bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Domestic Surveillance on Political Imprisonment: Evidence from the German Democratic Republic
Authors: Steinert Christoph Valentin
Published: June 2022

How does domestic surveillance affect the frequency of political imprisonments in autocratic states? In contrast to conventional wisdom, I argue that surveillance reduces the frequency of political imprisonments in power-maximizing autocracies. Surveillance decreases uncertainty about the correct targets of repression, allowing for more selective detentions and shifts to silent instruments of repression. To investigate these claims, I draw on a unique county-level dataset of political imprisonment in the German Democratic Republic between 1984 and 1988. I proxy the number of monitored individuals with newly collected county-level data on surveillance operations. I use ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, random effects, and instrumental variable models to investigate the impact of surveillance on political imprisonment. I find that higher shares of spies per monitored individual were associated with a reduction of political imprisonment. Further, increasing levels of spy infiltration were linked to a systematic shift to silent instruments of repression.
Online Presence of the Funeral Industry: The Example of the Quebec Federation of Funeral Cooperatives
Authors: Beaunoyer Elisabeth , Guitton Alexandre , Guitton Matthieu J.
Published: June 2022

The digitalization of modern societies has offered new tools for funeral industries to reach the communities they serve, ranging from using technologies in funeral planning, in commemoration of the dead, or to support the bereaved. The COVID-19 pandemic only pushed this need for online presence of the funeral industries further. We explore the digitalization of funeral industries through the example of Quebec (Canada), where many funeral institutions are regrouped under a federation of funeral cooperatives. We analyze how this influences the delivery of funeral services and allows the development of common services answering various needs of the population (e.g., a funding program for youth funerals, an ecological memorialization program, online grief support). Finally, we discuss how the federation’s online presence contributes to its mission, and more largely whether it changes the perception of the industry.
Waiting for Asylum: Reduced Institutional and Interpersonal Trust
Authors: Sohlberg Jacob , Agerberg Mattias , Esaiasson Peter
Published: June 2022

Refugees arriving in Western countries spend long periods, often over a year, as asylum seekers. We examine how the period affects asylum seekers’ institutional and interpersonal trust. Drawing on theories of need gratification, we suggest that several needs are unfulfilled during this period of existential limbo. Still, some aspects in the new society are positive, especially in Sweden, the host country of this study. To study these combined forces, we rely on repeated interviews with the same asylum seekers as well as other quantitative approaches. Results show that both types of trust are reduced over time, suggesting that the negative aspects take precedence. We also present results based on a matching analysis, which indicate that interpersonal trust at the beginning of the asylum-seeking process is higher compared to similar refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. Overall, our results show that trust can be highly malleable in certain circumstances.
Correctional Medical Care for Female Prisoners: Legal Issues Surrounding Inadequate Treatment of Chronic and/or Preexisting Health Conditions
Authors: Lamberton Chelsi , Vaughn Michael S.
Published: June 2022

Research shows incarcerated women suffer more chronic and/or preexisting health conditions than their male counterparts. Through the lens of federal court litigation pursuant to Title 42 U.S. Code Section 1983, this article discusses women who brought legal challenges, questioning the adequacy of correctional medical care rendered to their chronic and preexisting health conditions. Case law reveals several trends, including multiple disease co-morbidities, malingering, medication administration, free-world specialty care, diagnostic and treatment limitations, and mental illness. The article concludes with policy implications, suggestions for future research, and recommendations for accelerated research on the chronic and/or preexisting health conditions of female prisoners.
Are We Sailing in the Right Direction for Deeper Insights Into Acceptance? Evidence From a Systematic Review of Research in Laboratory Settings
Authors: Hernández-Gómez Alba , Hervas Gonzalo
Published: June 2022

This systematic review aims to review and update the current state of research on the acceptance strategy for a healthy population in a laboratory setting. Using a previously defined search strategy, the PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched from 1961 to May 2020 for articles on this topic. Twenty-five high-quality articles, involving a total of 2265 participants, met inclusion criteria. According to these results, acceptance is a strategy with promising outcomes for handling pain in healthy populations, although its superiority over other strategies to reduce negative affect, anger, and other pain variables is unclear. The instructions and outcome variables vary widely between studies, and few studies compare acceptance with mindfulness. We discuss these findings and provide information to guide future researchers for designing fine-grained investigations that can address the gaps in this area.
In plain view: Gender in the work of women healthcare chaplains
Authors: Sharma Sonya , Reimer-Kirkham Sheryl
Published: June 2022

In sociological studies of religion and chaplaincy, there is little research on how gender plays a role in structural inequalities and experiences of women chaplains. Through research on the work of women chaplains in public healthcare in Vancouver (Canada) and London (England) this qualitative study revealed that while they have opportunities for leadership and ministry in chaplaincy, they are often on the margins of the religious institutions they are affiliated with and the secular medical organisations that employ them. Simultaneously, they confront the social structuring of gender and race that can affect them being overlooked. By applying a lived religion and feminist intersectional analysis, this research focuses on an area of study that has received scant attention.
Differentiation, Integration and Exclusion: Dynamics and Challenges to Nation-Building
Authors: Mukherji Partha Nath
Published: June 2022

