bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Global Health and Nursing’s International Influence
Authors: Baumann Steven L. , Shaw Holly K.
Published: June 2022

The increasing power and political involvement of nurses globally via international nursing organizations, such as Sigma Theta Tau, International and the International Council of Nurses, as well as in International Health Organizations, like Partners in Health, are discussed in this paper. The voice of nurses, like Holly Shaw at the United Nations, and influence of nurses in leadership positions, like Shelia Davis at Partners in Health, are examples of nurses using increasing power and influence in improving health globally. A brief nursing perspective on power is also included.
A Rogerian Vision of Gender in a Pandimensional Universe
Authors: Phillips John R.
Published: June 2022

Rogers’ science of unitary human beings is used to present a unitary process in the origin of humans and the evolution of gender. It is suggested that the increasing diversity of gender may be indicative of the future of humankind. Human field image and Barrett’s power theory are used to understand gender identity, experience, and expression for wellbecoming.
The effects of solvents on the physical and electrochemical properties of potassium-ion conducting polymer gel electrolytes
Authors: Madhani Vaishali , Rathore Mahendra Singh , Kumar Deepak
Published: June 2022

The aim of present work is to investigate the effect of different solvent mixed within poly (vinylidiene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) based Potassium ion conducting polymer gel electrolytes. The samples are prepared using solution casting method and the comparative behavior of adding carbonate and glyme in PVDF-HFP/KClO4 matrix is investigated. Subsequently, polymer gel electrolytes are characterized using X-ray diffractometer to analyze the structural features of the electrolyte films. The XRD results reveal that the prepared electrolyte films using both solvents demonstrate semi-crystalline nature. The surface morphology is studied using scanning electron microscopy and significant changes in surface morphology of the polymer gel electrolyte films is observed on introducing carbonate and glyme solvents. Thermal properties and effects of temperature on the prepared electrolytes is examined using differential scanning calorimetry and investigations reveal significant effect of temperature on the heat flow into the polymer gel electrolytes samples. The weight loss of the electrolyte samples with temperature is studied using Thermogravimetric analysis and it is observed that carbonate and glyme based electrolyte offer weight loss of about 7–8 %. The ionic conductivity of 2.53×10−7 Scm−1 and 3.67×10−4 Scm−1 while electrochemical stability window of ∼2.5 V is obtained for both polymer gel electrolytes with carbonate and glyme based solvents. The reversibility of K-ion has been established using cyclic voltammetry measurements.
A unified approach for capacity and power based sizing of electric machine and battery in P2 hybrid electric vehicles
Authors: Bonfitto Angelo , Rahmeh Hadi , Amati Nicola , Tonoli Andrea , Galluzzi Renato , Ruzimov Sanjarbek
Published: June 2022

Hybrid electric vehicles have proven to be an effective solution for the auto industry to satisfy the increasingly stringent CO2 regulations for the short-medium term. Proper sizing of the different components is required to benefit from the hybrid architecture full potential. This paper proposes a unified method that can be applied in both cases. The method uses the energy flow, storage, and consumption during a cycle to perform the sizing. A 350 V P2 plug-in hybrid and a 48 V P2 mild hybrid are taken as a case study. The sizing is performed by adopting the WLTP cycle and subsequently analyzing the energy profile.
Dignity in fragile older women receiving daily municipality care
Authors: Kaldestad Kari , Nåden Dagfinn
Published: June 2022

Background:Dignity is an important ideal in the nursing of older women who need municipal care. Dignity can be challenged when health is impaired by feeling grief and suffering associated with bodily changes and impaired functions.

Aim and research questions:The study aimed to deepen the understanding of the meaning of dignity in the life of fragile older women who daily needed help from municipal care service. The research questions are: What is older women’s experience of dignity, and what is it not to be met with dignity when needing service from municipality care?

Research design: The study has a qualitative design, and the methodology is based on Gadamer’s ontological hermeneutics. Ten women receiving municipal care, aged from 66 to 91 were interviewed in their home environments. Kvale and Brinkmanns’ three levels of interpretation were applied in the analysis of the interviews: self-understanding, a critical understanding based on common sense, and theoretical understanding.

Ethical considerations: The study follows the guidelines for good scientific practice according to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data.

Results: The interviews revealed fragments of the women’s unique life history. Two themes emerged from the interpretation: Confirming encounters provide human dignity; and Not being confirmed as a human being violates human dignity.

