bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystallising places: Towards geographies of ontogenesis and individuation
Authors: Merriman Peter
Published: December 2023

Building upon the current concern with relational, processual and assemblage approaches to place, this paper argues for a move away from ‘pointillist’ and constructivist accounts of the assembling of places because they reinforce binaries, reintroduce structures and highlight singular representational moments in the building, identification and dismantling of places. Drawing upon Deleuze’s philosophy of difference and Simondon’s writings on individuation, I suggest that places can more usefully be seen as events of crystallisation, distillation or folding characterised by multi-phased processes of individuation through which distinctive ‘individual-milieu coupling[s]’ emerge, refocusing attention on the open-ended, plural and eventful qualities of places-in-becoming.
Design and realization of a pre-production platform for wind turbine manufacturing
Authors: Yin Xiao Ju , Mu Qi Zheng , Shao Guo Ce , Lu Shiyu
Published: December 2023

Addressing the challenge of rehearsing large-scale equipment assembly, particularly for oversized components like wind turbine towers, hubs, nacelles, and blades, which often face quality issues such as substandard workmanship and wide tolerances during on-site assembly, a system has been developed for simulating wind turbine assembly. This system enables digital wind turbine assembly by creating virtual and production process models and employing intelligent database analysis. It resolves the problem of the absence of pre-production for large-scale equipment, meets the batch production needs of the wind turbine manufacturing industry, enhances the safety of wind turbine operations, improves operator assembly skills, and boosts production efficiency. This platform has already been implemented in the wind turbine manufacturing industry, yielding significant economic benefits.
Recent advancements in thermoplastic composite materials in aerospace industry
Authors: Ozturk Fahrettin , Cobanoglu Merve , Ece Remzi Ecmel
Published: December 2023

It is a known fact that aerospace industry requires very strict requirements in terms of weight, material properties, and product lifetime performance. Therefore, composite materials are key candidates to satisfy these stringent requirements. Thermoplastic composites have become more competitive in the fields of aerospace, defense, energy, electronics, and automotive industries compared to thermoset composites, due to their ease of formability, short production cycles, and recyclability. Considering the benefits of thermoplastic composite materials, more thermoplastic parts will be produced in near future in aerospace industry. This study highlights the most recent advancements in thermoplastic composite technology. The latest advances in thermoplastic composite technology are highlighted by reviewing material technologies and production methods. Conclusion of this study, it has been observed that the use of thermoplastics in the aerospace industry is increasing day by day, owing to the advantages they offer compared to traditional materials. Especially in critical and trending areas such as stamp forming, press consolidation, Automatic Fiber Placement (AFP), and welding methods, research and development activities are intensifying. Furthermore, this study provides insights into the direction of current investments in thermoplastic technology and discusses how these investments are likely to shape future applications within the aerospace industry.
Numerical analysis of Marangoni convected dusty second-grade nanofluid flow in a suspension of chemically reactive microorganisms
Authors: Abbas Munawar , Khan Nargis , Shehzad Sabir Ali
Published: December 2023

The present work investigates the Magneto-Marangoni convective flow of dusty second-grade nanofluid flow over a porous sheet in the presence of stagnation-point. The effects of chemical reaction, gyrotactic microorganisms are taken into account along with variable mass diffusivity, thermal radiation, and non-uniform heat source. The thermal reflection of nanoparticle molybdenum disulfide ([Formula: see text]) when it interacts with kerosene oil (KO) base fluid is determined. Nanoparticles and dust particles are presumptively spherical. The arising system of nonlinear PDEs is transformed into nonlinear ODEs by applying similarity transformations. Conservation of momentum, mass, concentration, energy, and density of microorganisms are used in to model the flow equations. The numeric expressions are computed by using the RKF-45th based shooting scheme. The outcomes revealed that the microorganisms, concentration, and temperature profiles decay in both phases, but velocity profiles of dust and fluid phases rise as the Marangoni ratio parameter grows.
Research on adaptive evaluation method of manipulator trajectory accuracy
Authors: Xiang Ming , Feng Xulong , Zhou Haihui , Xie Weijun , Wang Jiaxin , Xu Shimin , Zhou Tao , Wang Wei , Luo Xianhai
Published: December 2023

In the evaluation of manipulator trajectory accuracy, the selection of measured reference points and equipment installation effects the evaluation results. Therefore, a geometric model of ruled surface is proposed to describe the error motion of the manipulator. The directrix error and spherical image error are defined as parameters to describe the range of error motion. The above mathematical model is optimized to obtain the minimal directrix error vector and the minimal spherical image error vector on the moving coordinate system, and these vectors are selected as the evaluation indicators, it is unique to evaluate the accuracy of manipulator trajectory, which can eliminate the impact of measured reference points and equipment installation. This approach has been verified on the LR7-710 manipulator, the minimal directrix error of the manipulator trajectory is 0.2673 mm, and the minimal spherical image error is [Formula: see text]. The feasibility of the method is verified by three contrast tests.
Analytical study on nonlinear frequency response and vibration isolation of multistage clutch damper in automotive powertrain
Authors: Qu Junlong , Shi Wenku , Chen Zhiyong
Published: December 2023

