bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stenosis Detection and Quantification of Coronary Artery Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning
Authors: Zhang Xinhong , Zhang Boyan , Zhang Fan
Published: July 2023

The aim of this review is to introduce some applications of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for the detection and quantification of coronary stenosis using computed tomography angiography (CTA). The realization of automatic/semi-automatic stenosis detection and quantification includes the following steps: vessel central axis extraction, vessel segmentation, stenosis detection, and quantification. Many new AI techniques, such as machine learning and deep learning, have been widely used in medical image segmentation and stenosis detection. This review also summarizes the recent progress regarding coronary stenosis detection and quantification, and discusses the development trends in this field. Through evaluation and comparison, researchers can better understand the research frontier in related fields, compare the advantages and disadvantages of various methods, and better optimize the new technologies. Machine learning and deep learning will promote the process of automatic detection and quantification of coronary artery stenosis. However, the machine learning and the deep learning methods need a large amount of data, so they also face some challenges because of the lack of professional image annotations (manually add labels by experts).
Kenosis to Solidarity: A Reflection on The Church Cracked Open by Stephanie Spellers
Authors: Jackson Drew
Published: July 2023

The journey of kenosis is the beautiful struggle that each one of us is invited to walk. To let go. To lay down life. In her book The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community, Rev. Stephanie Spellers says that on this journey of kenosis we, “let die what needs to die, so that God’s new creation can be born. Let the cracks form, let the jar break, so the oil can finally flow free.” But embedded within that journey is a question that we are invited to live: where does the kenotic path lead? This reflection discusses the necessary direction of kenosis toward greater solidarity with all things.
Inhalation of Carboxymethyl Chitosan Alleviates Posttraumatic Tracheal Fibrosis
Authors: Huang Rushi , Chen Shicai , Song Xianmin , Zheng Hongliang
Published: July 2023

Objectives:

The present study was performed to determine whether the inhalation of carboxymethyl (CM)-chitosan can alleviate tracheal fibrosis in a rabbit model.

Methods:

We designed a rabbit model of tracheal stenosis involving electrocoagulation with a spherical electrode. Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (10 animals each). Tracheal damage was successfully established by electrocoagulation in all animals. The experimental group was given CM-chitosan (inhalation for 28 days), while the control group inhaled saline. The effects of CM-chitosan inhalation on tracheal fibrosis were analyzed. Laryngoscopy was performed to evaluate and grade tracheal granulation, while tracheal fibrosis was evaluated by histological examination. The effects of CM-chitosan inhalation on the tracheal mucosa were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and hydroxyproline content in tracheal scar tissue was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results:

Laryngoscopy showed that the tracheal cross-sectional area was smaller in the experimental than control group. The amounts of loose connective tissue and damaged cartilage, as well as the severity of collagen and fibrosis, decreased following inhalation of CM-chitosan. According to the ELISA, the experimental group had low levels of hydroxyproline in the tracheal scar tissue.

Conclusion:

The findings presented here showed that inhalation of CM-chitosan mitigated posttraumatic tracheal fibrosis in a rabbit model, thus suggesting a potential new treatment for tracheal stenosis.
Application of attention mechanism enhanced neural network in non-invasive load monitoring of industrial power data
Authors: Wei Jun , Li Ce , Yang Rong , Li Fangjun , Wang Hua
Published: July 2023

The non-intrusive appliance load monitoring (NILM) decomposes the total power consumption of a power system into its contributing appliances. Previous studies only considered using the total power consumption information of appliances to decompose the load consumption. Besides the total electricity consumption, there is also important information such as current, voltage, and time in the total electricity consumption data, which can be used to analyze the load consumption information. Therefore, we proposed a sequence-to-sequence network enhanced by an attention mechanism, which effectively integrated the external features besides the total electricity consumption in grid data. Finally, we applied and evaluated the proposed model on the electricity consumption data of a gas station with 12 appliances, and our model achieved a 90.5% accuracy in load decomposition. Our solution provides a new solution on the application of NILM in the industrial field and helps to manage energy more rationally.
Professional Development Among U.S. Music and Non-Music Teachers: Comparative Evidence From the 2017–2018 National Teacher and Principal Survey
Authors: West Justin J.
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this study was to describe music teacher professional development (PD) in the United States and to chart potential differences between the experiences of music teachers, other arts teachers (visual art, theater, dance), and teachers in low-stakes (natural and social sciences) and high-stakes (math, English language arts) academic disciplines. Using data from the 2017–2018 National Teacher and Principal Survey, I evaluated PD practices, perceptions, and policies against six consensus criteria for effective PD: content specificity, social interaction, sustained duration, relevance, agency, and policy support. Findings showed music teacher participation in content-specific and socially interactive PD was robust and that the vast majority of music teachers described their PD as relevant. Cross-comparisons revealed discipline associations as to some criteria (social interaction, relevance, agency) but not others (content specificity, sustained duration, policy support). Although music teachers achieved parity or were advantaged in some areas (e.g., access to content-specific PD), they consistently reported less access to socially interactive PD, spent less overall time in PD, and were considerably less likely to exercise agency in support of their PD endeavors. Music teachers—along with their art, theater, and dance colleagues—generally, although not overwhelmingly, operated on less favorable PD terrain in 2017–2018.
Case report: An adverse response to cyclosporin A treatment in BALB/cJ mice
Authors: Ticar Vaughn , Tschirley Allison , Wilson Michelle , Plessis Anene du , Hibma Merilyn
Published: July 2023

