bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The trace amine-associated receptor 1 agonists – non-dopaminergic antipsychotics or covert modulators of D2 receptors?
Authors: Reynolds Gavin P
Published: April 2024

A major effort of the pharmaceutical industry has been to identify and market drug treatments that are effective in ameliorating the symptoms of psychotic illness but without the limitations of the current treatments acting at dopamine D2 receptors. These limitations include the induction of a range of adverse effects, the inadequate treatment response of a substantial proportion of people with schizophrenia, and the generally poor response to negative and cognitive features of the disease. Recently introduced drug treatments have gone some way to avoiding the first of these, with a reduced propensity for weight gain, cardiovascular risk and extrapyramidal motor effects. Despite claims of some small improvements in negative symptoms, these drugs have not demonstrated substantial increases in efficacy. Of the drugs currently in development as antipsychotic agents, several are misleadingly described as having novel ‘non-dopaminergic’ mechanisms that may offer improvements in addressing the limitations of adverse effects and efficacy. It will be argued, using the trace amine-associated receptor 1 agonist as an example, that several of these new drugs still act primarily through modulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission and, in not addressing the primary pathology of schizophrenia, are therefore unlikely to have the much-needed improvements in efficacy required to address the unmet need associated with resistance to current treatments.
Deep learning in the radiologic diagnosis of osteoporosis: a literature review
Authors: He Yu , Lin Jiaxi , Zhu Shiqi , Zhu Jinzhou , Xu Zhonghua
Published: April 2024

Objective

Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease characterized by low bone mass, damaged bone microstructure, increased bone fragility, and susceptibility to fractures. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, a series of studies have reported deep learning applications in the screening and diagnosis of osteoporosis. The aim of this review was to summary the application of deep learning methods in the radiologic diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Methods

We conducted a two-step literature search using the PubMed and Web of Science databases. In this review, we focused on routine radiologic methods, such as X-ray, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, used to opportunistically screen for osteoporosis.

Results

A total of 40 studies were included in this review. These studies were divided into three categories: osteoporosis screening (n = 20), bone mineral density prediction (n = 13), and osteoporotic fracture risk prediction and detection (n = 7).

Conclusions

Deep learning has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for osteoporosis screening. However, clinical commercialization of a diagnostic model for osteoporosis remains a challenge.
A sustained decrease in the systolic/diastolic ratio may be a sign of severe adverse events in the umbilical cord: a report of eight cases
Authors: Zeng Yan-Jing , Zhang Jun , Li Yan-Fang , Chen Yu-Yi
Published: April 2024

A high systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio of umbilical cord blood is a manifestation of intrauterine hypoxia. However, the clinical significance of a persistently decreased S/D ratio of umbilical cord blood has not been reported. We report eight cases of a persistently decreased S/D ratio of umbilical cord blood, with two cases of umbilical thrombus, five cases of excessive torsion, and one case of a true cord knot. Fetuses with a persistently decreased S/D ratio of umbilical cord blood may be at risk, and it may be an important indication of umbilical cord lesions.
The Development of Mutual Aid Tontines in Nineteenth-Century Ireland
Authors: McDiarmid Andrew
Published: April 2024

A tontine is a shared fund in which surviving investors benefit financially from the deaths of other members. Since the mid-seventeenth century it has been used variously across Europe as a tool to raise state revenue, as a private investment tool, and as a method to raise capital for building projects. In nineteenth-century Ireland, the tontine developed to include a mutual aid scheme directed at the country's working classes and poor. This form of tontine existed within a wider sphere of microcredit and microfinance instruments – including loan funds, pawnbrokers and Mont de Piété banks - directed at Ireland's poorer classes. These provided services to a section of Irish society neglected by the country's banks and other financial institutions. The mutual aid tontine was therefore very much an indigenous financial instrument developed for the needs of Irish society. Like the Irish themselves it travelled. The scheme also proved to be popular in England during the nineteenth century, predominantly in areas of high Irish immigration. This article argues that this was as a direct result of the transplantation of Irish communities and support structures into England.
A Review of Electrically Conductive Cement Concrete Pavement for Sustainable Snow-Removal and Deicing: Road Safety in Cold Regions
Authors: Anis Mohammad , Abdel-Raheem Mohamed
Published: April 2024

