bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the participation of young and minoritised fathers in peer research: An intersectional reflexive analysis of methods and ethics
Authors: Way Laura , Tarrant Anna , Ladlow Linzi
Published: December 2024

This article presents an intersectional, reflexive analysis of the research process, methods and ethical considerations involved in a community-based participatory study aimed at increasing and improving the participation of young and minoritised fathers, both in support settings and in research. Conducted by a peer research team comprising beneficiaries and a young male employee of a specialist support charity for young fathers, the substantive aim of Diverse Dads was to explore and address the limited diversity and inclusion of minoritised young fathers in contexts of family and multi-agency service provision. This aim prompted critical attention to questions of inclusion and empowerment for young fathers throughout the research process, including those from ethnic minority communities, as overlooked and under-represented populations in service contexts and research. Synthesising intersectionality and participation theories, we employ an ‘intersectional participatory framework’, to outline and interrogate four ‘critical moments’, and associated methodological strategies, that researchers might encounter in co-produced research with participants who are marginalised and/or minoritised. These are: (1) creating spaces to facilitate and enhance research participation, (2) fostering community empowerment through participation, (3) foregrounding minoritised voices and (4) (en)countering essentialism. Via these themes, we consider the possibilities for enhancing the inclusion and participation of marginalised and minoritised participants and explore the challenges and tradeoffs in research and practice contexts where engagement with such populations has proven challenging to overcome.
The Assessment of Organizational Innovativeness as a Mediator Between ICT Adoption and Firm Performance in Turkish SMEs
Authors: Çallı Büsra Alma , Özşahin Mehtap , Coşkun Erman
Published: December 2024

This study aims to examine the managerial and organizational factors affecting ICT adoption in SMEs, and the link between ICT adoption level and firm performance. In this context, a survey was performed with owners, top-level managers, middle-level managers, and first-line managers of SMEs. The study was carried out in three phases. First, after assessing the ICT adoption level for each participating SME, the effect of owner and manager-related characteristics and organizational attributes on the level of ICT adoption was examined. Second, an analysis was performed to find out if there is a relationship between ICT adoption levels and organizational innovation types. Finally, the effect of ICT adoption level on firm performance and the mediating effect of organizational innovativeness types on this link were investigated. Data obtained from 393 owners and managers of 203 SMEs were analyzed through SPSS. Analysis results show that the owner’s/manager’s education level and awareness of the benefit of ICT are positively related to ICT adoption level. In contrast, awareness of the costs of ICT is negatively related to ICT adoption in SMEs. Moreover, the results reveal that internal integration and strategic integration level ICT adoption on firm performance is mediated by organizational innovativeness. These findings stand to help SMEs strategically plan their ICT adoption phases based on their organizational needs.
Metabolic Syndrome Among People Living With HIV on Dolutegravir and Efavirenz-Based Antiretroviral Therapy in Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Jemal Mohammed , Ashenef Baye , Sinamaw Deresse , Adugna Adane , Getinet Mamaru , Baylie Temesgen , Waritu Nuredin Chura
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the burden of metabolic syndrome among people living with HIV (PLWH) on dolutegravir (DTG)- and efavirenz (EFV)-based regimens.

Methods

A hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study design was implemented from May 5, 2022, to August 5, 2022.

Results

The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 18.6% (32/172) for all regimens, with 25.6% (22/86) for the DTG- and 11.6% (10/86) for the EFV-based regimens ( P = .019). Body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13-8.14), CD4 count ≥ 500 cells/mm3 (AOR = 3.01; 95% CI: 1.09-8.28), insufficient physical activity (AOR = 2.60; 95% CI: 1.00-6.72), and DTG-based regimen (AOR = 2.86; 95% CI: 1.14-7.20) were associated with metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher among PLWH on DTG-based regimens. This signifies that DTG-treated patients should be advised on lifestyle adjustments to prevent the development of metabolic syndrome.
Treatment of Initial Anterior Shoulder Instability in National Hockey League Players: A Survey of NHL Team Physicians
Authors: Benvegnu Neilen A. , Gnandt Ryan , Nammour Michael , Patel Neel , Schulz William , Eads Ryan , Vyas Dharmesh
Published: December 2024

Background:

Managing an in-season anterior shoulder instability poses a special challenge for team physicians, as they need to balance the aim of promptly returning the athlete to play while mitigating the chances of recurrence and further injury to the shoulder.

