bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“They Do Us Wrong”: Bringing Together Black Adolescent Girls’ Voices on School Staff’s Differential Treatment
Authors: Griffith Aisha N.
Published: July 2023

During adolescence, Black girls face the developmental task of achieving a positive identity while developing skills to navigate hostile contexts, including schools. This study brings together quotes on student-staff interactions extracted during a qualitative meta-synthesis ( n = 64 quotes) to discuss how Black adolescent girls interpreted being treated differently by staff. Black adolescent girls described differential treatment occurring because of one’s (a) race such as Black students being treated less humanely and punished more severely; (b) gender such as staff inadequately responding to sexual harassment; (c) intersection of race and gender such as staff inequitably applying the dress code; and (d) perception of the individual such as staff viewing one as a “bad” student. It appeared that differential treatment largely rooted in their perceived racialized/gendered identity negatively impacted Black girls and simultaneously provided little recourse for addressing differential treatment, likely undermining their sense of school belonging. This study brings together the voices of Black adolescent girls published across articles to focus specifically on the process of differential treatment within student-staff relationships.
The Reinventing of public administration in the new hybrid world
Authors: Kusumasari Bevaola , Sajida Sajida , Santoso Anang Dwi , Fauzi Fadhli Zul
Published: July 2023

The turbulent environment pushes public administration to its limits, resulting in revolutionary changes. When the pandemic hit the world in early 2020, public administration was faced not only with complex problems, but also tumultuous challenges marked by the emergence of unpredictable events. In the new hybrid world, public administration has evolved into a distinct model that enables organizations to use new and emerging technologies. By redefining the characteristics of speed, ethics, and fusion, this article aims to contribute to the discussion of how a hybrid approach to public administration may contribute to ongoing debates.
“We all have Regrets; it doesn’t Mean we are Failures”: Rejecting or Regretting Motherhood
Authors: Johnson Margaret Anne , Pétursdóttir Gyða Margrét
Published: July 2023

A woman’s choice to remain childfree is often met with disapproving comments. This article focuses on pronatalism and the social discourse that promotes and maintains motherhood as the preferred choice for women in a country that has achieved high levels of gender equality. Critical discourse analysis is applied to 30 qualitative interviews with women, trans, and non-binary people in Iceland, who are either childfree by choice or who regret motherhood. The results indicate that despite neoliberalism advocating a woman’s right to freedom of choice, pronatalist ideologies continue to undermine reproductive self-determination, promoting motherhood as the right choice. Unsolicited comments act as powerful mechanisms that serve to shame those who can bear children into becoming mothers or facing regret yet simultaneously condemn women who regret motherhood. Women who choose to remain childfree privately challenge unwanted comments by overturning pronatalist discourses, whereas those who regret their choice to become mothers struggle to express their feelings for fear of being judged and branded as failures.
Acute stroke in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in acute coronary syndrome: Predictors and outcomes
Authors: Krasivskyi Ihor , Ivanov Borko , Gerfer Stephen , Großmann Clara , Mihaylova Mariya , Eghbalzadeh Kaveh , Sabashnikov Anton , Deppe Antje-Christin , Rahmanian Parwis Baradaran , Mader Navid , Djordjevic Ilija , Wahlers Thorsten
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a high-risk procedure and is associated with adverse outcomes. The risk factors of acute stroke in the above-mentioned patients stay unclear and some appropriate data is lacking in the literature. Thus, we aimed to investigate the predictors of acute stroke in patients undergoing CABG surgery in ACS.

Methods

The retrospective single-centre cohort analysis was conducted. All patients ( n = 1344) who suffered from acute coronary syndrome and underwent CABG procedure at the University hospital Cologne from June 2011 until October 2019 were included in our study. In order to find the risk factors of acute stroke after bypass surgery, patients were divided into two groups (non-stroke group ( n = 1297) and stroke group ( n = 47)). In order to even above-mentioned groups propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed (non-stroke group ( n = 46) and stroke group ( n = 46).

Results

Duration of cardiopulmonary bypass ( p = .015) and cross clamp time ( p = .006) were significantly longer in patients who suffered stroke. Perioperative myocardial infarction was significantly higher ( p = .030) in the stroke group. Likewise, the duration of intensive care unit stay ( p < .001) and in-hospital stay ( p < .001) were significantly longer in patients with stroke. However, the mortality rate did not differ significantly ( p = .131) between above-mentioned groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed cardiogenic shock ( p = .003), peripheral vascular disease (PVD, p = .025) and previous stroke ( p = .045) as relevant independent predictors for acute stroke after CABG procedure in patients with ACS.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, acute stroke after bypass surgery in patients with ACS is associated with increased mortality and adverse outcomes. Cardiogenic shock, peripheral vascular disease and previous stroke were independent predictors of stroke after CABG procedure. Therefore, preoperative evaluation of potential risk factors may be crucial to improve postoperative results.
Qualitative assessment of available online patient resources for pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis
Authors: Tolbert Preston H , Treffalls John , Clothier Wesley , Harbin Zach , Yan Qi , Davies Mark G
Published: July 2023

Objective

This study seeks to evaluate the quality and readability of freely available online patient information resources for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods

Internet searches were performed for five DVT and PE search terms in July 2020 across three search engines and two metasearch engines. Qualitative content analysis was performed. Readability was assessed using four validated instruments.

