusses the pathological features of lung lymphoma and improves the clinical and radiologist’s understanding of the disease. Methods: Retrospective analysis of chest computed
tomography (CT) image data of 58 patients with pulmonary lymphoma confirmed by clinical and histopathology. Results: CT diagnosis of 35 cases of pulmonary lymphoma, including 13 cases of mass nodular type, 15 cases of pneumonia consolidation type, 7 cases of mixed type, and the diagnostic
accuracy rate was 60.34%. Airborne bronchial signs, normal vascular crossing signs, coexisting signs of multiple types of lesions, cross-lobe distribution signs, and ground glass signs are typical CT signs of pulmonary lymphoma. The average value of CT vital signs changes of the five types
of lung lymphomas is 18%. The scan completion rate is 81%. The number of patients with five types of lung lymphoma were 17 cases of age <35 years old, and 18 cases for age >35 years old, with a balanced age distribution. Conclusions: CT examination is helpful for the diagnosis
and differential diagnosis of pulmonary lymphoma.
Ultrasonic Diagnosis and Analysis of the Effect of Labor Analgesia on Early Pelvic Floor Function and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Authors: Wang Xiaolan , Yang Fan , Chen Wenjuan , Yuan Xiaohong
Published: June 2021

Pelvic floor dysfunction disease (PFD) is a common pelvic organ dysfunction disease in the clinic of obstetrics and gynecology. Its cause is mainly the damage, defects and dysfunction of the pelvic floor support structure. Not only is the pathogenesis complicated, but also various symptoms coexist, which seriously affects the physical and mental health of female patients. Mechanical injury of the pelvic floor fascia tissue and levator ani muscles is the anatomical basis of PFD after birth; early postpartum pelvic floor examination and treatment can prevent and control the occurrence or development of PFD. Spinal canal anesthesia has good analgesic effect during labor and delivery, has little effect on mothers and infants, and is widely used. However, there are few domestic and foreign reports on the effect of labor analgesia on the pelvic floor. Labor analgesia relaxes the pelvic floor muscles, unblocks the birth canal, and the influence on the pelvic floor muscles is worth exploring. Based on the pelvic floor muscle strength screening to understand the changes in the function of the pelvic floor muscles, combined with the three-dimensional pelvic floor ultrasound examination, the pelvic floor structure and the levator ani muscle are clearly imaged, and the pelvic floor muscle structure is evaluated in the natural state and the analgesic muscle relaxation state. This study used a combination of the two to evaluate the effect of labor analgesia on pelvic floor function of primiparous women; provide individualized intervention treatment for high-risk groups screened; provide clinical basis for the prevention and treatment of PFD.
Fully Convolutional DenseNet with Attention Mechanism for Liver Lesion Segmentation in MRI Images
Authors: Gao Fei , Qiao Kai , Hai Jinjin , Yan Bin , Wu Minghui , Wang Linyuan , Chen Jian
Published: June 2021

The goal of this research is to achieve accurate segmentation of liver tumors in noncontrast T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. As liver tumors and adjacent organs are represented by pixels of very similar gray intensity, segmentation is challenging, and the presence of different
sizes of liver tumor makes segmentation more difficult. Differing from previous work to capture contextual information using multiscale feature fusion with concatenation, attention mechanism is added to our segmentation model to extract precise global contextual information for pixel labeling
without requiring complex dilated convolution. This study describe a liver lesion segmentation model derived from FC-DenseNet with attention mechanism. Specifically, a global attention module (GAM) is added to up-sampling path, and high-level features are processed by the GAM to generating
weighting information for guiding high resolution detail features recovery. High-level features are very effective for accurate category classification, but relatively weak at pixel classification and predicting restoration of the original resolution, so the fusion of high-level semantic features
and low-level detail features can improve segmentation accuracy. A weighted focal loss function is used to solve the problem of lesion area occupying a relatively low proportion of the whole image, and to deal with the disequilibrium of foreground and background in the training liver lesion
images. Experimental results show our segmentation model can automatically segment liver tumors from complete MRI images, and the addition of the GAM model can effectively improve liver tumor segmentation. Our algorithms have obvious advantages over other CNN algorithms and traditional manual
methods of feature extraction.
Retinal Vessel Segmentation Based on W-Net Conditional Generative Adversarial Nets
Authors: Liang Liming , Lan Zhimin , Xiong Wen , Sheng Xiaoqi
Published: June 2021

