bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shifting the Imbalance
Authors: Meagher Kate
Published: March 2022

In many African countries, high rates of migration have often been blamed on the "urban bias" in the resource allocations of the state. While the urban areas have benefited from investments, the rural areas have suffered depletion, thereby widening the gap in incomes and basic facilities between the two areas. Inevitably, there has been massive migration from rural to urban areas in search of the "good life." This population explosion in urban areas has had its attendant strain on facilities. One school of thought has suggested that the Structural Adjustment Program would address imbalances by shifting rural-urban terms of trade decisively in favour of rural producers and thereby encouraging a "return migration." Another school of thought has disputed the predictions that SAP would relieve the urban areas of their burden, however. An examination of the impact of SAP on population movement between rural and urban areas in northern Nigeria supports this sceptical view; SAP has not stemmed rural-urban migration.
Legalizing Displacement
Authors: Ocheje Paul D.
Published: March 2022

As developments in Nigeria have demonstrated, law and the legal order can be manipulated in order to sustain the state and a section of the society at the expense of the general public. This process was imposed on the people of Nigeria under the guise of promoting development. Although development projects have been elaborately supported by the law, the effect on the welfare of the people has been largely negative. Rather than promoting progress, projects have led to the displacement of vast numbers of Nigerians from their familiar habitat. Law and the legal order have been used by the state to sustain itself at the expense of the people and therefore have had the effect of perpetuating injustice. As this situation makes clear, law can be an agent of both progress and retrogression, depending on whether the state is oriented towards protecting the people in general or in promoting the interests of a particular class. The Nigerian state has clearly had the latter objective in mind.
The New Nigeria
Authors: Levin Michael D.
Published: March 2022

Debates about constitutional, ethnic, and religious questions are the substance out of which a nation is built. In Nigeria the policy of creating states has allowed these debates to contribute to creating a sense of inclusive pluralist nationalism. Recently, however, the state has abandoned its role as national arbiter and these issues have become fault-lines in a winner-take-all struggle over power. Debates that build the nation have been abandoned in favor of oppressive policies and authoritarian rule.
Theravada Buddhism and Modernization
Authors: Balkrishna Govind Gokhale
Published: March 2022

The twentieth century saw a revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and India. Though in both countries it was an instrument of choice it played different roles. The Buddhist revival in Sri Lanka led by Anagarika Dhammapala (1864-1993) though a "spin-off" from the Theosophical movement, became a basis for the Simhala renaissance involving a restatement of the faith and reaffirmation of its cultural values. In India Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (1891-1956) turned to Buddhism in his search for an alternate cultural identity for millions of untouchables (particularly the Mahar community) in his rebellion against the Hindu caste system and its ancialliary social by-product, untouchability. In both cases what was once perceived as an ascetical and renunciatory paradigm was turned into an instrument of political action and social activism.
"Dead Men in Sultry Darkness"
Authors: Waugh Earle H.
Published: March 2022

In my researches on the mystical chanters in Egypt and Morocco, I have had to grapple with the problem of how to understand the whole culture of the ascetic tradition in Islam. I have concluded that the usual procedures among Western social sciences lead to a distortion of the lived experience of the Suf and may not encapsulate Islamic tradition faithfully. This paper is an attempt to sketch a modified approach. The focal point of the paper is the claim that the potential member is initiated into a coherent socio-spiritual organization that transcends the normal time/space framework. It deals with issues of learning the code, with spiritual kin-group relationships and with the content of the spiritual cosmos. It suggests that the liturgical dimension of Sufism is the central ingredient of an independent-minded spiritual movement; it both holds the disparate social elements together, and connects the ordinary world with the supernatural world in an apparently seamless manner.
Nath Yogis as Established Alternatives: • •Householders and Ascetics Today
Authors: Gold Daniel
Published: March 2022

One of most radical transformations of the monastic ideal in South Asia is to be found among the householder Naths of Rajasthan. The householder Naths preserve an identity as yogis and lay claim to the traditions and lore of legendary Nath ascetics, but in fact exist as an hereditary caste. The householders continue to interact with the ascetics, and individuals on both sides play across the boundaries between the two. At one time sharing a more solidary identity as a community, the two groups have diverged in the twentieth century, presenting different models of the alternative religious ideals that Nath tradition has long offered Hindu society.
Modeling Emotion Contagion within a Computational Cognitive Architecture
Authors: Sun Ron , Allen Joseph , Werbin Eric
Published: March 2022