Results

Two hundred fifty websites were identified of which 62 websites met inclusion criteria. Website structure and content were satisfactory (>50% overall score), accountability was mixed between DVT (47%) and PE (56%) sites, while interactivity was poor (<30%). On qualitative content analysis, anticoagulation (95.2%) was the most discussed treatment while the most discussed procedures were IVC filter placement for DVT and thrombolysis for PE. Overall readability was difficult with median level suitable for ages 14–18 years.

Conclusion

Freely available online DVT and PE patient information resources publish appropriate content but have very variable accountability and poor readability for the average patient.
A novel method of measuring proptosis with computed tomography
Authors: Sun Rou , Yin Ziqing , Li Lunhao , Zhou Huifang , Song Xuefei , Li Yinwei
Published: July 2023

Background

Computed tomography (CT) can avoid interference factors and has been imported into some software to measure proptosis clinically as the golden standard.

Purpose

To establish a new method for semi-automatically measuring the proptosis on CT and evaluate its accuracy and reproducibility.

Material and Methods

A total of 50 orbital CT images were collected of healthy individuals, 25 patients with Graves ophthalmopathy (GO), and 25 patients with orbital fracture (OF). A new image processing software, MedrawHDC, was developed to semi-automatically measure the proptosis (MedrawHDC method). The classic radiological (CR) method (measuring proptosis with the software called Mimics) and MedrawHDC method were applied in all three groups (measured by observer S). Hertel's exophthalmometer (HE) method was also applied in the GO group. Moreover, two other observers were asked to measure the proptosis using MedrawHDC, to evaluate its reproducibility.

Results

The MedrawHDC method was highly consistent with the CR method in measuring proptosis (normal group: intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.989; GO group: ICC = 0.979; OF group: ICC = 0.979). In the GO group, the value of proptosis measured by two radiological methods were consistent with that measured by the HE method (CR method: ICC = 0.703; MedrawHDC method: ICC = 0.697). Bland–Altman plots showed similar results. The measurements obtained by three observers were highly reproducible (ICC = 0.995).

Conclusion

The newly established MedrawHDC method, with high accessibility, convenience, and repeatability, is reliable in assessing proptosis. It shows high potential for wide application, having clinical value for scientific evaluation of proptosis.
Relationship between hematological parameters and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants
Authors: Jiang Junsheng , Mao Yueyan , Wu Jiabo , Zhou Qian
Published: July 2023

Objective

To evaluate the association between hematological parameters on the first day of life and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants.

Methods

This retrospective study involved all premature infants admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit from January 2017 to June 2022. BPD was diagnosed based on hypoxia exposure for ≥28 days. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet mass index (PMI) were compared between infants with and without BPD. Multivariate analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between hematological parameters and BPD.

Results

This study involved 124 premature infants (48 with BPD, 76 without BPD). The BPD group had a lower gestational age and lower weight. The NLR, MPV, and PLR were considerably higher and the PLT and MPI were lower in the BPD than non-BPD group. After adjusting for covariates, logistic regression analysis suggested that the NLR, PLT, and PMI were independent risk factors for BPD. Moreover, the receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that the NLR, PLT, and PMI were reliable predictors of BPD.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that a higher NLR and a lower PLT and PMI on the first day may increase the risk of BPD.
Chronic Psychotic Disorders and Correctional Involvement: A Population-Based Matched Case-Control Study in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Vijh Ruchi , Kouyoumdjian Fiona G. , Iwajomo Tomisin , Simpson Alexander I. F. , Jones Roland , Oliveira Claire de , Kurdyak Paul
Published: July 2023

Objective

Individuals with chronic psychotic disorders are overrepresented in correctional facilities, but little is known about factors that increase the risk of correctional involvement. The objective of this study was to compare individuals with chronic psychotic disorders who were released from correctional facilities in Ontario to individuals with chronic psychotic disorders but no correctional involvement on sociodemographic, clinical, and prior mental health-related health service utilization characteristics.

Method

All individuals with chronic psychotic disorders who were released from a provincial correctional facility in Ontario in 2010 were matched (1:2) by age and sex to Ontario residents with chronic psychotic disorders and no correctional involvement. Covariates included sociodemographic (rural residence, marginalization such as residential instability quintile, material deprivation quintile, dependency quintile, and ethnic concentration quintile) and clinical (duration of chronic psychotic disorder and comorbidities) characteristics, and mental health-related health service utilization characteristics (primary care physician, psychiatrist and emergency department visits, and hospitalizations) 1 and 3 years prior to correctional involvement. The association between correctional involvement and prior health service utilization was measured by estimating incidence rate ratios using Poisson and negative-binomial regressions.