Accurate extraction of retinal vessels is one important factor to computer-aided diagnosis for ophthalmologic diseases. Due to the low sensitivity and insufficient segmentation of tiny blood vessels within the existing segmentation algorithms, a novel retinal vessel segmentation algorithm
is proposed, and its basis is on conditional generative adversarial nets, using W-net as generator. More specifically, firstly, the U-net is expanded to W-net through the skip connection, as the U-net is beneficial to the microvascular information transmission in the skip connection layer,
then the network convergence is accelerated and the parameter utilization is improved. Secondly, the standard convolutions are replaced by the depth-wise separable convolutions, thus expanding the network and reducing the number of the parameters. Thirdly, the residual blocks are employed
to mitigate the gradient disappearance and the explosion. Fourthly, during the proposed algorithm, each skip connection follows Squeeze-and-Excitation blocks so that the shallow features and deep features can be effectively fused through learning the interdependence of feature channel. Generally,
the loss function of the conditional generative adversarial nets is modified to make the overall segmentation performance be optimal, while having strong global penalty ability in the whole game learning model. Finally, one experiment is carried out on the DRIVE dataset with image enhancement
and data expansion. From the experiment results, the segmentation sensitivity reaches 87.18%, further the specificity, accuracy and AUC are 98.19%, 96.95% and 98.42% respectively, which show the overall performance and sensitivity are better than the existing algorithms.
Automatic Segmentation of Tongue Image Based on Res-Unet Approach
Authors: Guan Xi , Zhang Wenbo , Zhou Juhua , Wu Bofeng , Huang He , Lai Xiaobo
Published: June 2021

Tongue diagnosis occupies an important position in the field of traditional Chinese medicine and has been developed for thousands of years. Doctors diagnose disease based on tongue images of patients stored in hospital databases. Hence, segmenting the tongue area of the tongue image
facilitates the diagnosis and saves space for storing the tongue image. In order to solve such a challenging problem, we put forward a method combing Unet and Res-net for tongue image segmentation and implements the end-to-end form. In our Res-Unet architecture, including four encoder blocks
and four decoder blocks, and the residual network (Res-net) block used as the backbone for each block. The upsampling layer restores the features extracted by the sampling layer. We use our own datasets named TongueSet1 (TS1) and Tongueset2 (TS2) that collected from the hospital. The collection
methods of these two datasets are different; TS1 is collected by professionals while TS2 is taken by nurses. This method obtained the latest results on both data sets. We used accuracy (acc) and mean intersection (mIoU) as the evaluation indicators of our model. Among them, the acc and mIoU
of the model on TongueSet1 reached 0.984 and 0.925, on TongueSet2 reached 0.985 and 0.925.
Extraction of Cerebral Hemorrhage on CT Images Using Level Set Algorithm and Otsu Threshold
Authors: Jiang Xiaoliang , Zhang Qile
Published: June 2021

Extraction of cerebral hemorrhage on CT images has always been the focus of several research hotspots and is still challenging as it does not show clear boundary. In this paper, a novel segmentation framework is presented for extracting the cerebral hemorrhage in brain CT images with
weak boundary. Firstly, we utilize the Otsu threshold algorithm to get the coarse outline approximate to the target boundary as the initial curve of level set algorithm. Then, the active contour model is employed using both edge information and global Gaussian distribution fitting energy of
images to modify energy function of level set. The proposed approach is applied on real images which from Quzhou People’s Hospital. Compared to manual delineation, the proposed technique shows a higher JS value than the existing methods and requires less interaction which is listed in
the literature.
Application of Superb Microvascular Imaging in the Diagnosis of Vascular Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Wu Jun , Jiang Fan , Lan Xiaofeng
Published: June 2021

To compare the difference between superb microvascular imaging (SMI) and color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) on vascular grading and blood flow display rate of the penile cavernous artery of vascular erectile dysfunction (ED), and to evaluate the length of time to obtain blood flow spectrum.
68 patients with ED were preformed for the examination of SMI and CDFI. The difference between the two techniques on vascular grading and blood flow display rate were compared. Hemodynamic parameters, namely peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistant index (RI)
and the length of time obtained blood flow spectrum were compared. SMI was more sensitive to assess vascular grading and blood flow display rate than CDFI (P < 0.05). Hemodynamic parameters (PSV, EDV, and RI) measured by SMI and CDFI were well correlated (r = 0.981, P
< 0.001; r = 0.879, P < 0.001; r = 0.937, P < 0.001). The duration of time necessary obtained the spectrums of grade 3 and grade 4 blood flow was shorter than that of grade 1 and grade 2, and SMI was comparatively shorter than CDFI (P < 0.05).
In conclusion, SMI detected the blood flow of the penile cavernous artery better and maked the examination time shorter than CDFI, which can be considered as a more effective technique to diagnose vascular ED.
Use of Longitudinal Strain Bull’s-Eye Plot by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for Evaluation of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia with Myocardial Ischemia
Authors: Li Rongjuan , Jiao Jian , Jiang Bo , Sun Zhonghua , Xie Jinjie , Wang Yueli , Wang Qian , Wang Lvya , Yang Ya
Published: June 2021

