bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacological Study of Guben Yifei-Tang on a Rat Model of Pneumoconiosis
Authors: Yang Zhou , Wenting Shi , Lei Haiming , Shi Weihong
Published: August 2024

Background

Diffuse pulmonary fibrosis is a progressively worsening lung disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Current treatment options are limited and generally ineffective.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of GubenYifei-Tang (GB) in a rat model of pneumoconiosis.

Materials and Methods

We established a chronic pneumoconiosis model in rats through intratracheal injection of silica dust. Subsequently, the rats were randomly assigned to various groups, including the model group (NC group), Hanfangji Masu tablet group (TET group), high-dose GB group (GB-H group), low-dose GB group (GB-L group), and a blank control group comprising 12 normal rats (NC group). We assessed blood biochemical, vascular endothelial function, immunoinflammatory factors, and oxidative stress indices in four rats from each group at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months of administration.

Results

Throughout the 6-month administration period, rats in the GB-L and GB-H groups displayed no significant abnormalities in their general condition or body weight. Both high and low doses of GB significantly reduced the respiratory rate and increased the respiratory amplitude of the pneumoconiosis model rats ( p < 0.05). Additionally, they significantly decreased the mean pulmonary arterial pressure of these rats ( p < 0.05). Moreover, we observed noteworthy improvements in blood gas indices and hypoxemia symptoms, including increased pH, decreased arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide, increased arterial oxygen partial pressure, and arterial oxygen saturation. Compared to the NC group, the model group rats exhibited significantly elevated concentrations of serum transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-1 ( p < 0.01). High-dose GB significantly reduced serum levels of TGF-β, TNF-α, and interleukin-10 in rats, while low-dose GB partially improved serum inflammatory factor levels. Additionally, the lung mass index, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and hydroxyproline levels were significantly increased in the model group rats compared to the NC group ( p < 0.01), accompanied by decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Both high and low doses of GB demonstrated substantial improvements in lung mass index, MDA, SOD, and hydroxyproline levels in rats ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion

In the rat model of pneumoconiosis, GB exerts a positive therapeutic impact on lung tissue lesions and respiratory function, with its effectiveness being both time- and dose-dependent.
Returning to rebellious roots: What rebellious lawyering can offer progressive law in Australia
Authors: Greenwood Brooke , Schwartz Sarah , Wnukowska-Mtonga Susan
Published: August 2024

Over the last 50 years, the practice of progressive law in Australia has drifted from radical, change-focused origins to a more cautious and limited approach. The theory of rebellious lawyering offers an evolving and principled model that can assist a new generation of Australian lawyers seeking to build the power of grassroots movements for transformative social change. As progressive law in Australia emerges from decades of funding instability and contracting ambition, a return to our rebellious roots – through talking, writing, strategising and building connections between lawyers working with impacted communities – is exactly what is needed.
The Wall Has No Name: The Persistence of the Prison in the Face of Change
Authors: Sliva Shannon M. , Lin Jeffrey
Published: August 2024

Prison reform in Colorado has been halting, despite political and cultural conditions that are broadly conducive to making meaningful changes to correctional policies and practices. These conditions led to Colorado being chosen for the Prison Research and Innovation Network—a five-state consortium given funding to engineer change in one facility in each state through an action research process using community-based participatory methods. This article describes findings from the action research process in Sterling Correctional Facility—the selected project site in Colorado. The management, the staff, and the people incarcerated in this facility have generally welcomed reform efforts, but change has occurred slowly and with less effect than expected. Using an engaged participant observation approach, along with survey and in-depth interview data collected during the research process, we map the ecology of facility-level change and how local conditions have shaped the pace and reach of innovation efforts. We offer recommendations related to the reality of state-level and facility-level prison reform, especially around the need to deeply understand and be responsive to the cultural, political, and institutional environments in which change is expected to occur.
Statistical damage constitutive model based on energy conversion for rocks
Authors: Hongming Cheng , Xiaobin Yang , Jie Lu , Chuanlong Dong , Yongqing Lan
Published: August 2024

The nonlinearity of the constitutive relation for rocks becomes more prominent with a more complex physical-mechanical environment and mechanical behavior. The accurate establishment of the constitutive relation affects the determination of rock deformation and damage state from physical features. In this study, a novel statistical damage constitutive model for rocks is proposed based on quantified energy conversion. The novelty of the model is that the nature of rock damage before and after damage stress is considered. In the constitutive model, the evolution characteristics of energy conversion show a five-stage evolution with a ‘spoon’ form and correspond to the rock deformation and damage process, which can be fitted with the modified GaussAmp function; the damage variable is deduced by the Weibull distribution with energy conversion as the distribution variable, which presents a monotonic decrease caused by initial defects before the σcd and shows a ‘S’ shape caused by nascent cracks after the σcd. Furthermore, triaxial test data of three types of rocks under different confining pressures were used to verify the proposed model, and the results were in good agreement with the test data in most cases. The characteristics of the crack closure stage, peak stress, residual strength, and stress drop process are controlled by the model parameters, which can be determined using experimental data. As these parameters definitely have a physical meaning and a relation to the confining pressure, the proposed model has the potential to be used in rock engineering.
Multiple Adverse Reactions Associated With the Use of Second-Generation Antipsychotics in People With Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pharmacovigilance Analysis Based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System
Authors: Zhou Jianxing , Wei Zipeng , Huang Wei , Liu Maobai , Wu Xuemei
Published: August 2024

Background:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition leading to memory loss, cognitive impairment, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are commonly used to manage these neuropsychiatric symptoms, but their safety profile in patients with AD requires further investigation.

