bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Healthcare service use patterns among autistic adults: A systematic review with narrative synthesis
Authors: Gilmore Daniel , Krantz Morgan , Weaver Lindy , Hand Brittany N
Published: December 2021

Autistic adults often experience barriers to healthcare that can cause their healthcare service use to be unique from other populations. We conducted a systematic review to gather the most recent evidence about how often autistic adults use five important healthcare services (the emergency department, hospitalization, outpatient mental health, preventive services, and primary care) compared to populations of non-autistic adults. We searched six electronic research databases for articles. Our search strategy identified N = 2964 unique articles. Ultimately, we included N = 16 articles in our review. Most included studies (N = 13) were high-quality level 3a studies that compared autistic adults’ service use to a non-autistic population comparison group (N = 11), and examined emergency department use (N = 12). Autistic adults most often had equal or higher use of services than population comparison groups across all healthcare services we examined. Although autistic adults had greater use of primary care and preventive services than comparison groups, frequent emergency department visits and hospitalizations may reflect that these services are not adequately meeting autistic adults’ needs. Future research should identify targets for improving autistic adults’ access to and use of primary care and preventive services, which may ultimately reduce frequent use of the emergency department and hospitalizations.

Lay abstract

Autistic adults often have complex healthcare needs due to factors like having other health conditions, sensory sensitivities, and limited access to healthcare providers who are trained to provide care for them. All these factors may influence the healthcare services that autistic adults use. In this review, we searched six electronic research databases to gather the most recent evidence about how often autistic adults use five important healthcare services (the emergency department, hospitalization, outpatient mental health, preventive services, and primary care) compared to populations of non-autistic adults. A total of 16 articles were ultimately included in this review. Most articles found that autistic adults had equal or higher use of healthcare services than non-autistic adults. Autistic adults frequently used the emergency department and hospital. This may indicate that routine outpatient care in the community is not meeting their needs. Our findings show the importance of improving care at this level for autistic adults to reduce overuse of the emergency department (in this article referred to as ED) and hospital.
Barriers and facilitators to discussing parent mental health within child health care: Perspectives of parents raising a child with congenital heart disease
Authors: Franklin Melanie K , Karpyn Allison , Christofferson Jennifer , McWhorter Linda G , C Demianczyk Abigail , L Brosig Cheryl , A Jackson Emily , Lihn Stacey , C Zyblewski Sinai , E Kazak Anne , Sood Erica
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to discussing parent mental health within child health care for parents of children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Seventy-nine parents of young children with CHD who received care across 40 hospitals in the United States responded to questions about barriers and facilitators to discussing their mental health with their child’s health care providers. Responses were analyzed using qualitative research methods. Parents described multiple barriers: (1) belief that parent mental health support was outside the care team’s scope of practice, (2) perceived expectation to “stay strong,” (3) fear of negative judgment or repercussion, (4) individual preferences for communication/support, (5) desire to maintain care resources on their child, (6) perceived need to compartmentalize emotions, and (7) negative reactions to past emotional disclosure. Parents also described several facilitators: (1) confidence in the care team’s ability to provide support, (2) intentional efforts by the care team to provide support, (3) naturally extroverted tendencies, and (4) developing personal connections with health care providers. It is important that health care providers normalize the impact of child illness on the family and create an environment in which parents feel comfortable discussing mental health challenges.
Impact of psychological contract breach on police corruption in Nigeria: The moderating role of emotion regulation strategies
Authors: Balogun Anthony G , Ayodele Israel Oluwatosin , Olowodunoye Stella A , Ogundijo Kehinde
Published: December 2021

Using insight from social exchange and conservation of resources theories, the present study address the void in the literature on the relationship between psychological contract breach (PCB) and police corruption, and investigates the moderating role of emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) in the relationship. Data were collected from 391 (198 male and 193 female) police personnel in various police divisions in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. The results of moderated hierarchical regression analysis showed that PCB ( β = .17, p < .05) and expressive suppression ( β = .22, p < .01) were positively related to police corruption. However, cognitive reappraisal ( β = −.26, p < .05) was negatively associated with police corruption. Finally, whereas cognitive reappraisal ( β = −.10, p < .05) buffers the positive relationship between PCB and police corruption, expressive suppression exacerbates this relationship ( β  =  .19 , p < .01). These findings suggest the need for cognitive reappraisal training for police personnel.
Moral proximity and the territorial imperative
Authors: Lenard Patti Tamara
Published: December 2021