The issue of emotion contagion has been gaining attention. Humans can share emotions, for example, through gestures, through speech, or even through online text via social media. There have been computational models trying to capture emotion contagion. However, these models are limited as they tend to represent agents in a very simplified way. There exist also more complex models of agents and their emotions, but they are not yet addressing emotion contagion. We use a more psychologically realistic and better validated model – the Clarion cognitive architecture – as the basis to model emotion and emotion contagion in a more psychologically realistic way. In particular, we use Clarion to capture and explain human data from typical human experiments on emotion contagion. This approach may open up avenues for more nuanced understanding of emotion contagion and more realistic capturing of its effects in different circumstances.
The Memorability of Supernatural Concepts: Some Puzzles and New Theoretical Directions
Authors: Sommer Joseph , Musolino Julien , Hemmer Pernille
Published: March 2022

We evaluate the literature on the memorability of supernatural concepts (e.g., gods, ghosts, souls), itself part of a growing body of work in the emerging cognitive science of religion (Barrett, 2007). Specifically, we focus on Boyer’s (1994a, 2000, 2001) Minimally Counterintuitive (MCI) hypothesis according to which supernatural concepts tap a cognitively privileged memory-enhancing mechanism linked to violations of default intuitive inferences. Our assessment reveals that the literature on the MCI hypothesis is mired in empirical contradictions and methodological shortcomings which makes it difficult to assess the validity of competing theoretical models, including the MCI hypothesis itself. In light of this fractured picture, we make the case for an account of the MCI effect which dispenses with a memory mechanism specific to supernatural concepts. This account has several desirable properties. First, it preserves Boyer’s pioneering insights regarding the ontological status of supernatural concepts and the cognitive mechanisms that give rise to their cultural prevalence. Second, our account is based on independently-motivated mechanisms that are well-established in the literature. Third, this account offers a principled resolution of the tension in the extant literature between studies that do replicate the MCI effect and those that seemingly fail to do so. Finally, because the proposed mechanisms are not specific to supernatural concepts, the scope of the MCI effect may be extended to account for a broader range of highly transmissible concepts than those it was originally intended to explain. We conclude with a set of theoretical and methodological prescriptions designed to guide future research on the memorability of supernatural concepts.
Mutual Adversaries, Fellow Dissidents
Authors: Padín-Dujon Alejandra
Published: March 2022

In mid- to late 20th-century Algeria, the language in which an author wrote reflected more than personal preference: it indicated a political affiliation and a position within the culture wars that merged with the violent conflict of the 1990s. Taking the tension between francophone, arabophone, and pluralist factions in Algerian literature as its point of departure, this article sheds light on the transcendent and multilingual “language” of dissidence exemplified in the novels of al-Ṭāhir Waṭṭār and Tahar Djaout. Previous work on Waṭṭār and Djaout has portrayed their mutual antipathy as an unbridgeable political divide. This article challenges this interpretation through an analysis of Waṭṭār’s novel al-Zilzāl (1974) and Djaout’s posthumous novel Le Dernier Été de la raison (1999). The article concludes that Waṭṭār and Djaout were not simply antagonists. Rather, they were fellow dissidents opposed to a cultural monolith on the one hand, and political and economic malpractice on the other.
A new species of Phymastichus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae) parasitic on Xyleborus beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Hawaiʻi, and aspects of its biology, life history, and behavior
Authors: HONSBERGER DAVID N , WRIGHT MARK G
Published: March 2022

A third species in the genus Phymastichus LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Phymastichus holoholo sp. nov., is described from specimens endoparasitic on adult Xyleborus beetles in Hawaiʻi. Plant and insect host records known for this species, and aspects of its searching, oviposition, and emergence behavior are discussed and illustrated with photographs and video. This new species, along with Phymastichus xylebori which is also present in Hawaiʻi, has potential as a biological control agent against Xyleborus beetles where they are problematic. Of special interest is their potential as natural enemies of X. ferrugineus, X. affinis, and X. perforans, which have recently been implicated in possibly spreading Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in Hawaiʻi. Some aspects of their potential use to combat this disease, as well as some important but as of yet unanswered questions, are discussed. Two observed instances of parasitism by the newly described species of beetles in the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex, Euwallacea fornicatus (sensu stricto) and Euwallacea perbrevis, are also reported.
Topography-mediated Transport of Warm Deep Water across the Continental Shelf Slope, East Antarctica
Authors: Liu Chengyan , Wang Zhaomin , Liang Xi , Li Xiang , Li Xichen , Cheng Chen , Qi Di
Published: March 2022