Ethnicity, nation, nationalism and the nation-state have been politically volatile concepts marked by ambiguities and predominantly Eurocentric bias. These have impacted the formation of states and the dynamics within them. Is the nation-state the exclusive domain of ethno-nations forming a territorial state by exercising the right of self-determination? The emancipation of post-colonial states added a new dimension to the on-going discourse; among these, the contribution of the Indian subcontinent is prominent. Their leaders who were in the forefront of the freedom struggle were not only familiar with this discourse, but actually played out their politics on the basis of either subscribing to, or, in outright rejection of, the Eurocentric model. The latter, argued for, and established, a civic-secular nation-state that admitted ethnic plurality and class realities of equality, within an overarching civilisational bonding. This article examines how this dynamic played itself out in the laboratory of South Asia, particularly, with reference to the formations of India and Pakistan. Their top leaders Mahatma Gandhi and Quad-e-Azam Jinnah held opposing views on the concept of the nation and nation-state. I have argued that the Indian nation-state has steadily evolved through a continuous zig-zag process of differentiation and integration. In recent times, a new contradiction has surfaced out of believers in ethno-nation, introducing a volatile churning in the political process.
Review of foam applications on cotton textiles
Authors: Hoque Ejajul , Acharya Sanjit , Shamshina Julia , Abidi Noureddine
Published: June 2022

The wet processing sector in the textile industry consumes a massive amount of water and energy. In addition, the textile industry generates significant amounts of effluents. Consumer awareness, environmental laws and regulations, water scarcity, and high energy costs have forced textile manufacturers to reduce their water and energy usage. An alternative way to minimize water and energy consumption in textile industries is to alter the chemical finishing processes from conventional water‐assisted systems to foam-assisted systems. This review focuses on the prospects of foam application in textile dyeing and finishing. Here, we summarize the foam application methods on cotton textiles from published peer-reviewed sources. We also analyze and compare the results of the dyeing and finishing parameters of the foam application approach over conventional padding methods. Finally, we propose some suggestions for further research on foam technology for textiles.
Investigation and evaluation of the performance of interior finishing panels made from denim textile waste
Authors: Juciene Milda , Dobilaitė Vaida , Albrektas Darius , Bliūdžius Raimondas
Published: June 2022

The problem of textile waste is obvious and relevant, and detailed research into the problem is still lacking. In particular, there is a lack of research on the recycling and reuse of textile waste in such areas as the construction industry. The aim of this research is to develop an interior finishing panel by combining denim textile waste with an eco-friendly binder, to investigate, analyze and evaluate the main physical–mechanical properties of this panel. The investigated panels were made from denim textile waste with different structures for interior decoration. The results have shown that different manufacturing methods provide different sound insulation, and better sound insulation properties were distinguished by a panel made from fabric threads. When assessing the surface hardness of the panels, it was found that a panel made from threads has a higher hardness than a panel made from fabric scraps. Thus, evaluating the results of the performed research, it can be seen that the use of textile waste in acoustic panels is possible, with textile waste as the main component. Scanning electron microscopy analysis confirmed that the strength properties of the panel are closely related to the technology and structure of the panel, and that panels made from scraps have poorer strength and acoustic properties than panels made from threads.
Three-dimensional narrow woven fabric with in-plane auxetic behavior
Authors: Zeeshan Muhammad , Hu Hong , Zulifqar Adeel
Published: June 2022

Different auxetic structures and auxetic phenomena are continuously explored by researchers in the field of textiles with enhanced properties for broader application areas. However, developing three-dimensional (3D) auxetic structures by using weaving technology is a real challenge compared to knitting and non-weaving techniques. This research work reports a novel approach to develop 3D woven structures with in-plane auxetic behavior. A conventional 3D multilayer orthogonal through-the-thickness structure was converted into a 3D auxetic woven structure. The structure was designed with three different yarn components to incorporate auxetic geometry. One type of yarn was used in the warp direction, while the other two-yarn systems, comprised of fine elastic yarn and coarse binding yarn, were used in the weft direction. The auxetic geometry achieved resembles the reentrant hexagon by the unusual arrangement of warp yarns. For an in-depth study of the structure, nine fabric samples were fabricated by using a conventional semi-automatic weaving machine with four different influencing parameters. The developed samples were then tested on a tensile testing machine to evaluate their mechanical and auxetic behavior. The results show that the 3D fabrics have a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) even at higher tensile strain and that the appropriate binding to the warp yarn diameter can produce a higher NPR. In addition, the repeat size of the elastic weft yarn, bending stiffness of the binding yarn, and stretch percentage of the elastic weft yarn can highly affect the NPR of the fabric. Furthermore, among all the 3D woven fabrics developed with different structural parameters, the maximum NPR achieved was –1.61.
Distress among cancer patients: some considerations in identification and treatment
Authors: Kagee Ashraf
Published: June 2022