In The Shifting Border, Ayelet Shachar offers us two concrete proposals for combatting the danger posed by the shifting border, especially to those crossing borders in search of safety. One proposal suggests that human rights travel with migrants, so that agents who control the border must take responsibility for protecting their human rights at the border. A second proposal, which forms the basis of my commentary below, asks that states consider alternative ways for migrants to seek protection safely. In responding to this second proposal, I make two proposals of my own that stem from Shachar's analysis: (1) her analysis offers us the resources we need in order to expand, not only the channels available to migrants for seeking protection, but also our sense of who should be involved in controlling admission, and (2) expanding the “who” that is involved in admission gives meaning to the concept of “moral proximity” which can help to overcome the territorial imperative that dominates the rules governing international migration, i.e., the imperative that protection travels with physical access to territory, only.
Making everyday meanings visible: Investigating the use of multimodal map texts to articulate young children’s perspectives
Authors: Gowers Sophia Jane
Published: December 2021

The use of multimodal approaches to articulate young children’s perspectives are evident in a wide range of recent research. This paper explores the creation of multimodal map-texts as a strategy to engage with young children and articulate their perspectives. It describes the development of a flexible map-based approach that was used in home, early years and community settings with children aged 4 to 5 years in England. Illustrative examples are included in which children represented and shared their views on the image-based texts they encountered within their everyday lives through the creation of a multimodal map-text. In this approach to research, children are viewed as competent message creators whose engagements encompass a range of modes and media. Consideration was given to young children’s multimodal meaning-making practices throughout the act of mapping, as well as the resulting text. Taking this approach revealed knowledge, perspectives and contextual information which may otherwise have been overlooked. The paper concludes by identifying the contribution that children’s map-texts can make when building a picture of young children’s experiences, and appraises the advantages and limitations of map-making as a strategy for engaging with young children in research.
Use of Mobile-Based Application for Collection of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Ben-Ali Walid , Lamarche Yoan , Carrier Michel , Demers Philippe , Bouchard Denis , El-Hamamsy Ismail , Cartier Raymond , Pellerin Michel , Perrault Louis P.
Published: December 2021

Objective

Application-based (app) technology has been studied for patient engagement and collecting patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in several surgical specialties with limited research in cardiac surgery. The aim of study was to determine the effectiveness of app-based technology for collecting PROs, improving the patient experience, and reducing health services utilization in a cardiac surgery center.

Methods

Patients accessed an interactive app via smartphones. Patients were guided from 4 weeks preoperative to 4 weeks postoperative via reminders, tasks, PRO surveys, and evidence-based education. In the postoperative period, patients were engaged with daily health surveys to track warning signs and recovery milestones. Based on the patient's signs and symptoms, the app escalated lower risk issues to self-care education or higher risk issues to the care team (e.g., phone call to a nurse).

Results

Sixty-six percent of patients (730 of 1,108) activated their app account. Two hundred seventy-seven patients completed an end-of-program feedback survey, with 94% of patients recommending the app and 98% of patients finding the app was helpful in recovery. Patients also reported using the app to avoid unnecessary health services utilization, with 45% of patients using the app to avoid at least 1 phone call and 28% of patients using the app to avoid at least 1 hospital visit.

Conclusions

App-based technology for patient engagement is an effective modality to enhance the patient experience, better understand the trajectory of recovery, and reduce unnecessary health services utilization in cardiac surgery.
How We Perform a David Procedure With an Upper Hemisternotomy Approach
Authors: Shah Vishal N. , Kilcoyne Maxwell F. , Buckley Meghan , Orlov Oleg I. , Sicouri Serge , Plestis Konstadinos A.
Published: December 2021

Objective

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure) is the technique of choice in appropriately selected patients with aortic root aneurysms. These procedures are seldom performed in a minimally invasive fashion. We describe our systematic approach to the David procedure using an upper hemisternotomy (UHS). Methods: Our method involves a J-type UHS exiting the right third or fourth intercostal space. Ascending aortic and femoral venous cannulation are performed using the Seldinger technique under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. Between August 2005 and August 2014, 27 patients underwent an isolated elective David procedure using a full sternotomy (FS). Sixteen underwent an isolated elective UHS David procedure from May 2015 to February 2019. Perioperative safety outcomes were compared between the 2 cohorts. Results: The UHS and FS David cohorts were primarily male (87.5% and 85.2%, respectively) and 51 and 50 years old on average, respectively. Custodiol-histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate cardioplegia (93.8% vs 37.0%, P < 0.001) and Cor-Knot (100% vs 0%, P < 0.001) were used significantly more in the UHS David cohort. There were no significant differences in cardiopulmonary bypass (200 [183–208] vs 212 [183–223] min, P = 0.309) and aortic cross-clamp (169 [155–179] vs 188 [155–199] min, P = 0.128) times in the UHS and FS cohorts. There were no instances of hospital or 30-day mortality in either cohort. Intensive care unit and hospital stays were comparable between the 2 cohorts. Conclusions: The David procedure via UHS is a safe and reproducible technique for aortic root replacement.
Hormesis Meetings at the Royal Palace
Authors: Wetzker Reinhard
Published: December 2021

