bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current trends in penile cancer survivorship amongst remote patients and Aboriginal people in Western Australia
Authors: Ngweso Simeon , Nzenza Tatenda , McMillan Kevin , Sofield David , Lozinskiy Mikhail , Hayne Dickon
Published: December 2022

Background

Penile cancer is a rare urological malignancy, accounting for less than 1% of all cancers in males. Given its rarity, few studies exist reporting survival outcomes. The primary objective of this project was to review the mortality of patients diagnosed with penile cancer in Western Australia between 1992 and 2017 and to determine if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and patients in rural and remote regions experience discrepancies in survival outcomes.

Methods

All cases of penile cancer recorded within the Western Australia Cancer Registry between 1992 and 2017 were reviewed. Analysis was performed using chi‐squared test of association, binomial logistic regression and survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan Meier and Cox Regression analysis.

Results

One hundred eighty‐six cases of penile cancer were identified; 62 patients (33%) were from regional or remote locations and nine patients (4.8%) were Aboriginal. 13 of the regional or remote patients and 5 of the Aboriginal patients died from penile cancer. Patients who were Aboriginal (HR 6.512, CI 2.123–19.968; P = 0.001) or from regional or remote Western Australia (HR 2.382, CI 1.050–5.401; P = 0.038) were at an increased risk of penile cancer‐specific mortality.

Conclusions

Aboriginal people with penile cancer and men from regional and remote Western Australia experience worse penile cancer‐specific survival outcomes.
Sodium bicarbonate reverts electrophysiologic cardiotoxicity of ropivacaine faster than lipid emulsions in a porcine model
Authors: Zaballos Matilde , Fernández Ignacio , Melone Arturo , Rodríguez Lucía , Varela Olalla , García Sergio , Quintela Oscar , Vazquez Elena , Anadón María José , Almendral Jesús
Published: December 2022

Ropivacaine has been described as a safer local anaesthetic (LA); however, serious cardiotoxic accidents have been reported. Intravenous‐lipid‐emulsion (ILE) therapy during LA intoxication seems to act as an antidote. Sodium bicarbonate is the standard treatment for sodium channel blocker drug toxicity. We compared both antidotes on the reversion of electrophysiologic toxicity induced by ropivacaine. Ropivacaine 5 mg kg−1 was administered in 24 pigs, and 3 min later, the animals received ILE: 1.5 ml kg−1 + 0.25 ml kg−1 min−1 (ILE group); sodium bicarbonate: 2 mEq kg−1 + 1 mEq kg−1 h−1 (NaHCO3 group); saline solution (CTL group). Electrophysiological parameters were evaluated for 30 min. The area under the curve (AUC) for the first 5 or 30 min was compared between groups. Ropivacaine induced a lengthening of the PR interval by 17% (P = 0.0001), His‐ventricle‐interval by 58% (P = 0.001), sinus QRS complex by 56% (P = 0.0001), paced QRS at 150 bpm by 257% (P = 0.0001), and at 120 bpm by 143% (P = 0.0001) in all groups. At 5 min after treatment, sinus QRS in the NaHCO3 group was shorter than that in the CTL group (AUCQRS5, P = 0.003) or ILE group (AUCQRS5, P = 0.045). During the first minute, seven of the animals in the NaHCO3 group vs. two in the ILE or 0 in the CTL group recovered more than 30% of the sinus QRS previously lengthened by ropivacaine (P = 0.003). Sodium bicarbonate reversed the electrophysiological toxicity of ropivacaine faster than ILE and control groups.
The empty forest three decades later: Lessons and prospects
Authors: Bogoni Juliano A. , Percequillo Alexandre R. , Ferraz Katia M. P. M. B. , Peres Carlos A.
Published: December 2022

The “Empty Forest” paradigm published three decades ago inspired studies on biodiversity erosion. Evidence to date continues pessimistic regarding the fate of wildlife. This calls for a more proactive approach by several societal actors to realign systems of resource exploitation with the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Public expenditures and life satisfaction: Evidence from Turkey
Authors: Acar Ümİt , Tİrgİl Abdullah
Published: December 2022

Gross domestic product has been the primary development indicator for nearly a century and has played an important role in designing and evaluating public policies and comparing countries' development levels. On the other hand, the last two decades have seen a growing trend toward alternative well‐being indicators. One of these alternative indicators is life satisfaction. We study the relationship between public expenditures such as health, education, and recreation and people's life satisfaction. We employ the OLS and ordered probit models utilizing a large representative household survey with more than 196,000 observations from Turkey. Our findings indicate that health, education, and recreation expenditures are positively associated with individuals' life satisfaction. We also explore potential mechanisms underlying the significant effects of public expenditures on life satisfaction. These significant correlations may be driven by satisfaction with health services, educational services, and social life.
Caring masculinities in prison? Social workers and programs dealing with incarcerated fatherhood
Authors: Cannito Maddalena , Mercuri Eugenia
Published: December 2022

