bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Damping Torque Analysis of the PMSG-Based WT with Supplementary Damping Control for Mitigating Interarea Oscillations
Authors: Yang Yanan , Li Yujun , Yuan Xiaotian , Li Jiapeng , Du Zhengchun
Published: December 2022

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact that a supplementary damping controller of the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)-based wind turbine (WT) has on low-frequency oscillation (LFO) damping. A reduced mathematical model of an interarea system is first established. Then, an auxiliary damping controller is designed using the PMSG active power control loop, enabling the WT to actively support the interarea LFO mitigation. Based on this, the damping torque analysis (DTA) method is applied to explore the contribution of the PMSG-based WT with an auxiliary damping controller to LFO damping enhancement, whose analytical expressions of the damping torque coefficients reveal the impacts of the control parameters and the operation conditions on the system damping characteristics. It is evident that the installation location of the wind power plant (WPP) plays a leading role in determining whether the damping provided by the PMSG controller is positive or negative. Also, the contribution of damping from the PMSG can be improved by tuning the droop coefficient of the PMSG controller properly. The results indicate that the proposed damping control is always helpful in improving the system damping when the wind power penetration increases. Accordingly, analytical conclusions can serve as guidelines for the control design. Case studies of a two-area test system integrated with a PMSG-based wind farm have been conducted to verify the theoretical analysis.
Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Studies on the Biosorption of Lead (II) by Living and Nonliving Biomass of Penicillium notatum
Authors: Khodabakhshi Abbas , Mohammadi-Moghadam Fazel , Shakeri Kobra , Hemati Sara
Published: December 2022

This study aims to investigate the biosorption of Pb (II) by living and nonliving biomass of Penicillium notatum. Penicillium notatum PTCC 5074 was purchased from Iran Scientific-Industrial Research Organization in lyophilized form and after culturing in potato dextrose agar was propagated in Sabouraud dextrose broth medium. The highest adsorption by living and nonliving biomass (180.74 and 187.08 mg/g per dry weight of biomass, respectively) was at the Pb (II) concentration of 228 mg/L and ionic strength of 43 mg/L in terms of Ca2+ and 1.2 g/L biomass concentration. The optimum contact time and temperature in nonliving biomass were 37 hours and 32.5°C, respectively. Kinetic studies showed that Pb(II) adsorption in both cases follows a pseudo-second-order reaction. The adsorption process was consistent with the Langmuir model in the nonliving state, whereas the favourite models for the living state were Langmuir and Freundlich. Thermodynamic constants indicated that the adsorption process by nonliving and living biomass were exothermic and endothermic, respectively. The obtained results showed that Penicillium notatum in living and nonliving states is suitable for the development of an efficient and economic biosorbent for the removal of Pb (II) from aqueous environments.
Prevalence of Microorganisms in Atherosclerotic Plaques of Coronary Arteries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Razeghian-Jahromi Iman , Elyaspour Zahra , Zibaeenezhad Mohammad Javad , Hassanipour Soheil
Published: December 2022

Background. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the existence of pathogens in atherosclerotic plaques of coronary arteries was investigated in coronary arteries diseases (CAD) patients. Methods. This study was designed and implemented up to 31 August 2020. The findings present according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) checklist. Two independent reviewers (I.RJ and S.H) performed a comprehensive search on four different English databases including PubMed, ISI, Scopus, and Embase. In order to assess the quality of the articles, a checklist prepared by The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) was used. Results. Finally, 44 studies were selected. The prevalence of different microorganisms in coronary arteries were as follows: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (46.2%), Campylobacter rectus (43.0%), Chlamydia pneumonia (42.8%), Cytomegalovirus (29.1%), Helicobacter pylori (18.9%), Herpes simplex virus type 1 (5.9%), Porphyromonas gingivalis (42.6%), Prevotella intermedia (47.6%), Tannerella forsythia (43.7%), and Treponema denticola (32.9%). Conclusion. Based on the result of this meta-analysis, Prevotella intermedia and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans are the most common microorganisms in atherosclerotic plaques of coronary arteries and may have an important role in the development of atherosclerosis.
Do Beliefs about Alcohol and Cancer Risk Vary by Alcoholic Beverage Type and Heart Disease Risk Beliefs?
Authors: Seidenberg Andrew B. , Wiseman Kara P. , Klein William M.P.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Alcohol is a leading risk factor for cancer, yet awareness of the alcohol–cancer link is low. Awareness may be influenced by perceptions of potential health benefits of alcohol consumption or certain alcoholic beverage types. The purpose of this study was to estimate awareness of the alcohol–cancer link by beverage type and to examine the relationship between this awareness and concomitant beliefs about alcohol and heart disease risk.

Methods:

We analyzed data from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey 5 Cycle 4, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults.