This paper studies the nonlinear frequency response and vibration isolation performance of the multistage clutch damper at resonance. First, a 2-DOF drivetrain model is established considering the piecewise-linear stiffness, piecewise-linear damping and asymmetric transition angles of the multistage clutch damper. Then, the averaging method is employed to deduce the analytical solution of the nonlinear motion equation, and the stability of the periodic solution is studied using Routh-Hurwitz criterion. The nonlinear behaviors of the oscillator are discussed based on the theoretical results, and the numerical simulation is carried out to verify the credibility of the proposed method. Finally, the sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the influence of the system parameters on the amplitude-frequency response of the multistage clutch damper. The results indicate that the isolation performance of the multistage clutch damper is sensitive to the first and second stages of damping and the first-stage transition angles. By increasing the first and second stages of viscous damping by 50% and simultaneously reducing the first-stage angle range by 3° with 1° asymmetry, the isolation performance of the clutch damper is effectively improved, reducing the vibration amplitude at resonance by 28.8%.
Institutional and non-institutional news trust as predictors of COVID-19 beliefs: Evidence from three European countries
Authors: Arrese Ángel
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an infodemic in which trust in news played an essential role. This article analyzes how this trust can be divided into two components, institutional and non-institutional, which are differentially related to beliefs about COVID-19 and perceptions of receiving misinformation and disinformation. Based on a survey conducted in three European countries (Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom), the study confirms that higher levels of institutional news trust (the trust dimension correlated more with trust in the news media, government, politicians, national and global health organizations, and scientists) are a good predictor of both better knowledge of COVID-19 myths and misstatements, and lower perceptions of being surrounded by false and misleading information about the virus. The research also highlights the special role of media and political sources in strengthening the institutional dimension of news trust.
Dynamics of spinning axially graded porous nanoscale beams with rectangular cross-section incorporating rotary inertia effects
Authors: Kharnoob Majid M , Falih Hasan Forat , Kumar Sharma Mukesh , Ali Zearah Sajad , Alsalamy Ali , Hussien Radie Alawadi Ahmed , Thabit Daha
Published: December 2023

The impacts of axially functionally graded (AFG) materials, porosity distribution patterns, rotary inertia factor, hygro-thermo-magnetic environments, non-uniform elastic substrates, axisymmetric cross-sections, axial and distributed tangential loads on the stability, and dynamics of spinning are analyzed. The governing equations of lateral displacements of the nanobeam are extracted based on the modified nonlocal theory (MNT) and the Rayleigh beam theory assumptions. The vibration frequencies are identified by solving the eigenvalue problem and exploiting the Galerkin discretization scheme. Stability maps and Campbell diagrams are presented to survey divergence and flutter behaviors with the help of numerical and analytical treatments. Comparative studies in various system circumstances are conducted to confirm the accuracy of the model and methodology. Results revealed that contrary to the square cross-section case, a divergence instability region is detected in the stability evolution of the nanobeam with a rectangular cross-section. Also, ascending the porosity factor leads to a more stable structure for low AFG indices. Moreover, the nanobeam can experience flutter instability by considering rotary inertia effects. The present research results could be advantageou for the design of high-tech inhomogeneous spinning systems.
Explaining Male Sex Offender Recidivism: Accounting for Differences in Correctional Supervision
Authors: Kowalski M. A. , Baumgart Z. , Bergner C. , Jones M.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Contrary to public opinion, empirical studies have consistently shown that persons convicted of a sexual offense (PCSO) are less likely to recidivate with a general offense. While researchers often point toward the surreptitiousness of sexual offending to explain low rates of recidivism, this paper tests a novel explanation: SOs recidivate at lower rates than persons convicted of a non-sexual offense (PCNSO) because they are more often revoked to prison before they are able to commit a new crime, perhaps owing to more restrictive post-release supervision guidelines.

Methods

Using a sample of 196,468 unique male releases, the difference in general and sexual recidivism between PCSO ( n = 29,420) and PCNSO was assessed through survival analyses (Cox regression models).

Results

Results demonstrated that PCSO were significantly less likely to be reconvicted for a general crime, but more likely for a sex offense. They were also more likely to be reincarcerated due to a revocation without a new sentence. Accounting for revocations, the difference in reconviction risk lessens between the groups but does not disappear.

