bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Pathological Characteristics and Prognosis of Multigene Co-Mutations in Elderly Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Li Wanjing , Chang Fangqun , Zhang Hao , Meng Furong , Ke Zhangyan , Zhang Yanbei
Published: November 2023

Background:

With the development and wide application of next-generation sequencing (NGS), multiple-gene mutations related to lung cancer are detected using this technology. Notably, even multigene concomitant mutations (co-mutations), which occur at a relatively low incidence, can be detected more effectively using NGS. It is well-known that the percentages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the elderly lung cancer population are also gradually increasing, while its prognosis is hard and the quality of long-term survival is poor. This study aimed at investigating the common clinicopathologic features of multigene co-mutations for better evaluating the prognosis of elderly NSCLC patients.

Methods:

A total of 464 NSCLC patients were divided into 3 groups according to the types of gene mutation, whose clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

Results:

In total, 38.36% (178/464) of NSCLC patients were in the nonmutation group, 50% in the single-gene mutation group, and 11.64% in the multigene co-mutation group. Nonmutation, single-gene mutation, and co-mutation groups were all prone to occur in male adenocarcinoma patients ( P < .05). EGFR gene mutation rates were the highest in the single-gene mutation and co-mutation groups (54.31% and 24.35%). In the co-mutation group, the incidence of EGFR/PIK3CA, LK/KRAS, and EGFR/MET co-mutations was the highest (16.67%, 11.11%, and 7.41%). ALK/HER2/MET, EGFR/HER2/MET, and EGFR/HER2/MET/ROS1 multiple-gene co-mutations were, respectively, found in 1 case, and the multigene co-mutation patients commonly had a worse median progression-free survival (PFS) than that of single-gene mutation (7.13 vs 12.34 months, P = .013).

Conclusion:

With the application of NGS, the detectable rates of gene co-mutation are increasingly high in elderly patients with NSCLC, which mainly occurs in male adenocarcinoma patients commonly with poor PFS. It will be critically necessary to conduct multigene detections by NGS for directing targeted therapy of elderly NSCLC patients.
Disease progression in the first 5 years of treatment in multiple sclerosis: Predictive value of early brain and lesion volume changes
Authors: Mattiesing Rozemarijn M , Kramer Eline , Strijbis Eva MM , Brouwer Iman , van Schijndel Ronald A , Gentile Giordano , Battaglini Marco , De Stefano Nicola , Uitdehaag Bernard MJ , Barkhof Frederik , Vrenken Hugo , Schoonheim Menno M
Published: November 2023

Background:

Whether the degree of inflammation (and its resolution) and neurodegeneration after treatment initiation predicts disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear.

Objectives:

To assess the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived brain and lesion volume (LV) changes in years 1 and 2 of treatment for disease progression.

Methods:

Patients receiving early interferon beta-1a treatment in REFLEX/REFLEXION ( N = 262) were included. Predictive regression models included new/enlarging LV (positive activity), disappearing/shrinking LV (negative activity), and global/central atrophy during years 1 and 2.

Results:

Faster global atrophy and/or pseudo-atrophy and positive lesion activity in years 1 and 2 related to an increased probability and faster conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS). Negative lesion activity in year 1 and slower central atrophy in year 2 were predictive of confirmed disability progression (9-Hole Peg Test). Positive lesion activity in year 2 was predictive of faster global atrophy, while positive lesion activity in years 1 and 2 was predictive of faster central atrophy.

Conclusions:

A higher degree of global atrophy and/or pseudo-atrophy in year 1 was predictive of CDMS. Positive lesion activity in any year was related to CDMS and neurodegeneration. Disability was related to negative lesion activity in year 1 and slower central atrophy in year 2.
Migrants’ deaths at Europe’s southern border: Cultural psychological dimensions of memory and mourning in Lampedusa
Authors: De Vincenzo Ciro , Zamperini Adriano
Published: November 2023

This paper explores undocumented migrants’ deaths, known as border-deaths, in the Mediterranean Sea by adopting liminality theory to memory and border concepts. Bordering, securitizing, externalizing, and militarizing policies have transformed the Mediterranean into the southern border of Europe. Consequently, the Sea has become a submerged cemetery where thousands of people have lost their lives. Particularly, the Italian Island of Lampedusa has become a geopolitical fiat boundary where conflicting securitarian/humanitarian symbolic frameworks compete. The death of migrants has been an ongoing historical issue, resulting a permanent state of liminality. Using empirical data collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations in Lampedusa, this study aims to understand the cultural psychological dimension of memory from the experiential standpoint of Lampedusans citizens and community. The findings reveal three themes: the primacy of experience, the relational diffidence, and the memorialization/mourning practices act as subjective and collective forms of resistance subverting external oppressing narratives. Moreover, they also serve to differentiate mourners from spectators and to preserve the material functioning of the Lampedusan community by replicating the symbolic order holding it together. Finally, implications for a semiotic-cultural psychological and liminality theory of memory and border studies are discussed.
Realistic evaluation of social inclusion
Authors: Nousiainen Marko , Leemann Lars
Published: November 2023

