bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated Calcitonin Levels in a Patient With a Pheochromocytoma: A Case Report
Authors: Shihabi Areej , Issa Peter P. , Cironi Katherine , Omar Mahmoud , Abdelgawad Mohamed , Kandil Emad
Published: July 2022

Elevated calcitonin and catecholamine levels in patients with adrenal masses and thyroid nodules are suspicious for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A. Here, we present an interesting case with elevated catecholamines, thyroid nodules, and hypercalcitoninemia. A 46-year-old woman with complaint of abdominal pain was recently hospitalized. Abdominal computed tomography elicited a 7 cm left adrenal mass. Upon presentation to our clinic, the patient complained of abdominal pain, nausea, and diaphoresis. Laboratory studies showed elevated catecholamines, and a pheochromocytoma was subsequently diagnosed. Further evaluation elicited elevated calcitonin levels and a suspicious 3 cm left thyroid nodule, inciting concern for medullary thyroid carcinoma. The patient underwent an uneventful robot-assisted laparoscopic left adrenalectomy. Surgical pathology confirmed a pheochromocytoma. Post-operative calcitonin levels resolved to within normal range. The patient elected to undergo a left hemithyroidectomy. Surgical pathology confirmed calcitonin-negative nodular hyperplasia, negative for malignancy. The patient’s diagnosis was confined to a pheochromocytoma. Clinicians should investigate high calcitonin levels associated with a pheochromocytoma as it may not always be ascribed to the thyroid.
Institutional Relational Maintenance Barriers and Perceptions of Relationship Quality Among Women With Incarcerated Partners
Authors: Durante Katherine A. , Phillips Meertins Jasmine Rene , Tadros Eman
Published: July 2022

High rates of incarceration in the United States has prompted researchers to study the impacts of imprisonment on romantic relationships and minor children. We examine the relationship between several prison facility barriers to relational maintenance and perceptions of relationship quality from the perspective of women whose male romantic, coparenting partners are incarcerated. Using data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting and Partnering (MFS-IP) and binomial logistic regression, we find that the high costs of phone calls and difficulty of in-person visitation negatively impact how women perceive romantic relationship quality. These findings suggest that alleviating barriers to contact can help strengthen couples’ relationships.
Afro-Belgian activist resistances to research procedures: Reflections on epistemic extractivism and decolonial interventions in sociological research
Authors: Demart Sarah
Published: July 2022

This article examines Afro-Belgian resistance to sociological research procedures and in particular, the way in which demands for compensation and citation policies have recently emerged as a sine qua non activist condition for participation in academic devices. Grounded on a long-term ethnography conducted within Afro-Belgian anti-racist circles (2011–2019), the article argues that activist resistances, whether or not they give rise to political claims, have something to do with the colonial engagement of sociology and more generally of science. Building on postcolonial/black/feminist studies and decolonial indigenous research, the article explores to what extent, academic politics of citation and compensation of anti-racist activists could then be considered as decolonial interventions. Against the background of research involving groups whose activism is intrinsically linked to a political and epistemic domination, the paradigm of ‘protection’ of the ‘researched’ (through procedures of anonymization) is not only insufficient but problematic. Decolonial intervention should not only be addressed under the lens of knowledge co-production (participative/decolonial/anti-racist research) but also in terms of co-ownership policies of data/knowledges.
Is It Really Feminization of Agriculture? The Issue of Household Food Security in Lesotho’s Southern Lowland District
Authors: Mokati Joseph Tsoeu Washi , Ncube Alice , Bahta Yonas T.
Published: July 2022

The study assessed the roles of women and the ownership of land trends in Lesotho, particularly during the 2015/2016 drought in Lesotho. A mixed-method approach, which combined both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data included demographic information, household assets, gender roles in agricultural activities, and decision-making in the household to explore feminization of agriculture and its impact on household food security in Lesotho, particularly Maneo village in the Mohales’ Hoek district. The results showed that even though the women were the majority of farmers, they were not involved in decision-making, did not own the land, lacked farming implements, used poor and archaic farming methods, and were subjected to institutionalized gender discrimination. This resulted in a food deficit, worsened by the drought in the southern districts, particularly in Maneo village. Despite the fact that land was owned by men, the women worked hard without having any rights to land ownership. This contributed to women’s poverty. The study recommended including gender role assessments and clarity on gendered policies addressing discrimination in Lesotho, especially for women.
Predicaments and Possibilities Experienced by Homeless in Karachi
Authors: Ahmed Noman , Ahmed Suneela , Ahmed Saeeduddin
Published: July 2022

