bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targets and overwork: Neoliberalism and the maximisation of profitability from the workplace
Authors: Telford Luke , Briggs Daniel
Published: June 2021

Drawing on 25 qualitative interviews, this paper attends to and critiques neoliberalism to demonstrate how management’s enforcement of targets and the expectancy to overwork in various workplaces corrodes the relationship between managers and employees. First, the paper briefly charts how the shift from post-war Keynesian welfare state capitalism to neoliberalism in the global north placed renewed emphasis on maximising profitability, and what this meant for working methods and innovations that managers now use to make an organisation more efficient. This is often regarded as ‘management practices’. It then connects management practices to the political economy and therefore sheds further empirical light on how management practices under neoliberalism impact adversely on workers, generating psychological distress, instability, pressure and a negative working environment. The paper closes with a discussion of how managers potentially perform an ideological function, directing workers’ attention away from neoliberalism and cementing capitalist realism; the negative ideological belief that there is no alternative to the current political economy.
Natural ingredients for a bacteria-free library collection
Authors: Lobo Antonette Mohan , Tikam Madhuri
Published: June 2021

Fumigation is widely used for getting rid of pests. This treatment makes use of chemicals. However, if repeated applications are not made, the insects and pests tend to breed again. This treatment also does not take care of the growth of microorganisms that feed on organic substances. India has a warm and humid climate that encourages the growth of microorganisms. Indian tradition makes use of various herbs and spices to preserve reading materials. This study was therefore undertaken to view the effect of locally available herbs and spices on paper. Experiments were carried out in a college laboratory. This was done with the objective of studying the inhibitory action of neem, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and a mixture of all of these herbs and spices.
Critical State Model of Sand-Tire Derived Aggregate Mixtures Based on Triaxial Tests
Authors: Foriero Adolfo , Ghafari Nima
Published: June 2021

This study is part of an environmental experimental program on the use of scrap automobile tires for geotechnical applications. Different types of laboratory tests were conducted to determine the elastic, plastic, and creep parameters of tire derived aggregate (TDA)-sand granulated mixtures. However, this paper emphasizes the plasticity parameters via the development of a critical state model based on the results of triaxial tests. This was attained by considering loose sand specimens, at a predetermined TDA volumetric content, subject to three different confining pressures under a constant axial displacement rate. The calculated deviatoric stress versus axial strain curves, obtained via the modified Cam Clay model, captured the non-linear elastoplastic response obtained in the tests. Results indicated that the level of the shear strength is highly dependent on critical state friction angle which in turn depends on the TDA content. For the loose TDA-sand mixtures used in the present study, the effect of the TDA content demonstrates a reinforcement of the sand matrix. However this reinforcement diminishes as the TDA content increases.
Animal Safekeeping in Situations of Intimate Partner Violence: Experiences of Human Service and Animal Welfare Professionals
Authors: Giesbrecht Crystal J.
Published: June 2021

Although knowledge of the link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and animal maltreatment has increased significantly in recent years, few studies have examined service providers’ experiences with IPV and concurrent animal abuse, as well as animal safekeeping in situations of IPV. The present study documented human service and animal welfare service providers’ experiences supporting victims/survivors of IPV, who owned pets and livestock, and included service providers in rural and northern communities in Saskatchewan. Online surveys were completed by 128 human service professionals (including domestic violence shelter workers, domestic violence counsellors, victim services workers, police, and legal professionals) and 43 animal welfare professionals (including workers from animal rescues, humane societies, Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [SPCAs], and veterinary clinics) ( n = 171). Respondents shared information relating to their awareness of the link; their experiences responding in situations of IPV and concurrent animal abuse, including arranging animal safekeeping in situations of IPV; and successes and challenges related to effective service provision. Results include descriptions of intersecting risks to people and animals. Service providers shared ways that they have assisted victims/survivors who own animals, such as through animal safekeeping programs. Both human service and animal welfare professionals expressed the need for pet-friendly domestic violence shelters and pet-friendly long-term housing options. Service providers offered recommendations for improving education and training; improving provision of services of victims/survivors of IPV and their animals, including improving access to Emergency Intervention Orders and establishing funding for animal safekeeping in situations of IPV; and strengthening existing and building new partnerships.
Quantification of thermal energy generation in annular hyperbolic porous-finned heat sinks using inverse optimization
Authors: Pal Sagnik , Das Ranjan
Published: June 2021

