bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cabdio occidentalis, a new species from Lake Mashkid basin and the Makran region (Teleostei: Danionidae)
Authors: JOULADEH-ROUDBAR ARASH , LALRAMLIANA  , VATANDOUST SABER , GHANAVI HAMID REZA , FREYHOF JÖRG
Published: October 2023

Cabdio occidentalis, new species, is described from the Lake Mashkid basin and the Makran region of Iran. It is distinguished from other species of the genus by a combination of characters: 38–42+1–2 total lateral-line scales, 19–23 predorsal scales, 9–11 pectoral-fin rays, and the absence of a keel between the pelvic-fin base and the genital papilla. The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence separates C. occidentalis from C. morar, its closest congener, by a p-distance of 5.5%.
Exploring the Use of Machine Learning to Improve Vertical Profiles of Temperature and Moisture
Authors: Haynes Katherine , Stock Jason , Dostalek Jack , Anderson Charles , Ebert-Uphoff Imme
Published: October 2023

Vertical profiles of temperature and dewpoint are useful in predicting deep convection that leads to severe weather, which threatens property and lives. Currently, forecasters rely on observations from radiosonde launches and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Radiosonde observations are, however, temporally and spatially sparse, and NWP models contain inherent errors that influence short-term predictions of high impact events. This work explores using machine learning (ML) to postprocess NWP model forecasts, combining them with satellite data to improve vertical profiles of temperature and dewpoint. We focus on different ML architectures, loss functions, and input features to optimize predictions. Because we are predicting vertical profiles at 256 levels in the atmosphere, this work provides a unique perspective at using ML for 1D tasks. Compared to baseline profiles from the Rapid Refresh (RAP), ML predictions offer the largest improvement for dewpoint, particularly in the middle and upper atmosphere. Temperature improvements are modest, but CAPE values are improved by up to 40%. Feature importance analyses indicate that the ML models are primarily improving incoming RAP biases. While additional model and satellite data offer some improvement to the predictions, architecture choice is more important than feature selection in fine-tuning the results. Our proposed deep residual U-Net performs the best by leveraging spatial context from the input RAP profiles; however, the results are remarkably robust across model architecture. Further, uncertainty estimates for every level are well calibrated and can provide useful information to forecasters.
TC Worlds in a Three-Level Model
Authors: Garner Stephen T.
Published: October 2023

Three-level and thee-layer models of tropical cyclones (TCs) have provided a more conceptual view of TC dynamics than conventional numerical models. They have been purpose-built, with special treatments of boundary layers and/or convection. We show that a further simplification with minimal parameterization and a seamless connection to higher resolution captures TCs about as well. The framework of radiative–convective equilibrium avoids ambiguities from temporal and spatial boundaries. For the TCs, the minimal grid provides one level for outflow and one level for most of the inflow. A version with 10 levels is used for comparison. For the same average pressure intensity, the wind field is slightly broader around the three-level vortices, with stronger subsidence in the core and 25% more mass and moisture flux. However, thermodynamic efficiency, mechanical efficiency, and TC counts are about the same. Across runs with different surface temperatures and cooling rates, global energy scaling makes reasonable predictions of the maximum velocity allowing for variations in the effective forcing/dissipation area and surface humidity. TC count is inconsistent with theories for size as a function of Coriolis parameter. An overturning circuit is isolated within a composite vortex and analyzed using energy and entropy budgets to mirror analytical models. Effective radiation and dissipation temperatures are less extreme than often assumed in such models, yielding a smaller thermodynamic efficiency near the global value of ∼0.1. The pressure deficit arises mostly from inflow enthalpy increase, as expected, but dissipation reduces the contribution from an outflow pressure increase. The influence of ambient CAPE makes up most of the difference.
Characteristics of the Kinetic Energy Spectra in the Subpolar North Atlantic
Authors: Chai Junwei , Zhao Jian
Published: October 2023

The subpolar North Atlantic is known to have rich mesoscale and submesoscale variations; however, their spectral characteristics have not been documented in observations. This study documents the kinetic energy (KE) spectra using acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements that cover both the Iceland Basin and the Irminger Sea. The KE spectrum is partitioned into geostrophically balanced motions and unbalanced motions. The results reveal that balanced motions dominate the KE spectra. The unbalanced motions enhance in spring and fall to flatten the spectra and dominate small-scale (<50 km) energy, though uncertainty is high due to measurement noise and method assumptions. In addition, the dynamical framework that drives the balanced motions undergoes distinct seasonal shifts. In the spring and summer seasons of the Iceland Basin, as well as the summer season of the Irminger Sea, the wavenumber spectra of balanced motions exhibit a slope of approximately −3, consistent with the internal quasigeostrophic turbulence theory. Conversely, in the fall season of the Iceland Basin and the spring and fall seasons of the Irminger Sea, the wavenumber spectra of geostrophic balanced motions have a slope close to −2, consistent with surface quasigeostrophic turbulence theory. Additionally, we have found that the intensity of mesoscale eddies in the spring season can modulate both the slope and intensity of the wavenumber spectra of geostrophic balanced flows.
Creating the Canon of Wind Band Literature: A History of the National Contest Literature Lists, 1924–1943
Authors: Groulx Timothy J.
Published: October 2023