The article explores how fatherhood in prison is conceived and supported by policy intervention in Italy. Despite the fact that, in 2020, 96% of adults detained in Italian prisons were men and half of them had at least one child, fatherhood in prison, a gendered space and institution where masculinities are (re)produced, is an underdeveloped research topic. Adopting a caring masculinity perspective, we focus on incarcerated fatherhood to investigate if and how Italian social programs that deal with incarcerated parents target fathers and, if so, to what extent they promote caring masculinities. To this aim, we will combine an analysis of social programs for incarcerated fathers in Italy, almost entirely run by third sector organizations, with discursive interviews with educators, welfare workers, and third sector stakeholders who participated in the implementation of a project for incarcerated parents in a north Italian prison. The results of our analysis show that involved fatherhood is not only denied to incarcerated men; it is also not allowed in an institution, such as a prison, where domination is the keyword.
Becoming a secondary actor of one's own life: A qualitative study of the experiences of informal caregivers in the care of people with chronic pain
Authors: De Sola Helena , Failde Inmaculada , Estalella Itziar , Maquibar Amaia
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The physical limitations experienced by people with chronic pain (CP) produce a greater need for care and assistance, most of which is provided by an informal caregiver (IC). Despite the key role ICs play in the everyday lives of individuals living with CP, knowledge about their experiences and needs is limited. We aimed to address this limitation by exploring the experiences of IC of people with CP.

Methods

This is a qualitative descriptive study using semistructured interviews. Participants were 12 ICs purposively chosen from the Unit of Pain at the University Hospital in Cádiz. Individual interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed following thematic analysis.

Results

We developed one overarching theme ‘Becoming a secondary actor of one's own life’ and three themes: 1. Key elements that shape a caregiver's experiences; 2. It's the hand that life dealt me; 3. The burden of being a caregiver and coping strategies.

Conclusions

This study's findings highlight how the CP impacts IC lives. Being an IC for a relative with CP became the most important role in the IC's life, to the point of casting a shadow over their own needs. Besides, participants felt not having other options but to keep going with that role. Yet, the context was essential in shaping the experiences as caregivers and the burden derived from caregiving. In this line, differences related to gender roles were found in the narratives of participant women and men.

Patient or Public Contribution

Participants were purposively chosen from the Unit of Pain at the University Hospital ‘Puerta del Mar’ who attended the consultation accompanying their relatives. All the eligible participants were approached by the clinician. After this initial approach by the clinician, one of the researchers met the potential participant and they went to a quieter place in a clinical setting for the interview, before which the participant was shown a letter with more comprehensive information about the study and its aim. The participants were left alone to read and think carefully before giving their written informed consent. Participation was voluntary and the subjects received no financial contribution for their time.
Evaluation of the quality of YouTube™ videos about pit and fissure sealant applications
Authors: Erturk‐Avunduk Ayse Tugba , Delikan Ebru
Published: December 2022

Aim

To evaluate the content and quality of YouTube™️ videos about pit and fissure sealant application.

Methods

The keywords “fissure sealant” and “pit and fissure sealant” were used to search for YouTube™️ content, after the first 300 video results were evaluated. Considering the exclusion criteria, a final sample of 110 videos was obtained, which were analysed in terms of the number of views, duration in minutes, the number of subscribers, the total number of “likes” and “dislikes,” the number of comments, days elapsed since upload, the interaction index, and the viewing rate. Global Quality Scoring (GQS) index was also used as a second evaluation method and videos were classified according to the quality of information that it contained as follows: good, moderate, and poor.

Results

Most of the videos were uploaded by dentists/specialists. Among them, 14 videos had good quality, 63 were of moderate quality, and 33 were poor informative. The good‐quality videos had statistically significantly higher interaction index and viewing rates, and the majority of the videos had a GQS‐2 score. The viewing rate was positively correlated with duration and the number of views, “likes” and “dislikes,” comments, and subscribers.

Conclusion

There is considerable variability in the scientific accuracy and quality of health information on the Internet. While there are videos that provide sufficient health information, there are also videos that contain insufficient or even incorrect information. Dental care professionals should be aware of misinformation found on YouTube™️ and ensure that patients always have access to accurate and reliable information.
Does robotization affect job quality? Evidence from European regional labor markets
Authors: Antón José‐Ignacio , Fernández‐Macías Enrique , Winter‐Ebmer Rudolf
Published: December 2022

Whereas there are recent papers on the effect of robot adoption on employment and wages, there is no evidence on how robots affect non‐monetary working conditions. We explore the impact of robot adoption on several domains of non‐monetary working conditions in Europe over the period 1995–2005 combining information from the World Robotics Survey and the European Working Conditions Survey. In order to deal with the possible endogeneity of robot deployment, we employ an instrumental variables strategy, using the robot exposure by sector in other developed countries as an instrument. Our results indicate that robotization has a negative impact on the quality of work in the dimension of work intensity and no relevant impact on the domains of physical environment or skills and discretion.
Fabrication of biologically inspired electrospun collagen/silk fibroin/bioactive glass composited nanofibrous to accelerate the treatment efficiency of wound repair
Authors: Yang Minlie , Yu Shun , Zhao Peng , Shi Gaofeng , Guo Yun , Xie Longwei , Lyu Guozhong , Yu Junjie
Published: December 2022

