bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Vestibular Migraine
Authors: Kim Tae Su , Lee Woo Hyun , Heo Yoon
Published: June 2023

Objective: Anxiety and depression are psychiatric comorbidities potentially associated with dizziness and migraine, which can influence disease state, prognosis, and clinical outcomes. Vestibular migraine (VM) is a disease that causes repeated vestibular symptoms in people with a history of migraines. We investigated the prevalence and contributing factors of anxiety and depression in patients with VM. Methods: A total of 74 patients with VM were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent pure-tone audiometry, the examination of spontaneous nystagmus, Dix–Hallpike maneuver or supine-roll test, video head impulse test, and caloric testing on the day of the visit. We used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Dizziness Handicap Inventory was used to measure the intensity of vestibular symptoms. The participants were divided into normal and abnormal groups based on their HADS anxiety and depression scores, and demographic and clinical factors were analyzed. To identify factors associated with anxiety and depression, multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 36 (48.6%) patients demonstrated clinically relevant anxiety levels, and 24 (32.4%) demonstrated depression. Twenty-five (33.8%) patients were diagnosed with peripheral vestibular dysfunction. In the multivariable analyses, peripheral vestibular dysfunction and severe intensity vestibular symptoms were significantly associated with anxiety and depression. None of migraine features were significantly associated with anxiety and depression. Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety in patients with VM is considerably higher than in the depression. VM patients with peripheral vestibular dysfunction are particularly susceptible to anxiety and depression. Therefore, timely screening for vestibular function and psychiatric disorders in VM patients should be considered.
Enormous Asymptomatic Intraoral Sialolithiasis: A Case Report
Authors: Liu Chia-Wei , Lo Wu-Chia
Published: June 2023

Sialolithiasis is one of the most common diseases of salivary glands. More than 80% of the sialoliths occur in the submandibular gland. While most of the calculi are less than 10 mm in size, 7.6% are larger than 15 mm and are classified as giant sialoliths. We demonstrate a rare case of asymptomatic giant sialolith in the left Wharton’s duct with a total atrophy of the left submandibular salivary gland. A 48-year-old female patient presented with lumping sensation for 1 month. A left mouth floor mass was found accidentally during examination and was later revealed to be a painless sialolithiasis. Image study revealed a giant sialolith in the left Wharton’s duct with duct dilatation and left submandibular gland total atrophy. She underwent transoral sialolithotomy with removal of a huge stone, measuring 3.5 × 1.4 cm in size. Sialolithiasis usually presents with typical symptoms of the involved salivary gland, and the size of calculi is usually less than 20 mm. This is a rare case report of an asymptomatic giant sialolith in the Wharton’s duct, causing left submandibular salivary gland total atrophy, and its diagnosis and management.
Inpatient Otolaryngology Consultations and COVID-19: The Surge and Lasting Effects at an Urban, Academic Institution
Authors: Owen Grant S. , Urban Matthew J. , Calder Alyssa N. , Husain Inna A. , LoSavio Phillip S. , Revenaugh Peter C. , Batra Pete S.
Published: June 2023

Objective: This study aims to examine the lasting effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on inpatient otolaryngology consultations. Methods: In a retrospective analysis, inpatient otolaryngology consultations at an urban, academic tertiary care center were reviewed over the course of 2 years (Jun 2019-Jun 2021). The consultations were categorized by time period based on the local data for COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths as follows: pre-COVID (Jun 2019-Feb 2020), Surge 1 (Mar 2020-May 2020), Surge 2 (Oct 2020-Jan 2021), and Post Surge (Mar 2021-Jun 2021). Results: A total of 897 patients undergoing an inpatient otolaryngology consultation across all 4 time periods were included for analysis. The average consultations per day was 1.67 ± 0.24 in pre-COVID times, and dropped acutely to 0.86 ± 0.33 consultations per day during Surge 1. The consultation volume was not statistically different from pre-COVID levels during Surge 2 (1.33 ± 0.35) and Post Surge (1.60 ± 0.20). Reason for consultation and procedures performed did not vary significantly between pre-COVID times and Post Surge, except that consultation for postoperative complaint was less frequent in Post Surge (4.8% vs 1.0%, P = .02). More patients had been screened with rapid antigen COVID testing in Post Surge versus Surge 1 (20.1% vs 7.6%, P = .04). Conclusions: Inpatient otolaryngology consultation volumes, indications, and procedures performed at an urban, academic institution returned to pre-COVID levels after being significantly impacted during Surge 1.
Civic Engagement and Resisting “Docile Bodies” in Postsecondary Education
Authors: Stewart D-L
Published: June 2023

Background/Context:

Robust civic engagement by young adults supports the aims of a democratic society, as well as college- and university-espoused commitments to the public good. Civic engagement also benefits students themselves. Although voting participation among young adults has shown modest increases from 2016 to 2020, work remains to be done to help youth become more engaged in civics. Postsecondary education has the tools to support this engagement among college students.

Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study:

Postsecondary education has long sought to support young adults to participate in democratic society, despite the current dominance of a neoliberal focus on career and socioeconomic mobility outcomes. A realignment of goal-setting is necessary to recognize the need to do more than produce “docile bodies” for a neoliberal and capitalist labor market. Yet, colleges and universities struggle to center equity goals that would support radical democratic engagement.

Research Design:

This article is a philosophical analysis of the intersection of civic education, democracy, and equity in the postsecondary curriculum.

Conclusions/Recommendations:

The article concludes with four policy recommendations: (1) access to federal and state funding for postsecondary institutions for civic engagement initiatives; (2) support for the freedom to learn and the freedom to teach material grounded in equity principles, including critical race theory; (3) assessing civic education as a core learning outcome through collaborations between postsecondary education and government initiatives; and (4) protecting the methods by which young adults in college can participate in the electoral process.
Centering Youth of Color Activism and Knowledge in the Critical Race Theory Debates
Authors: Boveda Leah , Boveda Mildred
Published: June 2023

Background/Context:

Leah Boveda, a sophomore at Brown University, collaborated with her mother—Mildred Boveda, an intersectional studies scholar situated in special education and teacher education—to make sense of her high school community activism in Arizona. They retrace how Leah’s experiences eventually shaped her understandings of and participation in adult-centered conversations about critical race theory bans. This daughter–mother authorial team offers lessons learned from Leah’s youth mobilizations and how they may inform education research about youth activists of color.

Research Design:

Using an intersectionally conscious, collaborative approach and a daughtering analytical framing, the authors revisited Leah’s high school youth activism. In addition to their memories, they returned to written documents, such as a 2019 interview between Leah and a correspondent at The New York Times, her notes from a 5-minute speech presented at a CRT summit, and shared files for a panel presentation that Leah gave as an assistant “faculty” member for the July 2021 CRT Summer School. The authors consider how Leah’s youth mobilization may inform how adults—whether educators, researchers, or policymakers—engage youths of color in the CRT debates.

Conclusions/Recommendations:

The authors analyzed how the adults Leah collaborated with engaged youth voice, including at events where student perspectives about CRT bans were invited. In her daughtering role, Leah both appreciated and pushed the nurturing adults in her life. The authorial team unveils how youth activists of color must deal with not only racialized oppression, but also the pressure to achieve proximity to adults in order to be heard and respected.
Afropessimism and the Specter of Black Nihilism
Authors: Hawkins Orlando
Published: June 2023

In arguing that slavery is not a relic of the past, but a relational dynamic undergirded by an ontology of anti-Blackness that prevents Blacks from ever being considered human beings, the self-described Afropessimist, Frank Wilderson III, argues that Black people occupy the position of social death in the present. Due to this anti-Black condition, Wilderson concludes that no form of redress is possible to assuage, liberate, and redeem Black people from this anti-Black condition other than the “End of the World.” Drawing upon Fredrich Nietzsche’s understanding of the problem of nihilism and its existential consequences, I argue that while Afropessimism is useful for articulating the problem of anti-Blackness, it makes a nihilistic turn through Wilderson’s “End of the World” since there is no world where Blackness is experienced as anything other than social death. As a response to Wilderson, I conclude that the philosopher Jacqueline Scott’s life-affirming Nietzschean philosophy and her anti-racist activism in “Racial Nihilism as Racial Courage” is one adequate response to the nihilistic threat to Black America if Black people are condemned to a life of social death because of the enduring nature of anti-Black racism.
The histamine system and cognitive function: An in vivo H3 receptor PET imaging study in healthy volunteers and patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Arumuham Atheeshaan , Nour Matthew M , Veronese Mattia , Onwordi Ellis Chika , Rabiner Eugenii A , Howes Oliver D
Published: June 2023

Background:

The histamine-3 receptor (H3R) is an auto- and heteroreceptor that inhibits the release of histamine and other neurotransmitters. Post-mortem evidence has found altered H3R expression in patients with psychotic disorders, which may underlie cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS).

Aims:

We used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to compare brain uptake of an H3R selective tracer between patients with schizophrenia and matched controls (healthy individuals). Regions of interest included the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and striatum. We explored correlations between tracer uptake and symptoms, including cognitive domains.

Methods:

A total of 12 patients and 12 matched controls were recruited to the study and were assessed with psychiatric and cognitive rating scales. They received a PET scan using the H3R-specific radioligand [11C]MK-8278 to determine H3R availability.