Background: In recent years, two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) has been increasingly used to detect left ventricular myocardial ischemia with high accuracy for a reliable and comprehensive assessment of myocardial function by myocardial strain analysis.
The present study aimed to assess whether the longitudinal strain (LS) bull’s eye plot could accurately detect left ventricular myocardial ischemia in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) patients. Methods: A total of 28 HoHF patients, who underwent 2D-STE and myocardial
perfusion imaging (MPI), were classified into two groups as diagnosed by MPI for myocardial ischemia. The myocardial ischemia score by MPI, LS bull’s-eye plot, and strain parameters were analyzed and compared. Results: Among the 28 HoFH patients, MPI detected 30.77% and 2D-STE
showed 30.19% ischemic segments in 13 and 15 HoFH patients with myocardial ischemia, respectively. All segmental LSs in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) perfusion territory were significantly decreased in patients with myocardial ischemia. The diagnostic capability of 2D-STE for myocardial
ischemia was 85.29%, 95.34%, and 93.91% for sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, respectively. Conclusion: Left ventricular LS bull’s-eye plot can assist rapid and accurate evaluation of myocardial ischemia in HoFH patients. The myocardial ischemia is mainly distributed in the
LAD perfusion territory in these patients.
Comparative Heat Transfer Analysis of MoS2/C2H6O2 and SiO2-MoS2/C2H6O2 Nanofluids with Natural Convection and Inclined Magnetic Field
Authors: Dadheech P. K. , Agrawal P. , Mebarek-Oudina F. , Abu-Hamdeh N. H. , Sharma A.
Published: June 2021

This article explores the comparative analysis of MoS2/C2H6O2 nanofluid and SiO2-MoS2/C2H6O2 hybrid nanofluid natural convective boundary layer flow through a stretching area. Uniform
inclined magnetic field is applied together with viscous dissipation. The governing model of the flow is solved by Runga-Kutta fourth orde method using appropriate similarity transformations. Temperature and velocity field are presented for various flow pertinent parameters. It is conclude
that if we give an increment in the convection parameter the velocity profile increases and opposite effect is noticed for the temperature profile for both fluids. Also with increased volume fraction parameter Φ2, we get increased velocity and temperature profiles for
both nanofluids.
Viscous Dissipation and Joule Heating Effects on MHD Bioconvection Flow of a Nanofluid Containing Gyrotactic Microorganisms Over a Vertical Isothermal Cone
Authors: Nabwey Hossam A. , El-Kabeir S. M. M. , Rashad A. M. , Abdou M. M. M.
Published: June 2021

The main objective of the present study is to explore the flow of a nanofluid containing gyrotactic microorganisms over a vertical isothermal cone surface in the presence of viscous dissipation and Joule heating. The combined effects of a transverse magnetic field and Navier slip in
the flow are considered. Using appropriate transforms the set of partial differential equations governing the flow are converted to a set of ordinary differential equations. Influence of the parameters governing the flow is shown for velocity, temperature, concentration and motilemicroorganisms
as well as local skin Friction coefficient, local Nusselt number, local Sherwood number and local density of the motile microorganisms number. An increasing in the value of Eckert number rises the velocity of the fluid and reduce the temperature, concentration and density of motile microorganisms
profiles, while buoyancy ratio Nr and magnetic field parameters increase local skin friction coefficient, local Nusselt number, local Sherwood number and local density of the motile microorganisms number decrease as a result of the presence of Lorentz force which resist the motion of
the flow. On the other hand, the motile microorganisms boundary layer thickness decreases with an increasing on the bioconvection Lewis number.
Zero Mass Flux Effects on Time Dependent Flow of an Eyring Powell with Activation Energy
Authors: Zeb Hussan , Wahab Hafiz Abdul , Khan Umar
Published: June 2021

In this work we demonstrated the impacts of zero mass flux in Powell-Eyring fluid over time dependent stretching sheet. We analyzed the Arrhenius activation energy in heat transfer with momentum and thermal slip boundary condition. The governing model is very complex to solve it directly
therefore we transform these governed model into a coupled nonlinear ODEs via similarity transformation. After that, we solve these ODEs by using numerica method so calledshooting technique with RK-technique. The characteristics of different beneficial physical parameters on momentum, energy
and concentration fields are represented through graphs. We concluded in this work the arising or reducing in the velocity, temperature and concentration fields for the existence of physical parameters. The impact of physical quantities namely skin fraction (Cf), Nusselt
(Nux) and Sherwood (Shx) numbers are calculated numerically via tables. In this paper we concluded that the decreases occurring in velocity field for higher values of (M) (H) and (β). Moreover the characteristics of concentration
Φ(ζ), temperature θ(ζ) and velocity f′(ζ) gradients are presented for important physical parameters see in detailed Result and discussion section.
Simulation of Thermo Diffusion on Three-Dimensional Flow of a Micropolar Liquid on an Inclined Convective Surface with Nonlinear Stretching Sheet
Authors: Vijaya Lakshmi R. , Sarojamma G. , Chamkha Ali J.
Published: June 2021