Objective:

The objective was to evaluate the safety of SGAs in patients with AD by analyzing adverse drug reactions (ADRs) using the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.

Methods:

This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of FAERS data from 2014 to 2023, focusing on ADRs in patients with AD treated with SGAs such as risperidone, quetiapine, olanzapine, clozapine, and aripiprazole. Descriptive, disproportionality, time, and dose analysis were performed using the Bayesian confidence propagation neural network, Weibull, and physiologically based pharmacokinetic model.

Results:

Out of 1289 patients with AD treated with SGAs, the most common ADRs involved the nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and cardiac disorders. Disproportionality analysis identified significant positive signals in cardiac, renal, and vascular systems. Quetiapine, risperidone, and olanzapine showed more positive signals compared with clozapine and aripiprazole. Time analysis indicated that cardiovascular ADRs occurred randomly, whereas renal ADRs increased with prolonged use. Dose analysis suggested that small doses of SGAs did not elevate the risk of multiple cardiac, renal, or vascular ADRs.

Conclusion and Relevance:

The study underscores the importance of monitoring for ADRs, particularly in the cardiac and renal systems, when using SGAs in patients with AD. Future research incorporating more comprehensive clinical data is warranted to support safe and rational drug utilization.
Impact of Dexmedetomidine Dosing and Timing on Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Outcomes After Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analytic Approach
Authors: Li Hongpei , Wang Lei , Shi Chunxia , Zhou Baolong , Yao Lan
Published: August 2024

Background:

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious complication following cardiac surgery. Dexmedetomidine, a highly selective α2-adrenergic agonist, has shown potential renoprotective effects, but previous studies have yielded conflicting results.

Objective:

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine in preventing AKI and reducing postoperative serum creatinine levels in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods:

We comprehensively searched 5 databases for randomized controlled trials comparing dexmedetomidine with control groups in adult cardiac surgery patients. The main outcomes were the incidence of AKI and change in postoperative serum creatinine levels. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.4 models, and subgroup analyses were performed based on dexmedetomidine dosing and timing of administration. Continuous outcomes were combined and analyzed using either mean difference (M.D.), while dichotomous outcomes were analyzed using risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results:

Our study included a total of 14 trials involving 2744 patients. Dexmedetomidine administration significantly reduced the incidence of AKI compared to control groups (RR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.41-0.70, P < 0.00001). Postoperative serum creatinine levels were also lower with dexmedetomidine (MD = −0.14 mg/dL, 95% CI: −0.28 to −0.001, P =0.04). Subgroup analyses revealed that higher initial doses (>0.5 μg/kg) and administration during intraoperative and postoperative periods were associated with more pronounced renoprotective effects. Dexmedetomidine did not significantly affect mortality but reduced the duration of the length of hospital stay and mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions and Relevance:

This meta-analysis demonstrates that dexmedetomidine administration, particularly at higher doses and during both intraoperative and postoperative periods, reduces the risk of AKI in adults undergoing cardiac surgery. These findings support the use of dexmedetomidine as a preventive strategy to enhance renal outcomes in this population.
Do Family Interventions Help to Improve Family Dynamics? The Impact of PCF-AFECT 12–16
Authors: Orte Carmen , Amer Joan , Quesada Victoria , Pascual Belén , Gomila Maria Antonia
Published: August 2024

Objective: This paper analyses changes in the family dynamics of the participants of a family prevention program, taking into consideration possible differences between the mothers and fathers and differences according to the sex of the participating adolescents. Background: Fostering family communication and resilience, parent–child relations, and family cohesion is fundamental in positive family dynamics. Method: The study has a quasi-experimental design, with pretest and posttest assessments of the experimental and control groups. A total sample of 252 families took part in the program. Results: In the data reported by the mothers, differences were identified between the experimental group and the control group in the three factors that were analyzed (improvements in family resilience and communication, parent–adolescent relations, and family cohesion), while in the data reported by the fathers, there were differences in two factors (family resilience and communication and parent–adolescent relations). No differences were observed according to the sex of the participating adolescents. Conclusion: In comparison with the control group, better outcomes were achieved by the families who took part in the program on its completion. Implications: Preventive family interventions are a tool in improving family dynamics and in boosting protective factors for all the members of a family. They should be included in strategic social, educational, and healthcare intervention plans.
A Diagnostic Nomogram Incorporating Prognostic Nutritional Index for Predicting Vaginal Invasion in Stage IB – IIA Cervical Cancer
Authors: Xie Ning , Lin Jie , Yu Haijuan , Liu Li , Deng Sufang , Liu Linying , Sun Yang
Published: August 2024

Introduction

With the advancements in cancer prevention and diagnosis, the proportion of newly diagnosed early-stage cervical cancers has increased. Adjuvant therapies based on high-risk postoperative histopathological factors significantly increase the morbidity of treatment complications and seriously affect patients’ quality of life.

