bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A quantitative analysis of age-related differences in Hindi–English code-switching
Authors: Ellison T. Mark , Si Aung
Published: June 2021

Aims and objectives:

Numerical indices developed by Guzman et al. that helped characterize code-switching (CS) patterns in Spanish–English bilingual corpora, were tested on a Hindi–English bilingual corpus. Two main research questions were addressed: first, how does Hindi–English compare with Spanish–English, and second, are there measurable differences in broad CS patterns between older and younger speakers?

Methodology:

Television interviews of Hindi movie (Bollywood) personalities were transcribed and coded for Hindi and English lexemes. Bespoke software in Python was used to calculate the required indices, which provided information on variables such as the level of language mixing, switching probability, and the distributions of single-language spans. Further indices, such as mean span length and an approximate ratio of insertions to alternations were also calculated.

Data and analysis:

The indices calculated for the Hindi–English corpus broadly match those calculated for Spanish–English. Statistically significant differences between the older and younger group were detected for some key indices, with older speakers generally using less English. High levels of intra-group variability may be responsible for some indices not showing statistically significant diachronic change.

Conclusions:

The Guzman et al. indices suggest that Hindi–English and Spanish–English CS resemble each other in certain ways. There have been broad changes in Hindi–English CS patterns over the last few decades, but there are indications that the CS behaviour of individual speakers might change in different ways.

Originality:

This is the first study to systematically and quantitatively investigate age-related differences in Hindi–English CS, using naturalistic speech in semi-controlled conditions.

Implications:

The quantitative indices investigated in this study can be used to compare CS behaviour in different language pairs, and can also help detect diachronic changes in CS patterns.
From convergence to congruence: European integration and citizen–elite congruence
Authors: Devine Daniel , Ibenskas Raimondas
Published: June 2021

Recent research argues that European integration has led to an ideological convergence of member state party systems, which is purported to have significant consequences for democratic representation. We argue that convergence of party positions is less problematic if congruence between governed and governing is maintained. We therefore turn to test whether integration has had an effect on congruence between the public and their governing elites. Using five measures of integration, two sources of public opinion data, and expert surveys on political parties, we find little evidence that integration into the European Union reduces congruence between the public and the national party system, government or legislature either ideologically or across five issue areas. These results should assuage concerns about integration’s effect on domestic political representation.
The role of interactivity on customer engagement in mobile e-commerce applications
Authors: Utami Ami Fitri , Ekaputra Irwan Adi , Japutra Arnold , Van Doorn Sebastiaan
Published: June 2021

This research investigates the role of interactivity and service quality toward customer engagement (i.e., co-developing, influencing, augmenting, mobilizing) in the context of mobile e-commerce applications (apps). Based on a survey of 717 mobile e-commerce app users in Indonesia, the study utilizes a quantitative approach using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the conceptual framework. The findings show that interactivity positively related to all forms of customer engagement behavior (i.e., co-developing, influencing, augmenting, mobilizing), and service quality moderates the relationships between interactivity on augmenting and mobilizing. This study offers a more detailed understanding of the role of interactivity and service quality in each dimension of customer engagement. As such, this study complements prior insights on value co-creation in a multi-stakeholder service system.
“What good is a volatility model?” A reexamination after 20 years
Authors: Baum Christopher F. , Hurn Stan
Published: June 2021

This article is primarily a replication study of Engle and Patton (2001, Quantitative Finance 1: 237–245), but it also serves as a demonstration of the time-series features introduced into Stata over the past two decades. The dataset used in the original study is extended from the end date of the original sample on 22 August 2000 to 1 August 2017 to examine the robustness of the models.
Estimating and evaluating personalized treatment recommendations from randomized trials with ptr
Authors: Pierce Matthias , Emsley Richard
Published: June 2021

One of the targets of personalized medicine is to provide treatment recommendations using patient characteristics. We present the command ptr, which both predicts a personalized treatment recommendation algorithm and evaluates its effectiveness versus an alternative regime, using randomized trial data. The command allows for multiple (continuous or categorical) biomarkers and a binary or continuous outcome. Confidence intervals for the evaluation parameter are provided using bootstrap resampling.
Stacked linear regression analysis to facilitate testing of hypotheses across OLS regressions
Authors: Oberfichtner Michael , Tauchmann Harald
Published: June 2021

In empirical work, researchers frequently test hypotheses of parallel form in several regressions, which raises concerns about multiple testing. One way to address the multiple-testing issue is to jointly test the hypotheses (for example, Pei, Pischke, and Schwandt [2019, Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 37: 205–216] and Lee and Lemieux [2010, Journal of Economic Literature 48: 281–355]). While the existing commands suest (Weesie, 1999, Stata Technical Bulletin Reprints 9: 231–248) and mvreg enable Stata users to follow this approach, both are limited in several dimensions. For instance, mvreg assumes homoskedasticity and uncorrelatedness across sampling units, and neither command is designed to be used with panel data. In this article, we introduce the new community-contributed command stackreg, which overcomes the aforementioned limitations and allows for some settings and features that go beyond the capabilities of the existing commands. To achieve this, stackreg runs an ordinary least-squares regression in which the regression equations are stacked as described, for instance, in Wooldridge (2010, Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data, p. 166–173, MIT Press) and applies cluster–robust variance–covariance estimation.
Bootstrap internal validation command for predictive logistic regression models
Authors: Fernandez-Felix B. M. , García-Esquinas E. , Muriel A. , Royuela A. , Zamora J.
Published: June 2021

