bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Treated With Vancomycin Calculated by Area-Under-the-Curve in Patients With Elevated Vancomycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations
Authors: Arnold Sarah , Orvin Dustin , Patel Malay , Schoen Katie , Wagner Jamie , Jones Bruce M.
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Vancomycin is recommended as first-line treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia, dosed by area-under-the-curve (AUC) with an assumed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1 mcg/mL via broth microdilution. The purpose of this study was to compare effectiveness of AUC-based and trough-based dosing in MRSA bacteremia with an MIC > 1 mcg/mL via Etest. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational cohort that compared vancomycin dosed by AUC or trough between January 1, 2017 and September 1, 2022. The primary outcome was a composite of treatment failure defined as peristent bacteremia ≥ 7 days, inpatient mortality within 90 days, or microbiologic relapse or readmission within 30 days. Secondary outcomes compared nephrotoxicity, hospital and ICU length of stay, MIC differences, and difference in exposure measured by AUC. Results: Twenty-four patients in each group met inclusion criteria. For the primary outcome, there was no statistical difference in treatment failure between trough and AUC groups, respectively [10 (41.7%) vs 10 (41.7%), P = 1.000]. There was no statistical difference in secondary outcomes, with incidence of nephrotoxicity [3 (12.5%) trough vs 2 (8.33%) AUC, P = 1.000] and median AUC exposure over treatment course [502.9 mcg.h/mL (454.1-599.9) vs 474 mcg.h/mL (435.3-533), P = .312] similar between groups. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in treatment failure for vancomycin by AUC or trough with an Etest MIC > 1 mcg/mL. Overall exposure to vancomycin and incidence of nephrotoxicty were numerically higher in the trough group, suggesting that dosing by AUC may limit exposure without impact on treatment failure.
Tillage depth regulation system via depth measurement feedback and composite sliding mode control: A field comparison validation study
Authors: Wang Anzhe , Ji Xin , Zhu Yongyun , Wang Qingzhuang , Wei Xinhua , Zhang Shaocen
Published: December 2023

The existing methodologies employed for the quantification and regulation of tractor’s tillage depth present considerable shortcomings, primarily characterized by their low accuracy and poor disturbance rejection proficiency in complex agricultural terrains. In this study, we present a sophisticated feedback control strategy designed to mitigate these challenges. Our innovative approach hinges on calculating tillage depth from the alignment of the tractor’s hydraulic lifting arm, achieved by employing a mechanical angle sensor. This sensor adeptly gages the angle of the lifting arm, aligning it with the tillage angle of the pull rod and the implement’s angle, resulting in a robust relational model correlating the lifting arm angle with the tillage depth. This pioneering method amalgamates the accuracy inherent in the static model, derived from the tillage angle-based depth measurement, with the dynamic stability afforded by the mechanical ascertainment of the lifting arm angle. In conjunction, we introduce a Hybrid Extended State Observer-Based Backstepping Sliding Mode Controller (HESO-BacksteppingSMC). The HESO is instrumental in estimating unmeasured state variables and lumped disturbances, utilizing the system’s output feedback signal. Our control frame component capitalizes on the fast power-reaching law to yield a continuously smooth control signal, effectively eradicating the conventional chattering phenomenon inherent in controllers and amplifying its functional applicability. Theoretical evaluations affirm the uniformly and ultimately bounded stability of the errors associated with our proposed observer and controller, underscoring their robustness. The superior performance of our proposed tillage depth measurement and control methodology has been corroborated through a series of comprehensive simulation and field plowing trials, attesting to its precision and reliability in complex agricultural settings.
African American Redemption in the Pan-African Metropolis: Africanized Identities, Pan-African Lives and the African World Festival in Detroit
Authors: Adair Radney El-Ra
Published: December 2023

The article is situated within the conceptual lineage of St. Clair Drake and Horace Cayton’s groundbreaking Black Metropolis model. However, it provides a new way of considering this intellectual heritage. The analysis suggests that African American traditions of Pan-Africanism have not been expansively addressed in their magnitude on Black urban sociology. Drake and Cayton’s theorization is reconfigured as it exists within a Pan-African value system for the contemporary Black (Diasporic) city. The research presents “unsung” Pan-African tropes that are central to the maintenance of the Black city’s identity and psychological cohesion. If the mind is the “primary battlefield” as Garvey insists, then it is important to note the (beneficial) psychological impact that African American redemption and the Pan- African Metropolis can bestow on African Americans. The discussion locates Pan-Africanism as a tangible operating mechanism on African Americans’ lifestyle, mental health, and (Africanized) identities within Detroit’s Black community. Field observations of Detroit’s African World Festival connect these festival spaces as they characterize and drive the city’s identity, psychology, economic considerations, and ultimately, Pan-African groundings. The sustainability of an Afrocentric philosophy and psychology has enhanced the Black city in the manifestation of a distinctive cultural political economy. The Pan African Metropolis emerged during Detroit’s Black Arts Movement (the 1970s of my youth). To this end, the article pushes back against “the lie” which overgeneralizes African Americans in a Black deficit homogeneity, whereas the “alleged Black American monolith” is not connected to any operating African continuum in their daily lives.
Estimation of contribution of production factors to an agricultural output change in emerging and developing Europe
Authors: Đokić Danilo , Zekić Stanislav , Brcanov Dejan , Matkovski Bojan
Published: December 2023