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is an immunosuppressive drug that has been widely used in mice at a range of doses from 10 to 200 mg/kg. Our group carried out an experiment in 2016 where we delivered 75 mg/kg CsA (NeoralTM) to BALB/cJ mice by oral gavage to enable wart formation in mice, which was moderately well-tolerated. We recently commenced another study using the same dose and route of delivery of CsA in BALB/cJ mice in order to immune suppress mice to make them susceptible for mouse papillomavirus infection. We highlight in this case report that in contrast to our earlier study, we observed almost immediate unexpected toxicity and had to terminate the recent experiment after only five days of treatment. Seven to eight-week-old female BALB/cJ mice were treated with 75 mg/kg of CsA by oral gavage daily for five days before treatment was stopped due to body weight loss and mice becoming moribund. The probability of survival of the mice following CsA treatment was 80% in this study, compared with 98% in our 2016 study. Mice showed signs of probable acute kidney injury, which was reversible following withdrawal of CsA. Although it is unclear why the clinical response to CsA in BALB/cJ mice differed markedly between the two experiments, this case report highlights the risk of CsA to mouse welfare. CD3 depletion has been used rather than CsA treatment in other studies and should be considered as an alternative to CsA treatment as it is immune-selective, and may be more effective at enabling wart formation in mice.
Family Engagement: Developing Relationship-Rich Partnerships With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families to Improve Students’ Long-Term Life Outcomes
Authors: Kea Cathy D. , Sirgany Laura , Young Fanica
Published: July 2023

In addition to the demographic disparities between educators and students, many preservice general and special education teachers report limited exposure to students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and perceive themselves as ill prepared to address the learning needs of diverse populations of students with and without disabilities. This article provides a pragmatic illustration of how school leadership can build relationship-rich partnerships with families using the four fundamental high-impact family and community engagement strategies (relationships and trust, communication, culture and diversity, and collaboration and partnerships) identified by Hernandez (2020). Actionable steps and examples are offered for facilitating effective collaboration with culturally and linguistically diverse families and those of students with special needs to improve student learning outcomes.
Two Questions about Judaism with Answers for Christians
Authors: Lerner Berel Dov
Published: July 2023

Two issues often trouble people trying to understand traditional Judaism: (1) If the Torah explicitly mentions sacrifice as an element in attaining atonement for sin, how can Judaism provide atonement for sin when sacrifice has been unavailable since the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple? (2) How can rabbinic law be legitimate when it clearly expands and deviates from the plain meaning of the Torah's legal passages? I address the first question by showing that much of Hebrew Scripture does not relate to sacrifice as a necessary or central element in the achievement of atonement. Ritual sacrifice is barely mentioned in the narratives and poems relating to sin and atonement in Hebrew Scripture. Furthermore, biblical texts relating to the period following the destruction of the First Temple (when sacrifice was unavailable) express no concern that without sacrifices atonement is impossible. I address the second question by demonstrating that Scripture does not set out its laws in sufficient detail for their practical observance. These details must have been available in a body of unwritten interpretation and explication that accompanied the revelation of biblical law and which was eventually preserved in rabbinic law. Furthermore, Scripture authorizes judges to decide hard cases and describes the creation of new yet legitimate religious practices unmentioned in the Torah. More generally, rabbinic tradition views the explication and expansion of Torah law as a central project of the Jewish people that expresses true respect for Torah law as a living body of religious knowledge and practice.
America's Christian Nationalism, Theological Anomalies, and Constructive Responses
Authors: Myers William R.
Published: July 2023

From both the political right and left, the Charlottesville March re-awakened American interest in theocracy. American Christians became interested in something called Christian Nationalism. America's theocratic ideas had surfaced during American colonialism and later as the Protestant church operationalized a theocratic formational process called Christian nurture. That theological idea became an unhelpful, theocratic, theological anomaly. In similar fashion, the evangelical movement's support of an autocratic, presidential candidate had its roots within another unhelpful, theocratic theological construction. While unpacking such theocratic anomalies, the originalist legal theory of The Supreme Court is compared with Christian theological originalism. Constructive responses to the mainline church and the evangelical movement's theocratic anomalies are offered by theologians Dorothee Soelle and Jürgen Moltmann.
Chin Diaspora Christianity in the United States
Authors: Mang Pum Za
Published: July 2023

