bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial Stress in Metabolic Inflammation: Modest Benefits and Full Losses
Authors: Yuan Qing , Zeng Z. L. , Yang Shiqi , Li Anqi , Zu Xuyu , Liu Jianghua
Published: November 2022

Energy intake and metabolic balance are the pillars of health preservation. Overnutrition causes nonspecific, persistently low inflammatory state known as metabolic inflammation. This condition contributes to the pathophysiology of various metabolic disorders, such as atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. The mitochondria maintain the balance of energy metabolism. Excessive energy stress can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, which promotes metabolic inflammation. The inflammatory environment further impairs mitochondrial function. Accordingly, excellent organism design keeps the body metabolically healthy in the context of mitochondrial dysfunction, and moderate mitochondrial stress can have a beneficial effect. This review summarises the research progress on the multifaceted characterisation of mitochondrial dysfunction and its role in metabolic inflammation.
Anti-GBM Disease after Oxford-AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination: A Report of Two Cases
Authors: Coorey Craig Peter , Phua Elaine , Chou Angela , Shen Yvonne , Mather Amanda
Published: November 2022

There have been reports of rare de novo glomerular diseases following vaccination for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We report two cases of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease in previously healthy females after Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19). The first case was a 69-year-old female who developed lethargy and anuria approximately 8 weeks after her first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The second case was a 72-year-old female who developed malaise and diarrhoea approximately 3 weeks after her second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Both cases had severe acute kidney injury, raised anti-GBM antibody titres, and renal biopsies consistent with anti-GBM disease. Both cases were commenced on haemodialysis and treated with high dose glucocorticoids, cyclophosphamide, and plasmapheresis. Neither patient had recovery of renal function, and both remain dialysis dependent. These cases add to the previously reported cases of anti-GBM disease after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. As more COVID-19 vaccinations are administered worldwide, it would be important for clinicians to be aware of this possible association, and continued surveillance is warranted.
Word Recognition Program for Thai Older People with High Risk of Dementia: A Quasi-Experimental One-Group Study
Authors: Chinchai Supaporn , Hanpa Pimpakan , Trevittaya Piyawat , Rattakorn Phuanjai , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Boonrayong Wannipa , Jaroentonyakorn Piyawan , Kalaysak Thanasak , Wanicharoen Natwipa
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Dementia is one of the most common disorders among older people. This condition causes cognitive impairment, which can affect memory, thinking, expressive or comprehension language. It affects work and daily life. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a word recognition program on naming and quality of life in older people with high risk of dementia. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a word recognition program on naming and quality of life in older people with high risk of dementia. Methods: A one-group, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was conducted at Maeka Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and participants’ home setting from December 2021 to March 2022. Participants were 6 Thai elderly persons with a high risk of dementia according to MEST10 cut-off score, including 1 (16.66%) male and 5 (83.34%) females. They were assessed on naming using the WAB test. Additionally, they were assessed on quality of life using the WHOQOL-BREF-THAI. The word recognition program delivered 30 min per day for 5-week duration. The results were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare the effect on the intervention program. Results: The older people with high risk of dementia significantly gained in naming after receiving the word recognition program (MD = −9.00 ± 2.344; 95% CI: −20.00 to −4.00; p = 0.031). However, they did not significantly gain in quality of life after receiving the word recognition program (MD = −4.50 ± 3.393; 95% CI: −10.50 to 1.00; p = 0.418). Discussion/Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that a 5-week intervention of the word recognition program may be effective in naming to enhance language skills for Thai older people with high risk of dementia.
Efficacy and Safety of Semaglutide, a Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist in Real-Life: A Case Series of Patients in Maintenance Incremental Hemodialysis
Authors: De la Flor José C. , Lorenzo Javier Deira , Marschall Alexander , Valga Francisco , Vázquez Tania Monzón , Cícero Elisa Ruiz
Published: November 2022

The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are among the newest treatment options available for managing of type 2 diabetes mellitus and slowing the progression of diabetes kidney disease (DKD). Subcutaneous (SC) semaglutide (Ozempic®) is a GLP-1RA with an extended half-life of approximately 1 week. GLP-1RA are highly effective in improving glycemic control and also show other beneficial effects such as increased natriuresis; decreased blood pressure and albuminuria; reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation; delay of gastric emptying and suppress appetite; the latter may result in significant weight loss. GLP-1RA can be used in patients with advanced-stage CKD; the European Medicines Agency has approved the use of all commercially available human GLP-1 analogs up to a minimal eGFR of 15 mL/min/1.73 m2. However, studies of safety and use of these agents in renal replacement therapy are scarce. Therefore, herein we present 3 cases of patients with advanced DKD in maintenance incremental hemodialysis with 1 session per week to describe the efficacy and safety of the SC semaglutide treatment and the favorable effects on glycemic control, lowering HbA1c, albuminuria, weight, blood pressure control, and preservation of residual kidney function (RKF) during a 6-month follow-up in a hospital hemodialysis unit in Spain. These effects could produce an improvement in morbidity and mortality and could also prevent albuminuria and preserve the RKF. This may allow our patients to maintain a weekly hemodialysis session and could facilitate their inclusion in the kidney transplant waiting lists.
Clinical and Genomic Analysis of Patients with Short Survival after Surgery for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Gao Lu , Guo Rong-Yun , Lu Hao , Shi Zhi-Hua , Liu Jun-Feng
Published: November 2022

