bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anomalous curvature evolution and geometric regularization of energy focusing in the snapping dynamics of a flexible body
Authors: Dehadrai Abhinav Ravindra , Hanna J. A.
Published: June 2023

We examine the focusing of kinetic energy and the amplification of various quantities during the snapping motion of the free end of a flexible structure. This brief but violent event appears to be a regularized finite-time singularity, with remarkably large spikes in velocity, acceleration, and tension easily induced by generic initial and boundary conditions. A numerical scheme for the inextensible string equations is validated against available experimental data for a falling chain and further employed to explore the phenomenon. We determined that the discretization of the equations, equivalent to the physically discrete problem of a chain, does not provide the regularizing length scale, which in the absence of other physical effects must then arise from the geometry of the problem. An analytical solution for a geometrically singular limit, a falling perfectly folded string, accounts surprisingly well for the scalings of several quantities in the numerics, but can only indirectly suggest a behavior for the curvature, one which seems to explain prior experimental data but does not correspond to the evolution of the curvature peak in our system, which instead displays a newly observed anomalously slow scaling. A simple model, incorporating only knowledge of the initial conditions along with the anomalous and singular-limit scalings, provides reasonable estimates for the amplifications of relevant quantities. This is a first step to predict and harness arbitrarily large energy focusing in structures, with a practical limit set only by length scales present in the discrete mechanical system or the initial conditions.
Government Lending as a Tool to Mitigate the Effect of Asymmetric Information
Authors: Park Sangkyun
Published: June 2023

This paper analyzes the effect of asymmetric information on investment efficiency and the ways in which government credit can mitigate the inefficiency caused by asymmetric information. The focus is on credit rationing. In the model, the project return and the project risk are assumed to be independent random variables. Under this assumption, asymmetric information produces two types of inefficiency: exclusion of good borrowers and inclusion of bad borrowers. Using a subsidy, the government can improve the composition of borrowers (average project return) in the sector where information is opaque (opaque sector) and increase the volume of loans in the opaque sector. The best way to improve investment efficiency is that the government sets the lending rate above the profit-maximizing level (lower lending rate adjusted for the default rate), bids up the funding rate to raise more loan funds, and makes up the difference between the high funding rate and the low adjusted lending rate with a subsidy. A subsidized loan guarantee covering a moderate portion of loan losses can produce similar outcomes. This result is a dramatic deviation from the conventional notion of a subsidized loan, which almost automatically means a lower lending rate.
Understanding Residents’ Attitudes Towards Tourists Through Implicit Stereotypes
Authors: Tse Serene Wai Tsz , Tung Vincent Wing Sun
Published: June 2023

Residents’ attitudes have been an important area in tourism research. Recent studies have employed the concept of stereotypes from social psychology to understand its content and influences on residents’ emotions and behaviors towards tourists. However, existing studies tend to emphasize measurements that capture explicit stereotypes, despite the importance of individuals’ unconscious evaluations of others. This study addresses this gap by assessing residents’ implicit stereotypes, emotions, and behaviors towards tourists via a novel implicit association test (IAT). The results suggest direct relationships between positive implicit stereotypes, emotions, and behaviors; however, negative implicit stereotypes did not arouse negative emotions or harmful behaviors, which suggests a possible boundary condition for these connections. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting an alternative perspective to the formation of residents’ attitudes, and by providing insights for destination management organizations (DMOs) on the value of measuring implicit stereotypes for understanding host–guest relations.
Characterizing the Development of Research Landscapes in Substance Use and HIV/AIDS During 1990 to 2021
Authors: Nguyen Tham Thi , Nguyen Hien Thu , Do Huyen Phuc , Ho Cyrus SH , Ho Roger CM
Published: June 2023

Mitigating the impacts of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and substance use requires comprehensive and systematic thinking in designing interventions and developing policies. This study describes the growth of research publications from 1991 to 2021 in the Web of Science database and points out current research landscapes in the fields of HIV/AIDS and substance use. Latent Dirichlet Allocation was used for classifying 21 359 papers into corresponding topics. The most common topics were HIV transmission, HIV infection, quality of life and mental health of substance users, and the biomedical effect of substance use. Emerging research landscapes include vulnerabilities of people who inject drugs to HIV transmission and related health problems. This study found a lack of research on health services, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral in combination with clinical evaluation and treatment services. Future investment and implementation of HIV/AIDS and substance use programs should focus on research of health services and clinical evaluation, especially context-specific interventions.
Audio for extended realities: A case study informed exposition
Authors: Paterson Justin , Kadel Oliver
Published: June 2023