This study introduces a mixed-method model for the realistic evaluation of programmes promoting the experience of social inclusion of people in disadvantaged positions. It combines qualitative and quantitative methods for exploring the context-mechanism-outcome- configurations of four cases consisting of development projects. Qualitative analyses depict the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations using participants’ interviews and small success stories as data. Quantitative analyses of a longitudinal survey including the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale examine the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations in a larger group of participants and re-test the qualitative findings. Thus, they help to overcome the positive selection bias of the small success stories. The mixed-method approach is fruitful especially because the qualitative and the quantitative analyses amend each other’s shortcomings. In the promotion of social inclusion, it is important to help people to see themselves as active agents and allow them to connect to larger social domains.
Freezing Sperm for the Future: Reconceptualizing Kinship, Love, and Legacy
Authors: Adrian Stine Willum
Published: November 2023

Since the 1950s, human sperm has been cryopreserved and stored for personal use. However, men’s reasons and reflections regarding sperm storage have yet to be explored in feminist science and technology studies. Drawing on 30 semi-structured interviews with men who have cryopreserved their sperm in Denmark, this study asks, How does the phenomenon of kinship emerge and (re)configure as men cryopreserve their sperm? Using the term ‘phenomenon’ from agential realism, I explore how kinship emerges. The notion of this phenomenon enables an analysis of whether and how cryotechnology, and sperm as a substance, takes part in the emerging reconfigurations of kinship, love, and legacy. This article reveals that not only does the cryopreservation of sperm enable prolonged fertility, but also the technology co-constitutes, reconfigures, and sometimes displaces kinship in relation to past, present, and future love relationships across time and space.
Peaks and gaps in eco-social policy and sustainable welfare: A systematic literature map of the research landscape
Authors: Bohnenberger Katharina
Published: November 2023

The social impacts of the climate crisis and the need for societal transformation to achieve climate goals require integrated research and design of environmental policy and social security. The article analyses the current state of research on eco-social policy and sustainable welfare. Based on a systematic literature review covering more than 1000 publications, the article identifies 20 research topics. Strong research progress has been made on social compensation for climate policies; economic inequality in the climate crisis; energy use patterns in housing, mobility, and nutrition; political conditions for eco-social policy; and varieties in eco-social country regimes. Future research activities should focus on the five bottlenecks detected in the emerging research topics: the reduction in the environmental burden through a change in demand structures by the welfare state; growth-independence of social security; support for socio-ecological transformations by altered financing of welfare states; eco-social insurance and institutions; and ecological mainstreaming in the domains of social security. Discussing the explanatory factors for past research activity and sketching the elements of sustainable welfare states, the article concludes with the historical importance of including ecological concerns in social security.
Colonial governmentality and Bangladeshis in the anthropocene: Loss of language, land, knowledge, and identity of the Chakma in the ecology of the Chittagong Hill tracts in Bangladesh
Authors: Chakma Urmee , Sultana Shaila
Published: November 2023

“Can they do whatever they please. . . Turn settlements into barren land. Dense forests into deserts. Mornings into evenings. Turn fertile into barren. Why shall I not resist!. …. I become my whole self. . . Why shall I not resist”!. This is a section from a poem - ‘Joli No Udhim Kittei’ a Chakma poem written in Bengali script as ‘Rukhe Darabo Na Keno?’ (‘Why shall I not resist!’) by the author \Kabita Chakma in 1992, translated into English. It epitomizes the ongoing violation of human rights that Chakmas (members of one of the Indigenous communities in Bangladesh) experience in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) where the highest number of Indigenous people in Bangladesh live. In this paper, the first author, a member of the Chakma community and a Lecturer at an Australian university is in conversation with the second author, a Professor at a university in a Bangladeshi university. With reference to Phillipson’s linguicism, and Foucault's notion of governmentality in the era of the Anthropocene, in their conversation, they reflect on the Anthropocene – the forced migration, displacement of Indigenous communities in Bangladesh from their traditional land, extinction of Indigenous languages, disengagement with Indigenous and local languages, and consequently, and the destruction of biodiversity of Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Multispecies thought from the shadows: the associated worlds of dog-walking
Authors: Nixon Iona , Schmidt Jeremy J
Published: November 2023