Results:

Awareness of the alcohol–cancer link was highest for liquor (31.2%), followed by beer (24.9%) and wine (20.3%). More U.S. adults believed wine (10.3%) decreased cancer risk, compared with beer (2.2%) and liquor (1.7%). Most U.S. adults (>50%) reported not knowing how these beverages affected cancer risk. U.S. adults believing alcoholic beverages increased heart disease risk had higher adjusted predicted probabilities of being aware of the alcohol–cancer link (wine: 58.6%; beer: 52.4%; liquor: 59.4%) compared with those unsure (wine: 6.0%; beer: 8.6%; liquor: 13.2%), or believing alcoholic beverages reduced (wine: 16.2%; beer: 21.6%; liquor: 23.8%) or had no effect on heart disease risk (wine: 10.2%; beer: 12.0%; liquor: 16.9%).

Conclusions:

Awareness of the alcohol–cancer link was low, varied by beverage type, and was higher among those recognizing that alcohol use increased heart disease risk.

Impact:

These findings underscore the need to educate U.S. adults about the alcohol–cancer link, including raising awareness that drinking all alcoholic beverage types increases cancer risk.

See related commentary by Hay et al., p. 9
Cardiovascular Disease and Thrombosis in HIV Infection
Authors: Perkins Megan V. , Joseph Sarah B. , Dittmer Dirk P. , Mackman Nigel
Published: December 2022

HIV infection has transitioned from an acute, fatal disease to a chronic one managed by antiretroviral therapy. Thus, the aging population of people living with HIV (PLWH) continues to expand. HIV infection results in a dysregulated immune system, wherein CD4
+
T cells are depleted, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, disrupting the gut epithelial barrier. Long-term HIV infection is associated with chronic inflammation through potentially direct mechanisms caused by viral replication or exposure to viral proteins and indirect mechanisms resulting from increased translocation of microbial products from the intestine or exposure to antiretroviral therapy. Chronic inflammation (as marked by IL [interleukin]-6 and CRP [C-reactive protein]) in PLWH promotes endothelial cell dysfunction and atherosclerosis. PLWH show significantly increased rates of cardiovascular disease, such as myocardial infarction (risk ratio, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.54–2.08]) and stroke (risk ratio, 2.56 [95% CI, 1.43–4.61]). In addition, PLWH have increased levels of the coagulation biomarker D-dimer and have a two to ten-fold increased risk of venous thromboembolism compared with the general population. Several small clinical trials analyzed the effect of different antithrombotic agents on platelet activation, coagulation, inflammation, and immune cell activation. Although some markers for coagulation were reduced, most agents failed to reduce inflammatory markers in PLWH. More studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms driving inflammation in PLWH to create better therapies for lowering chronic inflammation in PLWH. Such therapies can potentially reduce atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and thrombosis rates in PLWH and thus overall mortality in this population.
Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin Among Adults With Cancer and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Mehta Hemalkumar B. , An Huijun , Ardeshirrouhanifard Shirin , Raji Mukaila A. , Alexander G. Caleb , Segal Jodi B.
Published: December 2022

Background:

While clinical guidelines recommend direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC) over warfarin to treat isolated nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, guidelines are silent regarding nonvalvular atrial fibrillation treatment among individuals with cancer, reflecting the paucity of evidence in this setting. We quantified relative risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism and major bleeding (primary outcomes), and all-cause and cardiovascular death (secondary outcomes) among older individuals with cancer and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation comparing DOACs and warfarin.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry and linked US Medicare data from 2010 through 2016, and included individuals diagnosed with cancer and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who newly initiated DOAC or warfarin. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting to control confounding. We used competing risk regression for primary outcomes and cardiovascular death, and Cox proportional hazard regression for all-cause death.

Results:

Among 7675 individuals included in the cohort, 4244 (55.3%) received DOACs and 3431 (44.7%) warfarin. In the inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, there was no statistically significant difference among DOAC and warfarin users in the risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism (1.24 versus 1.19 events per 100 person-years, adjusted hazard ratio 1.41 [95% CI, 0.92–2.14]), major bleeding (3.08 versus 4.49 events per 100 person-years, adjusted hazard ratio 0.90 [95% CI, 0.70–1.17]), and cardiovascular death (1.88 versus 3.14 per 100 person-years, adjusted hazard ratio 0.82 [95% CI, 0.59–0.1.13]). DOAC users had significantly lower risk of all-cause death (7.09 versus 13.3 per 100 person-years, adjusted hazard ratio 0.81 [95% CI, 0.69–0.94]) compared to warfarin users.

Conclusions:

Older adults with cancer and atrial fibrillation exposed to DOACs had similar risks of stroke and systemic embolism and major bleeding as those exposed to warfarin. Relative to warfarin, DOAC use was associated with a similar risk of cardiovascular death and a lower risk of all-cause death.
Differing Impact of Preterm Birth on the Right and Left Atria in Adulthood
Authors: Schuermans Art , den Harink Tamara , Raman Betty , Smillie Robert W. , Alsharqi Maryam , Mohamed Afifah , Lapidaire Winok , van Deutekom Arend W. , Leeson Paul , Lewandowski Adam J.
Published: December 2022

Background

Preterm birth affects 10% of live births and is associated with an altered left ventricular and right ventricular phenotype and increased cardiovascular disease risk in young adulthood. Because left atrial (LA) and right atrial (RA) volume and function are known independent predictors of cardiovascular outcomes, we investigated whether these were altered in preterm‐born young adults.