Conclusions:For the women, dignity is about feeling seen and understood by the individual nurse and this takes place both in conversation and in bodily care. Not being seen or confirmed gives rise to suffering. The reason for this seems to be lack of competence on the part of the staff or little continuity.
Adenoviral infection in 5 red-tailed hawks and a broad-winged hawk
Authors: Torii Emma H. , Wünschmann Arno , Armién Anibal G. , Mor Sunil K. , Chalupsky Emma , Kumar Rahul , Willette Michelle
Published: June 2022

Adenoviral infections among raptors are best described in falcons and are characterized most commonly by necrotizing hepatitis and splenitis; only one case has been reported in a hawk. Five red-tailed hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis) and a broad-winged hawk ( Buteo platypterus) had an adenoviral infection based on history, histopathology, negative-stain electron microscopy, and PCR. All birds had acute onset of illness resulting in death; 3 had evidence of a concurrent bacterial infection. Microscopically, all 6 birds had solitary, pale eosinophilic-to-amphophilic, intranuclear inclusion bodies within presumed hematopoietic cells in bone marrow and macrophages in spleen. Five of the 6 birds had similar inclusions within hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. All but one bird had severe bone marrow necrosis. There was moderate splenic necrosis (3 of 6) and mild-to-marked hepatic necrosis (4 of 6). Negative-stain electron microscopy demonstrated adenoviral particles in bone marrow (5 of 6), liver (1 of 5), and/or spleen (1 of 5). PCR was positive for adenovirus in bone marrow (3 of 5), liver (1 of 3), spleen (4 of 6), and/or intestinal contents (2 of 3). Viral DNA polymerase gene sequences clustered within the Siadenovirus genus. There was 99% nucleotide identity to one another and 90% nucleotide identity with the closest related adenovirus (Harris hawk, EU715130). Our case series expands on the limited knowledge of adenoviral infections in hawks. The splenic and hepatic necrosis, and particularly the hitherto unreported bone marrow necrosis, suggest that adenoviral infection is clinically relevant and potentially fatal in hawks.
Salmonella enterica serovar Brandenburg abortions in dairy cattle
Authors: Siepker Christopher L. , Schwartz Kent J. , Feldhacker Tyler J. , Magstadt Drew R. , Sahin Orhan , Almeida Marcelo , Li Ganwu , Hayman Kristin P. , Gorden Patrick J.
Published: June 2022

Two separate late-term abortion outbreaks in Jersey heifers in July 2020 and December 2020 were investigated by the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. We evaluated 3 whole fetuses and 11 sets of fresh and formalin-fixed fetal tissues during the course of the outbreaks. The late-term abortions were first identified at a heifer development site and subsequently observed at the dairy farm. Aborted fetuses had moderate-to-marked postmortem autolysis with no gross lesions identified. Observed clinical signs in cows at the dairy farm ranged from intermittent loose stools to acute post-abortion pyrexia and reduced feed intake. Routine histopathology and reproductive bacterial culture revealed acute, suppurative placentitis with moderate-to-heavy growth of Salmonella spp. group B from stomach contents, liver, placenta, and heifer fecal contents. Serotyping identified Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Brandenburg in all 14 fresh tissue cases, as well as individual and pooled heifer feces. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed that all isolates belonged to ST type 873 and possessed typhoid toxin genes, several fimbrial gene clusters, type III secretion system genes, and several pathogenicity islands. Abortions caused by Salmonella Brandenburg have not been reported previously in dairy cattle in the United States, to our knowledge.
Impact of load-sharing on dynamic characteristics of herringbone gears
Authors: Wang Cheng
Published: June 2022

In herringbone gears transmission, the pinion generally adopts the axial floating installation through the axial movement to realize the balance of axial force at both ends, which is called the load-sharing phenomenon. Load-sharing is an important characteristic of herringbone gears transmission, the essence of load-sharing analysis is the calculation of axial displacement at low rotation speed. The axial displacement at low rotation speed periodically changes with the tooth meshing (tooth frequency) and shaft rotation (shaft frequency), which is one of the excitation of the system vibration at high speed. However, it is not considered in the current dynamic characteristics study of herringbone gears. Therefore, the axial displacement under low rotation speed is calculated and is treaded as a kind of error excitation to put in the dynamic model of herringbone gears in this paper. Further, the impact of load-sharing on dynamic characteristics of herringbone gears is studied and the results show that the displacement, velocity, and acceleration in direction of bending, torsion, and axial all have changed, the maximum variation is up to 81,651% while considering the axial displacement. Therefore, the impact of load-sharing should not be ignored in the dynamic characteristics analysis, especially for the accurate analysis of dynamic characteristics for herringbone gears. The study enriches the theory of dynamic characteristic analysis of herringbone gears.
Evaluation of a pet-separating automatic feeder and high-frequency meal feeding for weight loss in multi-cat households
Authors: Witzel-Rollins Angela , Murphy Maryanne , Springer Cary M , Moyers Tamberlyn D , Albright Julia D
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The objectives of this study were two-fold: (1) to determine if a feeder system providing individualized food access and automatic dispensing of meals makes weight-loss programs in multi-cat homes easier for cat owners; and (2) to assess if feeding six meals daily reduces food-seeking behavior and increases calorie requirements vs two meals per day.

