bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis in an ACL-Reconstructed Knee With Partial Medial Meniscectomy: A Biomechanical Study
Authors: Özbek Emre Anıl , Runer Armin , Dadoo Sahil , DiNenna Michael , Linde Monica , Smolinski Patrick , Musahl Volker , Mcclincy Michael P.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Knee laxity increases with medial meniscectomy in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)–reconstructed knees; however, the biomechanical effect of an additional lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) is unknown.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to determine the kinematic effect of a LET in knees that underwent combined ACL reconstruction (ACL-R) and partial medial meniscus posterior horn (MMPH) meniscectomy. It was hypothesized that the addition of LET would reduce laxity in the ACL-reconstructed knee.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees (mean age, 41.5 years) were tested using a robotic system under 3 loads: (1) 89.0 N of anterior tibial (AT) load, (2) 5 N·m of internal rotation (IR) tibial torque, and (3) a simulated pivot shift—a combined valgus of 7 N·m and IR torque of 5 N·m—at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion. Kinematic data were acquired in 4 states: (1) intact, (2) ACL-R, (3) ACL-R + partial MMPH meniscectomy (MMPH), and (4) ACL-R + partial MMPH meniscectomy + LET (MMPH+LET).

Results:

In response to AT loading, there was a significant increase seen in AT translation (ATT) in the MMPH state at all knee flexion angles compared with the ACL-R state, with the highest increase at 90° of knee flexion (mean difference, 3.1 mm) ( P < .001). Although there was a significant decrease in ATT at 15° of knee flexion with MMPH+LET ( P = .022), no significant differences were found at other knee flexion angles ( P > .05). In MMPH with IR torque, a significant increase was observed in IR at all knee flexion angles except 90° compared with the ACL-R state (range, 2.8°-4.9°), and this increase was significantly decreased at all flexion angles with the addition of LET (range, 0.7°-1.6°) ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Performing a partial MMPH meniscectomy increased ATT and IR in response to AT and IR loads compared with the isolated ACL-R state in a cadaveric model. However, when the LET procedure was performed after partial MMPH meniscectomy, a significant decrease was seen at all knee flexion angles except 90° in response to IR and torque, and a significant decrease was seen at 15° of knee flexion in response to AT load.

Clinical Relevance:

LET may be a useful adjunct procedure after ACL-R with partial MMPH meniscectomy to reduce knee laxity.
In-Person and In-Home Teleneuropsychological Assessments With Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: What’s the Difference?
Authors: Moreau Julia , Pollock Beth , Harrison Allyson G.
Published: September 2023

Psychoeducational assessments provide clinicians with the foundation for diagnostic determinations and meaningful recommendations for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the field shifted from seeing clients face-to-face (FTF) to conducting evaluations virtually via teleneuropsychology (TNP) in the client’s own home. The current study sought to determine the equivalence of cognitive and achievement scores obtained in the context of FTF versus TNP testing. Nineteen youth with diverse neurodevelopmental disorders completed the Woodcock Johnson-Fourth Edition (WJ-IV). Results suggest generally equivalent results, with the caveat that scores from measures of Fluid Reasoning and Auditory Processing were significantly different across testing modalities. Environmental factors, characteristics of the clients, administration challenges, technical considerations, and practice effects may have contributed to differences in scores. These findings have implications for assessment standardization, case conceptualization, and implementation of recommendations in the school setting when psychoeducational assessments are conducted virtually.
Canadian Association of Radiologists Breast Disease Imaging Referral Guideline
Authors: Hamel Candyce , Avard Barb , Flegg Carolyn , Freitas Vivianne , Hapgood Connie , Kulkarni Supriya , Lenkov Pam , Seidler Matthew
Published: September 2023

The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Breast Disease Expert Panel consists of breast imaging radiologists, a high-risk breast clinician, a patient advisor, and an epidemiologist/guideline methodologist. After developing a list of 20 clinical/diagnostic scenarios, a systematic rapid scoping review was undertaken to identify systematically produced referral guidelines that provide recommendations for one or more of these clinical/diagnostic scenarios. Recommendations from 30 guidelines and contextualization criteria in the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) for guidelines framework were used to develop 69 recommendation statements across the 20 scenarios. This guideline presents the methods of development and the recommendations for referring asymptomatic individuals, symptomatic patients, and other scenarios requiring imaging of the breast.
Investigating the thermal and chemical kinetic effects of the internal residual on the cyclic dynamics at the dilute limits of a spark-ignition engine
Authors: Stiffler Rachel , Drallmeier James
Published: September 2023