Band repertoire lists evolved from a desire to make the school band experience “more educational” when school bands themselves were relatively new. The first national band repertoire list was created for the National Band Contest in 1924, with new lists published annually through 1943. These lists gave prominence to the literature they contained, and through nationwide dissemination, the literature contained on them formed the foundation of many band libraries. This study was an analysis of the pieces and composers that were on the lists, how the lists were structured, and also the people who created them. Only 9.25 percent of the literature on the earliest lists between 1924 and 1931 had been originally composed for band, whereas 40.23 percent of literature on the lists from 1931 to 1943 had been composed for band. Only 2.58 percent of the literature on the lists was composed by women or people of color, and their works on the list were all transcriptions for band. The literature lists, designed to make band “more educational,” excluded popular styles, including jazz and ragtime. These lists were created and maintained by 41 White men between 1924 and 1943, predominantly (88.1 percent) from New York and seven states in the Midwest.
Measuring Perceived Employability among Higher Education Students: A Scale Development Study in Afghanistan
Authors: Noori Mohammad Idris , Azmi Feza Tabassum
Published: October 2023

In higher education, students’ perceived employability (SPE) significantly attracted authors’ attention over the last decades. Several scholars have validated scales to measure the concept. Yet an inclusive model comprising multiple internal and external factors was found to be absent in the extant literature. This study thus provides an updated multi-indicator measurement model to assist in assessing SPE and its chief components in Afghanistan. Data were collected from 755 students from six registered universities. The scale’s reliability and validity was established using the AMOS’s confirmatory factor analysis capability. Using the structural equation model (SEM)-based method, the process adopted rigorous steps to assess content validity, data symmetry, unidimensionality, construct reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, nomological validity, and model fit indices. Model validation was confirmed after the goodness-of-fit patterns and its associated validity and reliability scores had been acceptably achieved. The study justified the validation of the multi-indicator model with nine main constructs in the Afghanistan context. Additional evidence for assessing SPE beyond the validation can be provided by assessing the effects of these validated sets of components on the SPE using the complete SEM.
Constraints on the Labour Market Trajectory of Youth and Growth of NEET in India
Authors: Parida Jajati Keshari , Pattayat Shiba Shankar
Published: October 2023

This paper explores the trends, composition, and determinants of the rising ‘Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET)’ population in India. Based on the national level employment-unemployment surveys and macro level panel data, and using instrumental variable (IV) Probit and system generalized method of moments (GMM) regression models, it is explored that a set of supply and demand side factors determining the growth of NEET population in India. At the micro level, the individual’s level of general education, technical and vocational training, gender, occupation and gender of head of the family, religion, standard of living of the family, earnings of the spouse, and a set of complex socio-cultural factors determine the NEET status of educated and trained youth. On the other hand, the macro level factors, including the growth of mechanization in agriculture, stagnant real wages, sluggish non-farm sector output growth, infrastructural backwardness, and the existing social-cultural setup in which educated youth live together create a negative macro level environment that compels them to remain out of the workforce for a longer period even after completion of their education/training. Based on these results, it is argued that policies aiming at the development of infrastructure along with the promotion of industry and modern service sectors should be given the top priority for checking the upsurge in the NEET population in India.
An Impact Analysis of Remittance Inflows on Reducing Income-based Poverty in South Asia
Authors: Khan Imran
Published: October 2023

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the role of remittance inflow in reducing poverty in the South Asian region. A time-series dataset of the South Asian region for the period 1980–2021 is being considered for this study, and the autoregressive distributed lags model has been applied to examine the short- and long-run relationship between remittance inflows along with control variables, including inflation, trade openness and economic growth on poverty reduction. The results indicated that remittances have a substantial effect on poverty in both the short and long run. While inflation appeared to be a barrier to poverty reduction in the long term. Lastly, trade openness was also found to negatively affect poverty in the long run. It is the first inference in the context of South Asia that has captured income-based poverty in the form of household consumption expenditure. The study suggests that economic policymakers should devise the policy in such a manner that remittance inflows can be used for investment rather than only for consumption. Furthermore, inflation should be kept under control in the long run, and trade policies should be designed in such a way that they provide leverage to small-scale entrepreneurs, thereby reducing poverty in the long run.

