bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surrounded by Spectators
Authors: Carter Katlyn Marie
Published: May 2024

This chapter covers the administration of President John Adams, foregrounding the ongoing struggle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans over the type of political representation that would be practiced in the new republic. It traces debates over foreign policy and the imposition of the Alien and Sedition Acts up through Thomas Jefferson’s election as president, which marked a shift to a policy of greater transparency and more ostensibly reflective representation. However, the chapter probes the sincerity of Jefferson’s commitment to publicity, suggesting that he completed a transformation of the term from an active to passive process and thereby contributed to voiding representative democracy of its participatory potential.
A Yiddishist’s Dissent
Authors: Levin Geoffrey
Published: May 2024

This chapter further documents Israeli efforts to steer American Jewish political conversations away from Palestinian rights issues. After being pushed out of the AJC, Peretz continued to inform the American Jewish community about the Palestinian issue through his writings for the Jewish Newsletter. Founded in 1948 by former Yiddish journalist William Zukerman, the Jewish Newsletter stood as the only American Jewish newspaper to consistently and sympathetically cover the Palestinian refugee problem throughout the 1950s. Though Zukerman did not consider himself an anti-Zionist, his critical coverage of Israeli affairs appeared not only in his newsletter, but also in his syndicated articles published in papers nationally. Israeli archival sources show that future ambassador Avraham Harman and other Israeli diplomats pushed for a concerted campaign to undermine Zukerman, who they claimed was “confusing Zionists.” Their effort succeeded in minimizing Zukerman’s profile in the American Jewish press, depriving mainstream Jewish readers of any credible voice critiquing Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.
Some Ornithology Basics
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

Some basic topics of ornithology are discussed here, including descriptions of specialized avian anatomical features that support flight with a focus on aeronautics itself; the anatomy of the wings and the ways in which bird wings are used for purposes other than flight; bird legs and their use for locomotion as well as for other purposes, such as their role in avian dance displays; birds’ vocal and non-vocal noises; the neurobiology of avian song learning and production, with a highlight on differences between oscine songbirds and the sub-oscine passeriform birds like manakins.
The Ways and Means of Wingsnapping
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

The acoustical properties of snapping sounds are explored as well as experimental and modeling procedures employed to understand just how relatively small manakins make exceptionally loud snapping sounds with their wings. The use of high-speed videography on captive and wild manakins is described. Analysis of these videos, as well as aeroacoustic modeling, show that wingsnaps are created by the bird’s radius bones striking one another over the bird’s back.
Manakin Muscles Are True to the Task
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

Androgens act through manakin muscle androgen receptors to upregulate genes that regulate growth as well as intracellular Ca++ concentrations, a key biochemical process underlying rapid muscle contraction. Deeper analysis of androgen action on manakin skeletal muscles shows androgens regulate the expression of genes involved in numerous muscle properties including their contractility and their metabolism of fuel. Of several muscles examined, the scapulohumeralis (SH) muscle that creates the wingsnap is most sensitive to androgen action. It exhibits a considerable change in gene expression in the presence of testosterone.
Females Shape Male Manakin Behavior
Authors: Schlinger Barney A.
Published: May 2024

Following insemination, female manakins perform virtually all reproductive functions, including nest building, egg production and laying, incubation, and the care and feeding of nestlings until they acquire independence. In this chapter, avian female reproductive physiology is described followed by a focus on the female golden-collared manakin nesting cycle. Females also choose only some males for copulation, and seem to examine each male based on multiple factors including plumage color, quality of the display court, neuromuscular properties of the male’s display, and the sounds made by males. Female manakins seem to have evolved specialized neural and sensory systems to accomplish the important task of mate choice.
The Paper Plantation
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

This chapter examines how well the paper industry has served northern New England. In the 1890s, the region’s paper industry arose from the ashes of the nineteenth-century timber economy. Wall Street investors required the paper corporations to buy up undeveloped forestlands. The industry seized control of Maine politics and thwarted all efforts to regulate logging or raise taxes on the large landowners. During the economic doldrums of the Depression, former governor Percival Baxter, frustrated that the large landowners continued to prevent any public lands acquisition, established Baxter State Park using his own wealth—wildlands philanthropy. Pollution in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s effectively killed life in rivers with large paper mills. Maine did not challenge the mills’ right to externalize their costs by dumping toxic waste into major rivers and the atmosphere. Postwar changes in the paper industry included: mechanization in the woods and the arrival of Fortune 500 corporations that bought local mills and placed short-term profit over long-term stability and community welfare. A 1975 logger strike was crushed by the landowners and the state.
Intellectually Valid but Not Very Useful
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