Purpose:

To investigate and report on the treatment preferences of National Hockey League (NHL) team physicians when managing in-season first-time anterior shoulder instability in professional hockey players.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

A survey consisting of 33 sport-specific questions focused on the treatment options and preferences for anterior shoulder instability in hockey players was developed, and 32 NHL team physicians were invited to anonymously complete the survey. Following the collection of the data, the distribution of the responses to each question was documented as counts and percentages.

Results:

Of the 32 invited team physicians, 31 (97%) completed all (n = 28) or most (n = 3) of the survey. The mean experience of the respondents was 13 ± 11 years. A total of 28 (90%) respondents would attempt nonoperative treatment of an in-season initial anterior shoulder dislocation with an isolated soft tissue injury, while 28 (90%) would recommend operative treatment of the same injury with bony involvement. Of the 31 respondents, 30 (97%) utilized rehabilitation parameters rather than time from injury when determining whether a player could return to play. Of those parameters, clinical strength (100%), range of motion (87%), anterior apprehension (84%), and pain (65%) were the most utilized. For surgical management of an isolated soft tissue lesion, 28 (90%) of the respondents preferred arthroscopic repair, while 2 (7%) preferred open repair.

Conclusion:

Of the 32 NHL team physicians surveyed, 28 preferred nonoperative management for the treatment of initial anterior shoulder dislocations with isolated soft tissue injuries, while initial operative management was preferred by the same number of team physicians for any injuries with bony involvement.
Fifteen-Year Radiographic Follow-up Comparison of Early Versus Delayed ACL Reconstruction: A Retrospective Review of a Previous Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Cruz Christian A. , Pruneski James A. , McAllister Rebecca N. , Riopelle David , Bottoni Craig R.
Published: December 2024

Background:

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction (ACLR) is a prevalent cause of long-term disability. Few studies have compared the effect of ACLR timing on the development of PTOA.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of PTOA at a long-term follow-up between patients who underwent early ACLR (<21 days after injury) versus delayed ACLR (>6 weeks after injury). The authors hypothesized that patients who underwent early ACLR would have lower rates of PTOA compared with the delayed ACLR cohort.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

The authors contacted patients from a previous prospective randomized controlled trial who were randomized to undergo either early (<21 days) or delayed (>6 weeks) ACLR with hamstring tendon autografts. Weightbearing radiographs were obtained at a minimum 15-year follow-up, and radiographic PTOA was evaluated using the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) classification system. The prevalence of pathologies was compared between the early and delayed groups using appropriate testing, and logistic regression was used to evaluate for associations with failure—a K-L grade of ≥2 or conversion to total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Results:

At a mean follow-up of 15.6 years, radiographs were obtained for 58 (28 early, 30 delayed) of the original 69 (84.1%) patients. High rates of PTOA (K-L grade ≥2) were observed in the early (82.1%) and delayed (86.7%) cohorts ( P = .634). Two (7.1%) patients in the early cohort converted to TKA compared with 4 (13.3%) patients in the delayed cohort ( P = .44). Surgical timing did not affect arthritis severity ( P≥ .4), and no factors predicted developing radiographic PTOA in either cohort ( P > .2). Increased time from injury decreased the odds of failure in the early ACLR cohort (odds ratio, 0.79; P = .041).

Conclusion:

In this study, >80% of patients who underwent ACLR with hamstring tendon autografts had radiographic evidence of PTOA at a mean 15.6-year follow-up, with no difference in the prevalence or severity of PTOA between the early and delayed groups. In addition, 11% of patients had converted to TKA by the time of the final follow-up, and the conversion rate did not differ according to the timing of ACLR.
Concurrent experience and improvements in focal and supportive routines: Inside U.S. nursing homes’ experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Desai Vinit M
Published: December 2024

Organizational learning theory has long recognized the advantages of sequential repetition, since successive events allow organizations multiple opportunities to iteratively refine their approaches. In many situations, though, events unfold so quickly that they can overlap, becoming more clustered or concurrent rather than sequential and successive. This raises a tension; this might impede learning by reducing the time available to examine outcomes and update routines after each round, or it may instead motivate organizations to learn and get better out of necessity since less room exists for error. This study responds by distinguishing between the effects of concurrent experiences on different sets of routines. The study predicts that learning in the focal area will suffer, but that learning on supportive and ancillary routines will be enhanced as organizations experiment and explore for broader ways to build resilience under these challenging circumstances. Tests on nursing homes’ responses to clustered outbreaks during the COVID-19 pandemic provide strong support for the prediction about focal outcomes and partial support for the prediction about supportive outcomes. The study contributes to learning theory by advancing work on timing and demonstrating how organizations can learn to build resilience even if they cannot always learn to get better.