Within cold U.S. regions, winter storms can cause interruptions in transportation networks, affecting transportation entities’ revenue streams. Conventional snow-removal methods on roadways efficiently remove snow and ice, yet their adverse environmental impacts further make winter maintenance more challenging. In response to these concerns, electrically conductive cement concrete (ECCC) pavement has become an effective alternative for deicing and snow melting on road surfaces. ECCC utilizes the Joule heating principles to effectively melt snow and ice by incorporating conductive elements into conventional concrete. This paper comprehensively reviews the current literature on ECCC pavement. Previous studies have diligently explored various aspects of ECCC pavement, including concrete conductivity enhancement, heat transfer processes, and meticulous performance assessments, ranging from controlled laboratory scale experiments to small-scale field evaluations. The conclusions drawn from these investigations highlight the potential of ECCC pavement to considerably enhance winter road maintenance, consequently improving road safety and minimizing traffic interruptions during winter storms. The present review emphasizes ECCC pavement as a promising paradigm for effectively addressing the complexities associated with winter road maintenance in colder regions. Moreover, its environmentally friendly deicing capabilities present a sustainable departure from conventional methodologies. However, certain limitations currently impede widespread adoption of ECCC pavement, mainly concerning optimizing cost-effective construction techniques, ensuring long-lasting durability, and enhancing energy efficiency. Addressing these limitations could accelerate the broader adoption of ECCC pavement, promoting safer and more sustainable winter transportation practices.
The inertia of anger and sadness among adolescents and adults: The role of self-efficacy in regulating negative emotions
Authors: Manfredi Lucia , López-Pérez Belén , Gregori Fulvio , Lundie David , Shannon Lee , Zuffianò Antonio
Published: April 2024

Emotional inertia (i.e., the resistance to change of emotional states) is an index of regulatory deficit linked to psychological maladjustment. Using ecological momentary assessment, we explored the role of Self-efficacy in Regulating Negative Affect (SRN), as a baseline measure, to buffer sadness and anger inertia, measured three times a day over 28 days in two samples from the UK: (1) adults ( n = 166 adults; Mage = 35.71, SD = 12.96; 73% women) and (2) adolescents ( n = 82 adolescents; Mage 14.88, SD = 1.34; 72% girls). Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling showed that both sadness and anger had significant levels of inertia. Importantly, the inertia of sadness was weakened by high levels of SRN among both adults and adolescents ( β = −.211, 95% CI [−.303, −.112]; and β = −.485, 95% CI [−.707, −.162], respectively). No buffering effect of SRN was found for the inertia of anger. These findings suggest the importance of strengthening adults’ and adolescents’ SRN to manage their sadness in everyday life.
A novel ontology-assisted inference platform in automotive troubleshooting tasks
Authors: Liang Jeremy S
Published: April 2024

Recent intelligent systems as required for Industry 4.0 merge data from diverse domains and more gradually demand data to be combined with field knowledge. The convergence and scenarization of data permits for the high-level inferring required to create knowledge based on the data under consideration. In this study, a framework for an ontology-assisted multi-scenario inference platform is proposed to help some of the desirable platform qualities in automotive troubleshooting service involve message clarity, platform interoperability, and elegant maturing. This framework is constructed through the model with triple modes (Conception-Expression-Manipulation, CEM), which is a communication-based framework. This proposed framework applies a two-tier class with three performers and can combine and use multiple scenarios. There are several characteristics, including flexibility, interaction, and handily maintenance. The transformation of data is separated from one element of the platform and thus does not implicate several other elements. A field of employment can be easily decided by the utilization of prototypes and field-norm elements. This proposed framework is instantiated applying an instance study including data from the troubleshooting tasks of automotive system.
Experimental studies on the effect of Al2O3 + water nanofluid concentrations on dimensionless heat transfer parameters in a cleanroom air handling unit
Authors: Dolui Sujoy Kumar , Veeresh Babu A. , Srinivas Reddy T.
Published: April 2024

Nanofluid, a colloidal suspension of nonmetallic or metallic nanoparticles into conventional base fluid and used for heat transfer characteristics enhancement for many industrial applications. Cleanrooms are essential at various industries for controlling airborne contamination and environmental parameters. In this article, heat transfer properties of nanofluid (Al2O3 + water) at various nanoparticle concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%) on a prototype cleanroom air handling chiller unit was investigated experimentally in laminar flow zone. Thermal conductivity ratio, Nusselt number, Peclet number, and pressure drop were obtained for above nanoparticle concentrations. Experimental investigations indicate the heat transfer properties improvement in a prototype cleanroom air handling chiller unit by using nanoparticle at base fluid. Experimental investigation on varying Al2O3 + water nanofluid concentrations in a cleanroom air handling chiller unit heat exchanger revealed a notable increase in heat transfer by reducing nanoparticle size from 50 to 10 nm and increasing concentration from 1% to 3% volume, resulting in a 17.70% rise in thermal conductivity ratio and a significant 9.23% increase in Nusselt number at higher Peclet numbers. However, this improvement in heat transfer was accompanied by a substantial 72.5% increase in pressure drops, particularly with increased Reynolds number and particle concentration. Manipulating nanoparticle characteristics resulted in substantial improvements in Nusselt number across a wide range of Reynolds numbers, with smaller particle sizes and higher volume concentrations yielding more significant heat transfer improvements. The novelty of this research lies in its investigation of the influence of variable Al2O3 + water nanofluid concentrations, encompassing different nanoparticle sizes, and volume concentrations, on dimensionless heat transfer parameters within a cleanroom air handling unit, offering valuable insights into optimizing heat transfer efficiency in a controlled and critical environment, addressing a significant research gap in the field.
Development of new improved plastic collapse moment equations of pressurized different angled pipe bends under bending moments
Authors: Kumar Manish , Kumar Amrendra , Kumar Ajitesh , Kumar Amit , Kamble Devendra
Published: April 2024