The present research explores the features of thermal and solutal transport of a 3D micropolar liquid stream on an elongated convectively heated inclined sheet taking Soret effect. Mathematical modelling is designed with the aid of suitable scaling analysis on the governing PDEs conceiving
the small magnetic Reynolds number. The resultant set of coupled nonlinear ODEs are derived with MATLAB to obtain computational solutions. Impression of the emerged flow parameters on the three boundary layers is graphically traced and deliberated. The parameters of magnetic field and stretching
ratio and power law index diminished frictional drag. Hike in rate of thermal diffusion is prevailed with stronger surface heat convective and Prandtl numbers. Outcomes are collated with the data available in the literature and found to agree very closely as a limiting case.
Review of Wind–Wave Coupling Models for Large-Eddy Simulation of the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer
Authors: Deskos Georgios , Lee Joseph C. Y. , Draxl Caroline , Sprague Michael A.
Published: June 2021

We present a review of existing wind–wave coupling models and parameterizations used for large-eddy simulation of the marine atmospheric boundary layer. The models are classified into two main categories: (i) the wave-phase-averaged, sea surface–roughness models and (ii) the wave-phase-resolved models. Both categories are discussed from their implementation, validity, and computational efficiency viewpoints, with emphasis given on their applicability in offshore wind energy problems. In addition to the various models discussed, a review of laboratory-scale and field-measurement databases is presented thereafter. The majority of the presented data have been gathered over many decades of studying air–sea interaction phenomena, with the most recent ones compiled to reflect an offshore wind energy perspective. Both provide valuable data for model validation. We also discuss the modeling knowledge gaps and computational challenges ahead.
How Do Multiscale Interactions Affect Extreme Precipitation in Eastern Central Asia?
Authors: Ma Qianrong , Zhang Jie , Ma Yujun , Game Asaminew Teshome , Chen Zhiheng , Chang Yi , Liu Meichen
Published: June 2021

The variability of extreme precipitation in eastern central Asia (ECA) during summer (June–August) and its corresponding mechanisms were investigated from a multiscale synergy perspective. Extreme precipitation in ECA displayed a quasi-monopole increasing pattern with abrupt change since 2000/01, which was likely dominated by increased high-latitude North Atlantic SST anomalies as shown by diagnosed and numerical experiment results. Increased SST via adjusting the quasi-stationary wave train that related to the negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the east Atlantic/western Russia (EA/WR) pattern guided the cyclonic anomaly in central Asia, deepened the Lake Balkhash trough, and enhanced the moisture convergence in ECA. These anomalies also exhibited interdecadal enhancement after 2000. On the synoptic scale, two synoptic transient wave trains correlated with extreme precipitation in ECA by amplifying the amplitude of the quasi-stationary waves and guiding transient eddies in ECA. The induced transient eddies and deepened Lake Balkhash trough strengthened positive meridional vorticity advection and local positive vorticity, which promoted ascending motions, and guided the southerly warm moisture in ECA especially after 2000. Meanwhile, additional mesoscale vortices were stimulated and strengthened near the Tianshan Mountain in front of the wave trough, which, together with the enhanced meridional circulation, further increased extreme precipitation in ECA.
Significance of Lower Body Postures in Chair Design
Authors: Kim Seulgi , Lee Ilseok , Kang Sang Hyeon , Jin Sangeun
Published: June 2021

Objective

This study examined a system-level perspective to investigate the changes in the whole trunk and head postures while sitting with various lower extremity postures.

Background

Sitting biomechanics has focused mainly on the lumbar region only, whereas the anatomy literature has suggested various links from the head and lower extremity.

Method

Seventeen male participants were seated in six lower extremity postures, and the trunk kinematics and muscle activity measures were captured for 5 s.