Overfitting is a common problem in the development of predictive models. It leads to an optimistic estimation of apparent model performance. Internal validation using bootstrapping techniques allows one to quantify the optimism of a predictive model and provide a more realistic estimate of its performance measures. Our objective is to build an easy-to-use command, bsvalidation, aimed to perform a bootstrap internal validation of a logistic regression model.
Determining relative importance in Stata using dominance analysis: domin and domme
Authors: Luchman Joseph N.
Published: June 2021

Dominance analysis is a common method applied to statistical models to determine the importance of independent variables. In this article, I describe two community-contributed commands, domin and domme, that can be used to dominance-analyze both independent variables and parameter estimates in Stata estimation commands. I discuss how to compute dominance statistics, provide multiple examples of each command applied to data, and outline how to interpret the results from each data-analytic example. I conclude with computational considerations for users applying larger models.
Towards Sovereign Games
Authors: LaPensée Elizabeth A , Laiti Outi , Longboat Maize
Published: June 2021

Video games can be dynamic sovereign spaces for Indigenous representation and expression when the self-determination of Indigenous people is supported. Where games are concerned, self-determination involves the autonomy and right of Indigenous people to make key decisions regarding the process of how a game is developed as well as what that game entails. A game is sovereign when self-determination is a respected practice throughout all phases of development from conceptualization to distribution. In what ways can games be sovereign and what challenges may be faced? Utilizing comparative case studies of the self-determined games Lost Memories, Terra Nova, and When Rivers Were Trails, this research identifies possible approaches and challenges for sovereign games looking at development as well as the resulting designs.
TAVI Beyond 3 Years: Durability and Predictors for Survival
Authors: Rahman Faisal , Resar Jon R.
Published: June 2021

The use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has greatly increased over the past 2 decades and now has overtaken surgical aortic valve replacement. We have limited data regarding the long-term durability of TAVI and the predictors of survival. Calcification, inflammation, fibrous tissue deposition, and mechanical stress are important in the structural deterioration of surgical bioprosthetic valves and likely contribute to TAVI durability. However, TAVI has several differences to surgical valve replacement such as valve preparation, valve to native anatomy interaction, and valve sizing which all likely contribute to durability and long-term survival. Most procedures have been performed on older patients and therefore long-term follow-up studies have noted mortality of approximately 50% at 5 years and 75% by 7 years. Current data are limited by the high mortality of patients who have received TAVI often as a result of age, frailty, and other competing comorbidities. TAVI as compared with surgical valve replacement is associated with several differences including higher conduction abnormalities (i.e., need for pacemakers) and paravalvular leak, both of which may affect long-term morbidity and mortality. In this review, we discuss the current status of our knowledge and identify areas that require further investigation.
Comparative assessment of SAS, IDDES and hybrid filtering RANS/LES models based on second-moment closure
Authors: Wang Guangxue , Wang Shengye , Li Hao , Fu Xiang , Liu Wei
Published: June 2021

The question of which turbulence model is better for a given class of applications is always confusing for the CFD researchers and users. Comparative assessments of scale-adaptive simulation (SAS), improved delay detached-eddy simulation (IDDES) and other hybrid RANS/LES models based on eddy-viscosity models (EVMs) are thoroughly investigated. But how well they perform based on a second-moment closure needs to be answered. In this paper, a widely acclaimed Reynolds-stress model (RSM) in aeronautical engineering, SSG/LRR-[Formula: see text] model, is carried out. The relevant test cases include the NACA0012 airfoil stalled flows and turret separated flow. In order to make a more reasonable comparison, a seventh-order scheme WCNS-E8T7 is adopted to reduce the influence of the numerical dissipation and a symmetrical conservative metric method is used to ensure the robustness. By comparing with the relevant experimental data and the solutions by original SSG/LRR-[Formula: see text] model (etc. URANS), it shows that all of the three hybrid methods (SAS, IDDES and hybrid filtering methods) based on the SSG/LRR-[Formula: see text] model have a good ability to simulate unsteady turbulence. Among them, the IDDES correction has the most potential.
Race and educational leadership: The influence of research methods and critical theorising in understanding representation, roles and ethnic disparities
Authors: Maylor Uvanney , Roberts Lorna , Linton Kenisha , Arday Jason
Published: June 2021