The cyclic variability in the misfire and partial burn regimes of a dilute spark-ignition engine are primarily due to the feed-forward mechanism present in the residual gases. This study experimentally investigates the influence of the specific heat capacity/thermal effect and chemical kinetic effect of the internal residual on the heat release dynamics in the misfire and partial burn regimes of a dilute spark-ignition engine. Each effect is investigated by displacing excess air with bottled N2 and CO. Both short-term and long-term heat release dynamics are analyzed using association rules. Results show both an increased amount of dilution and higher specific heat capacity can result in similar dynamics. It was also found the misfire regime appears to be more sensitive to the chemical kinetic effect than the partial burn regime. Comparison of spark-to-CA05 and spark-to-CA50 between dilution methods was also conducted, where it was found the chemical kinetic effect did tend to reduce both spark-to-CA05 and spark-to-CA50. Overall, results from this study suggest different control strategies may be necessary to effectively mitigate the combustion instabilities when operating in each regime.
Music as symbolic action
Authors: Graham Phil , Ward Andy
Published: September 2023

The aim of this paper is to describe and exemplify a theoretical perspective for the analysis of music as symbolic action in critical studies of discourse. We use deployments of music by legislatures in Australia, the UK, and the USA as exemplar cases to develop foundations for a critical, non-semiotic perspective that sees music work as gestalt complexes of physical and cultural forces that move people towards or away from specific actions and attitudes. In presenting our perspective we critique some semiotic assertions about music that are commonplaces in discourse studies and elsewhere. Our cases draw on news reports and scholarly discourse about the use of music as a means of torture in warfare and as a means of purifying urban public spaces by keeping youth and homeless people out of them at night.
Establishing an Efficient Electroporation-Based Method to Manipulate Target Gene Expression in the Axolotl Brain
Authors: Fu Sulei , Peng Cheng , Zeng Yan-Yun , Qiu Yuanhui , Liu Yanmei , Fei Ji-Feng
Published: September 2023

The tetrapod salamander species axolotl ( Ambystoma mexicanum) is capable of regenerating injured brain. For better understanding the mechanisms of brain regeneration, it is very necessary to establish a rapid and efficient gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches to study gene function in the axolotl brain. Here, we establish and optimize an electroporation-based method to overexpress or knockout/knockdown target gene in ependymal glial cells (EGCs) in the axolotl telencephalon. By orientating the electrodes, we were able to achieve specific expression of EGFP in EGCs located in dorsal, ventral, medial, or lateral ventricular zones. We then studied the role of Cdc42 in brain regeneration by introducing Cdc42 into EGCs through electroporation, followed by brain injury. Our findings showed that overexpression of Cdc42 in EGCs did not significantly affect EGC proliferation and production of newly born neurons, but it disrupted their apical polarity, as indicated by the loss of the ZO-1 tight junction marker. This disruption led to a ventricular accumulation of newly born neurons, which are failed to migrate into the neuronal layer where they could mature, thus resulted in a delayed brain regeneration phenotype. Furthermore, when electroporating CAS9-gRNA protein complexes against TnC ( Tenascin-C) into EGCs of the brain, we achieved an efficient knockdown of TnC. In the electroporation-targeted area, TnC expression is dramatically reduced at both mRNA and protein levels. Overall, this study established a rapid and efficient electroporation-based gene manipulation approach allowing for investigation of gene function in the process of axolotl brain regeneration.
Leveraging Decision Science to Characterize Depression
Authors: Mukherjee Dahlia , van Geen Camilla , Kable Joseph
Published: September 2023

This brief review examines the potential to use decision science to objectively characterize depression. We provide a brief overview of the existing literature examining different domains of decision-making in depression. Because this overview highlights the specific role of reinforcement learning as an important decision process affected in the disorder, we then introduce reinforcement learning modeling and explain how this approach has identified specific reinforcement learning deficits in depression. We conclude with ideas for future research at the intersection of decision science and depression, emphasizing the potential for decision science to help uncover underlying mechanisms and targets for the treatment of depression.
‘Uncle Al is old, has brown eyes and dementia’: The importance of order in zeugmas
Authors: Tartakovsky Roi , Shen Yeshayahu
Published: September 2023

Zeugma (‘yoking’) is a figure of speech which, unlike metaphor, typically involves a verb followed by two discrepant objects or items in a coordinating conjunction (‘You held your breath and the door for me’). A reversal of the given order of the two items will often have a considerable effect on the tone and emotional quality of the zeugma. Still, accounts of zeugma all but ignore the question of order. This essay asks about the connection between the order of the zeugma’s items and its effect. It differentiates between the positions or slots for the items within the zeugma, and the actual items which occupy these slots. It posits an asymmetry between the first and second slots such that the second is the site of more attention and is presumed to carry more important or surprising information. Structurally, then, the zeugma entails a weak-to-strong trajectory. Separately, it also posits an asymmetry between the two items themselves, which tend to divide into a weaker (neutral) one and one that is emotionally richer or ‘strong.’ The effect of the zeugma is then linked to the relationship between the strength of the slot and the strength of the item. In the typical case, a strong item is placed in the strong slot, which produces an effect of emotional elevation. In other cases, a weak item is placed in the strong slot, which tends to produce irony. We analyze several zeugmas according to these principles, with an emphasis on examples drawn from English-language poetry.
Self-switching circuit of TENG for energy storage and power management in harvesting wind energy
Authors: Zheng Ruifang , Lv Mingqiang , Han Linchong , Zhang Yi , Zhao Jing , Yu Xin , Jiang Changhong
Published: September 2023