Methods

Adult cats with body condition scores (BCSs) of 7/9 or greater underwent a weight-loss plan for up to 6 months using a traditional feeding bowl with two meals per day (B2) or an automatic feeder with two meals (A2) or six meals (A6) per day. Cats were weighed at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22 and 26 and food intake was adjusted to maintain weight-loss rates between 0.5% and 1.5% body weight per week. Owner questionnaires were completed at each study visit.

Results

Twenty-three cats were included in the study. Cats fed from the automatic feeders were more likely to reach ideal body condition ( P = 0.006), with 83.2% of cats in A6, 40% of cats in A2 and no cats in B2 achieving a BCS of ⩽6/9. Owners of cats fed from automatic feeders reported the weight-loss plan was easier vs owners of cats fed from bowls ( P = 0.01). Owners using the automatic feeders also reported fewer incidences of certain food-seeking behaviors. Neither percent body weight lost per week nor calorie intake per kg differed between groups.

Conclusions and relevance

Feeding six instead of two meals daily did not result in faster rates of weight loss or the need to increase calorie intake to maintain appropriate rates of weight loss. However, use of an automatic feeder that provided separated, portioned meal feeding made the weight-loss program easier, reduced food-seeking behaviors and improved the overall success of the weight-loss plan.
Ear-tipping practices for identification of cats sterilized in trap–neuter–return programs in the USA
Authors: Dalrymple Aimee M , MacDonald Lauren J , Kreisler Rachael E
Published: June 2022

Objectives

Ear-tipping practices and the meaning of the ear tip in trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs have not been well documented. The purpose of this study was to report the frequency of common ear-tipping practices in the USA, to identify the most effective methods and to establish a foundation for ear-tipping practice standards.

Methods

An anonymous 24-question survey was advertised from 4 to 20 October 2021 to individuals who participate in TNR programs that routinely perform ear tipping.

Results

There were 526 survey responses from individuals who participate in TNR programs, of whom 410 completed the survey. For ear-tip meaning, nearly 100% of respondents indicated that an ear tip meant that a cat had been sterilized. Several respondents answered that it also indicated rabies vaccination or socialization status, with 92 (22%) selecting both, 79 (19%) selecting rabies only and 50 (12%) selecting unsocial only. The majority of respondents tipped the left ear (81%), used a visual estimate to determine the cut (92%) and described the ideal silhouette as straight across (92%). The median percentage of cats where ear tips bled after initial hemostasis was 5% (interquartile range [IQR] 2–10), and the median percentage of negative feedback regarding the ear tip was 1% (IQR 0–5). In terms of weighted rank order, the most common feedback was that too much ear tip was removed (5.5), followed by a cat being ear tipped in error (4.7), persistent bleeding (4.2) and not enough ear tip being removed (4.2). Responses revealed heterogeneity regarding technique for both excision and hemostasis, as well as personnel performing the procedure. There were no significant associations between techniques and bleeding or negative feedback.

Conclusions and relevance

There is variation in the methods for performing an ear tip, as well as what an ear tip signifies. Standards for this procedure would be helpful.
Feline non-erosive immune-mediated polyarthritis: a multicentre, retrospective study of 20 cases (2009–2020)
Authors: Wootton Florence , Glanemann Barbara , Langley-Hobbs Sorrel , Breheny Craig , Fowlie Samuel , Whitworth Fiona , Silvestrini Paolo , Threlfall Anna , Sorrell Stephanie , Black Vicki
Published: June 2022

Case series summary

Cats with non-erosive immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) were identified from seven referral hospitals between 2009 and 2020 for a multicentre retrospective case series. Data were obtained from hospital records and referring veterinarians were contacted for follow-up. Twenty cases were identified: 12 castrated males (60%), one entire male (5%) and seven spayed females (35%). Common clinical signs included lameness (n = 20/20) and pyrexia (n = 10/18). Three cats presented with and two cats developed ligament laxity during treatment. Thirteen cats (65%) were diagnosed with non-associative IMPA and seven (35%) with associative IMPA. Comorbidities identified included chronic enteropathy (n = 3/7), feline immunodeficiency virus (n = 1/7), feline herpesvirus (n = 1/7), bronchopneumonia (n = 1/7) and discospondylitis (n = 1/7). Sampling of the tarsal joints most frequently identified an increased proportion of neutrophils, consistent with IMPA. Eighteen cats (90%) received immunosuppressants. Eleven cats were started on prednisolone; eight had a poor response resulting in the addition of a second agent, euthanasia or acceptance of the persisting signs. One cat received ciclosporin and required an alternative second agent owing to adverse effects. Five cats were started on prednisolone and ciclosporin; three had a poor response and required an alternative second agent. One cat received prednisolone and chlorambucil and had a good response. Two cats (10%) received meloxicam and had a good response, although the clinical signs recurred when medication was tapered. A good outcome was achieved in 14/20 cats (70%) with IMPA. In the cats with a poor outcome 4/6 were euthanased and 2/6 had chronic lameness.