Results

Changes in the trunk-thigh angle and the knee angle affected the trunk and head postures and muscle recruitment patterns significantly, indicating significant interactions between the lower extremity and trunk while sitting. Specifically, the larger trunk-thigh angle (T135°) showed more neutral lumbar lordosis (4.0° on average), smaller pelvic flexion (1.8°), smaller head flexion (3.3°), and a less rounded shoulder (1.7°) than the smaller one (T90°). The smaller knee angle (K45°) revealed a more neutral lumbar lordosis (6.9°), smaller pelvic flexion (9.2°), smaller head flexion (2.6°), and less rounded shoulder (2.4°) than the larger condition (K180°). The more neutral posture suggested by the kinematic measures confirmed significantly less muscular recruitment in the trunk extensors, except for a significant antagonistic co-contraction.

Conclusion

The lower and upper back postures were more neutral, and back muscle recruitment was lower with a larger trunk-thigh angle and a smaller knee angle, but at the cost of antagonistic co-contraction.

Application

The costs and benefits of each lower extremity posture can be used to design an ergonomic chair and develop an improved sitting strategy.
Citizen Responses to Ethnic Representation
Authors: O’Brochta William
Published: June 2021

Can country leaders improve citizens’ ethnic outgroup views by changing ethnic representation in government? Years of pressure from the international community calling for leaders to make particularly their cabinets more ethnically representative seems to suggest that ethnic representation—conceptualized as descriptive and substantive representation and ministerial cooperation—is key to improving citizens’ outgroup views. I argue that increasing ethnic representation influences majority and minority citizens differently; minority citizens’ outgroup views will become more favorable, while majority citizens’ views will worsen. Using a pre-registered vignette experiment with ethnic Albanians and Macedonians in North Macedonia, I show that ethnic representation does not provide the improvements in outgroup relations that many have hoped. Both groups’ affect toward and perceptions of the cabinet change somewhat, but increasing ethnic representation does not improve overall outgroup attitudes. These results suggest that ethnic representation alone does not lead to more productive interethnic relationships.
Sticking Together in ‘Divided Britain’: Talking Brexit in Everyday Family Relationships
Authors: Davies Katherine
Published: June 2021

Despite media headlines depicting the UK as a nation divided over Brexit, we know very little about how Brexit has affected personal relationships. This article addresses gaps in sociological understandings of Brexit and politics more generally by exploring how Brexit is experienced in everyday family relationships, focusing on how people orientate themselves towards discussing Brexit (or not) with their family and friends. Based on qualitative interviews, the article draws upon theories of relationality to explain the tenacity of family ties and to demonstrate how and why families ‘stick together’ despite often having different opinions about politics. It is argued that a conceptualisation of politics as relational is essential to understanding how they are experienced in everyday life.
The Trifecta Framework: Preparing Agents of Change in Urban Education
Authors: Ball Arnetha F. , Greene Danielle Marie , Friedman Joseph S. L. , Dray Barbara J.
Published: June 2021

The research reported on in this article investigates a question that continues to perplex educators: How might a carefully designed course that provides opportunities for changes in participants’ learning and practices be used in the preparation of the next generation of scholars/practitioners as equity-minded agents of change? Data analyzed from a course, taught to students for over a decade, designed around this question revealed development of conceptual, epistemological, and behavioral change in participants. We propose that instruction that strategically combines three critical components of the course—referred to as a trifecta—could facilitate generative thinking and serve as a catalyst in preparing agents of change who are able to confront inequality and enact social justice in urban schools.
Who Should You Market to in a Crisis? Examining Plog’s Model during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Litvin Stephen W. , Guttentag Daniel , Smith Wayne W.
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to destinations. Even those with thoughtful and comprehensive crisis management plans likely have struggled to navigate this difficult period. This research, based upon an application of Plog’s Model of Allocentricity and Psychocentricity and utilizing data collected during the early stages of the pandemic, provides insight regarding consumer attitudes toward vacation and VFR travel from early in the pandemic when no end to the crisis was in sight. The research provides strategic guidance to tourism marketers as they look for solutions during future challenging times.
Leprosy suspect presenting at a chest clinic
Authors: Torun Serife , Karaman Irem
Published: June 2021

Leprosy is an ancient ailment, also known as Hansen’s disease. It primarily involves the superficial peripheral nerves, skin, upper respiratory tract mucosa, eyes, bones and testicles, but not the lungs. Although leprosy patients are not included in the study area of pulmonology, here we present an undiagnosed leprosy patient with a history of smoking, who was referred owing to upper respiratory tract symptoms and bilateral pleural effusions. From this undiagnosed case, we would like to draw specific attention of pulmonologists, since a patient with leprosy can present in this way due to hypoalbuminemia resulting from a systemic inflammatory state, which may then progress to sepsis. Collaboration of different specialists may be required to clinch extra-neurological and extra-cutaneous features of leprosy.
Determinants of Intention Toward Dementia-Preventive Behaviors Among Middle-Aged Korean Adults
Authors: Choi Won-Hee , Seo Yeong-Mi
Published: June 2021