JEL CLASSIFICATION: M10 (Business Administration/General)
Examining the Perceptions and Experiences of Dental Care Among Immigrant Free Clinic Patients
Authors: Chauhan Sia , Breakfield Dustin J. , Amornnimit Danaya , Luceford Mason , Spearman Brenda , Kamimura Akiko
Published: December 2024

Dental anxiety, the fear related to dental services, can be presented in diverse ways, hindering those in need of dental treatment. This anxiety often results in higher levels of untreated dental issues, affecting oral health-related quality of life primarily due to insufficient dental care or dental care avoidance. Identifying its causes is crucial for effective support and preventative care. This study explores dental care perceptions and experiences among patients at free clinics, offering valuable insights to improve dental support and care for uninsured and underserved individuals. Two hundred ninety-three immigrant patients, mainly Spanish speakers, participated from October 2023 to January 2024. Findings reveal that 14% experienced dental phobia, primarily linked to local anesthetic shots. The majority of patients reported unmet dental needs, highlighting dental care disparities. Understanding how dental phobia contributes to dental care needs is vital to understand, in order to improve oral health outcomes. Future research should address additional barriers like language, finances, and awareness of services. Additionally, exploring other anxiety factors beyond pain, noise, discomfort, and aesthetics is essential.
Medial Malleolar Stress Fracture Treatment and Return to Activity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Touhey Daniel C. , Beady Nikko D. , Tartibi Sina , Thome Jr Andrew P. , Brophy Robert H. , Matava Matthew J. , Smith Matthew V. , Knapik Derrick M.
Published: December 2024

Background:

Medial malleolar stress fractures (MMSFs) naturally appear to occur primarily in athletes participating in sports requiring prolonged running or repetitive jumping. Nonoperative and operative modalities have been described, yielding a wide range of outcomes and return to activity (RTA) rates.

Hypothesis/purpose:

To systematically review the current literature to identify reports of MMSFs to better understand the current state of treatment, outcomes, and RTA rate.

Methods:

Studies published in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library reporting on patients sustaining MMSF from inception to October 2024 were identified. Human subjects, articles published in English, and studies reporting treatment (operative vs nonoperative), outcomes, RTA rates, and the incidence of any complications, were included.

Results:

Seventeen studies were identified, consisting of 68 patients, with 74% (n = 50/68) of patients being male. Weighted mean patient age was 26.1 (range, 9-73) years. Overuse injury mechanisms during sporting activities accounted for 94% (n = 64/68) of injuries, with soccer being the most commonly reported athletic activity (n = 18). Initial operative management was reported in 44% (n = 30/68) of patients at a weighted mean of 10.1 weeks from symptom onset, with an additional 14 patients undergoing operative treatment following a weighted mean 16.8-week trial of nonoperative management. Complications following treatment were reported in 4 (n = 4/30) patients treated initially with surgery and 2 (n = 2/38) patients initially treated nonoperatively. A total of 98% (n = 57/58) of patients reported successful return to preinjury activity levels at a weighted mean of 3.4 months.

Conclusion:

Medial malleolar stress fractures are reported to occur primarily in younger, adult patients, commonly as a result of overuse, especially in individuals participating in soccer. Operative management was performed in 65% (n = 44/68) of overall cases with a low rate of complication and a high rate of successful RTA following nonoperative and operative management.
Performance of water systems during the February 6th Kahramanmaras earthquakes
Authors: Toprak Selcuk , Wham Brad Parker , Nacaroglu Engin , Ceylan Muhammet , Dal Oguz
Published: December 2024

February 6th, 2023 Mw7.7 and Mw7.6 Kahramanmaras earthquakes caused severe damage to lifeline systems across 13 provinces in Turkiye and regions of Northern Syria. Impacts to water and wastewater infrastructure were significant, requiring the mobilization of support from across the region, and around the world to provide life-sustaining service to the approximately 14 million impacted people. This study documents water infrastructure performance during the event and efforts required to repair damage during the days and months that followed. With a particular focus on water transmission and distribution pipelines, details acquired during multiple field reconnaissance visits and meetings with officials are provided for the most heavily impacted water utilities. Both general recovery efforts and specific examples of earthquake-induced pipeline damage are incorporated to draw conclusions relative to emergency preparedness, resilient network design, and communication across agencies as well as with the public.
CSF levels of brain-derived proteins correlate with brain ventricular volume in cognitively healthy 70-year-olds
Authors: Bergström Sofia , Mravinacová Sára , Lindberg Olof , Zettergren Anna , Westman Eric , Wahlund Lars-Olof , Blennow Kaj , Zetterberg Henrik , Kern Silke , Skoog Ingmar , Månberg Anna
Published: December 2024