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prognosis of Chinese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after surgery and its correlation with genomic alterations (GAs) to identify potential prognostic markers. Methods: The clinical information, pathological specimens, and follow-up information of 50 patients with stage II and III primary ESCC who were surgically resected in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2011 to December 2015 were collected in the present study. Based on overall survival (OS), these patients were divided into the short OS group (<3 years) and the long OS group (>4 years). GA detection was performed in patients with ESCC using next-generation sequencing. All categories of GAs were evaluated; the landscape of GAs in patients with ESCC was mapped; and the correlations between clinical characteristics, prognosis, and GAs were analyzed. Results: There was no skew in the distribution of gender, smoking, and adjuvant therapy between the long OS group and the short OS group. A total of 372 GAs were detected in the 50 patients with ESCC, with 7 types of GAs, including insertions, deletions, and copy number variations, and missense mutations occurred most frequently, with a frequency of >50.0%. Tumor protein 53 (TP53; 50/50, 100%) was the most commonly mutated gene in the entire cohort followed by cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), and fibroblast growth factor 19. More CDKN2A loss (p = 0.098) was detected in the short OS group than in the long OS group. The results of the multivariate analysis after adjustment for clinical factors showed a statistically significant difference in the CDKN2A loss between the two groups. Data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas for surgical ESCC revealed that the CDKN2A loss may be responsible for the poorer prognosis in postoperative patients with ESCC. Conclusion: In patients with progressive primary ESCC, the poor postoperative prognosis may be epiphenomenally associated with the CDKN2A loss.
Expert Consensus on the Clinical Use of Pulse Wave Velocity in Asia
Authors: Park Jeong Bae , Sharman James E. , Li Yan , Munakata Masanori , Shirai Kohji , Chen Chen-Huan , Jae Sae Young , Tomiyama Hirofumi , Kosuge Hisanori , Bruno Rosa Maria , Spronck Bart , Kario Kazuomi , Lee Hae Young , Cheng Hao-Min , Wang Jiguang , Budoff Matthew , Townsend Raymond , Avolio Alberto P.
Published: November 2022

Arterial stiffness is a progressive aging process that predicts cardiovascular disease. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) has emerged as a noninvasive, valid, and reliable measure of arterial stiffness and an independent risk predictor for adverse outcomes. However, up to now, PWV measurement has mostly been used as a tool for risk prediction and has not been widely used in clinical practice. This consensus paper aims to discuss multiple PWV measurements currently available in Asia and to provide evidence-based assessment together with recommendations on the clinical use of PWV. For the methodology, PWV measurement including the central elastic artery is essential and measurements including both the central elastic and peripheral muscular arteries, such as brachial-ankle PWV and cardio-ankle vascular index, can be a good alternative. As Asian populations are rapidly aging, timely detection and intervention of “early vascular aging” in terms of abnormally high PWV values are recommended. More evidence is needed to determine if a PWV-guided therapeutic approach will be beneficial to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases beyond current strategies. Large-scale randomized controlled intervention studies are needed to guide clinicians.
The who Foundation and the Law of International Organizations: Towards Better Funding for Global Health?
Authors: Aust Helmut Philipp , Feihle Prisca
Published: November 2022

The article explores the creation of the who Foundation, an independent legal entity aiming at the mobilisation of flexible funds for who’s budget. This development provides the basis for a more general reflection on the importance of funding issues for the study of international organizations (ios) from an international legal perspective. A comparison reveals that, in some crucial aspects, the who Foundation differs from other non-traditional mechanisms of funding of and alongside ios. These peculiarities render questions as to its impact on the legitimacy of the who all the more pertinent. On the one hand, the innovative funding model has the potential to re-strengthen multilateral decision-making and to allow the who to better deliver on its mandate in attaining global health. On the other hand, it might loosen the ties between the who and its member states and substantially reduce the transparency of the funding process.
Binding the International Maritime Organization to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Authors: Kerr Baine P.
Published: November 2022