A triple‐layer matrix Collagen/Silk fibroin/Bioactive glass composited Nanofibrous was fabricated by linking electrospinning and freeze‐drying systems, this typical three layered composite with a nanofibrous fragment as the key (top) layer, middle portion as inferior, and a spongy porous fragment as the third (bottom) deposit to develop the synergistic effect of composite materials resultant to physical and biological performances. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess the final material's physicochemical properties (SEM). The triple‐layer matrix had a nanofibrous and porous structure, which has qualities including high porosity, swelling, and stability, which are important in soft‐tissue engineering. NIH 3 T3 fibroblast and humanoid keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines were also used to investigate the matrix's in vitro biological and fluorescent capabilities, which showed excellent cell adherence and proliferation across the composite layers. The synergistic arrangement of nanofibrous substantial deposition onto collagenous with silk fibroin candidates has therefore proven effective in the construction of a tri‐layer matrix for skin‐tissue‐engineering applications.
Research trends on platelet‐rich plasma in the treatment of wounds during 2002–2021: A 20‐year bibliometric analysis
Authors: Lai Honghao , Chen Guangping , Zhang Wei , Wu Guosheng , Xia Zhaofan
Published: December 2022

Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) has attracted attention because of its potential to accelerate the wound healing process. However, resources for evaluating research trends in the treatment of wounds with PRP were limited. In this study, we aimed to make a bibliometric analysis of the literature related to PRP in the treatment of wounds and explore the research status, hotspots and frontiers in this field in recent 20 years. Studies about PRP treatment for wounds from 2002 to 2021 were retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI‐E) of Web of Science (WOS) database. Visualisation softwares such as VOSviewer and SCImago Graphica, and CiteSpace were used to analyse the research trends and features. A total of 1748 studies were identified in the SCI‐Expanded from 2002 to 2021. The number of publications on PRP in the treatment of wounds has shown an increasing trend, from 6 (in 2002) to 228 (in 2021). The papers published in the United States have led in times cited (14637) and H‐index (63). Though Italy was slightly lower than China in the number of publications, the H‐index and average cited (47, 28.45) were higher than that of China (38, 27.01). The strongest keyword was “fibrin” (strength = 13.07), and the longest burst duration keyword was “thrombin” (began in 2002 and ended in 2014). The largest 10 co‐citation clusters are as follows: endothelial cell proliferation (#0), regenerative medicine‐associated treatment (#1), diabetic wound healing (#2), autologous derived (#3), platelet‐rich fibrin (#4), tissue engineering (#5), regenerative potential (#6), clinical randomised trial (#7), histologic observation (#8), and wound bacteria (#9). The United States has made the most outstanding contribution in this field. Chinese researchers need to enhance the quality of publications further. Wound Repair Regen. is the most noteworthy journal. The mechanism of growth factors of PRP, combination therapy, preparation of PRP, and related clinical trials may be topics that need attention.
Synthesis of nanofibrous chitosan/Fe3O4/TiO2@TiO2 microspheres with enhanced biocompatibility and antibacterial property
Authors: Guo Ren , Rong Congcong , Chen Song , Zhang Jianan , Osaka Akiyoshi , Ikoma Toshiyuki , Li Xiaona , Chen Weiyi
Published: December 2022

Multifunctional materials have received considerable attention as they could integrate different functional components in one‐single platform. In this study, novel chitosan/Fe3O4/TiO2@TiO2 nanowire (NW) microspheres having extracellular matrix‐like fibrous surface and photothermal antibacterial property were synthesized through in situ hydrothermal growth of TiO2 NWs on chitosan/Fe3O4/TiO2 microspheres. It is found that the microspheres were spherical in morphology with a diameter of 100–300 µm and exhibited a hierarchical and nanofibrous feature. Their surface was mainly constructed by numerous TiO2 NWs with a diameter of 20– 30nm. In vitro biological evaluation indicates that the chitosan/Fe3O4/TiO2@TiO2 NW microspheres significantly enhanced attachment and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells compared with chitosan/Fe3O4/TiO2 nanocomposite microspheres due to the presence of nanofibrous surface. Moreover, the microspheres showed photothermal antibacterial property to inhibit the growth of bacteria due to the presence of Fe3O4 component.
Macroecological and biogeographical patterns of limb reduction in the world's skinks
Authors: Camaiti Marco , Evans Alistair R. , Hipsley Christy A. , Hutchinson Mark N. , Meiri Shai , de Oliveira Anderson Rodolfo , Slavenko Alex , Chapple David G.
Published: December 2022

Aim

Limb reduction is a dramatic evolutionary transition, yet whether it is achieved in similar trajectories across clades, and its environmental drivers, remain unclear. We investigate the macroevolutionary and biogeographical patterns of limb reduction in skinks, where limb reduction occurred more often than in any other tetrapod clade, and test their associations with substrate categories using a global database. We test for habitat associations of body shapes in a group of Australian skinks using quantitative habitat data.

