bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distributionally Robust Appointment Scheduling That Can Deal With Independent Service Times
Authors: van Eekelen Wouter JEC , den Hertog Dick , van Leeuwaarden Johan SH
Published: October 2024

Consider a single server that should serve a given number of customers during a fixed period. The appointment scheduling problem (ASP) determines the schedule of planned appointments that minimizes some cost function that accounts for both the cost of idle times and the cost of waiting. When service time distributions are fully specified, the ASP presents a much-investigated computationally challenging stochastic program. When service time distributions are only partially specified, one can apply distributionally robust optimization (DRO) to find the schedule that minimizes costs in worst-case circumstances. We assume that only the mean, mean absolute deviation and range of the service times are known and develop a DRO method that finds the optimal (mini–max) schedule. For independent service times, the min–max problem becomes nonlinear and difficult, if not impossible, to solve exactly. Existing DRO methods for ASP with partial information (such as mean and variance), therefore, consider relaxations that allow correlations between service times. Such relaxations have major repercussions, as the worst-case scenario will then be highly correlated. Our method thus deals with independent service times and finds a robust schedule as the solution to a linear program. We identify several new structural features of optimal robust schedules. We also apply the method to model extensions including sequencing and alternative objective functions.
Radiation-Induced Intraosseous Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor: A Case Report
Authors: Wagner C. , Alfattal R. , Mallick J.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The significance of radiation therapy in cancer treatment comes with associated complications, including fibrosis, osteonecrosis, and the development of secondary malignancies, such as malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). We emphasize the importance of understanding these complications for an effective patient management.

Methods

We report a 47-year-old man with a history of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. The patient later presented with symptoms that led to the discovery of an intraosseous MPNST.

Results

Histopathological examination revealed characteristic features of MPNST, including spindle cells arranged is sweeping fascicles with contrasting hypercellular and hypocellular areas, producing a marble-like pattern, with atypical wavy, buckled, hyperchromatic nuclei, and brisk mitotic activity. Immunohistochemical analysis showed patchy positive staining for S100 and SOX10, and a complete loss of H3K27me3 expression. This report underscores the challenge of diagnosing secondary malignancies post-radiation therapy and the importance of careful histological examination to differentiate them from other conditions.

Conclusions

In conclusion, radiation-induced secondary malignancies are a significant late side effect of radiation therapy that can profoundly impact treatment decision-making and requires a high index of suspicion during post radiation surveillance. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor serves as a pertinent example, highlighting the importance of considering long-term risks when developing optimal management plans for cancer patients.
Targeted therapy of multiple myeloma by IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells
Authors: Han Kunkun , Wang Xuan , Chen Guodong , Liu Wenyue , Mei Xiao , Yang Yili , Xu Xin
Published: October 2024

NKG2D chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells (NKG2D CAR-T cells) have been reported to be preclinically efficient in several tumors, but little is known whether NKG2D CAR-T cells co-expressing IL21 (IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells) display greater antitumor activity in multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, the lentivirus has been produced for expression of the IL21 sequence linked to the extracellular NKG2D sequence with the signal peptide linked through the CD8α hinge-transmembrane domain to the 4-1BB molecule fused with the CD3-ζ chain signaling domain, and the engineered IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells and NKG2D CAR-T cells were constructed. The CAR expression on CAR-T cells was assessed by flow cytometry, and the killing effects of CAR-T cells on MM were assessed by the cytotoxicity assay and ELISA assay. Moreover, xenograft models were also established to evaluate the ability of IL21-NKG2D-CAR-T cells to eliminate MM in vivo. Our results indicated that NKG2D CAR-T cells had dramatic cytotoxicity on MM cells in vitro, and co-expression of IL-21 significantly increased the cytotoxicity of NKG2D CAR-T cells on MM cells. Remarkably, we found that dexamethasone enhanced the cytotoxicity of IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells on MM cells. Furthermore, IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells also displayed significant anti-myeloma activity in vivo. In conclusion, IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells had dramatic cytotoxicity on MM cells in vitro and in vivo, and a system to apply IL21-NKG2D CAR-T cells and low dosage of dexamethasone for the future study of the targeted therapy for MM has been established.
Effect of a novel cannulation device for vascular access on AVF maturation in a goat carotid-jugular fistula model
Authors: Glowczwski Alan , Hohmann Stephen , Ross John , Peden Eric , Gowda Ashok , Lovelady April , Glowczwski Justin , Fridley Jennifer , Simon Bradley T
Published: October 2024

Objective:

The Ark is a 3-D printed titanium device designed to be implanted around the draining vein of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) to facilitate vascular access. The purpose of this study was to assess AVF maturation after Ark implantation in a large animal model.