Jeff Elliott and the author were part of the Earth First! movement, whose motto was, “No Compromise in the Defense of Mother Earth.” Earth First! married grassroots activism with the teachings of conservation science, which asserted that conventional politics can no longer be allowed to override natural laws and limits. When mainstream conservationists marginalized them, they engaged in stunts to draw attention to these suppressed ideas. Early in 1990, they changed tactics and became public observers of the Nash Stream Advisory Committee (NSAC). Initially unwelcome, they challenged the NSAC to produce a progressive management plan for the crown jewel of the New Hampshire Diamond Land Sale. In October 1990, while protesting a pond reclamation project in the Adirondacks, they were assaulted by conservation officers, who instead charged the two with assaulting them. Bill McKibben’s testimony before a grand jury helped save the two from jail time of up to five years. Surprisingly, this injustice earned them a measure of sympathy and respect. In December 1990, the author joined fifteen national, state, and regional conservation groups to form the Northern Forest Alliance (NFA). The NFA raised hope that political and ecological conservation groups might be able to heal the century-long Muir-Pinchot rift.
Government-Financed Lobbyist Group
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

Maine asserted veto power over the agenda of the Northern Forest Lands Council (NFLC), successor to the NFLS. Property rights extremists attacked the NFLC and poisoned debates over biodiversity issues, regulations, and public land acquisition. The council adopted a pro–large landowner work plan, ignoring important differences in the agendas of the large absentee landowners and small resident woodlot owners. In September 1992, the NFLC Land Conversion Study debunked the myth that development posed a greater threat to the region than industrial forest practices; the council ignored its own findings. In September 1992, Also that month, the author published the first issue of The Northern Forest Forum, a bi-monthly journal that critiqued the work of the council, provided a platform to marginalized voices, and offered an alternative approach to the future. The council largely disregarded public testimony and letters in support of forest practices regulations, public land acquisition, and the establishment of large ecological reserves. Its final report, Finding Common Ground, released in September 1994, claimed the public generally supported its pro-industry agenda. Weeks after the council proclaimed there was “no imminent crisis” in the paper industry, Scott Paper sold off its Maine paper mills and 900,000 acres to South African Pulp and Paper Industries.
Alternative to Federal Ownership
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

In 1998 the Big Sell-Off of industrial timberlands began, and mainstream conservation groups collaborated with state agencies and timber interests to push expensive conservation easements as an alternative to federal land acquisition. A 2007 study concluded that large easements on remote forest lands, which were relatively unthreatened by development, were an expensive, ineffectual tool for biodiversity protection. A new class of owners, seduced by easements, tax policies, and lax forest practices regulations, acquired millions of acres of former industry lands. They heavily cut already overcut lands to pay down debt and resold them within a decade. Wildlands philanthropist Roxanne Quimby acquired roughly 100,000 acres east of Baxter State Park, and after a bitter decade-long battle, she donated them to the National Park Service to create the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in 2016. Property rights critics denied Quimby’s right to preserve her lands. Hostility to the monument has significantly diminished since 2016.
Uncontrollables
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

After decades of underinvestment, absentee owners began to shut down paper mills. Drawing on his book You Had a Job for Life, the author briefly profiles the demise of the Groveton, New Hampshire, mill and its impact on the mill community. After the mill closings, political conservationists embraced bioenergy: chipping the forest to incinerate wood chips to produce electricity. Wood-fired bioenergy is inefficient and imposes a huge carbon footprint; it is an unwise investment without massive public subsidies. It rewards intensive forestry in the form of whole-tree harvesting. Some powerful conservation groups supported the subsidies and opposed efforts to regulate the worst forestry abuses.
Fierce Green Fire
Authors: Sayen Jamie
Published: May 2024

This chapter describes Maine’s failed postcouncil effort to establish a statewide ecological reserve system. Timber investors are anxious to sell millions of acres of undeveloped former paper industry lands, but few new buyers are interested. If existing misguided subsidies were redirected to buy these lands as they come on the market, the public could acquire considerable land to be included in a Maine Woods National Park or an even larger Headwaters Wilderness Reserve. Benefits include: ending industrial forestry without resorting to regulations; vast, unfragmented habitat for climate-stressed species; greater hope that we can prevent the disappearance of the spruce-fir forest from northern New England; and optimal carbon sequestration and storage.
LIMB SALVAGE VERSUS BELOW-KNEE AMPUTATION FOR SEVERE ADULT LOWER LIMB DEFORMITY: A RETROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE SERIES
Authors: Oswal C. , Patel S. , Malhotra K. , Sedki I. , Cullen N. , Welck M.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Severe, multiplanar, fixed, pantalar deformities present a challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. Surgical options include limb salvage or amputation. This study compares outcomes of patients with such deformities undergoing limb preservation with either pantalar fusion (PTF) or talectomy and tibiocalcaneal fusion (TCF), versus below knee amputation (BKA).