Conclusions

This analysis provides evidence that differences in community supervision are contributing to the difference in recidivism rates between PCSO and PCNSO. Implications and future research are discussed.
Factors Promoting and Inhibiting Use of Wellness Resources Among Police: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Fix Rebecca L. , Papazoglou Konstantinos , Padilla Kathleen E. , Blumberg Daniel M.
Published: December 2023

There has been an increase in wellness programming within police agencies across the U.S. We examined factors contributing to and inhibiting use of within-department and external mental wellness programming using a sequential mixed methods design within a large Mid-Atlantic U.S. metropolitan police department. Sworn and civilian policing personnel completed surveys ( n = 297) and interviews ( n = 26). Regression models and chi-square tests were run on survey data, and open coding was used to analyze qualitative interview data. Results from triangulation of data demonstrated departmental mistrust and confidentiality in service usage were barriers to services. Additionally, the pervasiveness of stigma within the department and the field of policing at large was emphasized. Health insurance was key to accessing mental health services when people reached a point of extreme stress. In response, within-agency messaging about confidentiality of services and options for external mental health services should be prioritized in police agencies. Furthermore, police agencies looking to promote mental health could start by offering health insurance plans that include coverage of mental health services.
Stretching is not essential for managing MS spasticity: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Hugos Cinda L , Joos Sandra K , Perumean-Chaney Suzanne E , Cutter Gary R , Cameron Michelle H
Published: December 2023

Background:

Clinical practice, expert opinion, and evidence-based guidelines recommend daily stretching as first-line treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity, but this has not been evaluated by fully powered clinical trials.

Objective:

To determine whether MS Spasticity: Take Control (STC), a guideline-based program of spasticity education and stretching exercises has different effects on the impact of spasticity than a control program of different spasticity education and range of motion (ROM) exercises.

Methods:

Ambulatory people with self-reported MS spasticity were randomly assigned to STC or ROM, delivered in same duration, facilitator-led, group classes, face-to-face (F2F) initially and later virtually, due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale (MSSS) scores were compared between groups at 1 (primary outcome) and 6 months after interventions.

Results:

A total of 231 people enrolled. There was no significant difference in MSSS scores between STC and ROM at 1 month (mean difference = 0.28, 95% (confidence interval (CI)) = [−9.45 to 10.01], p = 0.955). There were significant group mean improvements in MSSS scores and most other outcomes at 1 and 6 months.

Conclusion:

Education with stretching exercises, the first-line recommended treatment for MS spasticity, and education with ROM exercises may both improve MS spasticity to a similar degree. This study debunks the belief that stretching is essential to managing MS spasticity.
The Finger Dexterity Test: Validation study of a smartphone-based manual dexterity assessment
Authors: Van Laethem Delphine , Denissen Stijn , Costers Lars , Descamps Annabel , Baijot Johan , Van Remoortel Ann , Van Merhaegen-Wieleman Annick , D’hooghe Marie B , D’Haeseleer Miguel , Smeets Dirk , Sima Diana M , Van Schependom Jeroen , Nagels Guy
Published: December 2023

Background:

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) is the golden standard to measure manual dexterity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, administration requires trained personnel and dedicated time during a clinical visit.

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to validate a smartphone-based test for remote manual dexterity assessment, the icompanion Finger Dexterity Test (FDT), to be included into the icompanion application.

Methods:

A total of 65 MS and 81 healthy subjects were tested, and 20 healthy subjects were retested 2 weeks later.

Results:

The FDT significantly correlated with the 9HPT (dominant: ρ = 0.62, p < 0.001; non-dominant: ρ = 0.52, p < 0.001). MS subjects had significantly higher FDT scores than healthy subjects (dominant: p = 0.015; non-dominant: p = 0.013), which was not the case for the 9HPT. A significant correlation with age (dominant: ρ = 0.46, p < 0.001; non-dominant: ρ = 0.40, p = 0.002), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS, dominant: ρ = 0.36, p = 0.005; non-dominant: ρ = 0.31, p = 0.024), and disease duration for the non-dominant hand (ρ = 0.31, p = 0.016) was observed. There was a good test–retest reliability in healthy subjects (dominant: r = 0.69, p = 0.001; non-dominant: r = 0.87, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The icompanion FDT shows a moderate-to-good concurrent validity and test–retest reliability, differentiates between the MS subjects and healthy controls, and correlates with clinical parameters. This test can be implemented into routine MS care for remote follow-up of manual dexterity.
Fuel control strategy for robust low-load gasoline low temperature combustion
Authors: Kang Jun-Mo , Yun Hanho
Published: December 2023

To achieve robust low-load LTC (Low Temperature combustion), precise metering of fuel is required since the combustion is very sensitive to the variation of the injected fuel quantity, which could range from 1 to 3 mg per injection pulse. Open-loop calibration of individual injectors is simply not a practical option and therefore a fuel control strategy has been developed to ensure robust low-load LTC combustion and validated through experiments on a 2.2 L 4-cylinder LTC engine at two different coolant temperatures. The results show that the fuel control strategy significantly improves low-load LTC combustion stability by reducing cylinder-to-cylinder variation in delivered fuel masses due to different injector characteristics even when engine operating conditions are changed.
Modeling and analysis of magnetorheological anti-swing device for marine crane
Authors: Deng Chenxu , Zhao Minghui , Han Guangdong , Wang Shenghai , Chen Haiquan , Sun Yuqing
Published: December 2023