The International Maritime Organization’s member states are considering a range of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, including a fuel oil levy to fund low and zero carbon technology research and development. This article evaluates whether the International Maritime Organization is legally bound by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea—in particular its Articles 203 and 278—despite the organization not being a party to the Convention and not having expressly accepted the obligations it imposes. The article critically analyses and applies the pacta tertiis principle and examines whether the relevant portions of the Convention constitute an ‘objective regime.’ It then considers what viewing the Convention as binding would mean for the imo’s implementation of the proposed levy and its other climate measures, and how doing so could help unify the climate and maritime legal regimes.
The Icon of the Hospitality of Abraham by the Painter Angelos in Narbonne
Authors: Tsiouris Ioannis
Published: November 2022

A small icon depicting the Hospitality of Abraham, executed and signed by the renowned Cretan painter Angelos Akotantos, is now kept in the Palais-Musée des Archevêques in Narbonne. The panel’s iconographic scheme follows that of two well-known works of the second half of the fourteenth century, namely Codex Par. gr. 1242 and the icon in Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos. The painter Angelos appears to have been familiar with this scheme, which he supplemented with a few new elements, thereby creating a new iconographic variant that would become established and eventually be adopted by both his contemporaries and later icon-painters from Crete and beyond.
Play as Inter-Play: A Dialogue between Gadamer and Schiller
Authors: Zhang Qifan
Published: November 2022

This paper addresses the concept of play concerning human formation, especially as manifested in the philosophies of Gadamer and Schiller. Gadamer depicted understanding as an organic motion that unfolds through seeing differences and characterized play as a flexible back-and-forth movement or interplay between possibilities and transformations. Schiller structured play as the playful impulse similarly as an interactive moving force that connects the two seemingly oppositional impulses of reason and sensation and lets the two affect the other dialogically. Both Gadamer and Schiller suggest that play, as in essence an inter-play, orients us into seeing more possibilities of making a refreshing sense of our intellectual and perceptual abilities and thereby transfiguring our living being into richer and fuller meaningfulness.
The Weak School Reform in China’s Rural Areas: a Policy Mapping Perspective
Authors: Xue Eryong , Li Jian
Published: November 2022

This study explores the weak school reform in China from a policy mapping perspective. We found that the development of weak schools in rural areas is difficult due to the underdeveloped economy, unchanged geographical conditions, and difficult communication with the outside world. However, the unbalanced allocation of educational resources and low salary of teachers in rural areas have led to the loss of teachers in large numbers, and the loss of teachers has become the main body of the loss of rural teachers. In rural areas, especially in remote areas, the schools are weak and often fail to attract excellent teachers because of poor running conditions. In addition, the suggestions and remarks have been offered in the last.
The Excellent Teacher Plan in China’s Underdeveloped Central and Western Regions: A Macro-level Policy Analysis
Authors: Li Jian , Li Kun
Published: November 2022

The “Excellent Teachers Plan” is in line with the teacher cultivation plan implemented by a variety of normal University since 2020. Based on the current educational patterns, relevant normal university students are trained in the “College + Academy” collaborative education mode in different campuses. The “Excellent Teacher Plan” has been implemented and it is necessary to offer a comprehensive understanding of the feelings and appeals of relevant teachers, to improve the content and implementation methods of the policy in the future and achieve better policy effects.
Financial Policy for Promoting Equality Education in Rural Areas: Two Key Policy Implementation in China
Authors: Li Jian
Published: November 2022

Educational equity is an important value pursuit of educational development in various countries, and fiscal policy is an important part of public policy to realize educational equity. To realize educational equity, China’s more important fiscal policies include transfer payment system and the policy of “two exemptions and one subsidy”. In addition, the reform of the division of financial authority and expenditure responsibility between the central and local governments in the field of education is also one of the priorities of the fiscal policy for educational equity.
A new species of Andean lizard, Proctoporus (Gymnophthalmidae: Cercosaurinae), from the highland of Parque Nacional Otishi in Peru
Authors: MAMANI LUIS , RODRÍGUEZ LILY O.
Published: November 2022

The gymnophthalmid Andean lizards of the genus Proctoporus (Gymnophthalmidae, Cercosaurinae) are semifossorial species that inhabit the montane forests, inter-Andean valley, and humid grasslands across the Cordillera de los Andes from Peru to Argentina. The distribution range of Proctoporus is discontinuous, with many places lacking herpetological surveys. Here, based on morphological data, we describe a new species of Proctoporus from a remote location on a mountaintop north of the Cordillera de Vilcabamba in southeastern Peru. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of Proctoporus by the presence of three anterior infralabials, three rows of pregular scales and the absence of enlarged pregular scales. With this new species, the species diversity has increased to 19 since 18 species have previously been identified.
Adherence to Tympanostomy Tube Clinical Practice Guidelines in an Advanced Practice Provider Clinic
Authors: Sim Edward S. , Belsky Michael A. , Konanur Anisha , Yan Annie , Shaffer Amber D. , Williams Kathryn , Martsolf Grant R. , Chi David H. , Jabbour Noel
Published: November 2022

Objective:

We compared adherence rates by attending otolaryngologists (OTOs) and advanced practice providers (APPs) to the 2013 American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation clinical practice guideline (CPG) for children with recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) undergoing bilateral myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement (BMT).