Background

The effect of varying brain ventricular volume on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome has been discussed as possible confounding factors in comparative protein level analyses. However, the relationship between CSF volume and protein levels remains largely unexplored. Moreover, the few existing studies provide conflicting findings, indicating the need for further research.

Methods

Here, we explored the association between levels of 88 pre-selected CSF proteins and ventricular volume derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements in 157 cognitively healthy 70-year-olds from the H70 Gothenburg Birth Cohort Studies, including individuals with and without pathological levels of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) CSF markers (n = 123 and 34, respectively). Both left and right lateral, the inferior horn as well as the third and the fourth ventricular volumes were measured. Different antibody-based methods were employed for the protein measurements, with most being analyzed using a multiplex bead-based microarray technology. Furthermore, the associations between the protein levels and cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy, and mean diffusivity were assessed.

Results

CSF levels of many brain-derived proteins correlated with ventricular volumes in A-T- individuals, with lower levels in individuals with larger ventricles. The strongest negative correlations with total ventricular volume were observed for neurocan (NCAN) and neurosecretory protein VGF (rho = -0.34 for both). Significant negative correlations were observed also for amyloid beta (Ab) 38, Ab40, total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau), with correlation ranging between − 0.34 and − 0.28, while no association was observed between ventricular volumes and Ab42 or neurofilament light chain (NfL). Proteins with negative correlations to ventricular volumes further demonstrated negative correlations to mean diffusivity and positive correlation to fractional anisotropy. However, only weak or no correlations were observed between the CSF protein levels and cortical thickness. A + T + individuals demonstrated higher CSF protein levels compared to A-T- individuals with the most significant differences observed for neurogranin (NRGN) and synuclein beta (SNCB).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the levels of many brain-derived proteins in CSF may be subjected to dilution effects depending on the size of the brain ventricles in healthy individuals without AD pathology. This phenomenon could potentially contribute to the inter-individual variations observed in CSF proteomic studies.
Microwave-assisted synthesis of antimony oxide nanoparticles for the determination of trace cadmium in mulberry leaf tea matrices by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry
Authors: İnce Merve Nur , Serbest Hakan , Bakirdere Sezgin
Published: December 2024

In this study, a rapid, sensitive and accurate analytical method was optimized for the determination of trace levels of cadmium (Cd) by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) after antimony oxide nanoparticles (AO-NPs)-based dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE). The AO-NPs were synthesized with a specific microwave temperature program, and they exhibited high purity and good surface morphology, making them appropriate sorbent material for the preconcentration/separation of a heavy metal. All experimental parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized univariately. Under the optimum operational conditions (35 mL sample volume, 0.75 mL of pH 8.0 buffer, 15 mg of sorbent, 5 s vortex and 100 µL of 1.0 M of HNO3), the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) values were determined as 0.27 and 0.89 µg L−1, respectively. Thanks to the developed method, a 164.8-fold improvement in the sensitivity of the conventional FAAS system was achieved. Reusability tests showed that the AO-NPs can be employed 5 times. The feasibility of the method was confirmed by recovery tests with mulberry leaf tea matrices, and good recovery results between 77.6 and 115.8% were obtained using the matrix matching calibration method.
Development and Clinical Validation of Visual Inspection With Acetic Acid Application-Artificial Intelligence Tool Using Cervical Images in Screen-and-Treat Visual Screening for Cervical Cancer in South India: A Pilot Study
Authors: Poli Usha Rani , Gudlavalleti Anirudh G. , Bharadwaj Y Jaya , Pant Hira B. , Agiwal Varun , Murthy G.V.S.
Published: December 2024

PURPOSE

The burden of cervical cancer in India is enormous, with more than 60,000 deaths being reported in 2020. The key intervention in the WHO's global strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer is to aim for the treatment and care of 90% of women diagnosed with cervical lesions. The current screen-and-treat approach as an option for resource-limited health care systems where screening of the cervix with visual inspection with acetic acid application (VIA) is followed by immediate ablative treatment by nurses in the case of a positive test. This approach often results in overtreatment, owing to the subjective nature of the test. Unnecessary treatments can be diminished with the use of emerging computer-assisted visual evaluation technology, using artificial intelligence (AI) tool to triage VIA-positive women. The aim of this study was (1) to develop a VIA-AI tool using cervical images to identify and categorize the VIA-screen–positive areas for eligibility and suitability for ablative treatment, and (2) to understand the efficacy of the VIA-AI tool in guiding the nurses to decide on treatment eligibility in the screen-and-treat cervical screening program.