Relevance and novel information

Prognosis for feline IMPA can be good. Multimodal immunosuppression was often required. IMPA should be considered in lame cats, with or without pyrexia, when there is no evidence of trauma or infection. The tarsal joints should be included in the multiple joints chosen for sampling. Ligament laxity can occur in non-erosive feline IMPA.
Experimental Models of SARS-COV-2 Infection in the Central Nervous System
Authors: Paoletti Anna Maria , Melilli Maria Grazia , Vecchio Immacolata
Published: June 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised serious concerns worldwide due to its great impact on human health and forced scientists racing to find effective therapies to control the infection and a vaccine for the virus. To this end, intense research efforts have focused on understanding the viral biology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for COVID-19. The ever-expanding list of cases, reporting clinical neurological complications in COVID-19 patients, strongly suggests the possibility of the virus invading the nervous system. The pathophysiological processes responsible for the neurological impact of COVID-19 are not fully understood. Some neurodegenerative disorders sometimes take more than a decade to manifest, so the long-term pathophysiological outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism should be regarded as a challenge for researchers in this field. There is no documentation on the long-term impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the human central nervous system (CNS). Most of the data relating to neurological damage during SARS-CoV-2 infection have yet to be established experimentally. The purpose of this review is to describe the knowledge gained, from experimental models, to date, on the mechanisms of neuronal invasion and the effects produced by infection. The hope is that, once the processes are understood, therapies can be implemented to limit the damage produced. Long-term monitoring and the use of appropriate and effective therapies could reduce the severity of symptoms and improve quality of life of the most severely affected patients, with a special focus on those have required hospital care and assisted respiration.
Keeping children and youth in trauma treatment: Examination of an alliance building dropout management program
Authors: Eslinger Jessica , Sprang Ginny , Jodts Jenna
Published: June 2022

Evidence-based treatments exist to address traumatic stress related symptoms for children, however dropout from trauma-focused treatment remains a concern. This study examined use of an alliance building dropout management program for a group of children ages 3–17 who received an evidence-based trauma-focused treatment. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between child gender, race, ethnicity, age, guardianship, externalizing behaviors, participation in a dropout management program and the dose of treatment received. The final model was significant and participation in the dropout management program as well as a child’s placement in foster care were significant individual correlates with full completion of treatment. Use of an Alliance Building Dropout Management program may help decrease overall dropout over and above the contribution of other variables known to impact treatment completion.
Characterizing healthcare incidents in Sweden related to health information technology affecting care management of multiple patients
Authors: Rahman Jabin Md Shafiqur , Pan Ding , Nilsson Evalill
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to examine health information technology-related incidents and identify risks associated with multiple patients’ management. Sources of information comprised interviews with healthcare professionals and three small sets of local voluntary incident reports using two sampling strategies, purposive and snowball sampling. Incident reports, in the form of free-text narratives, were aggregated for analysis using the Health Information Technology Classification System and thematic analysis. Of 95 incidents, 176 issues were identified, comprising 77% ( n = 136) technical issues, and 23% ( n = 40) use or human-related issues. Human issues were over two times more likely to harm patients (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.01 - 4.98) than technical issues. Incidents that affected multiple patients’ care accounted for 70% ( n = 66) of the total sample, and large-scale events comprised 39% ( n = 26) of the incidents that affected multiple patients' care. Systematically identifying and characterizing such incidents should be prioritized for health information technology implementations.
Exploring the contemporary Moon Under Water through illustration: nostalgia and the power of the image
Authors: Black Stephanie
Published: June 2022

This article uses images from the visual essays produced for Plume of Feathers, an audio-visual project, to examine the notion of ‘reflective nostalgia’ as an attitude towards meaning-making within image creation, in particular illustration that can counter certain political uses of images that present a restorative–nostalgic world view. The project at the core of the article is concerned with the decline of public houses and their social function in the UK. However, the image of the pub is embroiled within the visual rhetoric related to the UK’s (2016) Brexit referendum. This article explores the ways in which the illustrated image can provide a different view of the pub that reveals the conceptual construction of the notion of ‘pub’ and offers a critical alternative. The constructed nature of the illustrated image is then explored for its potential to visualize the past differently, following Svetlana Boym’s proposal of reflective nostalgia in The Future of Nostalgia (2001) in order to address problems in the present.

The article proposes that reflective nostalgia’s utility as a critical tool lies in its consideration of the key role played by the surface of the image, through the material signifiers of age. As illustrators, embracing these nostalgic triggers when making images allows the viewer to reconnect to the past with critical distance, thereby returning politics to the surface of the image, something that Fredric Jameson saw in Postmodernism, Or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (1991) as recuperated and rendered politically neutral. Illustration is therefore cast as a meaning-making practice that shapes the world it operates within, with the article suggesting that by making nostalgic images, illustrators can exercise their agency as agitators.
Detroit in memoriam: urban imaginaries and the spectre of demolished by neglect in performative photo-installations
Authors: Aelbrecht Wes
Published: June 2022