Warm Deep Water intrusion over the Antarctic continental shelves threatens the Antarctic ice-sheet stability by enhancing the basal melting of ice shelves. In East Antarctica, the Antarctic Slope Current (ASC), along with the Antarctic Slope Front (ASF), acts as a potential vorticity barrier to prevent the warm modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) from ventilating the cold and fresh shelf. However, mCDW onshore transport is still observed within certain shelf regions, such as submarine troughs running perpendicular to the continental shelf. This study focuses on the dynamic mechanisms governing mCDW intrusion within a submarine trough over the fresh shelf regions, East Antarctica. Based on an idealized eddy-resolving coupled ocean-ice shelf model, two high resolution process-oriented numerical experiments are conducted to reveal the mechanisms responsible for the mCDW onshore transport. Three dynamic mechanisms governing cross-slope mCDW intrusion are identified: 1) the bottom pressure torque, 2) the topography beta spiral, and 3) the topography Rossby waves. These three mechanisms simultaneously govern the mCDW intrusion together. The bottom pressure torque plays a leading role in driving the time-mean onshore flow whose vertical structure is determined by the topography beta spiral, while the topography Rossby waves contribute to the high-frequency oscillations in the onshore volume and heat transport. The simulated spatial distribution and seasonality of mCDW intrusion qualitatively coincide with the observed mCDW intrusion over fresh shelf regions, East Antarctica. Both the topography beta spiral and the ASC play an important role in governing the seasonality of mCDW intrusion.
Democratic Capacity: Election Administration as Bulwark and Target
Authors: Jacobs Lawrence R. , Choate Judd
Published: March 2022

Headlines decried the fragility of American democracy during the 2020 elections, but extensive institutional structures steered officials in both political parties to certify the results of the election, and independent judges have validated their decisions. Political battles over election laws and procedures are not themselves signs of democracy’s demise, because legal and administrative guardrails contain the degree to which voting rights are threatened. These formidable institutional structures blunted former president Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and limited the scope and impact of new state legislation to restrict access to voting. The guardrails of elections operated as designed, but Trump’s unfounded charges of fraud coupled with state restrictions are corroding the credibility and fairness of elections. We examine the scope and function of election law and administration to understand how they protected American democracy in the contentious 2020 election.
Threats or Gains: The Battle over Participation in America’s Careening Democracy
Authors: Slater Dan
Published: March 2022

Modern democracies comprise multiple institutions and diverse principles. This can make them vulnerable to “democratic careening,” as polarized actors emphasize opposing views of what democracy means and requires. I argue that America’s current bout of democratic careening is founded on differing partisan perspectives of the ultimate purpose of government, and whether widespread political participation is necessary to fulfill it. While leftists generally take a gain-oriented approach to government, conservatives are more threat oriented. A byproduct of this foundational difference is that leftists’ conception of democracy is participation heavy, while conservatives’ conception tends to be participation light. The fact that liberals and conservatives differ on the importance of participation to democracy is a potential source of democratic careening, and the fact that conservatives do not necessarily see participation as a core democratic virtue poses the more serious risk of outright democratic collapse.
The Far-Right Threat in the United States: A European Perspective
Authors: Mudde Cas
Published: March 2022

The rise of Donald Trump has weakened the dominance of the “American exceptionalism” paradigm in analyses of U.S. politics, but the pivot to views of the United States as part of a global trend toward democratic backsliding ignores important, uniquely “American” cultural, historical, and institutional attributes that make the country more at risk for democratic erosion than most other established democracies. This short article puts Trump, and his Republican Party, into the broader comparative perspective of (European) far-right studies. I argue that Trump in many ways fits the “fourth wave” of postwar far-right politics, lay out the unique challenge that the United States is facing in terms of democratic erosion, and draw on the case of Viktor Orbán in Hungary to learn lessons for the United States. The article ends with some suggestions of how democrats (not just Democrats) should address the far-right Republican challenge to U.S. democracy.
Civil Society, Realized: Equipping the Mass Public to Express Choice and Negotiate Power
Authors: Han Hahrie , Kim Jae Yeon
Published: March 2022

We examine the ways in which change in civil society has contributed to the erosion of democracy in the United States. Democracy demands that people commit to pluralistic self-determination, which means that people must be willing to seek power and also share it. We argue that civil society plays two important roles in sustaining people’s willingness to do both: first, civil society cultivates a capacity for expressing choice; and second, it teaches capacities and provides opportunities for people to negotiate power. We show that in recent decades, civil society’s emphasis has moved more toward expressing choice and away from the creation of venues for negotiating power. We conclude with recommendations for researchers, civil society leaders, funders, and policy-makers who are interested in committing to forms of civil society that take power seriously.
Protecting the people, or the Olympics? Agenda-cutting of the COVID-19 risk in the news coverage of Japan’s public broadcaster
Authors: Buchmeier Yosuke
Published: March 2022

This study explores a case of public service media finding itself in a predicament between adhering to its civic mission to serve the public interest, and prioritizing its self-preservation by bowing to political power. Contrasting the media coverage with epidemiological data, the study suggests that the COVID-19 risk in Tokyo was cut from the news agenda by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK ahead of the official postponement of the Olympic Games in March 2020. This case highlights the challenging balancing act of a semi-independent media organization between following a political agenda, that is, pushing a mega sports event, acting in its own economic interest as a media stakeholder of the Olympics, and at the same time protecting public health. On a methodological level, this case study aims to provide a showcase of how the agenda-cutting concept is concretely operationalized and how it can contribute to the analysis of various contexts, such as the complex relationship between public media and politics in times of a global pandemic.
Transapical septal myectomy for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an experience from Japan
Authors: Shimizu Atsushi , Takanashi Shuichiro , Takamisawa Itaru , Shimokawa Tomoki , Takayama Morimasa , Isobe Mitsuaki
Published: March 2022

Background

While there are a variety of surgical options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, there are small number of reports of transapical septal myectomy. Furthermore, the characteristics and incidence of anomalous structures in the left ventricle in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients which can be identified with imaging studies are not clear.

