bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Political Economy of Fertiliser Use in Agriculture: A Study of Two Districts of West Bengal*
Authors: Mukherjee Rishav , Datta Pratip Kumar , Chakrabarti Saumya
Published: June 2024

The overuse of chemical fertiliser in agriculture is a serious concern across the Global South, as well as in India. In this context, a pan-India government programme of soil testing and recommending optimal doses of fertilisers has been introduced. Given this, we have undertaken a study based on a primary survey of 180 sample households in two agriculturally advanced districts of West Bengal, India. We have identified widespread overuse of chemical fertilisers and certain critical drawbacks of the government programme. Crucially, we have also found that over and above farmers’ lack of awareness (and some of their traits), large private fertiliser companies might be playing a dominant role in this practice of overuse. This interventionist exercise should have far-reaching economic, environmental and even sociopolitical impacts, and hence it calls for critical policy involvement.

JEL Codes: P16, Q12, Q15, Q18
Exhibiting Holden: Best practice and practical problems in a national motor museum
Authors: Clark Jennifer , Bolognese Michelangelo , Collins Carolyn
Published: June 2024

Holden is arguably the most important vehicle brand in Australian transport history. As a result, it is intimately tied to the cultural, social and economic history of the nation. This paper discusses the tension that emerges, and the issues faced when trying to bring Holden, and all it represents, into the museum space and tell its complex story to a diverse and changing public audience. The task has been magnified, facilitated and made more urgent since the closure of the last Australian Holden manufacturing plant in 2017. Now that Holden is more realistically identified with a defined historical period, this article explores how the National Motor Museum of Australia (NMM) represents that history through thoughtful and appropriate museological practice.
500 bee stings in a single fatal encounter
Authors: Singh Tanya , Padubidri Jagadish R , KS Akshath , Rao Sowmya J , Manoj Matthew A
Published: June 2024

Incidences of multiple bee stings have been increasing globally; the substantial amount of bee venom injected in such incidents can result in anaphylactic shock, rhabdomyolysis and renal failure, proving fatal in some cases. While anaphylactic reactions are more common and have established treatment protocols, inflammatory response induced by the venom demands a tailored approach. Here we report a case of a 70-year-old male in India who succumbed from approximately 500 bee stings. Based on our literature review, this case stands out as one of the first reported fatalities caused by 500 bee stings in our country. The unidentified species of bees in this case makes management of such bee venom-related toxic reactions more difficult. This report emphasises the importance of prompt and appropriate interventions.
Home birth in Croatia – a medico-legal perspective today
Authors: Habek Dubravko , Habek Jurica
Published: June 2024

In Croatia, the model of obstetrics-midwifery management of childbirth in maternity hospitals is still in effect, and this is how > 99% of Croatian women give birth. However, in my view, midwives are still not sufficiently educated for completely independent work notwithstanding their university education. The Law on Midwifery defined the role of the midwife in home birth without, however, setting out other organisational-communication and professional provisions. Then it began with sporadic midwifery home births of a few per year, which grew quite rapidly, especially with the impact of the Covid-19 virus pandemic, to about 100 out of a total of about 38,000 births that are performed annually in the Republic of Croatia in maternity hospitals. Since the start of planned home births many bad perinatal outcomes have been recorded in hospital maternity wards who have admitted women after such deliveries. These include puerperal sepsis, protracted labour of several days, neglected protracted labour with perinatal asphyxia and aspiration of meconium amniotic fluid and resuscitation of the newborn (who later developed cerebral palsy), severe postpartum haemorrhage with obstetric shock and postpartum hysterectomy, episiotomy infection, and stillbirth at term pregnancy. Therefore, planned home birth in Croatia should now be regarded as an unsafe birth in extraordinary circumstances and the person who takes charge of it must be professionally prepared, educated and have numerous social skills. Most Croatian gynaecologists and obstetricians give support to midwives in their efforts to be professional and independent when at work, including the controlled and legal implementation of the planned home birth. We unreservedly support self-aware midwives to maintain their profession as highly ethical and professional as possible above the wishes of non-professionals who call for autonomy, so that we do not have to discuss such problems of malpractice of Croatian midwifery in the 21st century.
Suicide contagion and psychosocial risks among Nepali youth through a near-hanging case study
Authors: Atreya Alok , Mahato Tanya , Nepal Samata , Paudel Sharad , Sharma Bhaskkar , Acharya Bishnu , Bashyal Dikshya
Published: June 2024