This paper develops the concept of multispecies thought through a study of dog-walking in a public park in Lancaster, England. It draws on cybernetic ideas from Bateson, Peircean semiotics and von Uexküll’s umwelten to explore how multispecies worlds come into being in the spaces of the park, and amongst humans, dogs, leads, toys and other things. It focuses on how an understanding of multispecies thought can be discerned that is not only specific to the situated relations in dog-walks, but also constituted through routines that foster new capacities between specific bodies. In this way, we come to understand multispecies worlds as located at the sites where specific, associated worlds are co-produced by dogs and humans yet reducible to neither. We use the examples of lead-walking and play with balls and frisbees to show how semiotic relations are co-produced across species. Building on previous work, we confront species-defined notions of capacity and thought and look instead at how the indexical relations of multispecies thinking offers liberatory potential.
Efficient and precise docking trajectory optimization for the ship block assembly
Authors: Li Lei , Chen Qinghui , Zhou Honggen , Li Chunjin , He Qiang
Published: November 2023

The assembly of the ship block is an extremely important stage of the shipbuilding process. Nevertheless, currently, the manual assembly efficiency is low, the accuracy is poor, and collision is very easy to occur. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conduct technical research on the automatic docking of ship blocks. The core of the automated docking technology is the attitude estimation and the trajectory planning of the posturing equipment. However, current data measurement and point set matching methods lead to large attitude-estimation errors, and it is difficult to meet the accuracy requirements of the assembly. Moreover, the current ship block trajectory planning methods pay more attention to single metrics, for example, time or energy consumption, while omitting the shock degree. In response to the above, this study first proposes a high-precision matching method for measuring point sets, in order to estimate the exact attitude of the ship block. Subsequently, trajectory translation for the block is performed using the seventh-degree polynomial. On this basis, a nonlinear weighted improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) method is proposed to optimize the time, energy consumption and shock degree in the ship block trajectory planning process. Finally, the accuracy of the matching optimization is validated by simulation analysis and it is concluded that the seventh-degree polynomial leads to less shock than other polynomials. Furthermore, the shock force does not change abruptly even when the ship block is poised in steps. Through IPSO, the energy consumption and shock degree performance indices are optimized by 37.07% and 50.06%, respectively, in the ship block translation process.
Uncovering the Knowledge Box: Exploring Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Intersectionality of Race, Skin Colour and Class in Education
Authors: Patel Dhanishtha , Walker Zachary
Published: November 2023

This study highlights the importance of providing a global education so that students are prepared for and aware of the wider world. The study explored the lived experiences of Adult Cross-Cultural Kids within education, and their cross-cultural perspectives on how the intersectionality of race, skin colour and class impacts life in and out of school. The key highlights include that education needs to better prepare students for the world; ensure that students are aware of people, places and events globally; provide different perspectives and critical discourse; and that internationalism should be embedded within the workforce, pedagogy and learning culture. Participants in the study also highlighted the impact of cultural inequality on their own learning. This study suggests that cultural bias and hierarchy within existing curricula, pedagogy and institutional cultures should be addressed by increasing diversity and intercultural competence to embrace and harness different cultures, perspectives and epistemologies.
Sustained benefits of early childhood education and care (ECEC) for young children’s development during COVID-19
Authors: Davies Catherine , Kong Shannon P , Hendry Alexandra , Archer Nathan , McGillion Michelle , Gonzalez-Gomez Nayeli
Published: November 2023

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings faced significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, compromising the continuity, stability and quality of provision. Three years on from the first UK lockdown as pandemic-era preschoolers enter formal schooling, stakeholders are concerned about the impact of the disruption on children’s cognitive and socioemotional development, especially those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Using parent-report data from 171 children aged 5 to 23 months ( M = 15 months) in March to June 2020 living in the UK, we investigate whether previously attested positive associations between ECEC attendance and the development of language and executive functions was maintained as early years settings navigated operational challenges over the first full year of the pandemic. In response to concerns about ‘school readiness’, we analyse the relationship between ECEC attendance and children’s communication, problem-solving and personal-social development. ECEC was associated with greater growth in receptive vocabulary over the 12-month period. In children from less advantaged backgrounds, ECEC was also associated with greater growth in expressive vocabulary. Our data suggest a similarly positive association between ECEC attendance and the communication and problem-solving skills of children from less advantaged backgrounds and between ECEC and the personal-social development of all children. Overall, results suggest that ECEC had sustained learning benefits for children growing up during the pandemic despite ongoing disruption to settings, with specific benefits for children from less affluent home environments. As pandemic-era children progress to primary school, we discuss the importance of adapting their learning conditions and adjusting the expectations placed on them.
Three-Year Safety and Efficacy of the INCRAFT Endograft for Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Results of the INSIGHT Study
Authors: Torsello Giovanni , Bertoglio Luca , Kellersmann Richard , Wever Jan J. , van Overhagen Hans , Stavroulakis Konstantinos
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

Preliminary results of the INSIGHT study showed that the low-profile INCRAFT Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Stent-Graft System was safe and effective in the endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This study aimed to assess the durability and the midterm effectiveness of EVAR using the INCRAFT System in the framework of a multicenter, prospective, open-label, post-approval study.