Methods

Fifty-one patients undergoing either PTF, TCF and BKA for failed management of severe pantalar deformity were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients underwent PTF, 8 TCF and 16 BKA. Median age at surgery was 55.0 years (17 to 72 years) and median follow-up duration was 49.9 months (18.0 to 253.7 months). Patients with chronic regional pain syndrome, tumour, acute trauma or diabetic Charcot arthropathy were excluded. Clinical evaluation was undertaken using the MOxFQ, EQ-5D and Special Interest Group in Amputee Medicine score (SIGAM). Patients were also asked whether they were satisfied with their surgical outcome and whether they would have the same surgery again.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in patient reported outcomes, satisfaction, or complication profile between the groups. Twenty-two patients undergoing PTF (81.5%), 6 patients undergoing TCF (75%), and 15 patients undergoing BKA (93.8%) were satisfied overall (p=0.414). Similarly, there was no difference in the proportion of patients who would opt for the same procedure again (p=0.142): 23 in the PTF group (85.2%), 8 in the TCF group (100%), and 11 in the BKA group (68.8%). Seven patients undergoing PTF (25.9%), 2 patients undergoing TCF (25%) and 6 patients undergoing BKA (37.5%) had major complications (p=0.692).

Conclusion

This study has shown that PTF, TCF and BKA can all provide an acceptable outcome in treatment of severe, degenerative deformities of the lower extremity. Therefore, surgical decisions must be based on individual patient considerations. This data may also be useful in counselling patients when considering limb salvage versus amputation for severe deformity.
Ableist Ungendering: Anti-Blackness, Coloniality, and Disability in Women’s Sports
Authors: Orsak Sarah L.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article examines how ableism reinforces racialized ideals of sexual difference, focusing on elite sport regulations that condition eligibility for women’s competition on intersex athletes’ testosterone levels. These regulations disqualify cisgender women athletes, overwhelmingly African runners like Caster Semenya, by rendering their athleticism a symptom of disease. In doing so, this practice of sex testing reinscribes anti-Black and colonial frames of sexual dimorphism through the vector of ability. Analysis of statements from athletes and sport governing bodies demonstrates how sex operates as a racialized measure of ability within these regulations. Ableism shapes the anti-Blackness of these regulations in multiple ways: delimiting the racialized boundaries between exceptional and excessive ability, pathologizing intersex variations as illness, and coercing athletes into cures that both normalize and disable. Bringing together Hortense Spillers’s concept of “ungendering” with disability analytics, the article develops the concept of ableist ungendering to characterize how such appeals to disability define the anti-Black bounds of womanhood. In turn, this withholding of gendered recognition becomes a key site where Blackness and disability meet. The article concludes by addressing how resistance to these regulations unsettles the existing contours of anti-ableist imaginaries.
Structural Racism and Sexism in Settler Societies: Families at the Confluence of Colonialism and Neoliberalism
Authors: Tait Myra J. , Stefanick Lorna
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This study problematizes the intersections of settler colonialism and neoliberalism with heteropatriarchy/heteropaternalism when considering the vast overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the Canadian child welfare system and Indigenous women in prisons. Using the lens of historical institutionalism, we demonstrate how heteropatriarchy and heteropaternalism provide the normative social order for settler colonial governance, including its most recent iteration, neoliberal governance. We argue that the neoliberal rhetoric of individual rights and responsibilities to assess fitness of families (and more specifically mothers) against a western European neoliberal ideal underpins Canada’s social policy reproducing the structural racism and sexism imposed by colonization. In Canada, there is growing awareness of system dysfunction; it is Indigenous women who are providing the leadership to resist this oppressive model. Resisting neoliberal family policies pushes back against oppressive colonial structures that exacerbate growing systemic inequities thereby negatively impact all families.
The Besht as Ba’al Shem : Magic in the Life and Legacy of Israel Ba’al Shem Tov
Authors: Moseson Elly
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Israel Ba’al Shem Tov (the Besht), the purported founder of the Hasidic movement, achieved renown during his lifetime as a holy man and a ba’al shem —a magician and folk healer. This paper surveys the sources containing evidence pertaining to the Besht’s medico-magical activities, presents the variety of recipes and rituals that have been preserved in his name, and explores the implications these hold for understanding his life and legacy. It further argues that the centrality of magic we find in the life of the Besht did not disappear with his death but was maintained within the Hasidic movement that developed in his wake.
Toward an Epistemology of Literary Judgment
Authors: King Alex
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This essay examines an epistemological thread that runs through Michael W. Clune’s A Defense of Judgment . The first half raises worries about Humean judgment, ultimately doubting whether it can vindicate all it has been asked to. The second half argues that expertise can be grounded in fully tacit knowledge, though that fact inevitably—and rightly—introduces outsider skepticism. The explicitness of that tacit knowledge is not a requirement of expertise as such, but rather a contingent feature of the requirements of academic life. But this, among other things, may be what makes literary education a worthy pursuit.
A Change of Heart: What It’s Like to Live in Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Authors: Ong Yi-Ping
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Michael W. Clune argues in A Defense of Judgment that aesthetic education can unleash our capacity to critique our values and transform our preferences and desires. Works of art hold the possibility of self-transcendence and unselfing; expertise in aesthetic judgment enables us to enter into this possibility. But how do we come to want to change what we want within a culture that conceals the value of this practice? Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886) stages how a change of heart in the midst of everyday reality can reorient us to the possibility of a new life.
Affective Subjects and Perceptions of Waste in Don Delillo’s Underworld
Authors: Schneeberger Aaron F.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article reads the trope of waste in Don DeLillo’s Underworld through the lens of theories of affect and embodied cognition. Specifically, it examines how the bodily and perceptual habits of the novel’s characters are shaped through encounters with waste. Furthermore, it argues that these changing perceptions, attitudes, and dispositions toward waste demonstrate broader shifts in the development of capitalist subjects during the latter half of the twentieth century. Specifically, the novel depicts a transition from a desire to reconcile capitalist growth with traditionalism, not unlike the “fusionism” that dominated conservative thought during the middle of the twentieth century, to a more utopian vision of boundless capitalist growth popularized in post-Reagan America. The novel thus suggests that the political dispositions of its characters are better understood in terms of their affects and bodily habits than more traditional metrics like ideology.
Speculation’s Profit and Loss: Philosophical, Financial, and Fictional Wagers in Tom McCarthy’s Remainder
Authors: Trimm Ryan
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Tom McCarthy’s Remainder foregrounds speculation as a prominent theme, not least in the narrator’s financial investments. This essay uses those risky wagers as means of exploring the intersecting resonances of speculation in terms of its philosophical, financial, and narrative (speculative fictional) resonances. The novel’s interweaving of these senses reveals competing speculative strategies: on the one hand, a wager that takes limited information but attempts to delve into the unknown and return with a profit; on the other, a loss that nonetheless informs as to what supposedly established givens ultimately do not work.
Ultra-low-cost and high-fidelity NIR-II confocal laser scanning microscope with Bessel beam excitation and SiPM detection
Authors: Chen Xueli , Wanng Xinyu , Yan Tianyu , Wang Lin , Wang Nan , Yang Xiaoli , Wang Xiaodong , Cai Hu , Yuan Zhen , ma xiaopeng
Published: May 2024