This article discusses the merits of screening for distress in the context of a chronic illness, such as cancer, with a particular focus on resource-constrained health care systems such as those in low-and-middle income countries. Despite calls for distress to be considered a vital sign, like pain it is not objectively verifiable as it relies solely on the person’s subjective appraisal. Accordingly, the Distress Thermometer has limited validity considering its concordance with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, which itself has limitations in terms of its psychometric properties. Indeed, an elevated score on a self-report measure does not indicate caseness for a mental health condition. Distress is often self-limiting and transient, whereas common mental disorders require evidence-informed treatment. In the context of scarce resources as is the case in low-and-middle income countries, efforts should instead be directed at identifying common mental disorders among persons living with cancer and others who have serious health threats. Such an approach will increase the likelihood of resources being directed at those who are most likely to benefit from psychological interventions. Where persons living with cancer indicate the need for psychosocial services, ways to manage distress include problem-solving therapy, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.
New Left without Old Left: The 70’s Biweekly and Youth Activism in 1970s Hong Kong
Authors: Pan Lu
Published: June 2022

Taking the radical youth magazine The 70’s Biweekly (hereafter The 70s) as the main thread, this article investigates how the content of the magazine in tandem with its activism created an “in-between” subjectivity and a “dissent space” by and in which were broken down the binaries in the grand narratives of the Cold War and Left–Right politics in Hong Kong. The article first offers an overview of the magazine’s content. Next, it elaborates on the two most historically important protest campaigns that The 70s was involved in: the “Chinese as an Official Language Movement” (1970–1971) and the “Defend Diaoyutai Movement” (1971). Both campaigns illustrate The 70s’s significant role in the history of Hong Kong’s social activism. In the generally politically apathetic social atmosphere of the 1970s, The 70s illustrates an alternative “New Left” approach of social thought and activism that complicated relations between Hong Kong and its colonizer and understandings of the nation, imperialism, and the Global South.
Experiences of i-Kiribati with labor mobility schemes
Authors: Cornish Gillian E. , Pearson Jasmine , McNamara Karen E. , Alofa Pelenise , McMichael Celia
Published: June 2022

Circular labor mobility provides opportunities for Pacific Islanders to upskill whilst alleviating labor shortages in Australia and New Zealand. Past studies have sought to understand the value of the labor schemes, yet very few have focused on the experiences of i-Kiribati participants. Drawing on preliminary insights from eight semi-structured interviews, this research offers specific examples of the benefits of labor mobility in Australia and New Zealand for participants and their families. The findings provide key insights into the success stories and lessons learned from the experiences of i-Kiribati workers and their families of labor mobility, and how these schemes could be improved in the future.
Universal crisis psychoeducational interventions in schools: A scoping review
Authors: Capurso Michele , De Stasio Simona , Ragni Benedetta
Published: June 2022

In times of crisis, schools are expected to help students deal with the situation and any help offered should consider the social and emotional problems arising from the critical event. Therefore, school-based activities enabling children to recognize the experience and work through it are essential to sustain their normal development and prevent academic and mental health problems. This paper provides an overview of the literature on universal school crisis interventions. We performed a scoping literature search in Scopus, ERIC, and Psych Info for articles published between January 2000 and May 2021 and identified 32 universal school-based crisis interventions based on three main crisis types (armed conflict, natural disaster, and Covid-19). Analysis of the methodologies and theoretical backgrounds generated six key psychoeducational factors commonly adopted. Comparing the different programmes in terms of topics, course content, duration, and methodology can help administrators and educators select the most appropriate crisis intervention for their school and situation. We also discuss the collaboration between mental health care specialists, school teams, and other important factors needed to implement these programmes and ensure their effectiveness under real-life conditions.
Is Florida Really that Interesting? State Geographic Bias in Public Administration Research
Authors: Fowler Luke , Fox Dalten
Published: June 2022

The authors examine whether there are geographic biases in public administration research. They use a dataset of 557 research articles from top public administration journals in which specific state names appear in the title or abstract. Findings suggest that not only is a mass of public administration research concentrated in four states (Florida, California, New York, and Texas), but specific thematic topics and policy areas are associated with each of those states. In general, this suggests that authors need to consider if continuing these trends creates a blind spot for research bias in the field, where the collective understanding of a specific topic is disproportionately influenced by data from a single state. The broad implications are that how states serve as a research setting should be actively considered by authors.
Cryovalues beyond High Expectations: Endurance and the Construction of Value in Cord Blood Banking
Authors: Liburkina Ruzana
Published: June 2022