As an important green energy in our life, natural wind energy is widely used in power generation. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can convert wind energy in the environment into electrical signal. In this study, two independent TENGs in parallel (FHS-TENG) and the power management circuit composed of passive self-switching circuit and LC filter circuit constitute a self-supplying system, which is committed to harvesting wind energy in the environment and outputting stable voltage and improving energy storage performance. The self-switching circuit mainly includes rectifier module, energy storage module, the self-switching module, and filter module. And the on/off state of the passive self-switching is mainly controlled by two transistors, which implements the effect of switch. The results demonstrate that the energy stored by the power management circuit is more than 100 times higher than that of the universal circuit at 100 μF capacitor, and the calculator is in stable working order in simulated wind conditions. This work provides a new strategy for the passive electronic switch of TENG and the improvement of circuit energy storage performance, which is meaningful for the further application and industrialization of TENG.
Evolution of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program Through the Application of a Social Work Lens
Authors: Gearing Robin E. , Washburn Micki , Kovach Jamison V. , Olson Lindamarie , Lastovica Kana , Clark Danny , Robinson Andrew , Foo Samantha , Cunningham Kimberly , Johnson Cindy , Rose David , Renteria Aileen , Alkhadra Hiba , Brown Audrey , Collins Kendra , Gadison Cheryl , Nelson Kaisha , McCullum Dominique , Woods Kyle , Garlic Darian , Elwood Nicole , Frank Mary , Guzman Richard , Hailey Stephen , Cox Jason , Parsons Amy , Sheth Shaan , Bobb David , Drexler Dana , Shahani Lokesh , Jiles Monalisa , Thomas Kendra , Muzquiz Sylvia , Britt Lance , Young Wayne
Published: September 2023

Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is a court-mandated program intended to engage adults with serious mental illness who have challenges with voluntary treatment adherence. AOT programs are designed to promote outpatient treatment participation, reduce emergency care, and decrease justice involvement. Research has found AOT programs to be effective in reducing hospitalizations and justice involvement. Yet, concerns have been raised, including limiting individual autonomy and self-determination and overrepresentation of individuals from BIPOC backgrounds. This article describes the evolution the AOT Houston Model. Through applying the social work lens, this innovative model builds on AOT strengths and addresses limitations. The Houston AOT Model has five goals guided by the core tenets of client empowerment and self-determination. This Model prioritizes six elements including housing, employment, access to public benefits, transportation, service continuity, and care coordination/communication. Implications for practice and policy are presented with strategies for successful implementation of comprehensive AOT programs in other jurisdictions.
Factors Influencing the Health Care Utilization Among People With Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms
Authors: Lee Young Ji , Palmer Joshua , Cline Alice Curtis , Lee Heeyoung
Published: September 2023

Background:

This analysis aimed to examine the factors predictive of service utilization among patients with anxiety and/or depression. Quick and appropriate treatment for anxiety and depression can reduce disease burden and improve social functioning. Currently, less than half of the population with comorbid anxiety and depression receives the recommended treatment.

Aims:

This analysis aims to identify factors predictive of utilizing mental health treatment for those with anxiety and/or depression by analyzing intrinsic, patient-centered factors.

Methods:

This study is a cross-sectional cohort analysis using National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2019 data. The sample size is 7,156 adults aged 18 to 64 with family incomes ≤100% of the federal poverty level. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors predictive of care utilization in this population. Variables of interest include scores on Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), service utilization, level of social functioning, having a usual source for care, and previous mental health care utilization. Additional covariates were age, gender, race, country of origin, education, marital status, and insurance coverage.

Results:

Twenty-one percent of respondents reported using mental health services. Factors predictive of care utilization were older age, female gender, limited social functioning, having a usual source of care, and insurance coverage.