The NIR-II based CLSM has problems such as expensive detector and reduced image resolution. Here, by simultaneously using a low-cost silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) as a detector and a Bessel beam as an excitation, we developed an ultra-low-cost and high-fidelity NIR-II confocal laser scanning microscope. The introduction of Bessel beam compensates to some extent for the weakening of spatial resolution caused by the increase in the wavelength of light in the NIR region. The use of SiPM reduces the cost of NIR-II fluorescence detection module in CLSM, while enabling the detection of ultra-broadband fluorescence signals spanning visible to NIR-II regions.
Patient preference and acceptability of self-sampling for cervical screening in colposcopy clinic attenders: A cross-sectional semi-structured survey
Authors: Webb Sophie , Mat Ali Nafeesa , Sawyer Amy , Clark David J. , Brown Megan A. , Augustin Yolanda , Woo Yin Ling , Khoo Su Pei , Hargreaves Sally , Staines Henry M. , Krishna Sanjeev , Hayes Kevin
Published: May 2024

Low vaginal self-sampling has been pioneered as an important development to improve uptake of cervical screening globally. Limited research is available in specific patient groups in the UK exploring views around self-sampling to detect high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) DNA. Therefore, we explored patient views to support development of a novel point-of-care self-sampling cervical cancer screening device, by undertaking a cross-sectional semi-structured questionnaire survey to explore preferences, acceptability, barriers and facilitators around self-sampling. Patients attending a colposcopy clinic, 25–64 years old, were invited to participate after having carried out a low vaginal self-sample using a regular flocked swab. Participants self-completed an anonymous 12-point questionnaire. Quantitative data were analysed in MS Excel and Graphpad Prism, and qualitative data with Nvivo. We recruited 274 patients with a questionnaire response rate of 76%. Acceptability of self-sampling was high (95%, n = 187/197; Cronbachs-α = 0.778). Participants were asked their choice of future screening method: a) low vaginal self-sampling, b) healthcare professional collected vaginal swab, c) cervical brush sample with healthcare professional speculum examination, or d) no preference. Preferences were: a) 37% (n = 74/198), b) 19% (n = 37/198); c) 9% (n = 17/198), and d) 35% (n = 70/198), showing no single option as a strong preference. Key motivators were: Test simplicity (90%, n = 170/190), speed (81%, n = 153/190) and less pain (65%, n = 123/190). Barriers included lack of confidence taking the sample (53%, n = 10/19), resulting in preference for a healthcare professional sample (47%, n = 9/19). Whilst self-sampling showed high acceptability, lack of strong preference for screening method may reflect that respondents attending colposcopy are already engaged with screening and have differing perception of cervical cancer risk. This group appear less likely to ‘switch’ to self-sampling, and it may be better targeted within primary and community care, focusing on under-screened populations. Any shift in this paradigm in the UK requires comprehensive education and support for patients and providers.
Risk assessment of organ transplant operation: A fuzzy hybrid MCDM approach based on fuzzy FMEA
Authors: Sabripoor Amir , Ghousi Rouzbeh , Najafi Mehdi , Barzinpour Farnaz , Makuei Ahmad
Published: May 2024