Materials and Methods:

Between 2015 and 2016, 150 subjects from 23 European centers treated with the INCRAFT System for an infrarenal AAA were included. Clinical and radiologic data were prospectively collected and analyzed using protocol-specified, monitored follow-up clinic visits at 1, 6, and 12 months post-implantation and annually after that. The clinical success at 3 years was determined. Freedom from overall and aneurysm-related mortality, type I endoleak, secondary interventions, and aneurysm sac enlargement through 3 years were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used for late outcomes. An independent clinical events committee reviewed all events. The CT (computed tomography) scans through 1 year were reviewed by an independent core laboratory.

Results:

The primary clinical success rate at 3 years was 84.0% (126/150). There were no aneurysm-related deaths, endograft migration, or aneurysm-related ruptures through 3 years. Stent fracture was detected in 2 subjects (1.3%) without clinical sequelae. Over 3 years, freedom from overall mortality was 89.4%, freedom from secondary interventions was 80%, and freedom from aneurysm sac enlargement was 96.5%. The 3-year freedom from type IA and IB endoleaks was 93.3% and 98.6%, respectively.

Conclusions.

In a multicenter real-world study setting, the use of a low-profile INCRAFT device for AAA is associated with sustained clinical success and low rates of reinterventions through 3 years.

Clinical Impact

Low-profile endografts have broadened the spectrum of patients with anatomic suitability for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). However, questions remain regarding the durability of the repair. The INSIGHT study evaluated the use of the INCRAFT System in routine real-world clinical practice, including patients with complex anatomies. The treatment was safe and effective. The results showed sustained clinical success over 3 years, with no aneurysm-related deaths or ruptures, and a high rate of intervention-free survival at 3 years. Despite the low-profile design of the endograft, the midterm results demonstrate the durability of AAA repair using the INCRAFT System. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02477111.
A novelty motion reliability analysis method for locking mechanism of folding wing
Authors: Gao Yun , Hu Ming , Zhou Xiaohong , Yin Dayong , Zhao Deming , Wu Mei
Published: November 2023

The locking mechanism of folding wing is investigated as an individual object while the correlation between the locking performance and the deployment process is neglected. Its performance function frequently exhibits complex nonlinear dynamic characteristics and implicity during locking process, making it described by time-consuming dynamic simulation model rather than analytical expressions. Accordingly, when it comes to motion reliability, the physical model requires frequent manual modifications, and the numerous time-consuming simulation models need to be calculated which results in low computational efficiency in motion reliability analysis, especially, in case of small failure probability. Focusing on these problems, a hybrid model, which is based on integrating ADAMS with MATALAB, is established to understand the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of the locking mechanism of folding wing. The hybrid model is composed of a control system and a mechanical subsystem, and can synchronously consider the influences on the locking performance of various critical parameters belonging to the control and controlled systems. The computational efficiency and accuracy of the hybrid model are both verified by comparing with physical and simulation models. A 1D–3D coupling reliability methodology, which is based on the hybrid model, is proposed to analyze the motion reliability for locking mechanism of folding wing. With dividing samples and constructing parallel computation on multi-machine with multiple windows, the motion reliability and sensitivity for locking mechanism of folding wing can be obtained quickly and accurately by the novelty motion reliability analysis method.
A novel fault detection and diagnostic Petri net methodology for dynamic systems
Authors: Badmus Taofeeq Alabi , Remenyte-Prescott Rasa , Prescott Darren
Published: November 2023

Faults can have significant, negative impacts on the operation and performance of simple and complex dynamic systems. Based on the integration of Bayesian network diagnostic features with Petri net formalism, the existing Bayesian-supported Petri net tool has demonstrated the flexibility of using the Petri net approach for diagnosing failure scenario of a dynamic system. However, studies on using the proposed hybrid Petri net approach for condition monitoring and early detection and diagnosis of single and multiple failures in a dynamic system with feedback control loops are yet to be investigated. Thus, this paper presents a methodology to address this research gap using the operation of a water tank level control system as a case study. The method combines the constructed Generalised Stochastic Petri Net (GSPN) model of the system operation with its corresponding fault diagnostic Petri net model, created using the proposed modified Bayesian Stochastic Petri Net (mBSPN) formalism. The GSPN model establishes the causal relationships between the system’s components and/or subsystems. It further identifies deviations in the sensor measurements of the observable process variables characterising the system operation. The information provided by the sensors in the system model are then inputted into the mBSPN model to diagnose the root cause of the observed deviations. The obtained results demonstrated the capability of using the proposed integrated Petri net methodology for system condition monitoring, early fault detection and diagnosis of single and multiple failures in a dynamic system with feedback control loops.
Comparison of clinical outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation with nosocomial pneumonia between Alpha and Omicron variants
Authors: Sun Chuan-Yen , Huang Jhong-Ru , Shen Hsiao-Chin , Liao Ying-Ting , Ko Hung-Jui , Chang Chih-Jung , Chen Yuh-Min , Feng Jia-Yih , Chen Wei-Chih , Yang Kuang-Yao
Published: November 2023

Background:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic that has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Critically ill COVID-19 patients who require intubation and develop nosocomial pneumonia, commonly caused by gram-negative bacilli, have a higher mortality rate than those without nosocomial pneumonia.