Location

Global (Scincidae), Australia (Sphenomorphinae).

Taxon

Skinks, Australian Sphenomorphinae.

Materials and Methods

We use morphological data to explore the patterns of limb reduction in the world's skinks, investigating how body proportions differ across skink clades and subfamilies. We examine the relationships between body shape and substrate (coarsely classified). Further, we investigate the relationships between body shape and high‐resolution soil and climate properties extracted from each species' distribution for Australian sphenomorphines.

Results

Relationships between limb lengths and trunk elongation show idiosyncratic patterns across skink clades. Presacral vertebrae numbers positively correlate with trunk elongation in all taxa, except Glaphyromorphus. Skinks from sandy habitats show greater disparity between forelimb and hindlimb lengths than all other substrate categories. In sphenomorphines, shorter limbs and elongated trunks correlate with colder, more humid microhabitats and richer soils; high limb disparity correlates with hot, arid microhabitats and sandy, poor substrates.

Main Conclusions

The evolutionary trajectories of limb reduction in skinks are clade‐specific and sometimes unique. Selection for specific limb proportions and body sizes in limb‐reduced forms changes across substrates. On poor, sandy substrates of arid environments, body shapes with longer hindlimbs may be more efficient for locomotion in a granular fluid (i.e. sand) and exploit the air–substrate interface than complete limblessness. On richer, more humid substrates, such morphology is rare, indicating that navigating cluttered substrates selects for more equal and shorter limb lengths.
Microencapsulation of fruit juices: Techniques, properties, application of fruit powder
Authors: M Mahalakshmi , Meghwal Murlidhar
Published: December 2022

Fruits are rich in bioactive components that have many health benefits. However, they are unstable due to various environmental factors. Thus, the encapsulation technique appeared to be effective for sensitive bioactive compounds and targeted storage delivery systems. Various methods are used for the encapsulation of bioactive components. Drying is one of the methods used for encapsulating bioactive components in liquid form using suitable coating material discussed in the review. Freeze‐drying, spray drying, and spray cooling are the various encapsulation techniques used to convert fruit juices into powder. Spray drying is one of the commercially used encapsulation techniques for fruit juices in the food industry due to its low‐cost process. Freeze‐drying is the advantageous drying method used for encapsulating heat‐sensitive bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolics, and flavonoids present in fruit juices. Fruit powder has more benefits than it can be added to all foods formulated.

Practical Applications

This comprehensive review gives on fruit powder encapsulation will be useful in the understanding of techniques, and properties to consider for production. Microencapsulation helps in giving protection to fruit powder against various food processing applications by controlling the encapsulated structuring way, the time needed to release nutrients, and the dose of release. Microencapsulated fruit powder has demanded in the industry due to its application in various food formulations. This review article attempts to comprehensively summarize the different methods of encapsulation techniques, powder properties, and their application in foods.
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) or Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma from Shaking: Guidelines for Interventions During the Perinatal Period from the French National College Of Midwives
Authors: Laurent‐Vannier Anne
Published: December 2022

Shaken baby syndrome is the most severe head injury in children. Shaking is an extremely violent gesture, often repeated. The children affected are generally less than a year old, in 2/3 of cases, less than 6 months old. More than 10% of them die, and more than three‐quarters of the survivors have long‐term effects. Prevention is therefore essential. When a parent (or any person) is strongly upset by an infant's uncalmable crying, the best thing for them to do is to lay the child down in a supine position in his or her bed, leave the room, and then ask for help.
Strong Start Innovation: Equitable Outcomes Across Public and Privately Insured Clients Receiving Birth Center Care
Authors: Jolles Diana , Hoehn‐Velasco Lauren , Ross Lisa , Stapleton Susan , Joseph Jennie , Alliman Jill , Bauer Kate , Marcelle Ebony , Wright Jennifer
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The Birth Center model of care is a health care delivery innovation in its fourth decade of demonstration across the United States. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the model's potential for decreasing poverty‐related health disparities among childbearing families.

Methods

Between 2013 and 2017, 26,259 childbearing people received care within the 45 Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Strong Start birth center sites. Secondary analysis of the prospective American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry was conducted. Descriptive statistics described sociobehavioral, medical risk factors, and core clinical outcomes to inform the logistic regression model. Privately insured consumers were independently compared with 2 subgroups of Medicaid beneficiaries: Strong Start enrollees (midwifery‐led care with peer counselors) and non‐Strong Start Medicaid beneficiaries (midwifery‐led care without peer counselors).