METHODS

This was an exploratory, interventional study. The VIA-AI tool was developed using deep-learning AI from the image bank collected in our previously conducted screening programs. This VIA-AI tool was then pilot-tested in an ongoing nurse-led VIA screening program.

RESULTS

A comparative assessment of the cervical features performed in all women using the VIA-AI tool showed clinical accuracy of 76%. The perceived challenge rate for false positives was 20%.

CONCLUSION

This novel cervical image–based VIA-AI algorithm showed promising results in real-life settings, and could help minimize overtreatment in single-visit VIA screening and treatment programs in resource-constrained situations.
Access to and Utilization of Endocrine Therapy Among Breast Cancer Survivors in Botswana
Authors: Wester James R. , Wagner Rachel B. , Motladiile Bosa , Nkele Isaac , Chinyepi Nkhabe , Makhema Moeketsi J. , Friebel-Klingner Tara M. , Vuylsteke Peter , Lockman Shahin , Dryden-Peterson Scott , Kohler Racquel E.
Published: December 2024

PURPOSE

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common female cancer worldwide, and the burden is increasing across sub-Saharan Africa. For women with hormone receptor–positive (HR+) cancers, endocrine therapy (ET) taken for 5-10 years can reduce the risk of recurrence by half. We explored experiences with ET and barriers to utilization among survivors in Botswana.

METHODS

We recruited women with nonmetastatic disease from a survivorship cohort who had undergone mastectomy within 1-5 years for semi-structured interviews to explore experiences with treatment. This thematic content analysis focused on ET, so the sample included women with HR+ cancer who should have received ET and HR− women who reported taking ET.

RESULTS

We analyzed interviews with 19 women (mean age 54 years, 42% stage I/II, 58% stage III). Three key themes were identified: (1) limited provider counseling, (2) challenges refilling prescriptions at public pharmacies, and (3) high medication and transportation costs associated with private pharmacies. Subthemes included immunohistochemistry result communication, lack of knowledge, frequent public pharmacy stockouts, inconvenient prescription refill policies, and medication switching and discontinuation, especially among participants with low socioeconomic positions (SEPs). Women's persistence, SEP, and financial support facilitated refills. Although some experienced side effects, they were not a common reason for discontinuation.

CONCLUSION

BC survivors in Botswana face multilevel barriers to accessing and adhering to ET. Provider and health system improvements are needed to effectively communicate ET importance and increase access to consistently available and affordable medication.
Clinical Utility of Genomic Sequencing for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes: An Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Shickh Salma , Mighton Chloe , Clausen Marc , Sam Jordan , Hirjikaka Daena , Reble Emma , Graham Tracy , Panchal Seema , Eisen Andrea , Elser Christine , Schrader Kasmintan A. , Baxter Nancy N. , Laupacis Andreas , Lerner-Ellis Jordan , Kim Raymond H. , Bombard Yvonne ,   on behalf of the Incidental Genomics Study Team, Bombard Yvonne , Armel Susan Randall , Aronson Melyssa , Baxter Nancy N. , Bond Kenneth , Capo-Chichi José-Mario , Carroll June C. , Caulfield Timothy , Clausen Marc , Clifford Tammy J. , Cohn Iris , Dhalla Irfan , Earle Craig C. , Eisen Andrea , Elser Christine , Evans Michael , Glogowski Emily , Graham Tracy , Greenfeld Elena , Hamilton Jada G. , Isaranuwatchai Wanrudee , Kastner Monika , Kim Raymond H. , Laupacis Andreas , Lerner-Ellis Jordan , Morel Chantal F. , Mujoomdar Michelle , Noor Abdul , Offit Kenneth , Panchal Seema , Robson Mark E. , Scherer Stephen W. , Scheer Adena , Schrader Kasmintan A. , Sullivan Terrence , Thorpe Kevin E.
Published: December 2024

PURPOSE

Genomic sequencing (GS) is increasingly used to improve diagnoses and inform targeted therapies. GS can also be used to identify the 10% of cancer patients with an underlying hereditary cancer syndrome (HCS), who can benefit from surveillance and preventive surgery that reduce morbidity/mortality. However, the evidence on clinical utility of GS for HCS is limited: we aimed to fill this gap by assessing yield of all cancer results and associated recommendations for patients undergoing GS for HCS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An observational chart review and survey were conducted for cancer patients with previous uninformative cancer gene panel results, who received GS as part of the Incidental Genomics Trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:
NCT03597165
). Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographics and clinical history. Proportions were calculated to compare frequencies of result types and recommendations made and followed.