Cryopreservation attracts attention as a practice grounded in high expectations: current life is suspended for future use—to generate life, to save life, and to resurrect life. But what happens when high expectations in cryobanking give way to looming uselessness and the risk of failure? Based on ethnographic insights into the case of umbilical cord blood (CB) banking in Germany, this contribution investigates the liminal state of “non-failure.” Averting failure amid a lack of success in this field requires putting effort into the construction of value. The resulting practices and dynamics overflow generic stories of commercialization and instrumentalization of biological material and are best grasped as an expanded version of the recently coined notion of “cryovalue.” The long-term availability of cryopreserved CB facilitates the steady yield of social and economic capital beyond and after promise. Moreover, the value construction is reoriented from CB itself toward the sociotechnical cryo-arrangements in which it is embedded. In exemplifying how it expands the understanding of the diversity of valuation and valorization practices, continuities, and economic endurance in cryoeconomies and bioeconomies, the paper advocates the study of their ambivalent and allegedly uneventful sites.
Hermos: An annotated image dataset for visual detection of grape leaf diseases
Authors: Özacar Tuğba , Öztürk Övünç , Güngör Savaş Nurdan
Published: June 2022

Powdery mildew, dead arm and vineyard downy mildew diseases are frequently seen in the vineyards in the Gediz River Basin, West Anatolia of Turkey. These diseases can be detected early using artificial intelligence (AI)–based systems that can contribute to crop yields and also reduce the labour of the farmer and the amount of pesticides used. This article presents a dataset – namely, Hermos – for use in such AI-based systems. Hermos contains four classes of grape leaf images: leaves with powdery mildew, leaves with dead arm, leaves with downy mildew and healthy leaves. We have currently 492 images and 13,913 labels in the dataset. We have published Hermos in the Linked Open Data (LOD) cloud in order to make it easier for consumers to access, process and manipulate the data.
Do retraction practices work effectively? Evidence from citations of psychological retracted articles
Authors: Yang Siluo , Qi Fan , Diao Heyu , Ajiferuke Isola
Published: June 2022

Scientific retraction practices are intended to help purge the continued use of flawed research and assist in maintaining the integrity, credibility and quality of scientific literature. However, the practical effect of retraction is still vague and needs to be further explored. In this study, we analysed the citation counts and sentiments (positive/negative) of retracted articles in psychology journals from Web of Science to explore the effect of retraction. Causal inference strategies were used to measure the net effect of retractions on citation. Results show that the retraction practices induced the citation counts to reduce as expected. However, the proportion of negative citations also decreased because of retraction, indicating an unsatisfied effect. The retraction practice of high-impact factors and open access journals was more effective than other journals. The study integrated an understanding of the dissemination of erroneous publications and provided implications for liabilities involved in the whole retraction process.
Classifying the Mexican epidemiological semaphore colour from the Covid-19 text Spanish news
Authors: Álvarez-Carmona Miguel A , Aranda Ramón , Rodríguez-González Ansel Y , Pellegrin Luis , Carlos Hugo
Published: June 2022

This work aims to generate classification models that help determine the colour of an epidemiological semaphore (ES) by analysing online news and being better prepared for the different changes in the evolution of the pandemic. To accomplish this, we introduce Cov-NES-Mex corpus, a collection of 77,983 news (labelled with the Mexican ES system) related to Covid-19 for the 32 regions of Mexico. Also, we showed measures that describe the corpus as imbalanced and with a high vocabulary overlap between classes. In addition, evaluation measurements of the pandemic by region are proposed. Furthermore, a classification model, based on a transformer architecture specialised for the Spanish language, achieved up to 0.83 of F-measure. Thus, this work provides evidence that there is essential information in the news that can be used to determine the colour of the ES up to 4 weeks in advance. Finally, the presented results could be applied to other Spanish-speaking countries, which do not have an ES system, thus inferring and comparing their situation concerning the Mexican ES.
Publishing in library and information science journals: The success of less experienced researchers
Authors: Faber Frandsen Tove , Nicolaisen Jeppe
Published: June 2022