JEL Codes: F24, F62, F63, P46
Three cases of scrub typhus with hemorrhage: a case report and literature review
Authors: Chen Ziren , OuYang Shi
Published: October 2023

Scrub typhus (ST) is an acute focal infectious disease that is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. The Asia-Pacific region is an area of relatively high incidence. There is a high incidence in China, principally owing to the disease being endemic in the south of the country. The main source of ST infection is rats, which act as reservoirs of infection after being bitten by the chigger mite, and the human population is generally susceptible to the disease. ST can be controlled and treated successfully if antibiotics are administered in a timely manner. However, because it does not have a specific clinical manifestation, it is difficult to distinguish ST from other febrile diseases in clinical practice. Therefore, rapid diagnostic methods are still needed to help clinicians make a timely diagnosis. Here, we share three cases of patients with ST who experienced hemorrhage, but did not have typical skin lesions, such as eschar and ulcer, early in the course of their disease, and review the relevant literature regarding ST. We conclude that clinicians should pay attention to the risk of hemorrhage associated with this disease, and emphasize the importance of making an early diagnosis.
“V” Spring for Reactivation of NiTi Open Coil Spring
Authors: Mangwade Swapnil Prakash , Chavan Santosh Jetu , Bhad Wasundhara Ashok
Published: October 2023

The NiTi open coil spring is commonly accustomed to creating spaces for crowded teeth. It is difficult to anticipate the length of the open coil spring desired to open up the exact quantity of space; sometimes, the length of the open spring falls short of opening up the space required. In such a case, the base arch wire must be taken out and replaced with an expanded open coil spring, which is both difficult and time-consuming. There are various reactivation methods available, such as split tubings, cutting a C-shaped tube to the desired length, adding extra length to the spring, creating C-rings, and using composite beads. Hence, we have designed a very simple yet effective chairside method to reactivate NiTi open coil spring with the removal of base arch wire.
The negative Commonwealth: Australia as ‘laboratory’, then and now
Authors: Veracini Lorenzo , Tout Dan
Published: October 2023

Federated Australia was seen for a long time as a significant social ‘laboratory’. The Commonwealth itself was seen as an ‘experiment’. This widespread metaphor relied on a particular pattern of perception: the country was ‘new’ (it was not), and the country was allegedly isolated (it was not, at least not completely). Many believed that its social environment could be controlled, like that of a scientific laboratory. A laboratory is designed to shut all disturbances out – the value of the data and experiments depends on it. This article outlines this metaphor in the context of Australian history during the 20th century, its rhetorical power and what made it discursively possible.
Evolution of phase structure and fracture toughness induced by carbon nanotubes in thermoplastic-toughened epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Yao Jiawei , Shi Penglin , Gao Yang , Niu Yifan
Published: October 2023

The nanomaterials-filled thermoset/thermoplastic ternary nanocomposites exhibit important potential to achieve both toughening and stiffening effect for thermosetting resin. However, the targeted growth in fracture toughness and the synergistic toughening mechanism of thermoplastic resin and nanomaterials has not been attained due to the complex immiscible ternary system. In this work, thermoplastic resin polyetherketone-cardo (PEK-C) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synergistically incorporated in thermosetting epoxy (EP) resin. The structure-property correlation was explored via the investigation of mechanical performance and microstructure. The results showed that the change of fracture toughness was not linearly related to the PEK-C content, while closely related to the dualphase structure formed by EP and PEK-C. After introducing CNTs, the CNTs were selectively located in the continuous phase of EP, which increased the viscosity of the located region and hindered the coarsening and interconnecting of the dispersed phase of PEK-C, weakening the toughening effect of dualphase structure.
Translation, Adaptation, and Validation of the Swedish Serious Illness Conversation Guide
Authors: Andersson Sofia , Granat Lisa , Baxter Rebecca , Reimertz Helene , Modéus Carina , Pusa Susanna , Sandgren Anna
Published: October 2023

Objective: To translate and adapt the Serious Illness Conversation Guide for use within the Swedish healthcare setting and examine the validity and acceptability of the Swedish Serious Illness Conversation Guide. Methods: Three rounds of cognitive interviews were conducted (T1-3); patients (T1 n = 11; T2 n = 10; T3 n = 8), family members (T1 n = 5; T2 n = 2; T3 n = 2), and healthcare professionals (T1 n = 6; T2 n = 6; T3 n = 5). The guide was iteratively adapted based on interview feedback, clinical experience, and the literature. The guide was tested on training days with physicians and nurses. Results: The Swedish Serious Illness Conversation Guide was found to be useful in supporting serious illness conversations. Clinicians reported that some questions were emotionally challenging. Explicit questions about prognosis and timing were excluded. Instead, the dual approach of “hoping for the best and preparing for the worst” was used to explore patients’ thoughts about the future. Conclusions: Patients, family members, and healthcare professionals found the Swedish Serious Illness Conversation Guide to be appropriate, sensitive, and responsive to their needs. The Swedish Serious Illness Conversation Guide may facilitate a more health-promoting approach to serious illness conversations. Further research is needed to understand the impact of these conversations on person-centered and goal-concordant care.
An examination of ‘instrumental resources’ in earmarked parental leave: The case of the work–life balance directive
Authors: de la Porte Caroline , Im Zhen , Pircher Brigitte , Ramos Martin Nuria , Szelewa Dorota
Published: October 2023