Countries of Emerging and Developing Europe (EDE) significantly transformed their agri-food sector in the last decades, and it has specific implications for agricultural tendencies and the economy of these countries. This research focuses on the sources of growth of agricultural production in countries belonging to EDE, as the former communist countries classified by the International Monetary Fund. This group of countries is particularly interesting because there is room for further growth in agricultural production, which can be crucial in times of crisis. This article's main objective is to estimate agriculture's production function and analyze the relationship between agricultural output and used inputs. Based on data for the period 2008 to 2019, results showed that the increase in the use of mineral fertilizers is a key source of production growth among production factors. Due to the economic importance of fertilizer use and its environmental effect, it can be concluded that agricultural policy must be created carefully in these countries to achieve a balance between economic, social, and environmental goals.
Teachers’ Collaborative Reflections on Classroom Materials: From Traditional Consumers to Digital Materials Developers and Teacherpreneurs
Authors: Tajeddin Zia , Asadnia Fatemeh
Published: December 2023

L2 teachers, no longer considered to be predominantly passive coursebook consumers, act as mediators between pedagogy and materials in the current era of technology-assisted language instruction and should be empowered to digitalize language learning materials to meet the immediate needs of the digital generation. In this study, we aimed to investigate L2 teachers’ collaborative reflections on the current gaps in their classroom coursebook that could be bridged by the purposeful use of digital tools and address their attitudes towards their changing roles as digital materials developers. The findings demonstrated that, in their critical reflections, from a pedagogical perspective, the teachers pinpointed the dominance of passive language usage, the absence of personalized strategy-based instruction, and the lack of interactive content in the coursebook. From a task design perspective, they referred to the dominance of edutainment-free tasks, the prevalence of artificial peer tasks, the lack of multimodal scenario-based tasks, and the absence of adaptive feedback. The teachers further highlighted their shifting roles. As digital materials developers, they could create digital content for the “digital natives,” make digital mini-lessons for classrooms, attend project-based training courses, and co-produce digital content and tasks with students’ assistance. As digital teacherpreneurs, they could run private social media-based businesses, join Edu-Tech co-working spaces, and produce digital artifacts in edutainment centers. As digital materials designers, they could collaborate with computer-assisted language learning (CALL) stakeholders and do interdisciplinary projects in virtual communities. This study promises implications for L2 teachers, teacher educators, and materials developers.
‘That Was Our Little Five Minutes of Shush . . . a Kiss and Cuddle and Have Our Books’: Sensory Affinities among Families during Shared Reading with Children
Authors: Hall Mel
Published: December 2023

This article interrogates shared reading between parents and young children, theorised as ‘sensory affinities’, understood through a sociological lens. I argue that reading cannot be confined to educational aspects, and towards increased prominence for relational dimensions. I explore the narratives of 29 parents/carers of reading with young children. Drawing on data on the embodied aspects of reading, Mason’s concept of affinities illuminates the sensory facets of reading applied to family intimacies. Interventions have hitherto distilled literacy from the wider social context. However, an understanding of reading in the context of families from diverse backgrounds, yields insights into the sensory character of everyday family life. Findings are of significance to sociology broadly, and specifically, families and relationships. Centring families facilitates a fuller understanding of literacy practices. Finally, the focus on an everyday, tangible practice such as reading can support understandings of hidden and taken-for-granted dimensions of family life.
Finite element simulation of pressure and volume shrinkage of the top part of socks using ABAQUS
Authors: Dan Rui , Zheng Yujie , Shi Zhen
Published: December 2023

How to achieve an effective balance between functionality and comfort is a key factor in the design of the top part of socks. In order to make the top part of socks more consistent with the characteristics of pressure distribution at the lower leg while improving pressure comfort, the lower leg and foot of the human body was taken as the research object, and Mimics software was used to establish a three-dimensional model of the lower leg and foot. ABAQUS software was applied to simulate the pressure distribution state of the lower leg at the top part of the socks and the stress trend in each region of the lower leg after wearing experimental socks. In order to further study the compression state of the lower leg section at the top part of the socks after wearing the socks, the section was divided into eight regions according to the angle, and the functional relationship between pressure and displacement was obtained through curve fitting. Meanwhile, the volume shrinkage of the eight regions of the lower leg section after compression was calculated, respectively. Results showed that the curvature radius of the lower leg, the thickness of the soft tissue and the position of the skeleton jointly affected the pressure and displacement values after wearing socks, and the distribution trend of volume shrinkage was different at each region of the lower leg section. The conclusion could provide the theoretical basis for the optimization design of the tightness degree of the top part of socks in different regions, and provide a data reference for the research and development of pressure socks that meet the required pressure comfort.
Hybrid knitted fabric for electromagnetic radiation shielding: thermo-physical properties
Authors: Bajzik Vladimir , Kyzymchuk Olena , Ocheretna Larysa , Tunak Maros , Arabuli Arsenii , Levytska Daryna
Published: December 2023