The phenomenon of suicide contagion: some individuals, especially vulnerable young people, exhibit increased susceptibility to suicidal ideation when exposed to the suicide of other people. Significant research suggests that exposure to media portrayals, suicide groups and peer suicides may lead to suicide contagion. Prevalent psychosocial and cultural factors in Nepal such as interpersonal conflict, domestic violence, gender inequity and social exclusion probably contribute to suicidal behaviour. This case study investigates a high school student in a rural mountainous community in Nepal, who attempted suicide by hanging following his girlfriend’s suicide, and demonstrates how peer suicide exposure prompts imitative behaviour in a vulnerable young person and confirms suicide grief as an underrepresented risk factor. Prompt, supportive interventions for high-risk grievers and societal prevention strategies tailored to adolescents are essential to curb imitative deaths.
The medial prefrontal cortex leaves the hippocampus when it prepares for the future
Authors: Sun Yixiong , Takehara-Nishiuchi Kaori
Published: June 2024

Our memories help us plan for the future. In some cases, we use memories to repeat the choices that led to preferable outcomes in the past. The success of these memory-guided decisions depends on close interactions between the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. In other cases, we need to use our memories to deduce hidden connections between the present and past situations to decide the best choice of action based on the expected outcome. Our recent study investigated neural underpinnings of such inferential decisions by monitoring neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in rats. We identified several neural activity patterns indicating awake memory trace reactivation and restructuring of functional connectivity among multiple neurons. We also found that these patterns occurred concurrently with the ongoing hippocampal activity when rats recalled past events but not when they planned new adaptive actions. Here, we discussed how these computational properties might contribute to success in inferential decision-making and propose a working model on how the medial prefrontal cortex changes its interaction with the hippocampus depending on whether it reflects on the past or looks into the future.
Views From an Anti-Caste Movement: Caste, Labour, and Religion in Sangharsh
Authors: Janarthanan Dhivya
Published: June 2024

While the sociology and anthropology of India are replete with the thematic of caste and caste-based oppression and inequalities, the world of ethnographic film-making is largely silent on these issues. This article analyses an exception to this situation—Sangharsh: Times of Strife [Dir. Nicolas Jaoul, 2018], filmed in the late 1990s–early 2000s and revolving around activists of the Bhartiya Dalit Panthers, an anti-caste formation in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. I examine the film’s enactment of caste relations through its focus on this anti-caste movement and its activists. To this end, I attend to questions of cinematic form and structure, link the film’s representational strategies to film-making lineages, and analyse sequences in which some of the most contentious, topical issues are developed—namely, the connections between caste and labour as well as between caste, religion, and communalism. The article therein analyses the implications of these cinematic engagements to our understanding of caste relations.
Aligning Interviewing with Process Tracing
Authors: Gonzalez-Ocantos Ezequiel , Masullo Juan
Published: June 2024

Interviews play a pivotal role in process tracing (PT) by allowing researchers to delve deep into the intricacies of agency, inter-agent interactions and relationships, and the processes underlying meaning and decision-making. These dimensions are essential for evaluating process theories connecting causes to outcomes in specific cases. Testing theoretical arguments via PT bears implications for how we conceive interviewing. We provide recommendations for scholars to design interview research aligned with PT best practices, focusing on sampling and the design of interview protocols, and being sensitive to differences between PT approaches. Aligning interviews with PT’s specific requirements strengthens the weight and inferential power of evidence. While the methodological foundations of PT and related data analysis techniques are well-documented in the literature, there is still a gap concerning data collection and generation. We aim to address this by encouraging process tracers to think systematically about their interviewing plans at the design stage.
Measurement Invariance Testing Works
Authors: Lasker Jordan
Published: June 2024

Psychometricians have argued that measurement invariance (MI) testing is needed to know if the same psychological constructs are measured in different groups. Data from five experiments allowed that position to be tested. In the first, participants answered questionnaires on belief in free will and either the meaning of life or the meaning of a nonsense concept called “gavagai.” Since the meaning of life and the meaning of gavagai conceptually differ, MI should have been violated when groups were treated like their measurements were identical. MI was severely violated, indicating the questionnaires were interpreted differently. In the second and third experiments, participants were randomized to watch treatment videos explaining figural matrices rules or task-irrelevant control videos. Participants then took intelligence and figural matrices tests. The intervention worked and the experimental group had an additional influence on figural matrix performance in the form of knowing matrix rules, so their performance on the matrices tests violated MI and was anomalously high for their intelligence levels. In both experiments, MI was severely violated. In the fourth and fifth experiments, individuals were exposed to growth mindset interventions that a twin study revealed changed the amount of genetic variance in the target mindset measure without affecting other variables. When comparing treatment and control groups, MI was attainable before but not after treatment. Moreover, the control group showed longitudinal invariance, but the same was untrue for the treatment group. MI testing is likely able to show if the same things are measured in different groups.
Pride Flags in Public Schools: Evolving Legal Issues to Consider
Authors: Eckes Suzanne E.
Published: June 2024

The media has featured “controversies” over pride flags in public schools. Although some of these attempts to ban pride flags have been initiated at the state level, other efforts have occurred at the local level when school boards have tried to adopt policies banning pride flags. Parents have also challenged schools that display pride flags.