This article examines factors that could contribute to explaining variation in take-up of leave among fathers in the light of the EU’s Work–Life Balance Directive (WLBD). The WLBD seeks to equalize care responsibilities between fathers and mothers, especially through reserved leave, with high compensation. The article begins with a cross-country overview of take-up of leave among eligible fathers, considering earmarking and the degree of compensation. Our results show variation, which cannot fully be explained by policy design (presence of high compensation with reserved leave for fathers). The article then theorizes that instrumental resources – information and accessible administrative application procedures – could be a missing link to understand the actual shift from de jure to de facto social rights. The article then carries out embedded case studies on these two aspects of instrumental resources, using original qualitative data collected during the implementation of the WLBD. The most striking finding is that countries with similar formal implementation of earmarked paid parental leave, display significant differences in commitment to instrumental resources. Put differently, the WLBD is being implemented differently, not regarding formal social rights, but on instrumental resources. This finding is important because it means that EU-initiated legislation on parental leave, could lead to differences in outcomes, that is, take-up of leave among fathers. The implication of our findings is that decision-makers and policy actors at EU level and in member states, should focus more on instrumental resources in the implementation process. This is particularly important for enhancing the de facto legitimacy of the EU in social policy, given that EU social regulation is increasing via the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The role of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) on landscape dynamics and lithic taphonomy in La Pastosa Islet, North Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Carranza Eugenia , Cardillo Marcelo
Published: October 2023

This study presents the results of a systematic survey of La Pastosa Islet, located 700 m off the west coast of Río Negro, Argentina. This small islet has the particularity of hosting the northernmost colony of Magellanic penguins ( Spheniscus magellanicus) to date and contains evidence of its use by hunter-gatherer groups during the late Holocene. This growing colony started around 2002 and has had a significant impact on the subsurface archeological record of the islet by increasing erosion and exposing buried materials through nest excavation, particularly lithic artifacts. The spatial analysis of the distribution of artifact and penguin burrows indicates that the actions of the latter generated a “snapshot” of the subsurface distribution of the lithic record. The observed distribution suggested higher discard rates at the center of the islet. Furthermore, this study shows the synergy between both types of records in the formation dynamics of the lithic landscape and the agency of penguins as active landscape engineers. Finally, the obtained results have important implications for the management of the protected sector of the recently established Islote Lobos National Park, within which the study area is located.
Romania’s Abandoned Children: The Effects of Early Profound Psychosocial Deprivation on the Course of Human Development
Authors: Nelson Charles A. , Fox Nathan A. , Zeanah Charles H.
Published: October 2023

Understanding the impact that early psychosocial neglect has on the course of human development has implications for the millions of children around the world who are living in contexts of adversity. In the United States, approximately 76% of cases reported to child protective services involve neglect; worldwide, there are more than 150 million orphaned or abandoned children, including 10.5 million orphaned because of COVID-19. In much of the world, children without primary caregivers are reared in institutional settings. We review two decades of research based on the only randomized controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care. We report that children randomly assigned to continued care as usual (institutional care) suffer from persistent deficits in social, cognitive, and emotional development and show evidence of disruptions in brain development. By contrast, children randomly assigned to foster care show improvements in most domains of functioning, although the degree of recovery is in part a function of how old they were when placed into foster care and the stability of that placement. These findings have important implications for understanding critical periods in human development as well as elucidate the power of the psychosocial environment in shaping multiple domains of human development.
Restrictive practices and patients with impaired decision-making: Balancing duties and rights
Authors: Carlisle Patricia
Published: October 2023

There is a legislative lacuna in South Australian laws governing patients who present to hospitals with a medically impaired decision-making capacity where restrictive practices are warranted to facilitate assessment, treatment or mitigate the risk of harm. In this article, the author employs Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory methodology to analyse how clinicians navigated this gap. A proposal is made to develop legal reforms balancing clinician duties with patients’ human rights, through standardised legislative frameworks with accessible avenues for redress for vulnerable patients.
Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the Multidimensional Behavioral Health Screen (MBHS) With a University Sample
Authors: Leonelli Brooke R. , Bean Christian A. L. , Hughes Joel W.
Published: October 2023