Methods:

Patients aged 6 months to 12 years old undergoing BMT for RAOM who had a pre-operative visit with an independent APP or OTO were reviewed. Patients satisfied CPG criteria if middle ear effusion was identified at the pre-operative visit (pre-op) or if they did not have effusion but met exception criteria based on their risk for developmental difficulties and contraindications to medical therapy. Adherence rates between APPs and OTOs were compared. Agreement between pre-op and time-of-surgery middle ear effusion identification was assessed.

Results:

Nine hundred twenty-three patients were included. Six hundred one patients were seen by OTOs and 322 by APPs. Middle ear effusion was identified at pre-op in 84% of APP patients and in 76% of OTO patients ( P = .005). Eight percent of APP patients and 11% of OTO patients met exception criteria ( P = .138). Overall, 87% of OTO patients and 92% of APP patients met either CPG or exception criteria for BMT ( P = .037). A logistic regression model demonstrated that pre-op provider type did not significantly impact rates of agreement between pre-op visit and time-of-surgery middle ear effusion identification.

Conclusions:

Independent APP-led clinics can reliably and effectively deliver evidence-based care for prevalent conditions such as RAOM at similar rates of adherence to CPGs as OTOs.
The (in)visibility of sewage management and problematization as strategy for public awareness
Authors: Holmberg Tora , Ideland Malin
Published: November 2022

Sewage management is crucial to the functioning of cities, yet, in the global North, seldom acknowledged in public. Wastewater infrastructures are mainly hidden underground and human excrement is considered a private matter. However, to make sanitation stay invisible, its dysfunctionality (e.g., leaking pipes, aging wastewater plants) is sometimes in acute need of being highlighted. Moreover, the work essential to keep the infrastructures maintained needs to be recognized and compensated for. Based on interviews with actors in the sewage management sector in Sweden, news articles, and public information campaigns, the present article explores how political action and public engagement are mobilized through moves between visibility and invisibility. The analysis focuses on four different modes of problematization: inproblematization, problematization, deproblematization, and unproblematization. Inscribed in the research fields of urban infrastructures and public engagement, the article sheds light on how the public secret of managing feces is upheld, through balancing acts such as creating discursive space, negotiating infrastructural disruptions, making problems treatable, and individualizing solutions. These different modes of problematization are crucial to achieving the right public attention and political measures.
Democracy at Risk: The Public Employee Freedom of Speech Crisis
Authors: Roberts Robert
Published: November 2022

The article argues that the Pickering/Connick/Garcetti line of cases defining the First Amendment freedom of speech rights of public employees provides them little protection when they engage in organizational dissent. The article explains that the U.S. Supreme Court has embraced a managerial approach to the freedom of speech rights of public employees because of its belief that organizational dissent may seriously undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of public organizations. Due to this fact, the article argues that public employees must develop a comprehensive understanding of First Amendment freedom of speech jurisprudence to maximize their protection from retaliation.
A case of ganglioneuroma of the ureter and review of the literature
Authors: Ling Ke , Xiaoping Chen , Xiaolu Yuan
Published: November 2022

Ganglioneuroma is a rare tumor originating from neural crest tissue of the sympathetic nervous system. We report on an approximately 55-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain. Surgery revealed a tumor in her right ureter, which was pathologically confirmed as a ganglioneuroma. The patient underwent transabdominal total hysterectomy, bilateral adnexal resection, release of pelvic and intestinal adhesions, right ureteroscopy, right ureter retrograde intubation, right ureteral lesion excision, and ureteral anastomosis. A literature review indicated that most ganglioneuromas are benign tumors. Clinicians may consider total or subtotal tumor resection, depending on the tumor location and patient's condition. The patient’s clinical condition may improve after surgery combined with periodic long-term follow-up.
From ‘beasts of burden’ to ‘backbone of society’: The fiscal forging of a new Bolivian middle class
Authors: Sheild Johansson Miranda
Published: November 2022