An area of immersive storytelling in rapid evolution is that of extended reality. This emergent mode of experience employs spatial mapping, and both plane and object detection to superimpose computer-generated images in the volumetric context of a physical space via a head-mounted display. This in turn produces a unique set of challenges and opportunities for associated audio implementation and aesthetics. Creative development of this audio is often a function of evolving toolsets, and the associated workflow is far from standardized. This paper forms a context for such audio workflow, one that draws from precursor technologies such as audio for games and virtual reality and develops this into an outline taxonomy that is both representative of the state of the art, and forward facing towards evolution of the technology stack. The context is framed through a series of case studies. Between 2019 and 2021, BBC and Oculus TV commissioned Alchemy Immersive and Atlantic Productions to produce virtual reality and mixed reality experiences of several classic documentary series by Sir David Attenborough: Museum Alive, Micro Monsters, First Life VR, Museum Alive AR and Kingdom of Plants. This portfolio received numerous award nominations and prizes, including from the Raindance Festival and a double Emmy. The sound design, audio postproduction and spatial audio for these experiences were implemented by the company 1.618 Digital, and drawing from first-hand-creator involvement, the workflows are deconstructed and explored with reference to tools, technologies, techniques and perception. Such an exposition forms the basis for an analysis of both this and broader creative practice in the field of audio for extended reality, and this is subsequently used to present a speculative vision of audio in the future of immersive storytelling.
Risk for recurrence of symptomatic upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis in patients without cancer: Analysis of three RIETE cohorts
Authors: Núñez Fernández Manuel J , Padín Paz Emilio M , Vázquez Temprano Nuria , Nieto Rodríguez José A , Marchena Yglesias Pablo J , Imbalzano Egidio , Montenegro Ana Cristina , Fernández Jiménez Begoña , Rivera Alberto , Espitia Olivier , Monreal Manuel
Published: June 2023

Background:

The natural history of patients with a pacemaker-related upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT) has not been consistently studied.

Methods:

We used the RIETE registry data to compare the outcomes during anticoagulation and after its discontinuation in noncancer patients with symptomatic UEDVT associated with a pacemaker, other catheters, or no catheter. The major outcome was the composite of symptomatic pulmonary embolism or recurrent DVT.

Results:

As of February 2022, 2578 patients with UEDVT were included: 156 had a pacemaker-related UEDVT, 557 had other catheters, and 1865 had no catheter. During anticoagulation, 61 patients (2.3%) developed recurrent VTE, 38 had major bleeding (1.4%), and 90 died (3.4%). After its discontinuation, 52 patients (4.4%) had recurrent acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) and six had major bleeding (0.5%). On multivariable analysis, there were no differences among subgroups in the rates of VTE recurrences or major bleeding during anticoagulation. After its discontinuation, patients with a pacemaker-related UEDVT had a higher risk for VTE recurrences than those with no catheter (adjusted OR: 4.59; 95% CI: 1.98–10.6).

Conclusions:

Patients with pacemaker-related UEDVT are at increased risk for VTE recurrences after discontinuing anticoagulation. If our findings are validated in adequately designed trials, this may justify changes in the current recommendations on the duration of anticoagulation.
#GirlBossing the university side hustle: Entrepreneurial femininities, postfeminism and the veneer of ‘female success’ in times of crisis
Authors: Allen Kim , Finn Kirsty
Published: June 2023

Against a backdrop of the growing crisis in higher education, the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and a longer-term precaritisation of the youth and graduate labour market, the last 2 years have witnessed an increased visibility and promotion of flexible, entrepreneurial and often digitally mediated forms of self-employment addressed at young women, including the ‘side hustle’. With media declarations such as ‘the university side hustle has come of age’, universities themselves have begun embedding initiatives that seemingly help students launch a ‘student side hustle’ as they turn passions into entrepreneurial projects. The student side hustle has been advocated as a feasible way of not only supplementing income while studying but also investing in one’s future employability in the context of increasingly uncertain graduate outcomes. In this article we connect the emergence of the student side hustle to a broader postfeminist landscape in which (young) women are invited to engage in entrepreneurial self-employment through the promise of ‘passionate work’, financial autonomy and time-freedom. We demonstrate that in the context of higher education, where women outnumber men and dominate the degree subjects increasingly badged as ‘low value’ due to declining graduate outcomes, institutional incitements to engage in the student side hustle are distinctly gendered. Crucially, we contend that this framing and promotion of the student side hustle – in which women become the ‘poster girls’ of entrepreneurialism – works to facilitate and sustain the myths and ideals of postfeminist success while masking the ongoing crises and gendered inequalities that underpin contemporary higher education and the graduate labour market.
Influence of rice husk ash and hybrid fiber on engineering properties of densified high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete
Authors: Vo Duy-Hai , Nguyen Minh-Hieu , Nguyen May Huu , Hwang Chao-Lung , Huynh Trong-Phuoc
Published: June 2023