In a piping system, pipe bends are more flexible than straight pipes because of their curved geometry, supplemented by higher stress and strain concentration, leading to one of the crucial components in piping industries. Therefore, safe design of pipe bends is essential for smooth running of the piping system, and plastic collapse moment is one of its criteria. This paper utilizes three-dimensional finite element analyses to model empirical solutions for the plastic collapse moment for different angled pipe bends subjected to combined pressure and in-plane closing, in-plane opening, and out-of-plane bending moments. Plastic collapse moments for 30∘ to 180∘ pipe bends are determined for elastic perfectly plastic and strain hardening materials, employing large geometry change option and internal pressure effect. It is observed from results that pressure effect is more prominent in thinner pipe bends of larger bend angle under all bending cases. For in-plane opening and out-of-plane bending moments, collapse moment increases and then decreases with increase in pressure intensity for all sizes of pipe bend. However, for in-plane opening bending moment, collapse moments keep on decreasing for thicker ([Formula: see text] = 11.33) pipe bends. Finally, the study presents new improved plastic collapse moment solutions for different angled pipe bends under bending moment and internal pressure, derived from the finite element results of elastic perfectly plastic and strain hardening material models.
Selection of performance indicators on dielectric strength and viscosity for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride with N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone: Optimization using central composite design-response surface methodology
Authors: Shanmugaya Pandian Selva Kumar , Balachandran Gurukarthikbabu , Thangaraj Hariharasudhan , Samykannu Mariaamalraj
Published: April 2024

N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone is a highly polar aprotic solvent that is frequently utilized across a broad range of applications in industry. The composition of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride is commonly flame-resistant and mechanically strong. In this research, the central composite design technique uses response surface methodology to perform a parametric study. The effect of the input variables wt.% (16%, 20%, 24%), stirring speed (300, 600, 900 r/min), and stirring time (20 min, 30 min, 40 min) on the output responses (dielectric strength kV/mm, and viscosity Pascal) were examined. The output responses were recorded during the experiments according to the experimental design. The factors impacting the response were identified through analysis of variance. According to the predicted vs. actual diagram, the confirmed experiments fit well with the predictions. Based on the response surface, the parameter interaction profile was analyzed. According to the contour plots related to each interaction, the maximum value can be achieved within different stirring parameters. Based on the result of optimization, the optimum values of dielectric strength and viscosity were found in (wt.% of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride—18.101%), (stirring speed—664 r/min), (stirring time—21.860 min). The output response obtained from the response surface methodology is the dielectric strength (18.5 kV/mm) and viscosity (37.67 Pa).
How the Listener’s Attention Dynamically Switches Between Different Speakers During a Natural Conversation
Authors: Dai Bohan , Zhai Yu , Long Yuhang , Lu Chunming
Published: April 2024

The neural mechanisms underpinning the dynamic switching of a listener’s attention between speakers are not well understood. Here we addressed this issue in a natural conversation involving 21 triadic adult groups. Results showed that when the listener’s attention dynamically switched between speakers, neural synchronization with the to-be-attended speaker was significantly enhanced, whereas that with the to-be-ignored speaker was significantly suppressed. Along with attention switching, semantic distances between sentences significantly increased in the to-be-ignored speech. Moreover, neural synchronization negatively correlated with the increase in semantic distance but not with acoustic change of the to-be-ignored speech. However, no difference in neural synchronization was found between the listener and the two speakers during the phase of sustained attention. These findings support the attenuation model of attention, indicating that both speech signals are processed beyond the basic physical level. Additionally, shifting attention imposes a cognitive burden, as demonstrated by the opposite fluctuations of interpersonal neural synchronization.
Bayesian compositional models for ordinal response
Authors: Zhang Li , Zhang Xinyan , Leach Justin M , Rahman AKM F , Yi Nengjun
Published: April 2024