This study aims to determine the influence of the constructs of the health belief model and fear of dementia on the behavioral intention to prevent middle-aged Korean adults’ dementia. Applying a descriptive design, 163 middle-aged adults were recruited. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data regarding fear of dementia, behavioral intention to prevent dementia, the expanded health belief model’s variables (i.e., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefit, perceived barrier, cues to action, general health motivation, and self-efficacy), and other general characteristics between August and September 2019. The determinants of the behavioral intention for dementia prevention were identified through hierarchical regression analysis. The significant factors influencing the behavioral intention for dementia prevention were general health motivation and self-efficacy, accounting for 34.2% of the variance. The results revealed key factors that should be considered in future interventions to enhance adherence concerning dementia-preventive behaviors.
Decentering a Mulher popular? Gender-Class and Race in Early and Contemporary Latin American Popular Feminisms
Authors: Lebon Nathalie
Published: June 2021

Although 1980s popular feminisms were crucially concerned with the (gendered) class interests of women from the popular sectors, the concerns of racialized women were generally obscured. In the context of the new millennium, contemporary forms of self-identified popular feminisms such as the World March of Women are broader, cross-class, and multiscale coalitions that create new challenges for representation in decision-making beyond the local. These contemporary coalitions also aim for greater systemic change, explicitly embracing anticapitalism and feminism, but have generally maintained the primary gender-class focus of earlier popular feminisms, hindering their attention to antiracism and sexual identities.

Embora os feminismos populares da década de 1980 estivessem extremamente preocupados com os interesses de classe (de gênero) das mulheres dos setores populares, as preocupações das mulheres racializadas eram geralmente ofuscadas. No contexto do novo milênio, as formas contemporâneas de feminismos populares auto identificados, como a Marcha Mundial das Mulheres, são coalizões mais amplas, entre classes e multiescala, que criam novos desafios para a representação no processo de tomada de decisões além do local. Essas coalizões contemporâneas têm também como objetivo uma maior mudança sistêmica, abraçando explicitamente o anticapitalismo e feminismo, mas de uma forma geral, mantiveram como foco primário os feminismos populares de gênero e classe anteriores que impediram a devida atenção no que se refere ao antirracismo e identidades sexuais.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor in the Nasal Cavity of a Neonate: A Case Report
Authors: Chi Xiufang , Wang Yue , Yang Haoming , Xing Cheng , Gan Jiamin , Yang Shumei , Liu Guo Sheng , Han Sha Sha , Nie Chuan , Gao Hongyi
Published: June 2021

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a rare tumor that can develop on the lining of nerves and within the network of nerve fibers in different organs, and it is commonly found in the head and neck, limbs, and trunk. These tumors can occur in patients of any age. They most commonly occur in adults aged 20 to 50 years; however, fewer cases of this tumor in children have been reported. To date, no neonatal case of MPNST in the nasal cavity has been reported. Here, we report the case of a 4-day-old female newborn who presented with a nasal mass that re-enlarged after surgery and was diagnosed as MPNST of the nasal cavity on the basis of pathological results. This is the first report of MPNST in the nasal cavity of a neonate. Differential diagnosis and treatment of nasal masses have been proposed in the related literature.
A Retrospective Review of 589 Percutaneous Tracheostomies in a Canadian Community Teaching Hospital
Authors: Shin Dongho , Ma Andrew , Chan Yvonne
Published: June 2021

Objective:

The primary objective of this study was to review the complication rate of percutaneous tracheostomies performed by a single surgeon in a community teaching hospital.

Methods:

This retrospective study reviewed the patients who underwent percutaneous tracheostomy with bronchoscopic guidance in a community hospital setting between 2009 and 2017. Patients older than the age of 18 requiring percutaneous tracheostomy were chosen for this retrospective study. Patients who were medically unstable, had no palpable neck landmarks, and inadequate neck extension were excluded. Indications for percutaneous tracheostomy included patients who had failed to wean from mechanical ventilation, required pulmonary toileting, or in whom airway protection was required.

Results:

Of the 600 patients who received percutaneous tracheostomy, 589 patients were included in the study. Intraoperative complication (2.6%) and postoperative complication rates (11.4%) compared similarly to literature reported rates. The most common intraoperative complications were bleeding, technical difficulties, and accidental extubation. Bleeding, tube obstruction, and infection were the most common postoperative complications. Overall burden of comorbidity, defined by Charlson Comorbidity Index, and coagulopathy were also found to be associated with higher complication rates. The decannulation rate at discharge was 46.3%.