The present paper introduces an accurate numerical procedure to assess the internal thermal energy generation in an annular porous-finned heat sink from the sole assessment of surface temperature profile using the golden section search technique. All possible heat transfer modes and temperature dependence of all thermal parameters are accounted for in the present nonlinear model. At first, the direct problem is numerically solved using the Runge–Kutta method, whereas for predicting the prevailing heat generation within a given generalized fin domain an inverse method is used with the aid of the golden section search technique. After simplifications, the proposed scheme is credibly verified with other methodologies reported in the existing literature. Numerical predictions are performed under different levels of Gaussian noise from which accurate reconstructions are observed for measurement error up to 20%. The sensitivity study deciphers that the surface temperature field in itself is a strong function of the surface porosity, and the same is controlled through a joint trade-off among heat generation and other thermo-geometrical parameters. The present results acquired from the golden section search technique-assisted inverse method are proposed to be suitable for designing effective and robust porous fin heat sinks in order to deliver safe and enhanced heat transfer along with significant weight reduction with respect to the conventionally used systems. The present inverse estimation technique is proposed to be robust as it can be easily tailored to analyse all possible geometries manufactured from any material in a more accurate manner by taking into account all feasible heat transfer modes.
Disseminated nocardiosis involving the central nervous system in the context of newly diagnosed HIV infection: A case report
Authors: Liu Yuan , Hu Zhiliang , Wei Hongxia , Chen Yaling , Cheng Cong , Chi Yun
Published: June 2021

Background: A newly diagnosed HIV patient with tuberculosis-like symptoms was confirmed with disseminated nocardiosis involving the central nervous system (CNS). This case report provides novel insights into the diagnosis and treatment of nocardiosis. Case presentation: A 44-year-old male newly diagnosed HIV patient presented on March 20, 2017, with the major symptoms of fever and headache. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest showed a mass in the lower lobe of the right lung. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple abnormal signals and ring enhancement. Blood culture suggested the presence of mycobacteria and positive acid-fast staining, and the strain was identified as Nocardia. He was administered an anti-infective therapeutic regimen consisting of cefotaxime sodium and sulbactam sodium (2.25 g, qid, iv), linezolid (0.6 g, bid, iv), moxifloxacin (0.4 g, qd, iv), sulfamethoxazole (1.44 g, qid, per os), and amikacin (0.4 g, qd, iv). After treatment, fever and skin nodules resolved, and reexamination by chest CT and brain MRI suggested improvement compared with the pretreatment situation. Conclusions: At present, there are few reports of disseminated Nocardia infection involving the CNS in HIV patients in China. This case report will help to enhance the understanding of disseminated Nocardia infection. In the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment, Nocardia may be initially misdiagnosed as disseminated TB. In the present case, tuberculosis-like symptoms actually corresponded to disseminated nocardiosis involving the CNS.
Coping With Health Threats: The Costs and Benefits of Managing Emotions
Authors: Smith Angela M. , Willroth Emily C. , Gatchpazian Arasteh , Shallcross Amanda J. , Feinberg Matthew , Ford Brett Q.
Published: June 2021

How people respond to health threats can influence their own health and, when people are facing communal risks, even their community’s health. We propose that people commonly respond to health threats by managing their emotions with cognitive strategies such as reappraisal, which can reduce fear and protect mental health. However, because fear can also motivate health behaviors, reducing fear may also jeopardize health behaviors. In two diverse U.S. samples ( N = 1,241) tracked across 3 months, sequential and cross-lagged panel mediation models indicated that reappraisal predicted lower fear about an ongoing health threat (COVID-19) and, in turn, better mental health but fewer recommended physical health behaviors. This trade-off was not inevitable, however: The use of reappraisal to increase socially oriented positive emotions predicted better mental health without jeopardizing physical health behaviors. Examining the costs and benefits of how people cope with health threats is essential for promoting better health outcomes for individuals and communities.
Mechanical properties and dimensional stability of jute/VER-isocyanate hybrid matrix composites
Authors: Singh Richa , Singh B , Gupta M , Singh VK
Published: June 2021

Some composites of alkali treated jute fibers and vinylester-isocyanate/urethane hybrid resin were fabricated. The mechanical, thermo-mechanical, fractographic and aging behavior of these composites were studied and compared with the parent vinylester resin (VER) matrix composites. Using hybrid resin matrix, the impact strength of jute composites was increased by ∼20% over the VER matrix composites. It was, however, accompanied by the marginal improvement in their tensile and flexural properties. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed increased storage modulus and broadened tan δ peak when VER-isocyanate hybrid resin was used as a matrix material compared with the parent VER matrix in jute composites showing its superior stiffness and flexibility. In humid environment, a decrease in the weight gain and swelling thickness was observed for VER-isocyanate hybrid matrix jute composites after 60 days exposure when compared with the parent VER matrix composites. Under accelerated water aging, the drop of 12–24% in the tensile strength was noticed for VER-isocyanate hybrid matrix jute composites as compared to ∼29% for VER matrix composites. The changes in the mechanical response of all composites can be well co-related with their fractographic evidences existed onto the tensile fracture surfaces in both dry and wet conditions.
Sight Beyond Sight: A Conceptual Exploration of the ‘Gaze’ in Facilitating Simulations
Authors: Naweed Anjum , Leigh Elyssebeth
Published: June 2021

Background:

This article connects disparate components in simulation. The central component is that facilitators manage simulations as learning contexts. The second concerns a perception of simulations as safe containers, implying the existence of impermeable barriers between simulation and dangers of reality. However, when stepping into the facilitation space, facilitators encounter a third component—the gaze. A concept from critical theory and psychoanalysis, this refers to acts of seeing and being seen, of/by themselves and others, and can engender heightened awareness as facilitators see themselves from the focal point of multiple lens, and within a container that may not be so impermeable.

