Excessive Force Research Articles

Life Goes on: Tupac Shakur’s Influence on Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give and African American Sneaker Culture

When analyzing African American sneaker culture’s ascension into American popular and global culture, one must consider its place in literature. How did sneaker culture go from the basketball courts and the bustling streets of urban America to the pages of books? In brief, the material circumstances of a society that subscribes to African American sneaker culture reflects in the literature the same society produces. For example, writers documenting the African American experience within urban environments, wittingly and unwittingly documented sneaker culture’s existence and manifestation. This is evident in Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give (2017). Is Angie Thomas the next Tupac Shakur? Heavily influenced by his work, her work too has entered academic settings. Will sneaker culture overcome the taboos surrounding it? The topics addressed in The Hate U Give (2017) are as controversial in today’s political climate as topics addressed by Shakur in the past. Furthermore, wrapping a tale of police brutality inside a text that glorifies sneaker culture is not tailored to the majority. Like “All Eyez On Me” Thomas’s text speaks to the plight of the African American.

Investigating the Black Birth Experience: A Race-Stratified Analysis of Preterm Birth Risk and Exposure to Metropolitan Statistical Area-Level Police-Related Deaths, US 2018–2019

Police-related violence may be a source of chronic stress underlying entrenched racial inequities in reproductive health in the USA. Using publicly available data on police-related fatalities, we estimated total and victim race-specific rates of police-related fatalities (deaths per 100,000 population) in 2018–2019 for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) and counties within MSAs in the USA. Rates were linked to data on live births by maternal MSA and county of residence. We fit adjusted log-Poisson models with generalized estimating equations and cluster-robust standard errors to estimate the relative risk of preterm birth associated with the middle and highest tertiles of police-related fatalities compared to the lowest tertile. We included a test for heterogeneity by maternal race/ethnicity and additionally fit race/ethnicity-stratified models for associations with victim race/ethnicity-specific police-related fatality rates. Fully adjusted models indicated significant adverse associations between police-related fatality rates and relative risk of preterm birth for the total population, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White groups separately. Results confirm the role of fatal police violence as a social determinant of population health outcomes and inequities, including preterm birth.

The Role of the Church in the End SARS Protest in Nigeria: A Critical Analysis

The End SARS protest in Nigeria, a nationwide demonstration against police brutality, witnessed the active involvement of the church as a significant social institution. This study critically examines the church's role, motivations, and the impact of its participation on the protest's trajectory and outcomes. Using a qualitative research approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews with church leaders, activists, and protest participants, as well as a comprehensive analysis of media reports and scholarly literature. The findings reveal the church's multifaceted engagement, ranging from providing spiritual and material support to protesters to actively advocating for change and facilitating mediation efforts. The study contributes to the understanding of the complex interplay between religion, social movements, and political dynamics in contemporary Nigeria, offering insights that can inform future civic engagement and the church's role in addressing societal challenges.

Obstinate Memory: A Radical Participatory Film-Based Research Approach

Obstinate memory is an insistent resource for communities. Migrant Media advocates the methodology of a “documentary of force” as a research tool for filmmakers and academics. As a U.K.-based collective of filmmaker-activists involved in community struggles, Migrant Media’s resistance-based work uses cameras and screens to challenge racism and police violence. Drawing on film documentary history from figures as diverse as Dziga Vertov, Jean-Luc Godard, Black Audio Film Collective, and Third Cinema, the Migrant Media story is revealed through attempts to ban the 2001 film Injustice and a more recent series filmed with nurses during the coronavirus pandemic. We suggest some directions for further research at the end.