Methodology:

End-to-side AVFs were created between the carotid artery and jugular vein in nine pygmy goats that included three control (AVF only) and six experimental (AVF and Ark device) animals. For experimental animals, an Ark device was implanted approximately 10 cm downstream of the anastomosis at the time of AVF creation. Postoperative ultrasounds and cannulations of the jugular vein fistula were performed over 12 months. At the conclusion of the study, the AVF was ligated and Ark devices along with a segment of the arterialized vein and surrounding tissues were explanted for gross and histological assessment.

Results:

The control and experimental Ark groups exhibited increased dilation and flow as well as diminished depth underscoring the parallel developments in vascular attributes and AVF maturation between the two groups. Gross pathology, histology, and micro-CT imaging revealed intact endothelium, mature tissue integration throughout the porous Ark device, and no underlying stenosis. No adverse events such as foreign body reaction, skin or vessel erosion were identified.

Conclusion:

The study showed maturation without stenosis of the fistula in all animals. This study confirmed that the Ark device functions as a scaffold around the access vein, allows fistula maturation, and can be consistently cannulated without infiltrations over a 12-month period in a large animal model.
Bedside 3D ultrasound fistula maturation assessment by non-expert sonographers provides equivalent accuracy to formal duplex sonography: A prospective clinical trial
Authors: Lauvao Lannery , Burgess Jason , O’Brien-Coon Devin , Rogers Tyson , Yevzlin Alex , Beaver Jason
Published: October 2024

Background:

EchoSure is an automated point-of-care 3D ultrasound (3DUS) designed to be used by dialysis technicians without advanced ultrasound training. The EchoMark/EchoSure System is a two-part system comprised of a bioresorbable implant, EchoMark, and a diagnostic ultrasound imaging platform, EchoSure. EchoSure was designed to enable any healthcare personnel in a dialysis clinic setting to obtain non-invasive, direct measurements of flow and vessel parameters that are critical quantifications used in the assessment of AVF maturation and readiness for hemodialysis cannulation.

Objective:

In this pilot feasibility study, we sought to explore whether use of an automated 3DUS could enable fistula assessment by non-experts and obtain measurement accuracy comparable to expert sonographer Duplex.

Method:

This was a 20 subject prospective multicenter trial conducted at four sites in the United States. All subjects had an EchoMark implanted under their AVF during the fistula creation procedure. Subjects were evaluated at 2-weeks post-op with EchoSure and Duplex, followed by monthly assessments until either the 4-month visit or until radiographic maturation was achieved, whichever was longer. Beyond monthly ultrasound assessments, clinical follow-up continued every 6 months between months 6 and 24.

Result:

Technical success of EchoMark implantation was demonstrated in 100% of subjects. Technical success of EchoSure was 99% across all scans. The mean percent difference in flow rate measurements between EchoSure and Duplex was −9.2% with a standard deviation of 38.1% compared to a mean percent difference of −15.7% with a standard deviation of 35.5% between Duplex measurements taken at the cannulation zone and brachial artery. Pearson correlation between EchoSure and Duplex was 0.708 versus 0.716 for the two Duplex measurements. Radiographic maturation was achieved in 70% of study subjects by 30 days and continued to rise to 90% through 90 days and 95% through 180 days after baseline.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates the feasibility and accuracy of an automated 3D ultrasound system for assessment of maturation at the dialysis bedside by non sonographers.
Thinking Induced by Acute Kidney Injury of Diquat Poisoning: Cases Report
Authors: Tao Yu-qi , Zheng Jia-yi , Xie Zi-chen , Sun Ke-yu
Published: October 2024

Diquat poisoning is a fatal condition that is becoming increasingly common. The mortality risk of patients taking lethal doses of diquat is extremely high. It typically leads to rapid dysfunction of multiple organs, including the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. Acute kidney injury is usually the first manifestation of this poisoning. However, the optimal treatment strategy for diquat poisoning remains uncertain. Additionally, the mechanism of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome caused by diquat poisoning may resemble the progression of sepsis. In this report, we present 3 cases of diquat poisoning, all of which resulted in death. We emphasize that acute kidney injury is the primary cause of death, and suggest that some strategies used in the treatment of sepsis could be beneficial in managing diquat poisoning-induced acute kidney injury.
The acute effect of heart rate monitor projection on exercise effort in school students
Authors: Cunningham-Rose Rebecca , Garrett Nick , Lonsdale Chris , Harris Nigel
Published: October 2024