This commentary describes the origin and the main results of experimental work on adaptive stress responses at the university town Jena in Germany. These cooperative research activities exemplify the heuristic power of the hormesis phenomenon.
Memory politics in the future tense: Exceptionalism, race, and insurrection in America
Authors: Szpunar Piotr M
Published: December 2021

The grounding myth of American collective memory is built on the idea of America as a promise, what it shall be. Crises place futures in doubt. Against these two considerations, this article examines how the future can be used to shape the past. In the American context, the future as a general promise is invoked in times of crisis to reassure a nation by way of laundering difficult pasts so as to fit a narrative of progress in spite of the continued presence and recursive nature of these pasts. In the immediate wake of the 2021 Capitol Insurrection, another crisis (itself a harbinger of crises to come), the 2000 Bush v Gore decision, was rewritten as an exemplar of American exceptionalism rather than a stain on it. Beyond displaying the intricate relationship between future and past in collective memory, the case highlights how this operation only works to further neglect the racism and unresolved pasts entrenched in the myth of exceptionalism that motivated the Capitol Riot.
Texas, monuments, toward a politics of self-reckoning
Authors: Hite Katherine
Published: December 2021

In this article, I examine the efforts of a group of anti-Confederate monument activists in Williamson County, Texas. The article begins with the history of the monument itself, 100 years before the activists initiated their efforts. The intransigence to removing the Confederate monument is symbolic of white resistance to struggles for racial equality more broadly. Second, I discuss how the local legal impasse has contributed to distinct anti-monument activist strategies that deploy counternarratives and memories, from performances, to challenging narrative claims regarding who is more patriotic. Finally, I explore the politics of self-reckoning—the process by which white people find that they have to answer for racism deep within themselves as well as in relation to violent white supremacy and the legal and institutional fortress that protects whiteness generally. Battling both racists and racist institutions is hard and lengthy, and monument activism persistently exposes what is at stake.
States of conception: Renegotiating the mnemonic order amid crisis
Authors: Whigham Kerry
Published: December 2021

A memory breach is an action, statement, or sociopolitical crisis that calls into dispute the mnemonic order, which is defined as an underlying orientation toward the past that serves to justify the political order and social order within a society. Following a memory breach, the society enters a “state of conception.” Related to the “state of exception” commonly associated with political crisis, the state of conception is a liminal space that follows a memory breach in which a society reexamines the mnemonic order. This article examines three recent memory breaches in Argentina, Germany, and the United States. By comparing three different breaches, each with different outcomes, it offers a framework for understanding memory breaches and the states of conception that they produce.
When does an epidemic become a ‘crisis’? Analogies between Covid-19 and HIV/AIDS in American public memory
Authors: Catlin Jonathon
Published: December 2021

This article critically interrogates historical analogies made between the Covid-19 pandemic and HIV/AIDS epidemic in American public discourse, highlighting the role of cultural memory and normative frameworks of ‘crisis’ and its temporalities in shaping collective responses. It situates the Covid-19 pandemic in a multidirectional mnemonic frame by analysing borrowings from other usable pasts, particularly the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, which in turn drew upon memory of the Holocaust. A reading of Susan Sontag’s ‘The Way We Live Now’ affirms the value of multidirectional cultural borrowing while also revealing its limits. Notably, the ever-growing AIDS Memorial Quilt may serve as a model for memorializing victims of Covid-19. While analogies between pandemics may be comforting or mobilizing, their meaning must remain open to contestation and also preserve particularities and differences. The history of HIV/AIDS centres the question, ‘crisis for whom?’ and cautions against prematurely declaring the ‘end’ of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Democratizing memory and the question of Black difference in Brazil (ca. 1980–1988): The transformation of the Serra da Barriga (Alagoas), from haunted “Black territory” to national memorial in the transition between dictatorship and democracy
Authors: Herrmann Moritz Peter
Published: December 2021

By voiding the previous social pact, including the predominant conception of racial integration, the Brazilian military regime (1964–1985) created the conditions for a radical understanding of Black difference, which found its leading motif in the memory of the Quilombo of Palmares, a historical community of rebel slaves. A new Black movement understood its cultural and historical experience as containing a utopian legacy, an alternative for a Brazil marked by racism and inequality. To overcome its problems of legitimation, the regime set into motion a process of gradual democratization. The need to symbolically and culturally accomplish this transition created an institutional breach for the memory politics of the Black movement. In this context, the inclusion of the Serra da Barriga, a site of the war against Palmares, into national cultural heritage became the testing grounds for novel politics of culture that changed both the understanding of Brazilian nationhood and Black difference, as represented in the memory of Palmares.
Contemporary pregnancy outcomes for women with moderate and severe congenital heart disease
Authors: Kops Samantha A , Strah Danielle D , Andrews Jennifer , Klewer Scott E , Seckeler Michael D
Published: December 2021

Background

Women with congenital heart disease (CHD) are surviving into adulthood, with more undergoing pregnancy.