Objectives:

The aim of this study is to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes and associated risk factors of Alpha and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) with nosocomial pneumonia.

Design:

This is a retrospective single-center cohort study.

Methods:

This observational study was conducted at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan from May 2021 to September 2022. Critically ill patients who had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and intubated on a MV with bacterial pneumonia were enrolled. Demographic data, laboratory results, and treatment information were collected and analyzed. In addition, clinical outcomes among different SARS-CoV-2 variants were examined.

Results:

This study included 94 critically ill COVID-19 patients who required intubation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The Alpha group had a longer duration of SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding, MV days, and ICU stay, while the Omicron group had older age, more comorbidities, higher APACHE II scores, and higher in-hospital mortality (47.0% versus 25.0%, p = 0.047). However, independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality included malignancy, lower serum albumin levels, and lack of Remdesivir treatment, except for the SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Conclusion:

Our study discovered a higher in-hospital mortality rate in severe COVID-19 patients with MV and secondary pneumonia infected with the Omicron variant compared to the Alpha variant; however, real independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality are malignancy, lower serum albumin level, and lack of Remdesivir treatment.
Avulsion Injuries: Assessment and Management
Authors: Djemal Serpil , Shah Mira
Published: November 2023

Avulsion injuries, though relatively uncommon, are one of the most serious of dentoalveolar injuries. Replantation at the scene of the incident is almost always the treatment of choice whenever possible. This paper outlines a step-by-step approach for the management of avulsion injuries, including a splinting protocol. This aims to support general dental practitioners in feeling more confident with managing these injuries.
Dental trauma: assessment and acute management of fractures
Authors: Arbuckle Lewis , Alani Aws , Calvert Gareth
Published: November 2023

Acute dental trauma is unscheduled and presents infrequently to the majority of practitioners. Therefore, a consistent, logical and systematic process for examination, prioritisation and management is imperative for all sustained injuries to have an optimal outcome. Fractures are a frequent sequela to dental trauma and can involve any aspect of the tooth structure or supporting alveolar bone. While some minor crown fractures may initially seem inconsequential, they may be a subtle indication to a more serious underlying root fracture. Concomitant injuries and injuries that have been initially missed are generally associated with poorer outcomes. The time sensitive management of traumatic dental injuries aims to preserve pulpal and periodontal health where possible. The follow up period for tooth or alveolar fractures are important to allow for early intervention if pathology develops.
The ensemble artificial intelligence (AI) method: Detection of hip fractures in AP pelvis plain radiographs by majority voting using a multi-center dataset
Authors: Beyaz Salih , Yayli Sahika Betul , Kılıc Ersin , Doktur Ugur
Published: November 2023

Introduction

This article was undertaken to explore the potential of AI in enhancing the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in identifying hip fractures using X-ray radiographs. In the study, we trained three distinct deep learning models, and we utilized majority voting to evaluate their outcomes, aiming to yield the most reliable and precise diagnoses of hip fractures from X-ray radiographs.

Methods

An initial study was conducted of 10,849 AP pelvis X-rays obtained from five hospitals affiliated with Başkent University. Two expert orthopedic surgeons initially labeled 2,291 radiographs as fractures and 8,558 as non-fractures. The algorithm was trained on 6,943 (64%) radiographs, validated on 1,736 (16%) radiographs, and tested on 2,170 (20%) radiographs, ensuring an even distribution of fracture presence, age, and gender. We employed three advanced deep learning architectures, Xception (Model A), EfficientNet (Model B), and NfNet (Model C), with a final decision aggregated through a majority voting technique (Model D).