Heart rate (HR) monitoring during exercise represents a potentially useful strategy for teachers delivering physical education lessons. This study examined how projecting HR monitor data onto a screen acutely affected school students’ exercise intensity during a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session. Twenty students (12.3 ± 0.9 years, male = 8, female = 12) from one primary school volunteered to participate. Using a randomised crossover design within a 4-week period, participants completed four sessions of HIIT with HR projection and four sessions of HIIT with no ability to view HR. During the HR projection condition all participants viewed their HR on a class screen in real-time, with a changing colour according to HR level. Target intensity was 90% of age-predicted maximum HR. Peak HR and time above 90% HR (RED) were collected in all sessions. Student focus groups and teacher interviews were conducted to gain perceptions around the effects of the projection. Peak HR ( p = 0.005, η2 effect size = 0.049) and RED ( p = 0.000, η2 effect size = 0.083) were significantly greater during the projected condition. Qualitative data indicated that projection improved student motivation to reach the target, and ignited competition amongst peers to work harder. Projecting HR data onto a screen can increase the acute exercise intensity of school students during HIIT. HR projection therefore represents a useful strategy for the delivery of exercise sessions with an emphasis on intensity, within physical education classes.
Investigating the effects of reverse dubbing tasks on English speaking proficiency and English learning motivation
Authors: Huang Heng-Tsung Danny
Published: October 2024

Reverse dubbing represents the process of creating and presenting a video clip that translates the original first-language (L1) spoken dialogues to second/foreign language. This study investigated its effects on English speaking proficiency and English learning motivation (ELM). Two intact classes of English as a foreign language (EFL) college students were randomly assigned to either the reverse dubbing (RD) group or the comparison group. In the course of an academic semester, the RD group completed two RD tasks, for each of which they, in groups, (1) selected a Mandarin L1 video clip, (2) translated the subtitles to English, (3) rehearsed the translated subtitles, (4) created a new soundtrack, (5) combined the video clip with the new soundtrack to produce the dubbed video clip, and (6) played the dubbed video clip in class and then performed the live dubbing again. ANCOVAs and qualitative examinations performed on the numerical data and interview transcripts unveiled that reverse dubbing constituted a significant contributor to the development of English speaking proficiency and led to a statistically significant increase in the level of intrinsic motivation for the participating students. In light of these findings, implications are proposed for the theory and practice of technology-enhanced language teaching and learning.
Pansy asses and terrorists: Sensibilities of anti-environmentalist toxic speech against Extinction Rebellion Finland
Authors: Kosonen Heidi , Löf Riku
Published: October 2024

Hate speech against environmental activists has been on the rise globally, alongside a forceful criminalization of the climate movement in Western Europe. This article analyses anti-environmentalist speech and actions against Extinction Rebellion (XR) Finland, an environmental movement that employs non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade individuals and institutions to address the ongoing ecological emergency. The materials consist of online commenting evoked by the news coverage of XR Finland’s protests in October 2022 and May 2023, and ethnographic data from the protest sites. The data ranges from scorn and stigmatizing insults to fantasies of violence and physical assaults at the demonstration sites. The article discusses this data through the concept of toxic speech and explores the different sensibilities of such speech: (1) the ironic and dismissive sensibility, (2) the emotionally invested sensibility and (3) the punitive, resentful sensibility. This article highlights how these sensibilities and related affective practices are embedded in and compounded by gendered, class-based, ageist and ableist systems of power and argues that anti-environmentalist toxic speech contributes to environmental activism’s delegitimization and stigmatization. It suggests that toxic speech normalizes violence towards activists and can ultimately violate activists’ civil and political rights.
A place of encounter: Health and social care workers’ perspectives on public gathering spaces for people using drugs
Authors: Bjønness Stig , Lie Amalie Jøntvedt , Grønnestad Trond
Published: October 2024

Background: The use of drugs is an escalating concern, with significant implications for the health and daily functionality for individuals. It has proven challenging to provide accessible health and social services. In the context of addressing substance use issues in urban areas, public gathering places for individuals who use drugs play a multifaceted role, serving as sites of belonging, support and potential illicit activity. This qualitative study explores the experiences of healthcare and social workers regarding a public gathering place, referred to as “the Bench”, in a medium-sized Norwegian city. Methods: A qualitative research design consisting of semi-structured focus group interviews and individual interviews with 13 participants representing various support agencies. Results: The analysis resulted in four thematic areas: (1) belonging and a gateway to support and services; (2) balancing user autonomy at the Bench and systems support; (3) the role of a centralised location; and (4) the preventive role of support workers at the Bench. Conclusion: While the Bench fosters a sense of community and provides access to vital services, concerns about illicit activities persist due to its visibility. Nevertheless, its central location facilitates outreach efforts and ensures easy access to support services. The study underscores the preventive role of healthcare and social workers in stabilising the environment and mitigating conflicts. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of central locations for public gathering places, emphasising the proximity to low-threshold services. The Bench represents a crucial venue for establishing relationships and providing assistance to individuals who use drugs, contributing to harm reduction efforts in the community.
Towards an understanding of the political economy of earlychildhood education platforms. Pro Business or Pro Children?
Authors: Roberts-Holmes Guy
Published: October 2024