Conclusion:

There are significant barriers to receiving quick and appropriate care for anxiety and/or depression. Strategies should focus on reducing barriers for young adults, men, and the uninsured/underinsured. Strategies for integrating mental health services into primary care could increase the percentage of people with anxiety and/or depression who receive services.
How Evaluation Advocates Use Interpersonal Skills to Engage Their Colleagues in Evaluation
Authors: Rogers Alison , Gullickson Amy , King Jean A. , McKinley Elizabeth
Published: September 2023

Based on interviews and case studies in nonprofit organizations, this article examines the perspectives of evaluation advocates undertaking evaluation in culturally diverse contexts where interpersonal barriers may exist. Participants provided insights into how to overcome issues by developing meaningful interpersonal relationships, finding shared goals, and providing encouragement. This article presents practical strategies that anyone promoting evaluation may find helpful to develop positive interpersonal relationships and equitable and inclusive working environments.
Comparison of anterior segment optical coherence tomography and ultrasound biomicroscopy in localizing horizontal rectus muscle insertions
Authors: Duan Rui , Yang Jiwen
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the viability and precision of measuring the distance from the limbus to extraocular muscle insertion using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and panoramic ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) before and after strabismus surgery.

Methods

We recruited primary strabismus patients and measured the limbus-insertion distance by AS-OCT and UBM preoperatively, 2 weeks, and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Values were also measured using callipers intraoperatively before and after the planned procedures. Preoperative AS-OCT and UBM values were compared to intraoperative calliper measurements as the gold standard. Postoperative AS-OCT and UBM values were compared to the new postoperative limbus-insertion distance. The limit of agreement deemed clinically acceptable was defined as 1 mm.

Results

A total of 85 horizontal muscles of 40 patients, including 48 lateral rectus muscles and 37 medial rectus muscles, were analysed. Primary muscles could be successfully detected by AS-OCT (95%) and UBM (100%). At 2 weeks and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively, the new rectus muscle attachment site detection rate by AS-OCT was 6%, 32%, 80%, and 89%, respectively, and that by UBM was 24%, 60%, 85%, and 93%, respectively. The Bland–Altman plots revealed better consistency in pairs of AS-OCT, UBM, and calliper measurements of primary muscles than postoperative muscles. For primary muscles, 89% of AS-OCT measurements fell within the permissible range of surgical measurements (1 mm), but this dropped to 67% at 6 months postoperatively ( P < 0.001). The accuracy of UBM measurements of primary muscles was 81%, and this decreased to 59% at 6 months postoperatively ( P = 0.001).

Conclusions

AS-OCT and UBM performed well in terms of imaging primary horizontal rectus muscles, but showed decreased accuracy and reproducibility in postoperative muscle measures.
Occurrence of Diarrheagenic Pathogens and Their Coinfection Profiles in Diarrheic Under Five Children and Tracked Human Contacts in Urban and Rural Settings of Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Belina Dinaol , Gobena Tesfaye , Kebede Ameha , Chimdessa Meseret , Hailu Yonas , Hald Tine
Published: September 2023

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Nontyphoidal Salmonella, and Shigella are common cause of childhood diarrhea in countries like Ethiopia, but data on their sources and coinfection profiles is limited. A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023 to determine the prevalence, coinfection, and monthly occurrence rates of major diarrheagenic bacteria in diarrheic under five children and asymptomatic contacts at urban and rural settings in Ethiopia. A total of 345 stool samples were collected from; 262 diarrheic children visiting Hiwot Fana Hospital, Kersa, and Adelle Health Centers; and 83 caretakers and siblings through case based contact tracing. Samples were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures and the overall prevalence of enteric pathogens was 26.96%, with the highest isolation rate during the winter and peaks of 73.91% in February. The occurrence of the pathogens in children and tracked contacts was 27.86 and 24.09%, respectively. In our study, 8.53% coinfection and 23.66% single pathogen infection was recorded in diarrheic children. The study also showed 4.51 and 3.88% of diarrhea in children from urban and rural had attributed to bacterial coinfection, respectively. The most prevalent pathogen in diarrheic children was Diarrheagenic E. coli (10.31%), and followed by Campylobacter. On the other hand, Diarrheagenic E. coli was the second dominant bacteria following Shigella in the traced contacts, with prevalence of 8.43% and 9.64%, respectively. Based on the study site, the prevalence of Diarrheagenic E. coli and Nontyphoidal Salmonella was higher in children from urban than those from rural. However, the occurrence of each pathogen had no significant differences ( P > .05) between settings. The high pathogens occurrence rate in the current study indicates the need for strong control strategies and better child carrying and treatment of diarrheal diseases at both urban and rural settings. Further studies on possible sources and factors attributing to the occurrence of enteric pathogens in children are also recommended.
Illuminating a Path Forward for Tobacco Nation: Projected Impacts of Recommended Policies on Geographic Disparities
Authors: Maciosek Michael V. , Donovan Emily M. , LaFrance Amy B. , Schillo Barbara A.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

This study quantifies the impacts of strengthening 2 tobacco control policies in “Tobacco Nation,” a region of the United States (U.S.) with persistently higher smoking rates and weaker tobacco control policies than the rest of the US, despite high levels of support for tobacco control policies.