Methods

We studied hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients who underwent transapical septal myectomy from July 2013 to December 2019. We evaluated the frequency and characteristics of anomalous structures in the left ventricle which had been identified by preoperative examinations and studied their postoperative results.

Results

A total of 59 patients was included. The median age was 40 years. Sixteen patients (27.4%) were in New York Heart Association Functional Classification III or IV. The median peak intraventricular gradient at rest was 65 mmHg. By preoperative imaging studies, anomalous structures were detected in 56 cases (94.9%), of which 88% were successfully resected with myectomy. There were two perioperative deaths, while one late death caused by acute myocardial infarction occurred. The estimated 5-year survival rate was 95%. The intraventricular gradient had significantly decreased at the time of discharge, and no reoperation for recurrent obstruction was conducted. The left ventricular ejection fraction had significantly decreased after the operation, was however within the normal range. Left atrium volume index and tricuspid regurgitant velocity significantly improved.

Conclusions

Patients receiving transapical septal myectomy restored good hemodynamics from early postoperative period and showed improved subjective symptoms and good mid-term results. With multimodal imaging studies, we could accurately identify anomalous structures in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients and reliably treat them by transapical septal myectomy.
Pericapsular nerve group block results in a longer analgesic effect and shorter time to discharge than femoral nerve block in patients after hip fracture surgery: a single-center double-blinded randomized trial
Authors: Lin D-Yin , Brown Brigid , Morrison Craig , Kroon Hidde M. , Jaarsma Ruurd L.
Published: March 2022

Objective

The pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block is a regional block that possibly provides better analgesia than that of the femoral nerve block (FNB) for hip fracture surgery. A randomized comparative trial performed in our institution showed that the PENG block may provide improved pain reduction compared with the FNB while preserving quadriceps strength.

Methods

In this single-center, double-blinded, randomized comparative trial, patients who underwent hip fracture surgery were randomized to receive either a FNB or PENG block for analgesia. This analysis reviews the outcomes of the block effect duration and time to discharge readiness.

Results

Sixty patients with similar baseline demographics were randomized. The median FNB duration was 15 hours, 35 minutes (range (hours:minutes) 4:08–30:45), and the median PENG duration was 22 hours, 50 minutes (range 6:00–32:00). The time to discharge readiness was shorter in the PENG group (3 days, range 1–14 days) than that in the FNB group (4 days, range 2–15 days).

Conclusions

The PENG block results in a faster recovery and shorter time to discharge readiness. The duration of the PENG block appears to be longer than that of the FNB.
Evaluation of W-Beam Guardrail and Terminal Posts Installed in Metal Sleeves
Authors: Sheikh Nauman , Bligh Roger
Published: March 2022

Because of frozen soils in extreme winter weather, it is difficult to remove and replace soil-embedded posts of a W-beam guardrail system in the event of a vehicle crash. Additional resources and equipment are usually needed to repair the guardrail, which results in longer maintenance time or delays in carrying out the repair. This poses a safety hazard to the maintenance crew by increasing their exposure to the oncoming traffic, and to other motorists because of the presence of the maintenance crew or a non-functional guardrail. Some states install steel posts in metal sleeves for faster repairs under such conditions. However, the performance of the W-beam guardrail system and its terminals has not been evaluated with posts installed in sleeves under the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) criteria. Research presented in this paper evaluates the performance of the steel post W-beam guardrail and end terminals with posts installed in metal sleeves. A series of surrogate bogie vehicle impact tests and a full-scale crash test were performed to compare the performance of the posts installed in sleeves and the posts directly embedded in soil. Findings of this research show that steel posts may be installed in metal sleeves for the W-beam guardrail system and most end terminals.
Harmonizing Flexible Pavement Rutting Design with Balanced Mix Design
Authors: Saghafi Mahdi , Nazarian Soheil , Abdallah Imad , Tirado Cesar , Rodriguez Danniel
Published: March 2022