This paper builds upon the discussions on how a city may become a flexible resource for organizing everyday lives, with the homeless not only grasping various opportunities that come their way but also positively impacting urban modalities. By understanding the reasons behind why people adopt such an option, the findings can help policy makers develop policy in an informed manner. There are also theoretical implications as there is minimal research in this area. The analysis has been done through documenting spaces accessed by the homeless, the characteristics of these places, the livelihood associations and the administrative responses towards them.
Fostering Communities of Practice Among Community College Science Faculty
Authors: Eddy Pamela L. , Hao Yi , Iverson Ellen , Macdonald R. Heather
Published: July 2022

Objective/Research Question: This paper reports on data collected in a multi-year National Science Foundation grant project involving a professional development (PD) model built to support community college faculty as change agents (CAs). The research question was: How do disciplinary communities of practice (CoP) emerge among community college faculty working in teams? Methods: This research employed a mixed-method design. Data collection included interviews, focus-group sessions, reflective journals, observations, end-of-workshop evaluations, survey data with the 23 geoscience faculty CA, and data from a national survey. Data analysis used the principles of CoP. Results: When compared to other community college geoscience faculty nationally, the participants in our study reported greater levels of behaviors characteristic of CoP. The CoP emerged due to network building and resource sharing within the PD. The findings highlight the significance of structured PD on the development of robust disciplinary CoP. The initial orientation of CAs, existing institutional structures, and cultures of community colleges influenced the CoP. Putting lessons learned into practice, sharing outcomes, and leading regional PD for others contributed to strengthening of the CoP. Conclusions/Contributions: Intentional PD catalyzed the emergence of strong CoP among the community college geoscience faculty participants. The opportunities to connect with disciplinary colleagues teaching in community colleges who shared an interest in supporting student success and improving teaching practices and the opportunity to share lessons learned contributed to the CoP. Structured interactions, critical reflection, and leading colleagues in PD supported developing, maintaining, and growing the CoP.
A just transition: Insights from the labour unions of a steel locality (Taranto, Italy)
Authors: Greco Lidia
Published: July 2022

The just transition (JT) perspective has gained a generalized attention in recent years in conjunction with the increasing pressures that Western societies are under to green their economies as a way to address climate change. In this perspective the role of trade unions (TUs) is central as they are encouraged to drive the socio-technical transformation to avoid the intensification of the dilemma between the protection of jobs and the protection of the environment. The article explores the way in which TUs thematize the challenge of the JT in a specific locality – Taranto, Southern Italy – and in one of the most carbon-intensive sectors – the steel industry. Although they share common concerns, different positions emerge in relation to the nature of the challenge and the possible pathways to greening steel production in the area. Yet, trade unions are still elaborating the question of the role that they are called to play in it.
Application of Ultrasound-Guided Cervical Plexus Block in Type I Thyroid Cartilage Laryngoplasty and Vocal Cord Medialization Surgery
Authors: Li Ronggang
Published: July 2022

Background:

Under the background that cervical plexus block (CPB) is often adopted for type I thyroid cartilage laryngoplasty (TCL) and vocal cord medialization (VCM), the present study sought to investigate whether ultrasound-guided CPB (USCPB) could improve the efficiency of type I TCL and VCM.

Methods:

Patients with TCL were enrolled and subjected to deep and superficial USCPBs. Intravenous dexmedetomidine pumping was used to assist the painless sedation and ensure the patients to be awake for phonation during surgery. Blood pressure, electrocardiogram, heart rate (HR), and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) of patients were recorded. The complications, like local anesthetic toxicity and total spinal anesthesia, were monitored.

Results:

All patients underwent CPB without infiltration anesthesia and complication. The use of Sufentanil at the dose of 5–10 μg was reported in 2 of 15 patients. No Horner syndrome was discovered in patients after anesthesia, and total intravenous anesthesia with intravenous pumping of dexmedetomidine was effective. During surgery, HR, diastolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure were barely changed, but systolic blood pressure was decreased.

Conclusion:

Ultrasound-guided CPB with the intravenous dexmedetomidine pumping is a safe anesthesia method for patients during TCL.
Can Corporate Social Responsibility Counteract Managers’ Incentives to Manage Earnings?
Authors: Agoglia Christopher P. , Beaudoin Cathy A. , Kuselias Stephen , Tsakumis George T.
Published: July 2022

Many firms engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which aim to serve a broader set of stakeholders (e.g., workforce, communities, environment). These companies often encourage management to consider these stakeholders when making operational and financial decisions. One such decision that managers face involves managing earnings. We conduct an experiment in which experienced managers are placed in the role of a division manager facing an accrual decision. We find that a company’s demonstrated commitment to CSR moderates both upward and downward earnings management attempts. We propose, and find support for, a moderated-mediation model in which the firm’s commitment to CSR influences managers’ consideration of constituents. Managers’ consideration of these stakeholders differentially affects the level of accruals, depending on the direction of the earnings management incentive. Our results provide insight into how CSR may influence individuals’ decisions within the organization, minimizing the impact that incentives have on maximizing one’s self-interest.
Of farms, legends, and fools: Re-engaging Ghana’s development narrative through social media
Authors: Agana Agana-Nsiire , Prempeh Charles
Published: July 2022