Textile materials for protection against electromagnetic radiation are used now not only for special purposes but in everyday clothing too. In this regard, the thermo-physical properties of such materials are very important. In this study, the hybrid knitted fabrics with electromagnetic shielding properties manufactured on 8E flat-bed machine from 0.12 mm stainless steel wire and 30 × 2 tex cotton yarn have been tested. Fabric samples differ by variant of stainless steel wire incorporation (separately or along with cotton yarn) and their positioning in the structures (loop and/or tuck). Hybrid fabric formed by the alternation of two courses of rib 1 × 1 from cotton yarn and two courses from steel wire has higher porosity and therefore higher relative water vapor permeability and lower thermal conductivity compared with fabric formed from cotton yarn and a steel wire simultaneously. The research results showed that the introduction of stainless steel wire along with cotton yarn into the knitted structure leads to changes in stitch density and therefore in the area of porosity compared with cotton fabric. The thermal conductivity coefficient and evaporative resistance of these fabrics are similar to cotton 1 + 1 rib fabric. Thus, the studied hybrid knitted fabrics with shielding properties against electromagnetic radiation can be recommended for clothing manufacturing. The half-Milano rib fabric knitted from cotton yarn and a steel wire with the greatest electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness has a good level of comfort similar to cotton fabric.
Compliance With Guidelines of Hypertension Management, and Associated Factors Among the Health Practitioners
Authors: Ataro Bizuayehu Atinafu , Mulatu Gebremeskel , Mengistu Daniel
Published: December 2023

The consequences of uncontrolled hypertension such as stroke, myocardial infarction, retinal damage and others are significantly affecting individual and the community in large. The patients are suffering from compromised quality of life, permanent disability, and premature death in developing countries. The reason for the existence of the gap hasn’t been clear yet. An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study designed from patient medical record data was used to assess compliance with the federal democratic and republic of Ethiopia ministry of health hypertension management guideline. Medical records of adult Patients treated for hypertension from March 2019 to March 2020 were reviewed. Systematic sampling technique from patients’ medical records every 10th interval was taken to reach the total sample size. The collected data were checked for completeness, consistency, and accuracy before analysis. Data were coded, entered, and cleaned using Epi-data 7 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Overall compliance with the hypertension guideline was found to be poor; only 75 (19.5%) patients managed according to the guideline in these institutions. The majority of health practitioners complied with the pharmacological Antihypertensive treatment protocols for 238 (62.0%) patients, while for 146 (38.0%) of the patients the guideline was not followed. Combining the lifestyle modification recommendations and pharmacological antihypertensive treatment to assess compliance with the hypertension management guideline, only 75 (19.5%) patients managed as per the guideline, while 309 (80.5%) did not. Nearly more than two-thirds of the patients were not managed following the national hypertension guideline, and health practitioners are failed to recommend lifestyle modifications for most of the patients, as a result, the majority of the hypertensive patients are being exposed to complications and urgent intervention is demanded against the gap.
Birthing Genre: Conventions of Rhetorical Situation and Accessibility of Information in Midwifery Manuals
Authors: Burnett Rebecca E. , Hoffman Courtney A.
Published: December 2023

We ask, “What genre conventions are shared in 18th- and 21st-century midwifery manuals?” The article responds to this question by situating manuals as cultural arbiters and defining genre in a cultural context. The article identifies parallels between 18th-century and 21st-century midwifery manuals that focus on the rhetorical situation (via front matter, including title pages and prefaces) and accessibility of information (via design, definitions, and step-by-step procedures). Midwifery practices have changed drastically in the modern era, but the underlying goals—safety and health for the birthing person and child—remain constant. Increased publication of manuals dedicated to midwifery in the 18th century suggests a heightened focus on practices leading to successful outcomes in childbirth that highlight the value of examining manuals as a genre reflecting humanistic elements in technical documents. We argue that midwifery manuals emphasize underlying ideologies in the production and reproduction of socio-cultural consciousness still present today.
Unexpected trends of amoebic encephalitis in Pakistan
Authors: Yasir Muhammad , Herekar Fivzia Farooq
Published: December 2023