Neural network survivability approach of a wave energy converter considering uncertainties in the prediction of future knowledge

To tune the wave energy converter (WEC) controller parameters such as damping to reduce the line force during extreme wave conditions, future knowledge of the line force is required. To achieve this, the incoming wave and system state should be predicted for a few seconds in the future. It is rather an arduous task to predict the future knowledge of waves and the system’s dynamic when dealing with breaking and steep waves, and the system is subject to various nonlinear forces. The classical model-based control strategies often rely on linear assumptions to estimate the WEC dynamics for the sake of simplicity. Unlike the model-based, the data-driven approaches are free from modeling errors and the algorithms are trained over the true and noisy data to predict non-linear system behaviors. Using data-driven approaches, we are able to model nonlinear dynamics. However, new questions emerge on the accuracy of the future wave and system state predictions, and how this uncertainty propagates into the final prediction of the line force. As incorrect damping may lead to excessive line force and detrimental damage to the system, these are the knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. The main purpose of this paper is to answer these questions through a survivability strategy for wave energy converters by providing a realistic perspective on the implementation of the neural network approaches by accounting for the errors in the input data. For this purpose, a series of neural networks is designed that first predicts the surface elevation for 0.36 s ahead, i.e. corresponding to 2 s in the full-scale WEC. This future knowledge of the wave elevation is then used to predict the system state (i.e. power take-off (PTO) translator position) for the same prediction horizon based on the PTO damping. This information is then fed to a convolutional neural network (CNN) that predicts the peak line force 0.36 s ahead. This paper also evaluates the predictive capabilities of neural network (NN) models, comparing them to classical autoregressive (AR) and Kalman filter methods. While the AR model exhibits slightly higher accuracy in fixed PTO system configurations, it falters in providing real-time predictions when system parameters undergo variations. In contrast, the NN prediction model excels by establishing a robust relationship between system configuration and output signals. Especially noteworthy is its ability to outperform classical methods with minimal training on a selective set of system configurations. Then, the sensitivity of the peak line force prediction to the uncertainties in the input data from NN models and the prediction horizon is analyzed. The neural network models are trained over the experimental data subjected to extreme sea states for a point absorber wave energy converter. The results suggest that the accuracy of the surface elevation prediction has an insignificant direct effect on the peak force prediction model. However, these uncertainties are reflected in the PTO translator position prediction, and the model is considerably sensitive to the accuracy of this prediction. This sensitivity nonetheless is less notable for higher PTO damping values.

Myotendinopathy of Unknown Etiology in Broiler Breeder Males.

This case series describes an emerging and ongoing lameness condition observed in broiler breeder males in flocks owned by a broiler integrator in the United States between February 2021 and April 2023. The lameness is characterized by an upright, penguin-like posture and gait. Affected flocks are typically 12-22 wk of age at presentation, but birds with similar stance and gross lesions can be observed as early as 1 day of age. Male mortality associated with this condition ranges from 0.01% to 6% per flock. The condition is infrequently observed in pullets from the female line but has not been observed in males (sex slips) from the female line. On postmortem examination, affected birds have bilateral hemorrhage due to a tearing of the iliotibialis muscles and fascia. In one case, a higher proportion of affected birds had unilateral lesions concurrently with broken legs or severe inguinal vaccine reaction. In this case, the affected leg was the weight-bearing leg. Histopathology confirmed the presence of hemorrhage in fascial sheaths surrounding major muscles, in addition to muscle fiber necrosis, edema, fibroplasia, and dissociation of tendon collagen. Bacteriology, histopathology, and clinical presentation identified no factors that were suggestive of an infectious etiology for this condition. No etiology has been established, but a suggested pathogenesis involves excessive biomechanical force resulting in tendon structural stress, leading to separation of tendon collagen fibers and associated muscle fiber stretching, separation, necrosis, and hemorrhage. The condition has been reported in multiple genetic lines, but the role of inheritance in the condition has not been fully evaluated.

"Dual Pandemics": Intersecting Influences of Anti-Black Racism and the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Black Youth.

The intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with systemic anti-Black racism in the form of police violence and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement has created an especially critical juncture to examine the mental health of Black youth. The purpose of this study was to understand the intersecting impacts of anti-Black racism and the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Black youth. A youth-engaged research approach and intersectionality framework were utilized. Semi-structured interviews with Black youth across Canada (ages 16 to 30, n = 48) were conducted online via Zoom and analyzed using thematic analysis. Fourteen Black youth were hired to form a Black youth advisory committee, who guided the research process. The "dual pandemics" of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside highly publicized incidents of racism and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement negatively impacted participants' mental health. Four main themes emerged: (1) ongoing exposure to acts of anti-Black racism (2) compounding effect of racism on mental health; (3) high stress levels and fear; and (4) anger and emotional fatigue from lack of shared, long-term solutions. The simultaneous occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and instances of systemic anti-Black racism in the form of police violence presented "dual pandemics" for the Black community, profoundly impacting the mental health of Black youth and adding urgency and impetus to its prioritization. Results of this study indicate that it is critical to explore each event individually as well as the combined impact on the mental health of Black youth, particularly from a racial perspective.

Police Violence, Student Protests, and Educational Performance

Abstract We study the protest behavior of teenagers linked to a student killed by a stray bullet coming from a policeman in Chile. We use administrative data to follow the schoolmates of the victim and those living near the shooting on hundreds of protest and nonprotest days. We find that police violence causes lower protest participation in street rallies but more adherence to test boycotts. These effects appear among schoolmates of the victim and not among students living near the killing. Negative educational consequences suffered by the schoolmates combined with previous results suggest that psychological mechanisms are a plausible explanation.

Procedural fairness and political attitudes: unpacking the experiences of victims of intimate partner violence with the police

What is the relationship between procedural fairness in encounters with the police and intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors’ attitudes? I argue that because of the emotional damage caused by victimization, survivors are especially attuned to the interpersonal treatment they receive when seeking help from specialized services (e. g., police). If this treatment is procedurally unfair, they might conclude that IPV laws are not effective and become less likely to report intentions to intervene by calling the police if they witness intimate partner violence. Relying on public opinion data from Brazil, I find that procedural fairness matters for survivors’ opinions about laws, but I found no relationship between procedural fairness and bystander intervention attitudes. I explore possible explanations for this non-finding with several additional analyses.

Seeing One Another: The Creation of the Sawubona Healing Circles

In 2020, the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) drew attention to the history of racism in the United States on the creation and exacerbation of extant medical racial inequities to the detriment of Black individuals. Recognizing that solutions based solely in Western frameworks cannot fully address the mental health needs of Black individuals, ABPsi devoted collaborative efforts to develop culturally grounding healing responses for the unique experiences of race-based invisibility and trauma. Additionally, amid the pandemic, individuals of African-descent experienced various mass racial traumas, including a wave of widely publicized police violence. Beginning with COVID-19, these intersecting pandemics of racism elucidated the need for healing, particularly culturally grounding healing. In consultation with the Black Family Summit, ABPsi developed a pilot investigation, the Sawubona Healing Circle (SHC) initiative, which are culturally grounding healing circles to support Black first responders. Using an African-centered worldview, the circles recognize and validate the specific constellation of anti-Black traumas and stressors, equipping them with African-centered healing methods. This paper outlines the theory, development, implementation, and initial evaluation of the SHC intervention.

Racism Experienced by Callum and His Family in Malorie Blackman's Noughts + Crosses'

Racism has been a prevalent issue ever since the concept of race was known to mankind, due to this fact, a lot of kinds of racism emerged in society.This study explained the experiences of Callum and his family through the levels of racism as well as how they responded towards the racism itself in the novel Noughts + Crosses by Malorie Blackman. This study itself is a literary criticism focusing on sociological approaches by employing two theories, one by Camarra Phylis Jones named levels of racism (2000) and the second one is multimotive theory by Richman & Leary (2009). Based on the analysis of this study, the first level of Jones’ theory seems to be the most prominent out of the three which is the institutional racism, the characters in this novel were restricted or has limited access to quite a lot of government infrastructure, silenced voice, as well as small quantity of representative in power. While the personally-mediated racism manifested itself through the suspicion of minorities; especially Callum, lack of respect from the Crosses, devaluation of minorities’ capabilities, scapegoating, and dehumanization through hate crime and police brutality. In internalized racism there is also evidence of whiteness as in Lynette’s case where she believes herself to be black as well as self-devaluation by the characters themselves for example Ryan who used the slur word to his own race. Callum and his family responded with various types of response, such as Jude who is leaning towards being more aggressive after the experience of racism while Callum at least try to regain relational value within the society with relationship-promoting response as well as trying to exclude or withdraw himself from the society with avoidance or withdrawal response.