Much has been written in recent years about ruins and photography and especially so in the context of Detroit’s declining urban landscape. Numerous books present us with beautiful ruined buildings and landscapes, and further explanations why we might be drawn to images of decay. While some claim that ruin imagery triggers a form of resistance to the forces of capitalism, others stand critical to the beautification of ruins by arguing that such imagery removes viewers from any reflection on what causes ruins. Detroit’s new saviour Dan Gilbert is one of those ruin detractors who blames Detroit’s image as the poster child of ruin photography for all failed investments. This paper focusses on these image battles in the construction of a city’s place identity and argues for an understanding of ruin photographs as performance. Instead of offering a trace of an object once in front of the camera, I investigate how a collection of forgotten photo-installations curated by Detroit’s Urban Center for Photography gesture performatively to the ongoing event demolished by neglect whereby buildings are intentionally left to rot for profitable real estate development. Strategies of advertisement campaigns, it will be shown, are appropriated to make such live gestures. Investigating the doing aspect or force of ruin photographs contributes to cultural geography’s recent concerns around the potential ‘force of representations: their capacities to affect and effect’ and as such moves away from one of the central tasks of cultural geography, namely its focus on what representations mean. The spectre of Detroit’s image battle ultimately should provide us with questions about the construction of a city’s identity through visual documents and enable us to question the mechanism of neoliberal urban planning and governance.
Challenges and opportunities for low noise electric aircraft
Authors: Greenwood Eric , Brentner Kenneth S , Rau Robert F , Ted Gan Ze Feng
Published: June 2022

A new class of electric aircraft is being developed to transport people and goods as a part of the urban and regional transportation infrastructure. To gain public acceptance of these operations, these aircraft need to be much quieter than conventional airplanes and helicopters. This article seeks to review and summarize the aeroacoustic research relevant to this new category of aircraft. First, a brief review of the history of electric aircraft is provided, with an emphasis on how these aircraft differ from conventional aircraft. Next, the physics of rotor noise generation are reviewed, and the noise sources most likely to be of concern for electric aircraft are highlighted. These are divided into deterministic and nondeterministic sources of noise. Deterministic noise is expected to be dominated by the unsteady loading noise caused by the aerodynamic interactions between components. Nondeterministic noise will be generated by the interaction of the rotor or propeller blades with turbulence from ingested wakes, the atmosphere, and self-generated in the boundary layer. The literature for these noise sources is reviewed with a focus on applicability to electric aircraft. Challenges faced by the aeroacoustician in understanding the noise generation of electric aircraft are then identified, as well as the new opportunities for the prediction and reduction of electric aircraft noise that may be enabled by advances in computational aeroacoustics, flight simulation, and autonomy.
Amplitude-Modulation Vibro-Acoustic Technique for Damage Evaluation
Authors: Yin Tingyuan , Ng Ching Tai , Vidler James , Ho Van Dac , Kotousov Andrei
Published: June 2022

This study proposes an amplitude-modulation vibro-acoustic (AMVA) technique to track the evolution of thermal damage in pristine graphene mortar. In the proposed amplitude-modulation technique, the pump wave is amplitude-modulated using three different methods: (1) the pure amplitude-modulated (PAM) method, (2) the suppressive amplitude-modulated (SAM) method and (3) the transmitted amplitude-modulated (TAM) method. The nonlinear parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] corresponding to the PAM, SAM and TAM methods, respectively, are theoretically established and experimentally demonstrated that the nonlinear parameters associated with the material nonlinearity, and they can be used to quantitatively characterize different damage stages of thermal damage. Meanwhile, the resonant frequency (RF) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests are conducted. The linear measurements, dynamic elastic modulus [Formula: see text] obtained from RF test and ultrasonic pulse velocity [Formula: see text] collected by UPV test, are used to compare with the nonlinear parameters. The results show that the proposed AMVA technique is more sensitive and feasible to serve as the tool for thermal damage detection in cement-based material compared with the conventional RF and UPV techniques.
Reconfiguring teacher agency within market-driven early childhood spaces
Authors: Kamenarac Olivera
Published: June 2022

Neoliberal reforms have transformed the early childhood education (ECE) landscape worldwide. The purpose of ECE, what counts as early education and care, and in ECE has been dangerously narrowed to the production of human capital and rationalised by the myth that investing in young children (human capital) will guarantee a better economic future. In this manner, individuals’ efforts and talents achieved through ‘high-quality ECE’ become critical determinators of their own and a country’s success. At the same time, individuals' characteristics and pre-determined circumstances (e.g. race, gender, socioeconomic background), including underlying causes of inequality in society, become a fault of those not exercising the right to ‘freely choose’ from opportunities available on the market. Consistent with a body of literature documenting the damaging impacts of neoliberalism on early childhood education (ECE), this article explores how teacher agency has been reconfigured under a neoliberal framing of ECE in New Zealand. Drawing on a qualitative study with teachers from private-for-profit ECE centres, the article argues that marketisation and privatisation have broken the spirit of collective agency and sense of belonging in the sector, and construed some teachers as business agents contributing, knowingly or unknowingly, to the individual interests of business owners and investors rather than ECE as a public good.
Hypercalcaemia and acute kidney injury: A rare presentation of seminoma
Authors: Paris Etienne , Fugaccia Claire , Hendry David , Findlay Mark , White Jeff
Published: June 2022