As social media democratize participation in the public sphere, new voices are emerging that challenge the status quo of public political discussion in important ways. In particular, social media are allowing ordinary citizens to offer their appraisals of government policy and their diagnoses of the problems besetting development. Through a rhetorical analysis of online videos by selected social commentators, we show how development is framed by today’s Ghanaian youth as an engagement with local and global vistas. Although lacking in nuanced historical and theoretical framing, and espousing an idealized-Western vision of development, our interlocutors play an important role in spurring active youth engagement in democratic discourse and in bringing to the popular stage contemporary national and global discourses surrounding development, identity, and the role of digital media in shaping modern public debate in democratic societies.
We got nuts! use deep neural networks to classify images of common edible nuts
Authors: An Ruopeng , Perez-Cruet Joshua , Wang Junjie
Published: July 2022

Background

Nuts are nutrient-dense foods that contribute to healthier eating. Food image datasets enable artificial intelligence (AI) powered diet-tracking apps to help people monitor daily eating patterns.

Aim

This study aimed to create an image dataset of commonly consumed nut types and use it to build an AI computer vision model to automate nut type classification tasks.

Methods

iPhone 11 was used to take photos of 11 nut types—almond, brazil nut, cashew, chestnut, hazelnut, macadamia, peanut, pecan, pine nut, pistachio, and walnut. The dataset contains 2200 images, 200 per nut type. The dataset was randomly split into the training (60% or 1320 images), validation (20% or 440 images), and test sets (20% or 440 images). A neural network model was constructed and trained using transfer learning and other computer vision techniques—data augmentation, mixup, normalization, label smoothing, and learning rate optimization.

Results

The trained neural network model correctly predicted 338 out of 440 images (40 per nut type) in the validation set, achieving 99.55% accuracy. Moreover, the model classified the 440 images in the test set with 100% accuracy.

Conclusion

This study built a nut image dataset and used it to train a neural network model to classify images by nut type. The model achieved near-perfect accuracy on the validation and test sets, demonstrating the feasibility of automating nut type classification using smartphone photos. Being made open-source, the dataset and model can assist the development of diet-tracking apps that facilitate users’ adoption and adherence to a healthy diet.
No association between infant growth and adherence to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet in lactating women
Authors: Jahangir Farzaneh , Daneshzad Elnaz , Moradi Maedeh , Maraci Mohammad Reza , Surkan Pamela J , Azadbakht Leila
Published: July 2022

Objective

Breastmilk is considered an optimal food for infant development especially during the first 6 months of life. However, little evidence exists regarding maternal dietary intake and infant growth. We evaluated how adherence to the DASH diet in lactating women is associated with the infant weight, height and head circumference at birth, 2 and 4 months of age.

Study design

A cross-sectional study.

Methods

The present study was conducted with 292 lactating mothers and their infants. A validated and reliable 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess mothers’ dietary intakes. To evaluate adherence to the DASH diet among lactating mothers, we scored food items based on the Fung method.

Result

Lactating mothers in the highest tertile of adherence to the DASH diet consumed significantly lower amounts of fat, cholesterol, salt, red and process meats and higher amounts of vitamin C, B1, B9, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and dietary fiber compared to lactating mothers in the lowest tertile ( P < 0.05). No significant association was found between mothers’ adherence to the DASH dietary pattern and any of the infant growth indices ( P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Lactating mothers’ adherence to the DASH diet was not associated with growth indices among exclusively breastfed infants.
The association of dietary intake and plasma fatty acid panel in pancreatic cancer patients: Results from Golestan cohort study
Authors: Ghamarzad Shishavan Neda , Masoudi Sahar , Mohamadkhani Ashraf , Sepanlou Sadaf G , Poustchi Hossein , Hekmatdoost Azita , Pourshams Akram
Published: July 2022

Background & Aims

High mortality rate of pancreatic cancer (PC) as one of the most common cancers worldwide made it a center of attention for recent researches on its pathology, etiology, screening and early diagnosis. In previous researches, association of dietary intake and plasma levels of fatty acids with risk of pancreatic cancer was investigated. In this study we aimed to evaluate the correlation between dietary and plasma fatty acids in case and control groups.

Methods

From 50,045 adults between 40–75 years old participated in Golestan cohort study, fifty incident cases of PC were diagnosed and 150 controls matched by age, sex and residence place were randomly selected. Dietary intakes and plasma levels of fatty acids was evaluated by validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and Gas Chromatography – Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID), respectively. Then, Spearman's correlation was used to measure the correlation between dietary and plasma levels of fatty acids in case and control groups.

Results

Among all the fatty acids, there was a significant association between plasma and dietary intake of a few fatty acids including trans fatty acids (TFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), 22:6n-3 and 14:0 only in control group. Only total PUFA intake modified plasma level of some fatty acids in case group. There was no difference between association of desaturase enzymes and fatty acids in case and controls.