Ordinal response is commonly found in medicine, biology, and other fields. In many situations, the predictors for this ordinal response are compositional, which means that the sum of predictors for each sample is fixed. Examples of compositional data include the relative abundance of species in microbiome data and the relative frequency of nutrition concentrations. Moreover, the predictors that are strongly correlated tend to have similar influence on the response outcome. Conventional cumulative logistic regression models for ordinal responses ignore the fixed-sum constraint on predictors and their associated interrelationships, and thus are not appropriate for analyzing compositional predictors.To solve this problem, we proposed Bayesian Compositional Models for Ordinal Response to analyze the relationship between compositional data and an ordinal response with a structured regularized horseshoe prior for the compositional coefficients and a soft sum-to-zero restriction on coefficients through the prior distribution. The method was implemented with R package rstan using efficient Hamiltonian Monte Carlo algorithm. We performed simulations to compare the proposed approach and existing methods for ordinal responses. Results revealed that our proposed method outperformed the existing methods in terms of parameter estimation and prediction. We also applied the proposed method to a microbiome study HMP2Data, to find microorganisms linked to ordinal inflammatory bowel disease levels. To make this work reproducible, the code and data used in this paper are available at https://github.com/Li-Zhang28/BCO .
Is it time to move on from ‘Mr Big’? Scenario evidence and the risk of unreliable confessions in Australia
Authors: Adam Lisanne , van Golde Celine
Published: April 2024

The ‘Mr Big’ method is a non-custodial investigative method used by police forces worldwide. A Mr Big operation involves an undercover operation in which a person suspected of involvement in an indictable offence, is unknowingly drawn into a fictitious criminal enterprise, in order to elicit a confession. There are ample concerns around the use of this method. Consequently, courts around the world have grappled with the admissibility of the confession evidence gathered through this approach. This article will first provide an outline of the Mr Big method. Following this, it will discuss the psychological explanation of associated potential coerced confessions which are unreliable. Additionally, various Australian cases and court rulings on confessions obtained using this approach will be described. This information will then be used, given the concerns indicated by psychological research and foreign court responses, in an attempt to address the question of whether the Mr Big method should have a place within the Australian legal system.
Recognising inaccuracies in Australian suicide and ‘hidden suicide’ data
Authors: Snowdon John
Published: April 2024

Objective

To examine the effects of revision of Australian mortality statistics every year since 2007 on numbers and rates of suicide and ‘hidden suicide’.

Method

Nine months after the end of each year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases preliminary statistics concerning deaths registered in that year, together with revised and finalised data regarding previous years. Numbers and rates of suicide and of deaths coded to selected categories of accidental, undetermined and unknown cause deaths were tabled.

Results

Upward revision of suicide and accidental drug poisoning death numbers, three years after first release, show that true rates are substantially higher than initially released data suggested. Concomitant downward revision of rates of undetermined and unknown cause deaths supports evidence that at first release some suicides are coded to these categories.

Conclusions

Australia’s finalised suicide data are likely to be more accurate than equivalent data from nations that do not revise mortality data. More comprehensive investigation (including verbal or psychological autopsy) in doubtful cases in Australia and elsewhere would probably lead to reported suicide rates being higher.
Mycobacterium genavense granulomatous typhlocolitis in a horse
Authors: Kramer Alana J. , Meziara Wilson Tais , Kimura Shune , Groover Erin , DeLeon-Carnes Marlene , Neto Rachel L. A. L. T.
Published: April 2024

A 23-y-old gelding was presented to a veterinary teaching hospital with a history of chronic, refractory diarrhea. Clinically, the horse was in poor body condition, with a thickened and corrugated large intestine identified by transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography. At postmortem examination following euthanasia, the large colon and cecum had segmental thickening of the intestinal wall with innumerable mucosal ulcers and prominent polypoid mucosal masses. Many mesenteric and hepatic lymph nodes were enlarged. Histology revealed granulomatous and ulcerative typhlocolitis and granulomatous lymphadenitis with myriad acid-fast, variably gram-positive, intrahistiocytic bacilli that stained by immunohistochemistry for mycobacteria. Molecular testing by PCR and sequencing identified the causative agent as Mycobacterium genavense, which is an unusual presentation of infection in a horse.
Adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and esophageal-proventricular junction in a yellow-naped parrot
Authors: Hines Elizabeth S. , Jones Sydney , Hoppes Sharman , Stranahan Lauren W.
Published: April 2024

A 57-y-old male yellow-naped parrot ( Amazona auropalliata) was presented because of lethargy, inappetence, and weight loss. Hematology and serum biochemistry were unremarkable, and imaging revealed a mass in the distal esophagus at the coelomic inlet. The luminal diameter of the esophagus was reduced in this area, and passage of ingesta was limited. Following gavage feeding, the patient died and was submitted for autopsy. At postmortem examination, the noted mass effect was a thickening of the distal esophagus with adherent, coalescing, soft, pale-tan plaques on the mucosal surface. Additional gross findings included pale-tan, opaque feed material oozing from the dorsum of the lungs and covering the cranial air sacs. Histology of the esophagus, esophageal-proventricular junction, and proximal proventriculus revealed an unencapsulated, infiltrative, transmural neoplasm that extended from the mucosal surface deep into the muscularis, almost to the adventitia. The neoplasm was composed of cuboidal cells arranged in islands and tubules, consistent with an adenocarcinoma, a rarely reported entity in the esophagus of psittacine birds and to our knowledge not reported previously at the esophageal-proventricular junction.
Global and Regional Estimates of Female Intimate Partner and Family-Related Homicide
Authors: Dunaiski Maurice , Abdelgelil Camelia , Filip Andrada-Maria , Ivanova Natalia , Rausis David , Yee Sonya , Me Angela
Published: April 2024