The recently re-branded and highly digitalised Bolivian Tax Office, Servicio de Impuestos Nacionales (SIN), works to consolidate various socio-economic groups, such as the Aymara bourgeoisie (wealthy traders who identify as all or part indigenous), into a new middle class. SIN’s motivations to do so are bound up in broader international financial logics where the development of an archetypal European middle class – the so-called backbone of society – is considered key to a healthy tax profile. The efforts to forge a new middle class involves the deliberate projection of SIN as an accountable, effective, and ‘modern’ organisation, with the aim of promoting a broader fiscal culture that embodies these same characteristics; targeted education of the populace about taxpaying as an ethical act in line with highland indigenous values; and, policy-making that encourages income tax over VAT (value-added tax). However, these new middle classes experience the temporality and individualising effects of SIN’s system as incompatible with the money flows and values of their own economic lives. Specific areas of contention include the rhythms of incomes and the ethics of risk- and profit-sharing. In exploring this incompatibility, I argue that fiscal systems are key to the production and imaginations of middle-classness, both as they succeed and fail.
Mental Disorders Among Mothers of Children Born Preterm: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Canada
Authors: Louis Deepak , Akil Hammam , Bolton James M. , Bacchini Fabiana , Netzel Karen , Oberoi Sapna , Pylypjuk Christy , Flaten Lisa , Cheung Kristene , Lix Lisa M. , Ruth Chelsea , Garland Allan
Published: November 2022

Background

Our aim was to examine the association between preterm delivery and incident maternal mental disorders using a population-based cohort of mothers in Canada.

Methods

Retrospective matched cohort study using Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) administrative data in Manitoba. Mothers who delivered preterm babies (<37 weeks gestational age) between 1998 and 2013 were matched 1:5 to mothers of term babies using socio-demographic variables. Primary outcome was any incident mental disorder within 5 years of delivery defined as any of (a) mood and anxiety disorders, (b) psychotic disorders, (c) substance use disorders, and (d) suicide or suicide attempts. Multivariable Poisson regression model was used to estimate the 5-year adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs).

Results

Mothers of preterm children ( N   =   5,361) had similar incidence rates of any mental disorder (17.4% vs. 16.6%, IRR   =   0.99, 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.07) compared to mothers of term children ( N   =   24,932). Mothers of term children had a higher rate of any mental disorder in the first year while mothers of preterm children had higher rates from 2 to 5 years. Being the mother of a child born <28 week (IRR   =   1.5, 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.04), but not 28–33 weeks (IRR   =   1.03, 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.19) or 34–36 weeks (IRR   =   0.96, 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.05), was associated with any mental disorder.

Interpretation

Mothers of preterm and term children had similar rates of incident mental disorders within 5-years post-delivery. Extreme prematurity was a risk factor for any mental disorder. Targeted screening and support of this latter group may be beneficial.
The populist body in the age of social media: A comparative study of populist and non-populist representation
Authors: Casullo María Esperanza , Colalongo Rodolfo E.
Published: November 2022

Populist representation is the process by which a body or set of bodies become the signifier of a powerful act of political transgression of the social order. We call this specific type of representative linkage ‘synecdochal representation’. In it, the leader’s body performs three key functions: it mirrors certain popular traits that are characterized as ‘low’, it displays marks of exceptionality, and it appropriates symbols of institutional power. These tasks are performed through particular ways of acting, dressing, talking, eating, and the like, in public. Social media has become a key locus for bodily self-presentation because it is used to create the appearance of intimacy and spontaneity through the distribution of ‘candid’ pictures and videos. This paper will analyze how the self-presentation of populist and non-populist leaders are established through Twitter, what images they choose to disseminate, and how they are re-signified by the audience. To do so, we will focus on the two Latin American politicians: Cristina Fernández (with a populist style) and Mauricio Macri (with a technocratic one).
Optimization of mechanical and thermal expansion properties of resin mineral composites for ultra-precision machine tools
Authors: Long Yunfang , Zhang Yi , Hu Xiangyi , Zhang Qinhe , Zhang Jianhua
Published: November 2022

Resin mineral composite (RMC), composed of granite aggregate, fly ash, epoxy resin, etc., has been widely noticed in the field of ultra-precision machining by its excellent vibration damping performance. However, RMC’s application is limited by its low mechanical strength. In this paper, two aggregate gradation schemes, containing fractal aggregate gradation (FAG) and coarse aggregate broken gradation (CABG), are designed before researching the effects of aggregate gradation schemes, maximum aggregate size, resin dosage, vibration time, and defoaming agent dosage on the mechanical properties, porosity, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the RMC. Shown by the experimental results, CABG has a better performance than FAG both on their mechanical properties, porosity, and thermal expansion properties. FAG and CABG’s compressive strength and elastic modulus reach their maximum values at the resin dosages of 10 wt% and 9 wt%, respectively. Their optimal vibration times are 40 min and 30 min, and optimal defoaming agent dosages are 1.5 wt% and 1.0 wt%, respectively. With the optimal preparation process, 100°C RMC’s compressive strength and elastic modulus increase by 23.8% and 8.6%, respectively, and its CTE decreases by 58.4%. By this research, the resin dosage, vibration time, and RMC’s manufacturing cost would be effectively reduced, thus improving RMC’s application in ultra-precision machine tools.
Waste of electrical and electronic equipment management from the perspective of a circular economy: A Review
Authors: de Oliveira Neto José Francisco , Candido Laíse Alves , de Freitas Dourado Anísio Brasileiro , Santos Simone Machado , Florencio Lourdinha
Published: November 2022