Living in much of the borderland between modern Burma and India, the ethnic Chin discontinued the practice of their old religion and massively converted to Christianity after Christian missionaries evangelized and Christianized them in the twentieth century. There is a high cost to be paid by the Chin for practicing Christianity. Persecution, repression, and exile have defined their existence and history, and tens of thousands eventually left Burma and resettled in the United States after they had lived in India and Malaysia as refugees for years. Their stories, both challenges and opportunities, are, however, overlooked, and this article, thus, explores their lived experiences in the United States.
What to Make of Luther's Theological Diversity
Authors: Ellingsen Mark
Published: July 2023

How to construct a theology for our ecumenical age in which we accept the diversity of theological positions without violating one's own commitments is a pressing theological question. The article uses the diversity in Martin Luther's own work as a test case. This diversity has been a compelling, largely neglected problem for Luther's work. In the Reformer's often overlooked reflections on his own theological diversity and how he envisions it can be reconciled, we find an overlooked model for doing constructive theology today—an approach that takes seriously the pastoral mandate to offer those themes in Christian faith that best address the situation or context that requires attention. Links between Luther's thinking and the insights of modern quantum physics (esp. its concepts of Complementarity and the Theory of Everything) are explored.
Empowerment as Critical Religious Pedagogy
Authors: Domsgen Michael
Published: July 2023

The article makes a proposal for the reorientation of religious education in an empowerment perspective. The discourses in which important perspectives are opened under this term can be found in community psychology, social work theory, disability education, and critical pedagogy. The author briefly introduces them and then asks what potential they hold for the theory and practice of religious education. In this way, a stimulating space of discourse opens up to rewrite religious education in the horizon of empowerment.
To See Responsibility from Below: Bonhoeffer, Niebuhr, and Racism
Authors: Norris Kristopher
Published: July 2023

This article analyzes and compares the theologies of Bonhoeffer and Reinhold Niebuhr regarding race and racial injustice. It examines the ways both theologians responded to the racial crisis in America, and Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany, in patterns consistent with their own divergent accounts of moral responsibility. The article argues that Bonhoeffer's theology of the responsible life offers deeper ethical resources than Niebuhr's for responding to the contemporary realities of White supremacy. Yet, while celebrating Bonhoeffer's contributions, it concludes by drawing on criticisms of Bonhoeffer from feminist and womanist thinkers to press this notion of acting responsibly in light of white supremacy beyond Bonhoeffer and offering one concrete example of an institution attempting to do that work.
Bicultural Stress and Bullying Behaviors Among Immigrant Origin Youth: The Promise of Developmental Assets
Authors: Forster Myriam , Grigsby Timothy J. , Nuñez Velia , Angie Guan Shu-Sha , Rogers Christopher J. , Areba Eunice
Published: July 2023

Bicultural stress, adolescents’ appraisal of intergenerational conflict and discrimination from peers, can strain youths’ capacity for functional coping and positive adaptation. Conversely, internal assets (IAs; i.e., positive identity and social competencies) promote thriving and resilience. We assessed associations between bicultural stress and past 30-day bullying victimization and perpetration and the protective effects of IAs among Hispanic and Somali youth. Results of multilevel mixed effects models indicate that bicultural stress was associated with higher frequency of past 30-day bullying victimization (β = 2.14, SE = 0.26) and perpetration (β = .79, SE = 0.17) however, youth with high IAs had the lowest frequency of bullying behaviors even at elevated levels of bicultural stress ( p’s < .001; adjusting for family functioning, parent/caregiver reported SES, marital status, and number of children). Results underscore the promise of fostering immigrant origin youths’ positive identity and social competencies to facilitate healthy developmental and well-being over the life course.
Dyadic Friendship Travel: The Role of Personal and Friendship Characteristics on Conflict Management Styles
Authors: Manner-Baldeon Fanny , Lin Guyang , Li Mimi
Published: July 2023

Friendship travel is gaining traction in tourism studies; however, analyses of dyads’ dynamics outside of romantic partners remain scarce. This study investigates how dyadic friends settle disputes while on vacation, negotiate self- and other-related needs based on personal and friendship characteristics, and ultimately achieve satisfying tourism experiences. Structural equation modeling is used to examine interrelationships between the “Big Five” personality traits, Aristotle’s friendship types, and interpersonal tolerance in conflict resolution during travel between same- and opposite-sex friend dyads. Findings reveal that friends whose relationships are rooted in goodwill (i.e., virtue friendship) are more willing to adopt integrating and compromising conflict management styles. Friends who possess relatively strong agreeableness and openness to experience, and who have high interpersonal tolerance, often use an integrating conflict management style. These results differ from the extant literature in showing that men’s getaways enhance dyadic friendships. Various implications and this study’s relevance in the context of COVID-19 are discussed in closing.
Pediatric Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Repair: An Endoscopic Endonasal Approach
Authors: Valencia-Sanchez Bastien A. , Zhou Sheng , Patel Vijay A. , Gomez Gabriel , Ference Elisabeth
Published: July 2023