Results

After controlling for medical risk factors, Strong Start Medicaid beneficiaries achieved similar outcomes to privately insured consumers with no significant differences in maternal or newborn outcomes between groups. Perinatal outcomes included induction of labor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.86; 95% CI 0.61‐1.13), epidural analgesia use (aOR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.68‐1.48), cesarean birth (aOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.87‐1.53), exclusive breastfeeding on discharge (aOR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.48‐2.56), low Apgar score at 5 minutes (aOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.86‐1.83), low birth weight (aOR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.77‐1.64), and antepartum transfer of care after the first prenatal appointment (aOR, 1.53; 95% CI, 0.97‐2.40). Medicaid beneficiaries who were not enrolled in the Strong Start midwifery‐led, peer counselor program demonstrated similar results except for having higher epidural analgesia use (aOR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.10‐1.53) and significantly lower exclusive breastfeeding on discharge (aOR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.40‐0.81) than their privately insured counterparts.

Discussion

The midwifery‐led birth center model of care complemented by peer counselors demonstrated a pathway to achieve health equity.
An analysis of the policy participation of field response nurses in South Korea: COVID‐19 response guidelines and the infectious disease act revision
Authors: Kang Sunjoo , Kim Younjoo , Kim Jinhyun
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The Republic of Korea's response to Coronavirus disease 2019 was divided before and after global vaccine development at the end of 2020. It also varied according to the size of confirmed patients in the non‐pharmaceutical intervention. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the contribution of frontline nurses to the policy and law revision on infectious diseases and suggest health and nursing policies for emerging infectious diseases in the future.

Design

This case evaluation study analyzed the significant policy decisions that nurses' roles brought on changes in the infectious disease response system in the Republic of Korea and applying the health system model and those capacities on resilience under emerging infectious diseases.

Methods

Objective data that contributed directly to the revision of infectious disease‐related Acts and policies in 2020 were collected and analyzed through literature search and information disclosure claims from the first to third waves of Coronavirus disease 2019 in one city.

Results

With the rapid outbreak of COVID‐19 confirmed cases at the end of February 2020, a pan‐government support group was formed and dispatched to D City. In addition, central quarantine officials worked with local quarantine officials to share real‐time situations and find out on‐site difficulties and support requests. As a result, inquiry of opinions to working staff before changing the “response guidelines to Coronavirus disease 2019” was reflected in major contents on the revision of “policy on infectious disease response” and “Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act.” With the establishment of an epidemiological investigation team in September 2020, the number of new nurses in 17 cities and provinces increased by 19.1% compared to the previous year, the most significant increase compared to doctors (−2.3), dentists (−1.6), and health workers (3.7).

Conclusion

The experience of responding to Coronavirus was a reminder that the curriculum needed to be improved so that nurses will be recognized to have leadership competencies and as field experts regarding social determinants of health for population groups in the decision‐making process. In the initial COVID‐19 response process, nurses showed excellence in analyzing patient interviews and various information as field epidemiological investigation response personnel, making comprehensive judgments, and solving problems in cooperation with related agencies and severe patients' bedside nursing care. Continuous primary care and management of infectious diseases for the vulnerable should be prepared on an ongoing basis to assure the quality of care.

Clinical Relevance

Action strategies for developing leadership to enable nurses to have participated in the social determinants of health and the nursing policy formation for health equity should be applied in nursing education and practice, and global monitoring efforts were accelerated.
Dispensing with Europe: A comparative linguistic anthropology of honorific pronouns
Authors: Fleming Luke
Published: December 2022

The study of pronominal address in European languages is enriched by a comparative linguistic anthropology of honorific registers of person deixis. In European speech communities, token‐sourced interdiscursivity plays a crucial role in framing the meaning of honorific (V) and nonhonorific (T) pronouns; the pronouns exchanged between members of an interlocutor dyad in a given discursive event presuppose the use of those same pronouns in sequentially prior events of interaction between that dyad. The shift from V to T within a serially ordered speech chain of discursive events ‐ sanctified in the interaction ritual of ‘dispensation’ ‐ is the pivot of the system, emblematizing a mutual incorporation of alter into the relatively ‘intimate’ sphere of interpersonal relationality. Beyond Europe, T‐V systems typically rely more heavily on type‐sourced interdiscursivity. In these cases, use of T or V stereotypically indexes particular social categories of person or relationship. There are profound formal‐functional convergences in honorific person deixis cross‐linguistically, like the use of nonsingular number to index deference. Nevertheless, there are important differences too. The pragmatic structures characterizing honorific registers of person deixis are shown to co‐vary in important ways with this distinction between token‐sourced and type‐sourced social meaningfulness of pronominal alternants.
Toward Stable Civil‐Military Relations in Sudan
Authors: D'Agoôt Majak
Published: December 2022

The most dramatic of military interventions is the coup d’état, and the cyclical melodrama of putsches in Sudan has placed the country on a violent path. Perhaps a major reason for an irascible officer corps to plot coups is the lack of an effective contract binding the armed forces and society. This is keeping a chokehold on the country's progress, limiting its potential. In search of a better answer, revisiting the past cycle of military interventions is critically important. The recurrent mass actions and fleeting democratic transitions have exposed the bungling civilian leadership and defined the sociology in which Sudan's civil‐military alchemy has fermented or gone bust. However, if the country had any concord among the military, the political leadership, and society, the risk of domestic military interventions would have been reduced, limiting the scourge of the power grab.
Fictional domains
Authors: Gregory Dominic
Published: December 2022