Results:

There was no statistically significant difference in tracer uptake between patients and controls in the DLPFC ( t19 = 0.79, p = 0.44) or striatum (t21 = 1.18, p = 0.25). An exploratory analysis found evidence for lower volume of distribution in the left cuneus (pFWE-corrected = 0.01). DLPFC tracer uptake was strongly correlated with cognition in controls (trail making test (TMT) A: r = 0.77, p = 0.006; TMT B: rho = 0.74, p = 0.01), but not in patients (TMT A: r = −0.18, p = 0.62; TMT B: rho = −0.06, p = 0.81).

Conclusions:

These findings indicate H3R in the DLPFC might play a role in executive function and this is disrupted in schizophrenia in the absence of major alterations in H3R availability as assessed using a selective radiotracer for H3R. This provides further evidence for the role of H3R in CIAS.
Architecting oxidized alginate methacrylate hydrogels with tunable characteristics by altering the sequence of the cross-linking steps, methacrylation reaction time, and polymer concentration
Authors: Jalali Kandeloos A , Bastani S , Mashayekhan S
Published: June 2023

In this study, biodegradable oxidized methacrylated alginate (OMA) hydrogels with controllable mechanical properties were engineered. An ionic and photo cross-linking combination was employed to fabricate dual cross-linked hydrogels. By altering the degree of methacrylation and polymer concentration, hydrogels with an elastic modulus of 4.85 ± 0.13 to 21.02 ± 0.91 kPa, controllable swelling, and degradation kinetics, and cross-link density in the range of 1.0 × 10−5 to 6.5 × 10−5 mol/cm3 were obtained. Moreover, evaluating the effect of cross-linking sequence on the hydrogels’ mechanical properties demonstrated that in comparison to the hydrogels fabricated by ionic cross-linking followed by photo-polymerization, hydrogels produced by photo-polymerization followed by ionic cross-linking retain a stiffer gel network with more compact structure. Cytocompatibility examination was performed via MTT assay against L929 fibroblasts, and all the hydrogel samples demonstrated high cell viability (>80%). The findings demonstrate the significant effect of the sequence of cross-linking as a novel tool to tune the OMA hydrogel’s final properties which can serve as a useful platform for tissue engineering applications.
Shifting Norms in Faith Communities to Reduce Intimate Partner Violence: Results from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Nigeria
Authors: Shaw Bryan , Stevanovic-Fenn Natacha , Gibson Lacey , Davin Caitlin , Chipanta Nokafu Sandra K. , Lubin Anabelle B. , Martin Luke , Saman Andrew , Vandu David , Quirke Francesca
Published: June 2023

Programs aiming to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) increasingly seek to shift social norms. Few interventions have been rigorously evaluated for their impact on norms and incidence of IPV, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Shifting norms at the community level and subsequent pathways to behavior change remain poorly understood. We assessed shifts in individual- and couple-level factors, social norms, and IPV from an 18-month community-based trial of the Masculinity, Faith, and Peace (MFP) program—a faith-based, norms-shifting approach—in Plateau state, Nigeria. This study was part of a community-based, mixed-methods, two-arm cluster randomized control trial (cRCT) to evaluate the MFP program. Quantitative surveys were conducted with women 18 to 35 years old ( n = 350) and their male partners ( n = 281). Respondents came from 10 Muslim and 10 Christian congregations. Social norms were measured based on results from factor analysis. Intent-to-treat analyses assessed intervention effects. Qualitative research in MFP congregations explored pathways of change. All forms of IPV reduced over time among MFP participants. Regression analyses showed a significant 61% reduction in odds of reporting experiencing any IPV among women, a 64% reduction among Christians, and a 44% reduction in MFP congregations compared to their respective controls. In addition to improvement in norms, we found significant intervention effects on individual attitudes toward IPV and gender roles, relationship quality, and community cohesion. Qualitative findings reinforce these pathways, suggesting that critical reflection and dialogue on existing norms and the focus on faith and religious texts were valued by participants and supported IPV reductions. This study demonstrates that a faith-based, norms-shifting intervention can significantly reduce IPV in a short time. There are several pathways through which MFP reduced IPV, including shifts in norms, attitudes, relationship quality, and community cohesion.
The impact of short-wave effects on deterioration of track geometry
Authors: Loidolt Markus , Marschnig Stefan
Published: June 2023

Short wavelength rail defects or short-wave effects of rail have a significant influence on the system behaviour of railways. The influence of additional dynamic loads due to short-wave effects on component wear and the general quality behaviour of track is shown by several research papers. However, the described effect cannot yet be quantified comprehensively. This paper attempts to fill this gap. With the help of extensive data analysis, we can show that short-wave effects lead to a track geometry that is up to 50% worse than on average. Furthermore, we show examples illustrating the influence of untreated welded joints on the development of isolated defects of the track geometry. A detailed in-depth analysis of sections with different boundary conditions finally shows that short-wave effects have a significant influence on track geometry if the amplitude of the effect exceeds 0.15 mm. This value can be recommended as a threshold value in Austria and as a reference value in other countries.
Feto-maternal outcomes of pregnancies in women with SLE: Experience from a tertiary care center of Asia
Authors: Dur-e-Shahwar  , Tanwir Tabeer , Raza Amir , Riaz Mehmood , Malik Ayesha , Ilyas Shehla
Published: June 2023

Objective

We aim to quantify the risk of maternal and fetal complications in patients with SLE in order to identify the impact of SLE on pregnancy and of pregnancy on SLE.