The Multidimensional Behavioral Health Screen (MBHS) is a brief screening measure of behavioral health symptoms. Although the measure was first developed for primary care, it is likely to have clinical utility in other settings. This study examined the MBHS’s factor structure and psychometric properties with a university undergraduate and graduate student sample ( n = 602, 58.6% female, 75.9% White, primarily aged 20–24) during the COVID-19 pandemic. MBHS subscale scores demonstrated internal consistency reliability and both convergent and discriminant relations with external, criterion variables. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 7-subscale factor structure of the MBHS and did not find evidence of higher order factors. Clinical and theoretical implications, as well as future research directions, are discussed.
Denzin’s Lighthouse
Authors: Diversi Marcelo
Published: October 2023

A letter of appreciation for Norman Denzin.
The Incidence of Urgent Tube Shunt Surgery for Diabetic Neovascular Glaucoma at a Tertiary Academic Medical Center
Authors: LaRocca Megan Corinne , Smith Andrew K , Minckler Don S , Lin Ken Y
Published: October 2023

Background:

Diabetic neovascular glaucoma is a secondary glaucoma that may require immediate correction of elevated intraocular pressure to control pain and protect the optic nerve. While there is a seasonal trend to glucose levels, it is unknown if a seasonal trend exists for diabetic neovascular glaucoma.

Objective:

This study evaluates the incidence of urgent glaucoma tube shunt implantation in diabetic neovascular glaucoma in a tertiary academic referral center in Southern California.

Methods:

Electronic medical records were queried for urgent glaucoma tube shunt surgery from 2014 to 2021. The number of cases were separated by month of occurrence, and average hemoglobin A1c values were calculated per month. Data were analyzed via ANOVA tests and one-tailed t-tests.

Results:

A total of 127 cases were identified. The months of March and April contained the most cases averaging 3 and 2.75 cases, respectively. April had statistically significant higher case numbers than that of other months ( P = .041). ANOVA tests excluding April showed no statistically significant difference between the remaining months ( P = .901). Average hemoglobin A1c values were highest in the months of April and March at 9.8 and 9.6%, respectively.

Conclusion:

Emergency glaucoma tube shunt surgery for diabetic neovascular glaucoma occurs most frequently in April. This observation may provide insight into disease prevention through diabetes management and help improve surgical operations such that staffing and resources are allocated accordingly.
Numerical solution of dry friction in point contact using the unified Reynolds method combined with rarefied gas effect
Authors: Zhan Wanglong , Fang Yanfei , Huang Ping
Published: October 2023

Dry friction problems are widespread in engineering applications. However, the current research on the contact pressure between interfaces mainly relies on static contact mechanics solutions, neglecting the influence of the contact pressure generated by the gases in the environment. In this paper, the ambient gas is considered as a lubricant with lubricating effects. Drawing inspiration from hydrodynamic lubrication methods, a unified mixed lubrication equation for dry friction problems is developed, taking into account the influence of gas rarefaction effects. This study computes the dry friction contact pressure under different winding speeds and loads. The advantage of this method lies in its ability to automatically distinguish between the contact and noncontact regions during the calculation process, enabling the determination of the contact pressure over the entire contact area. The computational results demonstrate that at low entrainment velocities, there is minimal deviation in contact pressure and contact area compared to Hertzian contact. However, as the entrainment velocity increases, the actual pressure-bearing area enlarges compared to static contact, and there is a smooth transition of pressure at the contact edge, which cannot be obtained from static contact analysis. Finally, the numerical solution of the contact pressure when the sliding speed spans several orders of magnitude is given, and the calculation results show that the numerical model has good robustness. This numerical approach offers valuable insights for guiding the design of air bearings in practical applications.
Recurrence of severe symptomatic late-onset neutropenia on ocrelizumab
Authors: Beigneux Ysoline , Louapre Celine , Bihan Kevin , Roux Thomas , de Paz Raphael , Lubetzki Catherine , Maillart Elisabeth
Published: October 2023

Background:

Late-onset neutropenia (LON), defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 1500/mm3 that develops between 4 weeks and 6 months after the last drug administration, is a rare side effect of anti-CD20 drugs including ocrelizumab. Although continuation of ocrelizumab after LON is not contraindicated, the risk of LON recurrence is not well known.

Cases:

We report three cases of recurrent symptomatic agranulocytosis (ANC < 500/mm3) occurring under ocrelizumab.