Hypercalcaemia is common in patients with malignancy, but is rare in seminoma with only eight cases reported in the literature. We present an unusual case of a 36-year-old man who presented with hypercalcaemia and stage 3 acute kidney injury. He presented initially with headache and malaise, and was found to have markedly deranged blood tests. He underwent a renal biopsy before imaging confirmed an unexpected large abdominal mass, which was confirmed histologically to be a seminoma. He was referred to a tertiary oncology centre, and underwent emergency chemotherapy and radical resection with no evidence of recurrence to this date and with return to normocalcaemia.
The Association of Military Sexual Harassment/Assault With Suicide Ideation, Plans, Attempts, and Mortality Among US Service Members/Veterans: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Livingston Whitney S. , Tannahill Hallie S. , Meter Diana J. , Fargo Jamison D. , Blais Rebecca K.
Published: June 2022

Suicide rates continue to increase among service members/veterans. Military sexual harassment/assault (MSH/A) may increase risk of suicide, but little is known about the collective magnitude of associations between MSH/A and suicide outcomes, including ideation, plan, attempt, and mortality. The current meta-analysis addressed this literature gap while testing potential moderators of gender, marital status, discharge status, and military branch. PsycINFO, PubMed, Dissertations/Theses, relevant citation lists, and conference brochures were reviewed for papers that included quantitative analyses in English, U.S. military samples, and measures of MSH/A and suicide ideation/plan/attempt/mortality. The search resulted in 22 studies ( N = 10,898,875) measuring the association of MSH/A with suicide ideation ( k = 15), plans ( k = 1), attempts ( k = 14), and mortality ( k = 2), with papers published from 2007–2021. MSH/A was associated with suicide ideation ([Formula: see text] = .14) and attempts ([Formula: see text] = .11, ps < .05). The association of MSH/A and suicide ideation and attempts was higher among women relative to men, those identifying as married versus not married, those actively serving compared to discharged, and those reporting service in the Air Force relative to all other branches. The association of MSH/A with suicide plans and mortality was not calculated due to the small number of studies reporting those effect sizes ( ks = 1–2). The effect sizes observed suggest MSH/A is part of a larger network of risk factors for suicide. Moderators indicate that suicide risk is higher among specific groups, and prevention strategies would be most effective if they targeted these individuals. This research area would be strengthened by additional studies of plans and mortality.
Fabric defect detection based on transfer learning and improved Faster R-CNN
Authors: Jia Zhao , Shi Zhou , Quan Zheng , Shunqi Mei
Published: June 2022

Fabric defect detection is an important quality inspection process in the textile industry. A fabric defect detection system based on transfer learning and an improved Faster R-CNN is proposed to solve the problems of low detection accuracy, general convergence ability, and poor detection effect for small target defects in existing fabric defect detection algorithms. The pre-trained weights on the big dataset Imagenet are first extracted for transfer learning. Images are then input into the improved Faster R-CNN network, while the ResNet50 and ROI Align are used to replace the original VGG16 feature extraction network structure and a region of interest (ROI) pooling layer to avoid the problems of region mismatch caused by two quantizations from ROI pooling. The region proposal network (RPN) is combined with the multi-scale feature pyramid FPN to generate candidate regions with richer semantic information and project them onto the feature map to obtain the corresponding feature matrix. Cascaded modules are integrated and different IoU thresholds are used for each level to distinguish positive and negative samples. Finally, the softmax classifier is adopted to identify the image and obtain the predictions. The experimental results show that the detection accuracy and convergence ability of the improved Faster R-CNN are greatly enhanced compared with the current mainstream models, which provides a reference for future fabric defect detection methods.
Effect of ultrasonic welding process parameters on peel strength of membranes for tents
Authors: Hussen Muktar Seid , Kyosev Yordan Kostadinov , Pietsch Kathrin , Rothe Stefan , Kabish Abera Kechi
Published: June 2022