Conventional concrete significantly affects the environment due to high CO2 emission into the atmosphere during the production process. In order to improve concrete performance and arrest the incidence of global warming, the use of additive materials for cement replacement has been promoted worldwide. This study was designed to investigate the mechanical properties of high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (HFRC) produced using rice husk ash (RHA) and hybrid fiber (HF) in accordance with the densified mixture design algorithm (DMDA) mix design method. Samples were produced using RHA as a direct replacement for cement at 10%, 20%, and 30%. HF, comprising steel and polypropylene fibers, was added (by volume) to the 20% RHA group mixture to improve the HFRC sample properties. Based on the experimental results, higher RHA contents had a generally negative effect on the fresh properties of the HFRC mixtures. Compressive strength values ranged from 53 to 72 MPa with various RHA and HF content. RHA replacement levels up to 20% had an insignificant effect on the strength development and dynamic modulus of the HFRC samples. However, the addition of HF improved splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and dynamic modulus remarkably at all curing ages. Furthermore, the 91-day drying shrinkage was in the ranges of 0.032%–0.039% and 0.023%–0.034% using different RHA and HF levels, respectively. Increasing both RHA and HF contents significantly reduced drying shrinkage in the samples. Multivariable regression was also performed, clarifying that all tested results were consistent and had good correlations. The results of this study also provide a potentially effective use for abundantly available industrial waste products such as fly ash (FA) and RHA to promote the production of greener and more sustainable concrete.
Symbolic capital and the inclusion of ethnic minority artists in Dublin and Warsaw
Authors: Serhan Waleed
Published: June 2023

The dominant literature delineates that European museums tend to ‘resist’ the inclusion of immigrant and ethnic minority artists due to a Eurocentric evaluation of the art within a postcolonial setting. This study builds on this premise, but also emphasizes the significance of ‘symbolic capital’, as conceptualized by Pierre Bourdieu, in processes of inclusion and exclusion. While the evaluation of the art is of vast importance, inclusion and exclusion are also influenced by the relation between the symbolic capital of the museum professionals and the cultural and social capital of ethnic minority artists. Moreover, museum professionals in Dublin and Warsaw find creative ways of both safeguarding their symbolic capital and including ethnic minority artists. The research is based on semi-structured interviews with key museum professionals in several main modern art museums and galleries, and with ethnic minority artists, in the relatively new immigration cities of Dublin and Warsaw, as well as a review of past exhibitions.
An Experiment Using a Sexual Strategies Explanation to Alleviate Internalized Homophobia Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China
Authors: Gao Qianhui , Antfolk Jan , Santtila Pekka
Published: June 2023

Some men who have sex with men (MSM) having more casual sex and sexual partners is interpreted to be a sign of mental disorder and used to justify negative attitudes toward them by some. MSM may internalize this attitude causing internalized homophobia (IH). According to the sexual strategies theory, MSM having more casual sex is the result of differences between men's and women's sexual strategies and is unrelated to sexual orientation. We investigated whether this explanation would reduce IH and improve mental health in MSM. We recruited 255 Chinese MSM online using Wenjuanxing, Douban, Weibo, Tieba, and Blued and divided them using simple randomization into an experimental group (n = 77; sexual strategies explanation provided), an active control group (n = 99; minority stress explanation provided), and a control group (n = 79; no intervention) with pretest (N = 255); a 1 week post-test (n = 195); and a 1 month follow-up test (n = 170) of outcome measures. IH, mental distress (MD), sort-term mating orientation, and risky sexual behaviors were measured online. The data were analyzed by SPSS 28. IH was associated with MD while being married was associated with IH and sexual contact with women with both more IH and MD as were not being masculine and self-identifying as straight. The sexual strategies explanation reduced IH related to pathologizing sexual behaviors and high-risk sexual behaviors while the minority stress explanation reduced MD. Providing a sexual strategies explanation may be used to de-stigmatize casual sex among MSM.
Forensic Interview Techniques in Child Sexual Abuse Cases: A Scoping Review
Authors: Fernandes Delfina , Gomes João P. , Albuquerque Pedro B. , Matos Marlene
Published: June 2023

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is widely recognized as a global public health problem with negative consequences for victims, their families, and society. The child’s testimony is essential to the case outcome, given the frequent absence of physical or biological evidence of the abusive acts. Thus, the child forensic interview plays a decisive role in criminal investigation. The present scoping review aims to identify and describe the judicial procedures for collecting CSA victims’ testimony using an evidence-based approach and a structured methodology. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis-Scoping Review guidelines. Studies were identified through manual reference checking and in four electronic databases: PsycARTICLES, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. In all, 146 studies were identified according to the defined inclusion criteria, that is, empirical studies identifying judicial procedures to collect CSA victims’ testimony, published in English or Portuguese. In total, 30 different forensic interview procedures to collect the child victim’s testimony were found. The National Institute for Child Health and Human Development investigative interview protocol was the most frequently mentioned. Despite the variety of protocols, it was possible to conclude that they have a similar general structure. This review also identified gaps in interviewing practices with CSA victims. The scoping review corroborates the importance of forensic interviews with CSA victims, stating its implications for criminal investigation, the legal system, and the child’s recovery process.
Assessment for Equity: Exploring How Secondary Educators Utilize Classroom Management and Assessment Practices to Sustain Student Identities
Authors: Romano Lindsay E.
Published: June 2023