Although there is no U.S. Supreme Court case that addresses this issue, litigation that has arisen in other related contexts (e.g., parental rights, teacher speech) may provide some guidance on this topic. A few different legal issues that provide insight into this topic are briefly explored.
The Grey Window of Temporary Reintegration: The Involuntary Return and Crisis-Induced Immobility of Filipino Migrant Workers
Authors: Liao Karen Anne S.
Published: June 2024

Return migration literature over the years has developed a strand of work that focuses on the reintegration of migrants in their home countries. In labor migration, this scholarship has largely centered on the long-term and sustainable return and reintegration of migrant workers, and their potential contributions to local development. In comparison, the question of temporary reintegration has received far less attention, yet is an important avenue for extending current understandings of the complex processes of return and reintegration in international labor migration. This article contributes to this inquiry by considering how temporary reintegration unfolds at the intersection of involuntary return and immobility in the lives of migrant workers. Drawing on the narratives of 45 Filipino cruise workers who were repatriated to the Philippines and were unable to sail during the COVID-19 pandemic, I suggest that temporary reintegration can be understood as a grey window of return—a liminal process in which labor migrants re-work the temporality of their involuntary return and immobility in their home countries as they pursue opportunities for re-migration. I analyze how the landlocked seafarers temporarily re-embedded themselves in the home country by creating provisional, in-the-meantime lives to cope with the pandemic, while positioning themselves in “active waiting” in order to accelerate possibilities for re-migration. The analysis shows the different ways migrants exercise agency and resource mobilization in confronting their involuntary return, negotiating their immobility and re-working their aspirations and intentions to leave amid the structural constraints of a global crisis.
Association Between Severity of Chondrolabral Junction Breakdown and Functional Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy for Acetabular Labral Tears
Authors: Gillinov Stephen M. , Lee Jonathan S. , Siddiq Bilal S. , Dowley Kieran S. , Torabian Kaveh A. , Dean Michael C. , Cherian Nathan J. , Cote Mark P. , Martin Scott D.
Published: June 2024

Background:

Despite focus on surgical preservation of the chondrolabral junction (CLJ), the transition zone between the acetabular cartilage and labrum, the association between severity of CLJ breakdown and functional outcomes after hip arthroscopy remains unexplored.

Purpose:

To assess the influence of CLJ breakdown on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at a 24-month follow-up after hip arthroscopy for symptomatic labral tears.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was conducted to identify patients ≥18 years of age with a minimum 24-month follow-up who underwent hip arthroscopy by a single surgeon for the treatment of symptomatic labral tears secondary to femoroacetabular impingement. The Beck classification of transition zone cartilage was used to grade CLJ damage; patients with grades 0 to 2 were stratified into the mild CLJ damage cohort, and those with grades 3 and 4 were stratified into the severe CLJ damage cohort. PROMs were collected at baseline and at 3, 6, 12 months, and annually thereafter postoperatively. Linear mixed-effects models were used to compare PROMs. Rates of achieving clinically meaningful thresholds and subsequent surgery rates were also compared.

Results:

In total, 198 patients met the inclusion criteria, with a mean follow-up of 3.54 ± 1.26 years. A total of 95 patients with severe CLJ damage (mean age, 34.9 ± 10.5 years) were compared with 103 patients with mild CLJ damage (mean age, 38.2 ± 11.9 years). Hip Outcome Score–Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL), Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS), and visual analog score for pain were inferior in the severe CLJ group at enrollment and all follow-up time points ( P≤ .05). However, patients with severe CLJ breakdown exhibited greater improvements in HOS-ADL and NAHS at the 24-month follow-up and achieved clinically meaningful thresholds at equivalent rates to patients with mild CLJ breakdown. Subsequent surgery rates were 6.8% and 12.6% in patients with mild versus severe CLJ damage, respectively ( P = .250).

Conclusion:

Severe CLJ breakdown is associated with increased pain and decreased functional level preoperatively and up to 24 months after hip arthroscopy. Despite this, patients with severe CLJ breakdown experienced greater improvements in functional outcomes at a 24-month follow-up and achieved clinical thresholds at similar rates to patients with mild CLJ damage. Thus, while worse baseline pain and functional levels may indicate severe CLJ breakdown, these patients still benefit substantially from hip arthroscopy.
Deucravacitinib and shikonin combination therapy ameliorates imiquimod-induced psoriasis in mice
Authors: Xu Ling , Jiang Ying , Xu Fuping , Liu Jun , Jiang Yuhong , Fang Fang , Luo Lin
Published: June 2024

Introduction

TYK2 inhibitors and traditional natural drugs as promising drugs for psoriasis therapy are receiving increasing attention. They both affect different molecules of JAK/STAT pathway, but it is currently unclear whether their combination will enhance the effect on psoriasis. In this study, we used imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis mouse model to investigate the therapeutic effects of the combined administration of deucravacitinib (TYK2 inhibitor) and shikonin.