Objectives

Our study aimed to establish a diagnostic nomogram for vaginal invasion (VI) among early-stage cervical cancer (CC) that can be used to reduce the occurrence of positive or close vaginal surgical margins.

Methods

We assembled the medical data of early-stage CC patients between January 2013 and December 2021 from the Fujian Cancer Hospital. Data on demographics, laboratory tests, MRI features, physical examination (PE), and pathological outcomes were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to estimate the diagnostic variables for VI in the training set. Finally, the statistically significant factors were used to construct an integrated nomogram.

Results

In this retrospective study, 540 CC patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts according to a 7:3 ratio. Multivariate logistic analyses showed that age [odds ratio (OR) = 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29-4.50, P = 0.006], prognostic nutritional index (OR = 0.18, 95% CI, 0.04-0.77, P = 0.021), histological type (OR = 0.28, 95% CI, 0.08-0.94, P = 0.039), and VI based on PE (OR = 3.12, 95% CI, 1.52-6.45, P = 0.002) were independent diagnostic factors of VI. The diagnostic nomogram had a robust ability to predict VI in the training [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.70-0.82] and validation (AUC = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58-0.83) cohorts, and the calibration curves, decision curve analysis, and confusion matrix showed good prediction power.

Conclusion

Our diagnostic nomograms could help gynaecologists quantify individual preoperative VI risk, thereby optimizing treatment options, and minimizing the incidence of multimodality treatment-related complications and the economic burden.
Theoretical study of the vibration characteristic in geological layer under blasting excavation of metro tunnel
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Yao Yingkang , Jiang Nan , Xie Quanmin , Wang Junhao
Published: August 2024

The stress waves generated by tunnel blasting in urban rock layers can affect the safety of adjacent buried structures in the overlying geological layers. To ensure the safety of buried structures, it is crucial to understand the blasting vibration characteristics in the geological layers. In this paper, the analytical solution for the vibration velocity response in geological layer subjected to P-wave is derived. Based on a specific tunnel blasting excavation project, the influence of incident wave frequency, layer thickness, and incidence angle on the vibration velocity distribution along the depth direction are investigated. Results show that the vibration velocity in the upper soil layer does not strictly attenuate with increasing distance from the blasting source but rather exhibits a fluctuating trend. As the frequency of the incident wave increases, the normalized vibration velocity on the ground surface exhibits a periodic decreasing trend, and the distance between the initial fluctuation point and the ground surface decreases. The normalized vibration velocity in the soil layer does not exhibit a monotonic decrease as the soil thickness increases. With an increase in the incident angle, a general declining pattern is observed in the normalized vibration velocity along the depth direction.
Role of osteoclast inhibitors in prostate cancer bone metastasis; a narrative review
Authors: Wani Shariq Ahmad , Qudrat Salma , Zubair Hina , Iqbal Zahra , Gulzar Babar , Aziz Sundal , Inayat Arsalan , Safi Danish , Kamran Amir
Published: August 2024

Objective

To study the role of Osteoclast inhibitors in advanced prostate cancer metastasis treatment and their efficacy in reducing skeletal related events.

Methods: Data Source

A comprehensive search was done using search terms as “osteoclast inhibitors” “Bisphosphonates” “Zoledronic acid” “ pamidronate” “ Alendronate” “Denosumab” “ Prostate cancer metastasis” in pubmed and Google scholar. Relevant articles were screened and collected . The collected articles were used to frame the review and data showing use of Osteoclast inhibitors In prostate cancer bone metastasis was collected.

Data summary

Prostate cancer metastasizes most commonly to the skeleton thus leading to significant morbidity ranging from pain, pathological fractures to spinal cord compression and are the primary cause of patient disability and reduced quality of life.Initially, radiation therapy and radiopharmaceuticals were the mainstay of treatment however the role of Bisphosphonates and denosumab has become an integral part of therapy to manage metastatic prostate cancer. These agents significantly decrease skeletal related events and enhance patients quality of life. Emerging therapies like Radium-223 have also shown promise in reducing skeletal related events and also improving survival rates in patients with bone metastasis. Other treatment options which are being used are systemic agents like Docetaxel, cabazitaxel, hormonal therapies like abiraterone and enzalutamide. Immunotherapy with sipuleucel-T has demonstrated a reduction in mortality among prostate cancer patients with metastasis, highlighting the need for further research in this area. Ongoing studies are investigating novel agents that target both tumor cells and the bone microenvironment.