Background: Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea in the pediatric population is an exceedingly rare condition that occurs when the dura mater is breached, resulting in CSF drainage from the subarachnoid space into surrounding sinonasal tissue. Objective: This work delineates a step-by-step surgical approach to visually demonstrate the feasibility of an uninarial endoscopic endonasal approach for pediatric spontaneous CSF leak repair. Postoperative Outcome: A 2-year-old male with a 6-month history of clear rhinorrhea, intermittent headaches, and a previous episode of bacterial meningitis was evaluated as an inpatient consultation. Computed tomography cisternography revealed active CSF extravasation at the right sphenoid sinus roof. An endoscopic endonasal approach was performed including a complete sphenoethmoidectomy plus middle turbinectomy to provide access to the skull base defect. Once identified, a middle turbinate free mucosal graft was placed for cranial base reconstruction given the child’s young agre. Sinonasal debridement 3 weeks following surgery under anesthesia revealed an intact viable graft with no evidence of CSF leak. There was no evidence of CSF leak recurrence or complications 1 year following surgery. Conclusion: The uninarial endoscopic endonasal approach is a safe and effective option for the surgical management of spontaneous CSF leak rhinorrhea in the pediatric population.
Building the Future of Work Today - A Labor Studies Perspective
Authors: Schulze-Cleven Tobias , Vachon Todd E.
Published: July 2023

What can labor studies contribute to ongoing debates about the future of work? In a recent edited volume, Revaluing Work(ers): Toward a Democratic and Sustainable Future (Schulze-Cleven and Vachon 2021), we put forward a set of propositions that have sparked lively discussions at academic conferences over the past two years. This essay introduces a symposium on "Labor Studies and the Future of Work" that extends these earlier conversations and makes them accessible to the labor studies community. The article clarifies the main arguments and the broader agenda of the book before briefly addressing selected reactions to our claims. Finally, it summarizes the contributions to the symposium by a diverse group of scholars, reviewing what they have to say on the nature and purpose of labor studies as well as its promise for debates about the future of work and workers.
Perceptions of a Gifted Coordinator on University/District Collaboration Providing Culturally Responsive Gifted Professional Learning: A Phased Analysis of the Four-Zone Equity-Driven Model of Professional Learning
Authors: Novak Angela M. , Lewis Katie D.
Published: July 2023

Achieving equity in gifted education requires districts to disrupt inequities. Professional learning (PL) is acknowledged as an effective tool to spark lasting change; however, the realities of implementing equity-driven PL often hinder its effectiveness. This case study provides the perspectives of a gifted coordinator on the obstacles to growing equity in a gifted and talented program following targeted ongoing, relevant, collaborative, online equity-driven PL provided as part of a university/district collaboration. The qualitative study sought to understand challenges the gifted coordinator faced as well as insights she gained after the university/district collaborative PL. The case study methodology involved an interview; data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed; and five themes and three key understandings are discussed, along with implications for future research and study limitations. Key understandings include the benefits of targeted PL, the need for timely change, and the need to balance between leadership and empowering teachers to be change agents.
Narrative Analysis of Urban-Dwelling Pregnant Puerto Rican Women: Fuerza y Tenacidad
Authors: Maldonado Linda , Hamid Gwendolyn , Deatrick Janet A. , Bradway Christine , Moriarty Helene
Published: July 2023

Among Latina subgroups residing in the mainland United States, Puerto Rican women have the highest infant mortality rates when compared to all Latinas. Despite this, little is known about their daily lives in urban settings. This narrative analysis describes the stories regarding the life course of 21 pregnant Puerto Rican women living in an urban area in the mainland United States to identify plot types and underlying dimensions of their social ecology. Holistic form analysis was used to identify the structure of the narratives with graphical representations of the three identified types of plots (series of events that make up a story). Holistic content analysis was used to describe the major components of the narratives. Three primary plot types emerged from the narratives: Progressive, Neutral, and Circular. The women exhibited strength and tenacity to survive within a challenging urban setting often complicated by social pressures of their culture. The findings show the diversity of their lives and their social contexts even though from the viewpoint of being pregnant, Puerto Rican women who lived in a single neighborhood they may seem remarkably similar to an outsider.
Homestay Accommodation for Refugees (in Europe). A Literature Review
Authors: Bassoli Matteo , Luccioni Clément
Published: July 2023