In addition to the difficulties involved in the management of conventional solid waste, the management of waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is significantly more complex due to its unusual chemical composition and fast generation. Both developed and developing countries have been looking for solutions to deal with the problems caused by the growing flow of WEEE, especially regarding sustainable solutions based on reducing resource exploitation by the recovery of materials from this type of waste. In this context, this work presents a quali-quantitative and comprehensive literature review of the publications on the management of WEEE, from the perspective of a circular economy. The results showed that the first publications on the topic appear in 2006, with a significant increase from 2015, the year when the Circular Economy Action Plan was instituted in the European Community. The most prominent authors have been giving emphasis to researches on recycling, reuse and technologies for the recovery of materials/energy from WEEE. Nevertheless, few studies have been found focusing on the prevention/reduction in WEEE generation, priority actions of the WEEE management hierarchy. The works analysed show that the current management of WEEE, despite considering the circularity of materials, prioritizes the development of technological solutions of the end-of-pipe type, greatly represented by the recovery of materials, instead of preventing the generation, which may be detrimental to long-term sustainability. The work ends with the presentation of a SWOT-TOWS (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis conducted to define the main strategies for the improvement of WEEE management from a circular economy perspective.
Striving Towards Authenticity in the Self Through Dress and Appearance: Stories of Latina Adolescent Immigrants
Authors: Casto Mary Alice , Ogle Jennifer Paff , DeMirjyn Maricela , Morales Amanda , Silvas-Bernstein Sarah
Published: November 2022

We sought to explore how Latina adolescent immigrants experience immigration across adolescence as they seek to know and express their authentic selves through dress and appearance. Our work was informed by theories of acculturation, identity, and authenticity. Participants included 12 immigrant women who identified as Latina and who immigrated before age 16. Open-ended interviews focused on participants’ memories of their immigration experiences during adolescence. Data were analyzed using constant comparison processes. Findings revealed that, for participants, the typical challenges of adolescence were complicated by immigration that included constructing an authentic identity at the intersection of two cultures. Immigration produced a disjointed dance towards authenticity with many uneven steps, sharp turns, and the occasional reversal. Dress was a key means for the expression of the authentic self; a self that communicated to the culture of settlement who they were and how their culture of origin was part of their authentic self.
Material removal analysis during MR polishing of complex gear teeth profiles
Authors: Kumar Manjesh , Kumar Chandan , Yadav Hari Narayan Singh , Das Manas , Yu Nan
Published: November 2022

The geometric intricacy of tiny gears makes nano-finishing difficult. In the current study, the magnetorheological (MR) polishing process is used for the nano-finishing of intricate surfaces of tiny gear components uniformly. For polishing, the technique employs a dynamic fluid recognized as magnetorheological polishing fluid (MRPF), that has the ability to stiffen in the presence of a magnetic field. Base media, iron and abrasive particles are utilized to synthesize the MRPF. Permanent magnets produce the necessary magnetic field in the finishing zone. Finite element analysis (FEA) is utilized to model the iron and abrasive particles to understand better how they would react in the external magnetic field. FEA is utilized to analyze the magnetic flux density (MFD) distributions and the amount of magnetic force exerting on gear profiles through iron particles (IPs). It has been observed that the IPs present close to the active abrasives are primarily accountable for indenting active abrasives into the workpiece surfaces. In addition, the influence of particle dimension on the stiffness of iron particle chains in MRPF has been investigated. A mathematical model for material removal is developed by utilizing normal finishing force analysis on active abrasives. Lastly, the finishing surface characteristics of gear profiles are examined using an optical profilometer, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and spectroscopic analysis. Finally, 92.68% improvement in the surface finish is observed.
HIV care cascade for women living with HIV in the Greater Toronto Area versus the rest of Ontario and Canada
Authors: Medeiros Priscilla , Warren Laura , Kazemi Mina , Massaquoi Notisha , Smith Stephanie , Tharao Wangari , Serghides Lena , Logie Carmen H , Kroch Abigail , Burchell Ann N , de Pokomandy Alexandra , Kaida Angela , Loutfy Mona ,   On behalf of the CHIWOS Research Team
Published: November 2022

Background

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is home to 39% of Canada’s population living with HIV. To identify gaps in access and engagement in care and treatment, we assessed the care cascade of women living with HIV (WLWH) in the GTA versus the rest of Ontario and Canada (in this case: Quebec and British Columbia).

Methods

We analyzed 2013–2015 self-reported baseline data from the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study for six care cascade stages: linked to care, retained in care, initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART), currently on ART, ART adherence (≥90%), and undetectable (<50 copies/mL). Multivariable logistic regression was used to reveal associations with being undetectable.