Disparities in school discipline across lines of race and disability status represent one of the most pressing issues in the field of education today. While there are many factors that perpetuate these disparities, teachers and their approaches to classroom management likely play a role. As evidence emerges on the relationship between race, disability status, and the use of punitive discipline at a national level, less is known about the ways in which teachers’ approaches to classroom management and classroom management assessment influence these trends at the classroom level. This article addresses this by exploring findings from a qualitative study examining classroom management approaches across five focus groups consisting of 25 educators to identify how educators’ management and assessment practices sustain the identities of their students. Based on these findings, recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.
Nursing Recommendations in the Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Delphi Consensus
Authors: Cano García Laura , Domínguez Quesada Carmen , Rodríguez Vargas Ana Isabel , Trujillo Martin Elisa , Martín Martín José María
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Nurses’ role in the management of people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is essential. Specific guidelines for nurses have not been previously developed in Spain. This project aimed to try to develop comprehensive and validated recommendations for nurses regarding the management of people with SLE. Method: A Delphi questionnaire with 90 general and specific recommendations was designed by the scientific committee and underwent two rounds of participation. Results: Panellists reached a consensus on “agreement” for 85 recommendations during the first round and for 87 recommendations after the second and final rounds. Panellists agreed that people with SLE should be managed within a multidisciplinary team, and that this team should include specialized nurses. Panellists stated that most of the services lack specialized nurses. Experts identified lack of specific training programs targeted to nurses as the main barrier for application of recommendations. Panellists recommended an extended role for nurses in the management of people with SLE, including diagnosis, patient education, treatment monitoring and administration, and follow-up. Conclusions: This study is the first consensus that provides nursing recommendations from experts on the management of people with SLE in Europe. Design of standardized training programs targeted to nurses would facilitate the application of the recommendations.
A Statewide Analysis of the Impact of Restitution and Fees on Juvenile Recidivism in Florida Across Race & Ethnicity
Authors: Piquero Alex R. , Baglivio Michael T. , Wolff Kevin T.
Published: June 2023

Whether the imposition of monetary sanctions is related to juvenile recidivism is explored overall and across race and ethnicity. Leveraging a statewide sample, logistic regression was used to predict fees and restitution assignment based on youth/case characteristics, hierarchical linear and logistic random-effects regression examined the association between neighborhood characteristics with fees and restitution, and propensity score matching examined whether fees and/or restitution are related to reoffending. No race/ethnic differences were found in the proportion of youth receiving court fees, yet when fees were administered both Black and Hispanic youth received higher fees. Neighborhood characteristics have minimal impact on whether (or the amounts) monetary sanctions were assigned. Post-matching, fees increased recidivism, as did being Black or Hispanic. Interactions between race/ethnicity and both fees and restitution showed Black youth with restitution had a higher recidivism likelihood. Monetary sanctions imposed on youth involved in the juvenile justice system has a potential deleterious impact on recidivism.
Understanding the Neuroplastic Effects of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Animal Models of Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: de Melo Paulo S. , Parente João , Rebello-Sanchez Ingrid , Marduy Anna , Gianlorenco Anna Carolyna , Kyung Kim Chi , Choi Hyuk , Song Jae-Jun , Fregni Felipe
Published: June 2023

Background

Transauricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is being studied as a feasible intervention for stroke, but the mechanisms by which this non-invasive technique acts in the cortex are still broadly unknown.

Objectives

This study aimed to systematically review the current pre-clinical evidence in the auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) neuroplastic effects in stroke.

Methods

We searched, in December of 2022, in Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Lilacs databases. The authors executed the extraction of the data on Excel. The risk of bias was evaluated by adapted Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for animal studies (SYRCLES’s RoB tool).

Results

A total of 8 studies published between 2015 and 2022 were included in this review, including 391 animal models. In general, aVNS demonstrated a reduction in neurological deficits (SMD = −1.97, 95% CI −2.57 to −1.36, I2 = 44%), in time to perform the adhesive removal test (SMD = −2.26, 95% CI −4.45 to −0.08, I2 = 81%), and infarct size (SMD = −1.51, 95% CI −2.42 to −0.60, I2 = 58%). Regarding the neuroplasticity markers, aVNS showed to increase microcapillary density, CD31 proliferation, and BDNF protein levels and RNA expression.