Quantifiers frequently figure in works of fiction. But occurrences of quantificational expressions within fictions seem no more inevitably to be associated with real domains than uses of names within fictions seem inevitably to be associated with existing referents. The paper outlines some philosophical puzzles resulting from this apparent lack of associated domains, puzzles that are broadly analogous to more familiar ones raised by the apparently nonreferential nature of many fictional names. The paper argues, in the light of an important disanalogy between quantifiers and names, that the quantificational puzzles are substantive, in that they cannot be resolved merely by appealing to the possibility of empty domains. It then argues that, despite the cited parallels between occurrences of quantifiers and names within fictions, promising treatments of fictional names do not always straightforwardly generalise to provide accounts of the quantificational phenomena: the quantificational puzzles are therefore not only substantive but also distinctive. The paper provides further testament to the depth and interest of the problems involving content that are generated by fiction, by identifying a very wide range of previously neglected cases, while also helping to situate within a broader context the notoriously hard philosophical challenges posed by fictional names.
Case formulation—A vehicle for change? Exploring the impact of cognitive behavioural therapy formulation in first episode psychosis: A reflexive thematic analysis
Authors: Spencer Helen M. , Dudley Robert , Johnston Lynne , Freeston Mark H. , Turkington Douglas , Tully Sarah
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Formulation is considered a fundamental process of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp). However, an exploration into the personal impact of different levels of case formulation (CF) from a service user (SU) perspective is lacking, particularly for those experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

Design

This Big Q qualitative design used semi‐structured interviews.

Methods

Reflexive thematic analysis (TA) was used to analyse 10 participant interviews. NVivo 12 computer‐assisted qualitative data analysis software aided data organisation and analysis.

Results

One overarching theme ‘CF – A vehicle for change?’ was developed as a pattern of shared meaning across the data set. Three main themes related to the overarching theme: (1) Vicious cycles: ‘I never really thought about it being me maintaining the problems’ (including one subtheme – Self‐empowerment: ‘Only you can make the changes for yourself’); (2) Early life experiences: ‘My experiences have shaped the person that I am, therefore, it's not my fault’ (including one subtheme – Disempowerment: ‘[My] core beliefs have been damaged’); and (3) Keep it simple: ‘Don't push it too far over the top in case it becomes like spaghetti’.

Conclusions

Maintenance formulations may be experienced as self‐blaming, but also self‐empowering, which may help to facilitate change. Longitudinal formulations may be experienced as non‐blaming, but also disempowering, which may inhibit change. Simple CF diagrams may also facilitate change, whereas overly complex CFs may inhibit change. How CBTp therapists might look to improve the impact of different levels of CF for service users (SUs) in first episode psychosis (FEP) are described.
Designing a centralized distribution system for omni‐channel retailing
Authors: Guo Jia , Keskin Burcu B.
Published: December 2022

We study the optimal supply chain design for a dual‐channel retailer that operates physical and web‐based stores and has traditionally managed each one separately. With increased pressures from customers and decreased profits due to marked‐down leftover inventories in each channel, the retailer considers integrating the supply chain operations of both channels and using in‐store inventory more effectively across different channels. In contrast to the existing literature, we focus on the firm's choice of the best omni‐channel strategies considering demand segmentation, cost structure, and, more importantly, the inventory rationing ability of the firm. We formulate our problem as a two‐stage stochastic programming model and use first‐order optimality conditions to study the optimal inventory ordering decisions. Based on different omni‐channel strategy decisions, we explore four supply chain design options. We identify the optimal inventory ordering policy under each option and explicitly describe the optimality conditions on cost and demand under perfect and imperfect demand information. When the demand information is imperfect, the demand fulfillment decisions can be characterized as nested protection‐level policies. First, we show that omni‐channel strategies are not necessarily profitable under all settings as dictated by market conditions. Second, we demonstrate that when the company can allocate its inventory perfectly, running omni‐channel strategies may help better serve web‐based customers and in‐store customers. Finally, we show that, in the worst case, the imperfect demand information may result in losing all the claimed inventory integration benefits when running omni‐channel strategies.
How does performance management affect social equity? Evidence from New York City public schools
Authors: Wang Weijie
Published: December 2022

An ongoing tension exists in the relationship between performance regimes and equity. On the one hand, performance regimes could set goals to reduce disparate outcomes. However, performance regimes are associated with strategic behaviors, such as cream skimming, that could worsen outcomes for marginalized groups. This article contributes to this debate by examining the use of growth measures of performance on achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged subgroups of students in New York City public schools. Using a regression discontinuity design, this study credibly identifies the causal effects of performance signals on equity outcomes. Results show weak evidence of negative effects on equity, and the achievement gaps did not increase in most of the cases. The article also discusses how the incentives provided by growth measures can curb strategic behaviors. The findings provide measured optimism that the current generation of performance regimes can be designed to account for issues of equity.
The ecosystem resilience approach to control the invasive alien species Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii)
Authors: van der Loop Janneke M. M. , van Kleef Hein H. , van Veenhuisen Laura S. , Lamers Leon L. , Leuven Rob S. E. W.
Published: December 2022