Results

Comparing the GTA to the rest of Ontario and Canada, respectively: 96%, 98%, 100% were linked to care; 92%, 94%, 98% retained in care; 72%, 89%, 96% initiated ART; 67%, 81%, 90% were currently using ART; 53%, 66%, 77% were adherent; 59%, 69%, 81% were undetectable. Factors associated with viral suppression in the multivariable model included: living outside of the GTA (Ontario: aOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.09–2.72; Canada: aOR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.62–3.62), non-Canadian citizenship (landed immigrant/permanent resident: aOR = 3.23, 95% CI: 1.66–6.26; refugee/protected person/other status: aOR = 4.77, 95% CI: 1.96–11.64), completed high school (aOR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.15–2.73), stable housing (aOR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.33–3.39), income of ≥$20,000 (aOR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.00–2.31), HIV diagnosis <6 years (6–14 years: aOR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.16–2.63; >14 years: aOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.19–2.96), and higher resilience (aOR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04).

Conclusion

WLWH living in the GTA had lower rates of viral suppression compared to the rest of Ontario and Canada even after adjustment of age, ethnicity, and HIV diagnosis duration. High-impact programming for WLWH in the GTA to improve HIV outcomes are greatly needed.
Intergroup Leadership: The Challenge of Successfully Leading Fractured Groups and Societies
Authors: Hogg Michael A. , Rast David E.
Published: November 2022

Leadership often involves providing leadership to a group that is structured into separate subgroups that have distinctive self-contained identities that are cherished by their members. In this respect, leadership can be characterized as intergroup leadership. The challenge of intergroup leadership is to forge a superordinate identity that does not erase or blur the subgroups’ identity boundaries and create a threat to the subgroups’ social identity distinctiveness, as such identity threat can provoke intersubgroup conflict that fragments the superordinate group. According to intergroup-leadership theory, successful intergroup leaders need to construct, promote, and exemplify an intergroup relational identity that preserves subgroups’ distinctiveness and celebrates that distinctiveness and intersubgroup cooperation as fundamental aspects of subgroup and superordinate-group identity. In this article, we describe intergroup-leadership theory (which applies to groups of all sizes and complexions), summarize empirical support for its main tenets, and outline extensions and future directions.
Bridging the labour market skills gap to tackle youth unemployment in South Africa
Authors: Habiyaremye Alexis , Habanabakize Thomas , Nwosu Chijioke
Published: November 2022

South Africa has one of the world’s highest youth unemployment rates despite a high demand for skilled labour, because employability remains severely hampered by a persistent vertical skills mismatch. The flagship upskilling programme deployed by the government to enhance job readiness and enterprise development capabilities among rural youth has, however, shown mixed results. The slow uptakes of alumni calls into question the adequacy of the programme’s skills composition in resolving the labour market mismatch. Using the Outcome Mapping approach and probit estimation on self-reported skills improvements among programme participants, this study finds perceived improvements in non-technical skills to be associated with a higher likelihood of success in comparison to technical skills, both in securing a stable job and in launching a viable enterprise after completion of the programme. These findings confirm the growing importance of ‘soft skills’ in bolstering employability when jobs are scarce. They suggest the need for a stronger emphasis on this set of skills in upskilling programmes aimed to address unemployment challenges.
Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and Haematologic Parameters in HIV- Positive Patients on Protease Inhibitor-Based HAART Regimen: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Christopher Chimeziem , Nwogoh Benedict , Akaba Kingsley , igwilo Hilary , Abang Roger
Published: November 2022

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with an increased risk of hypercoagulability and treatment with antiretroviral agents especially protease inhibitors has also been reported to contribute to this risk. Altered fibrinolytic activity is reported as a mechanism of increased thrombotic risk in HIV patients on therapy. However, this has not been investigated in our environment. Objective: To evaluate and compare PAI-1 levels as a marker of thrombotic risk in HIV-infected persons on PI-based HAART regimen with those on non-PI-based therapy and to correlate PAI-1 with haematological parameters. Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Cross River State. A total of 125 subjects including 45 HIV-positive patients on PI-based HAART regimen, 42 HIV-positive patients on non-PI-based HAART regimen and 38 Controls. The controls include 18 HIV-positive therapy naïve patients and 20 HIV-negative controls. PAI 1 and blood counts were estimated using standard methods. Data were analyzed using the IBM version of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22. Statistical significance was set at 0.05. Result: The median PAI-1 level was significantly increased in patients on PI-based HAART regimen (p  =  0.004). The blood counts did not differ significantly between patients on PI and non-PI-based HAART regimens (p > 0.05). There were no significant correlations between PAI-1 levels and blood counts (p > 0.05). Conclusion: PAI-1 level is elevated in HIV patients on PI-based HAART regimen. However, the association with thrombotic events could not be established in the study.
Event-triggered model-free adaptive control for unknown multiple input and multiple output nonlinear system under denial of service attacks
Authors: Bu Xuhui , Zhao Xuyang , Yin Yanling
Published: November 2022