Aim:

To increase understanding of simulation skills and development options for facilitators, we explore these components using: a) novice to expert progression; b) power relationships; and c) the body memory as key factors which may influence the intensity and direction of awareness.

Method:

A narrative-based analysis of literature examines instances where awareness of self, and/or others influences how facilitators operate within simulations.

Results:

Aware that simulations create uncertainties, facilitators may experience greater anxiety than those managing non-facilitation settings. They must navigate participants through emergent conditions wherein the unexpected can conspire to render safe containers permeable, and alter participants’ expectations. Increased understanding of the impact of gaze may enable facilitators to respond flexibly to unanticipated developments.

Conclusions:

Understanding the impacts of the gaze within and beyond a simulation may enable facilitators to prepare internally—and perform externally. A conceptual framework is developed to assist facilitators reflect and identify applications.
A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Managing Grief Experienced by Bereaved Spouses or Partners of Adults Who Had Received Palliative Care
Authors: Jones K. , Methley A. , Boyle G. , Garcia R. , Vseteckova J.
Published: June 2021

This systematic review investigated the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for managing grief experienced by bereaved spouses or partners of adults who had received palliative care. Systematic searches were undertaken on seven bibliographic databases and grey literature was also searched. The review was informed by the use of the PICO framework and PRISMA-P guidelines. Initially 30 relevant papers were identified, but only two international studies met the criteria for inclusion. One was a qualitative, doctoral study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis; the other, a randomized controlled trial comparing ACT with usual psychosocial support. These studies showed some evidence of benefit for bereaved individuals, particularly by promoting the acceptance of troubling emotions. However, this type of therapy may be more effective in reducing psychological distress rather than grief. Further research is needed into the value of ACT in addressing grief following bereavement.
A strain-based fatigue damage model for naturally fractured marble subjected to freeze-thaw and uniaxial cyclic loads
Authors: Wang Y , Zhang B , Li B , Li CH
Published: June 2021

The naturally fractured rock in the open pit slope is susceptible to irreversible damage caused by fatigue loads related to freeze-thaw weathering, blasting vibration, earthquakes and tramcar traffic. To ensure the safety of rock mass and reveal how natural fracture affects the damage modelling characteristics is of great concern. Hence, this work aims at investigating the fatigue damage evolution of rock from volumetric deformation caused by F-T and cyclic loads. The rock structural deterioration and damage accumulation were investigated as well as the stimulated natural fracture pattern. Results show the frost heaving force acted on natural fracture results in the rock volumetric changes. The damage variable expressed by volumetric strain presents a linear relationship with freeze-thaw cycles. In addition, the axial, lateral and volumetric strain of marble exposed to cyclic loads present a two-stage pattern, they first increase quickly and then get to steady and last for a long time. A new fatigue damage model was established by considering the freeze-thaw damage and mechanical damage simultaneously. The proposed coupling damage model can well describe rock damage accumulation. Moreover, the CT images further reveal the influence of the natural fracture on rock volumetric deformation and the final damage accumulation. It is suggested that the opening-mode natural fractures contribute a lot to rock freeze-thaw deformation and fatigue deformation.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Colorectal Cancer—The Role of Cellular Pathology
Authors: Bateman Adrian C.
Published: June 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy with a worldwide distribution. Despite bowel cancer screening programmes, the management of patients with metastatic disease is still an important and challenging problem. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is a well-established treatment in several cancers, eg, malignant melanoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma and is used in metastatic disease. The principle of this treatment is to use monoclonal antibodies to block the immune tolerance that commonly develops to tumor cells, therefore allowing host T-cell immunity to recognise and lyse cancer cells. The cellular receptors most commonly targeted by ICI therapy are cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 and the programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 system. This review provides a scientific background to current ICI therapy and discusses the factors that predict response to this treatment. This is followed by a description of the emerging evidence for the use of ICI therapy in CRC and the utility of cellular pathology in stratifying patients for this treatment, especially when the systemic disease is present.
Pitfalls in Pathology—Nodular Hyperplasia of Bartholin's Gland
Authors: Bilek Melissa , Barrett Theodore , Casey Stephanie , Heller Debra S.
Published: June 2021