The invasive Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii) threatens species characteristic of shallow soft water lakes and pools, among others, in Europe. Anthropogenic disturbances, including restoration actions, of these ecosystems cause open niches in their littoral zones and allow C. helmsii to form dominant stands, especially under nutrient enrichment. Eradication of this invasive alien, amphibious, and clonal plant is, however, difficult and costly once a large population has established. For this reason, we here explore an ecosystem resilience approach (ERA) to control this invasive alien species. This approach includes suppressing the species by facilitating the occurrence and expansion of native vegetation. This requires a setback of C. helmsii's abundance by actively reducing its biomass, and the rehabilitation of optimal environmental conditions for native species. Our ERA study in four nature areas reveals that the introduction of native species makes the ecosystem more resilient against alien invasions, as shown by a lower abundance of this invasive plant species. Therefore, we state that ERA can effectively be applied in practice to decrease the invasibility of ecosystems by C. helmsii. Effectiveness, costs and benefits, and recommendations for application in practice are discussed. Overall, we argue that incorporating ERA in nature and water management will provide sustainable solutions in terms of biodiversity as well as more cost‐effective applications for invasive alien species prevention and control.
Selection of linear mixed‐effects models for clustered data
Authors: Chang Chih‐Hao , Huang Hsin‐Cheng , Ing Ching‐Kang
Published: December 2022

We consider model selection for linear mixed‐effects models with clustered structure, where conditional Kullback–Leibler (CKL) loss is applied to measure the efficiency of the selection. We estimate the CKL loss by substituting the empirical best linear unbiased predictors (EBLUPs) into random effects with model parameters estimated by maximum likelihood. Although the BLUP approach is commonly used in predicting random effects and future observations, selecting random effects to achieve asymptotic loss efficiency concerning CKL loss is challenging and has not been well studied. In this paper, we propose addressing this difficulty using a conditional generalized information criterion (CGIC) with two tuning parameters. We further consider a challenging but practically relevant situation where the number, , of clusters does not go to infinity with the sample size. Hence the random‐effects variances are not consistently estimable. We show that via a novel decomposition of the CKL risk, the CGIC achieves consistency and asymptotic loss efficiency, whether is fixed or increases to infinity with the sample size. We also conduct numerical experiments to illustrate the theoretical findings.
Integration of mitogenomic and morphological data disentangles the systematics of Pollenia and establishes a revised phylogenetic hypothesis for the Polleniidae
Authors: Johnston Nikolas P. , Piwczyński Marcin , Trzeciak Paulina , Walczak Kinga , Szpila Krzysztof
Published: December 2022

The Polleniidae (Diptera) are a family of flies best known for species of the genus Pollenia, which overwinter inside human dwellings. Previously divided across the Calliphoridae, Tachinidae and Rhinophoridae, the polleniid genera have only recently been united. Several studies have utilized molecular data to analyse polleniid phylogenetic relationships, although all have suffered from low taxon sampling or insufficient phylogenetic signal in molecular markers. To alleviate these problems, we utilized two automated organellar genome extraction software, GetOrganelle and MitoFinder, to assemble mitogenomes from genome skimming data from 22 representatives of the polleniid genera: Dexopollenia, Melanodexia, Morinia, Pollenia and Xanthotryxus. From these analyses, we provide 14 new mitogenomes for the Polleniidae and perform phylogenetic analyses of 13 protein‐coding mitochondrial genes using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Subfamilial phylogenetic relationships within the Polleniidae are interrogated and Pollenia is found to form a monophyletic clade sister to Melanodexia, Morinia and Dexopollenia, providing no evidence for the synonymisation of any of these genera. Our topology conflicts with previous morphology‐based cladistic interpretations, with the amentaria, griseotomentosa, semicinerea and viatica species‐groups resolving as non‐monophyletic. We provide support for our topology through analysis of adult morphology and male and female terminalia, while identifying new diagnostic characters for some of the clades of the Pollenia. To test the validity of the current diagnostic morphology in the Polleniidae, newly assembled cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) data are combined with a polleniid COI barcode reference library and analysed using the species delimitation software ASAP. COI barcodes support the current morphologically defined species within the Pollenia.
More‐than‐care: People with intellectual disability and emerging vulnerability during pandemic lockdown
Authors: van Holstein Ellen , Wiesel Ilan , Bigby Christine , Gleeson Brendan
Published: December 2022