The special issue offers new knowledge about racialised educational experiences by shedding light on racialised leadership in school and higher education in diverse geographical and educational contexts in England, Canada, America and South Africa through a mix of research methods (phenomenological, longitudinal, documentary, semi-structured interviews), analytical (content and textual analysis) and theoretical approaches (critical race theory [CRT], critical ecological). This special issue prioritises the centring of educational leaders’ lived experiences and their voices alongside the research methods used to illuminate the nuances associated with race and educational leadership in schools and higher education. The prism of race enables us to add new educational leadership insights to the field associated with ethnicity, gender, culturally constructed notions of leadership, intersectionality and/or geographical location. The findings highlight implications for researching race and educational leadership.
Determination of ultra-trace levels of palladium in water samples by cloud point extraction and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry
Authors: Han Quan , Huo Yanyan , Yang Xiaohui , Yao Xing
Published: June 2021

A highly sensitive method for the determination of ultra-trace levels of palladium in water samples by cloud point extraction and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is developed. The procedure is based on complexation of palladium with a laboratory-prepared novel chelating agent, 2-(5-bromo-4-methyl-2-pyridylazo)-5-dimethylaminoaniline (5-Br-4-CH3-PADMA) and subsequent micelle-mediated extraction of the product using the non-ionic surfactant octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114) as an extracting agent. Analytical parameters affecting the separation and detection process, such as pH, concentration of the chelating agent and surfactant, equilibration temperature, and time are investigated. The optimized conditions are as follows: pH 6.0 HAc–NaAc buffer solution, 1 × 10−5 mol L−1 5-Br-4-CH3-PADMA, and 0.1% (w/v) Triton X-114. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration graph is linear in the range of 0.1–12 ng/mL, the detection limit is 0.05 ng/mL for palladium, and the relative standard deviation is 2.9% ( c = 1.0 ng/mL, n = 10). The enrichment factor, defined as the ratio of the aqueous solution volume to that of the surfactant-rich phase volume after dilution with HNO3–methanol solution, is 200. The proposed method is applied to the determination of palladium in water samples with satisfactory results.
Mapping Potential Areas for Conservation Under Forest Carbon Credit Eligibility in a Natural Protected Area in Northern Mexico
Authors: Orta-Salazar Carolina , Aguirre-Salado Carlos Arturo , Reyes-Hernández Humberto , Reyes-Agüero Juan Antonio , Muñoz-Robles Carlos Alfonso
Published: June 2021

Emerging carbon markets are posing new challenges for stakeholders. In order to operationalize the selection of feasible areas to promote above-ground carbon capture and quantify its potential as claimed in the norm NMX-AA-173-SCFI-2015, a methodology may be proposed. Above-ground tree biomass geospatial estimates at the pixel level, neighboring land cover, and legal information were combined in order to obtain the potential for above-ground carbon capture. Forest above-ground tree carbon capture estimates were conducted under the assumption that forest cover in bare soil land will be recovered to the most conserved neighboring vegetation type. This approach may be used in other situations around the world where potential carbon estimates are required to design forest carbon capture projects considering native vegetation type.
Making the Future Visible: Psychology, Scenarios, and Strategy
Authors: Tibbs Hardin
Published: June 2021

Seeing the future as a psychological landscape clarifies the elements of strategy, provides insights into key areas of strategic thinking, and helps develop the strategic conviction essential for visionary leadership.
Dynamic finite cylindrical cavity-expansion models for cellular steel tube confined concrete targets normally impacted by rigid sharp-nosed projectiles
Authors: Meng Chaomei , Song Dianyi , Tan Qinghua , Jiang Zhigang , Cai Liangcai , Shen Yong
Published: June 2021

Cellular steel-tube-confined concrete (CSTCC) targets show improved anti-penetration performance over single-cell STCC targets due to the confinement effect of surrounding cells on the impacted cell. Dynamic finite cylindrical cavity-expansion (FCCE) models including radial confinement effect were developed to predict the depth of penetration (DOP) for CSTCC targets normally penetrated by rigid sharp-nosed projectiles, and stiffness of radial confinement was achieved with the elastic solution of infinite cylindrical shell in Winkler medium. Steady responses of dynamic FCCE models were obtained on the assumption of incompressibility of concrete, failure of comminuted zone with Heok–Brown criterion and two possible response modes of the confined concrete in the impacted cell. Furthermore, a DOP model for CSTCC targets normally impacted by rigid projectiles was also proposed on the basis of the dynamic FCCE approximate model. Lastly, relevant penetration tests of CSTCC targets normally penetrated by 12.7 mm armor piecing projectile (APP) were taken as examples to validate the dynamic FCCE models and the corresponding DOP model. The results show that the DOP results based on dynamic FCCE model agree well with those of the CSTCC targets normally penetrated by rigid conical or other sharp-nosed projectiles.
Artificial decellularized extracellular matrix improves the regenerative capacity of adipose tissue derived stem cells on 3D printed polycaprolactone scaffolds
Authors: Blum Jana C , Schenck Thilo L , Birt Alexandra , Giunta Riccardo E , Wiggenhauser Paul S
Published: June 2021