Nowadays, most fatal diseases are attributed to the malfunction of bodily. Sometimes organ transplantation is the only possible therapy, for instance for patients with end-stage liver diseases, and the preferred treatment, for instance for patients with end-stage renal diseases. However, this surgical procedure comes with inherent risks and effectively managing these risks to minimize the likelihood of complications arising from organ transplantation (maximizing life years from transplant and quality-adjusted life years) is crucial. To facilitate this process, risk ranking is used to identify and promptly address potential risks. Over recent years, considerable efforts have been made, and various approaches have been proposed to enhance Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). In this study, taking into account the uncertainty in linguistic variables (F-FMEA), we introduce an approach based on Fuzzy Multi Criteria Decision Making (F-MCDM) for effectively evaluating scenarios and initial failure hazards. Nevertheless, the results of ranking failure modes generated by different MCDM methods may vary. This study is a retrospective study that suggests a comprehensive unified risk assessment model, integrating multiple techniques to produce a more inclusive ranking of failure modes. Exploring a broad spectrum of risks associated with organ transplant operations, we identified 20 principal hazards with the assistance of literature and experts. We developed a questionnaire to examine the impact of various critical factors on the survival of transplanted organs, such as irregularities in immunosuppressive drug consumption, inappropriate dietary habits, psychological disorders, engaging in strenuous activities post-transplant, neglecting quarantine regulations, and other design-related factors. Subsequently, we analyzed the severity of their effects on the durability of transplanted organs. Utilizing the Mamdani algorithm as a fuzzy inference engine and the Center of Gravity algorithm for tooling, we expressed the probability and severity of each risk. Finally, the failure mode ranking obtained from the F-FMEA method, three fuzzy MCDM methods, and the proposed combined method were identified. Additionally, the results obtained from various methods were evaluated by an expert team, demonstrating that the highest consistency and effectiveness among different methods are attributed to the proposed method, as it achieved a 91.67% agreement with expert opinions.
Frequency-oriented hierarchical fusion network for single image raindrop removal
Authors: Wang Juncheng , Zhang Jie , Guo Shuai , Li Bo
Published: May 2024

Single image raindrop removal aims at recovering high-resolution images from degraded ones. However, existing methods primarily employ pixel-level supervision between image pairs to learn spatial features, thus ignoring the more discriminative frequency information. This drawback results in the loss of high-frequency structures and the generation of diverse artifacts in the restored image. To ameliorate this deficiency, we propose a novel frequency-oriented Hierarchical Fusion Network (HFNet) for raindrop image restoration. Specifically, to compensate for spatial representation deficiencies, we design a dynamic adaptive frequency loss (DAFL), which allows the model to adaptively handle the high-frequency components that are difficult to recover. To handle spatially diverse raindrops, we propose a hierarchical fusion network to efficiently learn both contextual information and spatial features. Meanwhile, a calibrated attention mechanism is proposed to facilitate the transfer of valuable information. Comparative experiments with existing methods indicate the advantages of the proposed algorithm.
Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers before and after COVID-19 vaccination in a tertiary paediatric hospital in Warsaw: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kasztelewicz Beata , Skrok Katarzyna , Burzyńska Julia , Migdał Marek , Dzierżanowska-Fangrat Katarzyna
Published: May 2024

A retrospective observational study was conducted among healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary paediatric hospital. The study covered the period before and after implementation of the vaccination programme and evaluated the incidence of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in both periods. Risk factors of the new SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness was also assessed in a real-world setting. The overall incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCWs in the study period was 19.4% with a high proportion of asymptomatic individuals (45.1%). The incidence before vaccination was 16.6% and nurses had a higher risk of infection, while physicians had a reduced risk (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.29–2.52; and OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.30–0.68). Within two months of implementation, the programme achieved a high (88.9%) vaccination coverage in our cohort, although some disparities in vaccination rates were observed. In particular, older individuals, physicians, those working in clinical settings, and those previously uninfected were more likely to be vaccinated. The overall incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination deployment was 6.4% (40.0% in unvaccinated individuals and 3.2% in individuals vaccinated with at least one dose). The estimated vaccine efficacy was high (95.0%) in fully vaccinated HCWs and similar to those observed previously in clinical trials and real-world settings.
Usefulness of assessment of the Clinical Frailty Scale and the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items at the time of initiation of maintenance hemodialysis in older patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Hashimoto Seiji , Itabashi Mitsuyo , Taito Kenta , Izawa Ayano , Ota Yui , Tsuchiya Takaaki , Matsuno Shiho , Arai Masahiro , Yamanaka Noriko , Saito Takako , Oka Masatoshi , Suzuki Noriyuki , Tsuruta Yuki , Takei Takashi
Published: May 2024