The state-of-the-practice in asphalt concrete mix design and pavement structural design are two divergent concepts. The simulative laboratory performance tests such as Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) and Asphalt Pavement Analyzer (APA) that are used primarily for balanced mix design are pragmatically accelerated surrogate tests developed to ensure the stability or ranking of mixes. Pavement structural design methods, being empirical or mechanistic-empirical, do not consider these laboratory test results in their analyses, in favor of other fundamental mechanical parameters such as dynamic modulus. As such, the selection of the type of mix to be placed on a project is based on the local experience, and a set of consensus limits, rather than the demand of the pavement section. A harmonized strategy that integrates the results from mix tests with the pavement structure, material properties, environmental conditions, and traffic levels can lead to an optimized pavement system. A framework is proposed to incorporate the laboratory HWT and APA device results into the rutting analysis associated with most mechanistic-empirical structural design algorithms. The proposed framework was applied to the results from two accelerated pavement testing facilities and six in-service pavement test sections to demonstrate its feasibility. The proposed strategy can be potentially used to predict the rutting life of the pavement reasonably well. By balancing the rutting demand of an asphalt layer with the rutting capacity of a given mix, the proposed method can potentially lend itself to the use of local materials for a more economical and sustainable pavement structure.
Virtual Reality Therapy in Palliative Care: A Case Series
Authors: Seiler A. , Schettle M. , Amann M. , Gaertner Sophie , Wicki Stefan , Christ S.M. , Theile G. , Feuz M. , Hertler C. , Blum D.
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Virtual reality (VR) opens a variety of therapeutic options to improve symptom burden in patients with advanced disease. Until to date, only few studies have evaluated the use of VR therapy in the context of palliative care. This case series aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of VR therapy in a population of palliative care patients.

Methods

In this single-site case series, we report on six palliative care patients undergoing VR therapy. The VR therapy consisted of a one-time session ranging between 20 to 60 minutes depending on the patient's needs and the content chosen for the VR sessions. A semi-structured survey was conducted and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and the Distress Thermometer were performed pre- and post-intervention.

Results

Overall, VR therapy was well accepted by all patients. Five out of six patients reported having appreciated VR therapy. There were individual differences of perceived effects using VR therapy. The semi-structured survey revealed that some patients felt a temporary detachment from their body and that patients were able to experience the VR session as a break from omnipresent worries and the hospital environment (“I completely forgot where I am”). There was a considerable reduction in the total ESAS score post-treatment (T0 ESASTot = 27.2; T1 ESASTot = 18.8) and a slightly reduction in distress (T0 DTTot = 4.4; T1 DTTot = 3.8). However, two patients were more tired after the intervention. Significance of Results: Our preliminary results demonstrate that VR therapy is acceptable, feasible and safe for use within a palliative care population and appears to be a viable treatment option. Clinical trials are both warranted and necessary to confirm any therapeutic effects of VR therapy, as is the need to tailor VR systems better for use in palliative care settings.
Insights Into Human and Nonhuman Primate Handedness From Measuring Both Hands
Authors: Nelson Eliza L.
Published: March 2022

Handedness is part of our everyday lives, but where does it come from? Researchers studying nonhuman primates and young children have approached this question from different perspectives—evolutionary and developmental, respectively. Their work converges on the conclusion that measurement matters in the science of handedness. Coming to a consensus on assessment will guide future research into the origins of handedness. A candidate behavior for promoting multidisciplinary comparison is role-differentiated bimanual manipulation.
Supination Adduction Vertical Medial Malleolar Fracture Fixation with Buttress Plating vs a Novel Screw-Only Construct: A Cadaveric Biomechanical Study
Authors: Testa Edward J. , Walsh Devin , Patel Devan , Kahan Lindsey G. , Modest Jacob , Schilkowsky Rachel , Hsu Raymond
Published: March 2022

Background:

Supination adduction ankle fractures are unique among rotational ankle fractures as plate constructs are more commonly used than independent screws for medial malleolar fixation. The purpose of this study was to compare fracture displacement between plate fixation to a novel screw-only construct using a cadaveric biomechanical early-weightbearing model for the treatment of vertical medial malleolus fractures.

Methods:

Six nonosteoporotic fresh-frozen cadaver shanks and feet in matched pairs underwent a vertical osteotomy of the medial malleolus to simulate the supination adduction type injury. Osteoporosis was measured using DEXA scans. One specimen from each pair was fixed with a one-third tubular buttress plate and the other with screw-only fixation. The specimens were then axially loaded for 100 000 cycles to simulate protected weightbearing, and subsequently loaded to failure in supination. Stiffness, fracture displacement, and load to failure were recorded. Statistical significance was set at P <.05.

Results:

There were no measurable differences in displacement between the 2 constructs during axial cyclic loading after 100 000 cycles (plate, 0.74 ± 0.09 mm; screws, 0.79 ± 0.18 mm; P = .225). During supination and axial load to failure, the plate outperformed the screw construct. For load to failure (2 mm displacement) at the fracture site, the plate group failed at 716 ± 240 N, whereas the screw group failed at 567 ± 237 N ( P = .015). During load to catastrophic failure, the plate group outperformed the screw group (plate, 6011 ± 1646 N; screws, 4578 ± 1837 N; P = .002).