The event-triggered model-free adaptive control problem for a class of multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) nonlinear system under denial of service (DoS) attacks is investigated in this paper. To economize the limited bandwidth resources, an event-triggered mechanism is designed between the sensor and controller. First, intermittent denial of service attack is modeled, which is described as limited by frequency and duration, without more specific assumptions about the structure of attacks strategies. Then, with the help of the dynamic linearization method, a novel event-triggered model-free adaptive control algorithm is designed. The predictive output increments in the algorithm are used to compensate for the influence of DoS attacks on the system. Subsequently, the stability of the system is analyzed by using the Lyapunov method to determine the convergence of the tracking error. Finally, two simulation examples illustrate the validity of the design.
Diplopia and Vision Loss Associated With Presumed Systemic Lymphohistiocytic Disease: A Case Report
Authors: Abu-Yaghi Nakhleh , Obiedat Abdelrahman , Abdaljaleel Maram , Ar’ar Tala , Al-Abbadi Mousa
Published: November 2022

Systemic lymphohistiocytic infiltration is a rare peculiar condition that can raise the possibility of more specific entities such as autoimmune disease, drug interaction, viral or mycobacterial infection, or malignancy. A hyper-inflammatory state can ensue leading to multi-organ failure. We report the case of a 42-year-old Jordanian male with a past history of moderate Covid-19 infection presenting with binocular diplopia and acute loss of vision in the left eye. Ophthalmic evaluation revealed limitation of extraocular motility in all directions of gaze in the left eye and a visual acuity of 6/30 with a sluggish pupil. Orbital imaging revealed a 10 mm mass at the orbital apex suspicious of malignant metastasis. A positron emission tomography CT scan showed significant pleural thickening and was highly suggestive of metastatic mesothelioma seeding to the orbit, liver, and bone. A CT guided biopsy of the right lung was negative for malignancy but had features of lymphohistiocytic pleuritis. The patient dramatically succumbed to respiratory and renal failure. Systemic lymphohistiocytic infiltration is an aggressive benign inflammatory process that may masquerade as malignancy and raise the possibility of past viral infections, autoimmune diseases, or cancer. A high index of suspicion and a multidisciplinary approach is warranted. In this particular devastating instance, a diagnostic dilemma presented to the eye clinic with diplopia, loss of vision, and an orbital mass, culminating in rapid onset respiratory and renal failure and death.
A Case of Myopericarditis After the Second Dose of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in a Patient With a History of Myopericarditis
Authors: Fujibayashi Kosuke , Kajinami Kouji
Published: November 2022

Vaccination is important for the prevention of coronavirus-induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and to protect persons with a high risk for complications. There have been reports of myopericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination, especially in adolescent males and young adults. Breakthrough infections, such as the Delta or Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, have raised great concern about the necessity for repeated doses of the vaccine. A case of myopericarditis after the second dose of COVID-19 mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine in a 23-year-old man with a prior episode of viral myopericarditis is presented. He received the second dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, after which he developed persistent midsternal chest pain and he was subsequently transferred to our emergency department. An echocardiogram showed a trivial inferior pericardial effusion with diffuse left ventricular systolic dysfunction. He was treated with colchicine from the first day of hospitalization with a diagnosis of myopericarditis. His chest pain had resolved by the third day, and left ventricular wall motion was dramatically improved by the seventh day of hospitalization. A strong response to the second vaccination in the present case suggests that the prior history of myopericarditis is evidence of strong congenital or acquired immunological features in this individual. Individuals with such a strong immune response may be more likely to develop myopericarditis after mRNA vaccination. Immunization against COVID-19 is currently recommended from a risk-benefit standpoint. We advised the patient to avoid additional COVID-19 mRNA vaccines because of this episode. The risk of COVID-19 weighed against myopericarditis associated with the mRNA vaccination should be considered on a case-by-case basis. This case may help us better understand the mechanism of myopericarditis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.
Mundane matters: Mapping the becomings of heterosexual girlhood in the emerging sexual cultures of elementary school children
Authors: Puutio Eveliina , Huuki Tuija , Pihkala Suvi
Published: November 2022

This article explores the vital roles of matter in the emerging sexual cultures of elementary school children. Based on a case study of a seven-year-old girl, it draws from ethnographic research on the gendered and sexual power relations of students in Northern Finland. Inspired by feminist, new materialist theories, the analysis indicates how everyday objects may be seen as co-constituting heterosexual femininity by attaching even young girls to teenage cultures and emphasizing femininity and distancing them from childhood and masculinity. This article shows, furthermore, how materiality acts in generating “cross-pulls” that may evoke popularity and admiration, but also cause restrictions to the agency of girls in the ambiguous entanglements of child sexual cultures.