Nodular hyperplasia of the Bartholin's gland is an underreported and extremely rare entity that presents as a solid lesion potentially raising concern for malignancy clinically, most solid lesions at this location are carcinomas. They may also be mistaken for a Bartholin cyst clinically. Nodular hyperplasia is rarer than carcinoma of the Bartholin gland, and hence pathologists may not be familiar with this entity, making it a pitfall in pathologic as well as a clinical diagnosis. Here we report a case originally considered a Bartholin cyst, but raising intraoperative concern due to solid elements. Histological examination of the lesion revealed nodular hyperplasia of Bartholin's gland. Recognition of this entity is important, as it is something that may be encountered by the pathologist.
Debunking Misinformation About Genetically Modified Food Safety on Social Media: Can Heuristic Cues Mitigate Biased Assimilation?
Authors: Wang Yuan
Published: June 2021

Focusing on debunking misinformation about genetically modified (GM) food safety in a social media context, this study examines whether source cues and social endorsement cues interact with individuals’ preexisting beliefs about GM food safety in influencing misinformation correction effectiveness. Using an experimental design, this study finds that providing corrective messages can effectively counteract the influence of misinformation, especially when the message is from an expert source and receives high social endorsements. Participants evaluate misinformation and corrective messages in a biased way that confirms their preexisting beliefs about GM food safety. However, their initial misperceptions can be reduced when receiving corrective messages.
Association of Black Women’s Perceptions of the Sex Ratio to Their Attitudes Toward and Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Vanterpool Karen B. , Yarber William L. , Rosenberg Molly , Mowatt Rasul A. , Garcia Justin R.
Published: June 2021

This study explores how perceptions of the availability of male dating partners (sex ratio) affect heterosexual Black women’s tolerance and experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV). Evolutionary behavioral models suggest that when the sex ratio is high (more available men than women), violence against women is more likely to occur, whereas the Guttentag–Secord model suggests that when there is a surplus of men, violence against women is less likely to occur. Testing these theories, results show perception of a high sex ratio was significantly positively associated with experiences of IPV in the past 12 months and more tolerant attitudes toward IPV.
Does the Shortage of Marriageable Women Induce the Trafficking of Women for Forced Marriage? Evidence From China
Authors: Xiong Wanru
Published: June 2021

This article examines whether a shortage of marriageable women induces trafficking of women for forced marriage in China as commonly expected. I assemble a data set of 1,215 transactions of women for forced marriage from 2010–2018 using court documents. My analysis suggests that the trafficking of women is not a direct consequence of the local shortage of marriageable women. The fundamental causes are entrenched patriarchal values as indicated by a high local sex ratio at birth, sex-specific internal migration, and the marriage squeeze endured by socially marginalized men in the context of a shortage of women in the population.
Duncan Dowson’s impact on industrial tribology
Authors: Taylor Robert I.
Published: June 2021

Professor Duncan Dowson had close connections with industry throughout his academic career, and viewed industrial tribological challenges as problems to be solved and as a source of new ideas. Professor Dowson’s famous work on a numerical solution for the lubrication of an elastohydrodynamic line contact, with professor Higginson, was motivated by the need to better understand gear lubrication. These first calculations took 18 months to complete(!), and simpler correlation functions fitted to numerical simulations were developed to enable tribologists in academia and industry to apply elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory without the need for full scale models. Industrial partners such as Shell supplied high-pressure fluid properties required for the elastohydrodynamic calculations (such as the pressure coefficient of viscosity and the way in which lubricant density varies with pressure). Professor Dowson also famously served on the Jost Committee, which quantified, for the first time, the financial impact of tribology, and highlighted that investments in good tribological practices would pay for themselves many times over. It should be remembered that in setting up the Jost Committee, the UK Government specifically asked the committee ‘ to investigate the state of lubrication education and research and to establish the requirements of industry in this regard’. Personal memories of the significant collaborations that I was involved with, as an industrial research scientist, with Leeds University from the mid-1990s to around 2013, which predominantly focused on piston ring tribology are also included as is a brief discussion of the Leeds-Lyon Symposia on Tribology.
Examining the Airbnb accommodation experience in Hangzhou through the lens of the Experience Economy Model
Authors: Bao Yafang , Ma Emily , La Liqing , Xu Feifei , Huang Leijun
Published: June 2021

Customers choosing Airbnb over a traditional hotel are looking for a different experience. Despite the popularity of Airbnb in China, little research has been devoted to examining customers’ perception and experience with this nascent form of accommodation. Through the lens of the expanded Experience Economy Model, and based on 7606 customer comments for 294 listed Airbnb accommodations in Hangzhou, China, this study explored eight aspects of customer experience—namely, entertainment, education, esthetics, escapism, interaction, home-feeling, tangible-sensorial and localness—regarding Airbnb experiences in China. Findings of this study suggested that although all eight aspects were present, there is in general a lack of entertainment and escapist experience in Airbnb accommodations in Hangzhou, suggesting meaningful directions that Airbnb accommodations need to work on. The study contributes to customer experience literature, particularly to the Experience Economy Model and also has important empirical significance.
Ethnic Stereotypes in the Central Highlands of Vietnam: Minority Students’ Perspectives
Authors: Nguyen Trang Thi Thuy
Published: June 2021