Methods

Retrospective review of the Vizient database from 2017–2019 for women 15–44 years old with moderate, severe or no CHD and vaginal delivery or caesarean section. Demographics, hospital outcomes and costs were compared.

Results

There were 2,469,117 admissions: 2,467,589 with no CHD, 1277 with moderate and 251 with severe CHD. Both CHD groups were younger than no CHD, there were fewer white race/ethnicity in the no CHD group and more women with Medicare in both CHD groups compared to no CHD. With increasing CHD severity there was an increase in length of stay, ICU admission rates and costs. There were also higher rates of complications, mortality and caesarean section in the CHD groups.

Conclusion

Pregnant women with CHD have more problematic pregnancies and understanding this impact is important to improve management and decrease healthcare utilization.
Ageing of climbing ropes with and without hydrophobic coating
Authors: Sedláček Daniel , Roso Martina , Viel Leano , Perotto Nicola , Caven Barnaby , Hasler Michael , Nachbauer Werner
Published: December 2021

The effects of 4 months of weather exposure on the ageing of dynamic climbing ropes made of polyamide 6 were studied and differences between ropes with and without hydrophobic coating were examined. The polyamide degradation of the rope yarns was studied using infrared spectroscopy and a quasi-static tensile test. The number of falls to failure and the maximum force on the climber in a fall were evaluated with a drop test according to the UIAA 101 standard. Moreover, changes in the length of the ropes due to weathering were measured. The following results were found. After 4 months of weathering, sheath yarns of the coated rope showed a greater decrease in breaking force than those of the uncoated rope, which might be due to reactions of polyamide with radicals formed during the photo-induced oxidation of the coating. In contrast, the core yarns from the uncoated rope showed a greater decrease in breaking force than those from the coated rope, probably due to prolonged exposure of the uncoated core to water with possibly dissolved atmospheric acids. Furthermore, the decrease in the number of falls to failure was greater in the uncoated than in the coated rope. This difference was explained by a mechanism of changes in radial pressure of the sheath on the core. Regarding the maximum force on the climber, no significant changes due to ageing were observed during the drop test. Thus, it was concluded that 4 months of weather exposure do not pose a safety risk for climbing ropes, but the negative effect of coating on the ageing of polyamide might be detrimental when it comes to static personal safety equipment, such as slings or accessory cords.
Prevalence and associated factors of soil transmitted helminthiasis among school-age children in wetland and non-wetland areas of Blue Nile Basins, northwest Ethiopia: A community-based comparative study
Authors: Genet Almaw , Motbainor Achenef , Samuel Tsion , Azage Muluken
Published: December 2021

Introduction:

Different interventions have been done to reduce the burden of soil-transmitted helminths (STH). The available evidences in Ethiopia in either school or community-based school-aged children (SAC) have limitation in wetland areas. This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of STH infection among SAC in wetland and non-wetland areas of Blue Nile Basins, Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia.

Method:

A community-based comparative study was conducted from October to November, 2019. Multistage stratified random sampling technique used to select 716 SAC. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and observational checklist. Stool samples were collected from children using tight-fitting plastic cups following the standard procedures. Data were coded and entered into Epi data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 20 software. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with STH.

Results:

The overall prevalence of STH was 30.30% (95% CI: 26.90, 33.90) and did not show significant variation between wetland (33.60% (95% CI: 28.80, 39.60%)) and non-wetland (27.0% (95% CI: (21.90, 31.60)) areas. Presence of human feces near the house and certain habits such as nail trimming and playing with mud/soil was not different between wetland and non-wetlands. Nonetheless, the presence of human feces near the house of respondents was found to be significantly associated with STH infection (p value < 0.001). Moreover, other factors significantly associated with STH infection were lack of nail trimming (p value < 0.001) and playing with mud/soil (p value < 0.01).

Conclusions:

The prevalence of STH was high and did not show significant variation between the two areas. Emphasis needs to be given for hygiene and lifestyle-related factors.
Depression Symptoms are Linked to Music Use
Authors: Kanagala Sai Charan , Schäfer Thomas , Greenberg David M. , Gabińska Anna
Published: December 2021