In the aftermath of the rapidly increasing number of refugees arriving in Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nonprofit organizations, private companies, and also public institutions have promoted homestay initiatives: That is, local households hosting refugees. In order to reflect on the political issues that homestay accommodation for refugees raises, the article charts and synthesizes the available research on homestay produced in 75 works written in English, French, German, and Italian, and with a particular focus on the European context. Most of those texts were published in the second half of the 2010s and focused on the homestay initiatives that developed in the context of the so-called 2015 “refugee crisis.” We analyzed this material by focusing on three different levels: First, hospitality as an inter-individual relationship within the domestic sphere (micro level); second, refugee homestay as diverse accommodation arrangements, implemented by informal groups, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions (meso level); and, third, the (non-) contentious dimension of homestay accommodation (macrolevel). The review also identifies theoretical, methodological, and empirical perspectives for future studies on homestay. We call for more attention to be given to the intersectional inequalities and power relations between hosts and guests; to the life trajectories of refugees; and to the interplay between homestay initiatives and political contexts. We argue that homestay is an exemplary case to reflect on the ongoing evolution of refugee support towards solidarity practices that ambivalently interact with border regimes.
Book review: Lokranjan Parajuli, Devendra Uprety and Pratyoush Onta (Eds), School Education in Nepal: History and Politics of Governance and Reforms
Authors: Menski Werner
Published: July 2023

Lokranjan Parajuli, Devendra Uprety and Pratyoush Onta (Eds), School Education in Nepal: History and Politics of Governance and Reforms (Kathmandu: Martin Chautari, 2021), x + 402 pp.
Book review: Ajmal Khan A.T., People Against Nuclear Energy: Antinuclear Movements in India
Authors: Prabu N. Napthalin
Published: July 2023

Ajmal Khan A.T., People Against Nuclear Energy: Antinuclear Movements in India (New Delhi: Sage & Yoda Press), xiv + 216 pp.
The comparison of the short and mid-term results of endovascular interventions and bypass graft surgery in the treatment of patients with intermittent claudication complaints because of isolated femoropopliteal artery disease
Authors: Kocaoglu Alper Selim , Demirdizen Gürkan , Dernek Sadettin
Published: July 2023

Background

Intermittent Claudication (IC) is exercise pain seen in lower extremity arterial diseases. If it is left untreated, it may be the initial sign of a process leading to amputation. In the present study, the purpose was to compare the postoperative early and mid-term results of the patients who were treated with endovascular methods and those who underwent bypass graft surgery in the treatment due to IC complaints because of isolated Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease.

Method

Postoperative first-month, sixth-month, and 12th-month follow-up results, procedure requirements, and demographic characteristics of the 153 patients who underwent femoropopliteal bypass because of isolated Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease and 294 patients who underwent endovascular intervention in our hospital between January 2015 and May 2020 were compared in the study.

Results

It was found in demographic characteristics that endovascular intervention was performed more frequently in smokers and graft bypass surgery was performed more frequently in hyperlipidemic patients, and the results were found to be statistically significant. High amputation rates were detected at statistically significant levels in diabetic and hypertriglycemic patients and 1-year primary patency rates were found to be higher in patients who underwent graft bypass surgery. No differences were detected between the two methods in terms of mortality.

Conclusion

Interventional treatment modalities must be considered for patients with isolated Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease whose symptoms persist despite exercise and the best medical treatment. We think that Bypass Graft Surgery has more positive results than endovascular interventions when short and medium-term amputation, repetitive intervention needs, and changes in quality of life are compared in patients who receive the same medical treatment.
Modeling the effect of patient size on cerebral perfusion during veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Feiger Bradley , Jensen Christopher W , Bryner Benjamin S , Segars William P , Randles Amanda
Published: July 2023

Introduction

A well-known complication of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) is differential hypoxia, in which poorly-oxygenated blood ejected from the left ventricle mixes with and displaces well-oxygenated blood from the circuit, thereby causing cerebral hypoxia and ischemia. We sought to characterize the impact of patient size and anatomy on cerebral perfusion under a range of different VA ECMO flow conditions.

Methods

We use one-dimensional (1D) flow simulations to investigate mixing zone location and cerebral perfusion across 10 different levels of VA ECMO support in eight semi-idealized patient geometries, for a total of 80 scenarios. Measured outcomes included mixing zone location and cerebral blood flow (CBF).

Results

Depending on patient anatomy, we found that a VA ECMO support ranging between 67-97% of a patient’s ideal cardiac output was needed to perfuse the brain. In some cases, VA ECMO flows exceeding 90% of the patient’s ideal cardiac output are needed for adequate cerebral perfusion.