There is a rapidly expanding and proliferating number of commercial early childhood platforms, competing for market share in what has become a crowded marketplace. Early childhood platforms provide a wide range of functions including an all-in-one digital ecosystem offering a learning management system; social media communication between educators, families and children; invoicing and payment; attendance monitoring; data tracking; individual profiling; documentation; pedagogic advice and even policy interpretation. Platforms are a sociocultural and ideological phenomenon that ‘can replace or profoundly disrupt educational systems’ (Cobo and Rivas) and hence their advent demands urgent critical thinking. However, within early years there is comparatively limited research of platforms' impacts upon families, educators and children. The aims of this colloquium are firstly to open a critical space to think about the political economy of commercial education platforms and secondly, to ask questions about platforms' impacts upon the neoliberal subjectivities of educators, families and children.
The legitimation of screenshots as visual evidence in social media: YouTube videos spreading misinformation and disinformation
Authors: Inwood Olivia , Zappavigna Michele
Published: October 2024

This article explores the use of screenshots as a form of visual evidence on social media platforms. It considers their role in YouTube videos that spread misinformation and disinformation about the Notre Dame Cathedral Fire and an internet hoax, the Momo Challenge. The article draws on two social semiotic frameworks, legitimation (Van Leeuwen in ‘Legitimation in discourse and communication, 2007) and affiliation (Knight in ‘Evaluating experience in funny ways’, 2013, and Zappavigna in ‘Searchable Talk and Social Media Metadiscourse’, 2018), to analyse how screenshots and accompanying voiceovers construe technological authority and propagate social values. Seven key forms of screenshots are identified in the dataset, alongside the key social bonds that are made visually salient in the screenshots. Overall, this research contributes to how we understand the role of screenshots in instances of misinformation and disinformation, highlighting the importance of identifying the affiliation potential of the screenshot in order to determine its veracity.
Doing decoloniality in the context of a PhD born in precarity and pandemic
Authors: Mgibisa Mbuyisi
Published: October 2024

This article takes a deep dive into my doctoral journey and my lived experience as an emerging Black African scholar doing decolonial research in a South African colonial and Westernized university. I wrestle with the contradictions and tensions that emerged during this period that took place at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. I also look back with ‘willful resistance’ to the oppressive systems of knowledge productions and the limitations of doing decolonial work. I consider my own complicity with these oppressive systems of knowledge production as I attempt to work within institutional constraints to fulfil the requirements of a PhD degree. Using Black existential theory as a lens and autoethnography as method, the goal is to generate a discussion with other emerging scholars about their own lived experiences doing decolonial research in colonial universities.
Exploring Empathic Communication Among Community Health Workers: Applying the ENACT Tool in Two South African Sites
Authors: Laurenzi Christina A. , Rabie Stephan , Mamutse Sihle , Skeen Sarah , van Vuuren Nicola Jansen , Neethling Rosanne , Field Sally , Honikman Simone
Published: October 2024

Introduction. Effective empathic communication between health care providers and patients is an essential part of health care. In resource-poor contexts, evidence is needed to understand the quality and content of health care communication within real-life clinical engagements. We used the existing Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic Factors (ENACT) tool to measure empathic communication skills among a group of community health workers (CHWs) receiving a novel quality improvement intervention called Nyamekela4Care in South Africa. Methods. In two resource-limited sites in the Western Cape, South Africa, we audio-recorded CHWs, with consent, in routine client consultations at baseline and postintervention. All sessions were in Afrikaans. We used the adapted ENACT tool to rate recordings at both timepoints, assessing 11 items including communication skills, emotional engagement, process and interaction. We used ANOVA to assess preimplementation and postimplementation differences in empathic communication, and analyzed coders’ feedback on the coding process itself. Results. We analyzed n = 66 recordings from 11 CHWs, observing positive directionality overall, with most skills improving over time. Despite near-significant improvements in communication delivery ( p = .083), self-confidence/groundedness ( p = .029) significantly changed but in the opposite direction. Large effect sizes were observed in verbal communication, responsiveness to client, and identifying external resources, with no significant difference between timepoints. ENACT was feasible to apply to audio recordings; inter-coder reliability was suboptimal despite coder training and ongoing monitoring and support. Discussion. Quality improvement interventions may improve empathic skills in diverse contexts, and our results demonstrate how empathic skills could be more routinely assessed in low-resource health care settings.
Bifurcated Endografts for the Treatment of Aortoiliac Disease a Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data (IPD) Meta-Analysis
Authors: Manaki Vasiliki , Bontinis Vangelis , Bontinis Alkis , Giannopoulos Argirios , Kontes Ioannis , Ktenidis Kiriakos
Published: October 2024

Background:

This review aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bifurcated endografts in the treatment of aortoiliac disease (AOID).