Methods

We used a microsimulation model, ModelHealthTM:Tobacco, to project smoking-attributable (SA) outcomes in Tobacco Nation states and the U.S. from 2022 to 2041 under 2 scenarios: (1) no policy change and (2) a simultaneous increase in cigarette taxes by $1.50 and in tobacco control expenditures to the CDC-recommended level for each state. The simulation uses state-specific data to simulate changes in cigarette smoking as individuals age and the health and economic consequences of current or former smoking. We simulated 500 000 individuals for each Tobacco Nation state and the U.S. overall, representative of each population.

Results

Over the next 20 years, without policy changes, disparities in cigarette smoking will persist between Tobacco Nation and other U.S. states. However, compared to a scenario with no policy change, the simulated policies would lead to a 3.5% greater reduction in adult smoking prevalence, 2361 fewer SA deaths per million persons, and $334M saved in healthcare expenditures per million persons in Tobacco Nation. State-level findings demonstrate similar impacts.

Conclusions

The simulations indicate that the simulated policies could substantially reduce cigarette smoking disparities between Tobacco Nation and other U.S. states. These findings can inform tobacco control advocacy and policy efforts to advance policies that align with evidence and Tobacco Nation residents’ wishes.
A new rural digital divide? Taking stock of geographical digital inclusion in Australia
Authors: Marshall Amber
Published: September 2023

This article reflects on and progresses Australian and international debates about the urban–rural digital divide. In commentary style, I draw on my own experience of living in rural Australia and six years of scholarship devoted to understanding digital inclusion in geographically remote communities. The paper is anchored theoretically in global scholarly debates around rural digital inclusion, but also deeply contextualised in the current state of digital infrastructure and capability investment and the lived experiences of people in rural Australia. In tacking stock of the geographical digital divide, I combine findings and vignettes from my published research with the insights of other authors and data from the Australian Digital Inclusion Index. I make observations about the evolution of geographical digital inclusion in Australia focused on three themes: incremental digital development; the complexity and cost of getting connected; and compounding factors of disadvantage. These insights culminate in articulation of an emerging digital divide within rural cohorts.
Mechanism of the reduction in afterburning and thermal efficiency improvement with highly oxygenated fuels in diesel combustion
Authors: Kawabe Takao , Inoue Kazuhiro , Mori Kazuma , Ishikawa Tomoki , Kobashi Yoshimitsu , Shibata Gen , Ogawa Hideyuki
Published: September 2023

Highly oxygenated fuels can effectively reduce afterburning in diesel diffusion combustion and improve the degree of constant volume heat release in spite of increases in injection duration due to smaller heating values. The mechanism of afterburning reduction and the structural differences in the diesel fuel spray with changing the oxygen content in the fuel were investigated in a constant volume vessel and analyzed with 3D CFD simulation. The result showed that the equibalance ratio inside the spray decreased with increases in the oxygen content due to lower theoretical air-fuel ratios, promoting the spray combustion after the end of injection. Further, the combustion characteristics and the exhaust gas emissions of the oxygenated fuels were investigated in an experimental single cylinder diesel engine with modern specifications. With increasing oxygen contents, the degree of constant volume heat release increased with reductions in the afterburning, resulting in higher indicated thermal efficiencies. However, the indicated thermal efficiency showed a maximum at around 27 mass% of the oxygen in fuel and further increases in the oxygen contents resulted in lower indicated thermal efficiencies due to larger cooling losses.
War, Public Opinion and the British Constitution, c. 1867–1914
Authors: Melby Christian K
Published: September 2023

By the late nineteenth century, questions were raised about the efficacy of the British political system to manage and prosecute modern wars. At the centre of these questions was the issue of public opinion, seen as a potentially detrimental influence on planning and preparation for future wars. This article outlines the late-Victorian and Edwardian views on the role between Britain's constitution and war, and shows how public opinion was brought up in discussions on how Britain's armed forces could be better prepared for future conflicts. It argues that, by World War I, British officers as well as civilian experts proposed various solutions to the country's perceived political problems and argued that the public could potentially be mobilised to side-line a lethargic parliament and the political parties. The article thereby follows in the wake of an increased interest in the intellectual and political history of war and military planning, and offers a new perspective on political thought in Victorian and Edwardian Britain.
The Use and Usefulness of The Futures Triangle
Authors: Abdullah Nur Anisah
Published: September 2023

This paper presents the Futures Triangle as a framework to help guide thinking about the future. It works as a thinking tool or cognitive map, helping us interpret the past, orientate the present in charting our move to the future. This article uses four case studies to demonstrate the use and usefulness of the Futures Triangle for advancing futures studies in that it scaffolds the thinking about possible, probable and plausible futures, eliciting images of the future, interpreting the past and orientating the present, integrating knowledge and values for charting plausible futures, and increasing democratic participation in imaging desired futures. These case studies illustrates the effectiveness and utility of the Futures Triangle in enhancing futures studies and its potential for broadening engagement and understanding in the field.
Thinking conjuncturally, looking elsewhere
Authors: Lorne Colin , Thompson Matthew , Cochrane Allan
Published: September 2023