Ultrasonic welding is a universal, clean, and secure alternative joining method. Alternative joining technologies are used increasingly to fulfill specific functional requirements of the seam, such as fluid impermeability to achieve positive bonding during the assembly of technical textiles. In this research, the effect of important ultrasonic welding parameters on peel strength and weld seam thickness was investigated for flexible and lightweight textile material, which is a valuable innovative hybrid textile for technical applications like architectural, construction, and protective textiles. Three main welding parameters with three different levels were selected based on the preliminary test results of 6 and 12 mm welding widths, and a superimposed type of seam was applied. Light scanning microscopic images were used to examine the effective weld locations and their morphology at the joining interface. The parametric influence of ultrasonic welding technique on-seam quality and their tendencies in the relationship were analyzed. Optimized peel strength yielding parametric levels were also assessed numerically. The result shows that the optimal peel strength value was obtained at a welding speed of 2.318 m/min, power of 119.382 W, and pressure force of 349.729 N for a 12 mm welding width. The weld seam thickness had an inverse relationship with the peel strength, and a higher amount of thickness was reduced to 12 mm welding width than 6 mm. Microscopic cross-sectional image of weld seam indicated that a compressed yarn between the coating material at higher welding power and pressure force in lower welding speed. A nonlinear quadratic numerical model was developed to predict the peel strength, and their results were close to the regressed diagonal line against the actual points. The statistical analysis was carried out to show the significant effect of process parameters on peel strength, whereby the obtained results were statistically significant.
Experimental research on the compressive properties of a new type three-dimensional angle-interlock woven composite
Authors: Wang Zhe , Li Guohua , Fan Jin , Cao Xinyi
Published: June 2022

The new three-dimensional angle-interlock woven UHMWPEF/epoxy composite was prepared by the VARIM method, and its mechanical properties were studied. Specifically, quasi-static and dynamic compression tests were carried out by universal testing machine and split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus. Stress-strain curves under the quasi-static and high strain rates (800, 1000, 1400, and 1600 s−1) reveal the destructive characteristics of the composite material. The results indicate that the UHWMPEF/epoxy composite is a strain rate sensitive material and shows different levels of sensitivity at various strain rates. In the quasi-static compression test, when the strain rate was increased from 4.2 × 10−4 to 1.4 × 10−3 s−1, the failure load and ultimate strength increased by about 19.1% and 20.1%, respectively, and the failure strain and specific energy absorption decreased by about 1.53% and 6.1%, respectively. In the dynamic compression test, when the strain rate increased from 800 to 1600 s−1, the failure load and ultimate strength increased by about 16% and 15.9%, respectively, and the failure strain and specific energy absorption decreased by about 64.7% and 60.3%, respectively. The failure fracture surface of the specimen under quasi-static compression was at an angle of 40°–45° with the load direction. The matrix fragmentation at the fracture was obvious, and the warp fiber bundle was broken and peeled off from the matrix. The damage of specimen under dynamic compression develops quickly and the deformation process is short, which shows a relatively symmetrical shear fracture failure morphology.
Primary Care at the Intersection of Lifestyle Interventions and Unhealthy Substance Use
Authors: Nakaishi Lindsay , Sugden Steven G , Merlo Gia
Published: June 2022

Primary care physicians are well-positioned to integrate lifestyle interventions into the management of patients with unhealthy substance use, who may also have mental and physical chronic health comorbidities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the U.S.’s poor state of health, revealing that its current approach to chronic disease management is neither effective nor sustainable. Today’s full spectrum comprehensive care model requires an expanded toolkit. Lifestyle interventions broaden current treatment approaches and may enhance Addiction Medicine care. Primary care providers have the potential to have the greatest impact on unhealthy substance use care because they are experts in chronic disease management and their frontline accessibility minimizes healthcare barriers. Individuals with unhealthy substance use are at an increased risk of chronic physical conditions. Incorporating lifestyle interventions with unhealthy substance use care at every level of medicine, from medical school through practice, normalizes both as part of the standard care of medicine and will drive evidence-based best practices to support patients through prevention, treatment, and reversal of chronic diseases.
The prevalence of Implanon discontinuation and associated factors among Ethiopian women: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Habte Aklilu , Tamene Aiggan , Woldeyohannes Demelash , Bogale Biruk , Ermias Dejene , Endale Fitsum , Gizachew Addisalem , Wondimu Merertu , Sulamo Dawit
Published: June 2022

Background:

Implanon discontinuation before the recommended time is problematic, as it puts women at risk of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, along with negative maternal health outcomes. Although the magnitude and determinants of Implanon discontinuation have been studied in Ethiopia, the results were inconsistent, with significant variability. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at estimating the pooled prevalence of Implanon discontinuation and its determinants in Ethiopia.

Methods:

A comprehensive search of studies published before 18 February 2022 was done using electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library. The relevant data were extracted using a Microsoft Excel 2013 and analyzed using STATA Version 16. A random-effect meta-analysis model was used to compute pooled prevalence and odds ratio. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 tests were used to assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. A funnel plot, Begg’s, and Egger’s tests were used to check for the presence of publication bias.

Results:

A total of 11 studies with 4320 study participants were included in this meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of Implanon discontinuation in Ethiopia was found to be 32.62% (95% confidence interval = 24.10, 41.13). There was significant heterogeneity among the included studies ( I2 = 97.4%, p < 0.001). However, there was no statistical evidence of publication bias ( p = 0.533). Dissatisfied with service provision at the time of insertion (odds ratio = 3.92, 95% confidence interval = 1.54, 6.29), not having pre-insertion counseling (odds ratio = 2.98, 95% confidence interval = 1.91, 5.04), the absence of post-insertion follow-up (odds ratio = 4.03, 95% confidence interval = 2.17, 5.90), and the presence of side effects (odds ratio = 2.93, 95% confidence interval = 1.87, 3.98) were found to be determinants of Implanon discontinuation.