Based on national data collected by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from 105 countries and territories, this study estimates that nearly 49,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members in 2022. Using annual data from the Americas and Europe as well as monthly data from 14 countries in various regions, the study also shows that regional and national trends in female intimate partner/family-related homicide were highly heterogeneous during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. UNODC produces global and regional estimates of female intimate partner and family-related homicide to shed light on the magnitude of the problem and to inform advocacy, policies, and programs to end such killings.
Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Esophagus and Stomach Successfully Treated With ALK Inhibitor in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report and Concise Review of Literature
Authors: Billingsley Benjamin C , Chaudhary Ritica , Morris Michael W , Cox Jennifer A , Camacho-Gomez Sandra M , Varshney Neha
Published: April 2024

An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm of borderline malignant potential. Nearly half of all IMTs have rearrangement of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) locus on chromosome 2p23 which can be treated with targeted therapy. Herein, we describe an unusual presentation of IMT involving an anatomical region rarely implicated in this disease process. A 15-year-old male patient came to the ER with dysphagia and coffee ground emesis. On esophagogastroscopy, a nodular luminal obstructing 30 × 50 mm mass in the lower esophagus was found, which was continuous with a large, partially circumferential gastric mass extending from the mid-body to the proximal antrum. Biopsies from esophageal and gastric masses revealed submucosal lesions composed of cytologically bland spindle and epithelioid cells, intermingled with inflammatory infiltrate, for which several immunohistochemical (IHC) stains were performed. The molecular study demonstrated ATIC::ALK fusion. Based on morphological, IHC, and molecular study findings, the diagnosis of ALK-positive IMT was rendered. Because surgical excision was deemed infeasible, the patient was started on ALK-inhibiting therapy with crizotinib. The patient responded well with no evidence of residual or recurrent disease on follow-up imaging or surveillance esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Crizotinib was ultimately discontinued after 10 months of therapy, and the patient continues to undergo surveillance imaging for monitoring of disease burden.
Investigating the Functioning of Rating Scales With Rasch Models
Authors: Colledani Daiana , González Pizzio Adriana P. , Devita Maria , Anselmi Pasquale
Published: April 2024

The hypothesis implicit in the rating scale design is that the categories reflect increasing levels of the latent variable. Rasch models for ordered polytomous items include parameters, called thresholds, that allow for empirically testing this hypothesis. Failure of the thresholds to advance monotonically with the categories (a condition that is referred to as “threshold disordering”) provides evidence that the rating scale is not functioning as intended. This work focuses on scales consisting of rather large numbers of categories, whose use is often recommended in the literature. Threshold disordering is observed in both an extended 8-point scale specially developed for the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the original 10-point scale of the Behavioral Religiosity Scale. The results of this work prompt practitioners not to take the functioning of the rating scale for granted, but to verify it empirically.
The Role of JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway and Its Downstream Influencing Factors in the Treatment of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Zhang Xin , Chen Suwen , Yin Guoliang , Liang Pengpeng , Feng Yanan , Yu Wenfei , Meng Decheng , Liu Hongshuai , Zhang Fengxia
Published: April 2024

Atherosclerosis is now widely considered to be a chronic inflammatory disease, with increasing evidence suggesting that lipid alone is not the main factor contributing to its development. Rather, atherosclerotic plaques contain a significant amount of inflammatory cells, characterized by the accumulation of monocytes and lymphocytes on the vessel wall. This suggests that inflammation may play a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of atherosclerosis. As research deepens, other pathological factors have also been found to influence the development of the disease. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway is a recently discovered target of inflammation that has gained attention in recent years. Numerous studies have provided evidence for the causal role of this pathway in atherosclerosis, and its downstream signaling factors play a significant role in this process. This brief review aims to explore the crucial role of the JAK/STAT pathway and its representative downstream signaling factors in the development of atherosclerosis. It provides a new theoretical basis for clinically affecting the development of atherosclerosis by interfering with the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.
Reference Value Fibrin Monomer in Healthy Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Tuan Ta Anh , Xoay Tran Dang , My Tran Thi Kieu , Duyen Nguyen Thi , Trang Nguyen Thi , Kien Nguyen Tat , Son Chu Thanh , Thang Nguyen Van , Quan Thieu Quang , Hung Dau Viet
Published: April 2024