This study examines ethnic stereotypes toward majority and minority people in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. It contributes a more multidimensional perspective on ethnic stereotypes by exploring minority students’ perspectives on how their ethnic group stereotypes Kinh majority people and how they are being stereotyped by the Kinh. Status and solidarity are used as the theoretical lens to gain insights into different stereotype traits and the social meanings underlying the stereotypes. Interviews with eight students in a college in the Central Highlands, which were carried out in 2013, are the main data source. Findings reveal that the students highly appreciated Kinh people’s status-related traits and minority people’s solidarity-related traits. The stereotypes functioned as maintaining the social status quo – where the Kinh justified their position and advantages, while the minorities tended to accept the perceived social status hierarchies. Implications for diminishing negative stereotypes, improving minorities’ existing status, fostering trust-based cross-ethnic contact, and inspiring mutual respect among people of all ethnicities, are hence suggested.
Starting with the archive: principles for prospective collaborative research
Authors: Thomson Rachel , Berriman Liam
Published: June 2021

What are participants and researchers agreeing to when they consent to having data archived and what do they imagine the future life of their data to be? In this paper, we reflect on a project that deliberately started rather than ended with the archive. The Everyday Childhoods project invited children and their families to take part in the creation of an open access public archive documenting everyday childhoods using a range of multimedia data. Families and researchers were invited into the archive, encouraged to imagine different kinds of secondary use and to speak directly to future user of their data through short films and postcards. This paper raises questions concerning the place of the archive in different disciplinary traditions; the roles of researcher and archivist in safekeeping, gatekeeping and caring for data collections; and the place of qualitative longitudinal research as a site of innovation within a new data landscape.
Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation: A Pictorial Review of Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Hoang Van Trung , Van Hoang Anh Thi , Trinh Cong Thao , Pham Ngoc Trinh Thi , Huynh Chinh , Ha To Nguyen , Huynh Phuong Hai , Nguyen Hoang Quan , Vo Uyen Giao , Nguyen Thanh Thao
Published: June 2021

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (UAVM) is a rare condition and is classified as either congenital or acquired UAVM. Patients with UAVMs usually experience miscarriages or recurrent menorrhagia. Ultrasound is used for the initial estimation of UAVMs. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are noninvasive and valuable methods that provide good compatibility with digital subtraction angiography to support the diagnosis and treatment of UAVM. Timely diagnosis is crucial to provide appropriate treatment for alleviating complications. This article presents a pictorial and literature review of the current evidence of the diagnosis and management of UAVM.
A Pseudocoarctation of the Aorta With a Left Subclavian Artery Aneurysm, A Case Report and A Review of the Literature
Authors: Arıkan Ali Ahmet , Omay Oğuz , Çakır Özgür , Cesur Sevim , Çardaközü Tülay , Durmaz Ayşegül , Küçük Burhan , Kanko Muhip
Published: June 2021

Here we present a 47-year-old male diagnosed with a pseudocoarctation of the aorta and a funnel-like subclavian artery aneurysm with a large orifice and severe aortic valve insufficiency. The patient underwent a two-stage repair for both pathologies. After an aortic valve replacement, postcardiotomy pericardial effusion occurred and was medically managed. Six months later, the patient underwent a distal arcus aorta and subclavian artery replacement with a left posterolateral thoracotomy as the second stage. Due to the strict adhesions, pulmonary veins were not cannulated and an extracorporeal bypass between the pulmonary artery and femoral artery was used for distal body perfusion. The coincidence of subclavian aneurysms and a pseudocoarctation of the aorta is rare and a literature review was performed to identify treatment options for this pathology.
LVIS-within-enterprise double-stent procedure without coiling beneficial as treatment of unruptured vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms
Authors: Choi Hyun Ho , Cho Young Dae , Yoo Dong Hyun , Kang Hyun-Seung , Han Moon Hee
Published: June 2021

Stenting of vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms (VADAs) may promote mural apposition of intimal flaps, preserving the patency of injured vessels. Moreover, stent deployment may serve to alter intra-aneurysm flow, inducing saccular thrombus formation, neointimal development, and remodeling of injured vessels. Although an overlapping multistent strategy with coiling has proven successful in this setting, yielding good anatomic and clinical outcomes, coiling may be technically infeasible in some VADAs with unfavorably configured circumferential elevations. Herein, we describe three patients with VADAs for whom coiling was deemed technically problematic. Each underwent double stenting (LVIS within Enterprise), without coil insertion, using local anesthesia. Conventional angiographic follow-up regularly disclosed excellent saccular occlusion and subsequent remodeling of stented arteries. LVIS-within-Enterprise double stenting may be of particular benefit in patients with VADAs, the Enterprise providing outer support to minimize stent bulging (as a fusiform aneurysm) as the inner LVIS reinforces flow diversion.
Identification of key genes and pathways involved in abdominal aortic aneurysm initiation and progression
Authors: Su Zhixiang , Gu Yongquan
Published: June 2021

Objective

The study aimed to assess the gene expression profile of biopsies obtained from the neck of human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and the main site of AAA dilatation and to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the development of AAA.