Conclusion:

According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, one-third of Ethiopian women discontinued Implanon before the recommended time (3 years). Program managers and service providers should consider using more evidence-based and participatory counseling approaches to enhance client satisfaction. Furthermore, family planning service delivery points should be equipped to manage and reassure women who are experiencing side effects.
Coping, aggression, perceived social support and demographic variables as predictors of prison adjustment among male incarcerated offenders
Authors: Rogers Codi , Jordaan Jacques , Esterhuyse Karel
Published: June 2022

The unique contextual attributes of the correctional environment and the frustrations, deprivations and challenges associated with it impact adjustment to incarceration. Offenders who cannot adjust to the correctional environment may experience behavioural and psychological challenges, including institutional misconduct, violence, aggression, withdrawal, anger, hostility, anxiety and depression. It is imperative to identify which variables are possible predictors of correctional adjustment among male incarcerated offenders in a private, maximum-security correctional centre in South Africa. In this quantitative study, 418 male maximum-security offenders were sampled. Questionnaire data were collected, and the results indicated that the combination of some variables (Friends, Avoidance and Problem-solving) predicted Internal Adjustment and (Anger, Friends and Verbal Aggression) predicted External Adjustment of the offenders. The results from this study could aid in the development of future programmes that assist offenders with adjusting to the correctional environment.
Myxofibrosarcoma landscape: diagnostic pitfalls, clinical management and future perspectives
Authors: Vanni Silvia , De Vita Alessandro , Gurrieri Lorena , Fausti Valentina , Miserocchi Giacomo , Spadazzi Chiara , Liverani Chiara , Cocchi Claudia , Calabrese Chiara , Bongiovanni Alberto , Riva Nada , Mercatali Laura , Pieri Federica , Casadei Roberto , Lucarelli Enrico , Ibrahim Toni
Published: June 2022

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a common entity of adult soft tissue sarcomas (STS) characterized by a predilection of the extremities and a high local recurrence rate. Originally classified as a myxoid variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, this musculoskeletal tumor has been recognized since 2002 as a distinct histotype showing a spectrum of malignant fibroblastic lesions with myxoid stroma, pleomorphism and curvilinear vessels. Currently, the molecular pathogenesis of MFS is still poorly understood and its genomic profile exhibits a complex karyotype with a number of aberrations including amplifications, deletions and loss of function. The diagnosis is challenging due to the unavailability of specific immunohistochemical markers and is based on the analysis of cytomorphologic features. The mainstay of treatment for localized disease is represented by surgical resection, with (neo)-adjuvant radio- and chemotherapy. In the metastatic setting, chemotherapy represents the backbone of treatments, however its role is still controversial and the outcome is very poor. Recent advent of genomic profiling, targeted therapies and larger enrollment of patients in translational and clinical studies, have improved the understanding of biological behavior and clinical outcome of such a disease. This review will provide an overview of current diagnostic pitfalls and clinical management of MFS. Finally, a look at future directions will be discussed.
Evolving landscape of first-line combination therapy in advanced renal cancer: a systematic review
Authors: Lalani Aly-Khan A. , Heng Daniel Y. C. , Basappa Naveen S. , Wood Lori , Iqbal Nayyer , McLeod Deanna , Soulières Denis , Kollmannsberger Christian
Published: June 2022

Background:

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignancy with approximately 30% of cases diagnosed at the advanced or metastatic stage. While single-agent vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy has been a mainstay of treatment, data from multiple phase III trials assessing first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combinations have demonstrated a significant survival benefit.

Methods:

A systematic search of the published and presented literature was performed to identify phase III trials assessing ICI combination regimens in RCC using search terms ‘immune checkpoint inhibitors’ AND ‘renal cell carcinoma,’ AND ‘advanced’.

Results:

Six phase III trials showed significant benefits for ICI combinations compared with sunitinib. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab significantly improved overall survival [OS; median, 47.0 versus 26.6 months, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.58–0.81, p < 0.0001) and progression-free survival (PFS; median 11.6 versus 8.3 months, HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.61–0.87, p = 0.0004) in International Metastatic renal cell carcinoma Database Consortium intermediate and poor-risk patients. OS was also significantly improved for ICI plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor combinations regardless of risk, including pembrolizumab plus either axitinib (HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.60–0.88, p < 0.001) or lenvatinib (HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49–0.88, p = 0.005) and nivolumab plus cabozantinib (HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.50–0.87, p = 0.003). No new safety signals were identified.

Conclusions:

Phase III first-line trials of ICI combinations showed survival benefits compared with a control arm of sunitinib. Global access to these combinations should be made available to patients with advanced RCC.