Results

For each model, we achieved the following metrics: For Model A: F1 Score 0.895, Accuracy 0.956, Specificity 0.973, Sensitivity 0.893. For Model B: F1 Score 0.900, Accuracy 0.960, Specificity 0.991, Sensitivity 0.845. For Model C: F1 Score 0.919, Accuracy 0.966, Specificity 0.984, Sensitivity 0.899. For Model D: F1 Score 0.929, Accuracy 0.971, Specificity 0.991, Sensitivity 0.897. We concluded that Model D (majority voting) achieved the best results in terms of the F1 score, accuracy, and specificity values.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that the results obtained by aggregating the decisions of multiple models through voting, rather than relying solely on the decision of a single algorithm, are more consistent. The practical application of these algorithms will be difficult due to ethical, legal, and confidentiality issues, despite the theoretical success achieved. Developing successful algorithms and methodologies should not be viewed as the ultimate goal; it is important to understand how these algorithms will be used in real-life situations. In order to achieve more consistent results, feedback from clinical practice will be helpful.
Attitudes and perspectives of nurses and physicians in South Korea towards the clinical use of person-generated health data
Authors: Kim Hyeoneui , Cho Boseul , Jung Jinsun , Kim Jinsol
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to explore the adoption of person-generated health data in clinical settings and discern the factors influencing clinicians’ willingness to use it. A web-based survey containing 48 questions was developed based on prior research and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 model. The survey was administered to a convenience sample of 486 nurses and physicians in South Korea recruited through an online community and snowball sampling. Of these, 70.7% were physicians. While 65% had used mobile health apps and devices, only 12.8% were familiar with person-generated health data. Still, a promising 73.3% expressed interest in incorporating person-generated health data into patient care, particularly data on blood glucose and vital signs. The findings of the study also indicated that clinicians specializing in internal medicine (OR: 1.9, CI: 1.16–3.19), familiar with person-generated health data (OR: 2.6, CI: 1.58–4.29), with a positive view of information and communication technology adoption (OR: 2.6, CI: 1.65–4.13), and who see the value in person-generated health data (OR: 3.9, CI: 2.55–6.09) showed higher inclination to utilize it. However, those in outpatient settings (OR: 0.4, CI: 0.19–0.73) showed less enthusiasm. The findings of this study suggest that despite the willingness of clinicians to use person-generated health data, various barriers must be addressed first, including a lack of knowledge regarding its use, concerns about data reliability and quality, and a lack of provider incentives. Overcoming these challenges demands concerted organizational or policy support. This research underscores person-generated health data's untapped potential in healthcare and the pressing need for strategies that facilitate its clinical integration.
Artificial Intelligence in Advertising: Advancements, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations in Targeting, Personalization, Content Creation, and Ad Optimization
Authors: Gao Biao , Wang Yiming , Xie Huiqin , Hu Yi , Hu Yi
Published: November 2023

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the advertising industry is at a crossroads of new opportunities and challenges. This pioneering study provides an in-depth review of AI’s application in advertising, focusing especially on four key elements: Targeting, Personalization, Content Creation, and Ad Optimization. By delving deep into these areas, we uncover the potential of AI in revolutionizing the advertising sector. At the same time, we discuss the pressing ethical issues arising from the current applications of AI in advertising-related fields. Using the VOSviewer software, this study conducts an in-depth analysis of the literature, revealing the intrinsic connections of these four key elements in AI advertising based on computational advertising: Targeting and Personalization are closely linked, jointly determining who gets shown which advertisements. Content Creation generates appealing advertising content through AI during the Personalization process, while Ad Optimization relies on the outcomes of the first three elements, adjusting ad displays to achieve the highest return on investment. This research offers a fresh perspective on understanding AI’s application in advertising, aiding in the responsible and effective use of AI technology for superior ad delivery.
Health Professional Perspectives on Communication and Monitoring During Interfacility Neonatal Transport
Authors: Cook Matthew W. , Patel Shruti , Umoren Rachel , Feltner John , Nguyen Lien , Slater Gol-Dann , Le Danial , Rajivan Prashanth
Published: November 2023

Adverse events occur in a majority of pediatric critical care ambulance transports. For neonatal interfacility transports in particular, Medical Control Physicians overseeing the transfer are located remotely and must respond to referrals, updates, and questions over the phone. Technology options not currently utilized for neonatal interfacility transport may enhance communication and monitoring before and/or during transit. To identify the most beneficial new technologies, two activities were performed with the health professionals involved in transport: interviews and design workshops. The individual interviews focused on current processes and communication preferences. The design workshops brought together an interprofessional group of health professionals involved in transport to discuss an idealized state of transport and agree on priorities for the greatest needs to address. Health professionals agreed that the most desirable technologies enable remote vital sign monitoring, enable remote video visibility of the patient, and aid in the decision on where to send the patient.
Theorizing the Phenomenon of Women Empowerment in a Course to Discover the Purpose of Life for Marginalized Women in India—Evidence from Phool
Authors: Tyagi Pallavi , Upadhyay Deepika
Published: November 2023

The present study attempts to theorize the phenomenon of empowerment of marginalized women in the context of social enterprises involved in sustainable business practices. To extract the deeper meaning of empowerment of such women, an inductive process using Gioia’s method was employed by interviewing 13 marginalized women working in the social enterprise ‘Phool’. The venture is involved in recycling sacred floral waste into incense sticks, organic fertilizers, and other sustainable packaging solutions. The findings of the study were built on the Social Identity Theory, which emphasizes the fundamental need to be a part of social groups. Our findings suggest that for marginalized women, empowerment manifests in dignity and honour, economic sovereignty and social admittance and embracement. The study contributes to the extant literature on women’s empowerment by intersecting with the phenomenon of marginalization in the context of social enterprise and explains how marginalized women experience empowerment at work.
The Rigmarole of Negotiating Double Binds: A Qualitative Study of Indian Women Academics’ Work-from-home Routines in COVID-19 Times
Authors: Nelson Merlin Mythili , Agarwal Bhawna
Published: November 2023