Methods

This retrospective record review study was conducted in Aga khan university hospital, Karachi, from Jan 1998 to Dec 2019. All pregnant patients with SLE diagnosed and delivered during this time were included in the study. Categorical variables were analyzed by using chi-square test and fisher exact test. Whereas quantitative point estimate was estimated as mean and SD. We matched the data and computed crude odds ratio of pre-eclamptic patients with respect to age of conception, gravida, and body mass index in both case and control group.

Results

The SLE disease activity was monitored during pregnancy under SLEDAI-2K Scoring system. The patients with mild (25.6%) and moderate (25.6%) disease activity were prevalent and most antenatal patients (51.7%) had flare up in third trimester. Adverse maternal outcomes include pre-eclampsia (28.8%), eclampsia (3.2%), cesarean section (57.6%), and thrombocytopenia (9.6%), whereas perinatal outcomes includes intrauterine growth retardation (24%), preterm birth <34 weeks (19.2%) and <37 weeks (63.2%), APGAR Score < 7 at 1 min (5.6%), and neonatal death (5.6%) found to be statistically significant in between two groups There were more high-risk patients (42) with positive IgG (88%), IgM (83.3%), and lupus anticoagulant (33.3%) as compared to low-risk APS group.

Conclusion

Planned pregnancy and less severe disease flares during pregnancy is associated with more favorable feto-maternal outcomes.
A mechanical, thermal and electrical properties study of novel vulcanised blends of poly(epichlorohydrin) elastomer with polyaniline dodecylbenzenesulfonate
Authors: Bakhtiarian Elaheh , Foot Peter JS
Published: June 2023

With good mechanical and thermal properties, elastomers having appreciable electrical conductivity may potentially be developed as smart materials for applications such as strain sensors, artificial muscles or flexible biosensors. With such applications in mind, the purpose of this study was to investigate the structure-properties relationships of new vulcanised blends of a poly (epichlorohydrin) elastomer (PECH) and electrically-conducting polyaniline dodecylbenzenesulfonate salt (PAni.DBSA). PAni.DBSA, synthesised by a published method, was blended with PECH and vulcanised with a commercial sulfur cross-linking agent in an internal mixer. The morphological, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties were examined as a function of the amount of PAni.DBSA in the blends. The electrical conductivities increased with the proportion of polyaniline, showing a low percolation threshold of about 1 wt. % (1.07 vol %) PAni.DBSA (from about 10−12 to 10−10 S cm−1), and a second stage of percolation around 5 wt.%, ultimately reaching around 3 × 10−8 S cm−1. The results from microscopy and other techniques indicated that a mixture of micro- and nano-sized PAni.DBSA particles was dispersed in the elastomer matrix at compositions above 5 wt. % PAni.DBSA. The infrared spectra of vulcanised PECH-PAni.DBSA blends showed features of the pure polymers, with some notable peak shifts due to intermolecular interactions between the constituents. Thermal properties of the conductive blends were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermal stabilities of the blends were strongly dependent on the ratio of PAni.DBSA to PECH, and the two components inhibited the thermal decomposition of each other. The elastomer’s glass transition temperature (Tg) was determined by thermomechanical analysis (TMA); each blend showed only one such transition, at temperatures that increased monotonically with the proportion of PAni.DBSA present, indicating a significant degree of molecular interaction between the two polymers.
How does Subcontracting Affect the Performance of the Informal Enterprise? Source of Advancement or Exploitation?
Authors: Ghosh Soumen , Mitra Srija
Published: June 2023

In recent times, both developing and developed countries have witnessed the existence of the informal economy along with its formal counterpart, and India is not an exception. The informal sector is significant to the Indian economy in terms of its contribution to GDP and employment generation. Therefore, evaluating the performance of this sector is important in terms of the growth of the Indian economy for further policy formulation.