Conclusion

Osteoclast inhibitors are effective in reducing skeletal related events in advanced bone metastasis and improve the quality of life of patients.
Investigating the Overdependence on Supply Chain Partners, Exploitation, and Willingness to Focus on Sustainability Performance in Business-to-Business Firms
Authors: Bag Surajit , Rahman Muhammad Sabbir , Srivastava Atul Kumar , Shrivastav Santosh Kumar , Naude Peter
Published: August 2024

This study contributes to the field of sustainable supply chain management by shedding light on the relationship between overdependence on supply chain partners, exploitation, and the willingness of business-to-business partner firms to focus on sustainability performance. This study further investigates how ethical culture moderates this relationship. Drawing on the resource dependency theory, the study involves developing a model and validating it using multivariate analysis among 120 dyads. The findings reveal that a business-to-business firm’s overdependence on its supply chain partners can lead to it being exploited, which in turn negatively impacts its willingness to prioritize sustainability within the supply chain. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the stronger the firm’s ethical culture, the weaker the effect of overdependence on exploitation, while at a lower level of the firm’s ethical culture, the effect of overdependence on exploitation is stronger. The utilization of resource dependency theory unveils the potential downsides of overreliance on business-to-business supply chain partners and its consequences within the supply chain.
Precarious Youthspaces of Work and Diverse Economies in the EU South: A Conceptualization Attempt
Authors: Avagianou Athina , Gialis Stelios , Farrugia David
Published: August 2024

Youth disengagement is widespread in the less developed regions of advanced capitalism, and precarity is constantly (re)produced in the youth labour markets there. In this context, ‘diverse economies’ such as the social economy (SE) and the digital platform-induced sharing economy (DPSE) have emerged as policy solutions to pressing social, economic and environmental challenges, particularly in the south of the EU. However, most relevant studies examine labour in these new economies without considering the socio-spatial and political factors at play. This article proposes a spatially sensitive conceptualization of the relationship between youth disengagement and employment in the SE and DPSE. Drawing on key concepts from critical geography and geographical political economy, as well as recent research on the spatiality of youth, the article suggests that contemporary ‘precarious youthspaces of work’ are created by—and embedded in—‘dismantled techno-spatial fixes’ and discusses the reciprocal relationship between such youthspaces and diverse economies.
A new wireless device for bedside assessment of tip location of central venous access devices using intracavitary ECG: A retrospective study
Authors: Brescia Fabrizio , Annetta Maria Giuseppina , Pittiruti Mauro
Published: August 2024

Intracavitary electrocardiography (IC-ECG) is a non-invasive method for intraprocedural tip location during central venous catheterization. Over the last 20 years, the IC-ECG method has been thoroughly investigated and many studies have confirmed its wide applicability and feasibility, as well as its great accuracy and safety in different populations of patients and in different types of central venous access devices (CVADs). This retrospective study presents a two-center experience with tip location of central venous catheters using IC-ECG, by means of a new wireless portable device. Tip location was performed during 983 insertions of CVADs at bedside, using this new device. Clinical conditions with limited or no applicability of IC-ECG were excluded. The feasibility of IC-ECG, as performed using the novel device, was 92.2%. This wireless device may play an important role in central venous catheterization at bedside, since it is pocket-sized, particularly easy to use, and easy to sanify after use.
Efficacy and safety of aspirin plus clopidogrel versus aspirin alone in ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Ahmed Mushood , Ahsan Areeba , Fatima Laveeza , Basit Jawad , Nashwan Abdulqadir J , Ali Shafaqat , Hamza Mohammad , Karalis Iosif , Ahmed Raheel , Alareed Ahmad , Ijioma Nkechinyere N , Alraies M Chadi
Published: August 2024

Background: Antiplatelet therapy plays an important role in reducing the risk of stroke recurrence in patients with mild ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA). However, data regarding the effectiveness and safety of using aspirin plus clopidogrel in dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) compared to aspirin alone in mild ischemic stroke is limited. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared DAPT to aspirin alone started within 72 hours in mild ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA. We used a random effects model to pool risk ratios (RRs) along with 95% CIs for clinical outcomes. Results: Four RCTs with 16,547 patients were included in this study. DAPT significantly reduced the risk of recurrent stroke by 26% (RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.67–0.83; p < 0.00001), ischemic stroke by 28% (RR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.65–0.80; p < 0.00001), and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 24% (RR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.68–0.84; p < 0.00001) compared to aspirin monotherapy. However, DAPT was associated with a significantly increased risk of moderate or severe bleeding (RR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.10–3.23; p = 0.02) compared to aspirin alone. No significant differences were observed for hemorrhagic stroke (RR: 1.77; 95% CI: 0.96–3.29; p = 0.07), all-cause mortality (RR: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.87–1.80; p = 0.23), cardiovascular mortality (RR: 1.38; 95% CI: 0.81–2.33; p = 0.23), and myocardial infarction (RR: 1.63; 95% CI: 0.77–3.46; p = 0.20). Conclusion: DAPT involving aspirin plus clopidogrel reduces stroke recurrence and MACE but can lead to an increased risk of moderate or severe bleeding compared to aspirin monotherapy. (PROSPERO ID: CRD42024499310)
Sport-based interventions and health in prisons: The impact of Twinning Project on prisoner wellbeing and attitudes
Authors: Peitz Linus , Newson Martha
Published: August 2024