Methods

Aldara cream containing 5% IMQ was used to topically treat the dorsal skin of each mouse for a total of six consecutive days to induce psoriasis. The psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scores were recorded every day. On the 7thday, skin tissues were taken for histopathological examination and the content of cytokines in skin were evaluated. The frequency of immune cells in peripheral blood, spleen and skin were detected through flow cytometry.

Results

Compared to the vehicle control group, the psoriasis symptoms and immune disorder improved significantly in the combination therapy group and deucravacitinib treatment group on the 7th day, and the expressions of p-STAT3 and Ki67 in skin were reduced as well. Moreover, the combined treatment of deucravacitinib and shikonin for psoriasis was superior to the monotherapy group, especially in inhibiting abnormal capillaries proliferation, reducing immune cells infiltration and decreasing the concentration of IL-12p70 in skin.

Conclusion

The combination of deucravacitinib and shikonin is a promising clinical application.
Sabbatical Leave in the Private Sector: An Employee Benefit That Can Be a Cost Saver
Authors: White John B.
Published: June 2024

Sabbatical leave is a benefit that is commonly associated with higher education but is rarely found in the private sector. The benefits that a sabbatical provides a professor, the opportunity to “recharge and refresh” and return to their responsibilities reinvigorated, would also apply to businesses offering this benefit. In light of the recent COVID disruption, employee claims of “burn-out” and the subsequent resignations of many workers, employee retention is a serious issue for many firms. Search and hiring costs are significant. This study examines the benefits to the firm of offering sabbaticals to their employees. It also provides a framework for businesses to compare search and hiring costs with the costs of a sabbatical program. The numerical example provided demonstrates that avoiding the costs associated with a search could fund an 8-week sabbatical for an employee.
Promoting Health and Wellbeing Through Non-Clinical Arts Programming: Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives From the Veterans Health Administration
Authors: Anderson Ekaterina , Dones Makayla , Cohen-Bearak Adena , Barker Anna , Hyde Justeen , Bokhour Barbara
Published: June 2024

Purpose

While the value of art therapy is well-established and arts are increasingly leveraged to promote health and wellbeing more broadly, little is known about the impacts of non-clinical arts programs. In this preliminary investigation, we sought to fill this gap by exploring diverse stakeholders’ perspectives on the impacts of non-clinical arts programming on Veterans receiving care at the Veterans Health Administration (VA).

Design

Semi-structured qualitative interviews with Veterans, VA staff, and community partners.

Setting

Interviewees were recruited from 7 VA medical centers that have recently implemented non-clinical arts programming to promote Veterans’ health and wellbeing, some of them in partnership with community organizations.

Participants

33 individuals were interviewed, including 9 Veterans, 14 VA staff, and 10 community partners involved in non-clinical arts program implementation.

Method

Interview transcripts were analyzed using iterative rounds of qualitative content analysis.

Results

The following impacts on Veterans were described: (1) mental health improvements, (2) renewed sense of purpose; (3) increased social connectedness, (4) improved self-esteem, and (5) self-driven engagement in art activities.

Conclusion

Non-clinical arts programming was perceived by diverse stakeholders to offer important benefits for Veterans’ health and well-being. Offering non-clinical arts programming inside and outside healthcare facilities’ walls is a promising direction for the field of public health undergoing a shift towards holistic approaches to improving individual and population health outcomes.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy suppresses myeloid-derived suppressor cells by regulating miR-21/Sorbin and SH3 Domain-containing Protein 1 axis
Authors: Zhao ChunFang , Tang Qi , Yang Congbo , Zhou Lingli , Peng Jinli , Zhang Tianwen , Zhou Shaoqiang , Li Ya
Published: June 2024

Background

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a targeted form of radiotherapy used to treat early-stage cancers. Despite its effectiveness, the impact of SBRT on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) is not well understood. In this study, we examined how SBRT affects the differentiation and survival of MDSCs, as well as delved into the molecular mechanisms involved.

Methods and results

SBRT was utilized on bone marrow (BM)-derived MDSCs to investigate its impact on the differentiation and survival of MDSCs using flow cytometry. An animal model of lung cancer was created to assess the anti-cancer properties of SBRT and the role of miR-21 expression in MDSCs. The interplay of miR-21 and Sorbin and SH3 domain-containing protein 1 (SORBS1) in MDSC differentiation was explored through dual luciferase activity assay, RT-qPCR, and Western blot analysis. The findings suggest that SBRT led to an increase in miR-21 levels, inhibited MDSC differentiation, and triggered cell apoptosis in BM cells. Inhibition of miR-21 reversed the effects of SBRT on MDSC differentiation and apoptosis. Additionally, it was revealed that SORBS1 was a downstream target of miR-21 in BM cells, and the miR-21/SORBS1 axis played a role in regulating MDSC differentiation and apoptosis induced by SBRT. Modulating miR-21 levels in vivo impinged on the response to SBRT treatment and the quantity of MDSCs in a mouse model of lung cancer.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that the upregulation of miR-21 induced by SBRT may contribute to the inhibition of MDSC expansion in a lung cancer model.
Cross-buying in Bancassurance Among Indian Customers: The Role of Cultural Collectivism and Key Influential Factors
Authors: Jan Anisa , Aziz Tariq , Khan Aijaz
Published: June 2024