This study is purported to examine the performance of the informal enterprises in the Indian economy. The performance of informal enterprises is examined across a variety of factors, including ownership type, location, sector, enterprise type, and so on, to get a more complete picture. In addition, it is also analysing the determining factors of informal firm performance, paying particular attention to the outsourcing or subcontracting of the informal firms in all the subsegments. The study has used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to examine the determining factors. For the empirical analysis, it has used National Sample Survey 73rd Round (2015–2016) microdata on unincorporated non-agricultural enterprises. The results show that urban informal enterprises are performing well compared to their rural counterparts, though inter and intra-sectoral heterogeneity has been observed across ownership type, location, sector, and enterprise type. It is also noticed that formal–informal interlinkage in terms of subcontracting is mostly exploitative in nature, with only a tiny portion of the informal enterprises benefiting from it. Subcontracting has a negative impact on the performance of rural enterprises, but it has a mixed effect on the performance of urban informal firms.
Systemic salmonellosis in 4 cats
Authors: Riker Jesse , Miller Doris M. , Blas-Machado Uriel , Lieske Danielle E. , Stilwell Justin M. , McCullough Kathryn , Sanchez Susan , Rissi Daniel R.
Published: June 2023

Clinical signs in 4 cases of salmonellosis in cats included vomiting, diarrhea (2 cases each), fever, dystocia, icterus, and seizures (1 case each). Three cats died, and one was euthanized. Grossly, all cats were in poor body condition and had yellow-to-dark-red perianal feces (3 cases), oral and ocular pallor (2 cases) or icterus (1 case), fluid or pasty yellow intestinal contents (4 cases), white or dark-red-to-black depressed areas on the hepatic surface (2 cases), yellow abdominal fluid with swollen abdominal lymph nodes (1 case), and fibrin strands on the placental chorionic surface (1 case). Histologically, all cats had necrotizing enterocolitis and random hepatocellular necrosis. Other histologic findings included mesenteric (4 cases) or splenic (2 cases) lymphoid necrosis, and endometrial and chorioallantoic necrosis (1 case). Gram-negative bacilli were observed within neutrophils and macrophages in the intestinal lamina propria (4 cases), liver, spleen, lymph node, endometrium, and placenta (1 case each). Aerobic bacterial culture on frozen samples of small intestine, mesenteric lymph node, lung, and liver yielded Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Serotyping was consistent with S. Enteritidis (cases 1, 3) and S. Typhimurium (cases 2, 4).
Percutaneous Partial Bone Excision in the Management of Diabetic Toe Osteomyelitis
Authors: Moosa Sameh R. , Allan Ali H. , Younes Amr N. , Bakri Faris G. , Younes Nidal A.
Published: June 2023

Background:

Diabetic foot osteomyelitis affecting the toes is associated with several complications including amputation. Management is variable and include medical therapy alone or coupled with surgery. Removal of infected tissues is a common therapeutic option. However, limited source data are available. This study determines the outcome and complications of percutaneous partial bone excision (PPBE) of infected bone among diabetic patients with toe osteomyelitis.

Methods:

This is an uncontrolled experimental prospective study in diabetic patients who underwent PPBE of infected pieces of bone for toe osteomyelitis in the outpatient setting at a single foot clinic. All participants were followed up until the occurrence of wound healing or amputation.

Results:

Forty-seven patients (mean ± SD age was 62.8 ± 11.6 years) participated. Forty-four patients (93.6%) had complete healing and 3 (6.4%) required toe amputation. The mean (±SD) wound healing time was 11 (±4.6) (range, 7-22) weeks. Diabetes mellitus type 1 and younger age were significantly associated with increased risk for amputation.

Conclusion:

PPBE of infected toes in diabetic patients can be performed successfully and safely in the outpatient clinic. It can also improve healing and avoids inpatient stay.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, prospective cohort study.
Leveraging School and University Partnerships to Provide Accelerated English Language Arts Instruction to Gifted and High Potential Middle School Learners
Authors: Boyle Colleen S. , Carpenter Ashley Y.
Published: June 2023

Project OCCAMS is an accelerated English language arts curriculum and delivery model for high ability middle school learners. This program was initially developed in a research-practitioner partnership with two universities and a state department of education. Over 6 years, it was implemented in Columbus City Schools, Ohio’s largest urban school district, through careful collaboration with the district’s gifted department and other district teams responsible for day-to-day school operations. This article explores strategies for establishing and sustaining partnerships among organizations, both externally and internally, to develop innovative programs to benefit gifted students, such as those developed during Project OCCAMS.
Planning Professional Learning to Support the Implementation of a New English Language Arts Program for Middle School Students
Authors: Boyle Colleen S.
Published: June 2023

A critical part of implementing a new instructional program is professional learning. Multifaceted training was planned and delivered to teachers in a Midwestern urban school district prior to and during implementation of an online accelerated English language arts curriculum in four middle schools. Working in partnership with two universities, district teachers were trained to utilize the Integrated Curriculum Model as well as practical training in navigating the Schoology online learning platform. During a 3-year period, teachers engaged in additional professional learning related to curriculum and instruction, assessment, and online teaching pedagogy in both a workshop and consultative format. This article summarizes the approaches used in this professional learning plan and lessons learned for future applications.
A Role for ChatGPT and AI in Gifted Education
Authors: Siegle Del
Published: June 2023