RESULTS

A total of 276 patients were eligible and included. Participants were mostly female (n = 240), European (n = 158), and with breast cancer history (n = 168). Yield: 25 patients (9.1%) received ≥1 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant, 246 (89%) received ≥1 variant of uncertain significance (VUS), and 27 (10%) were negative. Most pathogenic variants (20/26) were in low/moderate cancer risk genes. The mean number of VUS was 2.7/patient and higher in non-Europeans versus Europeans (3.5
v
2.5,
P
< .05). Recommendations: Pathogenic variants triggered 100 recommendations in 21/25 patients; most were for genetic counseling, communication to relatives, and cascade testing.

CONCLUSION

GS provided a modest increase in utility after first-tier cancer gene panels, at the cost of a high frequency of uncertain results. Furthermore, most positives were low/moderate cancer risk results that did not have corresponding evidence-based, management guidelines.
Epistemic Rationality and the Value of Truth
Authors: Dandelet Sophia
Published: December 2024

Veritism is the idea that what makes a belief epistemically rational is that it is a fitting response to the value of truth. This idea promises to serve as the foundation for an elegant and systematic treatment of epistemic rationality, one that illuminates the importance of distinctively epistemic normative standards without sacrificing extensional adequacy. But this article proposes that veritism cannot fulfill this promise. It goes on to explain why not, in part by showing that three radically different developments of veritism—one consequentialist, one deontological, and one virtue-theoretic—face eerily similar problems. This article also attempts to provide a general explanation of why any version of veritism is doomed to fail. If these arguments are successful, their upshot is that we must look beyond the value of truth if we want to understand the nature and significance of epistemic rationality.
What Is the Point of Political Equality?
Authors: Wodak Daniel
Published: December 2024

Political egalitarians hold that there is a distinct ideal of political equality, which defines and justifies democracy. So what is political equality? The orthodox view says it is equality of opportunity for political influence, not equality of political influence. The first goal of this article is to argue against this view about the nature of political equality. From 1962 to 1983, Australia’s First Nations citizens had the right to vote, but unlike other citizens they did not have the duty to vote. First Nations citizens were made politically unequal without being given any less opportunity for influence; the most plausible explanation for why they were made politically unequal is instead that they were made to exert less influence. The second goal is to use this challenge to illuminate the point of political equality. The orthodox view is typically undergirded by taking political equality to be concerned with some cosmic injustice that inheres in states of affairs, depending on the distribution of power. This is doubly mistaken. The point of political equality is deontic, not telic; and what it prescribes is not distributive, but relational. More specifically, the point of political equality is for the state to treat each citizen as an equal coauthor of the law. The overarching goal is to catalyze a more vigorous debate about political equality, akin to the long-standing debates about other dimensions of equality.
A Gaze on Black Joy
Authors: Barracks Chaz
Published: December 2024

This essay presents a theory of con-artistry as a queer practice of Black joy that claims relational and material abundance in the face of tropes of deviance and conditions of austerity. Drawing on auto-theory and describes how media-making can foment Black pleasure and institutional critique, it includes a discussion of the author's 2020 film Everyday Black Matter as a documentation of radical Black gathering in Richmond, Virginia. The film centers nuanced conversations about Black joy as a critical practice and the subversive efforts some are willing to undergo to secure it. Inspired by their theories of aesthetics, deviance, and femme worldmaking, the author collaborated with Jillian Hernandez, whose contribution “Ca$h App Connectivities” is included in this issue, to develop a conversation that centers everyday Black matter and extended well beyond the pages of this journal.
Corpsing the Frame
Authors: Sheehan Rebecca A.
Published: December 2024