Conclusions

Individual patient anatomy markedly affects mixing zone location and cerebral perfusion in VA ECMO. Future fluid simulations of VA ECMO physiology should incorporate varied patient sizes and geometries in order to best provide insights toward reducing neurologic injury and improved outcomes in this patient population.
Can brexpiprazole be switched safely in patients with schizophrenia and dopamine supersensitivity psychosis? A retrospective analysis in a real-world clinical practice
Authors: Yamasaki Fumiaki , Kanahara Nobuhisa , Nakata Yusuke , Koyoshi Shinji , Yanagisawa Yuta , Saito Takeru , Oiwa Takahiro , Kogure Masanobu , Sasaki Tsuyoshi , Yoshida Taisuke , Kimura Hiroshi , Iyo Masaomi
Published: July 2023

Background:

Several studies have reported that a switch to the dopamine partial agonist (DPA) aripiprazole (ARP), especially when the switch is abrupt, is likely to fail and sometimes worsen psychosis in schizophrenia patients already under high-dose antipsychotic treatment. Such a switching failure is speculated to be related to be the dopamine supersensitivity state. The risks of switching to the DPA brexpiprazole (BREX) have not been reported.

Aims and Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 106 patients with schizophrenia to identify any factors related to the success or failure of switching to BREX.

Results:

The comparison between the patients with dopamine supersensitivity psychosis ( n = 44) and those without ( n = 62) revealed no significant difference in the switching failure judged at the sixth week. A comparison of the patients with successful switching ( n = 80) and those who failed ( n = 26) revealed that patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) were significantly more likely to fail. A logistic regression analysis also revealed that patients with past failure of switching to ARP are likely to succeed in switching to BREX. The 2-year follow-up of the patients with successful switching to BREX suggested that the patients who were treated with BREX, even temporarily, experienced some improvement in their Global Assessment of Functioning and Clinical Global Impression-Severity scores.

Conclusions:

Overall, the results indicate that patients with schizophrenia can be switched more safely to BREX compared to ARP. However, the failure of switching to BREX could be higher in patients with TRS, and thus, starting BREX treatment in refractory patients warrants careful monitoring.
Chemistry of Marketing: Application of Chemical Thermodynamics Laws to Closed and Isolated Marketing Systems
Authors: Stoyanov Dobromir Kirilov , Stoyanova Rumyana Dobreva , Stoyanov Kiril Stoyanov
Published: July 2023

Over the years, marketing has been influenced by the soft sciences (i.e., economics, psychology, and sociology) and hard sciences (i.e., mathematics and physics). In this study, we discuss the various intersections between chemistry and marketing, and we elaborate on the areas in which chemistry can help develop marketing from both theoretical and practical perspectives. In doing so, we do not intend to assert definitive conclusions or provide substantial scientific evidence but instead to introduce a new interdisciplinary research area that we call the chemistry of marketing and highlight its potential areas of application and some future research directions. To establish the initial scientific bridge between marketing and chemistry, we rely on: 1) metaphors which as figures of speech have long been used in the development of marketing science and 2) the general systems theory which is recognized as a prevailing form of generalization. Moreover, we provide a novel explanation of closed and isolated marketing systems, present initial evidence on their emerging importance in the business world, and offer some suggestions for their potential application to the first and second laws of chemical thermodynamics.
Phenylbutazone: Factors Influencing Plasma Concentrations
Authors: Davies Donald S
Published: July 2023

The author points out that whilst the total metabolic fate of phenylbutazone in man is better understood, discrepancies between single and multiple dose half-lives, as shown in the studies described, still remain to be explained. It is concluded that the mechanism responsible for limiting the plasma concentration of phenylbutazone when doses are increased requires further study.
Have the Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Helped our Understanding in Rheumatology?
Authors: Willoughby D A , Giroud J P
Published: July 2023

The author discusses the part that certain anti-inflammatory drugs have played in increasing our understanding of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and in adding to our knowledge of the mediators of the inflammatory response. Increasingly, the therapeutic agents under discussion have directed attention to the role of the macrophage in inflammation. Closer examination of existing anti-inflammatory or anti-rheumatic drugs and their mode of action has more recently directed attention towards immuno-modulation.
Phenylbutazone: Plasma Concentrations and Effectiveness in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Orme M L'E
Published: July 2023

Phenylbutazone in doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/day has been given for four periods of three weeks to seven patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The trial was double-blind and the order of administration of the doses was arranged to eliminate order and carry-over effects.

Before and at the end of each period the patient's clinical state was assessed by measurement of the pain score, duration of morning stiffness, paracetamol tablet count, grip strength, digital joint size, articular index and overall patient preference. The plasma phenylbutazone concentration was measured by gas liquid chromatography and the expected concentration of phenylbutazone in plasma was also predicted from a knowledge of the antipyrine half-life in each patient.