People across cultures often use music to evoke positive emotions and moods. Yet, some people tend to employ maladaptive strategies such as rumination, avoidant coping, or social isolation when they listen to music. The present research investigated how strongly maladaptive musical engagement is linked with depression and trait affect in a sample of 1415 Indians (17–65 years) across four cities and two countries. Participants completed a battery of assessments on trait affect, depression, adaptive and maladaptive musical engagement strategies, music preferences, and music skills. 1329 participants were included for analysis. All nine symptoms ( r = .16, to .30) and the sum score of depression ( r = .39), as well as trait negative affect ( r = .36) were correlated with maladaptive music engagement. Six of the symptoms of depression were significant predictors of maladaptive music engagement. Among those, suicidal ideation, worthlessness, and fatigue were the most important. Maladaptive music engagement increased the odds of experiencing all the depression symptoms ( OR = 1.04 to 1.14). Trait positive affect ( r = .29) and having music as a hobby ( r = .22) correlated with adaptive music engagement. Musicians who had been playing an instrument for six years and above had lower levels of maladaptive music engagement ( d = .84). Furthermore, the results show that depression symptoms might have a bidirectional relationship with maladaptive music engagement, with suicidal thoughts being the most important symptom. The current study also validated the Healthy-Unhealthy Music Scale (HUMS; Saarikallio et al., 2015 ) in India and provides a cut-off score based on the sensitivity (.86) and specificity (.66) in identifying people at risk for depression. Overall, the results reveal that socio-demographic factors (age, gender, relationship status, occupation status, geographical location), psychological factors (trait affect, depressive symptoms), and music skills play an important role in engaging with music.
Why Do Citizens Engage With the TikTok Accounts of Public Hospitals in China?
Authors: Zhang Wei , Mei Jie , Song Weifang , Evans Richard , Xiang Yaqian
Published: December 2021

Chinese public hospitals have increased usage of TikTok to communicate with citizens on health-related matters. This study aims to investigate the engagement of citizens with the official TikTok accounts of public hospitals, and identify the major characters of the videos with the highest public engagement level, as well as underlying factors that make them successful. A comprehensive search on TikTok, a video-sharing social networking service, was completed to identify all official accounts of public hospitals in Mainland China. Data was collected from 40 public hospitals with the top 100 TikTok videos being identified for content analysis. The majority of them were created by public hospitals located in the Central and Western regions of China. The common features of the top 100 identified videos include: low message sensation value and short video length, and are typically accompanied by background music, subtitles, and an introduction at the beginning of the video. The most frequently viewed video type is film clips which are used to disseminate knowledge of diseases and promote healthcare professionals. Health communication via the official TikTok accounts of public hospitals in China offers significant potential. Hospitals are encouraged to engage citizens in health-related conversations to build their credibility and professional image online. Among the popular short-videos, the message sensation value is not largely connected to video popularity, while the content of videos seems more important. This requires skills in video creation or procurement, and editing, while rhetoric should be cautiously applied. The content of videos should provide education and positive energy.
Marriage, Quarrels, and Lovemaking
Authors: Da Silva Sergio , Cordeiro Werley
Published: December 2021

The frequency of lovemaking minus the frequency of quarrels is claimed to predict marital stability. Here, we set up a family economics model using insights from evolutionary psychology to ground this ad hoc formula.

JEL Classifications: D10, D91, J12
Use of an Individualized Development Plan to Identify Career Development Needs in Prospective Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellows
Authors: Cheah Jonathan W. , Cabell Grant H. , Bonazza Nicholas A. , Taylor Dean C.
Published: December 2021

Background:

Mentorship is a key aspect of leadership development for orthopaedic surgeons, but there are few formalized mentorship programs in medical training. The individualized development plan (IDP) is a tool that potentially improves mentorship opportunities through identifying specific competency deficiencies and facilitating communication with mentors.

Purpose:

To assess the views of prospective orthopaedic surgery sports medicine fellows on the skills necessary for career development and the utility of an IDP for longitudinal career mentorship during a sports medicine fellowship.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

Candidates who interviewed for an orthopaedic surgery sports medicine fellowship voluntarily completed an anonymous IDP as well as a survey to assess their perceptions of the IDP tool to define their career goals and its use for longitudinal mentorship. The IDP included quantitative and qualitative responses for the self-assessment of multiple skill domains (general research, teaching, professional, interpersonal, leadership, and management) using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = needs improvement, 5 = highly proficient). Quantitative results were analyzed using analysis of variance and Student t test.

Results:

A total of 25 candidates completed the IDP and survey. The mean ± standard deviation composite score of all skill domains was 3.62 ± 0.91. The candidates’ greatest deficit was in grant writing (2.28 ± 0.94; P < .01), while their greatest strength was getting along with others (4.52 ± 0.65; P < .01). Candidates identified, as short-term goals, obtaining a fellowship training position, completion of research/academic projects, and improvement of surgical skills; their common long-term goals included having a role in an academic institution, professional society, and/or research and innovation environment. The majority of participants agreed that the IDP is a valuable tool to characterize career and personal goals (74%) and facilitate longitudinal fellowship mentorship (83.3%).