Conclusions

Since, plasma levels of fatty acids might be influenced by recent diet, we did not find any specific differences between the associations of plasma levels of fatty acids with dietary intake of fats in case and control groups.
The changing role of teachers of students with visual impairments in North America during the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wild Tiffany , Herzberg Tina S , Hicks Michelle
Published: July 2022

Schools abruptly closed throughout in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although legal requirements remained unchanged, service delivery models and how teachers of students with visual impairments supported their students changed. Teachers of students with visual impairments answered a series of questions about how district policies impacted their work, what materials they could not access and the subsequent impact on their students, and changes in their caseloads during the initial shutdown of schools. Four overall themes emerged from the data: (1) district policies often impeded the work of teachers of students with visual impairments; (2) teachers did not have the materials needed to ensure that their students could access instruction; (3) teachers were concerned that they could not locate some of their students; and (4) teachers experienced changes in their direct and consultative caseloads due to a variety of factors. The work of teachers of students with visual impairments was dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the shutdown continued, district policies changed and often impeded their efforts to support students on their caseload. In addition, many teachers struggled to locate all of their students and lacked the basic supplies to ensure instruction was accessible. However, teachers of students with visual impairments were creative and provided instruction that incorporated online resources and readily available home materials, collaborated with colleagues, and engaged the community in order to support their students. The experiences of teachers and lessons learned during the pandemic can be used to advocate for policy that protects the rights of students with visual impairments to an education during future unanticipated events such as a pandemic or inclement weather.
Clozapine-specific proliferative response of peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells in Japanese patients with clozapine-induced agranulocytosis
Authors: Saito Takeo , Usui Toru , Inada Hiroshi , Miyawaki Izuru , Mizuno Kentaro , Ikeda Masashi , Iwata Nakao
Published: July 2022

Background:

Although clozapine-induced granulocytopenia (CIG) is less severe than clozapine-induced agranulocytosis (CIA), and some patients with CIG may not go on to develop serious complications, clozapine is discontinued in cases of both CIA and CIG. Understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of CIA/CIG could provide better management of clozapine therapy. Recently, as a mechanistic insight into adaptive immune systems, European groups reported clozapine-specific proliferative responses and clozapine-specific T cells using blood taken from patients with CIA and/or CIG.

Aims:

The aims of our study are to support this mechanistic evidence and to investigate the difference in the lymphocyte response to clozapine between patients with CIG and those with CIA.

Methods:

Lymphocyte stimulation tests (LSTs) were conducted using CD25-positive cell-depleted peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from blood of four Japanese patients with CIA, four patients with CIG, and nine clozapine-tolerant subjects.

Results:

Three of four patients with CIA and one of four patients with CIG showed proliferative responses to clozapine with a stimulation index of greater than 2. In contrast, none of the nine clozapine-tolerant subjects showed any response to clozapine. Olanzapine did not stimulate PBMCs of patients with CIA, patients with CIG, or clozapine-tolerant subjects.

Conclusions:

Clozapine- and CIA-specific lymphocyte reactions in a Japanese population provided supportive evidence that the pathogenesis of CIA is based on adaptive immune reactions. In addition, patients with CIG who show a positive response to an LST may at the very least not be chosen for clozapine-rechallenge and further prospective studies are desirable to verify this hypothesis.
Brain-derived programmed death-ligand 1 mediates immunosuppression post intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Cheng Nuo , Wang Hong , Zou Ming , Jin Wei-Na , Shi Fu-Dong , Shi Kaibin
Published: July 2022

Immunosuppression commonly occurs after a stroke, which is believed to be associated with the increased risk of infectious comorbidities of stroke patients, while the mechanisms underlying post-stroke immunosuppression is yet to be elucidated. In the brains of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients and murine ICH models, we identified that neuron-derived programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is reduced in the perihematomal area, associating increased soluble PD-L1 level in the peripheral blood. ICH induced a significant decrease of T and natural killer (NK) cell numbers in the periphery with an upregulation of programed death-1 (PD-1) in these cells. Blocking PD-1 pathway with an anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody prevented the T and NK cell compartment contraction and spleen atrophy post-ICH, with reduced pulmonary bacterial burden and improved neurological outcome. Thus, we here identified that brain-derived PD-L1 as a new mechanism driving post-stroke immunosuppression, and anti-PD1 treatment could be potentially developed to reducing the risk of post-stroke infections.
Diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 and the potential role of deep learning: insights from the experience of Cairo University Hospitals
Authors: Ahmed Marwa M. , Sayed Amal M. , El Abd Dina , El Sayed Inas T. , Elkholy Yasmine S. , Fares Ahmed H. , Fares Samar
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is crucial for patients and public health to ensure pandemic control. We aimed to correlate clinical and laboratory data of patients with COVID-19 and their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results and to assess the accuracy of a deep learning model in diagnosing COVID-19.