The objective of this study is to determine the fibrin monomer reference intervals in healthy children. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Hematology Department at Vietnam National Children's Hospital (April 2023 to March 2024). Children without prior history of clotting disorders or anticoagulants use hospitalized in preparation for orthopedic surgery or inguinal hernia surgery were enrolled in the study. The fibrin monomer test method was the quantitative fibrin monomer test on the STA-R system (Diagnostica Stago™, France). Eighty-six children (58 males and 28 females) were enrolled in the study. The median (interquartile range, 2.5th-97.5th) fibrin monomer value of the study subjects was 2.56 (0.11-5.93) µg/mL, with no statistically significant difference in fibrin monomer values among the age groups of 1 month to 3 years, 3 years to 13 years, and 13 years to 18 years. This is the first study conducted in Vietnam to determine reference values of fibrin monomer in children. This information can help in the diagnosis and treatment of early hypercoagulation stage and disseminated intravascular coagulation in children.
Pilot Study Focused on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Health Access Behaviors of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses Regarding Suicide Prevention
Authors: Woods Marc A. , Hampton Debra , Okoli Chizimuzo T. C. , Heath Janie , Moreland Gwen
Published: April 2024

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of a web-based education module on the knowledge, attitudes, and ratings of willingness to access help related to suicide prevention in psychiatric-mental health nurses. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was employed. Registered nurses from two academic health center units and a 239-bed Psychiatric Hospital were invited to participate. Scores on knowledge of suicide risk and prevention, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intent to seek help upon experiencing suicidal ideations were obtained before and after administering a 25-min web-based training. RESULTS: Twenty-nine participants completed the pre-survey, web-based education module, and post-survey. Significant increases from baseline in the scores on knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions related to help-seeking behaviors for nurse suicide prevention were noted. Perceived behavioral control median scores increased but were not statistically significant. More than 40% of the participants reported having experienced suicidal thoughts. CONCLUSIONS: Further study is needed to determine contributors to this higher rate. Understanding the effectiveness of strategies to reduce nurse suicide can provide insights into building better nurse suicide prevention programs.
Cat owners do not provide more reliable weight estimates for cats compared with veterinary professionals in an emergency setting
Authors: Gonçalves Ronald , Odunayo Adesola , Blystone Nicole , Ng Zenithson , Zhu Xiaojuan
Published: April 2024

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of weight estimation in cats provided by pet owners, veterinary technicians, house officers (interns and residents) and attending clinicians in an emergency room (ER). An additional objective was to determine whether carrying the cat contributed to a more accurate weight estimate.

Methods

A total of 72 cats presented to an ER and were enrolled in the study. Pet owners, veterinary technicians, house officers and attending clinicians were asked to record the cats’ estimated weights on individual data collection cards. The actual weights of the cats were then obtained and compared with participants’ estimations.

Results

There were no significant differences between weight estimates provided by pet owners, veterinary technicians, house officers and attending clinicians. Similarly, neither the length of experience of the veterinary staff nor carrying the cat had an effect on the provision of a more accurate weight estimate.

Conclusions and relevance

Pet owners are no better at weight estimation of cats in the ER setting compared with veterinary professionals. Carrying the cat did not improve the accuracy of weight estimation among veterinary professionals. The mean cat weight of 4.9 kg could be used as an average cat weight in an emergency situation for an adult cat.
Axillary necklace graft salvage of a locally infected Haemodialysis with Reliable Outflow (HeRO®) graft
Authors: Lloyd Adam , Bennett Philip C , Stather Philip W
Published: April 2024

Background:

A 48-year-old patient presented 4 months after insertion of a right sided Haemodialysis with Reliable Outflow (HeRO®, Merit Medical) graft with a discharging abscess at the site of the brachial artery anastomosis. There was localised involvement of the arterial Gore® Acuseal inflow graft that necessitated its removal. The venous outflow component was thought salvageable as infection was well localised to the region of the antecubital fossa.

Objectives:

Alternative access options were limited so we sought to preserve the venous outflow portion of the patient’s original graft – minimising tissue damage and avoiding the need for a dialysis line.

Methods:

The infected arterial graft was excised, leaving behind the original SuperHero® connector and venous graft. A left sided tunnelled axillary necklace technique was utilised to restore arterial inflow.

Results:

After a four-day recovery, the patient went on to successfully resume their usual haemodialysis regimen without any complications. Convalescent imaging, repeat blood cultures, and monitoring of inflammatory markers showed no signs of residual infection at 6 weeks.