This article explores the potential uses of AI in gifted education programs. Gifted students often have unique learning characteristics and require specialized program services. The use of AI can provide advanced content, personalized learning, creative writing and image manipulation, critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration, research skills, and advanced technology. ChatGPT and Bing AI can be used to provide additional resources and challenges, design individualized learning plans, provide feedback on writing, and pose challenging questions or problems. While AI has its limitations, it can be a valuable tool for gifted education programs to help meet the needs of gifted and talented students.
Development of an Online, Culturally Responsive, Accelerated Language Arts Curriculum for Middle School Students
Authors: Robins Jennifer H. , Sanguras Laila Y. , Carpenter Ashley Y.
Published: June 2023

In this article, we focus on two components of the Online Curriculum Consortium for Accelerating Middle School (OCCAMS) project: the curriculum frameworks and the curriculum development process. The frameworks include the Integrated Curriculum Model (advanced content, unit themes, and process/product), culturally responsive curriculum, and talent development. In our discussion of the curriculum frameworks, we share how two accelerated, online courses centered on themes that motivate and engage diverse learners: identity, heroism, conviction, and sacrifice. In addition, we highlight how the exploration of these themes through texts written by diverse authors and featuring diverse characters allows students to go on an even deeper journey into self-discovery. The second focus of this article is on the curriculum development process. We illustrate the iterative nature of the development of the curriculum, including descriptions of the site visits and use of teacher and student feedback in each stage of revisions.
Learning About, In, From, and With
Authors: Kaplan Sandra N.
Published: June 2023

This article discusses various key words that facilitate differentiated curricular experiences for gifted students. Key words such as “about,” “in,” “from,” and “with” can present a different perspective on the learning experience and stimulate investigative behaviors. They are also a set of words that are capable of enhancing self-directed study both formally and informally. The application of the key words provides a shift from teacher to student directed learning, from the concept that a study is completed to the concept that a study is ever ongoing, and from the gifted student as an individual seeking scholarship to an individual becoming a scholar.
Health Insurance Coverage Gaps Among Children With a History of Adversity
Authors: Anyigbo Chidiogo , Todd Emmalee , Tumin Dmitry , Kusma Jennifer
Published: June 2023

Health insurance stability among children with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is essential for accessing health care services. This cross-sectional study used an extensive, multi-year, nationally representative database of children aged 0 to 17 to examine the association between ACE scores and continuous or intermittent lack of health insurance over a 12-month period. Secondary outcomes were reported reasons for coverage gaps. Compared with children having 0 ACEs, those with 4+ ACEs had a higher likelihood of being part-year uninsured rather than year-round private insured (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 4.20; 95% CI: 3.25, 5.43), year-round public insured (RRR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.76), or year-round uninsured (RRR: 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.63, 3.21). Among children who experienced part-year or year-round uninsurance, a higher ACE score was associated with a greater likelihood of coverage gap due to difficulties with the application or renewal process. Policy changes to reduce administrative burdens may improve health insurance stability and access to health care among children who endure ACEs.
Unprepared for Reality: Early-Career Journalists Ill-Equipped for Hostility in the Field
Authors: Mesmer Kelsey R.
Published: June 2023

Scholarly calls surrounding the need to prepare journalism students for hostile encounters and harassment are emerging. Using in-depth interviews with 28 early-career journalists from across the United States, this project underscores a need for content related to hostility within journalism courses. Findings also highlighted a tension between early-career journalists’ beliefs about how journalists are supposed to act and how they coped with hostility in practice. This created hesitancy to speak up and have discussions about hostility with editors, especially among women journalists. Therefore, I argue for a shift in how we talk about hostility toward journalists in our classrooms.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Tobacco Use Patterns Among Adults in the United States: Exploring sex differences
Authors: Osibogun Olatokunbo , Erinoso Olufemi , Li Wei , Kalan Mohammad Ebrahimi , Bursac Zoran , Osibogun Akin
Published: June 2023

Objective

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which refer to childhood traumatic events, have been identified as risk factors for tobacco use in adulthood. However, studies are limited on the effect of sex on the association of ACEs with e-cigarettes and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. This study explored sex differences in the association of ACEs with e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among adults in the United States.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from adults aged ≥18 years in the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System ( N = 62,768). ACEs, the independent variable, was a composite score assessed from 11 questions (with responses yes—1 or no/never—0) related to childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and household dysfunction and categorized as 0 (reference), 1, 2, 3, or ≥4. The dependent variable, tobacco use patterns, included nonuse (reference), e-cigarette only, cigarette only, and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to test the interaction between sex and ACEs while controlling for potential confounders.