Methods

This was a retrospective study using an anonymized dataset of patients with suspected COVID-19. Only patients with a complete dataset were included (n = 440). A deep analytics framework and dual-modal approach for PCR-based classification was used, integrating symptoms and laboratory-based modalities.

Results

Participants with loss of smell or taste were two times more likely to have positive PCR results (odds ratio [OR] 1.86). Participants with neutropenia, high serum ferritin, or monocytosis were three, four, and five times more likely to have positive PCR results (OR 2.69, 4.18, 5.42, respectively). The rate of accuracy achieved using the deep learning framework was 78%, with sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 71.4%.

Conclusion

Loss of smell or taste, neutropenia, monocytosis, and high serum ferritin should be routinely assessed with suspected COVID-19 infection. The use of deep learning for diagnosis is a promising tool that can be implemented in the primary care setting.
Evaluation Model for a Port Hinterland Intermodal Freight Network Considering Environmental Impacts and Capacity Constraints
Authors: Wu Yunqiang , Zhang Rong
Published: July 2022

The huge demand for containerized cargo and the low market share of rail and inland waterway transport in the hinterland freight system in China are causing severe traffic congestion and pollution. Therefore, this paper focuses on innovative modeling to evaluate the effects of transport policies on the reduction of carbon emissions and the mode shift from road to low-carbon modes in a three-mode port hinterland freight network. The proposed model can capture the main characteristics of the freight system such as mode transfer at inland terminals, transport capacity and processing capacity constraints, flow-dependent link performance functions, and shippers’ perceptual error of generalized transport costs. The model assumes that shippers choose transport route, mode, and inland terminal at the same time in a user equilibrium manner, and that bundles of container flow passing competing ports follow the logit formulation. Computational results based on the freight network in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China indicate that carbon tax, intermodal transport subsidy, and capacity expansion policies can reduce total carbon emissions and promote mode shift from road transport to rail and inland waterway transport, and policy packages show better network performance compared with a single policy type. It is noted that transport policies sometimes lead to the paradoxical phenomenon. Finally, sensitivity analyses are carried out on parameters of cost, time, carbon emissions, and error to test the robustness of the model.
Evaluating Safety Benefits of Vehicle-to-Everything Sensor Sharing on Rural Highways Using the Microscopic Simulation Model
Authors: Cazares Jose Gerardo , Damnjanovic Ivan
Published: July 2022

Safety is a critical aspect of transportation design and operations. Practitioners utilize various references to ensure that roadways meet safety, operational, and sustainability requirements. Despite this, human error remains as a contributing factor toward unsafe driving behavior and potential crashes. Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) have the potential to enhance traffic safety and operations. Although sensor perception ranges and capabilities pose challenges, the sharing of information via Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication provides CAVs with a potential solution for overcoming sensor limitations. The objective of this study is to use the Simulation of Urban Mobility software to assess safety impacts when using V2X to share sensor-obtained roadway information with a CAV. To this end, this study proposes a novel method for simulating driver behavior that combines car following with consideration of the roadway’s geometric configuration. Several scenarios are utilized to observe the behavior of simulated drivers on a straight tangent approaching a sharp horizontal curve. This study evaluates driver performance using the measured values for longitudinal jerk, lateral jerk, and speed variance. The results of this study indicate that V2X sensor sharing can provide significant benefits to CAV performance and can reduce the safety risk. CAVs receiving sensor-obtained information behave in a manner more akin to their human-driven counterparts in comparison to those receiving basic safety messages. CAVs using sensor-obtained information maintain braking and lateral jerk values within safety thresholds. In addition, speed variance was at its lowest when CAVs utilized V2X sensor information.
Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Meniscus Roots Vary by Location
Authors: Chang Peter S. , Solon Lorenzo F. , Lake Spencer P. , Castile Ryan M. , Hill J. Ryan , Brophy Robert H.
Published: July 2022

Background:

Despite the growing awareness of the clinical significance of meniscus root tears, there are relatively limited biomechanical and microstructural data available on native meniscus roots that could improve our understanding of why they are injured and how to best treat them.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of the study was to measure the material and microstructural properties of meniscus roots using mechanical testing and quantitative polarized light imaging. The hypothesis was that these properties vary by location (medial vs lateral, anterior vs posterior) and by specific root (anteromedial vs anterolateral, posteromedial vs posterolateral).

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Anterior and posterior meniscus roots of the medial and lateral meniscus were isolated from 22 cadavers (10 female, 12 male; mean ± SD age, 47.1 ± 5.1 years) and loaded in uniaxial tension. Quantitative polarized light imaging was used to measure collagen fiber organization and realignment under load. Samples were subjected to preconditioning, stress-relaxation, and a ramp to failure. Time-dependent relaxation behavior was quantified. Modulus values were computed in the toe and linear regions of the stress-strain curves. The degree of linear polarization (DoLP) and angle of polarization—measures of the strength and direction of collagen alignment, respectively—were calculated during the stress-relaxation test and at specific strain values throughout the ramp to failure (zero, transition, and linear strain).