Social isolation and lack of support networks are key factors contributing to mental health problems among incarcerated people, which, in turn, are associated with an increased risk of reoffending. Enabling prisoners to form positive group relations and social identities is one approach to address the cycle of ill health and incarceration. We examine the impact of a football-based intervention, the Twinning Project, on prisoners’ wellbeing and social relations. Longitudinal and correlational analyses of data from N = 164 UK prisoners show how social bonding is linked with significant boosts to psychological need satisfaction, life satisfaction, efficacy beliefs as well as higher levels of wellbeing.
EFL students’ profiles of English reading self-efficacy: Relations with reading enjoyment, engagement, and performance
Authors: Yang Ke , Gan Zhengdong , Sun Miaomiao
Published: August 2024

Reading self-efficacy in both first language (L1) or second language (L2) contexts has attracted increasing attention from researchers and practitioners in the past decades. However, prior self-efficacy studies have mainly adopted variable-centered approaches, and a global index of reading self-efficacy was created in these studies. Individual differences in reading self-efficacy and how they are associated with other learning factors remain under-explored particularly in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The purpose of this article was therefore to employ a person-centered approach to examine different patterns of EFL students’ English reading self-efficacy as identified by latent profile analysis (LPA) among 361 Chinese university students. We conducted analyses of variance to examine the differences in English reading enjoyment, engagement and reading test performance across profiles. LPA results revealed four distinct English reading self-efficacy profiles: (1) low English reading self-efficacy, (2) moderate English reading self-efficacy, (3) medium-low English reading self-efficacy, (4) high English reading self-efficacy. While reading enjoyment and engagement were found to vary significantly between each pair of the four reading self-efficacy profiles, significant differences in reading performance only occurred among profiles of high vs. moderate/medium-low/low, and moderate vs. medium-low/low English reading self-efficacy. Students from medium-low and low English reading self-efficacy profiles did not differ significantly in their reading performance.
Complete-joint-penetration vacuum laser beam welding of nickel-based superalloy 718Plus
Authors: Yang Lijun , Jiang Meng , Chen Xi , Zhang Shengkui , Han Tianyi , Jiang Nan , Jiang Yumo , Lei Zhenglong , He Peng , Chen Yanbin
Published: August 2024

Deep-penetration welding of nickel-based superalloys is an indispensable manufacturing technique for aircraft engines, aerospace engines, and nuclear containers. In this study, a newly developed vacuum laser beam welding method was used to weld a 9 mm thick superalloy 718Plus. A defect-free complete joint penetration weld with a high depth-to-width ratio was fabricated. The macro/microstructures, microhardness, tensile properties, and fatigue properties of weld joints under both as-welded and heat-treated conditions were systematically examined. The weld joint showed a microstructure of planar, cellular, columnar, and equiaxed crystals from the fusion line to the center line. The post-weld heat treatment had an insignificant effect on the grain structure but changed the precipitated phase in the weld. The newly formed γ′ and η phases were observed in the heat-treated sample. The mechanical properties showed microhardness, tensile strength, elongation, and fatigue strength of 488.6 HV, 1347.0 MPa, 13.7%, and 399 MPa, respectively, which were 104.6%, 93.2%, 77.8%, and 74.2% of those of the base metal, respectively. Both as-welded and heat-treated samples exhibited ductile ruptures. The excellent mechanical properties of the heat-treated joints were attributed to the formation of precipitated phases.
Interrogating the ‘African troupe’: The construction of Africanness and Blackness in Chinese consumption of K-pop videos
Authors: Xu Kaiyang , Wilson Tiara
Published: August 2024

As Korean popular music (K-pop) continues to internationalize, its multicultural elements have sparked discussions among Chinese K-pop fans. In their talks on K-pop girl group NATURE's performance video ‘Rica Rica’, they disregarded the South Asian influences in the video. Instead, they identify the performance as an example of an ‘African troupe.’ What discursive formations give rise to Chinese fans’ Africanization of this music video performed by Korean bodies with both African and South Asian cultural aesthetics? Throughout this paper, we analyze Chinese K-pop fan responses to ‘Rica Rica’ alongside other media products to highlight a broader pattern of consuming Africanness in Chinese popular media culture. We argue that the ambiguity created by K-pop as hybridized performance allows Chinese fans to appropriate the image of Africa to navigate Chinese geopolitical imaginaries, facilitate cyber consumerism, and articulate a desire for self-empowerment through (re)configuring the Black female body.
Migration theory as social theory: From transnational migration to mobile social ontologies
Authors: Ehrenfeld Coretta
Published: August 2024