Methods and Results

Preterm‐born (n=200) and term‐born (n=266) adults aged 18 to 39 years underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. LA and RA maximal and minimal volumes (absolute, indexed to body surface area, and as a ratio to ventricular volumes) were obtained to study atrial morphology, while LA and RA stroke volume, strain, and strain rate were used to assess atrial function. Secondary analyses consisted of between‐group comparisons based on degree of prematurity. Absolute RA volumes and RA volumes indexed to right ventricular volumes were significantly smaller in preterm‐born compared with term‐born adults. In addition, RA reservoir and booster strain were higher in preterm‐born adults, possibly indicating functional compensation for the smaller RA volumes. LA volumes indexed to left ventricular volumes were significantly greater in preterm‐born adults as compared with term‐born adults, although absolute LA volumes were similar between groups. LA and RA changes were observed across gestational ages in the preterm group but were greatest in those born very‐to‐extremely preterm.

Conclusions

Preterm‐born adults show changes in LA and RA structure and function, which may indicate subclinical cardiovascular disease. Further research into underlying mechanisms, opportunities for interventions, and their prognostic value is warranted.
“I Shall Give Thee the Heathen for Thine Inheritance”
Authors: McGhee Patrick S.
Published: December 2022

Taking the scriptural concept of the ‘heathen’ as its starting point, this article investigates the attitudes of Protestant ministers and parishioners in England towards the conversion of indigenous non-Christian people in colonial New England during the years of the English republic from 1649 to 1660. The article examines Psalm 2 as a framework within which churchgoers interpreted non-Christianity, before turning to the fragmentary prosopography of parishioners who donated money towards the cause of religious expansion. Illuminating the practical strategies that the new government developed as its pursuit of legitimacy intersected with attitudes towards evangelism overseas, the article demonstrates the ways in which liturgical, pastoral, political and socio-economic circumstances shaped local engagement with the wider Atlantic world. It suggests that English support for the propagation of the gospel emerged from profound theological ambivalence as animosity towards non-believers co-existed with the conviction that some among them could convert and might be saved.
Big Shots: A Social Media Campaign to Honor Local Heroes who Promote COVID-19 Vaccine Literacy and Increase Vaccine Acceptance
Authors: Schub Tanja , Swan-Potras Lauren , Rabin Kenneth
Published: December 2022

Big Shots is a graduate student-developed social media campaign that aims to promote COVID-19 vaccine literacy and build vaccine confidence through the power of storytelling. Here we describe the development of the partnerships underlying the campaign and detail the campaign’s achievements thus far, including its recognition and celebration (to date) of 12 individuals and groups who have broken down barriers to COVID-19 vaccination in their communities. The ongoing campaign may serve as a model to guide future “grassroots” social media campaigns aimed at addressing public health issues.
Post-Parathyroidectomy Hypocalcemia: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Management
Authors: Mittendorf Elizabeth A. , Merlino James I. , Mchenry Christopher R.
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and severity of hypocalcemia after parathyroidectomy and delineate its risk factors. Data was retrieved from a prospective database. Patients with postoperative hypocalcemia were identified and risk factors were investigated including primary versus renal hyperparathyroidism (HPT), preoperative calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and alkaline phosphatase levels, gland weight, pathology, extent of surgery, and reoperative surgery. Of the 162 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy, 84 (52%) were hypocalcemic postoperatively: 55 (42%) of 132 patients with primary and 29 (97%) of 30 patients with renal HPT ( P = 0.0001). Patients with renal HPT had more profound hypocalcemia with a mean ± SD calcium of 7.34 mg/dL ± 1.07 versus 7.76 mg/dL ± 0.59 for patients with primary HPT ( P < 0.05). Symptoms were present in 28 (51%) of 55 patients with primary and 13 (45%) of 29 patients with renal HPT. Only three (2%) patients with primary compared to 29 (97%) with renal HPT were treated with intravenous calcium. The average length of stay for hypocalcemic patients was 0.7 days for primary HPT versus 4.7 days for renal HPT ( P < 0.0005). Patients with primary HPT who underwent subtotal parathyroidectomy had significantly lower postoperative calcium levels (7.95 mg/dL ± 0.64) than patients who had a single or double adenoma removed (8.49 mg/dL ± 0.79) ( P = 0.036). No other factor was predictive of postoperative hypocalcemia. Patients with renal HPT develop profound postoperative hypocalcemia requiring intravenous calcium and vitamin D therapy. Hypocalcemia in patients with primary HPT develop less severe hypocalcemia that is amenable to outpatient oral calcium therapy and should be routinely initiated following subtotal parathyroidectomy.
Personal Experience with the Whipple Operation: Outcomes and Lessons Learned
Authors: Hoshal Verne L. , Benedict Mary B. , David Lisa R. , Kulick Jennifer
Published: December 2022