Annual reported cases of Naegleria fowleri (NF), popularly known as brain eating amoeba, are becoming a huge challenge for Pakistani health authorities. Karachi has seen cases regularly up till the present but Lahore has not. The spread of this amoeba in non-chlorinated water is a major concern for the authorities. NF is an amoeba commonly found in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, hot springs and poorly chlorinated swimming pools. It poses a significant risk during hot weather when water-related recreational activities are popular. Where there is a non-chlorinated water supply, its spread is aggravated.
Experimental and numerical evaluation of mechanical performances of hybrid Palmyra-Palm-Leaf-Stalk/Glass fiber reinforced polyester composites
Authors: Tripathy Chetana , Mohapatra Deepak Kumar , Deo Chitta Ranjan , Dash Padmanav , Mishra Punyapriya
Published: December 2023

In the present work, four layered Palmyra-Palm-Leaf-Stalk (PPLSF)/Glass hybrid composites laminates with six distinct stacking orders were made by following hand lay-up method. Different experiments were carried out to determine the tensile, flexural, impact and hardness of the laminates as per ASTM standard. The results reveal that the addition of glass fiber to PPLSF significantly enhanced the mechanical performance of the laminates. On successive replacement of PPLSF by glass fiber, an enhancement of properties such as 291.39% for tensile strength, 72.08% for flexural strength, 75.82% for impact strength, and 78.44% for micro-hardness was observed. Again, it is also noticed that the stacking order plays an important role in influencing the properties while comparing experimental finding of laminates with equal weight percentages PPLSF and glass fiber. Further to perform Finite Element Analysis (FEA), a 3D CAD model of tensile and flexural specimen was created in space-claim modeler of ANSYS R19.0 and subsequently imported to generate numerical predicted values. While comparing the numerical and experimental results, there was very good agreement among the results was found. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used for fractography analysis of the tested samples to examine the different mode of failures.
The effectiveness of using audio-visual based media intervention for promoting social media literacy skills to curtail fake news on social media: A quasi-experimental investigation
Authors: Zhao Hongxuan , Xu Jing , Iyendo Timothy Onosahwo , Apuke Oberiri Destiny , Tunca Elif Asude , Gever Verlumun Celestine
Published: December 2023

This study experimented the effectiveness of using audio-visual-based media intervention for promoting social media literacy skills to curb fake news. We carried out a quasi-experiment in one public university’s faculty of communication and media studies. We randomly divided participants into three groups, including the control group ( N = 235), audio-visual media-based group ( N = 118) and non-audio-visual media-based group (N = 117). The experimental groups were exposed to 8 weeks of training to improve their social media literacy skills to fight fake news. The study showed that participants exposed to social media literacy skills through audio-visual-based intervention reported better social media knowledge, demonstrated a better ability to spot fake news, and the inclination to share accurate news from the list of fake news, compared to the non-audio-visual based intervention group and the control group. Overall, social media literacy skills were found to be impactful in fighting fake news. We recommend relevant authorities and organisations to intensify their efforts to improve the public's social media literacy to help halt the spread of misleading information. Audio-visual-based intervention should be employed to educate social media literacy, to boost the effectiveness of programmes to combat fake news.
Motion tracking virtual reality technology in improving gait in the elderly: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Abd El-Kafy Ehab M , Alayat Mohamad S , Subahi Moayad S , Badghish Mohammed S
Published: December 2023

Objective

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of virtual reality-based treadmill training on gait performance and tolerance in the elderly.

Design

Two-armed randomized controlled trial.

Setting

The Medical Rehabilitation Sciences Department, Umm Al Qura University, Saudi Arabia.

Participants

Sixty Saudi elderly of both sexes, aged 65–75 years, were included.

Interventions

Participants were divided into two groups. The control group received treadmill training without virtual reality, alongside a conventional exercise program. The experimental group received a training program that was similar to the control group's exercises but with C-Mill virtual reality treadmill training. The program lasted one hour, three times per week, over four consecutive weeks.

Main Measures

The study assessed changes in outcome measures at baseline, Post-1 (after four weeks of training), and Post-2 (four weeks post-training). These measures encompassed the primary outcome, the 6-minute walk test (meter), as well as secondary outcomes such as stride length (meter), stride time (second), cadence (steps/minute), and velocity (meter/second). These parameters were evaluated using the GaitRite electronic gait analysis walkway.

Results

The experimental group showed better improvement in the mean values of the 6-minute walk test, stride length, stride time, cadence, and velocity compared to the control group at post-1 and post-2. The P-values were respectively at post-1 (0.019, 0.015, 0.041, 0.013, and 0.021) and (0.011, 0.025, 0.073, 0.061, and 0.017) at post-2 (all, P < .05).