Results

Individuals with correctional involvement ( N = 3,197) lived in neighbourhoods with higher material deprivation and residential instability, and had a shorter duration of illness, and more psychosocial comorbidities (e.g., behavioural issues and depression) than individuals without correctional involvement ( N = 6,393). Adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables, individuals with correctional involvement had a higher rate of mental health-related primary care physician visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations but a lower rate of psychiatrist visits prior to correctional involvement, compared to individuals without correctional involvement.

Conclusions

Despite higher mental health-related comorbidities and higher rates of accessing acute mental health services among individuals with chronic psychotic disorders and correctional involvement, visits to psychiatrists prior to involvement were low.
The best defence is a good offence: Ensuring equitable access to primary care in Canada
Authors: Hedden Lindsay , McGrail Kimberlyn
Published: July 2023

Ensuring access to primary care is a persistent challenge in Canada, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing gaps. Public policy reform that only partially addresses these access issues, technological opportunities, workforce desires, or patient preferences creates an opportunity for private, investor-owned corporations to take ownership of primary care delivery systems. This article summarizes the history of the “public-private” conversation as it pertains to primary care, with a particular focus on investor-owned corporations. We outline how profit-driven, corporate healthcare impacts equitable access to care, increases spending on low-value services, and undermines the underlying values of Canadian healthcare systems. All of healthcare delivery requires rapid regulation and oversight by policy-makers, which would increase transparency of corporate care. There also must be parallel efforts placed on addressing the long-standing issues in publicly funded delivery of primary care that created the space for corporate care to grow.
Victimization Among Incarcerated Military Veterans: A Target Congruence Approach
Authors: Logan Matthew W. , McNeeley Susan
Published: July 2023

Studies explicitly examining the antecedents of prison victimization are rare relative to other institutional outcomes (e.g., misconduct) and are virtually nonexistent for incarcerated military veterans. In the current study, we employed Firth regression models to predict victimization among a subsample of military veterans housed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MnDOC) using a target congruence approach. Inconsistent with prior theory and research, we observed no differences among veterans on the basis of race and physical or mental health disorders. We did, however, observe a relationship between an individual’s risk of recidivism as measured by the MnSTARR 2.0 and victimization whereby higher scores corresponded with greater odds of victimization. Implications for theory and correctional policy are discussed and directions for future research are given.
Investigation on the mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of polyoxymethylene composites modified by thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and carbon fiber
Authors: Yang Jun , Fang Wei , Du Jianghua , Zhou Tao
Published: July 2023

As we all know, adding thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer(TPU) into Polyoxymethylene(POM) by melt blending can not only improve its toughness, but also improve the brittleness and cracking of POM products at low temperatures. However, there are some problems in the use of above POM/TPU modified material. For example, after adding TPU, the strength and rigidity of POM resin will be significantly reduced, and its antistatic performance is not very good. In this paper, we use melt-extrusion blending method to improve the strength, rigidity and antistatic properties of toughened POM material by adding CF. In addition, the aggregation and properties of the blends are studied by DSC, FTIR, PLM, DMA and mechanical tests, surface resistivity. Mechanical analysis show us that the tensile strength, flexural modulus increase significantly with the increase of CF content, and the notched impact strength of the POM/TPU/CF materials are all better than that of the pure POM resin. It can also be found that after adding 2% to 8% CF, the surface resistivity of the composites gradually decreases with the increase of CF content, and CF forms a conductive network in the POM matrix. The anti-static test shows that when the CF content is 6% the surface resistivity of POM/TPU/CF blend is 109Ω, and when the CF content is 8% which can reach to 104Ω.
Association of Single and Dual Sensory Impairment with Falls among Medicare Beneficiaries
Authors: Assi Sahar , Garcia Morales Emmanuel E. , Du Eric Y. , Martinez-Amezcua Pablo , Reed Nicholas S.
Published: July 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if dual sensory impairment (DSI) is associated with falls and fear of falling among older adults. Methods: Using data from the 2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), we studied the cross-sectional association of self-reported hearing/vision impairment with self-reported history/number of falls over the past year, fear of falling (scale 1–6), and a fall requiring medical help using weighted multivariable regressions adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates. Results: Among 11,089 Medicare beneficiaries (mean age = 74, 55% female, 9% Black), DSI is associated with increased prevalence (prevalence ratio = 1.45 [1.28–1.65]) and incidence (incidence ratio = 2.21 [1.79–2.75]) rate of falls, and greater odds of a higher fear of falling score (odds ratio = 1.38 [1.08–1.77]). Discussion: DSI is associated with falls among older adults. Consideration of DSI as a marker to initiate fall prevention programs and inclusion of sensory interventions in these programs may be valuable.
Techno-environmental and economic analysis of a coal-based power plant integrated with solar field
Authors: Baloda Sunil , Soni Manoj Kumar , Sharma Naveen
Published: July 2023