Ideal tissue engineering frameworks should be both an optimal biological microenvironment and a shape and stability providing framework. In this study we tried to combine the advantages of cell-derived artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) with those of 3D printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. In Part A, both chondrogenic and osteogenic ECMs were produced by human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs) on 3D-printed PCL scaffolds and then decellularized to create cell free functionalized PCL scaffolds, named acPCL and aoPCL respectively. The decellularization resulted in a significant reduction of the DNA content as well as the removal of nuclei while the ECM was largely preserved. In Part B the bioactivation and the effect of the ac/aoPCL scaffolds on the proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression of hASCs was investigated. The ac/aoPCL scaffolds were found to be non-toxic and allow good adhesion, but do not affect proliferation. In the in vitro investigation of cartilage regeneration, biochemical analysis showed that acPCL scaffolds have an additional effect on chondrogenic differentiation as gene expression analysis showed markers of cartilage hypertrophy. The aoPCL showed a large influence on the differentiation of hASCs. In control medium they were able to stimulate hASCs to produce calcium alone and all genes relevant investigated for osteogenesis were significantly higher expressed on aoPCL than on unmodified PCL. Therefore, we believe that ac/aoPCL scaffolds have a high potential to improve regenerative capacity of unmodified PCL scaffolds and should be further investigated.
Healing below the ankle is possible in patients with diabetes mellitus and a forefoot gangrene
Authors: Elgzyri Targ , Apelqvist Jan , Lindholm Eero , Örneholm Hedvig , Annersten Gershater Magdalena
Published: June 2021

Background:

Forefoot gangrene in patients with diabetes is a severe form of foot ulcers with risk of progress and major amputation. No large cohort studies have examined clinical characteristics and outcome of forefoot gangrene in patients with diabetes. The aim was to examine clinical characteristics and outcome of forefoot gangrene in patients with diabetes admitted to a diabetic foot centre.

Methods:

Patients with diabetes and foot ulcer consecutively presenting were included if they had forefoot gangrene (Wagner grade 4) at initial visit or developed forefoot gangrene during follow-up at diabetic foot centre. Patients were prospectively followed up until final outcome, either healing or death. The median follow-up period until healing was 41 (3–234) weeks.

Results:

Four hundred and seventy-six patients were included. The median age was 73 (35–95) years and 63% were males. Of the patients, 82% had cardiovascular disease and 16% had diabetic nephropathy. Vascular intervention was performed in 64%. Fifty-one patients (17% of surviving patients) healed after auto-amputation, 150 after minor amputation (48% of surviving patients), 103 had major amputation (33% of surviving patients) and 162 patients deceased unhealed. Ten patients were lost at follow-up. The median time to healing for all surviving patients was 41 (3–234) weeks; for auto-amputated, 48 (10–228) weeks; for minor amputated, 48 (6–234) weeks; and for major amputation, 32 (3–116) weeks.

Conclusion:

Healing without major amputation is possible in a large proportion of patients with diabetes and forefoot gangrene, despite these patients being elderly and with extensive co-morbidity.
How the Discrepancy Between Prior Expectations and New Information Influences Expectation Updating in Depression—The Greater, the Better?
Authors: Kube Tobias , Kirchner Lukas , Lemmer Gunnar , Glombiewski Julia Anna
Published: June 2021

Previous research on expectation updating in relation to psychopathology used to treat expectation-confirming information and expectation-disconfirming information as binary concepts. Here, we varied the extent to which new information deviates from prior expectations and examined its influence on expectation adjustment in both a false-feedback task (Study 1; N = 379) and a social-interaction task (Study 2; N = 292). Unlike traditional learning models, we hypothesized a tipping point in which the discrepancy between expectation and outcome becomes so large that new information is perceived as lacking credibility, thus entailing little updating of expectations. Consistent with the hypothesized tipping point, new information was deemed most valid if it was moderately positive. Moreover, descriptively, expectation update was largest for moderate expectation violations, but this effect was small (Study 2) or even nonsignificant (Study 1). The findings question the assumption of traditional learning models that the larger the prediction error, the larger the update.
Patellofemoral Pain After Arthroscopy: Muscle Atrophy Is Not Everything
Authors: Amestoy Jorge , Pérez-Prieto Daniel , Torres-Claramunt Raúl , Sánchez-Soler Juan Francisco , Leal-Blanquet Joan , Ares-Vidal Jesús , Hinarejos Pedro , Monllau Joan Carles
Published: June 2021

Background:

It remains unclear as to why patellofemoral pain (PFP) appears in some patients after knee arthroscopy and what influence the quadriceps muscle has on its onset.