Conclusion:

Given the risk of recurrence of symptomatic agranulocytosis and the availability of other treatments, a therapeutic switch may be discussed after the first episode of LON.
Numerical investigation of ultimate bearing capacity of circular and square concrete-filled double steel tubular T-joints
Authors: Naghipour Morteza , Hasani Seyed Mohammad Reza
Published: October 2023

The punching shear problem in composite T-joints with doubler plates has been evaluated in various design codes of practice. However, code provisions do not address the behavior of concrete-filled double steel tubular T-joints filled with concrete, in which concrete contributes to a portion of the shear force to resist punching. The present study presents a finite element modeling analysis to investigate the ultimate load-bearing capacity of circular and square concrete-filled double steel tubular T-joints. A set of 24 double-skin concentric tubular joint specimens were modeled in ABAQUS. A subsequent parametric study was carried out to examine the influence of infill concrete compressive strength, steel tube cross section shape, and section width-to-thickness ratio. Accordingly, stress evolution pattern, buckling mode, stress-strain response, and load–displacement curve of the entire T-joints were investigated. Based on the results obtained, it was revealed that recession in the flange of the primary component, as well as the heaving of the primary component web, are the main reasons for the higher stress levels. It was also seen that when the compressive strength of the infill concrete is 45 MPa, the maximum stress level in circular concrete-filled double steel tubular joint is 2.6 × 102 MPa, while that in the square joint is 2.566 × 102 MPa. The corresponding values for concrete with a compressive strength of 30 MPa are 2.58 × 102 MPa and 0.455 × 102 MPa, respectively. It was also observed that when the width-to-thickness ratio is increased from 20 to 33.33 in circular T-joints, the ultimate load-bearing capacity is reduced by 15%.
Consent-deception: a feminist cultural media theory of commonsense consent
Authors: Cefai Sarah
Published: October 2023

This article draws on feminist cultural studies, media and cultural theory, and engages with feminist law and criminology, to argue for a newly invigorated conceptualisation of consent in feminist theory. Rather than advance a particular feminist theory of consent, the article argues for a feminist cultural media theory of commonsense consent that is both sensory and representational. This theory acknowledges that there is no concept of consent reserved for sexual encounters. Rather, a more universal, commonsense theory, shaped as much by twentieth-century media as eighteenth-century political philosophy, informs how consent shows up to social experience. The article offers a revision of feminist discussions about consent in law, political philosophy and cultural studies, proposing that accounts such as Laura Kipnis’ Unwanted Advances: Sexual Paranoia Comes to Campus can be read as descriptions of consent's affective structure. Feminist accounts have underestimated the implications of the involvement of media, from early cinema through to contemporary social media, in co-locating consent with deception. This article shows how the media concept of consent-deception plays a role in suspicion and betrayal, both of which act as consent's structures of feeling. To further probe an enquiry into how personalised media are transforming commonsense consent, the article discusses the TV programme The Tinder Swindler. Various production techniques encourage a view of social media as a complete encapsulation of the social life and affectivity of consent-deception, suggesting a number of implications for a feminist cultural media theory of commonsense consent. In particular, the programme asks us to problematise the evidentiary status of informational social media linked to the changing perceptibility of consent-deception.
Assessment of human error contribution to container loss risk under fault tree analysis and interval type-2 fuzzy logic-based SLIM approach
Authors: Erdem Pelin , Akyuz Emre , Aydin Muhammet , Celik Erkan , Arslan Ozcan
Published: October 2023

Human is a key element of the safety of life on board ships and a significant contributing factor to most of the accidents and incidents in the maritime industry. At this point, risk analysis plays a critical role in ensuring operational safety and maritime transportation sustainability. This paper aims to systematically evaluate how human errors (HEs) contribute to operational risks. Based on this, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is combined under an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Logic environment with Success Likelihood Index Method (SLIM). Whilst the FTA evaluates the criticality of the operational activities, the Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets (IT2FS) deals with vagueness and subjectivity in using experts’ judgements, and the SLIM estimates the probabilities for the human error-related basic events. Since container losses can lead to severe damage and catastrophic events in a container terminal, loading operation was investigated as a case study. Safety culture, experience, and fatigue were observed as highly effective factors in crew performance. The obtained results also indicate that this hybrid approach can effectively be applied to determine the operational vulnerabilities in high-risk industries. The paper intends to improve safety control levels and lower losses in the future of maritime container transport besides emphasising the potential consequences of failures and crucial human errors in the operational process.
The Effect of Smoking on the Activated Clotting Time and the Incidence of Complications in Noncardiac Arterial Procedures
Authors: Roosendaal Liliane C. , van Os Tristan E. K. , van Es N. , Hoebink M. , Wiersema Arno M. , Blankensteijn Jan D. , Jongkind Vincent
Published: October 2023

Purpose:

Smoking is a well-known risk factor for developing arterial diseases and for an increase of complications during and after vascular procedures. Although smoking has a proven effect on hemostasis, no literature is available on the effect of smoking on the activated clotting time (ACT), which is used to monitor the effect of heparin during noncardiac arterial procedures (NCAP). The aim of this study was to examine the effect of smoking on ACT values and the incidence of complications during the same admission or 30 day follow-up of NCAP.