With the paradigm shift toward transnationalism in the 1990s, perspectives on the phenomenon of migration changed fundamentally. Up to that point, the societies of origin and settlement had defined the analytical framework for sociology in general and migration research in particular. With the transnational migration model, this perspective made a U-turn: the transnational social networks of migrants became the starting point of migration research and social analysis. First, that meant that migrants and migrating people came to occupy a social–theoretical subject position. Second, migrant lives and the transnational social worlds that they sustain provided a social and socio-theoretical research perspective: migration itself became a perspective of social analysis in general. What does this imply for social theory? I suggest thinking about a social theory that is a migration theory at the same time—and vice versa. Therefore, I investigate Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's nomadology as a specific kind of theory of social mobilities ( Deleuze & Guattari, 1987 ). Within that framework, it is possible to describe social mobilities beyond the “physical” dichotomy between “sedentary” on the one hand and “mobile” or “migrant” on the other.
AI-based epidemic and pandemic early warning systems: A systematic scoping review
Authors: El Morr Christo , Ozdemir Deniz , Asdaah Yasmeen , Saab Antoine , El-Lahib Yahya , Sokhn Elie Salem
Published: August 2024

Background: Timely detection of disease outbreaks is critical in public health. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can identify patterns in data that signal the onset of epidemics and pandemics. This scoping review examines the effectiveness of AI in epidemic and pandemic early warning systems (EWS). Objective: To assess the capability of AI-based systems in predicting epidemics and pandemics and to identify challenges and strategies for improvement. Methods: A systematic scoping review was conducted. The review included studies from the last 5 years, focusing on AI and machine learning applications in EWS. After screening 1087 articles, 33 were selected for thematic analysis. Results: The review found that AI-based EWS have been effectively implemented in various contexts, using a range of algorithms. Key challenges identified include data quality, model explainability, bias, data volume, velocity, variety, availability, and granularity. Strategies for mitigating AI bias and improving system adaptability were also discussed. Conclusion: AI has shown promise in enhancing the speed and accuracy of epidemic detection. However, challenges related to data quality, bias, and model transparency need to be addressed to improve the reliability and generalizability of AI-based EWS. Continuous monitoring and improvement, as well as incorporating social and environmental data, are essential for future development.
Novel multivariate design concept for floating wind turbines by Gaidai multivariate reliability method and deconvolution scheme
Authors: Gaidai Oleg , Liu Zirui , Cao Yu , Sheng Jinlu , Zhu Yan , Zhang Fuxi
Published: August 2024

Development of novel risk and reliability assessment methods is intended to support safer construction of offshore structures, subjected to environmental wave loads. Current study investigated 10-MW FWT (i.e., Floating Wind Turbine), operating under realistic environmental conditions. While increasing operating safety, enhanced risk and reliability assessment methods may eventually help reduce manufacturing and maintenance costs. Excessive structural dynamics being usually caused by environmental stressors, acting on structural system. Environmental loads resulting from ambient wind and wave motions are typical for offshore structures. Current work advocates a novel risk and reliability assessment methodology that allows for reliable forecasting of failure/damage risks, arising from excessive FWT structural dynamics. Recently developed Gaidai multivariate reliability methodology along with state-of-the-art deconvolution method had been employed. Unlike existing reliability approaches such as Weibull-type, GP (i.e., Generalized Pareto), POT (i.e., Peaks Over the Threshold), etc., the recommended methodology does not rely on any pre-assumed functional class, when extrapolating failure probability functional tail. Practical advantages of the suggested multivariate reliability methodology combined with deconvolution scheme over, that is, 4-parameter Weibull’s extrapolation method had been demonstrated. Suggested methodology makes effective use of even limited underlying datasets, enabling robust and accurate projections of multidimensional structural system failure/damage risks. Overall methodological performance suggests that numerically stable and accurate extreme dynamics forecasts for FWT structural bending moments might be obtained, utilizing suggested multivariate reliability methodology. Deconvolution extrapolation approach being more numerically stable than parametric extrapolation techniques, due to its non-parametric nature.
Galerkin procedure for resonance analysis of the forced Van der Pol-Duffing-Helmholtz oscillator
Authors: El-Dib Yusry O , Gad Nada S
Published: August 2024