Conclusions

C-Mill virtual reality treadmill training shows potential in improving gait parameters and walking tolerance in the elderly in Saudi Arabia.
Analysing the Causes and Implications of the Privacy Paradox: Consumer Surveillance and Online Data Collection
Authors: Wang Zhaolu , Chen Zanzao
Published: December 2023

Have you ever been bothered by wordy pages of the Terms of Agreement and directly selected agree without looking? With the advent of AI technology and its involvement in social media platforms on the internet, the 21st century is considered a relatively transparent (digital) era where personal information, preference, and behaviours are shared, studied, and manipulated online. Controversies lie in the extent to which the information is shared and whether they are leaked or legally authorised to be extracted. Although polls and surveys may suggest people care about their privacy, many still do not take measures to protect their privacy, and this inconsistency in attitudes is referred to as the ‘privacy paradox.’ Not only does this essay reveal the causes of privacy paradox and potential vulnerability faced by users, but it also investigates how these issues are reflected in reality, offers privacy regulation suggestions for businesses and policymakers in China, and captures a gender difference trend in terms of self-privacy regulations through surveying a selected sample of respondents and evaluating popular online responses on Chinese social media.
Diagnostic roles of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, and cancer antigen 125 for ovarian cancer
Authors: Ye Liuqing , Zhou Guoming , Zhou Lingling , Wang Dongguo , Xiong Shunqiang , Liu Chibo , Zhang Guobing
Published: December 2023

Objective

To compare the diagnostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) level for ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods

Data of 72 patients with OC, 50 patients with benign ovarian disease, and 46 healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed, and receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed.

Results

The platelet count was higher in patients with a tumor diameter of ≥10 vs. <10 cm. The absolute lymphocyte count was significantly higher in patients with stage I/II OC than in those with multiple and stage III/IV OC. The absolute monocyte count, NLR, MLR, and CA125 were significantly higher in patients with multiple and stage III/IV OC than in those with single and stage I/II OC. The NLR, PLR, MLR, fibrinogen, D-dimer, CRP, and CA125 were useful for distinguishing between the OC and healthy control groups.

Conclusions

Our analysis showed that the following combinations have practical diagnostic value in OC: NLR + PLR + MLR + CA125, NLR + PLR + MLR + CA125 + CRP, NLR + MLR +PLR + CA125 + CRP + fibrinogen, and NLR + MLR + PLR + CA125 + CRP + fibrinogen + D-dimer.
Entrepreneurship and Criminal Justice Populations: A Social Cognitive Perspective
Authors: Bertelsen Kris A. , Varghese Femina P. , Park Anna
Published: December 2023

A criminal record limits employment opportunities of those released from prison. Entrepreneurship, or starting one’s own business venture, has been suggested as a way to overcome the employment barriers of a criminal record, given that many justice-involved persons have entrepreneurship experiences, often through illegal ventures. Sparse research has investigated how legal or illegal business experience translates to legal entrepreneurship attitudes. Using social cognitive career theory-career theory (SCCT), and concepts from the Risk Need Responsivity (RNR) model, the role of illegal and legal business exposure were investigated. Findings indicated that both legal and illegal business exposure had a positive influence on entrepreneurship goals through entrepreneurship self-efficacy and entrepreneurship outcome expectations. Legal experiences had a stronger influence. Criminal thinking, a significant risk factor for return to criminal behavior, was investigated in its role in entrepreneurship attitudes. Findings indicated that criminal thinking had an indirect effect on entrepreneurship goals through entrepreneurship self-efficacy.
Effect of humble leadership on knowledge sharing, change and ethnicity in Iranian public libraries
Authors: Eltemasi Mahshid , Arami Samira
Published: December 2023

This research explores the influence of humble leadership on knowledge sharing and adaptability in Iranian public libraries, with a focus on ethnic diversity. Using a quantitative approach and correlational studies, the study examined public library staff from various ethnic backgrounds in Iran, employing random cluster sampling. The results indicate that humble leadership positively affected both the willingness to adapt and knowledge sharing among library staff. Moreover, an analysis using the Kruskal–Wallis test revealed that one aspect of humble leadership – ‘Acknowledgement of personal limitations’ – had only a weak connection to ethnicity. Interestingly, Iranian Arab ethnicities expressed less preference for humble leadership yet knowledge sharing and adaptability improved among employees from all ethnic backgrounds. This research breaks new ground by simultaneously investigating various variables, including ethnicity, in relation to humble leadership. The findings have significant implications for public library management, highlighting the importance of effective communication and empathy in reducing employee resistance to knowledge sharing and organizational change.
Direct Lip Lift: The Sashimi Technique
Authors: Fakih-Gomez Nabil , Dominguez-Medina David , Muñoz-Gonzalez Cristina , Fakih-Gomez Ibrahim
Published: December 2023

The lip lift surgery has emerged as one of the most highly sought-after procedures within the realm of cosmetic clinical practices. While indirect techniques have undergone numerous modifications and garnered extensive attention over time, there has been a notable dearth of published information concerning direct techniques. In this article, we present 3 refined modifications to the direct lip lift technique. These enhancements encompass an upgraded marking design based on the clinical anatomy of the oral commissure, a full-thickness skin excision while preserving the integrity of the orbicularis oris muscle, and an improved intradermal skin suturing technique. In our experience, we found that by methodically implementing these techniques, we have successfully minimized the visibility of scars along the vermilion border. Concurrently, we have achieved effective lip eversion while preserving its natural fullness. These modifications to the technique have emerged as a result of an evolutionary process aimed at rectifying the limitations of previous methods. Consequently, these adaptations have empowered us to more seamlessly integrate the direct lip lift technique into our clinical practice.
The effect of the vibratory surface finishing process on surface integrity and dimensional deviation of selective laser melted parts
Authors: Nezarati Masoud , Porrang Bita , Hemasian Etefagh Ardeshir , Sayadi Daniyal , Khajehzadeh Mohsen
Published: December 2023

Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing method used in aerospace and biomedical industries due to its ability to fabricate complex geometries with excellent mechanical properties. However, achieving the desired surface quality can be challenging. Vibratory surface finishing (VSF) is a widely used post-processing technique in engineering industries to improve surface quality. In this study, SLM-produced stainless steel 316L samples with different geometries, including samples with flat surfaces (SFS), samples with bulged surfaces (SBS), and samples with concave surfaces (SCS), were processed using triangular, spherical, and cylindrical media shapes for different processing times. The research aimed to analyze the surface integrity and dimensional deviation of each sample type after VSF. Our study employed a full factorial design of experiments (DoE) to assess the influences on the surface integrity, dimensional deviations, surface morphology, and surface hardness of 316L stainless steel parts produced via SLM. After VSF, the average Ra value was reduced by 75% after 9 h of operation, achieving the lowest Ra value (1.68 μm) using spherical media. Spherical media also reduced Ra values on concave surfaces by approximately 71%, with a reduction from 14.55 to 4.15 μm. The study found that VSF helps improve surface roughness while affecting the components’ average dimensional deviation and subsurface microhardness. The microhardness measurement showed a value of 220 HV, which was approximately 6.4% higher than the bulk hardness.
Design and motion analysis of a bidirectional parallel-chamber soft pneumatic actuator
Authors: Wu Yanyan , Lu Mingyue , Ding Li , Zhong Tianci
Published: December 2023

This article presents a novel bidirectional parallel-chamber soft actuator that improves the end-effector grasping force by adding a row of chambers at both ends of its longitudinal chambers. A mathematical model of the bending behavior of the longitudinal chambers of the actuator is established using the piecewise constant curvature assumption, and the bending properties, gripping force, and contact area of the end wrap were analyzed for the longitudinal and transverse chambers of the actuator. Compared to traditional soft actuators, the proposed bidirectional parallel-chamber actuator provides 1.78 N of grasping force at the end due to longitudinal bending, and 1 N of grasping force at the tail due to transverse bending. To validate the simulation results, a testing platform is built to measure the bending angle and output force of the actuator experimentally. Finally, a two-fingered soft gripper is developed to verify the mathematical model and simulation results, and is tested in grasping objects with diameters ranging from 0 to 250 mm and weights up to 1450 g.
A control strategy for improving the accuracy of lateral tracking of autonomous vehicles
Authors: Liu Ping , Liu Zibin , Huang Yuyang , Duan Haotian , Ding Weiping , Huang Haibo
Published: December 2023

Lateral tracking is a fundamental technology for autonomous vehicles, particularly in narrow and complex scenes such as parking lots and alleys, where precise control is critical. To enhance the efficacy and precision of the traditional Pure Pursuit algorithm (PP) in the lateral tracking of low-speed autonomous vehicles, this study proposes a continuous adaptive piecewise fitting method based on the cubic Bézier curve to smooth the reference path, followed by a search for the look-ahead point based on the geometric relationship between the vehicle and the reference path. An improved search algorithm based on vehicle speed and road curvature is used to identify the look-ahead point. In case of significant changes in the reference path curvature, the initially obtained look-ahead point is modified. The proposed Improve Pure Pursuit Method (IPP) is then used to calculate the steering angle of the front wheel. To validate the proposed method, the Carsim/Simulink co-simulation model and the autonomous vehicle platform are established. The simulation and real-vehicle tests demonstrate that compared with the pure pursuit algorithm based on Vehicle speed control (VPP) and Fuzzy Logic control pure Pursuit (FPP), IPP performs better in complex low-speed lateral tracking scenes. It reduces the issue of cutting corners when the vehicle enters a corner and enhances lateral tracking accuracy.
Thermodynamic analysis of triple-effect absorption cascade cycle
Authors: Minz Akash Deep , Jawahar CP
Published: December 2023

In the present work, thermodynamic analysis of a triple-effect absorption cascade cycle using water-lithium bromide and ammonia-water mixture as working fluids in the lower and higher stages has been done. The system is simulated in the MATLAB environment by varying the temperatures of the evaporator, absorber, and condenser in both low- and high- temperature stages and degassing width i.e. difference between the mass fraction of strong and weak solution. The effect of these parameters on the circulation ratio, cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) is estimated. An improvement in the COP of about 25 to 65% for the cascade cycle compared to the conventional triple-effect cycle was reported. The present work reveals that the cascade system is a very good option to enhance the performance of the conventional triple-effect cycle.
Book review: Diana Højlund Madsen (Ed.), Gendered Institutions and Women’s Political Representation in Africa
Authors: Chaudhary Tara Shanker
Published: December 2023