Estimating the Negative Credit Impacts of Police-involved Fatalities

George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis spotlighted the role of police-involved fatalities that cause immeasurable harm to victims’ families and communities, weaken public trust in government and may lead to civil unrest. Police-involved fatalities place a financial burden on the cities, given the size of awards to victims’ families and the cost of implementing consent decrees. By quantifying the impact of fatal encounters on city credit rating, this study offers evidence for policymakers to make informed decisions regarding policing practices in their cities. Credit ratings incorporate third-party perceptions of local governments’ fiscal, economic, demographic, and political performance. The credit rating agency Moody's has noted “the potential financial impact of ongoing litigation costs” surrounding police-involved fatalities as a driver of downgrading ratings. Our article examines the impact of fatal encounters on the creditworthiness of the 150 largest US cities from 2000 to 2019. We observe a consistent negative correlation between police-involved fatalities and credit ratings among all the model estimates. These correlations remain statistically significant over time. We also estimate that the larger the share of non-white victims of police violence, the lower the cities’ credit ratings are.

Police killings of unarmed Black persons and suicides among Black youth in the US: A national time-series analysis

IntroductionSuicide deaths among Black youth in the US have increased rapidly over the past decade. Direct or vicarious racial trauma experienced through exposure to police brutality may underlie these concerning trends. MethodsWe obtained nationally aggregated monthly counts of suicides for non-Hispanic Black and White youth (age ≤ 24 years) and adults (age > 24 years) from the National Mortality Vital Statistics restricted-use data files provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2013 to 2019. Monthly counts of Black youth suicides constituted our main outcome. We defined our exposure as the monthly counts of police killings of unarmed Black persons over 84 months (2013 to 2019), retrieved from the Mapping Police Violence database. We used ARIMA (AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average) time-series analyses to examine whether Black youth suicides increased within 0 to 3 months following police killings of unarmed Black persons, controlling for autocorrelation and corresponding series of White youth suicides. ResultsSuicides among Black youth increase by ∼1 count three months following an increase in police killings of unarmed Black persons (exposure lag 0 coefficient = 0.16, p > 0.05; exposure lag 1 coefficient = −0.70, p > 0.05; exposure lag 2 coefficient = −0.54, p > 0.05; exposure lag 3 coefficient = 0.95, p < 0.05). The observed increase in suicides concentrates among Black male youth (exposure lag 3 coefficient = 0.88, p < 0.05).

Officer Perceptions of Mandatory Annual Physical Fitness Standards

One of the most important topics regarding law enforcement is officer fitness, or the larger concern, a lack thereof. Lack of fitness can be correlated to instances of inappropriate use of force and the public outcry of police brutality. Physical conditioning can directly assist an officer in achieving their main objective of every shift which is to go home healthy and safe. Increased fitness increases confidence and provides officers with a greater window of opportunity to de-escalate, showing the public that less drastic measures may be taken in handling stressful confrontations. Failure to set or maintain standards of fitness has in some cases, opened the door to civil litigation such as in Parker v District of Columbia where the proceedings showed that the District of Columbia was deliberately indifferent to physical standards resulting in significant financial compensation. Agencies should consider that an officer’s shift and work environment may indirectly lead to a lack of attention to health and fitness. A “complacency kills” approach may be able to outline the dangers of these lapses in standards but if a pathway cannot be created for these officers, then it may only reinforce the negative thought that they may not go home.