This investigation centers on the resonance analysis of the forced Van der Pol-Duffing-Helmholtz oscillator (VdP-DH). Employing an equivalent linearization method on this forced-damped nonlinear oscillator yields a linear solution, albeit one not conducive to resonance response analysis. To address this, an advanced approach was adopted to derive a solution akin to the conventional one. Utilizing the Galerkin method facilitated the examination of resonance occurrence and the establishment of stability conditions for both resonance and non-resonance states. Numerical comparisons confirm the derived solution aligns with the advanced solution. The resonance region, interspersed within the stability domain, and mirrors the influence of all physical parameters, showcasing the nuanced interplay of forces within the system.
A moment of turbulence: Privacy considerations in the pivot to distance learning during COVID-19 in higher education in Estonia, France, and Israel
Authors: Epstein Dmitry , John Nicholas , Wilhelm Carsten , Siibak Andra , Barats Christine
Published: August 2024

The rapid adoption of digital technologies during COVID-19 lockdowns offers a unique perspective on differences in privacy cultures. In this study, we compare how cultural predisposition and identities relate to privacy during the transition to remote learning in higher education in Estonia, France, and Israel. We conducted 83 in-depth interviews with academics, who talked about their adoption of communication technologies and strategies for managing their self-presentation and relations with others. Patterns of tech adoption were most reflective of distinct privacy predispositions, with those coming from privacy-sensitive cultures conveying an individual and institutional resistance to privacy-invasive technologies. However, strategies for self-management in response to new patterns of visibility were similar across countries. Our findings make three contributions to privacy research: they (1) show how different identities (professional, national) underpin privacy attitudes and behaviors; (2) demonstrate the multidimensionality of privacy; and (3) point to institutional decision-making as the critical point for privacy-protecting interventions.
Multipoint forming process of aluminum sheet considering its forming limit diagram: Experimental and numerical investigations
Authors: Aali Majidabad Milad , Khodayari Reza , Akbari Habibolah , Davoodi Behnam , Hashemi Ramin
Published: August 2024

Considering the significance of sheet metal forming in various industries, metal sheets, and lightweight alloys find extensive applications. It is essential to predict the formability limit of sheets. Whereas the previous studies used the Nakazima test, this study aims to determine the forming limit diagram (FLD) numerically and experimentally using multipoint forming, considering the strain path's effect on formability. Also, it is compared with the conventional FLD obtained via the Nakazima test. The results show that multipoint forming improves sheet metal forming. The experimental FLD for an AL 2024-O sheet with a 12 mm pin size was found to have higher formability than that obtained from the Nakazima test. The effect of the polyurethane layer on the forming limit diagram was investigated. The experimental results showed that the polyurethane layer prevents local strain and increases the limits on the forming limit diagram. The numerical forming limit diagram was predicted by the second derivative method. Finally, the experimental results were compared with the numerical simulation results, showing that the results had an agreement above 90%. This method can be used as a reference for assessing the effectiveness of the multipoint forming technique.
A Mama for Owen: re-addressing adoption creatively in an accordion of visual parallelism
Authors: Calvo-Maturana Coral
Published: August 2024

This article critically explores the concept of ‘adoption’ via the semiotic analysis of the picture book A Mama for Owen (Bauer and Butler, 2007), which stands here as a testimony of adoption narratives and the ways in which they are creatively re-addressed in the context of children’s literature – as children’s books challenge traditional stories, establishing a contrastive dialogue, they are able ‘to sow and nurture the seeds of social change’ (see Reynolds, Children’s Literature, 2011: 5). The study proposes the application of textual tools of analysis developed in the area of stylistics (see Short, Exploring the Language of Poems, Plays, and Prose, 1996; Simpson, Stylistics: a Resource Book for Students, 2004; Toolan, Language in Literature: An Introduction to Stylistics, 1998) to the examination of the visual mode. In particular, it suggests (partial) visual repetition and visual parallelism as creative tools that are essential here in the process of meaning-making and re-assessment of adoption. The analysis of the visual mode is completed drawing on visual grammar (see Kress and Van Leeuwen, Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design, 2006[1996] and Painter, Children’s Picture Book Narratives: Reading Sequences of Images, 2009) and pictorial metaphors (see Forceville, Pictorial Metaphor in Advertising,1996, and Non-Verbal and Multimodal Metaphor in a Cognitivist Framework: Agendas for Research, 2006). The investigation identifies the semiotic choices at play and their multimodal display in terms of storytelling and narrative progression (see Labov, Language in the Inner City: Studies in the Black English Vernacular, 1972) in an accordion-like structure that results in the cognitive power of a work of art. The article ultimately embraces picture books as enriching multimodal narratives that can build more inclusive communities, in this case celebrating the family unit beyond the genetic bond or gender roles.
Machine Learning Identify Ferroptosis-Related Genes as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia
Authors: Li Tingting , Yang Qi , Liu Yun , Jin Yueping , Song Biao , sun Qin , Wei Siyuan , Wu Jing , Li Xuejun
Published: August 2024

Background

Gastric intestinal metaplasia(GIM) is an independent risk factor for GC, however, its pathogenesis is still unclear. Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death, which may be involved in the process of GIM. The purpose of this study was to analyze the expression of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in GIM tissues and to explore the relationship between ferroptosis and GIM.