This study explores how Indian women academics navigated the responsibilities of home, care and paid academic work during the COVID-19 pandemic through the intersectional lens of gendered family role identity and work–home boundary theory. Using a qualitative interpretivist approach and thematic analysis, 30 women academics were interviewed on their work-from-home experiences. The findings show that women struggled to negotiate the increased work–family conflict due to reinforced gendered family role expectations and increasing invasion of work into home space. The study reveals the double bind whereby women are caught wanting to excel both at work and home. Flexible work options may not help Indian working women to achieve work–family balance due to the continued devaluing of care work and the subservient social status of women within the Indian family structure. Despite educational upliftment and financial independence, gender remains at the bottom of the intersectionality of various types of inequalities that affect Indian women academics.
Efficacy of organic and antioxidant agents to regain bond strength to bleached enamel in different dental adhesive solvents
Authors: Haralur Satheesh B , Al-Ibrahim Renad Mohammed , Al-Shahrani Faten Abdullah , Al-Qahtani Rahaf Abdullah , Chaturvedi Saurabh , Alqahtani Naseer M
Published: November 2023

Materials like carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide are commonly used for vital teeth bleaching. However, there have been concerns regarding their effect on composite-to-bleached enamel bonding strength. The study investigated the impact of organic and antioxidant agents on composite bond strength in bleached enamel with different dental adhesive solvents. Human third molar teeth were sectioned into buccal and lingual halves. The two main adhesive solvent groups evaluated were acetone and alcohol. Each main group was divided into six groups. The positive control group received no bleaching, the negative control group consisted of bleaching with no surface deoxidization; and other experimental categories involved post-bleach treatments with 95% ethanol, sodium ascorbate (10%), acetone solution, or sodium fluoride solution (1.1%). Following the surface treatment and enamel bonding procedure, nano-hybrid composite cylinders measuring 3 × 2 mm were directly cured over the bleached enamel substrate. The shear bond test was performed after 24-h storage and 12,000 thermocycles on a universal testing machine. In this study, one-way ANOVA was used along with Tukey’s HSD tests at a significance level of 0.05. The negative control groups showed significantly lower bond strength than the positive control group. Ethanol surface treatment had superior mean bonding strength in acetone and alcohol-based adhesive solvent groups. The utilization of sodium ascorbate for surface treatment resulted in a significant enhancement of adhesion between the composite material and bleached enamel surface. Sodium fluoride application showed no significant recovery in shear bond strength in both dental adhesive groups. It was concluded that hydrogen peroxide severely compromised the immediate bond strength of composite resin. Surface treatment of bleached enamel with ethanol, sodium ascorbate, and acetone solutions is an effective option for restoring bond strength.
Kinematic Parameters Predictive of Pitch Velocity in Youth to Professional Baseball Pitchers: A Qualitative Systematic Review
Authors: Kew Michelle E. , Koo Alexander , Manzi Joseph E. , Coladonato Carlo , Estrada Jennifer , Dines Joshua S. , Carr James B.
Published: November 2023

Background:

Specific kinematic factors have been found to contribute to faster pitch speeds, with poor mechanics leading to injury.

Purpose:

To discuss the kinematic parameters that predict faster ball velocity among baseball pitchers.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, the authors utilized the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed (2008-2019), and OVID/MEDLINE (2008-2019) databases. Eligible articles included those that reported on kinematic factors predictive of ball velocity across youth, high school, collegiate, and professional levels of play. The quality of all included studies was evaluated by 2 reviewers using the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS). The lack of consistent study design or outcome variables precluded meta-analysis.

Results:

A total of 584 studies were identified from the initial search with 12 included in final analysis (930 pitchers in total; 429 [46.1%] youth, 164 [17.6%] high school, 153 [16.5%] collegiate and 184 [19.8%] professional) with mean ball velocity of 71.1 mph (114.4 km/h). The average AXIS score was 16 out of a possible 20. The shoulder played a significant role in the generation of velocity-induced torques. Hip and shoulder separation was associated with a 2.6 ± 0.5 mph (4.1 ± 0.8 km/h) increase in velocity, whereas increased shoulder movement of the nonthrowing arm was negatively correlated with initial ball velocity ( r2 = 0.798). Furthermore, hip/shoulder separation, decreased movement of the nonthrowing shoulder, trunk power and timing of maximum trunk rotation, increased contralateral trunk tilt and increased sagittal-plane trunk tilt, and decreased knee flexion at ball release were all associated with higher fastball speeds.