Introduction

We examined whether the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), a widely adopted tool for stratifying the degree of frailty, and the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items (DASC-21), a simple tool for simultaneous assessment of impaired cognition and impaired ADL, at the time of initiation of hemodialysis is useful tool of older patients for the outcome and prognosis.

Methods

Data for 101 patients aged 75 years or older (mean age, 84.3 years) with ESRD who were initiated on hemodialysis and could be followed up for a period of 6 months were reviewed.

Results

The 6-month survival curves showed a significantly higher number of deaths in the frailty (CFS≥5) group than in the normal to vulnerable (CFS<5) group (p<0.01). The CFS level was also significantly higher (6.5±1.5) in patients who died within 6 months of dialysis initiation as compared with that (4.6±1.7) in patients who survived (p<0.01). On the other hand, the total score of DASC-21 was related to need for inpatient maintenance dialysis (p<0.01). The total score on the DASC-21 were found as showing significant correlations with the CFS level. The IADL outside the home was identified in the DASC-21 sub-analyses as being correlated with CFS.

Conclusions

The CFS and the DASC-21 appeared to be a useful predictive tool of outcome and prognosis for older patients being initiated on hemodialysis. Assessment by the CFS or the DASC-21 might be useful for selecting the renal replacement therapy by shared decision-making and for advance care planning.
Research on blockchain smart contract technology based on resistance to quantum computing attacks
Authors: Zheng Xinhao
Published: May 2024

In recent years, blockchain technology has developed rapidly and has been widely used in medical, financial, energy and other fields. However, in the process of practical application, each blockchain is a small independent ecosystem, with all transactions and operations limited to the chain, resulting in a large number of mutually heterogeneous to independent blockchains. It presents challenges for cross-chain interactions, cross-organization data sharing, and cross-blockchain expansion, and hinders the wider application of blockchain technology. In addition, the traditional digital signature method based on elliptic curve cipher faces the threat of being cracked by quantum computing attacks. To solve the aforementioned problems, this paper proposed a blockchain smart contract technique based on quantum computing attack resistance(BSCTQCAT). The technique first introduces the digital signature of the lattice cipher into the blockchain to resist the quantum search algorithm attack. Then, based on the smart contract authentication scheme, the nodes on multiple heterogeneous chains are organized into an identity agent layer P2P network, through which transactions on the chain will establish a credible identity management and message authentication mechanism between different chains, solving the current problem that each chain is difficult to communicate with each other. In this paper, the performance of the algorithm is evaluated by simulating the Bitcoin transaction scenario and analyzing the experimental data.
Prevalence of motorcycle accidents among food delivery drivers and its relation to knowledge, attitudes, and practices in urban areas in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Prakobkarn Pusanisa , Luangwilai Titaporn , Prempree Preecha , Kunno Jadsada
Published: May 2024

Food delivery drivers are at increased risk of motorcycle accidents every year. This study investigated the prevalence of motorcycle accidents among food delivery drivers related to the knowledge, attitudes, and practices in urban areas in Bangkok, Thailand. This was a cross-sectional online survey on motorcycle accidents was distributed among food delivery drivers in urban areas in Bangkok, Thailand from February—March 2023. The study involved 809 participants aged 18 years. A binary logistic regression was conducted to test the association between variable factors and motorcycle accidents, and a Spearman’s analysis was employed to test the correlations between motorcycle accidents and knowledge, attitude, and practice scores. The study found the prevalence of accidents associated with food delivery drivers was 284 (35.1%). The results of the binary logistic regression analysis found that those who drive on an average of more than 16 rounds per day were significantly associated with motorcycle accidents (OR = 2.128, 95%CI 1.503–3.013), and those who had followed improper driving practices were significantly associated with motorcycle accidents (OR = 1.754, 95%CI 1.117–2.752). The correlation analysis found the knowledge score positive significantly with the practice score (r = 0.269, p-value < 0.01) and the attitudes score positive significantly with the practice score (r = 0.436, p-value < 0.01). This study shows the knowledge level correlated with the practice score regarding such accidents. Therefore, our study needs more longitudinal study to identify which variable factors influence motorcycle accidents among FDDs. The current study suggests that the management of traffic safety on urban roads is significantly affected by food delivery services. Thus, this study can be used as baseline data to devise systematic measures to prevent motorcycle crashes of food deivery workers.
Educational climate of a pathology residency program at a tertiary care hospital
Authors: Ali Zafar , Ghafoor Hashaam Bin , Ayub Khan Muhammad Nasir , Atiq Muslim , Akhlaq Saira
Published: May 2024