Purpose:

To compare muscle thickness, neuromuscular contractility, and quadriceps femoris muscle strength between patients who develop PFP after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy and a control group and to compare functional outcomes between these entities.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A prospective longitudinal cohort study was carried out on patients scheduled for arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Patients were excluded if they had preoperative PFP, previous knee surgery, or additional surgical procedures (eg, meniscal repair or microfracture). The following were performed preoperatively: magnetic resonance imaging to quantify muscle thickness, surface electromyography to analyze electrical contractility, and an isokinetic study to assess the strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle. Patients also completed a Lysholm functional questionnaire. Six weeks after the index procedure, patients were questioned about the presence of PFP, and the same tests were repeated. The PFP group included patients who developed anterior knee pain postoperatively, while the control group included those who did not develop pain.

Results:

Of 90 initial study patients, 20 were included in the PFP group (23.8%) and 64 in the control group (76.2%); 6 patients were lost to follow-up. Both study groups were comparable on all of the analyzed preoperative variables. Patients in the PFP group had worse results in terms of muscle thickness (9.67 vs 16.55 cm2), electrical contractility (1226.30 vs 1946.11 µV), and quadriceps strength (12.27 vs 20.02 kg; all P < .001). They also presented worse functional results on the Lysholm score (63.05 vs 74.45; P < .001).

Conclusion:

Patients who developed PFP after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy had more quadriceps femoris muscle atrophy as well as a greater decrease in electrical contractility and muscle strength at 6 weeks postsurgically as compared with a control group. The PFP group also had worse postoperative functional results.
The Key Parts of Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome: Implications for the Learning Curve
Authors: Wininger Austin E. , Dabash Sherif , Ellis Thomas J. , Nho Shane J. , Harris Joshua D.
Published: June 2021

Background:

Hip arthroscopy is a rapidly growing surgical approach to treat femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome with a significant learning curve pertaining to complication risk, reoperation rate, and total hip arthroplasty conversion. Hip arthroscopy is more frequently being taught in residency and fellowship training. The key, or critical, parts of the technique have not yet been defined.

Purpose:

To identify the key components required to perform arthroscopic treatment of FAI syndrome.

Study Design:

Consensus statement.

Methods:

A 3-question survey comprising questions on hip arthroscopy for FAI was sent to a convenience sample of 101 high-volume arthroscopic hip surgeons in the United States. Surgeon career length (years) and maintenance volume (cases per year) were queried. Hip arthroscopy was divided into 10 steps using a Delphi technique to achieve a convergence of expert opinion. A step was considered “key” if it could (1) avoid complications, (2) reduce risk of revision arthroscopy, (3) reduce risk of total hip arthroplasty conversion, or (4) optimize patient-reported outcomes. Based on previous literature, steps with >90% of participants were defined as key. Descriptive and correlation statistics were calculated.

Results:

A total of 64 surgeons (63% response rate) reported 5.6 ± 2.1 steps as key (median, 6; range, 1-9). Most surgeons (56.3%) had been performing hip arthroscopy for >5 years. Most surgeons (71.9%) had performed >100 hip arthroscopy procedures per year. Labral treatment (97% agreement) and cam correction (91% agreement) were the 2 key steps of hip arthroscopy for FAI. Pincer/subspine correction (86% agreement), dynamic examination before capsular closure (63% agreement), and capsular management/closure (63% agreement) were selected by a majority of respondents but did not meet the study definition of key. There was no significant correlation between surgeon experience and designation of certain steps as key.

Conclusion:

Based on a Delphi technique and expert opinion survey of high-volume surgeons, labral treatment and cam correction are the 2 key parts of hip arthroscopy for FAI syndrome.
Unilateral Acoustic Degradation Delays Attentional Separation of Competing Speech
Authors: Kraus Frauke , Tune Sarah , Ruhe Anna , Obleser Jonas , Wöstmann Malte
Published: June 2021

Hearing loss is often asymmetric such that hearing thresholds differ substantially between the two ears. The extreme case of such asymmetric hearing is single-sided deafness. A unilateral cochlear implant (CI) on the more severely impaired ear is an effective treatment to restore hearing. The interactive effects of unilateral acoustic degradation and spatial attention to one sound source in multitalker situations are at present unclear. Here, we simulated some features of listening with a unilateral CI in young, normal-hearing listeners ( N =  22) who were presented with 8-band noise-vocoded speech to one ear and intact speech to the other ear. Neural responses were recorded in the electroencephalogram to obtain the spectrotemporal response function to speech. Listeners made more mistakes when answering questions about vocoded (vs. intact) attended speech. At the neural level, we asked how unilateral acoustic degradation would impact the attention-induced amplification of tracking target versus distracting speech. Interestingly, unilateral degradation did not per se reduce the attention-induced amplification but instead delayed it in time: Speech encoding accuracy, modelled on the basis of the spectrotemporal response function, was significantly enhanced for attended versus ignored intact speech at earlier neural response latencies (<∼250 ms). This attentional enhancement was not absent but delayed for vocoded speech. These findings suggest that attentional selection of unilateral, degraded speech is feasible but induces delayed neural separation of competing speech, which might explain listening challenges experienced by unilateral CI users.
Examining the Relationship Between Psychosocial and Academic Outcomes in Higher Education: A Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Swanson Elise , Melguizo Tatiana , Martorell Paco
Published: June 2021