This study examines the factors influencing Indian bank customers’ decisions to purchase banking insurance. In addition to the factors concerning cross-buying intentions like trust, customer satisfaction, perceived value and image, the role of service innovation and corporate reputation have also been incorporated in the study. Moreover, the moderating role of cultural values like ‘collectivism’ has also been explored. Using a causal and descriptive research design, 351 customers of banking services completed questionnaires to contribute to the data set using snowball sampling. The path analysis reveals that perceived value, customer trust, image, customer satisfaction, corporate reputation and service innovation positively and significantly influence cross-buying intentions. The moderation results show that collectivism moderates the association between cross-buying intentions and its five antecedents, that is, perceived value, customer trust, image, customer satisfaction and service innovation, except for corporate reputation. The findings improve our knowledge of how different factors influence cross-buying from the customer’s viewpoint.
Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema for Rheumatologists in India: Are We Missing the Diagnosis?
Authors: Basu Suprit , Tyagi Reva , Machhua Sanghamitra , Jindal Ankur Kumar
Published: June 2024

Bradykinin-mediated angioedema can broadly be categorised into hereditary angioedema (HAE) and acquired angioedema (AAE). Both HAE and AAE are grossly under-recognised in the country largely because of lack of awareness. Type 1 and 2 HAE is caused by pathogenic variants in the SERPING1 gene that codes for C1-inhibitor protein. Deficiency of C1-inhibitor protein leads to recurrent swelling episodes involving hands, feet, eyes, lips, tongue and genitalia. These episodes are typically not associated with itching or urticaria. Involvement of the larynx leads to a potentially life-threatening episode of choking and, in the past, the mortality because of laryngeal edema used to be as high as 30%. AAE is usually associated with lymphoreticular malignancies; predominantly B cell lymphomas and systemic lupus erythematosus. Angioedema often precedes the diagnosis of primary illness. The clinical features of both AAE and HAE are similar. However, AAE should be suspected in patients with onset of disease in older age. Management of HAE is broadly categorised into three types: on-demand therapy and short-term and long-term prophylaxis (LTP). Patients with AAE also need management of the underlying disease with immunosuppressants. This review focuses on clinical manifestations, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical mimics of HAE and AAE from the perspective of a rheumatologist. The review also briefly discusses the management principles of HAE and AAE.
International Guidelines for Environmental Education and the Connections with the Contexts of Origin
Authors: Cassiano Karla Ferreira Dias , Echeverría Agustina Rosa , Mesquita Nyuara Araújo Da Silva
Published: June 2024

In light of the set of influences produced by changes arising, among others, from the scientific and technical revolution, globalization and the structural crisis of capitalism, this article reports some results of a study that analysed the development of international guidelines for environmental education (EE) in four historical periods between 1940 and 2012. Laurence Bardin’s content analysis and Ludwik Fleck’s epistemology guided this qualitative investigation. Based on articulations with the socioeconomic context of each period, the study identified elements that characterized knowledge, practices and traditions found in documents that recorded and influenced for more than half-a-century the production and dissemination of EE guidelines worldwide.
Clarifying the Design of a Handprint E-Learning Resource Platform for Mediating ESD in Teacher Education in Southern African Settings
Authors: Staden Wilma Van , O’Donoghue Rob , Lotz-Sisitka Heila
Published: June 2024

This formative paper reviews the recent expansion in online teacher education programmes for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in southern Africa. The research informs the design of resource-based learning. An activity systems approach and a preliminary mapping of the design features for online learning for ESD enabled us to tease out key pedagogical and design concerns related to the development of an online learning resource platform for teacher professional development. The proposed online resource is conceptualized as an open-source learning platform for student and in-service teachers to learn together in work with schematic models of the process for mediating the inclusion of ESD in subject teaching. A course-activated learning process is being framed around an online navigation tool for a question-led induction into the use of six key ESD lesson-planning tools. The tools are approached as mediating tools for teachers to utilize together towards ESD lesson planning that is more subject-based and better curriculum-activated.
Disillusionment amongst clinical staff experiencing repeated change
Authors: Little John , Palepu Radhika , Higgins Matthew
Published: June 2024

Objective

To describe disillusionment amongst the clinical community as a result of repeated ideological and organisational change and to suggest a road map forward.

Conclusion

Despite knowing that change can be disruptive, it will likely remain a constant and necessary feature of organisational life. Various approaches, including the development of a personal sphere of influence and knowing when to resign, are considered.
The Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Frailty Among Older Adults in China: Results From the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey
Authors: Xia Qiujie , Zhou Tian , Xu Hui , Ge Song , Tang Xianping
Published: June 2024

Introduction:

Alcohol consumption has an impact on the frailty, but current research in China lacks a detailed classification of alcohol use. This study aimed to explore the relationship between different drinking patterns and frailty in older adults.