Due to the marine environment, the operation efficiency of marine cranes is low, and it is easy to cause safety accidents. In this study, magnetorheological (MR) technology is applied to the field of payload anti-swing for marine crane, and designs a parallel MR anti-swing device. The dynamic model of the anti-swing system is derived based on the robot theory and Lagrange method. To enhance the efficiency of anti-swing and reduce the energy, the variable universe fuzzy PID (VUFPID) controller is designed. The anti-swing effect of MR anti-swing device is simulated and analyzed. The results show that the effect of payload anti-swing is exceed 80%, and the energy consumption of MR anti-swing device with VUFPID controller is reduced by 49% compared with MR anti-swing device with a fixed current (1.9 A) under the approximate anti-swing effect. The physical prototype of MR anti-swing device is installed on the laboratory crane. The experimental results show that the attitude of the payload is reduced by 80%. The proposed MR anti-swing device improve the efficiency of Marine cranes.
A parallel convolutional neural network-transformer model for underwater target recognition based on multimodal feature learning
Authors: Cui Xuerong , Zheng Qingqing , Li Juan , Jiang Bin , Li Shibao , Liu Jianhang
Published: December 2023

Underwater acoustic target recognition is a hot research issue with a wide range of applications. The variable ocean environment and evolving underwater moving target noise reduction techniques greatly complicate the recognition task. Traditional recognition methods are difficult to obtain practical characterization features and robust recognition results due to the singular input features and the limitation of the network backbone. Therefore, We propose a parallel convolutional neural network (CNN)-Transformer model based on multimodal feature learning for underwater target recognition. The CNN module extracts deep features from the Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs). The Transformer captures global information in the original time-domain signal. The two single-modal features are combined by an adaptive feature fusion module to construct joint features for target recognition. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified in the Ships-Ear dataset, and the average accuracy of classification reached 98.58%. The experimental results show that our model works better than classical methods.
Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Depression in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Reangsing Chuntana , Punsuwun Sasinun , Keller Kristine
Published: December 2023

Objective:

We examined the effects of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer and examined the moderating effects of participant characteristics, research methodologies, and features of interventions.

Methods:

We systematically searched 12 databases through November 2022 without date restrictions using the following search terms: (mindful* or meditation) AND (cancer OR neoplasm) AND (depress*). Studies included were primary studies evaluating MBIs in women with breast cancer who also had depression. Studies were included if they used a control group and were written in English. We used a random-effects model to compute effect sizes (ESs) using Hedges’ g, forest plot, and Q and I2 statistics as measure of heterogeneity. We also requested moderator analyses.

Results:

We found 19 studies with 2139 participants (49.4 ± 8.3 years old) that met inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis and systematic review. Overall, women in MBI groups demonstrated significantly lower levels of depression ( g = 0.48, 95% CI:0.159, 0.792, P < .001) compared to women in control groups. Regarding moderators, providing MBIs with a home assignment component showed a significantly greater effect on decreasing depressive symptoms ( g = 1.75) compared to MBIs without a home assignment component ( g = 0.20). When researchers used concealed allocation technique, the interventions demonstrated lower effects on depression than when concealed allocation ( g = 0.11vs g = 1.33, P ≤ .001) was not reported. Additionally, when researchers reported high rates of sample attrition, they found a lower effect size on depression (β = −.019, Q = 3.97, P = .046) indicating that attrition moderates the effect.

Conclusion:

MBIs are moderately effective interventions to reduce depressive symptoms among women with breast cancer. Clinicians might consider encouraging MBIs as adjunct/alternative treatments for women with breast cancer to manage symptoms of depression. Interventions that incorporat home assignments for practicing mindfulness are likely to have a greater effect on reducing depressive symptoms. Additionally, methods including concealed allocation and attrition rate were moderators of the effects of MBIs on depression in women with breast cancer.
Patient Perceptions of Same-Day Discharge Versus Overnight Stay After Total Joint Arthroplasty: Results of a Survey
Authors: O’Brien Daniel F. , Sullivan Thomas C. , Lambert Bradley S. , Brown Timothy S. , Incavo Stephen J. , Park Kwan J.
Published: December 2023

Background:

In the COVID-19 era, there has been increasing interest in same-day discharge (SDD) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). However, patient perception of SDD is not well reported.

Purpose:

We sought to understand patients’ perceptions and preferences of postoperative care by surveying patients who have completed both an overnight stay (ONS) and an SDD after TJA.

Methods:

We emailed survey links to 67 patients who previously underwent either 2 total hip arthroplasties (THAs) or 2 total knee arthroplasties (TKAs).

Results:

Fifty-two patients (78%) responded to the survey. Thirty-four (65%) patients underwent staged, bilateral TKAs, and 18 (35%) patients underwent staged, bilateral THAs. Overall, 63% of patients preferred their SDD, 12% had no preference, and 25% preferred their ONS, with no difference in preference between TKA and THA groups. Those who preferred their SDD reported being more comfortable at home. Those who preferred their ONS felt their pain and concerns were better addressed. No differences were found in comfort, sleep quality, appetite, burden on family, return to function, feelings of being discharged too soon, overall experience, 30-day emergency department (ED) visits, or readmissions within 30 days between patients’ SDD and ONS. There was a small statistically significant difference between patients’ perception of safety between SDD and ONS.