High insertion torque versus regular insertion torque: early crestal bone changes on dental implants in relation to primary stability—a retrospective clinical study

The aim of the presented retrospective study was to evaluate the early crestal bone changes around an implant type designed for high primary stability. A total number of 111 implants placed clinically were evaluated regarding insertion torque, bone density, implant stability quotient (ISQ) and early crestal bone loss from standardized digital radiographs. The implants were allocated in two groups: the „regular torque “ group contained all implants that achieved less than 50 Ncm as final insertion torque (n = 63) and the „high torque“ group contained the implants that achieved 50–80 Ncm (n = 48). To avoid possible damage either to the implant´s inner connection or to the bone by application of excessive force, a limit of 80 Ncm was set for all surgeries. All implants underwent submerged healing for three months. ISQ measurements and standardized digital radiographs were taken at day of insertion and at day of second stage surgery. The bone loss was measured on the mesial and distal aspect of the implant. The data evaluation showed the following results: Mean bone loss was 0.27 ± 0.30 mm for the high torque group and 0.24 ± 0.27 mm for the regular torque group. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.552). In the two groups, no complications nor implant loss occurred. For the evaluated implant type, there was no significant difference in crestal bone changes and complication rate between high and regular insertion torque in the early healing period.Graphical

Banana Ketchup

Banana ketchup is an iconic marker of Filipino cultural identity. Across the homeland/diaspora divide, the Filipino public celebrates the memory of Maria Y. Orosa, the food scientist, early immigrant to the American West Coast, and anti-Japanese guerrilla fighter, for her creation of the country’s favorite sauce or sawsawan. The history of this beloved food item is often recounted as a narrative of scientific innovation, anticolonial resistance, and sovereignty. This essay explores the work that such narratives do, noting not only how they are invoked as frames for Filipinos and Filipino Americans’ critiques of gustatory coloniality but also how they can themselves veil other political realities deserving of attention. At banana ketchup manufacturing plants in the Philippines, laborers and allies reimagine the condiment not as a proud symbol of identity but rather as a vessel of labor exploitation, union busting, and police brutality. This alternative narrative is often eclipsed by modes of storytelling that elevate Orosa’s ingenious substitution of a native fruit like bananas for an imported product like tomatoes as an emblem of gustatory independence. Documenting an essential piece of Filipino food history yet to receive much scholarly attention, this essay ultimately asks how ways of remembering food history can themselves become ways of forgetting. Its aim is to offer an intervention toward bringing cultural memory and contemporary labor struggles between the Filipino homeland and diaspora into political relation.

Race, Police Violence, and Financial Decision-Making

We find an economically and statistically significant effect of race-based police violence on home ownership and retirement savings. Using restricted-use Panel Study of Income Dynamics data, we show that Black individuals exposed to the fatality of a Black person caused by or involving police subsequently experience decreased homeownership, home equity, and defined contribution pension participation relative to non-Black individuals in the same zip code. Our findings suggest that race-based violence affects not only those immediately involved but also entire racial communities in the vicinity. These decreases in illiquid assets imply negative long-term consequences for Black households' wealth accumulation.

Correction to “Gentrification’s association with police violence and the moderating effects of race” by Harmon-Darrow et al. (2023).

Correction to “Gentrification’s association with police violence and the moderating effects of race” by Harmon-Darrow et al. (2023).