Inspired by Jamie Peck’s recent article on conjunctural methodologies, we discuss how geographers might interpret these troubling times. We hope to keep the conversation going by suggesting that a strength of conjunctural analysis lies in trying to get to grips with multiple crises without always knowing precisely where to look. Another strength of this approach is to take seriously all the cultural and political work involved in the articulation of different struggles, tensions, and contradictions combining in complex, and sometimes surprising, ways. So, in addition to looking inward to economic geography, we suggest that thinking conjuncturally might also involve looking elsewhere to ask what's at stake in the present moment – in all its complexity – in order to bring other political possibilities into view.
Reconfiguring rurality
Authors: Kolawole Oluwatoyin Dare
Published: September 2023

The concept of planetary rural geographies is an antithesis of planetary urbanization's erasure of the ‘rural’. Rather than push the compartmentalization of development spaces or processes, planetary rural geographies provide a framework of analyses that valorizes epistemic plurality, and which can help to better understand emerging complex problems in an ever-evolving world. The three rural space spectra of crisis, conflict, and hope, which are embedded within the geographies of rurality, serve as a new configuration and units of analyses for reestablishing the enduring nature of rurality itself. While the propositions in the thesis are plausible, some critiques are, however, offered to further shed light on the complexities and unique attributes of rural places.
Indigenous Peoples’ Relative Risk of Homicide in the USA: A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review
Authors: Alberton Amy M. , Hawks Grace K. , Williams Naomi G. , Gorey Kevin M.
Published: September 2023

Evidence suggests that Indigenous Peoples have the highest rate of death by homicide compared to other ethnic groups in the USA. Despite this alarming disparity and its fatal implications, there seems little attention paid to this crisis outside of Indigenous communities, and literature on the violence perpetrated against this population is comparatively scarce. Among the 574 federally recognized tribes and 326 reservations across the USA, there is great diversity. Yet, Indigenous Peoples share similar experiences of colonialism, genocide, oppression, and marginalization. These experiences highlight how existing social structures and systems continue to function as oppressive forces against Indigenous Peoples. The current study meta-analytically synthesized the existing body of knowledge to summarize current understandings of the relative risk of homicide faced by Indigenous Peoples. Following systematic searches of published and gray literature, data were extracted from 38 eligible studies. As hypothesized, Indigenous Peoples’ risk of homicide was consistently about three times greater than that of others in the USA over the past generation, but counter-hypothetically no gender divide was observed. These findings suggest prevalent, grave and longstanding social-structural and ultimately, health inequities among Indigenous Peoples in the USA. Future research needs and policy implications are discussed.
Environmental justice for whom? Citizen participation and brownfield redevelopment in downtown Birmingham, Alabama
Authors: Cutts Sandra , Fricano Russell , Peters Robert
Published: September 2023

Environmental legislation promotes citizen participation in the environmental review process through public hearings, community meetings, and advisory groups. However, environmental justice literature advocates higher levels of grassroots citizen empowerment through education and involvement in the decision-making process. Numerous research studies indicated that although the federal government supports community involvement in environmental restoration projects, such involvement has never been implemented to its fullest potential. This case study examines citizen participation and empowerment in the environmental review process in the redevelopment of three brownfields in underserved neighborhoods in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. This study quantifies empowerment leveraging Arnstein's ladder of participation in a novel approach. Utilizing a survey questionnaire, this analysis was conducted in three ways: a comparison of actual citizen participation methods used in the process with those providing a higher level of empowerment; compilation of open-ended responses of citizen dissatisfaction with the environmental review process; and utilizing Arnstein's Ladder to measure perceived levels of empowerment of citizen, public official, and developer stakeholders. Findings suggest that the types of participation methods used were at lower levels of citizen empowerment removed from decision-making; in responses to open-ended questions, citizens expressed shortcomings in the participatory process compared with their opinion on how it should be conducted, and perceived levels of empowerment differed among the categories of stakeholders. Citizens reported perceptions of empowerment at levels of tokenism removed from decision-making, while developers and public officials reported higher levels of empowerment. This study concludes that more innovative citizen participation techniques, university/community partnerships, and collaborative compact models are needed for more equitable participation.

Statement of Problem—The purpose of this case study is to analyze how well citizen participation in the environmental review process as specified by legislation corresponds to normative guidelines prescribed in the environmental justice literature.
Psychometric Properties of LUN-MS: A New Questionnaire to Identify the Unmet Needs of People With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Mohamed Abu Baker Amin , Moore Harriet , Baster Kathleen , Hobson Esther , Paling David , Sharrack Basil , Nair Krishnan Padmakumari Sivaraman
Published: September 2023

Background:

We developed a 29-item Questionnaire, Long-term Unmet Needs in MS (LUN-MS) to identify the unmet needs of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Objective:

To assess acceptability, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and validity of the LUN-MS.