Methods

The microarray profile of GSE47472 and GSE57691 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The GSE47472 was a microarray dataset of tissues from the aortic neck of AAA patients versus normal controls. The GSE57691 was a microarray dataset including the tissues from main site of AAA dilatation versus normal controls. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were chosen using the R package and annotated by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomics (KEGG). The hub genes were identified in the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network.

Results

342 upregulated DEGs and 949 downregulated DEGs were obtained from GSE47472. The upregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in biological regulation (ontology: BP), the membrane (ontology: CC), and protein binding (ontology: MF), and the downregulated genes were mainly enriched in biological regulation (ontology: BP), the membrane (ontology: CC), and protein blinding (ontology: MF). In the KEGG enrichment analysis, the DEGs mainly involved glycosaminoglycan degradation, vasopressin-regulated water reabsorption, and pyruvate metabolism. The hub genes in GSE47472 mainly include VAMP8, PTPRC, DYNLL1, RPL38, RPS4X, HNRNPA1, PRMT1, TGOLN2, PA2G4, and CUL2. From GSE57691, 248 upregulated DEGs and 1120 downregulated DEGs were selected. The upregulated DEGs of GSE57691 were mainly enriched in biological regulation (ontology: BP), the membrane (ontology: CC), and protein binding (ontology: MF), and the downregulated genes were mainly enriched in metabolic process (ontology: BP), the membrane (ontology: CC), and protein blinding (ontology: MF). In the KEGG enrichment analysis, the DEGs mainly involved the mitochondrial respiratory, respiratory chain complex, and respiratory chain. RPS15A, RPS5, RPL23, RPL27A, RPS24, RPL35A, RPS4X, RPL7, RPS25, and RPL21 were identified as the hub genes .

Conclusion

At the early stage of AAA, the current study indicated the importance of glycosaminoglycan degradation and anaerobic metabolism. We also identified several hub genes closely related to AAA ( VAMP8, PTPRC, DYNLL1, etc. ). At the progression of the AAA, the dysfunctional mitochondria played a critical role in AAA formation and the RPS15A, RPS5, RPL23, etc., were identified as the hub genes.
A prototype characterization of ExoFinger, a finger exoskeleton
Authors: Ceccarelli Marco , Morales-Cruz Cuauhtemoc
Published: June 2021

This article presents an experimental characterization of ExoFinger, a finger exoskeleton for finger motion assistance. The exoskeletal device is analyzed in experimental lab activities that have been conducted with different users to characterize the operation performance and to demonstrate the adaptability of the proposed device. The behavior of this device is characterized in detail using sensors to measure finger motion and power consumption. Sensor measures also demonstrate the given motion assistance performance in terms of an electrical finger response and finger temperature by resulting in an efficient solution with a large motion range of a finger in assistance of recovering finger motion.
Up to five-week delay in primary repair of Zone 2 flexor tendon injuries: outcomes and complications
Authors: Munz Giovanni , Poggetti Andrea , Cenci Luca , Rizzo Anna Rosa , Biondi Marco , Pfanner Sandra
Published: June 2021

We report the outcomes of delayed primary repair of flexor tendons in Zone 2 in 31 fingers and thumb (28 patients) averaging 15 days (range 4–37) after injury in 2020. The delay was longer than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tendons were repaired with a 6-strand core suture (M-Tang method) or a double Tsuge suture and a peripheral suture. This was followed by an early, partial-range, active flexion exercise programme. Adhesions in four digits required tenolysis. These patients were not with longest delay. Outcomes of two improved after tenolysis. The other two patients declined further surgery. One finger flexor tendon ruptured in early active motion. This was re-repaired, and final outcome was good. Overall excellent and good results using the Tang criteria were in 27 out of 31 fingers and thumbs (87%). The time elapsed between the injury and surgery is not an important risk factor for a good outcome, rather it depends on proper surgical methods, the surgeon's experience and early mobilization, properly applied. Adhesions may occur, but they can be managed with tenolysis.

Level of evidence: IV
Open Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus With Bone Grafting and Particulated Juvenile Cartilage Allografting
Authors: Dasari Suhas P. , Langer Thomas M. , Parshall Derek , Law Brian
Published: June 2021

Background:

Large cystic osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) are challenging pathological conditions to treat, but particulated juvenile cartilage allografts (PJCAs) supplemented with bone grafts are a promising therapeutic option. The purpose of this project was to further elucidate the role of PJCA with concomitant bone autografts for treating large cystic OLTs with extensive subchondral bone involvement (greater than 150 mm2 in area and/or deeper than 5 mm).