Conclusions

The studies analyzed show a trend of results that demonstrate a significant effect of the auricular vagal nerve stimulation in stroke animal models. Although the aggregated results show high heterogeneity and high risk of bias. More studies are needed to create solid conclusions.
Grasp Analysis in the Home Environment as a Measure of Hand Function After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Dousty Mehdy , Bandini Andrea , Eftekhar Parvin , Fleet David J. , Zariffa José
Published: June 2023

Background

Following a spinal cord injury, regaining hand function is a top priority. Current hand assessments are conducted in clinics, which may not fully represent real-world hand function. Grasp strategies used in the home environment are an important consideration when examining the impact of rehabilitation interventions.

Objective

The main objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between grasp use at home and clinical scores.

Method

We used a previously collected dataset in which 21 individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) recorded egocentric video while performing activities of daily living in their homes. We manually annotated 4432 hand-object interactions into power, precision, intermediate, and non-prehensile grasps. We examined the distributions of grasp types used and their relationships with clinical assessments.

Results

Moderate to strong correlations were obtained between reliance on power grasp and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM; P < .05), the upper extremity motor score (UEMS; P < .01), and the Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength Sensibility and Prehension (GRASSP) Prehension ( P < .01) and Strength ( P < .01). Negative correlations were observed between the proportion of non-prehensile grasping and SCIM ( P < .05), UEMS ( P < .05), and GRASSP Prehension ( P < .01) and Strength ( P < .01).

Conclusion

The types of grasp types used in naturalistic activities at home are related to upper limb impairment after cervical SCI. This study provides the first direct demonstration of the importance of hand grasp analysis in the home environment.
Geographical Aspects of Open-World Video Games
Authors: Fraile-Jurado Pablo
Published: June 2023

In recent years, open-world environments in video games have become increasingly popular and immersive. Millions of players are able to explore virtual landscapes that resemble the real world, yet significant differences exist. This study investigates the geographical accuracy of 15 open-world video games. The virtual landscapes in these games were analyzed for horizontal distance compression, increased slopes, idealized climate, simplified vegetation and water features, underpopulation, and spatial segregation of ethnic minorities. The findings show significant differences between the games in terms of their geographical accuracy, with some exhibiting a more realistic representation of the natural and cultural environment compared to others. This study sheds light on the relationship between virtual landscapes in video games and our perception of the real world, offering new insights into this rapidly growing field.
It's Not Always About You: The Subject and Ecological Entanglement in Video Games
Authors: Heijmen Nicky , Vervoort Joost
Published: June 2023

In the face of a global ecological crisis, culturally dominant framings of subjective experience as separate from living ecologies are no longer sufficient. Games might offer ways to break down these divisions. Alenda Chang has proposed bringing game ecologies to life. To complement her position, in this paper, we aim to inspire game designers and researchers to explore ways in which video games can remodel the perceived player subject as a pathway to ecological entanglement. We investigate four strategies for decentering and deconstructing the subject. These are: (1) deconstructing the subject to foreground internal sources of entanglement; (2) dismantling, distorting, ignoring, and/or invading the visual perspective; (3) conceptual deconstruction and reframing of a sense of self; and (4) decentering the subject through shifting contexts. For each of these, we introduce relevant examples of narrative and gameplay design in existing video games and suggest steps for further development in each direction.
Theorizing With Joint Displays: Salient Contributors to Improving Preservice Teachers’ Practice
Authors: Firestone Allison R. , Cruz Rebecca A. , Massey Darcie
Published: June 2023

Theory-focused joint displays represent an innovative approach to data and results integration with potential to build understanding of complex constructs, including factors that influence change over time. However, the extant literature offers few examples for doing so, particularly in convergent research designs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide a replicable framework for developing and refining an emergent theoretical model in a convergent research design. Through an illustrative example of a study on preservice teachers’ growth in practice, we detail a seven-step process in which a theoretical model served as the guide and culminating purpose of the research. In addition to this primary contribution, we also explore the role of visuals in joint display analyses to support meta-inference generation.
The Cost Does Not Outweigh the Benefit: Pathologic Evaluation of Wrist Ganglion Cysts Should Not Be Routine
Authors: McLaughlin Caroline M. , LePere Darren , Candela Xavier , Ingraham John M.
Published: June 2023

Background:

As health care costs in the United States continue to rise, there is increasing attention on cost-saving measures. One area of investigation is the utility of pathologic examination of specimens from routine procedures with a suspected benign pathology. We assessed the utility and cost of routine pathologic analysis for wrist ganglion cyst excision.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study of all wrist ganglion cyst excisions performed by seven hand surgeons was conducted from 2015 to 2019 at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Preoperative and intraoperative diagnoses, pathologic diagnosis, and pathology cost were assessed.

Results:

A total of 407 patients underwent ganglion cyst excision, with 318 (78.1%) specimens sent for pathologic review. Of the 318, 317 (99.6%) specimens were concordant with the preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis of ganglion cyst. One specimen (0.3%) resulted as a benign cystic vascular malformation. The charge per specimen was $258, totaling $81,786 spent confirming benign pathology that was clinically correctly diagnosed by the operating surgeon in 99.6% of cases.