Results

Although we found no statistically significant interaction by sex, a greater number of ACEs were associated with higher odds of the different tobacco use patterns among females and males, with varying strengths of associations. Specifically, females who reported ≥4 ACEs compared with none had higher odds of e-cigarette (aOR [95% CI]: 3.58 [1.49–8.63]), cigarette (2.57 [1.72–3.83]) and dual use (3.25 [1.79–5.91]) relative to nonuse. Males with ≥4 ACEs had higher odds of cigarette (1.75 [1.15–2.65]) and dual use (7.64 [3.95–14.79]).

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the importance of developing appropriate, tailored trauma-informed intervention strategies for females and males. It is also important to consider ACEs in designing tobacco-specific preventive programs to curb initiation and promote cessation among U.S. adults.
Characteristics of Outpatient and Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities with a Tailored LGBT Program
Authors: Ware Orrin D. , Austin Anna E. , Srivastava Ankur , Dawes Hayden C. , Baruah Dicky , Hall William J.
Published: June 2023

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals have a high prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) and experience unique barriers to treatment. Little is known about the characteristics of SUD treatment facilities providing LGBT-tailored programs at the outpatient and residential levels of care. The purpose of this study is to examine the availability of LGBT-tailored programs in outpatient and residential SUD treatment facilities. Using the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services 2020, we conducted logistic regression to examine facility characteristics, including ownership, pay assistance, region, outreach, and telehealth services, associated with having an LGBT-tailored program among SUD treatment facilities. Outpatient facilities that were for-profit, had pay assistance, had community outreach services, and provided telemedicine/telehealth were more likely to have an LGBT-tailored program. Those that were government-owned, in the Midwest, and that accepted Medicaid were less likely to have an LGBT-tailored program. Residential facilities that were in the West, for-profit, and had community outreach services were more likely to have an LGBT-tailored program. This study offers a national examination of the availability of LGBT-tailored programs in SUD treatment facilities. Differences in availability based on ownership, region, pay assistance, and outreach highlight potential gaps in treatment availability.
Gig workers, critical visuality and humour in a digital context: The graphic representation of riders as a form of social criticism
Authors: Martorell Sandra , Roig Telo Antoni
Published: June 2023

This article studies social perceptions of gig work and its conditions through the lenses of visual humour created and shared in digital environments. Food delivery services have thrived in cities, and riders – gig workers associated with such services – have become popular urban figures, easily recognisable through light means of transport and backpacks. These iconic elements have spread to forms of visual humour like memes and cartoons in social media. We aim to analyse the depiction of food delivery services and riders through graphic humour in digital environments, and its role as critical stances of gig work conditions. We draw from the literature on gig work, as well as critical humour in the workplace, approaching the phenomenon from the perspective of critical visualities and the memetic qualities of digital visual humour. Thus, we have conducted an analysis of rider memes, and carried out a focus group with Spanish cartoonists to better understand each form. From our analysis, we have observed that a) memes showcase less explicit critical stances but reflect a shared understanding of the hurdles associated to rider work; b) cartoons place riders in a contextualised, wider critique of platform economy and capitalism; c) while most graphic humour on riders takes an external, observational position, there is also an ‘inner look’ to the rider work, emphasising the promises and deceptions associated with the gig economy.
Integration and impact of pharmacists in general practice internationally: A rapid review
Authors: Karampatakis Georgios Dimitrios , Patel Nilesh , Stretch Graham , Ryan Kath
Published: June 2023

Objective

English general practices have been facing ongoing pressures, arising from complicated health care needs and the recent pandemic. To overcome these pressures and reduce the workload of general practitioners, there have been extensive attempts to integrate pharmacists into general practices. A number of literature reviews, often systematic, have partially explored the topic of general practice-based pharmacists (GPBPs) internationally. Our aim was to further explore the employment/integration models of GPBPs and their actual activities and impact, concepts that have not been thoroughly investigated by previous reviews.

Methods

Two databases were searched from inception to June 2021 for studies published in the English language. Results were independently screened by two reviewers to establish eligibility for inclusion. Original research studies, or protocols where results had not been released at the time of search, that reported on services provided by pharmacists with some sort of integration into general practices were included. The studies were analysed using narrative synthesis.