Conclusion:

For vertical medial malleolar fractures, the screw-only construct demonstrated no statistical difference when compared to buttress plating for cyclical axial loading, simulating early weightbearing in a boot. However, buttress plating is 21% to 24% stronger than the screw-only fixation construct in overall strength and prevention of catastrophic failure when loading in a supinated position.

Clinical Relevance:

The screw-only construct is biomechanically similar to a buttress plate when simulating early protected weightbearing. This suggests that early weightbearing as tolerated in a controlled ankle motion boot beginning 2 weeks postoperatively is mechanically safe for this fracture pattern and does not result in unacceptable amounts of fracture displacement. This construct may be useful as a less invasive treatment modality for the treatment of vertical medial malleolus fractures in select patients.
The Role of CCN1 in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: What We Have Learned From the Lab
Authors: Chang Zhiheng , Dang Tong , Meng Xianmei , Chai Jianyuan
Published: March 2022

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most common and deadliest cancers in the world, particularly esophageal adenocarcinoma. There has never been a special drug to treat it.

Purpose: This article summarizes the work that we have done in our laboratory about the role of CCN1 in esophageal cancer and gives a new perspective of CCN1 biology.

Research Design: This is a review article. Study Sample: The work was done using validated cell lines and fixed human tissue slides.

Data Collection and Analysis: This is a review article, therefore, no data collection or analysis was involved.

Results: CCN1 is a matricellular protein supporting adhesion, migration, and survival in normal cells, but in the esophageal cancer cells, it induces TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. CCN1 promotes TRAIL and its death receptor expression but downregulates the decoy receptors and survivin in a p53-dependant manner. It was thought that CCN1 relies on TNF to induce apoptosis, but our study found that these two molecules antagonize each other. CCN1 promotes TNFR1 cleavage and uses the soluble product to block TNF signaling, while TNF upregulates PGLYRP1 to overcome this obstacle because PGLYRP1 is a secreted protein that competes with TNF for TNFR1 binding. As a result, when CCN1 and TNF are present together in the vicinity of esophageal tumors, they cancel each other out.

Conclusions: Based on our laboratory study, CCN1 has much potential to be a candidate for the treatment of esophageal cancer.
From Ties to Events in the Analysis of Interorganizational Exchange Relations
Authors: Bianchi Federica , Lomi Alessandro
Published: March 2022

Relational event models expand the analytical possibilities of existing statistical models for interorganizational networks by: (i) making efficient use of information contained in the sequential ordering of observed events connecting sending and receiving units; (ii) accounting for the intensity of the relation between exchange partners, and (iii) distinguishing between short- and long-term network effects. We introduce a recently developed relational event model (REM) for the analysis of continuously observed interorganizational exchange relations. The combination of efficient sampling algorithms and sender-based stratification makes the models that we present particularly useful for the analysis of very large samples of relational event data generated by interaction among heterogeneous actors. We demonstrate the empirical value of event-oriented network models in two different settings for interorganizational exchange relations—that is, high-frequency overnight transactions among European banks and patient-sharing relations within a community of Italian hospitals. We focus on patterns of direct and generalized reciprocity while accounting for more complex forms of dependence present in the data. Empirical results suggest that distinguishing between degree- and intensity-based network effects, and between short- and long-term effects is crucial to our understanding of the dynamics of interorganizational dependence and exchange relations. We discuss the general implications of these results for the analysis of social interaction data routinely collected in organizational research to examine the evolutionary dynamics of social networks within and between organizations.
Recognition of Peripheral Lung Cancer and Focal Pneumonia on Chest Computed Tomography Images Based on Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Cheng Xiaoyue , Wen He , You Hao , Hua Li , Xiaohua Wu , Qiuting Cao , Jiabao Liu
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Chest computed tomography (CT) is important for the early screening of lung diseases and clinical diagnosis, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We propose a method for classifying peripheral lung cancer and focal pneumonia on chest CT images and undertake 5 window settings to study the effect on the artificial intelligence processing results. Methods: A retrospective collection of CT images from 357 patients with peripheral lung cancer having solitary solid nodule or focal pneumonia with a solitary consolidation was applied. We segmented and aligned the lung parenchyma based on some morphological methods and cropped this region of the lung parenchyma with the minimum 3D bounding box. Using these 3D cropped volumes of all cases, we designed a 3D neural network to classify them into 2 categories. We also compared the classification results of the 3 physicians with different experience levels on the same dataset. Results: We conducted experiments using 5 window settings. After cropping and alignment based on an automatic preprocessing procedure, our neural network achieved an average classification accuracy of 91.596% under a 5-fold cross-validation in the full window, in which the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.946. The classification accuracy and AUC value were 90.48% and 0.957 for the junior physician, 94.96% and 0.989 for the intermediate physician, and 96.92% and 0.980 for the senior physician, respectively. After removing the error prediction, the accuracy improved significantly, reaching 98.79% in the self-defined window2. Conclusion: Using the proposed neural network, in separating peripheral lung cancer and focal pneumonia in chest CT data, we achieved an accuracy competitive to that of a junior physician. Through a data ablation study, the proposed 3D CNN can achieve a slightly higher accuracy compared with senior physicians in the same subset. The self-defined window2 was the best for data training and evaluation.
Is There Synergistic Effect Between Obesity and Hypoalbuminemia on Postoperative Outcomes Among Primary Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Recipients?
Authors: Buzney Catherine D. , Zhong Haoyan , Gulotta Lawrence V. , Memtsoudis Stavros G. , Liu Jiabin
Published: March 2022