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has evolved into a safe procedure in major high-volume medical centers. This retrospective outcome review is from a database of 134 consecutive PDs from 1985 through 2002; all of whom underwent resection in a community hospital with a general surgery residency. All resections were performed by senior residents under the supervision of the same attending surgeon (V.L.H.). Follow-up was 100 per cent. There were 117 (88%) pyloric-sparing pancreaticoduodenectomies (PSPD) and 17 (12%) standard Whipple (SW) operations. Mean age for patients was 60 years with a range 29 to 84 years. There were 62 female and 72 male patients. Resections performed were periampullary malignancies, 83.6 per cent; benign neoplasm, 3.7 per cent; and non-neoplastic disease, 12.7 per cent. For the pancreatic anastomoses, 84 (63%) were pancreaticogastrostomies (PGs) and 50 (37%) were pancreaticojejunostomies (PJs). Mortality was 3.7 per cent, and 60 major complications occurred in 38 patients (28%) which included pancreatic fistula, 5.2 per cent; bile leak, 0.7 per cent; other anastomotic leaks, 1.5 per cent; intra-abdominal abscesses, 8.2 per cent; intra-abdominal bleeding, 3.0 per cent; upper gastrointestinal bleeding, 3.7 per cent; bowel ischemia, 1.5 per cent; and delayed gastric emptying (DGE), 17.9 per cent. Reoperation was required in only five patients (3.7%). There were no complications in 96 patients (72%) with an average hospital stay of 9.0 days. Long-term complications were peptic ulcer disease, liver abscess, hepatic stones, pancreatic insufficiency, and radiation jejunal strictures. Long-term survival was achieved in periampullary malignancies including pancreatic with excellent functional status.
Open Abdomen Management of Intra-abdominal Sepsis
Authors: Adkins Amy L. , Robbins James , Villalba Mario , Bendick Phillip , Shanley Charles J.
Published: December 2022

Despite surgical advances, antimicrobial therapy, and intensive care, the morbidity and mortality of intra-abdominal sepsis remains high. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether open abdomen management of intra-abdominal sepsis reduces intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital mortality. The records of 81 consecutive patients with open abdomen management for intra-abdominal sepsis admitted to the surgical ICU from January 1998 to April 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Outcomes were compared to a historical control group with primary abdominal closure, also admitted to the surgical ICU with intra-abdominal sepsis and matched for sex, age, source of sepsis, and APACHE III score. ICU mortality for the open abdomen group was 25 per cent versus 17 per cent for the control group. Hospital mortality was 33 per cent and 25 per cent for the open abdomen patients and historical controls, respectively. Both ICU and hospital length of stay were significantly longer for the open abdomen group. An overall fistula rate of 14.8 per cent was demonstrated in the open abdomen patients. A significant difference in overall ICU and hospital mortality was not demonstrated between patients treated with open abdomen management and historical controls. A prospective randomized study accounting for extent of sepsis may define a role for open abdomen management in selected subgroups of patients.
Hand-Sewn versus Stapled Intestinal Anastomoses in a Chronically Steroid-Treated Porcine Model
Authors: Singer Marc A. , Cintron Jose R. , Benedetti Enrico , Lamba Amit , Abcarian Herand
Published: December 2022

Chronic steroid treatment is known to delay wound healing; however, there are no trials examining stapled intestinal anastomoses in subjects chronically treated with steroids. The current study compares mechanically stapled to manually sutured intestinal anastomoses in a steroid-treated porcine model. Twenty adult male pigs were treated with daily prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg IM) for 14 days. The pigs were divided between hand-sewn and stapled groups. All pigs underwent a laparotomy with construction of a jejunojejunostomy, an ileocecostomy, and a colocolostomy. Pigs were sacrificed on postoperative day 4. Bursting pressure, collagen content, and inflammatory scores were used to evaluate each anastomosis. Bursting pressure was greater for the hand-sewn group at the jejunojejunostomies only (1.52 vs 0.79 psi; P < 0.001). The collagen content and microscopic inflammatory scores were not significantly different at any location. The mean gross inflammatory score was greater for the hand-sewn colocolostomies only (5.20 vs 4.00; P < 0.01). Stapled ileocecostomies and colocolostomies appear to heal as well as hand-sewn anastomoses. This may not be true of the jejunojejunostomies as evidenced by the decreased bursting pressures. These data may provide evidence in support of the use of stapled anastomoses in steroid-treated patients.
Major Depression Due to Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Frequent and Correctable Disorder
Authors: Wilhelm Scott M. , Lee John , Prinz Richard A.
Published: December 2022