Conclusion:

Our survey found that most patients reported a preference for SDD after TJA over ONS. Although there was a small difference in patient perception of safety, there were no differences in return to the ED or readmissions after SDD and ONS.
Influence of palm fiber on strength and crack characteristics of red clay
Authors: Chen Aijun , Ding Chuanyang , Li Chaohua , Zhao Shanshan
Published: December 2023

Red clay is widespread in southern China, exhibiting undesirable properties of softening upon contact with water and cracking after losing water. Using red clay as roadbed filler frequently results in a series of geotechnical hazards such as foundation settlement and slope instability. Consequently, it is necessary to improve the engineering properties of red clay. Using natural plant fibers offers improved environmental sustainability and greater economic advantages compared to traditional methods involving lime and cement. In this study, palm fibers were used to improve the properties of red clay. The aim was to quantitatively analyze the influence of palm fiber content and length on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of red clay, study the capacity of palm fibers to inhibit soil desiccation cracking, and explore the underlying mechanisms by conducting UCS and desiccation tests. The results show that the UCS and residual strength of red clay can be significantly enhanced by palm fiber, and the soil damage form will be changed from brittle damage to ductile damage. Particularly noteworthy, the content of 0.45% palm fiber with a length of 20 mm increased the UCS by 43.4%. Palm fiber also effectively inhibited soil desiccation cracking, the content of 0.3% palm fiber with a length of 20 mm reduced the crack ratio by 54.4%. This study presents a novel approach for improving red clay, offering valuable insights for the use of palm fiber-improved red clay in road construction and slope protection projects.
Structure failure analysis on metro axle-box hanger due to modal resonance with rail corrugation
Authors: Huo Wenbiao , Wu Pingbo , Wang Qunsheng , Wei Lai , Wang Kang , Wu Shidong
Published: December 2023

During the long-term service of a metro vehicle, different kinds of fracture failure occur on the bogie, with the axle-box hanger being a representative one. To investigate the cause of the hanger structure failure, a study was conducted that combined field investigation with finite element analysis, focusing on the modal resonance behavior between the hanger and the rail corrugation. Based on the findings, a structural optimization of the hanger was proposed and an experimental verification was conducted. The results show that the main reason for the hanger fracture failure is that the resonance phenomenon that occurred in the hanger structural modal frequency when exposed to the rail corrugation, leading to the poor lateral vibration environment of the hanger and the fracture failure in the long-term service operation. The first-order structural modal frequency of the hanger is 432 Hz, which is very close to the wheel/rail excitation frequency of 435 Hz caused by the rail corrugation. The modal frequency of three newly designed hangers can prevent the frequency caused by the rail corrugation. Experimental verification of the new hangers showed a 55.49% lower maximum average acceleration of hanger lateral vibration compared to the original structure, confirming the effectiveness of the redesigned hangers.
Suspension parameters for low-damped carbody oscillation of high-speed railway vehicle
Authors: Park Joonhyuk
Published: December 2023

This study presents an optimization method to design the suspension properties associated with low-damped carbody oscillations for high-speed railway vehicles. In this method, the least damping ratio for the low-frequency modes in the entire service speed range and the critical speed for a worn wheel are proposed for the design objectives. Based on the linearized vehicle model, a genetic algorithm is applied to determine the optimal suspension properties to maximize the least damping ratio while maintaining the critical speed above the desired speed. The optimization results show that the proposed method can enhance lateral ride comfort by eliminating the region where the least damping ratio of the carbody mode decreases excessively and securing a constant for the entire service speed range. The least damping ratio was improved from approximately 5.7% to 15.6% and the critical for the worn wheel increased from approximately 430 to 499 km/h. Parametric studies are conducted to investigate the influence of the tolerances of the suspension properties, and the results provide useful information regarding the manufacture of suspension elements and assembly of the bogie system. The validity of the optimized suspension properties is verified from the simulation results using railway vehicle dynamics software.
Real-world data of triplet combination of pyrotinib, trastuzumab, and chemotherapy in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: a multicenter, retrospective study
Authors: You Shuhui , Sang Die , Xu Fei , Luo Ting , Yuan Peng , Xie Yizhao , Wang Biyun
Published: December 2023

Background:

Pyrotinib, an irreversible pan-human epidermal growth (HER) inhibitor, has proven its antitumor efficacy as a second-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (HER2+ MBC) when combined with capecitabine. However, real-world data concerning the pyrotinib, trastuzumab, and chemotherapy (PyroHC) combination remains scarce.

Objectives:

Our study is to report the treatment patterns, efficacy, and safety of the PyroHC combination in a real-world setting.

Design:

This study enrolled patients with HER2+ MBC from five institutions in China, treated with PyroHC between June 2017 and January 2023 (ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05839288).