Conclusion:

The majority of candidates valued the IDP for their short- and long-term goals. Program implementation of an IDP could be beneficial in allowing trainees to effectively identify areas of weakness and strengths while facilitating efficient communication of these needs to mentors.
The Generational Boundaries of Educational Advantage: Does Great-Grandparent Educational Attainment Predict Great-Grandchild Early Academic Achievement?
Authors: Evans Megan , Daw Jonathan , Gaddis S. Michael
Published: December 2021

It remains unclear how far back the intergenerational transmission of educational advantage operates because most inquiries are limited to two or three generations. In this study, the authors use four generations of family data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to examine the association of great-grandparents’ educational attainment with their great-grandchildren’s early academic achievement, net of intervening generations’ educational attainments. The authors find that the relationship between great-grandparent educational attainment and great-grandchild early academic achievement is nonlinear, modest, and accounted for entirely by the educational attainment of intervening generations and great-grandchild demographic characteristics. Thus, for early academic achievement, the direct transmission of intergenerational educational advantage is limited to three generations in these data.
Support for Paid Family Leave among Small Employers Increases during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Bartel Ann P. , Rossin-Slater Maya , Ruhm Christopher J. , Slopen Meredith , Waldfogel Jane
Published: December 2021

The United States is one of the few countries that does not guarantee paid family leave (PFL) to workers. Proposals for PFL legislation are often met with opposition from employer organizations, which fear disruptions to business, especially among small employers. But there are limited data on employers’ views. The authors surveyed firms with 10 to 99 employees in New York and New Jersey on their attitudes toward PFL programs before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. There was high support for state PFL programs in 2019 that rose substantially over the course of the pandemic: by the fall of 2020, almost 70 percent of firms were supportive. Increases in support were larger among firms that had employees using PFL, suggesting that experience with PFL led to employers becoming more supportive. Thus, concerns about negative impacts on small employers should not impede efforts to expand PFL at the state or federal level.
战国陶文研究综述
Authors: 志彪 汤
Published: December 2021

学者们对陶文的研究可追溯到清代。不过，随着其他出土材料的不断增加，学界对陶文的重视程度始终不及其他古文字资料。事实上，与青铜器、简帛、玺印等相比起来，陶器几乎是所有阶层的人们均需要使用的器物，也是最常见的器物。而在此类器物上的文字，则是先秦人类日常生活和社会现实的最真实反映。其数量也应该是目前出土材料中最多的。如此大宗的材料，其所蕴含着的价值与其他材料是一样的，也就是说，陶文对于研究中国古代文字形体及其演变、用字情况、政治制度、职官制度、地理沿革、历史事实、姓氏状况、思想文化等问题均有重要价值。可见，战国陶文当可看作一个整体的类别进行专门研究。
Neutrophil cathepsin G proteolysis of protease-activated receptor 4 generates a novel, functional tethered ligand
Authors: Stoller Michelle L. , Basak Indranil , Denorme Frederik , Rowley Jesse W. , Alsobrooks James , Parsawar Krishna , Nieman Marvin T. , Yost Christian Con , Hamilton Justin R. , Bray Paul F. , Campbell Robert A.
Published: December 2021

Platelet-neutrophil interactions regulate ischemic vascular injury. Platelets are activated by serine proteases that cleave protease-activated receptor (PAR) amino termini, resulting in an activating tethered ligand. Neutrophils release cathepsin G (CatG) at sites of injury and inflammation, which activates PAR4 but not PAR1, although the molecular mechanism of CatG-induced PAR4 activation is unknown. We show that blockade of the canonical PAR4 thrombin cleavage site did not alter CatG-induced platelet aggregation, suggesting CatG cleaves a different site than thrombin. Mass spectrometry analysis using PAR4 N-terminus peptides revealed CatG cleavage at Ser67-Arg68. A synthetic peptide, RALLLGWVPTR, representing the tethered ligand resulting from CatG proteolyzed PAR4, induced PAR4-dependent calcium flux and greater platelet aggregation than the thrombin-generated GYPGQV peptide. Mutating PAR4 Ser67or Arg68 reduced CatG-induced calcium flux without affecting thrombin-induced calcium flux. Dog platelets, which contain a conserved CatG PAR4 Ser-Arg cleavage site, aggregated in response to human CatG and RALLLGWVPTR, while mouse (Ser-Gln) and rat (Ser-Glu) platelets were unresponsive. Thus, CatG amputates the PAR4 thrombin cleavage site by cleavage at Ser67-Arg68 and activates PAR4 by generating a new functional tethered ligand. These findings support PAR4 as an important CatG signaling receptor and suggest a novel therapeutic approach for blocking platelet-neutrophil-mediated pathophysiologies.
Long terminal repeats (LTR) and transcription factors regulate PHRE1 and PHRE2 activity in Moso bamboo under heat stress
Authors: Papolu Pradeep K. , Ramakrishnan Muthusamy , Wei Qiang , Vinod Kunnummal Kurungara , Zou Long-Hai , Yrjala Kim , Kalendar Ruslan , Zhou Mingbing
Published: December 2021

Background

LTR retrotransposons play a significant role in plant growth, genome evolution, and environmental stress response, but their regulatory response to heat stress remains unclear. We have investigated the activities of two LTR retrotransposons, PHRE1 and PHRE2, of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) in response to heat stress.