Results:

Anterior roots had larger moduli than posterior roots in the toe ( P = .007) and linear ( P < .0001) regions and larger average DoLP values at all points of the ramp to failure (zero, P = .016; transition, P = .004; linear, P = .002). Posterior roots had larger values across all regions in terms of standard deviation angle of polarization ( P < .001). Lateral roots had greater modulus values versus medial roots in the toe ( P = .027) and linear ( P = .014) regions. Across all strain points, posterolateral roots had smaller mean DoLP values than posteromedial roots.

Conclusion:

Posterior meniscus roots have smaller modulus values and more disorganized collagen alignment at all strain levels when compared with anterior roots. Posterolateral roots have lower strength of collagen alignment versus posteromedial roots.

Clinical Relevance:

These data findings may explain at least in part the relative paucity of anterior meniscus root tears and the predominance of traumatic posterolateral roots tears as compared with degenerative posteromedial root tears.
Long-term Results of Arthroscopic Repair of Full-Thickness Traumatic Rotator Cuff Tears in Active Duty Military Patients Under the Age of 40 Years
Authors: Scanaliato John P. , Eckhoff Michael D. , Dunn John C. , Czajkowski Hunter , Fink Walter A. , Parnes Nata
Published: July 2022

Background:

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is an effective procedure through which to decrease pain and increase strength, with favorable long-term outcomes demonstrated in older patient populations with full-thickness rotator cuff tears. The long-term outcomes after this procedure in younger, higher-demand patients, however, is not as clearly defined.

Purpose:

To report on the long-term outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of traumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears in active duty military patients under the age of 40 years at the time of surgery.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Preoperative, midterm, and final evaluations were collected, including scores on the visual analog scale for pain, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder form. A total of 42 patients were screened for inclusion: 3 underwent additional surgical procedures on the operative shoulder and 2 were lost to follow-up, leaving 37 patients with mean follow-up of 104.51 months available for analysis. A subgroup analysis was performed comparing outcomes between patients with Southern California Orthopaedic Institute grade 1 or 2 tears and those with grade 3 or 4 tears.

Results:

At final follow-up, pain per the visual analog scale decreased to 1.16 from 8.03 ( P < .0001); the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score increased to 87.32 from 48.24 ( P < .0001); and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score increased to 88.68 from 41.00 ( P < .0001). There was no statistically significant difference in outcome scores or range of motion between midterm and final follow-up. Improvement in outcome scores and range of motion at final follow-up did not vary between patients with small and large tears. Of 42 patients, 37 (88.1%) were able to return to full unrestricted active duty and sporting activity, while 5 (11.9%) were medically separated from the military.

Conclusion:

Active duty military patients under the age of 40 years with traumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears had statistically and clinically significant increases in outcome scores and decreases in pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair at long-term follow-up.
The effect of biofilm inhibitor N-acetylcysteine on the minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotics used in Gram-negative bacteria in the biofilm developed on catheters
Authors: Aksoy Nilay , Vatansever Cansu , Zengin Ersoy Gizem , Adakli Aksoy Basak , Fışgın Tunç
Published: July 2022

The study determined the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the susceptibility of various antibiotics used to treat Gram-negative catheter-related infection in isolates obtained from pediatric patients admitted to the hematology and oncology department of Medical Park Bahçelievler hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Biofilms were created in vitro utilizing clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, and Proteus mirabilis. 24 h old biofilms were developed on 96-well plate with strains and the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) of six antibiotics were measured before and after the addition of 75 mg/ml N-acetylcysteine with microplate reader at 450 nm after crystal violet assay. The addition of NAC reduce the MBIC of cefepime, ceftazidime, colistin, meropenem from (16, 16, 8, 4 μg/ml) to (8, 4, 4, 2 μg/ml) respectively in E. coli (isolate 1). In P. aeruginosa (isolate 4), the MBIC of amikacin, ceftazidime, meropenem (64, 32, and 32 μg/ml) reduced to (8, 1, and 0.5 μg/ml) respectively. MBIC of cefepime, colistin, meropenem (32, 16,and 16 μg/ml) reduced to (2, 2,and 0.5 μg/ml) respectively in P. putida (isolate 5). In P. mirabilis (isolate 6), MBIC of amikacin, cefepime, ceftazidime, colisitin and meropenem (64, 128, 32, 4, and 32 μg/ml) reduced to (8, 8, 1, 1, 4 μg/ml). NAC in combination therapy can practically reduce the MBIC of antibiotics used to treat Gram negative bacteria that develop biofilm in medical catheters. As a result, these combinations can be considered as an essential alternative for increasing the antibiotic susceptibility of pathogenic microorganisms and thus increasing treatment success rates.
Ready to Rumble? Popularity, Status Ambiguity, and Interpersonal Violence Among School-Based Children
Authors: Suh Chan S. , Lim Yisook , Kim Harris Hyun-soo
Published: July 2022