Background:

Malnutrition and obesity are established predictors of complications following joint replacement surgery. However, the effect of obesity in the setting of albumin deficiency has not been explored in non-weight-bearing upper-extremity joint arthroplasty.

Purpose:

We sought to determine whether there is a synergistic effect between obesity and hypoalbuminemia among patients undergoing primary total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) with respect to postoperative outcomes, including (1) mortality rates, (2) composite surgical complications, (3) length of hospitalization, and (4) hospital readmission.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database to find patients who underwent primary TSA from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2019. We grouped these patients as obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2) or nonobese (BMI = 18.5–29.9 kg/m2) and by serum albumin level (hypoalbuminemia < 3.5 mg/dL or normoalbuminemia ≥ 3.5 mg/dL). We gathered data on readmission and mortality rates, and NSQIP complications were organized into 3 composite variables: wound infection, systemic infection, and cardiac/pulmonary complication. For each outcome, multivariate logistic regression analysis evaluated its association with obesity and hypoalbuminemia, as well as with the interaction of BMI and albumin, while adjusting for covariates.

Results:

Of 12,881 patients, 51.8% were obese and 7.0% had hypoalbuminemia; 7.6% of obese patients had hypoalbuminemia versus 6.3% of those who were not obese. Patients with hypoalbuminemia had the longest hospital stays and the highest rates of mortality and systemic infection of all subgroups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis did not show higher complication rates due to obesity or evidence of additive interaction between hypoalbuminemia and obesity.

Conclusion:

Unlike previous reports in weight-bearing arthroplasty, in this retrospective study of a cohort of patients who underwent TSA, we did not observe greater complications due to obesity alone, nor did we find evidence of additive interaction between obesity and hypoalbuminemia. This distinction may be due to the non-weight-bearing nature of TSA, in which excessive BMI may be less relevant for postoperative healing.
School-Based Personnel Advocacy for Undocumented Students Through Collective Leadership in Urban Schools: A Comparative Case Study
Authors: Rodriguez Sophia , Crawford Emily R.
Published: March 2022

This study examines how school-based personnel (i.e., principals, assistant principals, and school social workers) defined and engaged in collective leadership to support undocumented students. This instrumental, comparative case study explores their roles, relational processes, and the extent to which school-based personnel’s relationships expanded or inhibited advocacy and equity work. Findings showcase a continuum of collective leadership, role management, and boundary work that influence advocacy for immigrant students. This research expands understandings of collective leadership, decision-making, and engagement with immigrant students. Implications for a social justice-oriented collective leadership model are discussed.
Special Challenges in Dealing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Swiss Prisons
Authors: Wegel Melanie , Wardak Sabera , Meyer Darleen Jennifer
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic was, and is, managed by prevention measures, based on limited contact in public spaces and general restrictions on freedom of movement. Especially social distancing needs space. So the question was investigated: How social distancing was implemented within the prison system? Reducing overcrowding and suspending prison sentences, are regarded as key elements in combating the pandemic in the justice system. Which further prevention measures could be concretely implemented in Swiss prisons to contain the pandemic? Which conditions as a framework were necessary for reaching this? To investigate this, the Swiss National Science Foundation funded a project for an analysis of institutional strategies in the implementation of prevention measures concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in prisons. Surveys were conducted in closed and open institutions of the judicial system across Switzerland, as well as in external residential and work settings, to document successful strategies and identify certain problems.
Annulus Calibration Increases the Computational Accuracy of the Lumbar Finite Element Model
Authors: Xu Chen , Xi Zhipeng , Fang Zhongxin , Zhang Xiaoyu , Wang Nan , Li Jingchi , Liu Yang
Published: March 2022

Study Design

Mechanical simulations.

Objective

Inadequate calibration of annuli negatively affects the computational accuracy of finite element (FE) models. Specifically, the definition of annulus average radius (AR) does not have uniformity standards. Differences between the elastic moduli in the different layers and parts of the annulus were not fully calibrated when a linear elastic material is used to define its material properties. This study aims to optimize the computational accuracy of the FE model by calibrating the annulus.