Methods:

We evaluated progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), toxicity profile, and utilized treatment regimens.

Results:

Of the 135 patients in our cohort, 91.9% had prior trastuzumab exposure and 52.2% underwent at least two systematic therapy lines before receiving PyroHC. The most prevalent chemotherapies paired with PyroH were capecitabine (36.3%). Patients receiving PyroHC achieved a median PFS of 8.67 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.84–10.51] and an ORR of 51.3% (95% CI: 42.1–61.5%). The first-line treatment with PyroHC led to a median PFS of 14.46 months (95% CI: 6.35–22.56). Patients with brain metastases showed a median PFS of 9.03 months (95% CI: 6.56–11.50), achieving an ORR of 52.17% (95% CI: 51.74–83.39). Longer previous trastuzumab (⩾6.37 months) or lapatinib (⩾10.05 months) therapies could indicate improved PFS, while prior pyrotinib exposure negatively influenced PFS. Notably, the most common grade 3/4 adverse events were diarrhea (37.8%), which were generally manageable.

Conclusion:

PyroHC shows promising efficacy and a satisfactory safety profile for treating HER2+ MBC, both as a first-line option and for heavily treated patients, including those with brain metastasis. Our findings suggest the duration and history of anti-HER2 therapy as potential predictors for PyroHC efficacy in advanced settings.
Bilateral Freiberg disease in a young female dancer: A case report
Authors: Katwal Shailendra , Katuwal Sarad , Bhandari Sushmita
Published: December 2023

Freiberg’s infarction is the disorder of cartilage degeneration. The second metatarsal head is most vulnerable to Freiberg’s infarction due to its longer length and relative immobility. It is exposed to repetitive stress even during normal activity. The multifactorial etiology of Freiberg’s infarction is mentioned in the literature. It commonly affects the adolescent female with a female-to-male ratio of 5:1. High prevalence in adolescent females is explained in some literature due to wearing high heels, which leads to repetitive forced dorsiflexion injuries to the metatarsal head. Our case is an adolescent female of 20 years who was participating in dancing for 5 months. On examination, there is swelling and tenderness in the bilateral foot, more on the right side. Plain radiography showed the flattening of the head of the right second metatarsal with increased joint space. Mild sclerosis of the underlying bony cortex was seen. A mild deformity with flattening of the lateral surface of the head of the left second metatarsal was also seen.
Perceived Impact of Virtual Visits on Access to Care in Family Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Benefits and Challenges
Authors: Ho Tiffany F. , Fortenberry Katherine T. , Gardner Elena , Turner Cindy , Knox Jordan , Spiess Saskia , Ose Dominik J.
Published: December 2023

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to the rapid adoption of telemedicine, including virtual visits, to minimize face-to-face contact between clinicians and patients. Family medicine clinics across the nation had to transform how they provided primary care while maintaining the core values of family medicine. The objective of this study was to analyze how family medicine faculty perceived the impact of virtual visits on patient access to care.

Methods:

This qualitative study took place in an academic primary care setting. We interviewed clinical faculty who utilized virtual visits about their experiences from June to December 2020. We used qualitative content analysis to evaluate the results of the interviews.

Results:

The study included a total of 20 participants. The mean age was 43.4 years, and 85% of participants were female. Researchers developed 3 themes, “Logistics of virtual visits,” “reigniting the concept of home visits,” and “barriers and benefits that affect specific patient populations” that describe how virtual visits have impacted patients’ access to care. The results highlight how virtual visits improve access to care by increasing flexibility for patients and providers and provide a new perspective into a patient’s home life. Challenges of virtual visits include language barriers, technological issues, and issues unique to vulnerable patient populations.

Conclusion:

Virtual visits can enhance family medicine’s ability to provide accessible care, but there are concerns it may worsen health disparities. Further research and quality improvement projects are needed to examine ways to implement innovative care delivery solutions to avoid further exacerbating these disparities.
Effect Modification by Age and Gender in the Correlation Between Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, and Obesity
Authors: El-Metwally Ashraf , Fatani Faris , Binhowaimel Nouf , Al Khateeb Badr F. , Al Kadri Hanan M. , Alshahrani Awad , Aldubikhi Aljohrah I. , Bin Amer Mona I. , Almuflih Abdulrahman , Alangari Abdulaziz S.
Published: December 2023

Background:

Literature has reported differences in the epidemiology or natural history of non-communicable diseases among both the male and female sexes. Stratification of multimorbidity burden based on sex is crucial to identify and implement targeted prevention and control interventions for chronic diseases.

Objectives:

To determine the burden of hypertension, type-2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity; and to compare the related multimorbidity among male and female patients.

Methods:

The study was a retrospective analysis of 375 802 medical records from primary care centers. Data was extracted from March 2022 to March 2023. A multivariate probit estimation methodology was employed using a 3-equations multivariate multiple probit model to jointly estimate the association of a person’s sex with the diagnosis of the 3 chronic conditions: obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to allow each unique combination of these 3 chronic diseases.