Evaluating educational climate (EC) is imperative for ensuring postgraduate trainees’ competencies and quality in residency training programs. This study assessed the EC experiences of pathology postgraduate residents (PGRs) during their postgraduate training in pathology residency programs—a cross-sectional study design assigned EC scores in the pathology residency program at a prestigious institution in Islamabad, which were measured using the Dutch Residency Educational Climate Test (D-RECT) questionnaire. Scores from the D-RECT were employed to conduct descriptive statistics and comparison of means across groups to evaluate EC scores by years of training and compared to assess where the differences were located. Among FCPS-II pathology residents, most of whom were females (94.4%), the mean age was 28.11±2.91 years. A mean positive score was observed among all pathology residents (M≥3.6) for all D-RECT subscales except for the feedback subscale: the average score for feedback was below the average mean score of 3.6 (M = 3.19). A significant difference p = 0.016 was observed in EC scores across different groups through the Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) test. The most significant difference was between less than two and greater than two groups p = 0.027, followed by the difference between equal to two groups and greater than two groups p = 0.052. Overall, positive scores for EC in the pathology residency program were observed. Thus, targeted interventions are needed to increase feedback scores and address observed differences in EC scores by years of training.
The reliability of a Biometrics device as a tool for assessing hand grip and pinch strength, in a Polish cohort–A prospective observational study
Authors: Leszczak Justyna , Pniak Bogumiła , Drużbicki Mariusz , Guzik Agnieszka
Published: May 2024

The aim of the study was to assess the external and internal compatibility of the Biometrics E-LINK EP9 evaluation system device in the area of hand grip and pinch strength in the Polish population. The testing of hand grip and pinch strength was carried out among 122 healthy students. Two examiners performed hand grip and pinch strength measurements with a Biometrics E-LINK EP9 evaluation system device. Measurements were made for the right and left hands. The same people were tested again two weeks later, under the same conditions. The scores of one rater on the first and second tests were compared for reproducibility, and the scores of the two raters were compared to assess the reliability of the instrument. The measurements were found to be highly consistent both between the investigators and between the tests in the hand grip dynamometer test. The findings show high values of the Pearson’s correlation coefficient equal or close to 1, as well as the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) >0.9. Analysis of pinch strength measurements performed using the pinchmeter also found high values of the Pearson’s correlation coefficient close to 1, as well as the interclass correlation coefficient >0.9; this reflects high agreement between the measurements performed by two investigators as well as assessments performed by one investigator at time intervals. These findings were confirmed by analyses performed using Bland-Altman plots. The measurements made with the Biometrics E-link EP9 evaluation system show high internal and external consistency in hand grip and pinch strength assessment. Biometrics E-link EP9 can be recommended for daily clinical practice.
The safety of maxillary sinus floor elevation and the accuracy of implant placement using dynamic navigation
Authors: Yang Miaomiao , Ma Yongqing , Han Wenli , Qu Zhe
Published: May 2024

Objective

To date, it remains a challenge to conduct maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) owing to heterogeneity of anatomical structures and limited operative visibility of the maxillary sinus. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety of MSFE and the accuracy of implant placement using dynamic navigation.

Methods

Forty-two implants were placed in thirty-five patients requiring implantation in posterior maxilla with dynamic navigation. They were assigned to either lateral window sinus floor elevation (LWSFE) group (n = 22) or transcrestal sinus floor elevation (TSFE) group (n = 20) according to the residual alveolar bone height (RBH). Platform deviation, apex deviation and angular deviation between actual and planned implant placement were measured in precision evaluation software. Three deviations of two groups were compared via SPSS 22.0 software.

Results

Neither accidental bleeding nor perforation of Schneiderian membrane occurred in any patients. The actual window position of LWSFE was consistent with the preoperative design. There were no significant differences in platform, apex and angular deviations between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

In this study the dynamic navigation harvested clinically acceptable safety of MSFE and accuracy for implant placement in posterior maxillary region. The dynamic navigation would provide the clinician with assistance in achieving precise preoperative planning and reducing complications in surgical procedures. The granular bone grafts used in the LWSFE did not significantly affection on the accuracy of the simultaneous implant placement under the guidance of dynamic navigation.
Examining facilitative services for entry into substance use disorder treatment: A cluster analysis of treatment facilities
Authors: Amoako Emmanuel O. , Zerden Lisa D. , Hughes Tamera D. , Gertner Alex K. , Williams Joseph , Belden C. Micha , Ware Orrin D.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

We examined services to facilitate access to entering substance use disorder (SUD) treatment among a national sample of SUD treatment facilities.