Limited availability of conventional energy sources and the problems of environmental degradation associated with them compels the need for a supply of new sustainable energy options. Among renewable energy sources, solar thermal energy is the most abundantly available and feasible option for electricity generation. Solar-thermal-only plants have a very high initial investment and, due to the sporadic nature of solar energy, can be operated only during the daytime. This limitation of only solar-thermal plants leads to an innovative idea of combining solar energy with coal-based power plants. This study investigates the hybridization of an existing 660 MW power plant with concentrated solar thermal energy on technical, environmental, and economic criteria under three different replacement options. The results obtained using MATLAB Simulink (R2017a) showed that the cycle efficiency increases from base case cycle efficiency, that is, 41.74% to 44.36%, 47.41%, and 48.72%, respectively, for all three replacement options. The economic analysis showed that the levelized electricity cost (cents/kWh) for all three replacement options is 4.56, 4.69, and 4.82, respectively. The payback period (years) is found as 3.3, 3.7, and 3.9, respectively. The environmental factors such as annual reductions in coal usage and CO2 emissions, and solar contribution are also calculated. The outcomes of this research will help to reduce global warming and climate mitigation.
Investigation of physical, chemical and mechanical behaviour of nano-ZrO2-based dental composite
Authors: Kumar Shiv Ranjan , Sharma Hari Om , Kumar Sachin , Patel Dinesh Kumar
Published: July 2023

The incorporation of glass fibre in dental composite improves mechanical properties but doesn’t improves physical and chemical properties. Hence, in this paper, it has attempted to investigate the effect of nano-ZrO2 with varying content (0, 3, 6 and 9 weight percentage) on physical properties (water sorption behaviour, solubility), chemical properties (degree of conversion, polymerization shrinkage) as well as mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength). The finding of the result indicated that polymerization shrinkage was decreased with the addition of nano-ZrO2. However, water sorption indicated varying trends in which it initially increased at 6 wt.% and later decreased at 9 wt.% nano-ZrO2. On the other hand, mechanical properties such as flexural strength and compressive strength were increased by 28.5% and 27.2%, respectively with the addition of 3 wt.% of nano-ZrO2 despite an increase in water sorption at 3 wt.% of nano-ZrO2 by 31%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the hygroscopic compensation due to water sorption in nano-ZrO2-based dental composite relieves the undesirable polymerization shrinkage but on the other side, the extensive amount of water sorption of nano-ZrO2-based dental composite results in degradation, softening, colour instability and decrease in mechanical properties.
Mechanical and dry sliding wear performance evaluation of marble dust particulates–lapinus fiber–polyamide 66 polymer composites with ranking analysis using hybrid AHP-R method
Authors: Sharma Ravi Prakash , Kumar Mukesh , Kumar Ashiwani
Published: July 2023

This research investigates the physical, mechanical, thermal, thermomechanical and dry sliding wear performance of marble dust particulates (0–20 wt.% @ step of 5%) and lapinus fiber (10 wt.% constant) reinforced polyamide 66 polymer composites, resulting in five hybrid polymer composite namely PLM-0, PLM-5, PLM-10, PLM-15 and PLM-20, respectively. A twin screw extruder and injection molding machine were used for the fabrication. Taguchi's method and ANOVA tools are used to optimize and determine the significant order of the input parameters for the sliding wear process, followed by surface morphology investigations. Finally, the hybrid AHP-R ranking method was applied to rank the compositions on their merits. It is observed that PLM-10 hybrid polymer composites have shown relative overall optimized performance. It shows the lowest density of 1.21 g/cc, voids content of 6.47%, water absorption of 4.51% and a specific wear rate of 1.03 × 10−3 mm3/Nm. In comparison, it shows the highest tensile strength of 112.64 MPa, flexural strength of 150.40 MPa, Rockwell hardness of 60.40 HRM, fracture toughness of 4.27 MPa√m, impact strength of 1.96 J, thermal conductivity of 0.98 W/mK and storage modulus of 1824.29 MPa. Finally, these subjective findings were found to be in tune with the findings of the hybrid AHP-R method.
A methodology for part family formation in reconfigurable manufacturing systems using Shannon's entropy method
Authors: Mittal Kamal Kumar , Vardhan Alok
Published: July 2023

For effective utilization of resources, Operation Management plays an important role in businesses and organizations. It basically coordinates the efforts of people to fulfil the goals and objectives decided by the organization. Operation Management is a supporting system to carry out businesses. From the point of generation of raw material to the point of consumption of goods, it directs and controls the organization. It makes a path to a manufacturing system to fulfil its goal. For full utilization of resources in an uncertain environment, the manufacturing system faces various challenges in this century. The manufacturing systems must be responding rapidly to market changes. For effective management, a new paradigm in the manufacturing system is the Reconfigurable manufacturing systems, which are built around a part family to face such challenges in an uncertain environment. The authors have developed a methodology for part family formation using attributes modularity, reconfiguration effort, longest common subsequence, etc. in the present work. The developed methodology has been discussed using an example.
Numerical modeling of dry cell alkaline electrolyzer for HHO production
Authors: Abd El-Razik S M , Gad M S , Emara Ahmed
Published: July 2023