Methodology:

The data came from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) study, which included older adults (aged ≧ 60). Their demographic data, drinking status, and frailty index were collected in CLHLS. Through logistic regression models to analyze the correlation between alcohol consumption and frailty.

Results:

A total of 14,931 participants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of frailty was 29.1%, 35.2%, and 14.9% among risk-free, past risky, and now risky drinkers, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, past risky drinking was a risk factor for frailty ( p = .003).

Discussion:

High-risk alcohol consumption is positively correlated with frailty. Prevention and reduction of risky drinking in older adults may help protect them from developing frailty.
Preventive Practices of Hantavirus in a Rural Community in Panama: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Agrazal García Janeth , Gordón de Isaacs Lydia , Escalante-Barrios Elsa Lucía , Fàbregues Sergi
Published: June 2024

Introduction:

Preventive care practices are a challenge in community care. This study examined hantavirus preventive practices and their relationship with personal and social factors, lifestyle, and cultural beliefs.

Method:

An explanatory sequential mixed methods design, guided by Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality, was used in two phases: (a) a cross-sectional relational design ( n = 109) and (b) ethnonursing research ( n = 30), in an endemic community in Panama. Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to analyze the quantitative data, whereas the Leininger’s analysis model was used to analyze the qualitative data.

Results:

In the quantitative phase, the most frequent preventive practice was household hygiene, and the least frequent was vector control. Two of the eight preventive practices were associated with personal factors and two were associated with social factors. In the qualitative phase, lifestyle, beliefs, and context were found to influence the adoption of hantavirus preventive practices and help explain the quantitative findings.

Discussion:

Knowledge and understanding of the social and cultural contexts are essential for hantavirus prevention.
Correlation of Clinical Outcomes and Relative Position of the First Metatarsal After the Modified Lapidus Procedure
Authors: Cychosz Chris C. , Mizher Rami , Digiovanni Grace M. , Jones Agnes Cororaton , Conti Matthew S. , Ellis Scott J.
Published: June 2024

Background:

Hallux valgus is a complex 3-dimensional deformity, and the modified Lapidus is a commonly used procedure to correct moderate to severe cases. Shortening and elevation of the first ray can occur with this procedure, which may result in increased pressure on the lesser metatarsal heads. However, there is currently no consensus regarding an accepted length and elevation of the first ray following the modified Lapidus. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the position of the first ray on patient-reported outcome measures.

Methods:

This retrospective study identified 68 patients (72 feet) who underwent the modified Lapidus bunionectomy over a 4-year period at a single institution with a median follow-up of 24 months (range, 11-35.6 months). Patients were included if they were over 18 years of age, had pre- and postoperative weightbearing computed tomography (WBCT) scans, and preoperative and minimum 1-year postoperative Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores. PROMIS scores from 6 domains including physical function, pain interference, pain intensity, global physical health, global mental health, and depression were evaluated and compared pre- and postoperatively. Radiographic parameters were measured and compared before and after surgery. Paired t tests were used to evaluate the significance of pre- to postoperative changes. Differences between cohorts were compared using Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables or Fisher exact test for categorical variables. Correlation between radiographic measurements and patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the Spearman rank rho estimate and visualized with scatterplots with a linear regression.

Results:

PROMIS physical function, pain interference, pain intensity, and global physical health improved significantly following the modified Lapidus (all P < .001); however, scores did not show any significant correlation with shortening of the first ray up to a maximum shortening of 4.8 mm. The length of the first metatarsal relative to the second decreased by an average of 2.7 mm following the procedure when measured on WBCT ( P < .001), and 2.6 mm when measured on plain radiographs ( P < .001). No significant elevation of the first ray was observed postoperatively.

Conclusion:

This study revealed that the Lapidus bunionectomy resulted in significantly improved pain and physical function at short-term follow-up. The amount of first ray shortening and elevation that occurred in this cohort did not adversely affect patient-reported outcomes.
Custom Patient-Specific 3D-Printed Titanium Truss Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis Implants for Failed Total Ankle Replacements: Classification, Technical Tips, and Treatment Algorithm
Authors: Lewis Thomas L. , Walker Roland , Alkhalfan Yousif , Latif Ahmed , Abbasian Ali
Published: June 2024

Background:

The management of failed total ankle replacements, with significant loss of bone stock, is challenging with high rates of complications and associated morbidity. Recent technological advances have enabled the development of patient-customized 3D-printed titanium truss arthrodesis implants, which offer an alternative salvage option for failed total ankle replacements.

Methods:

A prospective observational study was performed of 6 cases of failed total ankle replacements that were managed using custom patient-specific 3D-printed titanium truss arthrodesis implants. Technical tips, classification, and a treatment algorithm were developed based on our initial experience.