This study explores the publishing success of less experienced researchers including early career researchers in a selection of library and information science journals. The study includes all authors of articles and reviews published in 10 library and information science journals during a 20-year period (2001–2020). The prior publication of each author is determined at the time of publication in one of the ten journals. The analysis includes 14,612 publications and publication histories of 36,417 authors. The results show that there are considerable differences between journals, and that the share of publications by less experienced researchers has generally decreased over time. Library automation journals publish considerably more publications by early career researchers than information science journals do. Publications in these 10 library and information science journals are being published by authors with an increasing publishing experience and fewer papers are being published by author teams with little experience.
Development of an Accessible Gene Expression Bioinformatics Pipeline to Study Driver Mutations of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: van den Driest Lisa , Johnson Caroline H. , Rattray Nicholas J.W. , Rattray Zahra
Published: June 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global cause of cancer-related mortality driven by genetic and environmental factors which influence therapeutic outcomes. The emergence of next-generation sequencing technologies enables the rapid and extensive collection and curation of genetic data for each cancer type into clinical gene expression biobanks. We report the application of bioinformatics tools for investigating the expression patterns and prognostic significance of three genes that are commonly dysregulated in colon cancer: adenomatous polyposis coli ( APC); B-Raf proto-oncogene ( BRAF); and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue ( KRAS). Through the use of bioinformatics tools, we show the patterns of APC, BRAF and KRAS genetic alterations and their role in patient prognosis. Our results show mutation types, the frequency of mutations, tumour anatomical location and differential expression patterns for APC, BRAF and KRAS for colorectal tumour and matched healthy tissue. The prognostic value of APC, BRAF and KRAS genetic alterations was investigated as a function of their expression levels in CRC. In the era of precision medicine, with significant advancements in biobanking and data curation, there is significant scope to use existing clinical data sets for evaluating the role of mutational drivers in carcinogenesis. This approach offers the potential for studying combinations of less well-known genes and the discovery of novel biomarkers, or for studying the association between various effector proteins and pathways.
When Fluency Matters: The Interplay between Categorization Fluency and Gender Atypicality on Gaydar Judgments
Authors: Masi Matteo , Fasoli Fabio
Published: June 2022

Perceiving a male speaker as gender atypical increases the chances of categorizing him as gay. The perception of how fluent the categorization process is can also play a role. Listeners categorized gay and straight speakers’ sexual orientation, reported their perceived categorization fluency, and rated speakers’ gender atypicality. When categorization fluency was high, gay speakers perceived as gender atypical were more likely categorized as gay. When categorization fluency was low, gender atypicality increased the likelihood of categorizing straight speakers as gay.
Religion as Stateless Hegemony: Democracy and the continued Dominance of Tibetan Buddhism in Exile
Authors: Coelho Joanna P. , Somayaji Ganesha
Published: June 2022

Before the exodus of many people and the political leadership from the territory of Tibet, both the macro-governmental and micro everyday sociocultural existence were dominated by Buddhist religion and religious personalities. The wealth of the nation was decided and measured by the ever-increasing number of grand monasteries and religious personalities. This article argues that after more than six decades of democratic internal governance in exile, the earlier dominance of religion and religious personalities has now taken a hegemonic turn in this democracy without territory. Despite the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s unprecedented decision to relinquish his formal governmental authority in exile, the continued dominance of religion in the polity and everyday life of Tibetans is notable and is critically examined in this article.
The effect of self-management programs on post-stroke social participation: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Du Minxia , Hu Yan
Published: June 2022

Objective

The aim of this study was to identify the effectiveness of self-management programs on the improvement of social participation among stroke survivors. Data Sources: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science database, EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL plus, and APA PsycArticles were searched from their inception to December 20, 2021.

Methods

We considered randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled trials without language limits. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, evaluated risk of bias using the Cochrane’s risk of bias tool, scored the methodological quality using criteria of the Australian Evidence-based Health Care Center, and extracted the data. The outcome was social participation. RevMan 5.3 was used, and intergroup differences were determined by calculating standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Of 1894 initial studies, totally 15 studies met the eligible criteria, consisting of six randomized controlled trials and nine non-randomized controlled trials. Four randomized controlled trials showed high methodological quality and two demonstrated medium quality. The randomized controlled trials involved a total of 430 stroke survivors and were published between 2007 and 2020. The meta-analysis from five randomized controlled trials demonstrates that the overall effect of self-management programs on social participation was not statistically significant (95% CI, -0.23 to 0.40; p = 0.61). Most of the non-randomized controlled trials were pre-/post-test design with an average sample size of 15.4. The effect of self-management program on social participation in most non-randomized controlled trials was insignificant as well.