Conclusion:

Percutaneous tracheostomy is a safe alternative to open tracheostomies in the community setting for appropriately selected patients.
The morality of substitution intervention: The case of Yemen
Authors: Christensen James
Published: June 2021

Throughout the Yemeni Civil War, western states have supplied weapons used in the indiscriminate bombing campaign conducted by the Saudis. In defence of their actions, British politicians have argued that they are exchanging weapons for influence, and using the influence obtained to encourage compliance with humanitarian law. An additional premise in the argument is that Britain is using its influence more benignly than alternative suppliers would use theirs if Britain were not on the scene. The idea is that Britain is substituting itself for other, less scrupulous, interveners. I argue that, regardless of whether British substitution intervention could be justified in this way…, it is not in fact justified, because Britain has not plausibly used its influence to secure an amount of good sufficient to offset the various harms that its actions have created (or to discharge the expanded duties of rescue that greater influence entails). In addition, the article identifies the various forms that substitution intervention can take, and shows how the concept reveals hitherto neglected reasons to both support and oppose intervention in foreign conflicts.
Practical guidance on use of TEARS-Q to diagnose post-stroke emotionalism
Authors: Broomfield Niall M , West Robert , Barber Mark , Gillespie David C , House Allan , Walters Matthew
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To evaluate, using a classification tree methodology, the ability of the Testing Emotionalism After Recent Stroke – Questionnaire (TEARS-Q) to determine the need for further assessment of post-stroke emotionalism and to identify those whose emotionalism is sufficiently clear that they need assessment for potential intervention.

Setting:

Acute stroke units of nine Scottish hospitals in the context of a longitudinal cohort study of post-stroke emotionalism.

Subjects:

A total of 228 stroke survivors recruited between October 1st 2015 and September 30th 2018, within two weeks of stroke.

Measures:

The measure was the self-report questionnaire TEARS-Q, constructed based on recognised diagnostic features of post-stroke tearful emotionalism. The reference standard was presence/absence of emotionalism on a diagnostic, semi-structured post-stroke emotionalism interview, administered at the same assessment point.

Results:

Nine of 159 subjects scoring 0 or 1 on TEARS-Q were diagnosed with post-stroke emotionalism on the reference standard, compared to 11 of 21 subjects scoring 2 to 5 on TEARS-Q and 42 of 48 participants scoring 6 and above. Adding age, sex, deprivation, stroke type, stroke severity, mood, cognition, daily functioning and education did not improve the prediction accuracy sufficiently to change the classification tree.

Conclusion:

TEARS-Q reliably identifies those who need no further post-stroke emotionalism assessment, those who need further assessment to clarify diagnosis, and those who almost certainly have post-stroke emotionalism and may benefit from intervention.
Who alone can ‘see’? Christian humanitarianism, aspect-perception and political critique
Authors: Wintrup James
Published: June 2021

This article offers a critique of Christian humanitarianism in Zambia. But it does so by engaging with the arguments of anthropologists who have begun to question the status of political critique within the discipline. These anthropologists argue that critique often undermines ethnographic understanding because it problematically positions the anthropologist as an actor who is able to ‘uncover’ political realities that remain invisible to others. In this article, I take these concerns seriously and attempt to reconsider the practice of critique by drawing on an ethnographic description of the work of Christian medical missionaries in Zambia. Focusing on how these missionaries encouraged one another to ‘see’ their Zambian patients as ‘Christ-like’ and ‘faithful’ in moments of suffering, I argue that these practices of ‘seeing’ and ‘showing’ resemble certain forms of political critique. Rather than an exercise in ‘uncovering’ hidden realities, critique can also be understood as an act of ‘aspect-showing’ – the aim of which is to encourage others to ‘see’ the same things in a different light. The critique of Christian humanitarianism I offer here is therefore itself an act of aspect-showing that partially resembles that which missionaries themselves engaged in.
Conversion of AC wind energy system model to DC model for integration to optimization software with large scales
Authors: Tounsi Souhir
Published: June 2021

The work presented in this paper deals with an AC model of wind turbine system conversion to a DC model with reduced simulation time, for possible integration to optimization software with larges scales permitting a multi-objective optimization, such as the constrained optimization conjointly of the cost and power losses of the wind turbine energy system. The DC model is based on average calculation of the DC voltage recharging the battery energy accumulator used for recovering the converted wind energy and the electromagnetic torque. Indeed, classical model of wind turbine using generally electric generator associated to a PD3 rectifier to convert the alternative energy on DC energy recoverable on battery energy accumulator with need a large simulation time and thereafter it is non integrable to optimization software for multi-objective optimization problem resolution. The two models are implemented under Matlab-Simulink simulation environment. Simulation results valid entirely the wind turbine system DC model. Finally, as perspective it is interesting to use a booster chopper as an interface between the rectifier and the battery to optimize the recovered energy. An average model of the booster chopper can be integrated into the DC model for performance improvement of the conversion chain.
No Treatment Benefits of Local Administration of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 in Addition to Heavy Slow Resistance Training in Tendinopathic Human Patellar Tendons: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial With 1-Year Follow-up
Authors: Olesen Jens L. , Hansen Mette , Turtumoygard Ida F. , Hoffner Rikke , Schjerling Peter , Christensen Jan , Mendias Christopher L. , Magnusson Peter S. , Kjaer Michael
Published: June 2021