Results

Searches identified 3206 studies in total, of which 75 met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were highly heterogeneous in terms of participants involved and methodologies employed. Integration of pharmacists into general practices has occurred in several countries, with funds originating from multiple sources. Several employment models for GPBPs were described – for example, part-time and full-time work and/or coverage of multiple or single practices. GPBP activities, with some exceptions, were comparable between different countries, with medication reviews being the most common task globally. GPBP impact was identified through both observational and/or interventional research methods, by pursuing a large variety of measures (e.g. activity volume, contact with patients, perceptions/experiences, and patient outcomes). Independent, quantifiable outcomes from GPBP activities were all positive but were of varying statistical significance.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that GPBP services can lead to positive, quantifiable outcomes, mainly in relation to medication use. This shows the usefulness of GPBP services. The findings of this review can help policy makers decide how best to implement and fund GPBP services, and how to identify and measure GPBP impact.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy in Adolescents With Panic Disorder: A Twelve-Week Follow-Up Study
Authors: Inci Izmir Sevim Berrin , Korkmazlar Ümran , Ercan Eyüp Sabri
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment in adolescents with panic disorder (PD). This follow-up study consists of 30 adolescents with PD without agoraphobia, aged 14–17 (15.53 ± .97). They were evaluated with Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present, also the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were administered at baseline, at the end of the 4th and 12th weeks of treatment. EMDR therapy which is an eight-phase treatment approach composed of standardized protocols and procedures was applied for 12 weeks, one session per week. The baseline mean of the total PAS score decreased from 40.06 to 13.13 at fourth week and 1.2 at the end of 12th week of treatment. In addition, BAI score decreased significantly from 33.67 to 13.83 at 4 weeks and 5.31 at the end of 12th week of treatment. Overall, our results underscore the effectiveness of EMDR in adolescents with PD. Moreover, the current study suggests that EMDR may represent an effective intervention technique for PD in adolescents to protect against relapses and to overcome a fear of future attacks.
Non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy and the effects on maternal and fetal outcomes: A systematic review
Authors: Haataja Anna , Kokki Hannu , Uimari Outi , Kokki Merja
Published: June 2023

Background and objective:

Non-obstetric surgery is fairly common in pregnant women. We performed a systematic review to update data on non-obstetric surgery in pregnant women. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy on pregnancy, fetal and maternal outcomes.

Methods:

A systematic literature search of MEDLINE and Scopus was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search span was from January 2000 to November 2022. Thirty-six studies matched the inclusion criteria, and 24 publications were identified through reference mining; 60 studies were included in this review. Outcome measures were miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, low Apgar score, and infant and maternal morbidity and mortality rates.

Results:

We obtained data for 80,205 women who underwent non-obstetric surgery and data for 16,655,486 women who did not undergo surgery during pregnancy. Prevalence of non-obstetric surgery was between 0.23% and 0.74% (median 0.37%). Appendectomy was the most common procedure with median prevalence of 0.10%. Near half (43%) of the procedures were performed during the second trimester, 32% during the first trimester, and 25% during the third trimester. Half of surgeries were scheduled, and half were emergent. Laparoscopic and open techniques were used equally for abdominal cavity. Women who underwent non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy had increased rate of stillbirth (odds ratio (OR) 2.0) and preterm birth (OR 2.1) compared to women without surgery. Surgery during pregnancy did not increase rate of miscarriage (OR 1.1), low 5 min Apgar scores (OR 1.1), the fetus being small for gestational age (OR 1.1) or congenital anomalies (OR 1.0).

Conclusions:

The prevalence of non-obstetric surgery has decreased during last decades, but still two out of 1000 pregnant women have scheduled surgery during pregnancy. Surgery during pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirth, and preterm birth. For abdominal cavity surgery, both laparoscopic and open approaches are feasible.
Towards ‘the environmental state’: revelations from a design-oriented enquiry of environmental constitutionalism
Authors: Singh Akhilendra Pratap
Published: June 2023

Political theorists of varied philosophical traditions and ideological leanings have provided different understandings of the state. In the same vein, an ‘environmental’ conception of the state has emerged which seeks to cast the state as an ecological steward. In the legal context, the rise of the environmental state is evidenced by the trend of constitutionalization of the environment. Constitutionalization of the environment or environmental constitutionalism is an approach that relies on constitutions to provide for the architecture of environmental governance through various constitutional features, such as fundamental rights, principles of environmental governance, and endearing aspirational values. This relationship between the environmental state and environmental constitutionalism, however, remains less explored in the legal scholarship, particularly in the specialized sub-domain of the environmental constitutionalism scholarship. This article fills that gap by arguing that environmental constitutionalism is not only an important indicator of the rise of the environmental state, but also a progressive step towards it.
Revisiting the non-justiciability issue in environmental rights dialogue in Nigeria
Authors: Umukoro Brown Etareri
Published: June 2023

The campaign for the recognition of environmental rights is progressively gaining momentum in Nigeria as the degradation of the environment continues without an effective legal framework for abatement. While environmental rights are yet to find general acceptability, legal scholars, environmentalists, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders have continued to insist that it is possible to enforce environmental rights in Nigeria as though they were a fundamental right's claim. The article, in the face of the currency of environmental rights’ discourse in Nigeria and the recent UN Resolution recognising environmental rights as universal human rights, seeks to revisit the constitutional challenges associated with environmental rights’ claims in Nigeria, particularly, the non-justiciability slogan which has often been wielded as a sword of Damocles against arguments in favour of the right. The article observes that without necessarily constitutionalising environmental rights, a purposeful interpretation of Chapter IV of the Constitution could place Nigeria among countries with enforceable environmental rights in the world.