Methods:

A systematic search on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed. The primary endpoint was primary patency, whereas secondary endpoints included reintervention, technical, clinical success, and overall postoperative complications.

Results:

Ten studies with a total of 365 patients were included in this review. Most included studies used the AFX unibody endograft, one study the Excluder endograft, and one the Powerlink endograft. The majority of included patients displayed TransAtlantic InterSociety Consensus (TASC) D aortoiliac lesions (56.1% 205/365). The pooled primary patency estimates at 12, 24, and 36 months were 93.93% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 87.7–100), 91.46% (95% CI: 84.6–98.8), and 90.25% (95% CI: 82.6–98.6), respectively. The mean primary patency time was 85.74 months (95% CI: 71.99–86.88). The pooled freedom from reintervention estimates at 12, 24, and 36 months were 91.94% (95% CI: 81.4–100), 91.03% (95% CI: 79.8–100), and 91.03% (95% CI: 79.8–100), respectively. The pooled estimates of major complications (rupture, graft thrombosis, amputation) were 11.12% (95% CI, 0.05%–3.03%), 3.76% (0.32%–9.45%), and 0.38% (0%–2.59%), whereas the pooled estimates for minor complications (hematoma, groin infection, dissection) and overall mortality were 5.27% (95% CI, 1.11%–11.38%), 6.93% (95% CI, 2.94%–12.16%), 2.19% (95% CI, 0.06%–6.14%), and1.57% (95% CI, 0.13–3.97), respectively. Technical and clinical success estimates were 99.92% (95% CI: 98.86%–100%) and 99.47% (95% CI: 94.92%–100%), respectively.

Conclusion:

The application of bifurcated endografts may present a safe and viable option in the treatment of AOID, with preliminary results indicating promising primary patency outcomes. However, the definitive assessment of their efficacy and safety will be better determined through long-term follow-up studies and high-quality randomized controlled trials, which are essential to substantiate these initial findings.

Clinical Impact

Bifurcated endograft application may be a safe and viable alternative for high-risk patients with complex AOID TASC C and D lesions with encouraging primary patency outcomes potentially comparable to those of open surgery. Non-negligible postoperative complication rates were also noted. High-quality randomized controlled trials and studies comparing CERAB, kissing stenting, and the use bifurcated endografts for the treatment of AOID is necessary to draw more definite conclusions.
Complete Recovery After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Type a Aortic Dissection With Cerebral Malperfusion: A Case Report
Authors: Wang Feifei , Shu Xiaojun
Published: October 2024

A 52-year-old woman presented with chest pain, shortness of breath and loss of sensation in her left limbs. Computed tomography angiography revealed an type A aortic dissection involving the brachiocephalic trunk and right common carotid artery. Endovascular therapy successfully managed the condition by reconstructing the artery and occluding the false lumen.
Robotic-Assisted Navigation in Single-Level Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Reduces Surgeons’ Mental Workload Compared With Fluoroscopic and Computed Tomographic Techniques: A Nonrandomized Prospective Controlled Trial
Authors: Morse Kyle W. , Subramanian Tejas , Zhao Eric , Maayan Omri , Oquendo Yousi , Gang Catherine Himo , Dowdell James , Qureshi Sheeraz , Iyer Sravisht
Published: October 2024

Background:

Pedicle screw placement during spine fusion is physically and mentally demanding for surgeons. Consequently, spine surgeons can become fatigued, which has implications for both patient safety and surgeon well-being.

Purpose:

We sought to assess the cognitive workload of surgeons placing pedicle screws using robotic-assisted navigation compared with fluoroscopic and computed tomography (CT)-assisted placement.

Methods:

We performed a nonrandomized prospective controlled trial to compare the cognitive workload of 3 surgeons performing single-level minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) using robotic, CT, or fluoroscopic navigation on 25 patients (15 in the robotic navigation group and 10 in the nonrobotic group). Immediately after each procedure, surgeons submitted the National Aeronautics and Space Administration–Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), which has 6 subscales: mental demands, physical demands, temporal demands, performance, effort, and frustration. Four tasks associated with pedicle screw placement were assessed independently: (1) screw planning, (2) calibrating robot/obtaining imaging/registration, (3) pedicle cannulation, and (4) screw placement. Patient demographics and surgical characteristics were obtained and reviewed.

Results:

Surgeons’ self-reported cognitive workload was significantly reduced when using robotic-assisted navigation versus CT/fluoroscopic navigation. Workload was reduced for screw planning, pedicle cannulation, and screw placement. In addition, there were significant reductions in each subdomain for these 3 tasks, encompassing mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, effort, and frustration with improved task performance.