Methods

We analyzed data from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) 2020. Facilities were included in the sample based on criteria such as SUD treatment provision and being in the U.S. Cluster analysis was conducted using variables including ownership, levels of care, and whether facilities provide services or accept payment options aimed at reducing treatment barriers. National and state-level data on the percentage of facilities in each cluster were presented.

Results

Among N = 15,788 SUD treatment facilities four distinct clusters were identified: Cluster 1 consisted of for-profit and government outpatient facilities with high proportions of services to reduce barriers (22.2%). Cluster 2, comprised of non-profit outpatient facilities, offered the most comprehensive array of services to minimize barriers to treatment among all four clusters (25.2%). Cluster 3 included facilities with diverse ownership and care levels and provided a moderate to high degree of services aimed at reducing entry barriers to treatment (26.0%). Cluster 4 was primarily for-profit outpatient facilities with a low proportion of these services (26.6%).

Conclusions

This study revealed facility-level groupings with different services to reduce barriers to SUD treatment across various clusters of SUD treatment facilities. While some facilities offered extensive services, others provided fewer. Differences in cluster distributions point to possible facilitators to treatment access for some persons seeking admission to specific treatment facilities. Efforts should be made to ensure that individuals seeking SUD treatment can access these services, and facilities should be adequately equipped to meet their diverse needs.
Examining the decline in modern contraception usage among married women in Bangladesh: Applying Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis
Authors: Kabir Samia , Tareq Muhammad , Hossain Md. Ismail
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Controlling population expansion and reducing unintended pregnancies through the use of modern contraceptives is a cost-effective strategy. In recent years, the rate of modern contraceptive use in Bangladesh has been declining. So, this study aimed to investigate the associated factors of the deterioration in modern contraceptive usage.

Methods

This study used data from two successive Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (2014 and 2017–18) and applied the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis to understand the drivers. A popular binary logistic regression model is fitted to determine the factors that influence the use of modern contraceptive methods over the years.

Results

This study revealed that highly educated women were more likely to use modern contraception methods, and their use increased by 3 percent over the years. Factors such as women’s working status, husband’s education, number of living children, and fertility preference were found significantly associated with decreased usage of modern contraception methods over years. The result of the Blinder-Oaxaca (BO) decomposition analysis found a significant decrease between 2014 and 2018. Respondent’s age, working status, husband’s age, opinion on decision making, region, and media exposure were the most significant contributors to explaining the shift between 2014 and 2018. The two factors that contributed most to narrowing the difference between the two surveys were women’s decision on own health (26%), and employment status (35%).

Conclusions

The factors that influence modern contraceptive prevalence are important to know for policy implication purposes in Bangladesh. The findings indicate the need for further improvement of factors for balancing the usage of modern contraception methods.
Poetry in English and Metal Music: Adaptation and Appropriation across Media, Arturo Mora-Rioja (2023)
Authors: Bayer Gerd
Published: May 2024

Review of: Poetry in English and Metal Music: Adaptation and Appropriation across Media, Arturo Mora-Rioja (2023)

London and Berlin: Palgrave-Springer, xii + 331 pp.,

ISBN 978-3-03129-182-1, h/bk, €128.39

ISBN 978-3-03129-183-8, e-book, €96.29
We’ll Play Till We Die: Journeys across a Decade of Revolutionary Music in the Muslim World, Mark Levine (2022)
Authors: Donaghey Jim
Published: May 2024

Review of: We’ll Play Till We Die: Journeys across a Decade of Revolutionary Music in the Muslim World, Mark Levine (2022)

Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 345 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-52035-076-2, h/bk, $29.95/£25
Postmodernism in Lord Of The Lost’s Judas: The apocryphal The Gospel of Judas, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and the role of the stars
Authors: Hagen Katharina
Published: May 2024

Lord Of The Lost’s Judas (2021) is a thematic concept album exploring different aspects of the Judas reception without a straightforward narrative or interpretation, but covering varying viewpoints on betrayal and salvation. It hereby pushes the boundaries of heavy metal as a genre by combining different texts. The band explicitly points out their first source of inspiration, the apocryphal The Gospel of Judas (~100–80 ad), and adds that the album also features the literary theme of impossible (here: brotherly) love. I argue that the album references a specific text implementing this theme, namely William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1597), most prominently implied by ‘star-crossed’. These two texts are as different as they could be, contrasting, e.g. religious enlightenment and entertainment. Still, they have one thing in common: they both rely heavily on Christian astrology. By investigating how the album makes use of this shared motif to create its own version of star-induced fate, I show how both texts overlap and intermingle on the album. The result is a kaleidoscope that is a prime example of postmodernism. By refusing a fixed depiction of Christian imagery and even adding another text, Judas demonstrates that art does not have to be linear or limiting, and opens heavy metal to new, postmodern ways.