Results:

Between November 2018 and March 2022, 6 patients underwent arthrodesis for failed total ankle replacements. Follow-up was available for all cases. The mean follow-up was 3.0 years (range 1-4.5). The mean MOXFQ Index improved from 73.1 to 32.3 ( P < .05). The mean EQ-5D-5L Index improved from 0.366 to 0.743 ( P < .05) and the EQ-VAS also improved from 53.0 to 63.3 ( P = .36). The mean VAS-Pain score at final follow-up was 27.5. There were no cases of nonunion. None of the patients were smokers. The overall complication rate was 50%. Two patients returned to surgery: one for wound washout following TAR explantation and a second for removal of metalwork 2 years following surgery for a prosthetic joint infection secondary to hematogenous spread. No patients underwent revision fixation or amputation.

Conclusion:

Custom patient-specific 3D-printed titanium truss arthrodesis implants are a viable treatment option for failed total ankle replacements.
Developing Machine Learning–Based Predictive Models for Hallux Valgus Recurrence Based on Measurements From Radiographs
Authors: Zhao Rui , Wang Guobin , Li Fengtan , Wang Jinchan , Zhang Yuan , Li Dong , Liu Shen , Li Jie , Song Jiajun , Wei Fangyuan , Wang Chenguang
Published: June 2024

Background:

Machine learning (ML) is increasingly used to predict the prognosis of numerous diseases. This retrospective analysis aimed to develop a prediction model using ML algorithms and to identify predictors associated with the recurrence of hallux valgus (HV) following surgery.

Methods:

A total of 198 symptomatic feet that underwent chevron osteotomy combined with a distal soft tissue procedure were enrolled and analyzed from 2 independent medical centers. The feet were grouped according to nonrecurrence or recurrence based on 1-year follow-up outcomes. Preoperative weightbearing radiographs and immediate postoperative nonweightbearing radiographs were obtained for each HV foot. Radiographic measurements (eg, HV angle and intermetatarsal angle) were acquired and used for ML model training. A total of 9 commonly used ML models were trained on the data obtained from one institute (108 feet), and tested on the other data set from another independent institute (90 feet) for external validation. Optimal feature sets for each model were identified based on a 2000-resample bootstrap-based internal validation via an exhaustive search. The performance of each model was then tested on the external validation set. The area under the curve (AUC), classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of each model were calculated to evaluate the performance of each model.

Results:

The support vector machine (SVM) model showed the highest predictive accuracy compared to other methods, with an AUC of 0.88 and an accuracy of 75.6%. Preoperative hallux valgus angle, tibial sesamoid position, postoperative intermetatarsal angle, and postoperative tibial sesamoid position were identified as the most selected features by several ML models.

Conclusion:

ML classifiers such as SVM could predict the recurrence of HV (an HVA >20 degrees) at a 1-year follow-up while identifying associated predictors in a multivariate manner. This study holds the potential for foot and ankle surgeons to effectively identify individuals at higher risk of HV recurrence postsurgery.
Dynamic modeling of configuration-controllable phononic crystal using NARX neural networks
Authors: Li Nan , Bai Changqing
Published: June 2024

Configuration-controllable phononic crystals (CCPCs) have broad application prospects in engineering because of their adjustable vibration-reduction properties. Owing to the complicated constitutive relationship and nonlinear geometric deformation, it is difficult to accurately predict the dynamic characteristics of CCPCs using the finite element method (FEM) or theoretical methods. In this study, we employed a nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous input (NARX) artificial neural network (ANN) to identify the dynamic model of the CCPC under an impact load, using data from over 100 experiments and numerous accumulated samples. The corresponding experimental data for the CCPC were used to train the ANN and determine the rational ANN model. The identification results indicate that appropriate number of neurons and time-delay orders can effectively reduce the identification errors. Compared with the response predicted by the FEM, the identification model can describe the nonlinear characteristics emerging from phononic crystal (PC) experiments more accurately. This study provides an efficient and accurate online identification approach for PC-modeling.
The Outcome of Walking Cold Patients with Potential Mild Hypothermia to Safety—A Mountain Rescue Case Series
Authors: Greene Mike , Dodds Naomi , Gordon Les
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Some experts recommend that ambulant hypothermic patients should be rewarmed, fed, and not permitted to exercise for 30 min because of concerns that afterdrop can cause cardiac instability. We investigated the outcome of ambulant hypothermic patients in a case series from mountain rescue teams in Great Britain.

Methods

A questionnaire was used to collect information on a series of adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of mild hypothermia. All patients were alert on the AVPU scale and evacuated by walking from the mountain. The outcome measures were survival or a change in management because of medical deterioration during evacuation.