Diana Højlund Madsen (Ed.), Gendered Institutions and Women’s Political Representation in Africa, Zed Books and Nordic Africa Institute, 2020, pp. 272, 90$.
Cultural Influences on Making Nutritional Adjustments in Type 2 Diabetes in Pakistan: The Perspectives of People Living With Diabetes and Their Family Members
Authors: Tariq Omama , Rosten Claire , Huber Jörg
Published: December 2023

In Pakistan, type 2 diabetes is widespread, and although dietary recommendations from healthcare professionals are critical to its treatment, cultural norms can have a great influence on the dietary habits of people living with diabetes (PLwD). Understanding the social aspects of the lives of PLwD is crucial when examining the effectiveness of nutritional recommendations and adjustments. This study investigated (1) how PLwD and their family members adjust their nutrition to the recommendations of healthcare professionals to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and (2) what do PLwD and their family members perceive as enablers and barriers to the necessary nutritional adjustments for managing T2DM. Prime consideration was given to experiences of living in Pakistan as the cultural context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 PLwD and 17 family members; the data were analysed thematically. Three themes emerged: (i) ‘Influence of family system, gender, and age on meals prepared at home’: family hierarchy and opinions based on gender and age can enable or hinder nutritional adjustment in meals prepared at home; (ii) ‘Temptations of “unhealthy” foods, festivals, cultural interactions, and social etiquette’: family/social interactions at home, gatherings, or festivities can affect PLwD’s ability to resist temptations to eat foods prohibited by healthcare professionals; and (iii) ‘Folk knowledge, folk remedy, and the balance between culture and Western medicine’: PLwD and their family members in Pakistan hold strong beliefs concerning foods’ medicinal properties. Power dynamics within families need to be considered when making nutritional recommendations. Medical guidelines should acknowledge personal agency and cultural beliefs.
Speaking Up: Infusing Self-Determination Within Writing Instruction to Amplify the Voice of Students With EBD
Authors: Pitzel Allyson
Published: December 2023

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often struggle to apply self-determination skills. Teaching self-determination skills within the context of writing allows students to amplify their voice and communicate with others. This article describes how writing instruction and lessons on self-determination skills may be combined to improve the trajectory of students with EBD using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instructional approach. Special considerations for implementing SRSD with self-determination for students in restrictive education settings are discussed.
COVID-19-Related Experiences and Perspectives of Peruvian College Students: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Bazo-Alvarez Juan Carlos , Bazalar-Palacios Janina , Quiñones-Negrete Magaly M. , Ipanaqué Miguel , Cjuno Julio , Hoyt Lindsay T. , Bennett Chloe R. , Cohen Alison K.
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected higher education and higher education students around the world, but few studies of college students’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic have been conducted in Latin America. This study describes the COVID-19-related experiences and perspectives of Peruvian college students. We surveyed 3,427 full-time college students (average age: 23 years) attending a multi-campus Peruvian university in fall 2020. Participants were recruited through the digital platform of the learning management system at their university, email, and social media. We asked participants how they were managing risks related to COVID-19; the continuity of social, educational, and work activities; and the psychological and economic impacts of the pandemic on their lives. Since March 2020, 73.0% of participants reported COVID-19-related symptoms, but only 33.9% were tested for COVID-19. During the national quarantine imposed by the Peruvian government (March 15–June 30, 2020), 64.3% of participants remained in their house. Furthermore, while 44.0% of participants were working in February 2020 (95% CI: [41.7%, 46.4%]), only 23.6% (95% CI: [21.7%, 25.7%]) were working immediately after the pandemic began (i.e., at the end of April 2020). Participants were more stressed about the health and educational implications of COVID-19 for Peruvian society and their families than about themselves. The public health, economic, and educational implications of COVID-19 on college students are continuing to unfold. This study informed Peruvian higher education institutions’ continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the progressive return to postpandemic activities, as well as other future pandemics and other crises.
Turkish Adaptation of the ADORE: A Study of Validity and Reliability
Authors: Cicek Ozdemir Sevil , Senturk Erenel Ayten
Published: December 2023

It is obvious that current tools in literature that are used to measure female’s sexual quality of life focus only on the objective dimension of sexual function, failing to examine quality of life on a multidimensional level. The aim of this research is to examine the validity and reliability of the ADORE for Turkish society. In the methodological research, 500 females were included. The research data was collected with “Descriptive Information Form” “ADORE” and “Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F).” ADORE is a five-Likert-type type and 36-item scale that was developed to assess female’s sexual quality of life. It has six sub-dimensions. It is stated that ADORE can better evaluate female’s sexual quality of life holistically and contextually. The validity of ADORE was analyzed as linguistic, content, and construct validities. In determining the reliability of the scale, item-total score correlation, Cronbach alpha (Cr α) coefficient, Pearson correlation, split-half analysis, test–retest, and parallel form were used. Content validity index was found to be 0.90. The confirmatory factor analysis was performed for construct validity. ADORE’s Cr α reliability coefficient was determined to be .95. According to ADORE test–retest analyses, it was found that there is a positively strong and statistically high significant correlation among scores of the scale. It was determined that there is an acceptable correlation between ADORE and SQOL-F. In determining female’s sexual quality of life in Turkish society, ADORE is a valid and reliable scale. It is a useful scale for health professionals working in the clinic to evaluate female’s sexual quality of life.
To Omit or to Include? Integrating the Frugal and Prolific Perspectives on Control Variable Use
Authors: Mändli Fabian , Rönkkö Mikko
Published: December 2023