Conclusions:

This study found significant reductions in mental workload with improved perceived performance for robotic-assisted pedicle screw placement compared with fluoroscopic and CT-navigation techniques. Lowering the cognitive burden associated with screw placement may allow surgeons to address the remainder of the operative case with less decision fatigue, prevent complications, and increase surgeon wellness.
Redefining Family Relationships: The Impact of Disability on Working-Class Families during the Industrial Revolution in Britain
Authors: Turner David
Published: October 2024

The Industrial Revolution traditionally has been seen in Disability Studies as marking a decisive shift in the lives of disabled people. It is argued that the rise of mechanisation, time discipline and standardisation made the industrial workplace a hostile environment for people with non-standard bodies. According to this view, increasing demands to work outside the home also meant that families were less capable of caring for older and disabled members, leading to greater institutionalisation. This view of increasing segregation of disabled people from home and work has dominated understanding of disability in the British Industrial Revolution, but it does not reflect the variability of disabled people's experiences at the time. Drawing on official enquiries, fictional literature, journalism and social commentary from the 1830s and 1840s – a time when the impact of industrialisation on the bodies and family relationships of workers became matters of public, political concern – this article shows the continuing importance of family in the lives of disabled people. The legal duty of families to care for sick and disabled relatives was an enduring social principle throughout this period. Interpersonal relations were tested and sometimes re-drawn by disability, forcing a change in traditional familial roles and expectations. For working people and their families, the potentials for poverty resulting from disability could be great. However, disabled people continued to play significant roles in the lives of their families, and where possible continued to contribute to the domestic economy. Taking a disability perspective on the history of the family highlights the interdependence between family members in industrialising Britain.
Increasing energy efficiency and flow coefficient by determining fluid behaviours with computer aided design and CFD analysis in isolation valves
Authors: Erhan Özkan
Published: October 2024

In this study, it was aimed to convey theoretical and practical development of the double eccentric butterfly valve, which would be the first in the sector, with highly efficient, saves energy, has a long life, and requires less maintenance. For this purpose, a prototype with lower weight and higher flow coefficient has been developed by the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. Thanks to the use of computer aided design and simulation techniques, environmentally friendly and highly efficient valves have been produced, improving competitive conditions and an innovative product has been obtained in the sector. The design, CFD analysis, and casting simulation were carried out by Solidworks, ANSYS, and Anycasting computer programmes respectively. At the same time, as a result of this study, a design suitable for an innovative production technique that leads to less energy and less waste has been obtained. Innovative material selection and casting techniques were used by optimising the total material weight and valve cost.
Precision polishing force control technology of abrasive belt-wheel polishing servo control system based on HGO-SMC
Authors: Hong Qi , Qi Junde , Wei Qinghua
Published: October 2024

Due to cylinder friction, valve dead zone effect, flow nonlinearity, and measurement noise exist in pneumatic system. In the actual machining, it is difficult to achieve precise control of the pneumatic servo polishing system using the traditional PID algorithm, so the machining accuracy of the blades cannot be guaranteed. A sliding mode control (SMC) method based on high gain observer (HGO) is proposed. The HGO observes the output signal of the system and feeds the estimated signal back to the SMC to ensure that the observation error is uniform ultimate boundedness. Simulation and experiments show that compared with the PID algorithm, the steady-state error of HGO-SMC can be reduced by 66.4%. Compared with SMC(sgn), the high-frequency chattering of HGO-SMC can be reduced by 72.5%. Moreover, the polishing processing experiment shows that HGO-SMC can improve the form and position accuracy by 52.6% and reduce the surface roughness by 55.6%, compared with the original PID control algorithm of the polishing machine tool.
When control becomes a matter of life: a phenomenological exploration of intestinal failure patients’ lived experience receiving assistance from home care nurses in home parenteral nutrition management
Authors: Andersson Jacqueline Victoria Nederbye , Martinsen Bente
Published: October 2024

Background:

Parenteral nutrition (PN) provides the body with essential nourishment through intravenous infusion. Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) has a significant impact on the lives of its users; however, very few studies explore the phenomenon of homecare nurse provided assistance for the management and administration of HPN.

Method:

The phenomenological approach, Reflective Lifeworld Research, was utilised. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five patients with intestinal failure. The analysis was performed according to the instructions of Reflective Lifeworld Research.

Results:

Four constituents were identified: (1) balanced nursing experience, (2) correct handling of procedures, (3) reversed expert roles and (4) the homecare nurse as a lifeline. Control was found to be the essence of the phenomenon, multi-faceted and characterised by the participants’ ambivalent feelings.