Conclusion:

Multiple upper extremity and trunk kinematic parameters affect ball velocity, with significant contributions from the throwing shoulder and trunk, as well as nondominant arm. Understanding kinematic predictors of faster ball velocity can help guide training regimens.
Clinical Implication of Glenohumeral and Subacromial Synovitis in Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Gimm Geunwu , Yoon Jeong Yong , Ahn Eunmi , Oh Sohee , Jo Chris Hyunchul
Published: November 2023

Background:

Synovitis of the glenohumeral (GH) joint and the subacromial (SA) space is commonly observed during arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery.

Purpose:

To investigate the distribution, severity, and clinical implications of synovitis in the GH joint and SA space in patients with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear (RCT).

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Data were retrospectively collected from 207 patients with a full-thickness RCT who underwent arthroscopic repair. Preoperative parameters used in the clinical assessment included pain, range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, and functional scores. Macroscopic assessment of synovitis was performed intraoperatively in the 3 regions of interest (ROIs) of the GH joint and 4 ROIS of the SA space using an evaluation system. The distribution and severity of synovitis and the association between synovitis and clinical assessment were evaluated.

Results:

Synovitis was more severe in the GH joint than in the SA space ( P < .001). Synovitis in the posterior GH joint and the lateral SA space, where most of the rotator cuff was located, was the most severe area among the ROIs of the GH joint and the SA space, respectively ( P < .05). All types of pain, except for pain at rest, were associated with synovitis in the posterior GH joint ( P < .05). All ROM measures were associated with synovitis in the posterior and inferior GH joint (| r| > 0.20; P < .05 for both). The strength of the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus was associated with synovitis in the posterior GH joint ( P < .05). Shoulder function was associated with synovitis in the posterior and inferior GH joint and more in the posterior GH joint ( P < .05 for both). Synovitis in the SA space was not associated with any of the clinical parameters.

Conclusion:

Synovitis in the posterior GH joint was the most severe form of synovitis in the GH joint in patients with a full-thickness RCT. Synovitis in the posterior GH joint was closely associated with increased pain and decreased ROM, muscle strength, and functional score. Synovitis in the SA space was milder and not associated with any clinical parameters.
Neurobiological Evidence for the Benefit of Interactive Parent–Child Storytelling: Supporting Early Reading Exposure Policies
Authors: Horowitz-Kraus Tzipi , Magaliff Liana S. , Schlaggar Bradley L.
Published: November 2023

The American Association of Pediatrics recommends reading to young children from birth as a method of exposing children to language and literacy as early as possible. This article describes the known neurobiological support for this recommendation—also addressing the differential effects of parental versus stranger reading as well as other factors, that is, pathological conditions, that may influence the contributions of the recommended early reading interactions. Finally, the possible effects of screen exposure on parent–child interaction around the book will be discussed to inform new possible policies.
How Symbols Influence Social Media Discourse: An Embedding Regression Analysis of Trump’s Return to Twitter
Authors: Karell Daniel , Sachs Jeffrey
Published: November 2023

How does social media content affect users’ online discourse? Existing scholarship sheds light on how several social media features involving content can influence users’ speech. However, this research often conflates content’s lexical dimension with its symbolic dimension. The authors analyze how the symbolic properties of online content can distinctly affect discourse on social media. Specifically, they examine how the symbolic meanings conveyed by Twitter’s reinstatement of Donald Trump’s account influenced Twitter users’ discourse. The results of embedding regressions indicate that Trump’s reinstatement immediately shifted users’ discourse about social and political identity-based groups, but only when they discussed Black and Jewish people. Additional results suggest that the discourse became more politicized and that the discursive shift was short lived. The authors’ findings contribute conceptual and analytical clarity to the sociosemantic dynamics of online discourse, encouraging future research to distinguish and compare the lexical and symbolic dimensions of online content.
Circular RNA in Multiple Sclerosis: Pathogenicity and Potential Biomarker Development: A Systematic Review
Authors: Mohammed Eiman M
Published: November 2023

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disorder of the CNS that affects millions of people worldwide. The causes of the disease remain unknown despite extensive efforts to understand it. CircRNAs are a unique class of endogenous non-coding RNA that are abundant, stable, conserved, and specifically expressed molecules, making them a promising biomarker of diseases. This review investigates the role of circRNA in MS pathogenicity and their potential as a biomarker through a comprehensive literature search conducted in 8 scientific databases. The studies found that there are differentially expressed circRNAs in MS patients compared to healthy controls (HC), and this difference is even more pronounced in different MS subtypes. Enrichment of circRNAs in linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks that harbor MS-associated SNPs suggests that these SNPs manipulate the levels of circRNAs in the surrounding area, contributing to disease pathogenicity. While circRNA shows promise as an indicator or biomarker for MS disease pathology, further research is needed to fully explore its potential and impact on human biology.