Phenylbutazone had a significant therapeutic effect, in some cases after only 50 mg/day. There was however no correlation between the plasma concentration of phenylbutazone and its therapeutic effect. The observed plasma concentration of phenylbutazone agreed well with that predicted at doses of 50 and 100 mg/day. However, at 200 and 300 mg/day the observed plasma concentration was significantly lower than that predicted, perhaps due to saturation of the protein binding sites.
Juvenile Chronic Polyarthritis: Clinical Sub-Groups and Response to Medication
Authors: Ansell B M , Hall M Ann , Moran Helen , Fowler P D
Published: July 2023

Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis, as a clinical entity, is outlined. A double-blind trial compared Safapryn and Butazolidin, each given for 3 months, for 15 treatment periods in 11 patients. No differences were shown, but the study highlighted the problems of assessing this condition, and some comments are made, hopefully, to guide further investigators in this field.
Butacote: The First Assessment in General Practice
Authors: Rushford W A I , Fowler P D
Published: July 2023

A double-blind crossover trial in the treatment of rheumatic conditions in general practice compared the effect and tolerance of 100 mg t.d.s. standard phenylbutazone (Butazolidin) with enteric-coated phenylbutazone (Butacote), each preparation being given for one week to fifty patients.

There was no difference in effectiveness. Nine patients complained of dyspeptic symptoms, three during the first week, six during the second week, but none during treatment with Butacote. This, together with the significant 17:7 patient preference, clearly demonstrated the superiority of Butacote.
Butacote and Ibuprofen: A Comparative Assessment in Rheumatic Diseases in General Practice
Authors: Regalado R G , Dublin LAH
Published: July 2023

A multicentre double-blind trial in general practice compared Butacote (enteric-coated phenylbutazone) 300 mg daily, ibuprofen 1200 mg daily, and a placebo in the treatment of rheumatic conditions. Each patient received two of the three treatments for one month each.

Twenty-nine doctors admitted 193 patients. One hundred and sixty-eight patients (sixty-four with inflammatory polyarthritis, and sixty-three with osteoarthrosis) completed the study, which showed that Butacote was significantly better than both ibuprofen and placebo for the relief of pain and morning stiffness, and improvement of function. Butacote was significantly preferred to both ibuprofen and placebo by patients and doctors, to placebo by the patients. Ibuprofen was significantly better than placebo for relief of morning stiffness and for reducing the amount of supplementary analgesics.

All three preparations were well tolerated and showed a similar incidence of gastric side-effects. It is concluded from this study that Butacote is more effective and as well tolerated as ibuprofen in the treatment of rheumatic conditions in general practice.
Butazolidin Suppository Medication in Rheumatism: A Clinical Study in General Practice
Authors: Mcintosh IB
Published: July 2023

One hundred and seventeen patients with various rheumatic conditions were admitted by eighteen general practitioners to a multicentre open clinical trial of the acceptability, effectiveness and tolerability of Butazolidin Suppositories. Dosage was one or two suppositories (= 250 mg or 500 mg phenylbutazone) per day for up to eight weeks. Of the 117 patients entered onto the register for the study, 10 patients refused suppository medication and 8 had local conditions contra-indicating their use. Of the 99 patients starting the trial proper, half had excellent symptomatic relief and tolerance. Sixteen patients discontinued because of poor response. The remainder (34) whilst having significant improvement as shown by mean symptom scores, discontinued treatment. The majority who discontinued did so because of minor local discomfort or minor gastric symptoms, suggesting that acceptability of medication was at least as important as intolerance. No patient had a serious or persistent adverse effect.

Comparison with previous studies suggests that gastro-intestinal tolerance to phenylbutazone is improved when it is administered by suppository.
Decentring the Western Gaze in International Relations: Addressing Epistemic Exclusions in Syllabi in the United States and Canada
Authors: Sondarjee Maïka
Published: July 2023

Over the past few decades, International Relations (IR) scholars started to acknowledge the field’s racist and colonial legacy. However, only a few studies examined ethnocentricity in the Western IR classroom, and whereas most studied textbooks and graduate training, they seldom looked at undergraduate courses. This article demonstrates that the discipline is taught to IR scholars-to-be by centring Western experience, epistemes, history and agency. After defining the Western gaze of IR, I explore ways to decentre syllabi in the presentation of (1) world history, in (2) reading lists and in (3) the minds of Western IR instructors. This article is based on a qualitative analysis of 50 ‘Introduction to IR’ undergraduate syllabi in the United States and Canada.

Décentrer le regard occidental en relations internationales : Les exclusions épistémiques des plans des cours aux États-Unis et au Canada
Elite capture and urban geography: Analyzing geographies of privilege
Authors: Lauermann John , Mallak Khouloud
Published: July 2023

Many cities have a two-tiered system for governing land: one set of rules for most people, and a different set for elite investors, large developers, and others who can bend, circumvent, or lobby against the rules. This reflects elite capture of urban institutions, as institutions are subverted to benefit special interests. We argue elite capture plays a systemic role in 21st century urban political economy. We review recent scholarship on four kinds of elite capture practices—rent seeking, opportunity hoarding, exploiting loopholes, and co-opting participatory planning—and illustrate them with a discussion of recent gentrification research.
Experimental Evaluation of Stiffness Properties of a Quicklime-Stabilized Clay Subgrade Using a Resistivity Plate Loading Testing Device
Authors: Ackah Frank Siaw , Zhihao Yang , Huaiping Feng
Published: July 2023