Over the recent years, two perspectives on control variable use have emerged in management research: the first originates largely from within the management discipline and argues to remain frugal, to use control variables as sparsely as possible. The second is rooted in econometrics textbooks and argues to be prolific, to be generous in control variable inclusion to not risk omitted variable bias, and because including irrelevant exogenous variables has little consequences for regression results. We present two reviews showing that the frugal perspective is becoming increasingly popular in research practice, while the prolific perspective has received little explicit attention. We summarize both perspectives’ key arguments and test their specific recommendations in three Monte Carlo simulations. Our results challenge the two recommendations of the frugal perspective of “omitting impotent controls” and “avoiding proxies” but show the detrimental effects of including endogenous controls (bad controls). We recommend considering the control variable selection problem from the perspective of endogeneity and selecting controls based on theory using causal graphs instead of focusing on the many or few questions.
Decreased circulating transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and kidney TGF-β immunoreactivity predict renal disease in cats with naturally occurring chronic kidney disease
Authors: Piyarungsri Kakanang , Chuammitri Phongsakorn , Pringproa Kidsadagon , Pila Pattiya , Srivorakul Saralee , Sornpet Benjaporn , Pusoonthornthum Rosama
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to compare the circulating transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) of clinically normal age-matched and naturally occurring chronic kidney disease (CKD) cats and to determine the correlation between the TGF-β expression and histopathological changes in cats with CKD.

Methods

A total of 11 clinically normal age-matched and 27 cats with naturally occurring CKD were included in this study. Circulating TGF-β was quantified by immunoassays. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to calculate the association between survival time and the concentration of circulating TGF-β. A general linear model was used to compare the circulating TGF-β between groups. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed TGF-β expression in renal tissues from cats with CKD that died during the study (n = 7) and in available archived renal tissue specimens taken at necropsy from cats that had previous CKD with renal lesions (n = 10). Correlations of the TGF-β expression and clinical parameters (n = 7) and histopathological changes (n = 17) were analysed using Spearman’s rank correlation.

Results

The median survival time of cats with a lower concentration of circulating TGF-β was shorter than that of cats with a higher concentration. The area under the curve of circulating TGF-β for predicting CKD was 0.781, indicating good differentiation. The study indicated a significant difference in circulating TGF-β concentrations between clinically normal cats and those with CKD and demonstrated that TGF-β expression is correlated with tubular atrophy.

Conclusions and relevance

The study findings suggest that decreased serum TGF-β and tubular atrophy with TGF-β immunoreactivity may be significant in cats with CKD.
Neurotrophic keratopathy: Clinical presentation and outcomes in 354 eyes in a community-based population
Authors: Choi Catherine J , Liu Liyan , Qian Ying , Herrinton Lisa J
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To describe the frequency, clinical presentation, and outcomes of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK).

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients diagnosed with NK using ICD-10 code H16.23X from October 1, 2016 through May 31, 2021 was conducted. The electronic medical record was used to obtain demographic information, systemic and ocular comorbidities, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), Mackie stage, laterality, etiology, complications, interventions, and medications. The data were analyzed using cross-tabulations.

Results

354 eyes in 322 patients presented with an initial or recurrent episode of NK. 9.9% had bilateral NK, 40% were 75 years and older, and 55% were women. Baseline vision was worse than 20/100 in 47.5%. Mackie staging was stage 1 in 37.3%, stage 2 in 32.5%, and stage 3 in 30.2%. Herpetic causes comprised 34.9%, followed by diabetes (12.4%), ocular surgery (10.4%), and central nervous system etiologies (9.0%). Topical antibiotics (74.5%), steroids (54.0%), autologous serum tears (46.0%), and oral antivirals (43.8%) were the most used treatments. There were 8 eyes with perforation, 4 endophthalmitis, and 3 evisceration/enucleations. An increased difference of approximately 0.1 logMAR in CDVA in the affected eye compared with the unaffected eye over one year was not statistically significant. Clinic utilization for stage 2 (average visits per month, 3.2) and stage 3 (5.0) NK gradually decreased over 6 months.

Conclusions

Summary of the current management, outcomes, and healthcare utilization of NK provides valuable benchmarks in assessing the disease burden in the community and for further development of novel therapies.