This article estimates the relationship between students’ psychosocial and academic outcomes during their first 3 years enrolled at public, 4-year institutions. Our sample comprises students from low-income backgrounds who applied for a competitive scholarship and enrolled at a 4-year public institution. We follow two cohorts of entering students throughout their first 3 years on campus. We observe their cumulative grade point average and persistence decisions each semester, and have annual measures of four psychosocial outcomes: mattering to campus, sense of belonging to campus, academic self-efficacy, and social self-efficacy. We find that psychosocial outcomes are moderately predictive of academic outcomes, with sense of belonging and academic self-efficacy emerging as most predictive of both cumulative grade point avaerage and persistence.
Ways of Being in Community: Centering Preservice Teachers’ Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies in Field-Based Literacy Teacher Education
Authors: Nash Brady , Wetzel Melissa Mosley , Dunham Heather , Murdter-Atkinson Jessica Anne
Published: June 2021

A common model for connecting theory to practice within literacy teacher preparation programs involves preservice teachers (PTs) working in field-based courses to contextualize their learning. Field-based courses create hybrid spaces for personalizing curricula and following students’ lead outside of the pressures of normal classrooms. Researchers note that although PTs have found field-based courses in diverse, minority school settings helpful, many PTs feel unprepared to work with diverse populations. There is a need for literacy teacher preparation programs to enhance field experiences and incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) within coursework. Few studies, however, have explicitly examined the role of CSP in literacy courses or field-based coursework. Moreover, even coursework intended to prepare teachers to work in diverse settings often centers the experiences of White PTs and reinforces pedagogical practices associated with White cultural and academic norms. In this qualitative case study, we explore the potential of experiences in field-based teacher education courses to disrupt White values, traditions, and curricular norms when CSP is centered and when PTs have the opportunity to work with, and learn from, young students. Findings highlight innovative ways three PTs worked in community with young students and built innovative curricula around their students’ funds of knowledge: by restorying deficit narratives about students’ literacies, following students’ lead into multimodal literacies, and bridging linguistic differences through translanguaging.
Development of a Senior Medical Student Robotic Surgery Training Elective
Authors: Mullens Cody Lendon , Van Horn Alexandra L , Marsh James Wallis , Hogg Melissa E , Thomay Alan A , Schmidt Carl R , Boone Brian A
Published: June 2021

As robotic surgery has become more widespread, early exposure to the robotic platform is becoming increasingly important, not only to graduate medical education, but also for medical students pursuing surgical residency. In an effort to orient students to robotic technology and decrease the learning curve for what is likely to become an integral part of residency training, we created a formal, elective robotic surgery curriculum for senior medical students. Throughout this 2-week fourth year rotation, students completed online training modules and assessment; mastered exercises on the simulator system related to the console, camera, energy, dexterity, and suturing skills; attended didactics; utilized the dual console during one-on-one simulation lab sessions with attending robotic surgery experts; and translated new skills to biotissue anastomoses as well as bedside-assisting in the operating room. During cases, students were able to have more meaningful observation experiences, recognizing the significance of various robotic approaches employed and utilization of specific instruments. Future aims of this rotation will assess student experience as it impacts readiness for surgical residency.
LINX
Authors: Bell Reginald C.W.
Published: June 2021

The LINX device consists of a “bracelet” of magnetic beads in titanium cases, connected by individual wires placed noncompressively around the distal esophagus during laparoscopic surgery. This augments the native lower esophageal sphincter’s (LES) ability to resist reflux by increasing yield pressure and resisting shortening of the LES. Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) was conceived as a safe, stomach sparing, minimally invasive, reversible implantable device for patients seeking an alternative to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Though initially studied in patients with limited hiatal hernias, its use has expanded to include patients with large and even giant or paraesophageal hernias with excellent results. The author’s techniques of complete esophageal dissection, precise hiatal repair, current concepts on noncompressive sizing and placement of the MSA device are reviewed in this article. MSA can be considered first-line surgical therapy for GERD patients with adequate peristalsis regardless of hernia size.
Postless Hip Arthroscopy: A Safer Alternative for Treatment of Femoracetabular Impingement Syndrome
Authors: Held Michael B. , Tedesco Liana J. , Lobao Mario H. , Lynch T. Sean
Published: June 2021

Background:

Hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome continues to gain popularity and indications for its use are expanding. Though low complication rates have previously been reported, there are iatrogenic complications specific to the use of the perineal post, such as pudendal nerve injuries, and possible pressure skin necrosis that warrant concern in the healthy young patient. The risk of these complications are increased during simultaneous bilateral hip arthroscopy.