Results

The differential overexpression of PHRE1 and PHRE2 with or without CaMV35s promoter showed enhanced expression under heat stress in transgenic plants. The transcriptional activity studies showed an increase in transposition activity and copy number among moso bamboo wild type and Arabidopsis transgenic plants under heat stress. Comparison of promoter activity in transgenic plants indicated that 5’LTR promoter activity was higher than CaMV35s promoter. Additionally, yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) system and in planta biomolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay revealed interactions of heat-dependent transcription factors (TFs) with 5’LTR sequence and direct interactions of TFs with pol and gag.

Conclusions

Our results conclude that the 5’LTR acts as a promoter and could regulate the LTR retrotransposons in moso bamboo under heat stress.
Prognostic value of the SYNTAX score on myocardial injury and salvage in STEMI patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a single-center retrospective observational study
Authors: Gao Guangren , Feng Lianrong , Fu Jinguo , Li Yi , Huo Zhaoyang , Zhang Lei , Wang Lei , Niu Heping , Kang Liqing , Zhang Jun
Published: December 2021

Background

SYNTAX score (SS) was shown to positively correlate with postprocedural myocardial injury in patients after elective coronary artery intervention, but evidence about the association of SS with myocardial salvage in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients is still needed. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of SS for myocardial injury and salvage assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in STEMI patients.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study consecutively enrolled STEMI patients who had undergone primary PCI within 12 h from symptom onset. Both angiography and CMR were performed during hospitalization, and patients were divided into low SS (SS ≤ 22), mediate-high SS (SS > 22) groups. Correlation and multivariable analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 149 STEMI patients (96 low SS, 53 mediate-high SS) were included. In terms of myocardial injury parameters, there was a positive correlation (p < 0.001, Spearman r = 0.292) between SS and infarct size (IS), and a negative correlation (p < 0.001, Spearman r =  − 0.314) between SS and myocardial salvage index (MSI). In the multivariable model, SS (> 22 as categorical variable, OR = 2.245, 95% CI [1.002–5.053], p = 0.048; as continuous variable, OR = 1.053, 95% CI [1.014–1.095], p = 0.008) was significantly associated with high IS (≥ mean 35.43). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of SS for high IS and low MSI (≤ median 28.01) were 0.664 and 0.610.

Conclusions

In STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI, SYNTAX score positively correlated with infarct size and negatively with myocardial salvage, indicating an independent predictive value of the myocardial injury.
Characteristics of peripheral white blood cells in COVID-19 patients revealed by a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Tong Xunliang , Cheng Anqi , Yuan Xueting , Zhong Xuefeng , Wang He , Zhou Wei , Xu Xiaomao , Li Yanming
Published: December 2021

Background

Peripheral hematological changes in severe COVID-19 patients may reflect the immune response during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Characteristics of peripheral white blood cells as early signals were needed to be investigated for clarifying its associations with the fatal outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed and the hospitalized COVID-19 patients were recruited in wards of Sino-French New City Branch of Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Characteristics of peripheral white blood cells in survivors and non-survivors were analyzed. Comparison among patients with different level of eosinophils was performed.

Results

Of 198 patients included in this study, 185 were discharged and 13 died. Levels of eosinophils, lymphocytes and basophils in non-survivors were significantly lower than those in survivors. Death rate in low eosinophils group was higher and no patient died in normal eosinophils group (16.7% vs 0, P < 0.001). The proportion of patients in low eosinophils group who used glucocorticoids was higher than in normal eosinophils group, but glucocorticoids usage was not an indicator for death in subgroup analysis in low eosinophils patients. Moreover, positive correlation was found between the counts of lymphocytes and eosinophils in patients with glucocorticoids use but not in patients without the treatment.

Conclusions

Hematological changes differed between survivors and non-survivors with COVID-19. Lymphopenia and eosinopenia could be predictors for poor prognosis of COVID-19 patients. Initial counts of eosinophils may guide us in usage of glucocorticoids for COVID-19 treatment.
Number of doses of Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine applied in Brazil before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: da Silva Tércia Moreira Ribeiro , de Sá Ana Carolina Micheletti Gomide Nogu , Vieira Ed Wilson Rodrigues , Prates Elton Junio Sady , Beinner Mark Anthony , Matozinhos Fernanda Penido
Published: December 2021

Background

Due to the social isolation measures adopted in an attempt to mitigate the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, there has been a reduction in vaccination coverage of children and adolescents in several countries and regions of the world.