While primary hyperparathyroidism (1° HPT) is recognized as a correctable cause of nephrolithiasis and osteoporosis, its role as an organic cause of major depression is less clear. The rate of major depression in 1° HPT, response of symptoms to parathyroidectomy, and potential cost benefits were reviewed. From August 1994 to September 2002, 360 patients underwent parathyroidectomy for 1° HPT. Thirty-five patients met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders TV-Text Revision (DSM IV-TR) criteria for major depression. Postoperatively, a modified form of the Outcomes Institutes Health Status Questionnaire 2.0 was used to evaluate patient mood and continued need for antidepressant medication (ADM). Cost analysis of ADM use was performed. Thirty-five of 360 patients (10%) with 1° HPT met criteria for major depression. Thirteen of 35 (37%) required ADM preoperatively. Postoperatively, 29/35 (83%) patients responded to a phone survey: 90 per cent stated depression no longer impacted their ability to work or activities of daily living; 52 per cent reported an improved quality of life; 27 per cent discontinued preoperative ADM; and 27 per cent reduced their ADM dose. Reduction in ADM resulted in a savings of $700 to $3000 per patient per year. Major depression occurs in 10 per cent of patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for 1° HPT. Parathyroidectomy reduces symptoms of major depression, improves quality of life, and can eliminate or reduce the need for antidepressant medication in up to 54 per cent of patients.
Association Between Vancomycin AUC and Clinical Failure in Patients with Streptococcal Bacteremia
Authors: Aycock Anna , Smith Jessica M. , Coe Kelci , Wang Shu-Hua , Reed Erica
Published: December 2022

Background: Monitoring of vancomycin using the area under the curve (AUC) to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ratio is now preferred for serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Vancomycin AUC/MIC monitoring is being investigated but is not yet well elucidated with other bacterial pathogens. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted assessing patients with streptococcal bacteremia treated with vancomycin definitive therapy. AUC was calculated using a Bayesian approach, and classification and regression tree analysis was used to identify a vancomycin AUC threshold predictive of clinical failure. Results: Eleven patients had a vancomycin AUC < 329 of which 8 (73%) experienced clinical failure, while 35 patients had a vancomycin AUC ≥ 329 of which 12 (34%) experienced clinical failure ( P = .04). Hospital length of stay was longer in the AUC ≥ 329 group (15 vs 8 days, P = .05), whereas time to bacteremia clearance (29 [22-45] vs 25 [20-29] hours, P = .15) and toxicity incidence (13% vs 4%, P = 1) were similar between groups. Conclusions: This study identified a VAN AUC threshold of <329 to be predictive of clinical failure in patients with streptococcal bacteremia which should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating. Studies evaluating VAN AUC-based monitoring for streptococcal bloodstream infections along with other infection types are needed before implementation into clinical practice can be recommended.
Supervision of Chinese social work students during field practice: Harmonising a student-focused, egalitarian approach with traditional teaching and learning
Authors: Yeung Echo Yuet Wah , Jie Zhuang , Liu Ben Chi Pun , Shardlow Steven M
Published: December 2022

This article explores the extent to which approaches to supervision developed outside of China fit with Chinese cultural approaches to learning and teaching. Qualitative data were collected from students and supervisors from three different regions in China. The findings suggest that a student-focused, egalitarian approach is fundamental to promote students’ learning at the current developmental stage of the social work profession in China. This approach is in conflict to some degree with the deeply rooted traditional teacher-centred, authoritative teaching and learning style. This study illustrates how a student-focused, equalitarian approach could be applied to alleviate such a tension.
The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Grief Experiences of Bereaved Relatives: An Overview Review
Authors: van Schaik Tamara , Brouwer Marije A. , Knibbe Nico E. , Knibbe Hanneke J. J. , Teunissen Saskia C. C. M.
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted grief experiences of bereaved relatives and altered accustomed ways of coping with loss. To understand how bereaved relatives experienced grief during COVID-19, a review, using the overview method, was conducted. An overview of empirical data about this subject has been lacking and therefore, PubMed and CINAHL databases were searched for empirical studies published from January 1, 2020 until December 31, 2021. 28 articles were included in the review. Thematic analysis showed different emotional responses, changes in grief, the effect of absence during final moments, a lack of involvement in the caring process, the impact on communities and social support systems and the alteration of funerals among bereaved relatives. During COVID-19, death is characterized by poor bereavement outcomes and health implications, but bereaved also show signs of resilience and coping. Directions for future research about cultural and societal differences in grief and support methods are suggested.
Status-quo enhancing versus status-quo challenging change in global economic governance: the case of China in finance and trade
Authors: Sampson Michael , Wang Jue
Published: December 2022

When a state is dissatisfied with an international institution it has different strategies available to it to secure change. These strategies are increasingly well understood due to research in the areas of regime complexity and institutional selection. But while there is an understanding of how the structure of a regime can influence the chances of success of different change proposals, there is less clarity on how the content of proposed changes impacts their success. In this article we decompose proposed institutional changes into two sub-types: Status-quo challenging and status-quo enhancing. Status-quo enhancing changes promote reforms that advance the objectives of the existing regime and so serve to drive change that would otherwise be limited by the inertia of existing institutions. Conversely, status-quo challenging changes undermine the stated goals of the existing regime. We develop these sub-types by comparing China’s attempts to secure changes in the global finance and trade regimes and find that for China status-quo enhancing changes have met with more success than status-quo challenging approaches because they have created more opportunities for productive coalition building.
Introduction: Heritage and the making of ‘Europe’
Authors: van der Waal Margriet , Van Weyenberg Astrid , Volk Sabine
Published: December 2022