Indications:

We describe a new technique, which will prevent such problems by using a postless pink pad technique in order to achieve adequate hip distraction.

Technique Description:

Arthroscopic investigation begins with proper, safe patient positioning in order to gain access to the hip joint with sufficient joint distraction. In the postless technique, a dense foam pad is utilized in lieu of a perineal post. The static friction between the pad, bed, and the patient counters the manual gross traction necessary to distract the hip joint while preventing the patient from sliding down or off of the operating table. The postless technique avoids pressure to the perineum and also allows for greater range of motion during dynamic intraoperative examination and femoroplasty. After hip distraction, standard portal placement allows for access to the central compartment in order to assess intraarticular pathology. Once identified on diagnostic arthroscopy, appropriate techniques are utilized to correct acetabular-sided pincer lesions, labral tears, and femoral-sided cam deformities.

Results:

When discussing this technique with patients, it is important to highlight that it diminishes the possibility of iatrogenic pressure injury to the pudendal nerve and skin of the perineum. The risk of these injuries typically occurs when the pudenal nerve is compressed against the post during traction and abduction. As such, postless technique prevents any compression and pressure to these regions.

Discussion/Conclusion:

Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive, low morbidity technique for treating a variety of chondral, ligamentous, and bony conditions of the hip. However, studies suggest that pudenal nerve injury is seen in up to 4.3% of patients following hip arthroscopy. Given avoidance of iatrogenic post complications, we describe a postless technique for achieving hip distraction during hip arthroscopy.
Fine-tuning Flowering Time via Genome Editing of Upstream Open Reading Frames of Heading Date 2 in Rice
Authors: Liu Xinxin , Liu Hualong , Zhang Yuanye , He Mingliang , Li Rongtian , Meng Wei , Wang Zhenyu , Li Xiufeng , Bu Qingyun
Published: June 2021

Flowering time of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is among the most important agronomic traits for region adaptation and grain yield. In the process of rice breeding, efficient and slightly modulating the flowering time of an elite cultivar would be more popular with breeder. Hence, we are interested in slightly increasing the expression of flowering repressors by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. It was predicated there were three uORFs in 5’ leader sequence of Hd2. In this study, through editing Hd2 uORFs, we got four homozygous mutant lines. Phenotypic analysis showed that the hd2 urf edited lines flowered later by 4.6–11.2 days relative to wild type SJ2. Supporting the later flowering phenotype, the expression of Ehd1, Hd3a, and RFT1 is significantly decreased in hd2 urf than that in wild type. Moreover, we found that the transcription level of Hd2 is not affected, whereas the Hd2 protein level was increased in hd2 urf compared with wild type, which indicated that Hd2 uORFs indeed affect the translation of a downstream Hd2 pORF. In summary, we developed a efficient approach for delaying rice heading date based on editing uORF region of flowering repressor, which is time and labor saving compared to traditional breeding. In future, uORF of other flowering time related genes, including flowering promoter and flowering repressor genes, can also be used as targets to fine-tune the flowering time of varieties.
Ecotoxicological evaluation of construction products: inter-laboratory test with DSLT and percolation test eluates in an aquatic biotest battery
Authors: Heisterkamp Ines , Ratte Monika , Schoknecht Ute , Gartiser Stefan , Kalbe Ute , Ilvonen Outi
Published: June 2021

Background

A European inter-laboratory test with 29 participating laboratories investigated whether a battery of four ecotoxicological tests is suitable for assessing the environmental compatibility of construction products. For this purpose, a construction product was investigated with the dynamic surface leaching test (DIN CEN/TS 16637-2) and the percolation test (DIN CEN/TS 16637-3). The eluates were produced centrally by one laboratory and were tested by the participants using the following biotests: algae test (ISO 8692), acute daphnia test (ISO 6341), luminescent bacteria test (DIN EN ISO 11348), and fish egg test (DIN EN ISO 15088). As toxicity measures, EC50 and LID values were calculated.

Results

Toxic effects of the eluates were detected by all four biotests. The bacteria test was by far the most sensitive, followed by the algae test and the daphnia test; the fish egg test was the least sensitive for eluates of both leaching tests. The toxicity level of the eluates was very high in the bacteria, daphnia, and algae test, with lowest ineffective dilution values of LID = 70 to LID = 13,000 and corresponding EC50 values around or even below 1 volume percent. The reproducibility (approximated by interlaboratory variability) of the biotests was good (< 53%) to very good (< 20%), regardless of the toxicity level of the eluates. The reproducibility of the algae test was up to 80%, and thus still acceptable.