It is essential to simulate HHO dry cell in order to save money and time. Modeling and prediction of electrical, thermodynamic, chemical, and thermal behaviors of an alkaline electrolyzer is the goal of this work. Alkaline water electrolyzer was designed and fabricated for oxyhydrogen production using NaOH electrolyte of 20 g/L by water electrolysis. MATLAB/Simulink was used to solve the model equations. This study investigates how the temperature affects I-U curve, overvoltage potential, gas flow rate, and energy efficiency at various temperatures. Enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and entropy were decreased with the temperature rise. Due to the lower energy needed to initiate the reaction and the shrinkage of gas bubbles, the highest activation and ohmic voltages at current density of 300 mA/cm2 are seen at temperature of 40°C but the lowest at temperature 80°C. The highest voltage is shown at the lowest temperature of 40°C and specific current density of 250 mA/cm2. Once the current density reaches 250 mA/cm2, the activation voltage becomes constant. As the current density increases from 50 to 100 mA/cm2, Faraday efficiency increases from 86% to 94%. At temperature of 80°C, the energy efficiency is at its maximum value but it is low at 20°C. Alkaline electrolyzer produces the high rate of HHO with the least amount of consumed power when the temperature is at 80°C. The peak energy efficiency occurs at temperature of 100°C and the lowest energy efficiency at a temperature of 20°C. The error percentages between experimental and theoretical for oxyhydrogen flow rate and cell voltage are up to 6% and 4.1%, respectively, and this confirms the model validity.
Status and noise reduction analysis of robotics lab in an academic institute by using acoustic materials
Authors: Singh Charanjeet , Deswal Surinder
Published: July 2023

In recent decades, noise has emerged as one of the most annoying and tiring factors in working environments, be it in factory, workshop, academic or research setup. This paper presents the noise status and noise reduction analysis of Robotics lab in an academic institute. The average equivalent continuous noise level ([Formula: see text]) inside the Robotics lab (64.90–75.99 dB) was within or close to permissible limits of 75 dB as per Indian standards for industrial environment; but the operation of Mig and Spot welding were a source of noise nuisance to the adjoining academic area due to the sound transmission from the Robotics lab. The noise reduction analysis in the study demonstrated the usage of acoustics (glass, curtain, cardboard and thermocol) in windows as sound barriers that dampens the transmission of indoor noise. The Sound Transmission Loss (STL) was observed to be highest in the range of 18.12–22.62 dB (28.88–29.59%) by using the combination of glass and curtain as acoustic barrier in windows of the Robotics lab; thereby, reducing noise nuisance significantly in the academic area. The study revealed the necessity of effective acoustic barrier in labs/workshops under-industrial conditions in academic institutes and proposed a model for predicting STL for the combination of glass and curtain from [Formula: see text] value.
Simultaneous confidence intervals for an extended Koch-Röhmel design in three-arm non-inferiority trials
Authors: Scharpenberg Martin , Brannath Werner
Published: July 2023

Three-arm ‘gold-standard’ non-inferiority trials are recommended for indications where only unstable reference treatments are available and the use of a placebo group can be justified ethically. For such trials, several study designs have been suggested that use the placebo group for testing ’assay sensitivity’, that is, the ability of the trial to replicate efficacy. Should the reference fail in the given trial, then non-inferiority could also be shown with an ineffective experimental treatment and hence becomes useless. In this article, we extend the so-called Koch-Röhmel design where a proof of efficacy for the experimental treatment is required in order to qualify for the non-inferiority test. While the efficacy of the experimental treatment is an indication of assay sensitivity, it does not guarantee that the reference is sufficiently efficient to let the non-inferiority claim be meaningful. It has, therefore, been suggested to adaptively test the non-inferiority only if the reference demonstrates superiority to placebo and otherwise to test [Formula: see text]-superiority of the experimental treatment over placebo, where [Formula: see text] is chosen in such a way that it provides proof of non-inferiority with regard to the reference’s historical effect. In this article, we extend the previous work by complementing its adaptive test with compatible simultaneous confidence intervals. Confidence intervals are commonly used and suggested by regulatory guidelines for non-inferiority trials. We show how to adopt different approaches to simultaneous confidence intervals from the literature to the setting of three-arm non-inferiority trials and compare these methods in a simulation study. Finally, we apply these methods to a real clinical trial example.
Cognitive (In)justice and Decoloniality in Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse
Authors: Karmakar Goutam , Chetty Rajendra
Published: July 2023

Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse (2021) is an insightful deliberation on the layered inequities and asymmetries created by the intersection of colonialism and anthropogenic activities. In The Nutmeg’s Curse, Ghosh conceives the present-day climate and ecological crisis as fallouts of colonial thinking and its manifestations in dominant epistemic and ethical constructions. This article underscores Ghosh’s critique of the Eurocentric discourses for their instrumentality in producing the totalitarian binaries of human and non-human, in which the ‘human’ was always the whites and the ‘non-human’ comprised all ‘others’—the non-whites, indigenous people, nature and ecology. In attributing agency and signifying authority to the white capitalist, this dualistic thinking has always conceived of the ‘others’ as non-humans—those who could be objectified, commodified and tampered with. This article explores how Ghosh repudiates this colonialist monolithic demarcation, which, in compliance with the discourse of the Anthropocene, had annihilated non-Western forms of signification, knowledge and ethics. The article focuses on how the systemic othering of Western modernity’s episteme had been incremental, leading to occurrences of ‘testimonial injustices’ and ‘hermeneutical injustices’—which had culminated in severe forms of epistemicide and unleashed, what Boaventura de Sousa Santos terms ‘cognitive injustice’—relegating indigeneity and ecology to precarious conditions. In accordance with this, this article argues that Ghosh envisages a critical necessity to dismantle the matrix of Western capitalist modernity and its associated narrative of the Anthropocene and claims for a conceptualization of decolonial ecological ethics that would prioritize an encompassing of the episteme produced by the ‘other’. An engagement with the indigenous voices and a restoration of non-Western modes of knowledge production are crucial, as they can offer new ethical dimensions to envision ecology and life with its multiplicities and facilitate ‘cognitive justice’ for the oppressed and unrepresented ‘other’.
The Role of Postoperative Nasal Stents in Cleft Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nguyen David C. , Myint Janine A. , Lin Alexander Y.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To evaluate the role of postoperative nasal stenting in preserving nasal shape and preventing nostril stenosis in cleft rhinoplasty, and to develop a classification system for postoperative nasal stents.

Design

Systematic review.

Methods

Electronic and manual searches of scientific literature were conducted from 3 databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, OVID). Primary evidence that described postoperative nasal stenting in cleft rhinoplasty were included. Exclusion criteria included secondary evidence, non-English articles, and studies focusing on preoperative nasal stents.

Patients and Participants

Patients with cleft lip/nose of any type were included.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Role in preservation of nasal shape & symmetry, role in prevention of nostril stenosis, complications with the use of postoperative nasal stent.

Results

Of the 13 articles, 9 papers described the preservation of nasal shape with nasal stents and three studies with a control group showed improved symmetry score. No studies evaluated the prevention of nostril stenosis; however, 2 studies reported improvement of nostril stenosis in secondary cleft rhinoplasty. The results of the included studies had significant heterogeneity. Nasal stents were classified into five types: Type I-spare parts assembled, Type II-prefabricated commercial, Type IIIa-patient specific 3D-printed static, Type IIIb-patient specific dynamic, and Type IV-internal absorbable. Total complications were 6.0%, including irritation (0.9%), infection (0.3%), and stent loss (4.6%).

Conclusion

Despite the lack of consensus with postoperative nasal stents, this review suggests its safety and role in preserving shape and improving stenosis. Our classification system highlights variability and the need for better quality studies to determine the efficacy of nasal stents.
MDM2 Amplification Status in a Cohort of Well-Characterized Myxofibrosarcoma: A Clinicopathologic Analysis of 22 Tumors
Authors: Dashti Nooshin K. , Jebastin Thangaiah Judith , Gliem Troy , Knutson Darlene , Kloft-Nelson Sara , Armstrong Susan M. , Bakhshwin Ahmed , Greipp Patricia , Fritchie Karen J.
Published: July 2023

Myxofibrosarcomas (MFS) present as slowly enlarging superficial masses in elderly patients. Even though these tumors fail to exhibit a distinct immunophenotype, diagnosis is straightforward when they present in subcutaneous tissue. Intramuscular MFS, however, are more challenging to diagnose as the differential also includes dedifferentiated liposarcoma with myxoid features. The vast majority of dedifferentiated liposarcomas show MDM2 amplification, whereas limited data exists as to the MDM2 status of MFS. We sought to explore the rate of MDM2 amplification in cases of classic MFS. Our archives were searched for MFS; only subcutaneous well-sampled resections were included. FISH for MDM2 amplification was performed on each tumor. A cohort of myxoid dedifferentiated liposarcoma resections was studied for comparison. Twenty-two MFS arose in patients aged 44 to 85 years. All tumors contained an infiltrative population of atypical cells embedded in a myxoid stroma with curvilinear blood vessels. MDM2 amplification by FISH was identified in 3 (of 22; 14%) tumors. Available follow up on 17 patients (range 1-96 months; median 13 months) revealed 6 patients with local recurrence and 1 with distant metastasis. Of 3 patients with MDM2- amplified MFS, 1 experienced recurrence and died of unrelated causes, while the second was alive without disease 12 months after diagnosis. Even though the rate of MDM2 amplification by FISH in MFS appears to be low, a subset of cases may show this genetic alteration, which pathologists should be aware of to avoid misclassification as myxoid dedifferentiated liposarcomas. Further studies are necessary to determine if amplification status adds prognostic value.
Characterization of damping in 3D metal printed gear body using parameter optimization
Authors: Yang Jingrui , Zhang Yihe , Li Rui , Lee Chul-Hee
Published: July 2023