Conclusions:

The originality of this case was the way in which an axillary necklace inflow graft was connected to the pre-existing venous outflow portion of the HeRO® haemodialysis graft system, allowing the excision of the infected inflow graft at the brachial anastomosis. This technique could be viewed as an effective salvage procedure as it allowed the venous outflow portion of the original graft to remain in situ, minimised tissue damage and enabled the patient to swiftly resume haemodialysis without the need for a line.
Transient multibody tribo-dynamics analysis of the orbiting scroll in a three-bearing scroll compressor
Authors: Wang Che , Zhao Zibo , Zhang Zhaodong , Zhong Hua , Cheng Junming , Wu Jianhua
Published: April 2024

The lubrication and dynamic behavior of the orbiting scroll (OS) is crucial to understanding and controlling the leakage between working chambers and the contact between scrolls in the compressor. In this study, a novel comprehensive model consisting of the OS, bearings, rotor, and frames is developed and validated by experiments. This paper demonstrates, for the first time through the tribo-dynamics analysis method, that the rotor dynamics have a significant impact on the flank gap size between scrolls via the interaction of the sliding bearings. The reduction of actual orbiting radii of OS is found to be caused by the bending and tilting of the rotor. However, though increased rotational speeds can narrow the flank gaps, the impact between scrolls should be addressed in these cases. The tribo-dynamic analysis illuminates the direction of the optimal design of compression components in the scroll compressor.
A scoping review: Forced/coerced sterilization as a socio-cultural risk factor for sexually transmitted HIV for older Black women
Authors: Conner Laneshia R , Ruppel Margie , Oser Carrie B
Published: April 2024

Understanding socio-cultural factors that influence older (age 50 and up) Black women’s risk for sexually transmitted HIV has often been absent from policies and programs. This scoping review asked: What does academic literature reveal about forced/coerced sterilization as a risk factor for older Black women who are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted HIV? Using the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review methodology, the authors identified academic and gray literature published between 2000 and 2023. Of the 407 sources identified and screened, three articles met the criteria for inclusion. One study focused on birth control conspiracy beliefs, another focused on racial differences in Norplant use, and the third focused on the intergenerational transmission of mistrust of medical care that influences HIV prevention among Black Americans. The study findings suggest that because the link has not been made between socio-cultural factors that impact older Black women’s reproductive health practices, further investigation is warranted.
More-than-food tourism
Authors: de Jong Anna , Varley Peter , Steadman Chloe , Medway Dominic , Longvanes Leif
Published: April 2024

Food tourism researchers are increasingly seeking to question why tourists eat animals, and the ethical dimensions of such encounters. The tourist experience has largely been taken as the starting point in this research, influenced by the anthropological origins of this research field. In effect, human-animal relations, for the most part, remain absent from such interrogations. In this paper we seek to engage with critical tourist scholars who are increasingly turning to post-humanist and more-than-human framings, to move beyond a fixation with human agency in understanding how and why we eat animals in tourism settings. Multi author participant observation is utilised to examine a touristic encounter with smalahove, a traditional Norwegian dish of smoked and boiled sheep’s head. Through this case study we argue that future food tourism research ought to shift focus beyond the tourist experience, so as to fully understand the processes through which animals become eaten. In exploring the ways that human-smalahove entanglements provoke consideration for how humans and animals might be-together-otherwise, we call on food tourism researchers to consider what sorts of other food tourism encounters might prompt reflection and how such ethical reflections might be leveraged in food tourism ventures.
Living with dementia: Exploring the intersections of culture, race, and dementia, stigma
Authors: Wong Karen Lok Yi , Johnson Granville , O’Connor Deborah
Published: April 2024

Research documents the presence of stigma and discrimination as key components in the lived experience of dementia. However, to date, there is limited understanding regarding how social location, particularly as it relates to culture and race, may shape this experience of stigma and discrimination. In this qualitative exploratory study, personal interviews were held with ten Chinese Canadians living with dementia focused on better understanding how culture, race, and dementia stigma influence their experiences. From the onset, themes related to stigma and discrimination were woven into the participants’ stories about living with dementia. Consistent with other research, all participants described an increased sense of vulnerability and invisibility related to how both they and others responded to their diagnosis of dementia. Participants also provided examples of how this experience of stigma was compounded by culture, race, and immigration status. Importantly, these acts of stigma and discrimination were both externally and internally imposed, resulting in feelings of lack of safety and insecurity. This research draws attention to the increased vulnerability that accompanies a diagnosis of dementia and illustrates how this may be heightened by one’s culture and racism.
Why do students resist assessment by group-work? Hearing critique in the complaint
Authors: Telling Kathryn
Published: April 2024