Background:

Heavy slow resistance (HSR) training is currently recommended as part of the treatment of patellar tendon tendinopathy. However, treatment success is not reached in all patients, and combinations of different treatments could be beneficial. Local administration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in humans has been shown to quickly stimulate tendon collagen synthesis.

Purpose:

To study whether IGF-1 injections combined with HSR training enhance tendon synthesis, tissue structure, and patient satisfaction versus saline injection combined with HSR training in patients with patellar tendinopathy.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

Forty patients (age 18-50 years) with unilateral patellar tendinopathy undertook HSR training (3 times a week for 12 weeks) and received intratendinous IGF-1 injections (1 mg IGF-1 per dose) or isotonic saline injections (sham injections) at baseline and after 1 and 2 weeks of training. The primary outcome was collagen synthesis parameters after 12 weeks (primary endpoint). The secondary outcomes were patient-reported outcomes (scores on the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment–Patella [VISA-P] and visual analog scale [VAS] for pain) and structural changes before the initiation of treatment and at week 3, week 12, and 1 year after the initiation of treatment.

Results:

Analysis of the patellar tendon biopsy specimens at 12 weeks showed that collagen mRNA and total RNA were increased in the tendinopathic tendons compared with the contralateral healthy tendons regardless of treatment with IGF-1 or saline. Similarly, no difference between the groups was seen in tendon thickness and Doppler activity at week 12 or at 1-year follow-up. The combination of HSR training and IGF-1 injections significantly improved VISA-P and VAS pain scores after 3 weeks, whereas the overall responses after 12 weeks and at 1-year follow-up were identical in the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

Although a small, immediate clinical response to IGF-1 injections was seen when combined with training, no additional long-term effect of intratendinous IGF-1 was observed on structural and clinical outcomes in patients with patellar tendinopathy.

Registration:

NCT01834989 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)
Science evaluation – As it is, as it could be
Authors: Mubi Brighenti Andrea
Published: June 2021

In this short commentary, I discuss Olof Hallonsten’s argument against science evaluation. My invitation is to place the discussion in a wider frame that takes into account the many challenges scientists and scientific institutions face today. I argue in favor of a ‘start from the middle’ approach that gives emphasis to the inner principle of valorization of the scientific endeavor.
From ‘the people’ to the crowd: The push for independence in Catalonia
Authors: Bielsa Esperança
Published: June 2021

This article examines the sociological value of Elias Canetti’s work on crowds and power. It explores crowd action and imagery in the push for Catalan independence through the analysis of materials published on Twitter by Tsunami Democràtic, which emerged to coordinate the response to the sentencing of Catalan political leaders after the unilateral declaration of independence. It then goes on to discuss how a crowd-based approach offers a supplementary perspective to contemporary studies of populism, on the one hand, and to accounts that primarily focus on the role of social media in organizing political protest movements, on the other. An analysis of crowds not only avoids both methodological holism and methodological individualism. It also helps to understand why so many people were mobilized beyond the power of concepts, ideologies and discourse.
How Attitudes about Guns Develop over Time
Authors: Shapira Harel , Liang Chen , Lin Ken-Hou
Published: June 2021

Existing scholarship usually presents people’s attitudes about guns as fixed and fully formed. Rarely are such attitudes examined as the outcome of social processes. As a result, while we know a great deal about what people think about guns, we know very little about the development of these beliefs. In this paper, we use a combination of surveys and life history interviews with a national sample of college students between the ages of 18 and 24 to examine how attitudes about guns develop in childhood and young adulthood. We find that while family gun ownership matters, positive attitudes about guns develop through active socialization that continues beyond childhood and is not reducible to family background. Relationships play a key role in this process, with changes in relationships often driving changes in attitudes about guns. Changes in attitudes about guns can take place in terms of both the content (what young adults think about guns) and the form (how young adults think about guns). In the transition to young adulthood, attitudes about guns develop from being articulated primarily as personal experiences connected to the activity of shooting guns or experiencing gun violence, to being articulated as political beliefs, connected to issues of regulation. These findings contribute to our understanding of gun attitudes by offering insights on not only what people think about guns but also how people come to think about guns in the ways that they do.