Choreographer Ligia Lewis's first video-based piece, deader than dead (2021) was initially conceived as a performance to be staged in the Los Angeles Hammer Museum but was translated to video when the COVID-19 pandemic closed museums for in-person viewing. The piece deploys split frames that display different video channels, embracing a multiplicity of viewpoints. Lewis uses cinema's mobile frame to unfastens the fixed viewpoint of theatrical performance and explore “corpsing” (when falling out of a role exposes the limits of performance) as an indictment of the condition of black social death. Inspired by David Marriott's essay on “corpsing,” deader than dead's “falling out of character” (Lewis's dancers literally fall to the floor, find themselves revived, and then fall again) revels in and reveals the repeated performance of black life as death to be both the foundation and fate of the contemporary world. This article leans on Jordan Peele's Get Out (2016), one of Lewis's favorite horror films, and the use of dance in his later Us (2019) to illuminate how deader than dead locates and exploits the fugitivity of bad faith, particularly the bad faith of antiracist gestures that perpetuate social foundations of antiblackness. At the same time, viewing deader than dead through Sybil Newton Cooksey's concept of “revenant motion” helps clarify how Lewis deploys uncanny animation that ruptures the continuity of performances of racial equality acted out over a reality of social life predicated on antiblackness.
Defending Rumba in Havana
Authors: Berry Maya J.
Published: December 2024

In Defending Rumba in Havana, anthropologist and dancer Maya J. Berry examines rumba as a way of knowing the embodied and spiritual dimensions of Black political imagination in post-Fidel Cuba. Historically a Black working-class popular dance, rumba, Berry contends, is a method of Black Cuban struggle that provides the community, accountability, sustenance, and dignity that neither the state nor the expanding private market can. Berry’s feminist theorization builds on the notion of the undercommons to show how rumba creates a space in which its practitioners enact deeply felt and dedicatedly defended choreographies of reciprocity, refusal, sovereignty, devotion, and pleasure, both on stage and in their daily lives. Berry demonstrates that this Black corporeal undercommons emphasizes mutual aid and refuses neoliberal development logics, favoring instead a collective self-determination rooted in African diasporic spiritual practices through which material compensation and gendered power dynamics are negotiated. By centering rumba to analyze how poor Black Cubans navigate gendered and racialized life, Berry helps readers better understand the constraints and yearnings that move diasporic Black struggles to seek refuge beyond the bounds of the nation-state.

Duke University Press Scholars of Color First Book Award
Epilepsy Surgery for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in Africa: A Systematic Review
Authors: Darko Kwadwo , Tenkorang Pearl Ohenewaa , Asiedu Olivia , Yevudza W. Elorm , Issah Salim , Dzantor Eyako , Tahiru Marjidah , Wireko Andrew Awuah , O'Leary Sean , Barrie Umaru , Weiss Hannah , Totimeh Teddy , Banson Mabel
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Nearly one-third of individuals with epilepsy have drug-resistant epilepsy, treated most effectively with surgery. This study aims to discuss the demographic profile, surgical access, and strategies used in drug-resistant epilepsy in Africa.

METHODS:

A systematic review was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Science in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.

RESULTS:

Nine studies encompassing 498 patients from 6 African countries (Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia, and Uganda) were included. The mean Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies score for these articles was 9.6 ± 1.6. The average patient age was 24.9 years (95% CI: 18.9-30.8 years), with a male predominance of 53.4%. The average age of seizure onset was 10.4 years (95% CI: 6.1-14.7 years). Most patients experienced focal onset seizures (73.1%), with head trauma (33.1%) being the most reported risk factor. The predominant etiologies were hippocampal sclerosis (66.8%, 95% CI: 42.7-91), microdysgenesis (26.7%, 95% CI: 20.7-32.7), and brain tumors (22.3%, 95% CI: 6.4-38.2). Lesions were primarily located in the left hemisphere (61.9%, 95% CI: 26.7-97.1), with temporal lobe involvement in 54.8% of cases (95% CI: 28.7-80.8). Temporal lobectomy was the most frequently performed surgery (59.6%), followed by lesionectomy (9.6%). Postoperatively, 80.6% of patients achieved Engel class I outcomes, indicating seizure freedom, and long-term follow-up (1 to 5 years) showed that 70.3% maintained Engel class I outcomes. Surgical complications were reported in 8.8% of cases.