Activation of KCa channels downstream of TRPV4 amplify pulmonary edema formation

Study objective: In patients with acute respiratory failure (ARDS), mechanical ventilation is the only life-saving treatment. However, mechanical ventilation also can cause ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) due to the excessive biomechanical forces acting on the distal lung and especially the microvascular endothelium, which in turn further exacerbate endothelial barrier failure thus initiating a vicious cycle leading to irreversible lung damage. The endothelial mechanosensitive transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is directly activated by mechanical force and leads to Ca2+ influx, which can activate Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa) channels, categorized into small (SK1-3), intermediate (IK1), and big (BK) KCa. We hypothesized that KCa channels acting downstream of TRPV4 may in turn amplify Ca2+ influx by increasing the electrochemical Ca2+ gradient and thus, promote stretch-induced barrier failure and aggravate lung injury in a positive feedback loop. Methods: Male C57Bl/6J wild-type mice were ventilated for 2 h with low or high tidal volumes in the presence or absence of the non-selective KCa antagonists apamin, charybdotoxin, or the selective IK1 antagonist TRAM34. In a second model, male wild-type mice were challenged with intratracheal HCl instillation (pH 1.5) and ventilated with a low tidal volume for 2h with or without TRAM34. Changes in endothelial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were monitored by real-time imaging of Fura-2 AM in isolated-perfused lungs in response to airway pressure elevation or in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) in response to TRPV4 activation with or without inhibition of KCa channels. Analogously, changes in intracellular potassium concentration ([K+]i) and membrane potential ( Vm) were imaged in vitro. Results: In our established experimental lung injury models, pharmacological inhibition of KCa channels, in particular IK1 attenuated characteristic hallmarks of lung injury in response to high tidal volume ventilation or HCl instillation. Consistent with these findings, inhibition of IK1 channels in the ex vivo perfused lung reduced the sustained [Ca2+]i response to airway pressure elevation over time. In HPMECs, TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx induced a pronounced K+ efflux, which in turn caused membrane hyperpolarization. These effects could be prevented by different KCa inhibitors, with IK1 inhibition by TRAM34 showing the most pronounced protective effect. Antagonizing KCa channels as downstream mediators of TRPV4 also reduced endothelial [Ca2+]i transients in response to TRPV4 activation in vitro, indicating that KCa channels, and specifically IK1 serve as amplifiers by increasing the electrochemical gradient for TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx. Conclusion: KCa channels, specifically IK1 amplify TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx in lung endothelial cells and as such, establish a detrimental feedback that promotes barrier failure and drives the progression of VILI in overventilated lungs. WMK is supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (SFB-TR84: subprojects A02 &amp; C09, SFB-1449 subproject B01, SFB 1470 subproject A04, KU1218/9-1, KU1218/11-1, and KU1218/12-1), the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the framework of the projects PROVID (01KI20160A) and SYMPATH (01ZX1906A), and the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK). LM is supported by the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) (81X3100216). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Impacts of Vertical Convective Mixing Schemes and Freshwater Forcing on the 2016–2017 Maud Rise Polynya Openings in a Regional Ocean Simulation

AbstractThe correct representation of the Maud Rise open‐ocean polynya in the Weddell Sea remains a challenge for ocean models. Here we reproduce the most recent polynya openings in 2016–2017 using a regional configuration, and assess their dependencies on vertical convective mixing schemes and freshwater forcing, both separately and in combination. We test three vertical convective mixing schemes: the enhanced vertical diffusion (EVD), the Eddy‐Diffusivity Mass‐Flux (EDMF) parameterization, and a modified version of EDMF accounting for thermobaric effects. Using simulations for the period 2007–2017, we find that the modified EDMF reproduces the observed climatological evolution of the mixed layer depth better than the original EDMF and the EVD, but a polynya fails to open due to excessive freshwater forcing. We thus use the modified EDMF to perform sensitivity experiments with reduced precipitation during 2012–2017. The imposed freshwater forcing strongly affects the number of years with polynyas. The simulation with the best representation of the 2016–2017 polynyas is analyzed to evaluate the triggering mechanisms. The 2016 polynya was induced by the action of thermobaric instabilities on a weak ambient stratification. This opening preconditioned the water column for 2017, which produced a stronger polynya. By examining the impacts of the different convective mixing schemes, we show that the modified EDMF generates more realistic patterns of deep convection. Our results highlight the importance of surface freshwater forcing and thermobaricity in governing deep convection around Maud Rise, and the need to represent thermobaric instabilities to realistically model Maud Rise polynyas.