Methods:

We identified 6 patients with a mean OLT area of 307.2 ± 252.4 mm2 and a mean lesion depth of 10.85 ± 6.10 mm who underwent DeNovo PJCA with bone autografting between 2013 and 2017. Postoperative outcomes were assessed with radiographs, Foot and Ankle Outcome Scores (FAOS), and visual pain scale scores.

Results:

At final follow-up (27.0 ± 12.59 weeks), all patients had symptomatic improvement and incorporation of the graft on radiographs. At an average of 62 ± 20.88 months postoperatively, no patients required a revision surgery. All patients contacted by phone in 2018 and 2020 reported they would do the procedure again in retrospect and reported an improvement in their symptoms relative to their preoperative state, especially with pain and in the FAOS activities of daily living subsection (91.93 ± 9.04 in 2018, 74.63 ± 26.86 in 2020).

Conclusion:

PJCA with concomitant bone autograft is a viable treatment option for patients with large cystic OLTs.

Levels of Evidence:

Level IV
Early Results of a Novel Intramedullary Fixation Device for Proximal Fifth Metatarsal Fractures
Authors: Umbel Benjamin D. , Sharpe B. Dale , Hockman Taylor , Philbin Terrence M.
Published: June 2021

Background

Proximal fifth metatarsal fractures are commonly treated surgically due to their poor healing capacity. While intramedullary screws may be the most popular operative treatment choice, newer fixation methods continue to develop. We present a case series utilizing a novel intramedullary fixation device for proximal fifth metatarsal fractures. To our knowledge, no other study in the literature has assessed the safety and efficacy of this fixation method.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed for 16 patients with proximal fifth metatarsal fractures who underwent fixation with the same novel intramedullary device. Patient charts were reviewed for fracture union, plantar fracture gapping, time to weight-bearing, refracture, perioperative complications, and secondary surgeries.

Results

Sixteen patients with an average age of 43.3 years underwent fixation with this novel device from 2015 to 2020. Mean follow-up was 32.4 weeks. Fifteen of the 16 patients achieved radiographic union at a mean of 8.9 weeks. One patient suffered a nonunion. Mean time to full weight-bearing in, and out of, a walking boot was 6.4 and 9.8 weeks, respectively, for healed fractures. Mean plantar fracture gap improved from 1.22 mm to 0.88 mm following surgery. There were zero infections, refractures, or hardware complications. Three patients suffered iatrogenic fracture during implant insertion.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first report of early results for this novel intramedullary device. Excellent union rates, acceptable time to weight-bearing, and a low complication profile can be achieved. Based on our findings, we propose a safe and effective treatment option for proximal fifth metatarsal fractures.

Levels of Evidence

Level IV: Clinical case series
Conservative Treatment of the Fifth Metatarsal Bone Fractures in Professional Football Players Using Platelet-Rich Plasma
Authors: Bezuglov Eduard , Zholinsky Andrey , Chernov Gleb , Khaitin Vladimir , Goncharov Evgeniy , Waśkiewicz Zbigniew , Barskova Ekaterina , Lazarev Artemii
Published: June 2021

Injuries of the metatarsal bones in football are relatively rare and in most cases are localized in the fifth metatarsal. The gold standard of the diagnosis of fractures in this area can be X-rays, which in most cases allows verifying the diagnosis. The treatment tactics depend on the localization of the fracture according to Lawrence and Botte’s classification: 3 zones of localization are distinguished. Fractures located in zones 2 and 3 belong to a high-risk group due to delayed consolidation and nonunion and therefore athletes are most often treated with osteosynthesis using intramedullary screws. The minimal recovery time for this type of treatment is at least 8 weeks. This report describes 7 cases of the fifth metatarsal bone fractures, located in zones 2 and 3 in professional football players who were treated with an immobilization boot, cryotherapy, nutritional supplements of calcium and vitamin D, and local injections of platelet-rich plasma, which contains numerous growth factors. The deadline for returning to regular training activities was 43 to 50 days, and there was no relapse of damage within 6 months of follow-up.