Methods:

Participants completed the LUN-MS and MSIS-29 twice, four weeks apart. Acceptability was assessed by looking at the response rate in each time point. Reliability was calculated by comparing the response during the two time points using Cohen’s weighted kappa. Using principal component analysis, the dimensionality of the questionnaire’s items was reduced, to five domains and the internal consistency of each domain was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Concurrent validity was tested by comparing the total LUN-MS score against MSIS-29 and EQ-5D-3L using Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient.

Results:

Among 88 participants, rate of completion at time points-1 and 2 was 96 and 80% respectively. Test-retest reliability for individual items was between fair to near-perfect (weighted Cohen’s kappa 0.39-0.81). The unmet needs could be divided into five internally consistent domains (Cronbach’s alpha 0.83-0.74): neuropsychological, ambulation, physical, interpersonal relationship and informational. Concurrent validity with MSIS-29 ( r = 0.705, P < .001) and EQ-5D-3L ( r = 0.617, P < .001) were good.

Conclusion:

LUN-MS is a reliable, valid, and acceptable tool to identify the unmet needs of pwMS.
Sleep duration in schooldays is associated with health-related quality of life in norwegian adolescents: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Grasaas Erik , Rohde Gudrun , Haraldstad Kristin , Helseth Sølvi , Småstuen Milada Cvancarova , Skarstein Siv , Mikkelsen Hilde Timenes
Published: September 2023

Background

Insufficient sleep is commonly reported in adolescence and is negatively associated with a wide range of health outcomes. A way to grasp the complicated challenge of how sleep impact different aspects of the adolescents´ everyday life is by examining the relationship between sleep duration in schooldays and weekends on different health-related quality of life (HRQOL) subscales. Furthermore, to expand the understanding of possible underlying mechanisms between sleep and HRQOL, testing for self-efficacy as a possible mediator is of importance.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed among 696 adolescents aged 13–15 years from a school-based setting. All participants completed an electronic survey in their respective classrooms. The survey included demographic data, the School Sleep Habits Survey, the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire measuring HRQOL, and the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Statistics software including PROCESS macro by Andrew Hayes.

Results

Our findings revealed overall similar sleep patterns in boys and girls including longer sleep duration in the study sample during weekends (10:09 h) than in schooldays (08:36 h). Regression analyses revealed that sleep duration in schooldays was positively and statistically associated with HRQOL subscales psychological well-being (95% CI [0.44 to 1.33]), autonomy and parents (95% CI [0.12 to 1.06]), school environment (95% CI [0.47 to 1.40]), and self-efficacy (95% CI [0.01 to 0.47]). Sleep duration in weekends revealed no associations with the HRQOL subscales, except for the HRQOL subscale psychological well-being (95% CI [0.09 to 0.85]). Mediation analyses revealed that sleep duration in schooldays explained most of the associations (64 − 75%) in 4 out 5 HRQOL subscales, except in the association with the HRQOL subscale physical well-being revealing an indirect effect of 71.9%.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study described sleep among Norwegian adolescents and demonstrated that sleep durations in weekends and schooldays impact HRQOL and self-efficacy, revealing overall better outcome in HRQOL and self-efficacy with sufficient sleep during schooldays. These findings support the regularity of sleep and highlight the importance of sufficient sleep during schooldays, especially in a school-based sample of adolescents.
The prevalence of elongated styloid process in the population of Barcelona: a cross-sectional study & review of literature
Authors: Assiri Ahmed Hassan , Estrugo-Devesa Albert , Roselló Llabrés Xavier , Egido-Moreno Sonia , López-López José
Published: September 2023

Background

Styloid process (SP) is a cylindrical bony projection that originates from the inferior part of the petrous temporal bone just anteriorly to the stylomastoid foramen. Several nerves, muscles, and ligaments are related closely to the (SP). It is considered elongated when the measurement exceeds 30 mm. The overall prevalence of the styloid process is between 3.3% to 84.4%. The elongation of the styloid process (ESP) is associated with the manifestation of Eagle’s Syndrome (ES) which is characterized by various types of pain in the head and neck region such as headache, tinnitus, otalgia, and trigeminal neuralgia. Eagle’s syndrome occurs in 4–10.3% of individuals with an elongated styloid process (ESP). The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of (ESP) in the patients who were treated in the Dental Hospital University of Barcelona (HOUB), to review the literature to spot the light on the different demographic data worldwide.

Methods

The archived panoramic image in the University of Barcelona dental Hospital were consecutively retrieved to investigate the prevalence of (ESP). Of all digital panoramic radiographs (OPG), 400 met the inclusion criteria and were furtherly analyzed. The results are correlated with the participant’s gender, age, and occurrence. Age is subcategorized into three groups. A chi-square test is used to measure the significant differences and the P-value is set at < 0.05 for the level of significance.