The cry that today’s higher education students are particularly individualist is a commonly-heard one. In England, the considerable personal cost of tuition is often blamed for creating a series of negative student traits, including consumerism (an idea that one has bought the right to a degree) and individualism (a sense of the individual as the beneficiary of the bought product, as against any sense of collectivism, or education as public good). This paper explores one element of students’ purported individualism: their resistance to group-work as an aspect of assessment. Presenting interview data with university students in England, it argues that such student disquiet does not stem from a resistance to collectivism in general. Using pragmatic sociology, the paper considers students’ often gentle and humorous comments about group-work as critique, not complaint. Rather than understanding students’ resistance to group-work as individualist grievance about doing something they would simply rather not do, this way of conceptualising their comments understands students as making critical points about what should be assessed for at university. It argues that this way of thinking about resistance to group-work leads us to take that resistance seriously, and in turn to take students seriously as interlocuters on educational matters.
Bayesian data-driven framework for structural health monitoring of composite structures under limited experimental data
Authors: Ferreira Leonardo de Paula S. , Teloli Rafael de O. , da Silva Samuel , Figueiredo Eloi , Maia Nuno , Cimini Carlos A.
Published: April 2024

Ultrasonic-guided waves can be used to monitor the health of thin-walled structures. However, the run of experimental damage tests on materials like carbon fiber-reinforced plastics can be impractical and costly. Instead, numerical models can be used to create hybrid datasets to train machine learning algorithms, integrating data from numerical and experimental tests. This paper presents a Bayesian-driven framework to compensate for limited experimental data regarding Lamb wave propagation in composite plates. Using Bayesian inference, the framework updates a numerical finite element model, considering observed uncertainties by sampling posterior probability density functions for input parameters using Markov–Chain Monte Carlo simulations with the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. A neural network surrogate model speeds-up these simulations, leading to a model that replicates the uncertain experimental setup. This model then generates data to augment true experimental data. Finally, a one-dimensional convolutional neural network is trained on a three different datasets to analyze Lamb wave signals and assess damage. Comparing training strategies shows the hybrid dataset augmented by samples generated by the updated FE model gives the most accurate damage size predictions.
Deep learning-based three-dimensional crack damage detection method using point clouds without color information
Authors: Lou Yujie , Meng Shiqiao , Zhou Ying
Published: April 2024

Automated high-precision crack detection on building structures under poor lighting conditions poses a significant challenge for traditional image-based methods. Overcoming this challenge is crucial to enhance the practical applicability of structural health monitoring and rapid damage assessment, especially in post-disaster scenarios like earthquakes. To address this challenge, this paper presents a deep learning-based three-dimensional crack detection method that utilizes light detection and ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data. Our method is specifically designed to address crack detection without relying on color information input, resulting in high-precision and robust apparent damage detection. The key contribution of this paper is the NL-3DCrack model, which enables automated three-dimensional crack semantic segmentation. This model comprises a feature embedding module, an incomplete neighbor feature extraction module, a decoder, and morphological filtering. Notably, we introduce an innovative incomplete neighbor mechanism to effectively mitigate the impact of outliers. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we establish two three-dimensional crack detection datasets, namely the Luding dataset and the terrestrial laser scanner dataset, which are based on earthquake disasters. Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves remarkable performance, with an intersection-over-union of 39.62% and 51.33% on the respective test sets, surpassing existing point cloud-based semantic segmentation models. Ablation experiments further confirm the effectiveness of our approach. In summary, our method showcases exceptional crack detection performance on LiDAR data using only XYZI channels. With its high precision and reliable results, it offers significant utility in real-world applications, contributing to improved structural health monitoring and rapid damage assessment after disasters, particularly in post-earthquake scenarios.
Operational Definitions of Poly-Victimization: A Scoping Review
Authors: Ogle Christin M. , Harmon-Darrow Caroline , Fedina Lisa , Nichols Darlene , Mulford Carrie F. , Backes Bethany L.
Published: April 2024

Throughout the last two decades, research on poly-victimization (PV) has evolved from examinations of a core set of past-year victimization types in youth samples to investigations of a broad range of victimization types experienced during variable time intervals in diverse samples of varying ages. As the concept of PV expands, greater clarity regarding the definition and measurement of PV is needed to advance understanding of its risk and protective factors as well as its associated outcomes. This scoping review aimed to (a) identify approaches used to operationally define and measure PV across studies and (b) synthesize empirical findings concerning risk factors and outcomes associated with PV. A systematic search of peer-reviewed research published before 2022 across 12 databases yielded 98 studies that met inclusion criteria. Study characteristics including the research design, sample type, victimization timeframe, operational definition(s) of PV, measurement of PV, analytic methods, and key findings were synthesized across studies. Findings indicated that the majority of reviewed studies were cross-sectional investigations that utilized categorical measures of lifetime PV in samples of youth. Results also demonstrated that PV is robustly associated with a broad range of predictors, including mental health symptoms and diagnoses as well as family- and community-level factors. PV is also associated with numerous adverse outcomes including depression, anxiety, suicidality, substance use, and delinquency across diverse study types and populations. Future research that examines the conditional effects of PV is needed to identify subgroups of individuals at higher risk of adverse outcomes following PV and modifiable targets for interventions.