Conclusion

The self-management programs seem not to be superior to usual care for the improvement on social participation in stroke survivors based on current evidence. Further well-designed investigation considering social participation as the primary outcome is still warranted.
Imaging features of adult moyamoya disease patients with anterior intracerebral hemorrhage based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Xu Jiali , Rajah Gary B , Zhang Houdi , Han Cong , Shen Xuxuan , Li Bin , Zou Zhengxing , Zhao Wenbo , Ren Changhong , Liu Guiyou , Ding Yuchuan , Yang Qi , Li Sijie , Ji Xunming
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to identify the high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) features of moyamoya disease (MMD) patients with anterior intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and attempted to reveal potential mechanisms of anterior ICH. Eligible adult MMD patients were consecutively included, and the morphological features of lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs), vessel wall structure of terminal internal carotid artery (ICA) and periventricular anastomosis were evaluated by HRMRI. 78 MMD patients containing 21 patients with anterior ICH, 31 ischemic patients and 26 asymptomatic patients were included. The mean value of total length of LSAs in anterior ICH group (90.79 ± 37.00 mm) was distinctively lower (p < 0.001) compared with either ischemic group (138.04 ± 46.01 mm) or asymptomatic group (170.50 ± 39.18 mm). Lumen area of terminal ICA was significantly larger (p < 0.001) in hemorrhagic group (4.33 ± 2.02 mm2) compared with ischemic group (2.29 ± 1.17 mm2) or asymptomatic group (3.00 ± 1.34 mm2). Multivariate analysis revealed the total length of LSAs (OR 0.689, 95%CI, 0.565–0.840; p < 0.001) and lumen area of terminal ICA (OR 2.085, 95%, 1.214–3.582; p = 0.008) were significantly associated with anterior ICH. Coexistence of reduced LSAs and relatively preserved lumen area of terminal ICA with an AUC of 0.901 (95%CI, 0.812–0.990) could be a potential predictor of anterior ICH in MMD patients.
Tissue perfusion of the kurtosis/diffusion mismatch differs from the central core and peripheral regions in acute cerebral infarction patients
Authors: Sun Haizhen , Wu Yalin , Liu Na , Long Miaomiao , Liu Guoping , Sun Phillip Zhe , Yin Jianzhong
Published: June 2022

Background

Despite its wide adoption in stroke imaging, the diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesion is heterogeneous. The emerging diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) has been postulated to resolve the graded DWI lesion.

Purpose

To determine the perfusion characteristics of the central infarction core, kurtosis/diffusion mismatch, and peripheral regions.

Material and Methods

Patients with acute ischemic stroke underwent DWI, DKI, and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) scans. The patients were divided into mean kurtosis (MK)/mean diffusivity (MD) match and mismatch groups. Perfusion parameters were measured in the MK/MD lesion and peripheral areas in the MK/MD match group. We also analyzed perfusion status in the MK/MD lesion mismatch area for the mismatch group.

Results

A total of 40 eligible patients (24 MK/MD match and 16 MK/MD mismatch) were enrolled in the final data analysis. The MTT and TTP progressively decreased, while the cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) increased from the central to peripheral areas. In addition, CBF in the MK/MD mismatch region was significantly higher than that in the central region ( P < 0.05), but similar to the peripheral region. Furthermore, CBV in the MK/MD mismatch region did not differ significantly from that of the central region, but both were significantly lower than that of the peripheral area ( P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The MK/MD mismatch region had blood flow similar to the peripheral region but with a reduced blood volume, indicating that it was less ischemic from the infarction core, albeit insufficient collateral circulation.
Correlation between corneal dynamic responses and keratoconus topographic parameters
Authors: Tai Hsi-Yun , Lin Jun-Ji , Huang Yi-Hung , Shih Po-Jen , Wang I-Jong , Yen Jia-Yush
Published: June 2022

Objective

To investigate the correlation between corneal biomechanical properties and topographic parameters using machine learning networks for automatic severity diagnosis and reference benchmark construction.

Methods

This was a retrospective study involving 31 eyes from 31 patients with keratonus. Two clustering approaches were used (i.e., shape-based and feature-based). The shape-based method used a keratoconus benchmark validated for indicating the severity of keratoconus. The feature-based method extracted imperative features for clustering analysis.

Results

There were strong correlations between the symmetric modes and the keratoconus severity and between the asymmetric modes and the location of the weak centroid. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (PPMC) between the symmetric mode and normality was 0.92 and between the asymmetric mode and the weak centroid value was 0.75.

Conclusion

This study confirmed that there is a relationship between the keratoconus signs obtained from topography and the corneal dynamic behaviour captured by the Corvis ST device. Further studies are required to gather more patient data to establish a more extensive database for validation.
Limited impacts of global warming on rockfall activity at low elevations: Insights from two calcareous cliffs from the French Prealps
Authors: Mainieri Robin , Eckert Nicolas , Corona Christophe , Lopez-Saez Jerome , Stoffel Markus , Bourrier Franck
Published: June 2022