Materials and methods:

A post hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter cohort study was performed. Patients older than 18 years, who underwent NCAP between December 2016 and April 2021, were enrolled. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on smoking status: never/former smokers and current smokers. Two heparin dosing protocols were used: an initial bolus of 5000 IU or 100 IU/kg bodyweight.

Results:

In total, 773 patients met the inclusion criteria. Five minutes after administration of 5000 IU of heparin, mean ACT values were 190 and 196 seconds for nonsmokers and smokers, respectively (p=0.078). After 100 IU/kg of heparin, mean ACT values were 229 and 226 seconds for nonsmokers and smokers, respectively (p=0.37). Incidence of complications in the whole study cohort was not significantly different for nonsmokers compared with smokers (arterial thrombo-embolic complication [ATEC] 4.7% vs 5.7% p=0.55; hemorrhagic complications 15% vs 18% p=0.29). In subgroup-analysis, a significant difference between smoking groups was found for hemorrhagic complications after open aneurysm repair (p=0.024). However, after adjusting for confounders, the difference between the smoking groups annulled.

Conclusion:

The results of this study suggest that smoking does not have a significant effect on ACT values or on the incidence of complications in NCAP. Large-scale studies are required to further analyze potential factors having an effect on the ACT and perioperative and postoperative complications, which could help individualize heparinization strategy.

Clinical impact

There is high variance between patients in their response on administration of heparin, this is not yet fully understood. This study investigated the effect of smoking in a large prospective multicentre cohort. The results suggests that active smoking does not have an effect on the activated clotting time after administration of heparin. Also no significant effect of smoking could be found on the incidence of all registered complications. Monitoring of the effect of heparin remains important to provide patients with safe anticoagulation during vascular procedures.
Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Mistletoe Extracts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Loef Martin , Paepke Daniela , Walach Harald
Published: October 2023

Background:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in women and quality of life an essential part of patients’ well-being. Although the treatment with mistletoe extracts is covered by multiple cancer guidelines and reviews, it is uncertain whether mistletoe extracts can improve the quality of life in breast cancer patients. We therefore performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on this topic.

Methods:

This systematic review included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies of intervention (NRSIs) comparing the quality of life in breast cancer patients treated with mistletoe extracts as add-on therapy to control groups treated conventionally. We searched previous systematic reviews and multiple databases until January 2023. We conducted a meta-analysis and assessed the risk of bias according to the Cochrane Handbook via RoB 2 and ROBINS-I and the certainty of evidence via GRADE, respectively.

Results:

Nine RCTs and 7 NRSIs with 833 and 2831 participants, respectively, were included. The pre-post changes for the quality of life resulted in a pooled standardized mean difference for RCTs of SMD = 0.61 (95% CI 0.47-0.75; P < .0001) and for retrospective NRSIs of SMD = 0.46 (95% CI 0.10-0.82; P = .01). The risk of bias was low to high for the RCTs and serious for all NRSIs. The certainty of evidence was moderate for RCTs and very low for NRSIs.

Discussion:

Our results indicate a clinically relevant, medium-sized effect of mistletoe extracts on the quality of life in breast cancer patients which may be based on the immunomodulating effects of mistletoe extracts during chemotherapy. The limitations of evidence include the risk of bias which is mainly caused by the difficulty of blinding. Further RCTs and real-world evidence need to confirm this result, especially in the setting of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and in breast cancer survivors.
Partial Denervation of the Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint: A New Technique
Authors: Lui Hayman , Kakar Sanjeev
Published: October 2023

Background:

To report the clinical outcomes of partial denervation for the treatment of basilar thumb joint arthritis.

Methods:

Patients who underwent partial denervation of the basilar thumb joint for osteoarthritis from a single center between 2019 and 2021 were recruited into the study. This involved a technique that involved cauterization of the joint capsule and its innervation through the branches of the superficial radial, palmar cutaneous branch of the median, lateral antebrachial, and ulnar nerves. Patients were followed up postoperatively to record clinical (grip strength, thumb apposition and opposition pinch grip strength, Kapandji score) and patient-reported outcomes (visual analogue scale [VAS], Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [QuickDASH], Patient-reported Wrist Evaluation [PRWE]).