Objective

Analyze the number of doses of vaccine against Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) applied before and after the beginning of mitigation measures due to COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Methods

The data collected refer to the number of doses of the MMR vaccine applied monthly to the target population residing in Brazil: cahildren, aged 12 months (first dose) and children, aged 9 years (second dose), from April 2019 to December 2020. Differences in MMR vaccine doses from April 2019 to March 2020 (before the start of mitigation measures) and April 2020 to September 2020 (after the start of the mitigation measures) were evaluated. Spatial analysis identified clusters with a high percentage of reduction in the median of applied doses no Brazil.

Results

There was a reduction in the median of doses applied in the Regions North (− 33.03%), Northeast (− 43.49%) and South (− 39.01%) e nos Estados Acre (− 48.46%), Amazonas (− 28.96%), Roraima (− 61.91%), Paraíba (− 41.58%), Sergipe (− 47.52%), Rio de Janeiro (-59.31%) and Santa Catarina (− 49.32) (p < 0.05). High-high type spatial clusters (reduction between 34.00 and 90.00%) were formed in the five regions of Brazil (Moran’s I = 0.055; p = 0.01).

Conclusion

A reduction in the number of MMR vaccine doses was evidenced as a possible effect by the restrictive actions of COVID-19 in Brazil.
Liver fibrosis indices associated with substantial hematoma expansion in Chinese patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Huan , Wu Jiongxing , Yang Xue , Liu Junfeng , Tao Wendan , Hao Zilong , Wu Bo , Liu Ming , Zhang Shihong , Wang Deren
Published: December 2021

Background

Whether liver fibrosis is associated with increased risk for substantial hematoma expansion (HE) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is still uncertain. We evaluated the association between various liver fibrosis indices and substantial HE in a Chinese population with primary ICH.

Methods

Primary ICH patients admitted to West China Hospital within 24 h of onset between January 2015 and June 2018 were consecutively enrolled. Six liver fibrosis indices were calculated, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-platelet ratio index (APRI), AST/alanine aminotransferase ratio-platelet ratio index (AARPRI), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), modified fibrosis-4 (mFIB-4), fibrosis quotient (FibroQ) and Forns index. Substantial HE was defined as an increase of more than 33% or 6 mL from baseline ICH volume. The association of each fibrosis index with substantial HE was analyzed using binary logistic regression.

Results

Of 436 patients enrolled, about 85% showed largely normal results on standard hepatic assays and coagulation parameters. Substantial HE occurred in 115 (26.4%) patients. After adjustment, AARPRI (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.00-1.57) and FIB-4 (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.30) were independently associated with substantial HE in ICH patients within 24 h of onset, respectively. In ICH patients within 6 h of onset, each of the following indices was independently associated with substantial HE: APRI (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.30-5,36), AARPRI (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.21), FIB-4 (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.68), mFIB-4 (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.18), FibroQ (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00-1.16) and Forns index (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.10-1.69).

Conclusions

Liver fibrosis indices are independently associated with higher risk of substantial HE in Chinese patients with primary ICH, which suggesting that subclinical liver fibrosis could be routinely assessed in such patients to identify those at high risk of substantial HE.
Mirogabalin vs pregabalin for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Sugimoto Mitsuru , Takagi Tadayuki , Suzuki Rei , Konno Naoki , Asama Hiroyuki , Sato Yuki , Irie Hiroki , Okubo Yoshinori , Nakamura Jun , Takasumi Mika , Hashimoto Minami , Kato Tsunetaka , Kobashi Ryoichiro , Hikichi Takuto , Ohira Hiromasa
Published: December 2021

Background

The prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) has been improved by new chemotherapy regimens (combination of 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX) or gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP)). Unfortunately, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common adverse event of these two regimens. The efficacy of pregabalin for CIPN has been reported in previous studies. However, the efficacy of mirogabalin for CIPN remains unknown. Thus, in this study, we aimed to clarify which drug (mirogabalin or pregabalin) was more valuable for improving CIPN.

Methods

A total of 163 PC patients who underwent FOLFIRINOX or GnP between May 2014 and January 2021 were enrolled. Among them, 34 patients were diagnosed with CIPN. Thirteen patients were treated with mirogabalin (mirogabalin group), and twenty-one patients were treated with pregabalin (pregabalin group). Treatment efficacy was compared between the two groups.

Results

In both the mirogabalin group and the pregabalin group, the grade of patients with CIPN at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after the initiation of treatment showed significant improvement compared to the pretreatment grade. Notably, the rate of CIPN improvement was higher in the mirogabalin group than in the pregabalin group (2 weeks: 84.6% (11/13) vs 33.3% (7/21), P value = 0.005; 4 weeks, 6 weeks: 92.3% (12/13) vs 33.3% (7/21), P value = 0.001).

Conclusions

Although both mirogabalin and pregabalin were effective at improving CIPN, mirogabalin might be a suitable first choice for CIPN in PC patients.

Trial registration

Not applicable