With the rapid development of the global economy and the widespread use of high-speed machinery, vibration and noise pollution is becoming increasingly serious. The increased energy costs, environmental pollution, and carbon emissions have prioritized sustainable development for industry. As an important link of mechanical transmission, the gear transmission vibration and noise adversely affect the physical and mental health of operators and interfere with the normal use of machinery. This paper proposes a new metal 3D printing-made vibration-damping lightweight gear model. The solid gear web is replaced with a lightening hole structure that is expected to ensure rigidity and torsional compliance while controlling the damping effects of the gear web structure. Gears were manufactured from an additive manufacturing material using a metal 3D printing technique. This work advanced an experimental analysis of the dissipation properties of metal printed gear exploiting vibration tests. A gear frequency-sweeping excitation test bench was designed and developed to simulate in-plane excitation to produce a circumferential torsional mode of the specimen. Circumference damping estimates are guided by executing vibration exciter excitation on the setup. The half-power bandwidth and modal fitting methods were arranged and compared, relying on the measured frequency response function (FRF) single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) approximation.
Nivolumab for newly and recurrent glioblastoma multiforme treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Araujo Moura Alexandre Wendell , da Silva Rodrigues Sirlene , de Oliveira Taciana Freire , Lobato Beatriz Marques , Pereira Cerize Natalia Neto , Léo Patricia
Published: July 2023

Objective

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming to assess the efficacy and safety of Nivolumab treatment in patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Data sources

Our study followed the guidelines outlined in the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. The protocol for this review can be found in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews Database (CRD42022340071). We performed searches on the Medline, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.

Data summary

A total of 545 studies were identified through our comprehensive search across the five databases (PubMed: 78, Embase: 82, Medline: 173, Scopus: 138, Web of Science: 74). After conducting a thorough analysis, our meta-analysis indicated that treatment with Nivolumab led to improved overall survival (OS) outcomes in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients, as evidenced by a prolonged median OS based on trial data. However, there was no significant beneficial effect observed in terms of median progression-free survival (PFS), as well as OS at 6, 12, and 24 months. Furthermore, our results demonstrated no efficacy of Nivolumab in the treatment of recurrent GBM patients.

Conclusions

In conclusion, Nivolumab demonstrated promising results that warrant further investigation for its use in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients. However, its effectiveness was not observed in the context of recurrent GBM.
Long-term trajectories of ambulatory impairment in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Gunzler Douglas D , De Nadai Alessandro S , Miller Deborah M , Ontaneda Daniel , Briggs Farren BS
Published: July 2023

Background:

Ambulatory impairment is a common and complex manifestation of multiple sclerosis (MS), and longitudinal patterns are not well understood.

Objective:

To characterize longitudinal walking speed trajectories in a general MS patient population and in those with early disease (⩽ 5 years from onset), identify subgroups with similar patterns, and examine associations with individual attributes.

Methods:

Using a retrospective cohort study design, latent class growth analysis was applied to longitudinal timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW) data from 7683 MS patients, to determine T25-FW trajectories. Associations were evaluated between trajectory assignment and individual attributes. Analyses were repeated for 2591 patients with early disease.

Results:

In the general patient population, six trajectories were discerned, ranging from very minimal to very high impairment at baseline, with variability in impairment accrual. The clusters with moderate to very high walking impairment were associated with being female, older and Black American, longer symptom duration, progressive course, and depressive symptoms. In the early disease subset, eight trajectories were discerned that included two subgroups that rapidly accrued impairment.

Conclusion:

We identified novel subgroups of MS patients will distinct long-term T25-FW trajectories. These results underscore that socially disadvantaged and economically marginalized MS patients are the most vulnerable for severe ambulatory impairment.
Airbnb pricing and term structure: A temporal analysis of omitted variable bias and repeat sales method as remedies
Authors: Cheung Ka Shing
Published: July 2023