Results:

Twelve patients (15 carpometacarpal joints; 9 female and 3 male patients) underwent a partial denervation of the thumb (Eaton stage 3-4). The mean age at the time of surgery was 63 ± 5 years (range 56-72). The mean clinical follow-up duration was 23 ± 11 months (range 9-42 months), and functional score follow-up duration was 27 ± 7 months (range 14-42 months). At the latest clinical follow, VAS score, Kapandji score, grip strength, and thumb apposition/opposition pinch strength all improved significantly ( P < .05). The mean QuickDASH score was 30 ± 16, and PRWE score was 32 ± 17. Patients who had unilateral partial thumb denervation demonstrated greater improvement in grip strength than patients who had bilateral partial thumb denervation procedures ( P = .01).

Conclusion:

In this clinical case series, our method of basilar thumb joint partial denervation has been effective in improving clinical outcomes and reducing pain due to osteoarthritis.

Level of Evidence:

IV, case series
The future of the centre–right in Europe and the 7 Ds
Authors: Welle Klaus
Published: October 2023

The party-political structure in Europe is in full transition, with a slow, but consistent strengthening of the right and extreme right on the continent. This poses important questions, not only about the political dividing lines that separate these spaces, but also about what constitutes the dividing line that sets the European People’s Party apart from both. The key argument is that the European People’s Party can be understood as the political space that defends European integration, the transatlantic partnership and the democratic order that was established after 1945, and is the political project for reconciliation in society, reconciling the seemingly irreconcilable through concepts such as the social market economy, subsidiarity, personalism and federalism. Sustainability across policy areas, reconciling the present and the future, is thus the necessary complement.
The EU as an innovative force for global governance
Authors: Hoeksma Jaap
Published: October 2023

The EU has outgrown the Westphalian system of international relations. In its present form, the EU is neither a state nor an association of states. It can be described instead in new terms as a democratic union of democratic states, which operates on the global stage as a democratic international organisation. Although it is far from perfect, the EU demonstrates that perpetual peace and effective global governance are not only thinkable but also practicable. While the modern state system of centuries past elevated the principle of absolute state sovereignty as the exclusive dogma of international relations, the world needs a new paradigm to address the global challenges of the twenty-first century. Academics from relevant disciplines, notably lawyers, political theorists, historians and philosophers, are called upon to undertake an interdisciplinary endeavour to devise a new template for the multilateral era.
Uncivil Society and Democracy's Fate in Southeast Asia: Democratic Breakdown in Thailand, Increasing Illiberalism and Ethnic Cleansing in Myanmar
Authors: Bünte Marco
Published: October 2023

Civil society scholarship has repeatedly warned of the dangers of uncivil society for young democracies. However, it remains unclear when and how uncivil society becomes an instrument of democratic backsliding. Using Thailand and Myanmar as its case studies, the article discusses the origins, ideology, and impact of several uncivil society groups, deepening our knowledge on the latter's role in democratic backsliding/breakdown. It argues that uncivil society can act as useful resource for conservative elites seeking to derail democratisation processes. Particularly in times of a perceived or manufactured national crisis, uncivil society successfully pursues illiberal agendas – often in tandem with established elites of the former regime. Also highlighted are the core mechanisms through which uncivil society leads to democratic backsliding/breakdown, as well as the long-term effects these movements have on the erosion of social trust and civility and the poisoning of inter-class or inter-religious relations.
Comparative short-term risks of infection and serious infection in patients receiving biologic and small-molecule therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systemic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Chiu Hsien-Yi , Hung Yi-Teng , Huang Yu-Huei
Published: October 2023

Background:

Infection events are a major concern for patients and physicians when making psoriasis treatment decisions.

Objective:

To estimate the relative short-term risks of infection and serious infection for biologic and small molecule therapies in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Data Sources and Methods:

A systematic literature search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases was conducted on 17 June 2022. We included phase II, III, or IV randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of biologic and small-molecule therapies that are licensed or likely to gain approval soon for PsO and PsA, as well as infection data reports. Two investigators independently extracted the data based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed to estimate the pooled relative risks (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals of total infections and serious infections for treatments during placebo-controlled phases of RCTs. The surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) was calculated to rank the infection risk for each treatment.

Results:

A total of 94 RCTs with a total of 19 treatment arms involving 54,369 participants were analyzed. For patients with PsO, bimekizumab, secukizumab, risankizumab, ustekinumab, apremilast, guselkumab, and adalimumab were associated with significantly higher risks of infection than placebo; SUCRA ranked infliximab, deucravacitinib, and bimekizumab with the highest risks of infection. For patients with PsA, bimekizumab, apremilast, and upadacitinib (30 mg daily) were associated with higher risks of infection; SUCRA ranked bimekizumab with the highest risk of infection. No treatments, except for upadacitinib (30 mg daily), were associated with a higher risk of serious infection than placebo in PsA.

Conclusion:

This NMA provides a comprehensive assessment of the comparative short-term risks of infection, which could help physicians and patients to select individualized treatments for psoriasis.

Registration:

CRD42022359873.