Levels of Evidence: Level of evidence 4: case report study
The emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern
Authors: Sanyaolu Adekunle , Okorie Chuku , Marinkovic Aleksandra , Haider Nafees , Abbasi Abu Fahad , Jaferi Urooj , Prakash Stephanie , Balendra Vyshnavy
Published: June 2021

Since emerging from Wuhan, China, in December of 2019, the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been causing devastating severe respiratory infections in humans worldwide. With the disease spreading faster than the medical community could contain it, death tolls increased at an alarming rate worldwide, causing the World Health Organization to officially sanction the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as a pandemic, leading to a state of worldwide lockdown for the majority of the year 2020. There have been reports of new strains of the virus emerging in various parts of the world, with some strains displaying even greater infectivity and transmissibility. Areas of the emerging variant of concern arise from countries like the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, and India. These mutations carry a lineage from N501Y, D614G, N439K, Y453F, and others, which are globally dominated by clades 20A, 20B, and 20C. This literature review intends to identify and report SARS-CoV-2 variants that are currently evolving and their disease implications.
Why it is so hard to lose weight? An exploration of patients’ and dietitians’ perspectives by means of thematic analysis
Authors: Poraj-Weder Magdalena , Wąsowicz Grażyna , Pasternak Aneta
Published: June 2021

The present paper is aimed at understanding the importance of motivation (perceived qualitatively) in ensuring the success of the dietary change process. This study expands on previous research by confronting the perspective of persons dieting to lose weight with the perspective of professionals providing support (dietitians). We interviewed 13 respondents (six patients, seven dietitians) and performed a thematic analysis. The study’s results show that understanding motivational mechanisms is a prerequisite for a consistent narrative in the patient–dietitian dyad. The research results could help in developing effective dietary interventions that could facilitate effective and permanent dietary change.
The Association Between Women Empowerment and Emotional Violence in Zimbabwe: A Cluster Analysis Approach
Authors: Bengesai Annah Vimbai , Derera Evelyn
Published: June 2021

This study examined the relationship between women’s empowerment and different dimensions of emotional violence in Zimbabwe using cluster analysis and logistic regression. We used data from the 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative household study of fertility, health, and mortality indicators among women aged 15 to 49 years. Our sample consisted of 2,966 currently partnered women at the time of the survey. Our results revealed that more than 60% of the women had experienced emotional intimate partner violence (IPV), of which controlling behaviors were the most prevalent form. The results showed that women empowerment in Zimbabwe is primarily characterized by economic empowerment, household bargaining power, and freedom of movement. At the same time, educational attainment, health decision-making, and attitudes toward gender-based violence had expected relatively weak empowerment effects. The results also revealed that economically empowered women were less likely to experience denigrating or threatening behaviors, whereas those who had high levels of freedom of movement had a lower risk of experiencing all forms of emotional IPV except for threatening behavior. These findings suggest that emotional IPV is a considerable societal problem in Zimbabwe, and interventions that increase economic empowerment and freedom of movement may reduce the risk. Future research studies may examine the likelihood of reverse causality between women empowerment and emotional IPV.
Effects of Receiving Genetic Ancestry Results on Emerging Adults’ Ethnic-Racial Identity Affirmation
Authors: Williams Chelsea D. , Smith Tricia , Adkins Amy , Walker Chloe J. , Santana Arlenis , Lozada Fantasy T. , Su Jinni , Dick Danielle M.
Published: June 2021

Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) is associated with adaptive outcomes in emerging adulthood, but more research is needed on factors that may inform ERI, such as receiving one’s genetic ancestry results. The current study examined changes in ERI using a pre-test post-test design in which 116 emerging adults 18–25 years were randomly assigned to either receiving their genetic ancestry results before the post-test (the testing condition) or after post-test (the control condition). We also tested whether ethnicity/race and gender moderated these associations. Findings indicated that male students of color (SOC) in the testing condition experienced an increase in ERI affirmation from pre-test to post-test, and male SOC in the control condition experienced a decrease in ERI affirmation from pre-test to post-test. There were no significant differences in ERI affirmation change between students in the testing condition and control condition for female SOC, White males, or White females.
The Impact of an Educational Program on Medical Students’ Knowledge and Awareness of Elder Abuse
Authors: West Abbie , Cawley Cara , Crow Elizabeth , Stoner Alexis M. , Fadel Natalie M. , Ford-Scales Kristi , Cheng Ning
Published: June 2021

Objective:

Approximately 1 in 6 adults 60 and older have experienced a form of abuse in the past year. Many cases remain under-reported due to lack of knowledge and awareness. This study created an educational program on elder abuse for medical students to determine if participation would increase knowledge and awareness of elder abuse.

Methods:

This study used a pre and post survey methodology to evaluate students’ knowledge and awareness of elder abuse before and after participating in this educational program. Sixty first and second year osteopathic medical students at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas Campus participated in this study. Students were emailed a pre-survey to evaluate their pre-existing knowledge and awareness. The survey was, previously created by the Student Training on Preventing Domestic Violence (STOP-DV) team using validated measures. Participants then attended educational events about various forms of elder abuse and recognizing its associated signs, and afterward completed the post-survey. The results were compared using t-tests to determine if there was a significant difference.

Results:

First and second year students differed significantly in pre-survey results of knowledge but not post-survey results. The results showed a significant difference in overall mean knowledge ( P-value < .001) and awareness scores ( P-value < .001) in all students.

Conclusion:

These results suggest education on elder abuse can enable future physicians to better recognize, understand, and support older adults regarding elder maltreatment.