Conclusions:

Routine pathologic analysis is not indicated in cases in which surgeons have a high clinical suspicion for ganglion cyst based on preoperative and intraoperative findings. Pathologic review should be reserved for cases with atypical presentations or intraoperative findings.
A salting-out strategy for the efficient separation of an azeotropic mixture of allyl alcohol and water
Authors: Jia Ruilong , Hua Qizhuozhuo , Ma Xiaonan , Liao Guangfu
Published: June 2023

Allyl alcohol and water can form the lowest boiling point azeotrope, but it is very hard to acquire high-purity allyl alcohol by normal distillation methods. Herein, a separation and purification protocol is developed for perfectly separating an azeotropic mixture of allyl alcohol and water using the salting-out method, in which three potassium phosphate salts, K5P3O10, K3PO4, and K4P2O7, are systematically investigated as salting-out agents, and finally a product consisting of > 99% allyl alcohol is obtained. A thermodynamic study demonstrates that this process involves endothermy and increment entropy. There is a good correlation between the solubility of allyl alcohol and the molar concentration of salt (mol per 1 kg water), and the solubility of the allyl alcohol in the organic phase or the water phase can be forecast using the mass percentage of salts. This work provides a new methodology for the efficient separation of an azeotropic mixture of allyl alcohol and water.
Advancing comparative studies in political communication research: What factors explain the transformation of media systems?
Authors: Marques Francisco Paulo Jamil , Vos Tim P.
Published: June 2023

Hallin and Mancini's Comparing Media Systems has provided Mass Communication research with valuable tools to compare media settings from a transnational viewpoint. However, most recent contributions around media systems theory focus on suggesting new dimensions or variables to update the three models presented in the authors’ book, leaving behind the discussion concerning the factors galvanizing the transformation processes. We then ask: What factors explain the transformation of media systems? Through a literature review and the discussion of an extensive array of examples from different countries, our essay formulates new insights to refine a crucial concept in media studies. We examine material, institutional, and cultural logics of change to point out how the described transformations might unfold at different paces in particular social systems. By resorting to the idea of “critical junctures,” our essay illustrates how supposedly isolated shifts in the media systems can have unexpected impacts.
Focused transoesophageal TOE (fTOE): A new accreditation pathway
Authors: Rubino Antonio , Peck Marcus , Miller Ashley , Edmiston Thomas , Klein Andrew A , Orme Robert , Sankar Vinoth , Fletcher Nick , O’Keeffe Niall , Skinner Henry
Published: June 2023

The concept of a focused ultrasound study to identify sources of haemodynamic instability has revolutionized patient care. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) using transthoracic scanning protocols, such as FUSIC Heart, has empowered non-cardiologists to rapidly identify and treat the major causes of haemodynamic instability. There are, however, circumstances when a transoesphageal, rather than transthoracic approach, may be preferrable. Due to the close anatomical proximity between the oesophagus, stomach and heart, a transoesphageal echocardiogram (TOE) can potentially overcome many of the limitations encountered in patients with poor transthoracic ultrasound windows. These are typically patients with severe obesity, chest wall injuries, inability to lie in the left lateral decubitus position and those receiving high levels of positive airway pressure. In 2022, to provide all acute care practitioners with the opportunity to acquire competency in focused TOE, the Intensive Care Society (ICS) and Association of Anaesthetists (AA) launched a new accreditation pathway, known as Focused Transoesophageal Echo (fTOE). The aim of fTOE is to provide the practitioner with the necessary information to identify the aetiology of haemodynamic instability. Focused TOE can be taught in a shorter period of time than comprehensive and teaching programmes are achievable with support from cardiothoracic anaesthetists, intensivists and cardiologists. Registration for fTOE accreditation requires registration via the ICS website. Learning material include theoretical modules, clinical cases and multiple-choice questions. Fifty fTOE examinations are required for the logbook, and these must cover a range of pathology, including ventricular dysfunction, pericardial effusion, tamponade, pleural effusion and low preload. The final practical assessment may be undertaken when the supervisors deem the candidate’s knowledge and skills consistent with that required for independent practice. After the practitioner has been accredited in fTOE, they must maintain knowledge and competence through relevant continuing medical education. Accreditation in fTOE represents a joint venture between the ICS and AA and is endorsed by Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Critical care (ACTACC). The process is led by TOE experts, and represents a valuable expansion in the armamentarium of acute care practitioners to assess haemodynamically unstable patients.
Rethinking the political in the pluriverse: The ethico-political significance of care
Authors: FitzGerald Maggie
Published: June 2023