Previous literature has recognized the importance of social relationship in understanding people’s engagement in aggressive behavior. Yet, largely due to data limitations, only few studies have empirically explored how social status precisely influences interpersonal violence. In this research, we investigate the determinants of peer-to-peer violence by focusing on individual’s positions in the status hierarchy within adolescent peer networks. More specifically, our study examines and demonstrates the extent to which the likelihood of interpersonal violence rises, first, as a function of one’s status (popularity) and, second, due to ambiguity between status positions of the parties involved in a physical altercation. Using a unique dataset collected on school-based children in Laos (Lao People’s Democratic Republic) in 2016 ( N = 1,332), we employ exponential random graph models to show the influence of status on the odds of involvement in on-campus violence. Results indicate that higher status, that is, more popular, students are more likely to be involved in a physical fight compared to their lower status counterparts. Moreover, we find a significant degree of similarity in status among students who engage in a fight. In other words, status ambiguity surrounding dyads in the peer network increases the likelihood of bringing them into a conflict situation. Our findings provide implications for understanding how social status shapes the dynamics of negative networks. By analyzing sociocentric network data, the present study extends and moves beyond prior findings mainly based on individual-level (non-dyadic) data.
Religion After Rape: Changes in Faith and Hindered Acknowledgment
Authors: Piggott Danielle M. , Anderson RaeAnn E.
Published: July 2022

Previous research has demonstrated the dramatic effect trauma can have on religiosity. This study sought to extend this understanding by examining how a specific trauma, rape, influences religious beliefs and behaviors as well as how religiosity influences acknowledgment of rape. Rape acknowledgment is the personal use of the label rape to describe such an experience. The process of acknowledgment and general recovery from rape can include dramatic questioning of one’s religious beliefs and marks an important potential point of intervention, especially given the majority of the US identifies as religious. A sample of 310 mostly Christian, college-aged women completed questionnaires about their personal religiosity, attitudes and beliefs, and trauma history. Results indicated those who experienced rape experienced significantly greater change in their religious beliefs compared to those who had experienced other types of traumas ( p = .015). The relationship between rape acknowledgment and extrinsic religiosity was significantly mediated by ambivalent sexism (95% CI [0.0016, 0.0694]) and the endorsement of rape myths about women lying about rape (95% CI [0.0021, 0.0691]), such that high religiosity was associated with greater acceptance of these beliefs, which was associated with a lower likelihood of acknowledgment. In all, rape was shown to significantly alter one’s participation in their religion and their understanding of their own religiosity, and religious beliefs reflective of certain beliefs fueled a mislabeling of personal experiences of rape. These findings suggest religious guidance should be offered within rape recovery programing, and support for those who experience rape should be provided specifically within religious settings.
LGBTQ+-Affirming Campus Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Klein L. B. , Doyle Lee J. , Hall William J. , Rizzo Andrew J. , Fraga Rizo Cynthia , Potter Sharyn J. , Martin Sandra L. , Macy Rebecca J.
Published: July 2022

LGBTQ+ (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer) people are often left out of campus sexual and relationship violence (SRV) prevention efforts despite experiencing higher rates of SRV. To inform LGBTQ+-affirming prevention efforts, we use a practice-to-research approach to aggregate wisdom from 32 LGBTQ+ professionals working to address campus SRV among LGBTQ+ college students garnered through semi-structured interviews. Participants shared four approaches to including or excluding LGBTQ+ students in campus SRV prevention programs as well as recommendations to cultivate more LGBTQ+-affirming campus SRV prevention efforts. We summarize recommendations for possible action steps at individual, relationship, community, and policy levels of the social ecological model for LGBTQ+-affirming campus SRV prevention.
Emotional Loneliness, Suicidal Ideation, and Alexithymia in Adolescents Who Commit Child-to-Parent Violence
Authors: Suárez-Relinque Cristian , Del Moral Gonzalo , León-Moreno Celeste , Callejas-Jerónimo Juan Evaristo
Published: July 2022