The notion of ‘European heritage’ plays an increasingly important role in the discursive constructions of a collective sense of European belonging. This Special Issue critically reviews some of the contemporary instrumentalizations of European heritage as processes of borderwork by which various political and non-political actors demarcate the boundaries of Europe and European identity. Specifically, the nine contributions shed light on some of the top-down and bottom-up uses of European heritage and explore whether the borderwork of European heritage delineates and separates Europeanness as an exclusive and singular identity, or whether it constitutes a space of exchange, flow and entanglement where Europeanness is defined as inclusive and pluralistic. Characterized by interdisciplinarity, methodological variety and a conception of Europe broader than the European Union, this Special Issue aims to broaden the scope of scholarship in European studies and (critical) heritage studies.
Risk, Needs, and Behavior: Moderating the Mediated Relationship Between Criminal Thinking, Institutional Infractions, and Recidivism With Time Spent in Prison
Authors: Walters Glenn D.
Published: December 2022

The research question addressed in the current study asked whether a risk factor would moderate the relationship between a needs factor and behavior and in so doing increase a person’s odds of reoffending. In this study, prison time was the risk factor, proactive and reactive criminal thinking the needs factors, and institutional infractions the behavior. A sample of 1,101 men (mean age = 34.64 years) released from federal prison between 2003 and 2009 participated in a study where a moderated mediation design was employed. The interaction between proactive criminal thinking and time spent in prison was found to predict more infractions in prison, which, in turn, predicted increased levels of recidivism upon release from prison. These results suggest that time spent in prison may provide a context in which proactive criminal thinking encourages antisocial behavior in prison, which then puts the individual at risk for future offending.
Homecoming as a Gendered Practice in Danish Military Families
Authors: Kyed Morten , Christensen Ann-Dorte , Oldrup Helene , Nielsen Anni Brit Sternhagen
Published: December 2022

This article explores the complicated process of post-deployment homecoming in military families in Denmark. Based on qualitative interviews with spouses and children of formerly deployed soldiers, the article analyses some of the main challenges related to homecoming and military-to-family transitions in military families. It illuminates how deployment affects family practices and social relations by especially focusing on gender equality, fatherhood, and masculinity. Based on interviews with spouses and children, the article outlines three masculinity positions available to Danish homecoming veterans: gender equality masculinities, militarized masculinities, and troubled masculinities.
Displacement efficiency and storage characteristics of CO2 in low permeability reservoirs: An experimental work
Authors: Yang Yongzhi , Liao Guangzhi , Wu Yang , Ma Xinle , Dong Zhenzhen , Li Weirong , Wei Jianguang
Published: December 2022

Over the past decades, CO2 flooding in low-permeability porous media has continued to grow. Furthermore, propelled by the current movement toward CO2 sequestration, the flooding of CO2 is expected to further increase. Thus, it is of scientific significance to study the mechanism of displacement of CO2 flooding as well as the CO2 storage characteristics. In this study, CO2 miscible/immiscible flooding experiments were conducted on two low permeability samples to study the difference between them. Specifically, the effect of oil displacement and CO2 storage coefficient for different displacement models were measured and compared. In addition, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tests and frozen pelleting experiments were conducted. The NMR tests clarified the lower limit of pore throat where oil can be displaced by CO2 miscible/immiscible flooding. Furthermore, the frozen pelleting experiments analyzed the distribution characteristics of the remaining oil before and after CO2 miscible/immiscible flooding. The investigation showed that the development efficiency of CO2 miscible flooding is higher than CO2 immiscible flooding in low permeability reservoirs. The results also indicated that CO2 miscible flooding increases the recovery of hard-to-produce semi-bound oil phase and CO2 storage coefficient with CO2 miscible displacement is more significant than that with CO2 immiscible flooding. The data from this study is a critical input for reservoir simulation, which sheds light on the CO2 miscible/immiscible flooding in low permeability reservoirs.
Nocardia Farcinica Mastoiditis and Epidural Abscess in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Rare Entity
Authors: Gkrinia Eleni , Bizaki-Vallaskangas Argyro , Rautiainen Markus , Kivekäs Ilkka
Published: December 2022