Conclusion

It can be confirmed that the combination of leaching and ecotoxicity tests is suitable to characterize with sufficient reproducibility the environmental impact posed by the release of hazardous substances from construction products.
Analysis of urgent/emergent conversions from monitored anesthesia care to general anesthesia with airway instrumentation
Authors: Kim Sang , Chang Brian A. , Rahman Amreen , Lin Hung-Mo , DeMaria Samuel , Zerillo Jeron , Wax David B.
Published: June 2021

Background

Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) is an anesthetic service involving the titration of sedatives/analgesics to achieve varying levels of sedation while avoiding general anesthesia (GA) and airway instrumentation. The goal of our study was to determine the overall incidence of conversion from MAC to general anesthesia with airway instrumentation and elucidate reasons and risk factors for conversion.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, all non-obstetric adult patients who received MAC from July 2002 to July 2015 at Mount Sinai Hospital were electronically screened for inclusion via a clinical database. Patient, procedure, anesthetic, and practitioner data were all collected and analyzed to generate descriptive analyses. Subsequent univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify specific risk factors associated with conversion to GA.

Results

Overall, 0.50% (1097/219,061) of MAC cases were converted to GA. Approximately half of conversions were due to the patient’s “intolerance” of MAC (with or without failed regional anesthesia), while the other half were due to physiologic derangements. Body mass index, male sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification, anesthesia team composition, and surgical specialty were all associated with risk of conversion to GA.

Conclusions

This is one of the first and largest retrospective studies aimed at identifying reasons and risk factors associated with the conversion of MAC to GA. These findings may be used to help better anticipate or prevent these events.
Real-world long-term outcomes based on three therapeutic strategies in very old patients with three-vessel disease
Authors: Yuan Deshan , Jia Sida , Zhang Ce , Jiang Lin , Xu Lianjun , Zhang Yin , Xu Jingjing , Liu Ru , Xu Bo , Hui Rutai , Gao Runlin , Gao Zhan , Song Lei , Yuan Jinqing
Published: June 2021

Background

There are relatively limited data regarding real-world outcomes in very old patients with three-vessel disease (3VD) receiving different therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to perform analysis of long-term clinical outcomes of medical therapy (MT), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in this population.

Methods

We included 711 patients aged ≥ 75 years from a prospective cohort of patients with 3VD. Consecutive enrollment of these patients began from April 2004 to February 2011 at Fu Wai Hospital. Patients were categorized into three groups (MT, n = 296; CABG, n = 129; PCI, n = 286) on the basis of different treatment strategies.

Results

During a median follow-up of 7.25 years, 262 deaths and 354 major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) occurred. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the risk of cardiac death was significantly lower for CABG compared with PCI (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.475, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.232–0.974, P = 0.042). Additionally, MACCE appeared to show a trend towards a better outcome for CABG (adjusted HR = 0.759, 95% CI 0.536–1.074, P = 0.119). Furthermore, CABG was significantly superior in terms of unplanned revascularization (adjusted HR = 0.279, 95% CI 0.079–0.982, P = 0.047) and myocardial infarction (adjusted HR = 0.196, 95% CI 0.043–0.892, P = 0.035). No significant difference in all-cause death between CABG and PCI was observed. MT had a higher risk of cardiac death than PCI (adjusted HR = 1.636, 95% CI 1.092–2.449, P = 0.017). Subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant interaction between treatment strategy (PCI vs. CABG) and sex for MACCE (P = 0.026), with a lower risk in men for CABG compared with that of PCI, but not in women.

Conclusions

CABG can be performed with reasonable results in very old patients with 3VD. Sex should be taken into consideration in therapeutic decision-making in this population.
‘One feels somewhere that one is insignificant in that system’ – older multimorbid patients’ between lifeworld and system in healthcare
Authors: Boye Lilian Keene , Mogensen Christian Backer , Andersen Pernille Tanggaard , Waldorff Frans Boch , Mikkelsen Thorbjørn Hougaard
Published: June 2021

Background

When older multimorbid people are acutely hospitalized, continuity of care is a fundamental goal in the healthcare process. However, some acute hospitalized older multimorbid patients do not experience continuity of care. This phenomenon is explored using the theoretical framework of Jürgen Habermas “Theory of communicative action”.

Methods

Acutely hospitalized patients over the age of 65 with two or more chronic conditions and who received home care services were invited to participate in two interviews: one at the emergency department and the other 4–12 weeks after discharge. These interviews formed the basis for an evaluation of patient experience of continuity of care, and the content of the interviews was analyzed using a structured matrix.

Results

Fifteen patients participated with seven patients evaluated to have continuity of care in their healthcare process. Eight patients were evaluated as not having experienced continuity of care in their healthcare process. The categories from the matrix highlighted a healthcare system that interfered with a patient’s lifeworld with a lack of communication, different expectations, frustration regarding care, strained relations to health care providers and feelings of being objectified.

Conclusions

We conclude that mutual understanding based on communicative action is essential when it comes to patients’ experiences of continuity of care. Our results justify improving the mutual understanding between patients and professionals in transition between healthcare sectors. Future research should target whether an enhanced focus on communicative action and mutual understanding in particular between non-healthcare professionals and patients will improve the patients’ perception of continuity of care.