Conclusion:

The participants were ambivalent about receiving assistance from the homecare nurses. HPN is a complex treatment in which demands are placed on the homecare nurses’ competencies to deliver a high quality of care. The patients live with a constant fear of complications and hospitalisations. The participants felt compelled to perform control, monitoring the homecare nurses’ work, to ensure that errors did not occur. As more assistance was received from homecare nurses, the participants experienced a loss of control. However, the assistance did also give a sense of security, whereby the homecare nurse was perceived as a lifeline. From a sociological perspective, the need for control can be a result of the constant development of society, where greater demands were placed on citizens’ commitment and responsibility for their own treatment, prompting a larger need for individual control.
Sport, criminal justice interventions and possible future selves: Towards a research agenda
Authors: Morgan Haydn , Parker Andrew
Published: October 2024

There is growing evidence surrounding the instrumental role of sport and physical activity as a tool to address issues within criminal justice systems and act as a mechanism to engage, educate and develop individuals both in community and correctional settings. This article outlines how sport-based interventions might serve to support the individual aspirations and imagined ‘future selves’ of their participants. Utilising the seminal work of Markus and Nurius, we consider the barriers that may impede the development of an idealised future self for people involved in, or on the margins of, crime. Considering these barriers, the article examines the concept of ‘liminality’, outlining the challenges evident when reconstructing personal identity as the individual transitions ‘betwixt and between’ former and imagined lives. Finally, the article presents evidence which advocates for mentoring within sport-based interventions to facilitate the construction of possible selves, before concluding with suggestions for future research in this area.
Signifiers of desistance from a positive criminology perspective: The case of responsibility taking in restorative proceedings
Authors: Shachaf-Friedman Esthi , Elisha Ety
Published: October 2024

Restorative Justice is a framework of mutual dialogue that offers people involved in wrongdoings, a more profound understanding of the harms experienced by the victims of the offense. It does this by applying the notions of responsibility taking and accountability differently from the traditional retributive criminal justice systems: instead of passively enduring a punishment, the prepetrator proactively seeks to remediate the harm caused. The aim of this study, the first of its kind in Israel, was to examine the subjective perceptions of graduates of the Geffen Victim-Offender Mediation Program, operated by the Adult Probation Service in Israel, of their past offenses. Through narrative analysis of the personal accounts of people who offended and took part in Restorative Justice dialogue proceedings, we found that they acknowledged and took responsibility for their transgressions and their manifold consequences—coupled with remorse, shame, and a desire to make amends. Participants also noted the positive attitude of the probation officers who helped them in the process. The article discusses these findings from the perspective of positive criminology and desistance theory.
Whatever happened to Hungarian freedom fighters? Collective memory, collective forgetting, and dissociative collective identity
Authors: Gyollai Daniel
Published: October 2024

As the war in Ukraine unfolds, the Hungarian government seems less enthusiastic about the idea of state sovereignty than one might have anticipated given Hungary’s historic past. Moreover, there is a surge of pro-Russian sentiment among government supporters. This is counterintuitive in light of prevailing mnemonic practices which put heavy emphasis on Hungary’s struggle for freedom and independence. The new developments suggest that the role of collective memory in collective identity formation needs to be reconsidered, especially concerning the apparent inhibition of otherwise persistent and widely shared memories. The article discusses the problem in the context of socially shared retrieval-induced forgetting and social identity complexity theory. It puts forward two complementary arguments: (1) this Janus-faced public behaviour might be accounted for by selective commemorative practices of the government and (2) how memories of historical events sustain a shared sense of belonging and continuity is not only contingent on group membership but also on the ever-changing group interest.
Health promotion and prevention in early times of the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from a Delphi study in Switzerland
Authors: Lutz Andrea , Duperrex Olivier , Gendre Aude , Zürcher Karin
Published: October 2024

Background:

COVID-19 pandemic and confinement measures had a major impact on the health and well-being of the population. Health promotion and prevention (HP&P) professionals had to rethink their practices to respond to the challenges raised by the pandemic context. This study aimed to build a professional consensus on the HP&P priorities (apart from the COVID-19 fight) in the early times of the pandemic in Switzerland and to identify the most relevant interventions to respond to these issues.

Methods:

HP&P experts from the three main linguistic regions of Switzerland reached a consensus through a two-round Delphi methodology with online questionnaires in June–July and October–November, 2020. Out of 282 experts contacted, 121 (43%) contributed in the first round and 99 (35%) in the second.

Results:

A strong consensus emerged about the importance of tackling mental health problems, non-communicable diseases and their main risk factors, as well as multiple social determinants of health. Although they believed that HP&P priorities changed in this context, experts reported that professional practices had only partially adapted to this new context due to multiple constraints (political, strategic, financial). The experts noted the need to adapt the means of communication to reach the different target groups. They underlined the potential of communication via digital technologies, but also drew attention to the risk of widening social inequalities due to the unequal access to these resources.