Results:

Females had a relatively higher proportion of obesity (58.1% vs 41.2%), obesity and diabetes only (58.9% vs 41.1%), obesity and hypertension (63.6% vs 36.4%), and joint diagnosis with 3 conditions (65.7% vs 34.3%). Females’ participants consistently had a significantly higher likelihood of diagnosis compared with males except for diabetes (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.56-0.62) and the combination of only diabetes and hypertension (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.61-0.74). The likelihood of other combinations ranged from 1.04 (95% CI: 0.98-1.10) for only hypertension to 2.30 (95% CI: 2.10-2.53) for the joint diagnosis of all 3 conditions. An increased likelihood of a single or combined occurrence of 3 chronic conditions was observed with increased age.

Conclusion:

The multimorbidity distribution for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity differs significantly among male and female patients. The overall burden of morbidity, and mortality, however, tends to rise after 46 years of age, with the highest burden among individuals above 60 years of age.
Using Simulation in Business English Courses for China’s English Majors
Authors: Xie Qing
Published: December 2023

This study reports on an investigate study about using simulation in business English teaching with 66 English-major advanced learners, using two-stage surveys. This study addresses the three research questions focusing on the needs and challenges, effectiveness and learning outcomes and suggestions for improvement of simulation in business English teaching. The study found that participants most favored employment related simulation and workplace scenarios. They preferred both Chinese and global corporate simulation cases, as well as unique industrial and familiar cases. The lack of language skills, knowledge, thinking skills, practice skills, and mentality could be the challenges for simulation. The majority of the participants agreed that simulation activities were effective and had positive impact. Through simulation, participants could acquire writing skills, corporate and business knowledge, and business vocabulary knowledge. Participants were concerned about the simulation process and the roles to play. Lack of adequate language, knowledge, experience, and social skills, inappropriate grouping and timing could be unproductive factors for simulation. On the other hand, more interactions, presentation, expanded language and knowledge, and linking with practice could be facilitating factors for simulation. For improvement, participants suggested adding more case content and context, having longer preparation time and better grouping, as well as clearer simulation instructions. This study provides empirical evidences for refining the simulation approach in business English courses from China’s English majors’ perspectives. The study has important implications for business English simulation teaching design and implementations in both Chinese and international contexts.
Advancements in Rumor Detection Research Based on Bibliometrics and S-curve Technology Evolution Theory
Authors: Zhao Jianbo , Liu Huailiang , Zhang Shanzhuang , Qi Yanwei , Dong Haiping , Zhang Xiaojin , Zhang Weili
Published: December 2023

With the rapid development of social media, new opportunities have been provided for the generation and dissemination of online rumors, making systematic study of rumor detection of great significance for the control and governance of internet rumors. Addressing the limitations of past review studies on rumor detection which were characterized by a single perspective, reliance on subjective judgment, and lack of technological evolution theory, this paper reviews 983 rumor detection articles in the SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI, CPCI-S, CPCI-SSH, CCR-EXPANDED, and IC databases of the Web of Science. Utilizing Citespace and VOSviewer for visual analysis of the articles, and adopting bibliometric theories like network analysis and topic evolution analysis, this study identifies core research groups in the field of rumor detection based on author collaboration network and institution collaboration network. Through high-frequency keyword clustering graph and keyword co-occurrence graph, the study unveils topic associations and cluster structures among keywords, explicates research hotspots in the field of rumor detection, and conducts a fine-grained critical comparative analysis. According to keyword time graph, keyword bursts table, and trends in the number of publications in hot technology fields, combined with the S-curve technology evolution theory, the study discerns the life cycle and research trends of technologies in the rumor detection field. Compared to existing literature reviews, this paper is the first to propose integrating bibliometrics and S-curve technology evolution theory to reveal the state of relevant technologies and research frontiers.
Negotiating Platforms and Sexual Identities: Digital and Social Media Use in Four Generations of Flemish MSM
Authors: Dhoest Alexander , Van Ouytsel Joris
Published: December 2023

Building on the extensive literature highlighting the key role digital and social media play in the lives of LGBTQ people, this article adds a generational perspective by studying the importance of the internet and social media for different generations of men who have sex with men (MSM). Focusing on issues of identity exploration and the search for information as well as social connection, two periods are distinguished: the time of sexual identity exploration, and the present. Based on a mixed-method design, a survey ( n = 684) was used to measure the perceived importance of online platforms (particularly Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, and TikTok), while in-depth interviews ( n = 80) helped to better understand how digital media are embedded in the context of everyday life and society. The results show an ever-shifting range of digital media which subsequent generations come across at different times in their lives, fulfilling similar needs with the tools available at that time. This study contributes to the literature by adopting a life course approach to the study of media use among MSM of various generations, which allows to disentangle the respective roles of age and generation.
Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Needs among Hispanic Women Living on the US-Mexico Border
Authors: Whitney Meagan , Chávez-Baray Silvia , Villarreal Alicia , Moya Eva
Published: December 2023