Many tourism studies leverage the hedonic price model to gauge tourists’ willingness to pay for diverse attributes of short-term rental properties. However, when this estimation is applied to the temporal analysis, it can be biased if variables varying with time, such as term structure effects in short-term rentals, are omitted. This paper introduces a repeat sales Airbnb ADR (average daily rate) index to track the change in quality-adjusted rentals of Airbnb properties over time in Auckland, New Zealand, while factoring in the term structure. The findings confirm that using repeat sales data from Airbnb listings can significantly mitigate the bias linked to time-varying attributes. Results demonstrate that when the term structure is not considered, the ADR calculated by the hedonic method may be overestimated by 0.2% per day of the tenancy term. The inventive Airbnb ADR repeat sales index enables the assessment of Airbnb rental trends, taking into account changes in the term structure of leases. This new index can potentially enhance Airbnb listings by incorporating the effects of lease term structures.
Production losses from morbidity and mortality by disease, age and sex in Norway
Authors: Kinge Jonas Minet , de Linde Astrid , Dieleman Joseph L. , Vollset Stein Emil , Knudsen Ann Kristin , Aas Eline
Published: July 2023

Aim:

The inclusion of production losses in health care priority setting is extensively debated. However, few studies allow for a comparison of these losses across relevant clinical and demographic categories. Our objective was to provide comprehensive estimates of Norwegian production losses from morbidity and mortality by age, sex and disease category.

Methods:

National registries, tax records, labour force surveys, household and population statistics and data from the Global Burden of Disease were combined to estimate production losses for 12 disease categories, 38 age and sex groups and four causes of production loss. The production losses were estimated via lost wages in accordance with a human capital approach for 2019.

Results:

The main causes of production losses in 2019 were mental and substance use disorders, totalling NOK121.6bn (32.7% of total production losses). This was followed by musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, injuries, and neoplasms, which accounted for 25.2%, 7.4%, 7.4% and 6.5% of total production losses, respectively. Production losses due to sick leave, disability insurance and work assessment allowance were higher for females than for males, whereas production losses due to premature mortality were higher for males. The latter was related to neoplasms, cardiovascular disease and injuries. Across age categories, non-fatal conditions with a high prevalence among working populations caused the largest production losses.

Conclusions:

The inclusion of production losses in health care priority debates in Norway could result in an emphasis on chronic diseases that occur among younger populations at the expense of fatal diseases among older age groups.
Media framing and public support for China’s social credit system: An experimental study
Authors: Xu Ping , Krueger Brian , Liang Fan , Zhang Mingxin , Hutchison Marc , Chang Mingzhi
Published: July 2023

Although China’s social credit system (SCS) is widely portrayed by Western media as repressive surveillance, recent studies show that it receives high levels of support among Chinese citizens. Previous research suggests that people support the SCS because they lack knowledge about the system. This study further examines the roles of media framing (Western vs Chinese framing) and monitored behaviors (financial vs social behaviors). The results from a survey experiment conducted in China ( N = 1600) demonstrate that when exposed to Western framing, public support for the SCS is lower, but only when participants are informed that the SCS monitors social behavior. By contrast, when people are told that the SCS focuses on financial behavior, Western framing exposure is not associated with low levels of public support. The findings suggest that an expansion to social domains and exposure to Western media framing will likely result in decreased support for the system.
Effect of mating material on wear behaviour of Ni-based hardface coating
Authors: Kumar Hemant , Mishra Rismaya Kumar , Harmain Ghulam Ashraf Ul
Published: July 2023

The selection of tribopairs, including mating materials, plays a crucial role in controlling material loss under rubbing conditions. In a fast breeder nuclear reactor, almost all moving components have been provided with a hardfaced coating at the mating surfaces for their longer life. Though, in most cases, the hardfaced surfaces come into contact with the components having the same coating; in some instances, they are allowed to rub against other materials. In the present investigations, an effort was made to study the wear behaviour of a Ni-based hardfaced coating made on 316LN stainless steel under similar and dissimilar mating conditions. Prior to wear tests, a defect-free hardface coating of Ni-based hardfacing alloy was made on 316LN stainless steel using plasma transferred arc welding process and subsequently characterized for its microstructure and hardness. Wear tests under dry sliding conditions were carried out at ambient temperature. The specific wear rate for dissimilar mating conditions was found to be one order of magnitude higher than the same rate obtained from similar mating conditions. Moreover, adhesive wear was the dominant wear mechanism in both mating conditions. It is clear from the study that similar material combinations should be given preference in the design of tribopairs instead of dissimilar material combinations to avoid significantly higher material losses for materials with lower hardness. The reported results will provide insight for carefully designing the tribopairs for critical applications.
Writing strategies in autoethnography and memoir: Methodological legacies from three activist-scholars
Authors: Carspecken Lucinda
Published: July 2023

Autoethnography and autobiography are powerful means to link personal experience with cultural and political contexts. In this Note, I argue for blurring the boundaries between the two research genres. I discuss memoirs from the United States, England and Egypt—by Ida B. Wells, Sylvia Pankhurst, and Nawal El Saadawi—noting their approaches to truth and their narrative strategies. The authors were social activists and public intellectuals, whose work was accessible to a wide audience. Drawing on their examples, I invite contemporary qualitative researchers to expand our perspectives on autoethnography, and to acknowledge writing from a broader pool of genres, times, and places. We can increase our field’s ability to inspire change by reclaiming its history and scope.