Results

A series of 108 eligible cases were reported over a 5-year period. When rescuers arrived on the scene, 98 (91%) patients were stationary, and 10 (9%) were still mobile. Thirty-eight (39%) of the stationary cases were walked immediately off the mountain without any on-scene delay. In the remaining 60 (61%) stationary cases, the decision was taken to delay evacuation to provide food, drinks, and additional clothing. In 3 cases, the use of heat packs indicated an intention to actively rewarm. In cases where the on-scene time was reported, 27 (79%) were known to be mobile again within 20 min. All patients survived, and no adverse medical events occurred in all 108 cases.

Conclusions

In this study, no adverse events occurred because of immediate mobilization, suggesting that in these cases, there appears to be minimal risk of early activity.
Does tourism reduce income inequality?
Authors: Camacho Maximo , Ramos-Herrera Maria del Carmen
Published: June 2024

Investigating the impact of tourism on inequality, we employ a panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. With data from 1995 to 2020 across 120 countries, our Pooled Mean Group estimation reveals a positive impact. Interestingly, divergent patterns emerge when examining developed and developing countries separately. In the long run, tourism is associated with reduced inequality in developed countries but increased inequality in developing ones. However, in the short run, tourism consistently leads to increased inequality across all country types. Therefore, policy recommendations aimed at fostering equality through tourism should consider the varying effects based on the term considered and the level of development in countries. These findings are consistent across various measures of income inequality, including the Gini index, Theil index, Palma ratio, and Atkinson index.
Knocking on doors: The use of blogging sites by visually impaired people in the USA preliminary study
Authors: Emara Ibrahim Helmy
Published: June 2024

This paper discusses the findings of a small-scale study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 bloggers that are specialized in visual impairment. The study sample included four independent bloggers and six bloggers working for organizations that serve visually impaired people in the US. The study was set to investigate the usage of blogging sites, examine methods of presenting visual media, and identify serious difficulties imposed on visually impaired bloggers. Usage of hyperlinks, interactions between bloggers and readers, and accessibility of blogging sites are probed. Significant findings of the study show that bloggers have generally received positive feedback from blog readers. Study participants were satisfied with the accessibility level of blogging sites, as some viable textual alternatives to visual media elements are provided. However, inconvenient time constraints and writing about topical issues were among the most critical challenges facing visually impaired bloggers.
Tourism destination competitiveness: An application model for Serbia
Authors: Pavluković Vanja , Kovačić Sanja , Pavlović Danijel , Stankov Uglješa , Cimbaljević Marija , Panić Aleksa , Radojević Tijana , Pivac Tatjana
Published: June 2024

Various tourism destination competitiveness indicators and models have been developed and applied by different researchers and regions. Scholars emphasize that there is no single set of competitiveness indicators applicable to all destinations, and a more specific approach for each destination is required. Therefore, this paper aims to present the development of a tourism destination competitiveness model tailor-made for Serbia, adapted to the common specificities of this developing economy, with inputs from Serbian tourism experts and industry representatives. The development of the model required a multi-step process using mix-methodology. This included a literature review, a targeted workshop (applying Delphi method), pilot testing and model validation using structural equation modelling. The final model resulted in four factors: Natural and cultural heritage, Quality of tourist offer and infrastructure, Tourism policy and sustainable development of tourism, and Marketing and experience, with 48 competitiveness indicators in total. The study offers theoretical and practical contributions with generally applicable insights for Serbia and similar developing destinations.
Learning Qur’anic Arabic in a virtual village: Family religious language policy in transnational Indonesian Muslim families
Authors: Sari Artanti Puspita , Moore Leslie C.
Published: June 2024

Aims and Objectives:

This paper investigates how two Indonesian Muslim families in the United States used digital technology to support their children in learning Qur’anic Arabic in translocal and transnational contexts in which to connect with family, friends, Qur’anic Arabic educators, and voluntary kin (members of a network of people who consider themselves family but have no blood or legal ties).

Methodology:

We analyze the family religious language policy (FRLP) of two families to provide descriptive accounts that illustrate why and how families integrated digital technologies into their repertoire of practices for supporting children’s Qur’anic Arabic learning.

Data and Analysis:

Data were collected through observations and video/audio recordings of naturalistic interaction, semistructured interviews, and the collection of artifacts over the course of 10 months. We applied Strauss and Corbin’s three-step coding procedures to identify patterns in behavior and belief with regard to children’s sacred language learning, particularly in digital spaces.

Findings/Conclusion:

We found that the families adapted the “traditional” FRLP to the context of migration, integrating digital spaces and practices to create a virtual village to support children’s sacred language learning. These adaptations were intertwined with and contributed to the maintenance of relationships with extended family, voluntary kin, co-religionists, and co-nationals.

Originality:

The study examines FRLP in digital contexts, focusing on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to create a community for children’s sacred language learning.

Significance/Implications:

Sacred language learning is an important part of millions of children’s lives. In focusing on digital spaces, the study contributes to the emerging subfield of applied linguistic research focused on religion and language teaching and learning.