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of female cancer and has a disproportionate impact on Hispanic women living on the US-Mexico border, especially those who are migrants or low-income. However, cervical cancer is primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can be successfully prevented and treated early with vaccination and screening. Several studies have explored factors affecting HPV prevention and cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women, but the experiences of Hispanic women who have had cervical cancer have rarely been studied. This paper will present the experiences of Hispanic women (N = 10) who survived cervical cancer, including barriers to care, services needed and received, self-care measures taken, and a series of recommendations for policy makers and the surrounding medical community to help prevent and treat this illness that, without proper treatment, can be fatal.
Construction and Validation of a Social Stratification Scale: Cambridge Social Interaction and Stratification (CAMSIS) Scale for China in the 21st Century
Authors: Sun Wangshu , Sun Xu
Published: December 2023

CAMSIS scale measures the long-term position of occupations in social hierarchies. The CAMSIS-China scale, which measures the social interaction distance among occupations as well as the social hierarchies of China in the 21st century, was constructed through the Goodman’s class of Row-Column Association Models II (RCII) according to the occupation tables formed by CGSS data from 2003 to 2018. The validity of the CAMSIS-China scale has been verified. The results show that the most outstanding feature of the CAMSIS-China scale is that farm labors are at the lowest ends, and their scores are separated from other occupations with clear boundaries. Another feature is that occupations characterized by government and public institutions are with unusually high scores. Patterns of specificity reflect that the hukou and danwei sector/ownership, as key institutions to facilitate the redistribution of resources and life chances among Chinese citizens, affect social interaction patterns.
Evaluation of Vitamin D Level in Children With Febrile Seizure Referred to Amirkola Children’s Hospital, Babol
Authors: Mohammadi Mohsen , Baleghi Yeganeh , Salehiomran Mohammadreza , Hajiahmadi Mahmood , Poornasrollah Mohammad , Alijanpour Pourya , Alijanpour Morteza
Published: December 2023

Objective. This study aim to evaluate the level of vitamin D with the incidence of febrile seizure. Method. This case-control study was conducted on 90 febrile children referred to Amirkola Children’s Hospital from 19 February to 21 August 2021. Febrile children with and without seizures were considered as case and control groups, respectively. Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were evaluated. Results. The mean level of vitamin D was not significant between the 2 groups ( P = .62), but the mean level of alkaline phosphatase was higher in the case group, statistically ( P = .04). 46.75% and 15.6% of case group, 28.9% and 26.7% of control group had deficiency and insufficiency levels of vitamin D, respectively ( P = .17). Conclusion. In this study the mean level and deficiency of Vitamin D were not significant between the 2 groups. No correlation was also found between Vitamin D levels and the incidence of Febrile Seizure.
A New Trend of Social Media and Medicine: Analyzing the Quality and Educational Value of Ankle Sprain-Related Videos on TikTok
Authors: Anastasio Albert T. , Tabarestani Troy Q. , Bagheri Kian , Bethell Mikhail Alexander , Prado Isabel , Taylor Joshua , Adams Samuel
Published: December 2023

Category:

Ankle; Sports

Introduction/Purpose:

Social media platforms, like TikTok, have become popular options for the distribution of healthcare information. Due to the lack of scientific oversight, the quality of healthcare-related videos has become a focus of the current literature. However, orthopaedic surgery has lagged behind other fields in acknowledging the widespread utilization of TikTok videos for medical information consumption. This study aims to assess the quality and educational benefits of ankle sprain-related TikTok videos.

Methods:

TikTok was queried using the hashtag “#anklesprainexercises". 100 videos were included after applying the exclusion criteria. The number of views, likes, shares, comments, and favorites was recorded. The content was graded using DISCERN (a well-validated informational analysis tool) and ASEES (a self-designed tool for exercise evaluation).

Results:

The total number of views of the 100 videos included was 6,483,412, with a median of 5,377.5 (IQR = 1,074- 20,275). The videos collectively received 385,847 likes, 3,642 comments, 55,574 favorites, and 14,918 shares with a median of 267.5 (IQR=41.5-1,678.0), 4.0 (IQR= 0.0-23.0), 42.0 (IQR= 4.8-264.5), and 13.0 (IQR= 1.8-67.8), respectively. General users uploaded more videos (68%) in comparison to healthcare professionals (32%). The dissemination statistics between the general users and healthcare professionals were statistically insignificant. There were significant differences in DISCERN 1, DISCERN 3, TOTAL DISCERN, and ASEES between the two groups. General users had a higher percentage of videos graded as “very poor” (61.8%) in comparison to healthcare professionals (34.4%). Neither general users nor healthcare professionals had videos graded “good” or “excellent”.

Conclusion:

Although TikTok is a powerful tool for information distribution, the educational value of the videos related to ankle sprain injury exercises was poor. With only 2% of videos receiving a grade of ‘fair,’ and no videos reaching a score of ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, healthcare professionals should be aware of the low-quality content easily accessible on TikTok.