Methods

We calibrated the annulus AR and elastic modulus in our anterior-constructed lumbar model by eliminating the difference between the computed range of motion and that measured by in vitro studies under a flexion-extension loading condition. Multi-indicator validation was performed by comparing the computed indicators with those measured in in vitro studies. The computation time required for the different models has also been recorded to evaluate the computational efficiency.

Results

The difference between computed and measured ROMs was less than 1% when the annulus AR and elastic modulus were calibrated. In the model validation process, all the indicators computed by the calibrated FE model were within ±1 standard deviation of the average values obtained from in vitro studies. The maximum difference between the computed and measured values was less than 10% under nearly all loading conditions. There is no apparent variation tendency for the computational time associated with different models.

Conclusion

The FE model with calibrated annulus AR and regional elastic modulus has higher computational accuracy and can be used in subsequent mechanical studies.
Return to Sport After Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Radhakrishnan Ganan T. , Magan Ahmed , Kayani Babar , Asokan Ajay , Ronca Flaminia , Haddad Fares S.
Published: March 2022

Background:

Patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) often want to return to sport (RTS) after surgery. However, the time taken to RTS and proportion of patients who RTS after UKA remain unknown.

Purpose:

To determine the time to RTS and proportion of patients who RTS after UKA.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A search was performed using PubMed, Medline, Embase, SPORTDiscus and the Cochrane Library databases for clinical trials reporting on RTS after UKA published between database inception and September 2021. In addition, a manual search was performed of relevant sports medicine and orthopaedic journals, and bibliographies were reviewed for eligible trials. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were used to undertake this study.

Results:

This meta-analysis included 11 studies (749 patients) that reported on RTS after UKA. The proportion of patients returning to sports increased over time: 6 studies (432 patients) demonstrated an overall pooled proportion of 48.1% (95% CI, 36.3%-60.2%) of patients who returned to sport at 3 months after surgery, while 7 studies (443 patients) demonstrated an overall pooled proportion of 76.5% (95% CI, 63.9%-87.1%) of patients who returned to sport at 6 months after surgery. Overall, 92.7% (95% CI, 85.8%-97.4%) of 749 patients were able to RTS at 4 years after surgery. Overall excellent patient-reported functional outcomes scores and low risk of complications with RTS after UKA were reported.

Conclusion:

The authors found that 48.1% of patients were able to RTS at 3 months after surgery and 76.5% were able to RTS at 6 months after UKA. Pooled proportion analysis showed that >90% of patients undergoing UKA were able to RTS at 48 months after surgery. The majority of patients who were able to RTS after UKA did so at a lower level of intensity than their preoperative level. RTS after UKA was associated with good patient-reported functional outcomes scores and a low risk of complications.
The impact of radiomics in diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer
Authors: Casà Calogero , Piras Antonio , D’Aviero Andrea , Preziosi Francesco , Mariani Silvia , Cusumano Davide , Romano Angela , Boskoski Ivo , Lenkowicz Jacopo , Dinapoli Nicola , Cellini Francesco , Gambacorta Maria Antonietta , Valentini Vincenzo , Mattiucci Gian Carlo , Boldrini Luca
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive tumours, and better risk stratification among patients is required to provide tailored treatment. The meaning of radiomics and texture analysis as predictive techniques are not already systematically assessed. The aim of this study is to assess the role of radiomics in PC.

Methods:

A PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase systematic review was conducted to assess the role of radiomics in PC. The search strategy was ‘radiomics [All Fields] AND (“pancreas” [MeSH Terms] OR “pancreas” [All Fields] OR “pancreatic” [All Fields])’ and only original articles referred to PC in humans in the English language were considered.

Results:

A total of 123 studies and 183 studies were obtained using the mentioned search strategy on PubMed and Embase, respectively. After the complete selection process, a total of 56 papers were considered eligible for the analysis of the results. Radiomics methods were applied in PC for assessment technical feasibility and reproducibility aspects analysis, risk stratification, biologic or genomic status prediction and treatment response prediction.

Discussion:

Radiomics seems to be a promising approach to evaluate PC from diagnosis to treatment response prediction. Further and larger studies are required to confirm the role and allowed to include radiomics parameter in a comprehensive decision support system.
Deep Lacerations—A Boon or Bane for Fracture Management: A Case Report
Authors: Verma Gaurav , Gothi Bhavana , Tiwari Arunesh Kumar , Agrawal Amiya
Published: March 2022

In the modern era, the management of fractures is often done by open reduction and internal fixation. The open reduction essentially involves the use of incisions for the exposure of fractured segments followed by reduction and internal fixation. It is not uncommon to find deep lacerations in a trauma setting. These lacerations can be used to one’s advantage (boon) for fracture management and can avoid the need for separate incisions. The purpose of this case report is to present the management of zygomatic complex fracture by utilizing deep lacerations.