Nocardia is regarded as an opportunistic pathogen primarily affecting the respiratory system, whereas Nocardia farcinica is the species of the Nocardia family that is most frequently blamed for central nervous system impairment. The authors present the first case of mastoiditis caused by Nocardia farcinica, accompanied by intracranial complications. An immunocompetent 74-year-old woman who reported a three-week left ear discharge and a two-week facial nerve palsy was referred to our department. MRI revealed mastoiditis and epidural abscess. The bacterial cultures obtained during the surgical management of the patient confirmed the presence of Nocardia farcinica. Targeted antibiotic therapy was subsequently administrated, gradually resulting in favourable outcomes. Nocardia species provoke a disseminated infection that emerges not only among the immunosuppressed individuals but can also affect the healthy population. The nonspecific clinical manifestations in addition to the difficulties identifying the pathogen, remain obstacles to a punctual diagnosis. However, the combination of surgical debridement and antibiotic treatment with trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole is considered the most appropriate management, leading to propitious results.
‘They don’t need us’: Affective precarity and critique in transnational media work from the margins of ‘Cultural China’
Authors: Fong Siao Yuong
Published: December 2022

Creative labour studies has yielded much critical insights from workers’ experiences of ‘precarity’ and ‘self-exploitation’ with increasing neo-liberalization. This important work’s overwhelming focus on the critique of neoliberalism based on Euro American case studies risk overlooking insights that can be gained from other socio-geopolitical contexts. Drawing on a mix of ethnographic observations and interviews with transnational media producers in Singapore working at the margins of the mainland Chinese media industry, this paper teases out how intersecting cultural, economic and geopolitical power relations manifest in transnational creative labour working under the shadows of both the West and a rising China. Expanding on conceptions of emotional labour and precarity as serving neoliberal structures, I highlight how these producers’ experiences go beyond the economic connotations of precarity to capture what I call affective precarity – a felt sense of spatial-temporal dissonance confronting marginalized media workers. I also consider how such emotional labour can constitute a form of critique.
Evaluating the Safe-Haven Abilities of Bitcoin and Gold for Crude Oil Market: Evidence During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Wang Qian , Wei Yu , Zhang Yifeng , Liu Yuntong
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to investors in the crude oil market. Furthermore, investors have an increasing need to find a safe haven in their investment portfolios when facing unprecedented risks in crude oil markets during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a review of the literature, there are contradictory findings on which investment is the safer haven for the oil market. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate whether bitcoin is a safer haven for the crude oil market than the commonly used gold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three spillover measurements based on the time, and frequency domains, and a network framework are employed to quantify the return spillover effects among bitcoin, gold and three major crude oil futures markets. We divide the sample into two periods, pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19. The results show that bitcoin has a weak safe-haven effect on the crude oil market only over a short period, while gold maintains a good safe-haven ability for crude oil futures across various time horizons (frequencies), both before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study have important implications for policy-makers, crude oil producers and global investors. In particularly, investors cannot ignore the importance of bitcoin and gold in selecting more profitable portfolio policies when searching for safe-haven assets.
Mammographic breast density status in women aged more than 40 years in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ali Kalthum Abdullah Sofi , Fateh Salah Muhammed
Published: December 2022

Objective

Mammography is the gold standard screening procedure for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. This study aimed to determine the distribution of breast density among women older than 40 years in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, and to examine the correlations between breast density and various risk factors.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 750 women who received routine mammographic breast screening at Sulaimaniyah Breast Center. Bilateral standard two-view mammographic images (craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique projections) were acquired and reported using a picture archiving and communication system. American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) assessment categories C and D were considered as dense.

Results

A total of 54.3% of breasts were classified as dense, with ACR-BI-RADS categories C or D. Breast density was significantly associated with age, body mass index, a family history of breast cancer, and pre-menopause, and women with no history of breastfeeding were more likely to have dense breasts than those with partial or complete breastfeeding.

Conclusions

This study revealed that women from Sulaimaniyah with a distinct breast-density profile at mammographic screening may have a significantly increased risk of breast cancer.
The Relationship Between Posterior Tibial Slope and Pediatric Tibial Eminence Fractures
Authors: Messner Mitchell K. , McGee Andrew S. , Elphingstone Joseph W. , Schartung David F. , Frazier Mason B. , Schick Samuel , Brabston Eugene W. , Momaya Amit M.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Tibial eminence fractures are bony avulsions of the anterior cruciate ligament from its insertion on the intercondylar eminence. Numerous anatomic factors have been associated with anterior cruciate ligament injuries, such as posterior tibial slope, but there are few studies evaluating the association with tibial eminence fracture.

Purpose:

To compare posterior tibial slope of pediatric patients with and without tibial eminence fractures. We hypothesized that a steeper posterior tibial slope would be associated with tibial eminence fracture.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Patients who underwent surgical treatment of tibial eminence fracture were retrospectively identified between January 2000 and July 2021. Adults aged >20 years and those without adequate imaging were excluded. Controls without gross ligamentous or osseous pathology were identified. Descriptive information and Meyers and McKeever classification were recorded. Posterior tibial slope measurements were obtained by 2 independent orthopaedic surgeons twice, with measurements separated by 3 weeks. Chi-square tests and independent-samples t tests were used to compare posterior tibial slope and patient characteristics. Inter- and intrareviewer variability was determined via the intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results:

A total of 51 patients with tibial eminence fractures and 57 controls were included. By sex, tibial eminence fractures occurred among 34 male and 17 female patients with a mean age of 10.9 years. The posterior tibial slope among those with tibial eminence fractures (9.7°) was not significantly greater than that of controls (8.8°; P = .07). Male patients with a tibial eminence fracture had significantly steeper slopes compared with controls (10.0° vs 8.4°; P = .006); this difference was not observed between female patients and female controls. Patients with a slope ≥1 SD above the mean (12.0°) had 3.8 times greater odds (95% CI, 1.3-11.6; P = .017) of having a tibial eminence fracture. Male patients with a posterior tibial slope >12° had 5.8 times greater odds (95% CI, 1.1-29.1; P = .034) of having a tibial eminence fracture compared with male controls.

Conclusion:

Male patients undergoing surgical fixation of a tibial eminence fracture had an increased posterior tibial slope as compared with case-controls. Increased posterior tibial slope may be a risk factor for sustaining a tibial eminence fracture, although the clinical significance of this deserves further investigation.
Anteromedialization Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy Improves Patellar Contact Forces: A Cadaveric Model of Patellofemoral Dysplasia
Authors: Lamplot Joseph D. , Jahandar Amirhossein , Meyers Kathleen N. , Gomoll Andreas H. , Maher Suzanne A. , Strickland Sabrina M.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Patellofemoral (PF) dysplasia is common in patients with recurrent patellar instability. Tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) is performed with goals of correcting patellar maltracking and redistributing contact forces across the PF joint. The biomechanical effects of TTO in the setting of PF dysplasia have not been quantified.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

To quantify patellar contact mechanics and kinematics after TTO in the setting of PF dysplasia. We hypothesized that a simulated anteromedialization (AMZ) TTO would improve PF contact mechanics as compared with a pure medialization TTO.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

PF dysplasia with Dejour type D classification was simulated in 7 cadaveric knees by replacing the native patellar and trochlear surfaces with synthetic polymeric patellar and trochlear implants. On each specimen, a flat TTO was fixed in 3 distinct positions simulating a pathologic lateralized tubercle (pathologic condition), a medialized tubercle (Elmslie Trillat), and an AMZ tubercle. The sum of forces acting on the medial and lateral patellar facet and patellar kinematics was computed for each knee for each condition from 0° to 70° of flexion at 10° increments.

Results:

Relative to the pathologic condition, AMZ TTO decreased contact forces across the lateral facet (20°-50° and 70° of flexion). Relative to the pathologic condition, Elmslie Trillat TTO had no effect on contact forces on either compartment. Relative to the Elmslie Trillat TTO, the AMZ TTO had significantly decreased contact forces across the medial facet (at 40°, 60°, and 70° of flexion). No significant differences in joint kinematics occurred across any groups.

Conclusion:

Of all groups studied, AMZ TTO resulted in significantly decreased patellar contact forces in simulated dysplastic PF joints. AMZ may be considered in certain patients with PF dysplasia to avoid medial compartment PF chondral overload.

Clinical Relevance:

PF dysplasia is common in patients with recurrent patellar instability who warrant surgical intervention to prevent subsequent recurrence. Numerous interventions to treat this condition, including various TTOs, have been proposed without a clear consensus. This cadaveric biomechanical study demonstrates that AMZ TTO resulted in more favorable PF contact mechanics than Elmslie Trillat TTO in a model representing PF dysplasia. AMZ TTO may be considered for patients in the setting of recurrent instability with PF dysplasia to avoid cartilage overload on the medial compartment of the PF joint.
Synthesis and characterization of gentamicin loaded ZSM-5 scaffold: Cytocompatibility and antibacterial activity
Authors: Nazemi N , Rajabi N , Aslani Z , Kharaziha M , Kasiri-Asgarani M , Bakhsheshi-Rad HR , Najafinezhad A , Ismail AF , Sharif S , Berto F
Published: December 2022

Porous structure, biocompatibility and biodegradability, large surface area, and drug-loading ability are some remarkable properties of zeolite structure, making it a great possible option for bone tissue engineering. Herein, we evaluated the potential application of the ZSM-5 scaffold encapsulated GEN with high porosity structure and significant antibacterial properties. The space holder process has been employed as a new fabrication method with interconnected pores and suitable mechanical properties. In this study, for the first time, ZSM-5 scaffolds with GEN drug-loading were fabricated with the space holder method. The results showed excellent open porosity in the range of 70–78% for different GEN concentrations and appropriate mechanical properties. Apatite formation on the scaffold surface was determined with Simulation body fluid (SBF), and a new bone-like apatite layer shaping on all samples confirmed the in vitro bioactivity of ZSM-5-GEN scaffolds. Also, antibacterial properties were investigated against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The incorporation of various amounts of GEN increased the inhibition zone from 24 to 28 (for E. coli) and 26 to 37 (for S. aureus). In the culture with MG63 cells, great cell viability and high cell proliferation after 7 days of culture were determined.