Postfoundational political thought is characterized by a distinction between “politics” (a socio-symbolic order that delineates what is knowable and thinkable) and “the political” (the instantiation of a socio-symbolic order). This article critically engages with the postfoundational thought of Jacques Rancière to rethink “the political” in the context of the pluriverse, a matrix of multiple distinct yet interconnected worlds. In so doing, this article challenges the idea that “care” is not properly political. Specifically, I argue that in the context of the pluriverse, socio-symbolic orders, or worlds, are not instantiated as such; rather, they must be established and, importantly, reestablished in the face of one another. From this vantage point, caring for and maintaining worlds—especially worlds marginalized by relations of power in the global political economy—is of political and ethical significance. This article thus offers a decolonial and feminist approach to thinking about the political as it (a) destabilizes the Westerncentric assumption that there is one-world, and takes different worlds as worlds seriously; and (b) centers issues of care and reproduction, demonstrates how they are politically and ethically salient, and thereby contributes to the project of foregrounding the political import of care.
Targeting HER2-low in metastatic breast cancer: an evolving treatment paradigm
Authors: Yang Charlie , Brezden-Masley Christine , Joy Anil Abraham , Sehdev Sandeep , Modi Shanu , Simmons Christine , Henning Jan-Willem
Published: June 2023

The results of the Phase III DESTINY-Breast04 trial of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) are leading to a shift in both the classification and treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer. In this trial, T-DXd was associated with a substantial survival benefit among patients with hormone receptor-positive and hormone receptor-negative disease and low expression of HER2, a biomarker previously considered unactionable in this treatment setting. Herein, we discuss the evolving therapeutic pathway for HER2-low disease, ongoing clinical trials, and the potential challenges and evidence gaps arising with treatment of this patient population.
The Tissue Lymphocyte-to-Eosinophil Ratio Predicted Long-Term Recurrence of Eosinophilic CRSwNP
Authors: Wang Jianwei , Yang Yujuan , Guo Jing , Yu Pengyi , Wang Guangkuo , Liu Xinyue , Zhang Zheng , Li Tong , Zhang Yu , Song Xicheng
Published: June 2023

Background

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (Eos-CRSwNP) remains a recalcitrant disease with a high recurrence rate.

Objective

This study aimed to identify a predictor of long-term recurrence in patients with Eos-CRSwNP.

Methods

A total of 39 Eos-CRSwNP patients who had their initial and recurrent nasal polyps surgically removed were retrospectively included in this study, with 49 Eos-CRSwNP patients without recurrence and 32 patients with non-Eos-CRSwNP matched by randomly chosen. Clinical characteristics were compared among or between groups. Spearman correlation analyses and a backward stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to find factors associated with the recurrence and recurrence time of Eos-CRSwNP. Furthermore, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the predictor of long-term Eos-CRSwNP recurrence.

Results

The number and ratio of tissue eosinophils were highest in Eos-CRSwNP with recurrence and lowest in non-Eos-CRSwNP. The ratio of tissue lymphocytes was highest in non-Eos-CRSwNP and lowest in Eos-CRSwNP with recurrence, with the number of tissue lymphocytes higher in Eos-CRSwNP without recurrence than the other two groups. The numbers of tissue lymphocytes in the initial nasal polyps were lower and the numbers of tissue eosinophils were higher in the group of recurrent nasal polyps that recurred at >5 years after surgery than in the nasal polyps that recurred at <5 years after surgery. The tissue lymphocyte-to-eosinophil ratio (LER) showed a significant negative correlation with the recurrence and the recurrence time of Eos-CRSwNP. A ROC curve revealed that a tissue LER value < 0.67 predicted long-term Eos-CRSwNP recurrence with 72.73% sensitivity and 82.35% specificity (area under the curve  =  0.789).

Conclusion

Tissue LER is strongly associated with Eos-CRSwNP recurrence and may play a key role in predicting long-term Eos-CRSwNP recurrence.
Afterload-related cardiac performance is a powerful hemodynamic predictor of mortality in patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Wu Yihang , Tian Pengchao , Liang Lin , Chen Yuyi , Feng Jiayu , Huang Boping , Huang Liyan , Zhao Xuemei , Wang Jing , Guan Jingyuan , Li Xinqing , Zhang Yuhui , Zhang Jian
Published: June 2023

Background:

Afterload-related cardiac performance (ACP), a diagnostic parameter for septic cardiomyopathy, integrates both cardiac performance and vascular effects and could predict prognosis in septic shock.

Objectives:

We hypothesized that ACP would also correlate with clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (HF).

Design:

A retrospective study.

Methods:

We retrospectively studied consecutive patients with chronic HF who underwent right heart catheterization and established an expected cardiac output-systemic vascular resistance (CO-SVR) curve model in chronic HF for the first time. ACP was calculated as COmeasured/COpredicted × 100%. ACP > 80%, 60% < ACP ⩽ 80%, and ACP ⩽ 60% represented less impaired, mildly impaired, and severely impaired cardiovascular function, respectively. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was event-free survival.