In mountainous regions, global warming will likely affect the frequency and magnitude of geomorphic processes. This is also the case for rockfall, one of the most common mass movements on steep slopes. Rainfall, snowmelt, or freeze-thaw cycles are the main drivers of rockfall activity, rockfall hazards are thus generally thought to become more relevant in a context of climate change. At high elevations, unequivocal relationships have been found between increased rockfall activity, permafrost thawing and global warming. By contrast, below the permafrost limit, studies are scarcer. They mostly rely on short or incomplete rockfall records, and have so far failed to identify climatically induced trends in rockfall records. Here, using a dendrogeomorphic approach, we develop two continuous 60-year long chronologies of rockfall activity in the Vercors and Diois massifs (French Alps); both sites are located clearly below the permafrost limit. Uncertainties related to the decreasing number of trees available back in time were quantified based on a detailed mapping of trees covering the slope across time. Significant multiple regression models with reconstructed rockfalls as predictors and local changes in climatic conditions since 1959 extracted from the SAFRAN reanalysis dataset as predictants were fitted to investigate the potential impacts of global warming on rockfall activity at both sites. In the Vercors massif, the strong increase in reconstructed rockfall can be ascribed to the recolonization of the forest stand and the over-representation of young trees; changes that are observed should not therefore be ascribed to climatic fluctuations. In the Diois massif, we identify annual precipitation totals and mean temperatures as statistically significant drivers of rockfall activity but no significant increasing trend was identified in the reconstruction. All in all, despite the stringency of our approach, we cannot therefore confirm that rockfall hazard will increase as a result of global warming at our sites.
Perioperative provider safety in the pandemic: Development, implementation and evaluation of an adjunct COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist
Authors: Starr Nichole E , Moore Jolene N , Shreckengost Constance S Harrell , Fernandez Katie , Ambulkar Reshma P , Capo-Chichi Nina , Varallo John E , Ademuyiwa Adesoji O , Krouch Sophallyda , Rana Pankaj Singh , Ingabire JC Allen , Weiser Thomas G , Mammo Tihitena Negussie , Evans Faye M
Published: June 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained surgical systems worldwide and placed healthcare providers at risk in their workplace. To protect surgical care providers caring for patients with COVID-19, in May 2020 we developed a COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist (C19 SPC), including online training materials, to accompany the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist. In October 2020, an online survey was conducted via partner and social media networks to understand perioperative clinicians’ intraoperative practice and perceptions of safety while caring for COVID-19 positive patients and gain feedback on the utility of C19 SPC. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise responses by World Bank income classification. Qualitative analysis was performed to describe respondents' perceptions of C19 SPC and recommended modifications. Respondents included 539 perioperative clinicians from 63 countries. One-third of respondents reported feeling unsafe in their workplace due to COVID-19 with significantly higher proportions in low (39.8%) and lower-middle (33.9%) than higher income countries (15.6%). The most cited concern was the risk of COVID-19 transmission to self, colleagues and family. A large proportion of respondents (65.3%) reported that they had not used C19 SPC, yet 83.8% of these respondents felt it would be useful. Of those who reported that they had used C19 SPC, 62.0% stated feeling safer in the workplace because of its use. Based on survey results, modifications were incorporated into a subsequent version. Our survey findings suggest that perioperative clinicians report feeling unsafe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, adjunct tools such as the C19 SPC can help to improve perceived safety.
Perioperative predictors for complications in patients with Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis treated with nephrectomy
Authors: Montelongo-Rodríguez Fred Alain , Pallares-Mendez Rigoberto , Robles-Torres José Iván , Romero-Mata Rodrigo , Cervantes-Miranda Daniel Eduardo , Gutiérrez-González Adrián , García-Arreola Jorge Ángel
Published: June 2022

Introduction:

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is an inflammatory disease characterized by chronic obstruction and infection. This pathology is a life-threatening condition when surgical treatment is carried out. We decided to retrospectively evaluate whether there were perioperative factors that predict complications in patients who undergo nephrectomy.

Methods:

We reviewed all nephrectomies done in the period of 2013–2018, in a tertiary referral Hospital with the histopathological diagnosis of Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis.

Results:

The presence of renal abscess at admission was observed as a risk factor associated with perioperative complications ( p = 0.002), presence of abscess was observed in 47.4% of subjects without complications compared to 89.3% of the perioperative complication group. Higher rates of blood transfusion requirement were observed in the perioperative complication group, 89.3% compared to 68.4% ( p = 0.029), furthermore, perioperative bleeding was slightly greater in the complication group compared to its counterpart, 700 mL, and 600 mL, respectively ( p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

Anemia and the presence of abscess were important perioperative factors that predict perioperative complications.
Mucin 5AC expression is common but unrelated to tumor progression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Authors: Dwertmann Rico Sebastian , Büscheck Franziska , Dum David , Luebke Andreas M , Kluth Martina , Hube-Magg Claudia , Hinsch Andrea , Höflmayer Doris , Perez Daniel , Izbicki Jakob R , Neipp Michael , Mofid Hamid , Daniels Thies , Isbert Christoph , Fraune Christoph , Möller Katharina , Menz Anne , Bernreuther Christian , Lebok Patrick , Clauditz Till , Sauter Guido , Uhlig Ria , Wilczak Waldemar , Simon Ronald , Steurer Stefan , Burandt Eike , Marx Andreas , Krech Till
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) belongs to the family of secreted gel-forming mucins. It is physiologically expressed in some normal mucin producing epithelial cells but also in pancreatic, ovarian, and colon cancer cells. The role of MUC5AC expression in cancer is not fully understood. This study was designed to explore the role of MUC5AC for pancreatic cancer progression, its association to microsatellite instability, and its diagnostic utility. Methods: Mucin 5AC expression was studied immunohistochemically in a tissue microarray (TMA) from 532 pancreatic cancers, 61 cancers of the ampulla Vateri, six acinar cell carcinomas and 12 large sections of pancreatitis. Results: Mucin 5AC staining was interpretable in 476 of 599 (79%) arrayed cancers. Staining was completely absent in normal pancreas and pancreatitis, but frequent in pancreatic cancer. Membranous and cytoplasmic MUC5AC expression was most common in pancreatic adenocarcinomas (71% of 423), followed by carcinomas of the ampulla Vateri (43% of 47), and absent in six acinar cell carcinomas. Mucin 5AC expression was unrelated to tumor phenotype (tumor stage, tumor grade, lymph node, and distant metastasis), and microsatellite instability in ductal adenocarcinomas and carcinomas of the ampulla Vateri. Conclusion: Our study indicates that MUC5AC is an excellent biomarker for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, especially to support the sometimes-difficult diagnosis on small biopsies. Mucin 5AC expression is unrelated to pancreatic cancer aggressiveness.
Temperature distribution analysis of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites during self-resistance electric heating process
Authors: Shen Yan , Lu Yong , Liu Shuting , Hao Xiaozhong
Published: June 2022