The objective of this research was to explore the relationship between involvement in child-to-parent violence (CPV) and the development of emotional loneliness, suicidal ideation, and alexithymia based on sex; 1,928 adolescents of both sexes participated (50.5% males and 49.5% females), aged between 12 and 18 years ( M = 14. 67, SD = 1.77), enrolled in four educational centers in Spain. A multivariate analysis of variance (3 × 2 MANOVA) was applied using sex and CPV levels as independent variables. Univariate analyses were carried out to explore the significant relationships detected. Results showed that the adolescents with higher CPV scored higher in emotional loneliness, suicidal ideation, and alexithymia. Girls showed a greater prevalence of CPV at the medium and high levels. An interaction of sex and CPV with alexithymia was detected. Girls with high and moderate values of CPV presented a higher level of alexithymia. These results provide novel information in the field of CPV. Previous research has placed the main focus of analysis on the adolescents’ behavior problems and not so much on their perceptions of personal adjustment and their emotional experiences. The information presented in this study contributes to achieve a more precise definition of the profile of adolescent who assault their parents for better prevention of CPV.
Documenting the Routine Burden of Devalued Difference in the Professional Workplace
Authors: Ridgeway Cecilia L. , Korn Rachel M. , Williams Joan C.
Published: July 2022

Professional workplaces that embody an “ideal worker” image that is implicitly white and male set-up persistent biases against the competence and suitability for authority of those who are not white men, forcing them to work harder to prove their competence and fit in. The added labor of coping with these burdens is largely invisible to dominant actors in the workplace who do not experience them. To facilitate change by making such burdens visible for all, we present data from a survey of 1,349 architects, including white, Asian, Black, Latinx, and mixed race/other underrepresented men and women, about their specific behavioral experiences of prove-it-again (competence) bias, tightrope (authority) bias, problems of fit, exclusion, emotion work, and interruptions. Across all measures, white men architects report significantly lower levels of these burdens than do women of any race and almost all non-white men. Consistent with status expectations and stereotype prototypicality theories, we find intersectional patterns in the relative burdens experienced by women and men of different racial groups. Gender differences in bias experiences are greatest among white, less among Asian, and least among Black architects. Women of color report the highest levels of bias overall.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Conundrum: An Assessment of Vaccine Hesitancy Amongst Patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center
Authors: Clark Letoia R. , Sawkin Mark Thomas , Melton Brittany Lee , Meyer Emma Grace
Published: July 2022

Background: With three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for use in the US, vaccine hesitancy has the potential to sabotage COVID-19 vaccination efforts and be detrimental to overall health outcomes. In order to realize the extent of vaccine hesitancy, an adequate understanding of the role that self-identified barriers and epidemiologic factors may play is timely and important. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to 1) determine if there is a relationship between vaccine hesitancy and epidemiologic factors, and 2) identify perceived patient-reported barriers associated with receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: A written questionnaire was utilized to collect data from eligible patients over a 15-week period between October 2020 and February 2021. A combination of non-parametric tests and descriptive statistics were used to analyze this data. Results: A majority of patients were either very strongly in support of (28.2%) or very strongly against (29.7%) receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Notable findings included the comparison of patients with advanced degrees being more likely to get vaccinated (48.1%) to those without advanced degrees (38.8%) ( P = .032). There was also a significant difference between races regarding their interest in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Blacks were much more likely to answer very strongly against receiving the vaccine (60.9%) compared to Caucasians (22.1%) and Hispanics (30.4%) ( P <.001). The most reported barrier to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine was concern for side effects. Conclusion: This study provides a glimpse into possible correlations between vaccine hesitancy and epidemiologic factors as well as patient-reported barriers to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. With widespread vaccination underway, it is imperative that we learn about and address concerns about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to ensure community protection against this serious life-threatening infectious disease.
Understanding the Extent of Polypharmacy and its Association With Health Service Utilization Among Persons With Cancer and Multimorbidity: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Dean Tamara , Koné Anna , Martin Lynn , Armstrong Joshua , Sirois Caroline
Published: July 2022

Background: Cancer often co-occurs with other chronic conditions, which may result in polypharmacy. Polypharmacy is associated with adverse outcomes, including increased health service utilization. Objectives: This study examines the overall prevalence of polypharmacy (5 or more medications) among adults with cancer and multimorbidity, as well as the association of both minor polypharmacy (5-9 medications) and hyper-polypharmacy (10 or more medications) on high use of emergency room visits and hospitalizations, while controlling for age, sex, and type and stage of cancer. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study used linked health administrative databases and included persons 18 years and older diagnosed with cancer between April 2010 and March 2013 in Ontario, Canada. Data on the number of health service utilizations at or above the 90th percentile (high users), was collected up to March 2014 and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the impact of polypharmacy. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy was 46% prior to cancer diagnosis, and 57% one year after diagnosis. Polypharmacy prior to and after cancer diagnosis increased with the level of multimorbidity, increasing age, but did not differ by sex. It was also highest in persons with lung cancer (52.4%) and those diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (51.3%). Minor polypharmacy increased the odds of being a high user of emergency rooms (1.16; 99% CI: 1.09-1.24) and hospitalizations (1.03; 0.98-1.09) and the odds of high use was greater with hyper-polypharmacy (1.41; 1.33-1.51) and (1.23; 1.17-1.29) respectively. Conclusion: Polypharmacy is highly prevalent and is associated with high health service utilization among adults with cancer and multimorbidity