This paper offers more‐than‐care as a framework for analysing how vulnerability emerges in the lives of people with intellectual disability beyond relations of care. More‐than‐care detaches vulnerability from the identity category of disability. It provides a framework for conceptualising vulnerability in an unequal, neoliberalising, and ableist world and sheds new light on the ever‐evolving constitution of vulnerability and disability. This intervention breaks with conceptions of vulnerability centred on care needs that leave other circumstances that inform vulnerabilities unexamined. Importantly, the framework shifts responsibility for managing vulnerabilities away from carers alone. The more‐than‐care framework is grounded in socio‐material conceptualisations of disability and advances a tripartite framing of vulnerability. First, it grounds studies of vulnerability in histories of spatially uneven investment in infrastructure and resources that shape how care and other practices can assemble to produce, challenge, and manage vulnerability. Second, it recalibrates dominant conceptions of the temporality of vulnerability to ensure sensitivity to the unpredictability of emergent vulnerabilities. Third, in following a socio‐material conceptualisation of intellectual disability, more‐than‐care expands discussions about agency in the context of vulnerability. These concepts are empirically examined through an analysis of how vulnerability emerges in the lives of four self‐advocates with intellectual disability during Melbourne's first and second COVID‐19 lockdowns. The analysis shows that vulnerability was highly dynamic and unpredictable as it emerged in complex socio‐material assemblages that included care arrangements, embodied experiences and agencies, and past instances of neglect and exploitation.
An investigation into the development of qualitative tear film disorders in dogs following cryoepilation for distichiasis
Authors: Reynolds Benjamin D. , Whittaker Cameron , Caruso Kelly , Annear Matthew J. , Hamzianpour Negar , Irving William , McCarthy Paul M. G. , Smith Jeffrey S.
Published: December 2022

Objective

The aim of this prospective study was to compare tear film quality between dogs who have previously undergone cryoepilation for distichiasis to a reference population.

Animals Studied

Nine dogs (17 eyes) were recruited after surgery and were compared to a reference population of 21 dogs (42 eyes).

Procedures

Canine patients who had previously undergone cryoepilation for distichiasis for a minimum of 1 month prior to examination were recruited. A complete ophthalmic examination was performed by an ABVO resident (BDR), with additional tear tests, including tear film interferometry, infra‐red meibography, and a tear film break‐up time (TFBUT) performed. The tear test results were compared to a reference population obtained from client‐owned dogs with no history of ophthalmic complaints, a normal ophthalmic examination performed by an ABVO resident (BDR) and a Schirmer Tear Test‐1 > 15 mm/min. Statistical analysis was performed of the results obtained.

Results

The treated group was significantly more affected with meibomian gland dropout (MG‐dropout) in 11/17 (64.7%) cases, compared to the reference population of 2/21 (9.5%) (p < .01). The treated group had an odds ratio of 23.8 to develop MG‐dropout compared to the reference population (p < .01). Tear film breakup time (TFBUT) was significantly shorter in the treatment group (5.8 ± 2.6 s) compared to the reference population (10.1 ± 1.1 s) (p < .001). In the treatment group, 12/17 (70.5%) of treated eyes had a TFBUT < 5 s compared to 2/21 (9.5%) of the reference population.

Conclusion

Cryoepilation for distichaiasis appears to be a risk factor for developing MG‐dropout and qualitative tear film disorders post‐operatively in canines.
The heart to single vertebra ratio: A new objective method for radiographic assessment of cardiac silhouette size in dogs
Authors: Costanza Dario , Greco Adelaide , Piantedosi Diego , Bruzzese Dario , Pasolini Maria Pia , Coluccia Pierpaolo , Castiello Erica , Baptista Cláudia Sofia , Meomartino Leonardo
Published: December 2022

Vertebral heart size (VHS) is widely determined in clinical practice as an objective method to assess the cardiac silhouette dimensions. However, a key limitation is that it is difficult to determine VHS in dogs with vertebral alterations. This retrospective, method comparison, observer agreement study sought to overcome this limitation by using the heart‐to‐single vertebra ratio (HSVR), by evaluating the level of agreement between VHS and HSVR, as well as the intra‐ and inter‐observer agreement for HSVR. Three independent observers retrospectively evaluated thoracic radiographs obtained over a set time period. Exclusion criteria were the presence of alterations of the thoracic spine and the inability to clearly outline the cardiac silhouette. The lengths of the vertebral bodies, from the fourth to eighth thoracic vertebra, and VHS were measured on each radiograph. The HSVR was calculated by dividing the sum of the cardiac long and short axes by the length of each vertebral body. Eighty dogs of different breeds were included in the final analysis. Lin's concordance correlation coefficients revealed strong correlations between VHS and HSVR (0.91–0.96), and the Bland–Altman plots showed low bias (0.01–0.2) between the methods. The mean absolute errors indicated low average magnitudes of error (0.11–0.28). The intraclass correlation coefficients showed good to excellent inter‐observer (0.87–0.92;P = 0.000) and intra‐observer (0.87–0.99;P < .001) agreement. In the authors’ opinion, this new method, which is less time consuming and more objective, could offer a valuable alternative to VHS.
On total stability conditions for Dynkin quivers
Authors: Marczinzik René
Published: December 2022

We show that for a Dynkin quiver of type with a specific orientation, the path algebra has no slope function of the form that defines a total stability condition. This gives a counterexample to a conjecture of Reineke.