Self-resistance electric (SRE) heating for carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is an alternative out-of-autoclave curing methodology that has high efficiency and low energy consumption. However, thanks to the heating mechanism of inside-out conduction, which is significantly different from that of the traditional outside-in heating process, the temperature distribution and its homogenization strategy still need further investigation. This work focuses on analyzing the affecting factors of the temperature uniformity of CFRP laminates during the SRE curing process utilizing a multi-physical numerical computation model and experimental verification. It is found that mold sizes have the most significant impact due to the non-uniform center-to-edge heat absorption of the mold. The maximum temperature difference during the untreated process could be lower than 20 K if the excess size proportion of the mold is smaller than 10%. Thermal barriers made of aerogel homogenize the temperature distribution during the dwell stage, reducing the maximum temperature difference by 84.18%. Considering that the mold size is sometimes unchangeable, the existence of auxiliary heating elements compensates the heat dissipation from the self-heated laminate and reduces the maximum temperature difference by 79.81%. Based on analysis results, a temperature homogenization strategy is proposed, where the maximum temperature difference is reduced by 86.15%.
Identity and the limits of fair assessment
Authors: Stewart Rush T.
Published: June 2022

In many assessment problems—aptitude testing, hiring decisions, appraisals of the risk of recidivism, evaluation of the credibility of testimonial sources, and so on—the fair treatment of different groups of individuals is an important goal. But individuals can be legitimately grouped in many different ways. Using a framework and fairness constraints explored in research on algorithmic fairness, I show that eliminating certain forms of bias across groups for one way of classifying individuals can make it impossible to eliminate such bias across groups for another way of dividing people up. And this point generalizes if we require merely that assessments be approximately bias-free. Moreover, even if the fairness constraints are satisfied for some given partitions of the population, the constraints can fail for the coarsest common refinement, that is, the partition generated by taking intersections of the elements of these coarser partitions. This shows that these prominent fairness constraints admit the possibility of forms of intersectional bias.
Numerical prediction of mechanical behavior of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene under three-point bending and impact loadings by Anand–Gurtin material model
Authors: Dundar Mehmet Akif , Dhaliwal Gurpinder Singh , Nuraliyev Mirali , Ayorinde Emmanuel O
Published: June 2022

A satisfactory reproduction of three-point bending and impact test data of an industrially important amorphous polymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), in the context of finite element analysis is of prime importance to industry. Constitutive material models developed for amorphous polymers are capable of describing their complex mechanical behavior under multiaxial loadings with a variety of success; therefore, the computational accuracy directly depends on the selection of constitutive model and a proper determination of its associated parameters. Thus, this study aimed at accurately predicting the multiaxial mechanical behavior of ABS by the Anand–Gurtin elastic–viscoplastic material model selected as the constitutive model and employed for the first time in the numerical implementations of the three-point bending and impact tests of ABS. To this end, the constitutive model parameters never identified for ABS before was first determined mainly depending on uniaxial compression test data at various strain rates ranging from 2 × 10−4 s−1 to 2 × 10−1 s−1 and then validated against tension test data for a broad range of strain rates varying from 1 × 10−3 s−1 to 45 s−1. All the experimental data taken into consideration in this study was taken from the previous studies of authors. The material model with the validated constitutive parameters of ABS was utilized in the numerical implementation of three-point bending tests for two different bending speeds (0.05–10 mm/s), in addition, impact tests for two various low impact velocities (4.43–6.23 m/s). Numerical results revealed that the constitutive model successfully reproduces the three-point bending test data of ABS for both bending speeds but acceptably overestimates the impact response of ABS under both low impact velocities in terms of peak impact load. Hence, it was concluded that this computationally inexpensive complex material model with the constitutive parameters determined for ABS can be used in the accurate prediction of its multiaxial material behavior.