Quicklime-mixing in soil stabilization applications for subgrade construction is crucial to its engineering performance and controlling quicklime and water content. Modern construction quality control devices and methods have improved construction quality control substantially. Certain devices, meanwhile, still need to be studied more thoroughly. This study used the resistivity plate loading device to assess the physical and stiffness properties of compacted quicklime-stabilized subgrade instantaneously and simultaneously for compaction quality control. The Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was used to design the experiment considering the dry density, test time, quicklime, and water content at various input factor levels. The pH, cation exchange capacity, conductivity, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests were further conducted. Analysis of the Taguchi experiment shows that the average soil electrical resistivity responses increased with dry density, test time, and quicklime content, and were highest at low water content. Whether the dry density, quicklime content, and test time are positively or negatively related to the average subgrade reaction modulus depends on the level of the water content. Regression equations are proposed to predict the average subgrade reaction modulus and soil electrical resistivity. The tested soils’ pH, conductivity, and cation ion exchange capacity properties were directly related to the test time, water, and quicklime content. The XRD showed nearly similar X-ray diffraction peaks. The SEM analysis confirmed marked changes in the microstructure of the samples that explained the changes in electrical resistivity and subgrade reaction modulus responses. The test results show that the resistivity plate loading device efficiently assesses compacted quicklime’s stiffness and physical properties at ease and instantaneously.
Automatically Refining Degraded and Occluded Lane Marking Information to Enhance the quality of High Definition Maps for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Gargoum Sara , Gargoum Suliman
Published: July 2023

Autonomous vehicle technology has been advancing over the past decade with many challenges and obstacles. One obstacle to achieving fully autonomous driving is the feasibility of efficiently producing robust high definition (HD) maps of existing road infrastructure in a sustainable manner. HD maps are digital twins of road infrastructure that include 3-D representation of road features critical to a vehicle’s ability to navigate a road and maintain a consistent trajectory. This includes lane markings, barriers, and road edges. HD maps are often produced by first surveying roads using remote sensing technology. The collected data are then segmented using computer vision and machine learning algorithms to produce an HD map of the features of concern. One common challenge that is specific to extracting lane marking information is that the markings are occasionally occluded or degraded by high traffic volumes. This results in failure to detect lane markings and the existence of significant gaps in the extracted information. These gaps are manually filled in by quality control staff in a tedious and time-consuming process. To help overcome such challenges, this paper proposes a novel algorithm through which Kalman filtering is combined with Bézier curve fitting to automatically refine lane marking information. The proposed algorithm is tested on multiple roads where mobile lidar data were collected and segmentation was first applied using deep learning technology. The proposed algorithm was then used to refine the lane marking information which helped close all the gaps and recreate missing portions of the extracted lane markings.
Addressing the healthcare waste management barriers: A structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Raj Abhishek , Samuel Cherian , Singh Abhishek Kumar
Published: July 2023

Due to the growing population and advancing economy, medical waste accumulation has come to the attention of all facets of society. Although the issue of medical waste management planning has been addressed in developed nations, it still exists in several developing nations. This paper examines the effects of barriers under the Organization action, work handling, and Human Resource Practices section on the healthcare waste management (HCWM) sector in a developing country India. In this study, three hypotheses were constructed and tested using Structural equation modeling. The questionnaire was distributed among 200 health professionals to collect their responses. Ninety-seven responses were received, and 15 barriers were identified affecting the healthcare waste management sector. The results show that all three barriers (i.e., Organizational, Waste handling, and Human resources) hinder the Healthcare waste management sector. Organizational Barriers are the most significant among other barriers. So, the hospitals have to take appropriate actions to overcome these barriers. This paper helps to complete the research gap by providing the different characteristics of barriers. The development of a model for the analysis of barriers influencing HCWM is the Author’s original contribution.
Hedonic Motivation and Ducoffe’s Web Advertising Model in Estimating Consumer Purchase Intention
Authors: Shanmugavel Nagarajan
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this research is to predict the influence of YouTube advertising on consumers purchase intention in India. Based on the Ducoffe’s web advertising model, this research developed a hypothetical model by combining hedonic motivation with entertainment, informativeness, credibility, incentives and irritation. A survey was conducted among 562 Gen ‘Z’ respondents in India and the data was analysed using structural equation modelling. The results indicate that informativeness, credibility, entertainment and hedonic motivation were reported as the predictors to consumers purchase intention. It was further observed that incentives and irritation were not the significant predictors to consumers purchase intention in the Indian context. The main implications of the study show that marketers and advertisers should focus on the hedonic motivation and incentives to enhance purchase intention.