Results

Among the included 400, we found 291 demonstrating (ESP). The prevalence of (ESP) which exceeds 30 mm is 72.75%. It is found that the most common morphological type is type 1 which is regarded as the uninterrupted (ESP) regardless of gender and age group. Concerning the calcification pattern, the most prevalent is the partial calcified (ESP) despite genders and age groups.

Conclusion

(OPG) is a sufficient tool for the screening of the elongated styloid process. Regarding the prevalence, our results are considered higher than previously reported prevalence in different populations using (OPG) radiography tool. A study on a wider spectrum of the Spanish population is recommended to further investigate the correlation between the elongated styloid process and the occurrence of Eagle’s syndrome.
How to assess hypercoagulability in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia? Biomarkers of potential value to support therapeutic intensity of non-heparin anticoagulation
Authors: Barocas Antoine , Savard Philippe , Carlo Audrey , Lecompte Thomas , de Maistre Emmanuel
Published: September 2023

Background

In case of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), the switch to a non-heparin anticoagulant is mandatory, at a therapeutic dose. Such a treatment has limitations though, especially for patients with renal and/or hepatic failure. Candidate laboratory tests could detect the more coagulable HIT patients, for whom therapeutic anticoagulation would be the more justified.

Patients and methods

This was a monocentre observational prospective study in which 111 patients with suspected HIT were included. Nineteen were diagnosed with HIT (ELISA and platelet activation assay), among whom 10 were classified as HITT + when a thrombotic event was present at diagnosis or during the first following week. Two plasma prethrombotic biomarkers of in vivo activation of the haemostasis system, procoagulant phospholipids (ProcoagPPL) associated with extracellular vesicles and fibrin monomers (FM test), as well as in vitro thrombin potential (ST Genesia; low picomolar tissue factor) after heparin neutralization (heparinase), were studied. The results were primarily compared between HITT + and HITT- patients.

Results

Those HIT + patients with thrombotic events in acute phase or shortly after (referred as HITT+) had a more coagulable phenotype than HIT + patients without thrombotic events since: (i) clotting times related to plasma procoagulant phospholipids tended to be shorter; (ii) fibrin monomers levels were statistically significantly higher (p = 0.0483); (iii) thrombin potential values were statistically significantly higher (p = 0.0404). Of note, among all patients suspected of suffering from HIT, we did not evidence a hypercoagulable phenotype in patients diagnosed with HIT compared to patients for whom the diagnosis of HIT was ruled out.

Conclusion

The three tests could help identify those HIT patients the most prone to thrombosis.
A pediatric case series of catastrophic gastrointestinal complications of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease with increasing incidence, high association with coronavirus disease 2019, higher mortality, and a plea for early endoscopy to prevent late fatal outcome
Authors: Keshtkar Alireza , Karbasian Fereshteh , Reihani Hamid , Atighi Farnaz , Hedayati Seyyed-Bozorgmehr , Ataollahi Maryam , Geramizadeh Bita , Dehghani Seyed Mohsen
Published: September 2023

Background

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder is one of the most severe complications after transplantation, caused by uncontrolled proliferation of Epstein–Barr virus-positive B-cells in the setting of chronic immunosuppression. As one of the biggest transplant centers worldwide, we observed a potential increase in the number of patients with posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms in 1 year, during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. There is limited information about dysregulation of the immune system following coronavirus disease 2019 infection, which may lead to Epstein–Barr virus reactivation in Epstein–Barr virus-positive B-cells and development of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Furthermore, there is no consensus in literature on a modality that can help in early diagnosis of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder with nonspecific gastrointestinal presentations before late and fatal complications occur.

Case presentation

Our case series includes five Iranian (Persian) patients, three female (2, 2.5, and 5 years old) and two male (2 and 2.5 years old), who developed gastrointestinal posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder after liver transplantation. All of our patients were on a similar immunosuppressant regimen and had similar Epstein–Barr virus serologic status (seronegative at time of transplantation but seropositive at time of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder diagnosis). Four patients had either a positive coronavirus disease 2019 polymerase chain reaction test or exposure within the family. Although all of our patients presented with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms, four patients developed late posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder complications such as bowel perforation and obstruction. All five patients with gastrointestinal posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder received chemotherapy, but only two survived and currently are continuing the therapy. In one of the surviving patients, prompt endoscopic investigation resulted in early diagnosis of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder and a better outcome.

Conclusion

Since 80% of our patients had exposure to coronavirus, a potential relationship might be suggested between the two. Furthermore, as we witnessed in one case, urgent endoscopic investigation in immunocompromised patients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms can improve the clinical outcomes and therefore should be considered for early diagnosis of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.