Results:

A total of 965 individual measurements from 290 eligible patients were used to establish the expected CO-SVR curve model (COpredicted = 53.468 × SVR −0.799). Patients with ACP ⩽ 60% had higher serum NT-proBNP levels ( P < 0.001), lower left ventricular ejection fraction ( P = 0.001), and required dopamine more frequently ( P < 0.001). Complete follow-up data were available in 263 of 290 patients (90.7%). After multivariate adjustment, ACP remained associated with both primary outcome (hazard ratio (HR) 0.956, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.927–0.987) and secondary outcome (HR 0.977, 95% CI 0.963–0.992). Patients with ACP ⩽ 60% had the worst prognosis (all P < 0.001). ACP was significantly more discriminating (area under the curve of 0.770) than other conventional hemodynamic parameters in predicting mortality (Delong test, all P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

ACP is a powerful independent hemodynamic predictor of mortality in patients with chronic HF. ACP and the novel CO-SVR two-dimensional graph could be useful in assessing cardiovascular function and making clinical decisions.

Clinical trial registration:

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02664818.
The bidirectional impacts of alcohol consumption and MAFLD for progressive fatty liver disease
Authors: Kulkarni Anand V. , Sarin Shiv Kumar
Published: June 2023

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), once considered a benign condition, has been associated with several cardiometabolic complications over the past two decades. The worldwide prevalence of NAFLD is as high as 30%. NAFLD requires the absence of a “significant alcohol intake.” Conflicting reports have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may be protective; therefore, the diagnosis of NAFLD previously relied on negative criteria. However, there has been a significant increase in alcohol consumption globally. Apart from the rise in alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), alcohol, a major toxin, is associated with an increased risk of several cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma. Alcohol misuse is a significant contributor to disability-adjusted life years. Recently, the term metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) was proposed instead of NAFLD to include the metabolic dysfunction responsible for the major adverse outcomes in patients with fatty liver disease. MAFLD, dependent on the “positive diagnostic criteria” rather than previous exclusion criteria, may identify individuals with poor metabolic health and aid in managing patients at increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Although MAFLD is less stigmatizing than NAFLD, excluding alcohol intake may increase the risk of already existing underreported alcohol consumption in this subgroup of patients. Therefore, alcohol consumption may increase the prevalence of fatty liver disease and its associated complications in patients with MAFLD. This review discusses the effects of alcohol intake and MAFLD on fatty liver disease.
#RIPJKRowling: A tale of a fandom, Twitter and a haunting author who refuses to die
Authors: Ravell Hannah
Published: June 2023

With Roland Barthes’ 1968 essay ‘Death of the Author’ as its touchstone, this article reflects critically on the hashtag #ripjkrowling that trended on Twitter in September 2020. Through a thematic content analysis of the top 100 tweets from this hashtag, it will examine celebrity author J.K. Rowling’s reputation amongst fans and wider audiences. Rowling’s history of disseminating transphobic rhetoric online as well as the news her 2020 book contains transphobic messaging will be considered. When Barthes called for the ‘death’ of the author, he highlighted the importance of understanding texts as independent from authorial intention and biography. As this case illuminates, when fans cannot reconcile Rowling’s values with those of her creation they pronounce her ‘dead’. Exemplified through this hashtag, in this post-Barthesian world of celebrity authorship, the author is being revived only to be killed off again. This paper seeks to examine why Potterheads, in response to Rowling’s controversies pertaining to LGBTQIA+ issues, are pronouncing her ‘dead’. From there, this article explores a broader public relations inquiry into what this means for public relations practice when media products and brands belong to the fans, especially politically and socially active ones like Potterheads. Mainstream participatory culture logics on Twitter such as hashtag and fan activism will be reflected on to understand their role in how modern fans separate art from their artists, and implications for Rowling’s authorship, Harry Potter readership and public relations.
Sacred suffering and the construction of political spirituality in the Iranian Shiism discourse
Authors: Jan Zahra Khoshk
Published: June 2023

This article tries to discuss this claim that Shia or as Henry Corbin puts it, “Iranian Islam,” is a discourse of political spirituality based on sacred suffering and governmentality (in Foucault's terms). The author aims to answer these questions: What do sacred suffering and governmentality mean in Shia discourse? How does sacred suffering articulate and give meaning to concepts related to political spirituality? To answer these questions, the author applied Laclau and Mouffe's discourse analysis, arguing that the sacred suffering constructs Shia antagonistic approach and plays a key role in constructing these discursive moments: the Karbala paradigm as a paradigm of both spirituality and political action, oppression, and martyrdom (as the holy death with spiritual-political goals). Moreover, in this discourse, the suffering of awaiting the Twelfth Imam during his absence becomes an opportunity to restore Shia governmentality through the establishment of a political government by Shia clerics in Iran.