Method

The results of GIM tissue full transcriptome sequencing were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO) database. R software (V4.2.0) and R packages were used for screening and enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes(DEGs). The key genes were screened by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination(SVM-RFE) algorithm. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of key genes in GIM. Clinical samples were used to further validate hub genes.

Results

A total of 12 differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DEFRGs) were identified. Using two machine learning algorithms, GOT1, ALDH3A2, ACSF2 and SESN2 were identified as key genes. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of GOT1, ALDH3A2, ACSF2 and SESN2 in the training set were 0.906, 0.955, 0.899 and 0.962 respectively, and the AUC in the verification set were 0.776, 0.676, 0.773 and 0.880, respectively. Clinical samples verified the differential expression of GOT1, ACSF2, and SESN2 in GIM.

Conclusion

We found that there was a significant correlation between ferroptosis and GIM. GOT1, ACSF2 and SESN2 can be used as diagnostic markers to effectively identify GIM.
Exploring Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence in Organization Development
Authors: Park Sunyoung , Chai Dae Seok , Park Jennifer J. , Oh Jihye
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this research was to examine the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in organization development (OD) through a comprehensive review of existing literature. We also propose potential avenues for future research on AI in OD. We conducted a systematic literature review of 68 studies on AI in OD based on Cummings and Worley’s four OD categories (i.e., human process, human resource, strategic change, and technostructural interventions). We first summarized and analyzed key information about how AI is implemented in OD contexts, and then examined the underlying theories or theoretical frameworks utilized in OD studies focusing on AI. We examined the application of AI in OD, potential ethical concerns, and recommendations for future research and practice using AI in OD. The paper concludes with discussion and implications for research and practice.
The Unique Case of Acute Limb Ischemia in a Patient With a Patent Foramen Ovale
Authors: Elzawy George , Petrasek Paul , Fatehi Hassanabad Ali
Published: August 2024

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is the sudden onset of decreased blood supply to the extremities and carries a poor prognosis for the affected limb and survival. A rare but well-recognized embolic etiology is a paradoxical embolism, the translocation of a thrombus from venous to arterial circulation through an intracardiac communication, most commonly a patent foramen ovale. The presentation of ALI secondary to a PFO-mediated paradoxical embolism is most often accompanied by combinations of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and an acute cerebral or visceral ischemia. We present the first documented case of a Rutherford class I ALI secondary to a PFO-mediated paradoxical embolism, ipsilateral DVT, and PE in a 29-year-old female who was surgically managed for her disabling claudication rather than limb salvage. The overlapping presentation of a viable ALI and ipsilateral DVT created a challenging clinical diagnosis. Our review of the literature on PFO-mediated paradoxical emboli involved 43 reports including 51 patients with various arterial thromboses; 19 of these cases involved lower extremity ALI. This case report is the first case to date that demonstrates a paradoxical embolism causing acute lower extremity ischemia with ipsilateral DVT and no additional limb/visceral ischemia to suggest the diagnosis of ALI. We also highlight the role that quality of life plays in vascular surgical decision-making, extending ALI management goals to not only reducing mortality and major amputations, but also improving quality of life.
Procedure-Related Complication Rates With the Use of Vascular Closure Devices; Does Size Only Matter? A Large Single Centre Retrospective Study
Authors: Sethi Sifut , Michalski Jakub , Moh’d Elayyan Al-shboul Rand , Carey Frank , Tan Kelvin , Ali Tariq
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Our retrospective study aimed at assessing safety of vascular closure devices (VCDs) used in a large single-centre Interventional Radiology (IR) department. Complication and deployment failure rates using collagen-based (Angio-seal) and suture-based (ProGlide) devices for common femoral artery haemostasis were compared.

Materials and Methods

Data from VCDs deployed over a 6-year period were retrospectively analysed for patient age, procedure indication, puncture mode (antegrade/retrograde), sheath size, deployment failure and complications (haematoma, pseudoaneurysm formation, limb occlusion). Numerical and statistical analysis was undertaken.

Results

Overall, 1321 common femoral artery punctures in 1217 patients were closed using VCDs. Failure rate using ProGlide was significantly higher when compared with Angio-seal ( P=<0.001) in sheath sizes ≤8 Fr. Heparin was not administered in embolisation procedures compared with angioplasty with or without stenting. Therefore, haematoma tended to occur more frequently following angioplasty without stenting ( P = 0.003) and angioplasty with stenting ( P = 0.001), when compared with embolisation. Deployment failure occurred more frequently when heparin was used during the procedure ( P = 0.005).

Conclusion

Although complications relating to sheath size are well established in the literature, there remains a paucity of data assessing the impact of procedure specific factors when comparing VCDs. Our study challenges that size is the sole determinant of VCD success and invites a more holistic view of VCD deployment strategies. This study advocates continued research into the nuances of other potential confounding variables to optimise patient outcomes.