Conclusions:

This study generated new insights and confirmed pre-established knowledge regarding the orientations the field of HP&P should follow. While stressing the need to consolidate the traditional missions of the field (i.e. the fight against non-communicable diseases and the actions on social determinants of health), experts surveyed in this study also revaluated health priorities and rethought the way of developing HP&P actions in this specific context of the early pandemic of COVID-19.
Stability and Change in Narcissism From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: Findings From a Longitudinal Study of Mexican-Origin Youth
Authors: Ma Winkie , Beck Emorie D. , Robins Richard W.
Published: October 2024

The present study examined stability and change in narcissism during adolescence and emerging adulthood, a time of turbulent transitions and shifting social roles. Using data from a longitudinal study of 674 Mexican-origin youth, we investigated rank-order stability and mean-level change in narcissistic grandiosity from age 14 to 26 and narcissistic vulnerability from age 19 to 26. Grandiosity and vulnerability showed moderate-to-high stability across 2- to 3-year intervals ( rs = .43–.75) and across the full study period. On average, grandiosity increased from age 14 to 26 and vulnerability increased from age 19 to 26. However, these overall trends obscured significant individual-level changes, with about one third of the sample declining or showing no change in narcissism. Thus, although most individuals become more narcissistic from adolescence to emerging adulthood, many do not, and future research should identify factors that explain why some people increase and others decrease during the critical transition into adulthood.
Disproportionality analysis of reslizumab based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System
Authors: Li Huqun , Guo Cuilian , Wang Chongshu
Published: October 2024

Background:

With the increasing prescription of reslizumab for severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype, a real-world pharmacovigilance analysis of reslizumab is urgently required to detect potential unreported adverse events (AEs) in clinical practice.

Objectives:

We aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of reslizumab-related AEs in the real world.

Design:

Disproportionality analysis based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.

Methods:

Reslizumab-related AEs between the second quarter of 2016 and the fourth quarter of 2022 from the FAERS database were obtained. A disproportionality analysis was performed to evaluate the safety profile of reslizumab using the reporting odds ratio.

Results:

A total of 10,450,353 reports were collected from the FAERS database. Of the 403 reslizumab-related AEs, 42 distinct AEs were identified with positive signals. The most common AEs including dyspnea and oropharyngeal pain were identified, consistent with the instruction and clinical studies. Unexpected AEs of disproportionality such as bronchospasm and chest pain were also observed. Drug ineffective was identified as a noteworthy concern that accounted for 13.90% (56/403) of the overall reslizumab-related reports.

Conclusion:

While reslizumab offered a promising treatment option for severe eosinophilic asthma, more attention should be paid to the common AEs and new unexpected AEs. Based on the current findings of signal detection, further prospective studies are needed for the next signal validation and confirmation.
A rare case of nodular plaque variant of cutaneous-only Rosai–Dorfman disease: A case report
Authors: Seale Emily , Spurr Alison , Bose Reetesh
Published: October 2024

Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare benign histiocytic proliferative disorder that classically involves lymph nodes. It often requires histopathological and immunohistochemical confirmation as it can often mimic malignancy on clinical examination and imaging. Treatment recommendations for this disease are widespread, with no clear universal approach. We present a 59-year-old otherwise healthy female with a rapidly growing and therapeutically challenging red-brown nodular plaque on the left cheek, which was consistent with an uncommon plaque-type variant of cutaneous RDD on histopathological evaluation. This case emphasizes the clinical variability of RDD and underscores the importance of histopathological evaluation to help clarify diagnosis, investigations and guide management for patients presenting with unusual clinical variants.
Continent urinary diversion and management of pouch calculi as a late complication: A case series
Authors: Ball Kathryn , Warner Ross M , Douglas-Moore Jayne L , Khan Masood A , Mellon J Killian , Kockelbergh Roger C
Published: October 2024

Objective:

Following cystectomy, there are several reconstructive options. A continent cutaneous urinary diversion (CUD) avoids an ileal conduit if patients are unsuitable for an orthotopic neobladder. Reservoir stone formation is common, and management is challenging. Our data present incidence and management of calculi following Indiana pouch reconstruction after radical cystectomy.

Patients and Methods:

Prospective database review identified 30 patients with Indiana pouch CUD in our series of 450 open cystectomies. Paper, electronic medical records, and radiological imaging were reviewed.

Results:

Six (20%) patients with up to 15 years follow-up were identified with stones. At cystectomy, all patients were stone free with normal renal function and electrolytes. Time to first stone formation was 29–60 months. Eighty percent became recurrent stone formers. Management involved a combination of endoscopic LASER litholapaxy, percutaneous and open access. All patients had a functioning CUD following stone treatment. Time to stone recurrence improved with assessment for metabolic abnormalities, timed pouch emptying, pouch irrigation and treatment of urine infections.

Conclusion:

The risk of stone formation and requirement for rigorous post-operative prevention protocols should be discussed with patients. Follow-up for this group should be lifelong to include imaging and metabolic monitoring. Management requires a multimodal, multi-disciplinary approach.

Level of evidence:

Not applicable