CONCLUSION:

These findings demonstrate the efficacy and long-term benefits of epilepsy surgery in Africa, where epilepsy is a significant public health challenge. The high rates of seizure freedom and reduced seizure frequency from surgery highlight its potential to improve the quality of life for individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy in Africa.
Life table estimates for the land snail Cryptaustenia ovata (H. F. Blanford, 1871) occurring in India
Authors: Chakraborty Anupam , Mandal Suparna , Nandy Gargi , Aditya Gautam
Published: December 2024

The life history features of the land snail Cryptaustenia ovata (H. F. Blanford, 1871) (Stylommatophora: Helicarionidae) were evaluated, highlighting growth and reproduction. Increase in body weight, longevity, age at first reproduction, and fecundity were assessed using multiple individual cohorts in rearing duration. The growth pattern of C. ovata fitted well with the von Bertalanffy growth equation. A maximum life span of 205 days was observed for C. ovata with a mean life expectancy of 58.63 ± 1.99 days. The life expectancy (ex) of 0-day-old snails was 34.58 days, and on the day before death, the life expectancy was 1.3 days. Time to first reproduction varied between 78 and 111 days after hatching, and the oviposition period between 9 and 62 days. A peak oviposition was observed between the 16th and 17th week of the life span. The pooled net reproductive rate (R0), cohort generation time (Tc), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), and finite rate of increase (λ) were estimated as 64.614, 104.176 days, 0.017, and 1.043, respectively. C. ovata exhibited high mortality during the early age of the life history and was characterised by early reproductive maturity and rapid growth rate. Information on the life history traits of C. ovata will help delineate management strategies for its population regulation.
Duchowni i mieszczanie. Kler niższy w społeczeństwie późnośredniowiecznych miast pruskich
Authors: Sumowski Marcin
Published: December 2024

„Czy średniowieczny duchowny mógł być jednocześnie mieszczaninem? Sprzeczność tego pytania jest tylko pozorna. Wynika ze stereotypowego przekonania o nieruchomej strukturze społeczeństwa średniowiecznego, sztywno podzielonego na ściśle odseparowane stany. Tymczasem problem ówczesnej przynależności społecznej nie jest wymysłem współczesnego historyka. Pytanie czy kapłan jest mieszczaninem zadawali już średniowieczni rajcy. Znalazło się ono w zestawie problemów prawno-ustrojowych, przesłanych do rozstrzygnięcia radzie Magdeburga. Miało ono swój ściśle określony kontekst, związany z problemem występowania kleru przed miejskim sądem. Gdy jednak spojrzymy na nie szerzej, w kulturowym sensie, nabiera znaczenia ogólnego, jako pytanie o miejsce kleru w środowisku mieszczańskim. Normy kościelne opowiadały się za ścisłym rozróżnieniem duchownych od świeckich, zaś zarządzenia miejskie starały się redukować tę odrębność. Odpowiedź na postawione pytanie kształtowała dynamika relacji między tymi dwoma spojrzeniami”.

Z Przedmowy
Międzykulturowość w sporcie. Ujęcie praktyczne
Authors: Gulak-Lipka Patrycja
Published: December 2024

Cultural diversity is a factor that strongly divides group members and thus significantly affects the effects of teamwork. The area of professional basketball included in the research is definitely among these areas of human activity that are strongly influenced by the processes of economic internationalisation, which is reflected in the growing number of foreigners employed in Polish basketball clubs. Therefore, research on the management of cultural diversity in such a defined area is very necessary from the social point of view, in the light of the positive role of sport in modern civilisation, but also constituting an important source of economic benefits – creation of employment, etc. The results of the undertaken research can certainly contribute, through improving intercultural management, to the elimination or alleviation of frustrating factors for employees employed in sports clubs, so as not to worsen their job satisfaction, and in this way strengthen the competitive position of the surveyed sports organisations.

From the review of dr hab. inż. Waldemar Bojar, prof. PBŚ
Teletutorización como apoyo en la capacitación en ecografía a pie de cama.
Authors: Beltrán Romero Luis M , Marcelo Carlos , Barón Franco Bosco , Rodríguez Suárez Santiago , Bernabeu Wittel Máximo
Published: December 2024

Objetivos. Evaluar si la tutorización a distancia como complemento a la formación teórico-práctica
estándar en ecografía a pie de cama, es 1) factible, 2) valorada positivamente por los alumnos y, 3) si
podría aumentar la implantación de la ecografía clínica en la práctica profesional de los alumnos.
Método. Estudio piloto con 9 alumnos aleatorizados en dos grupos: grupo control (4 alumnos) y grupo de
intervención (5 alumnos). Ambos grupos completaron una formación estándar en ecografía abdominal y
pulmonar. El grupo intervención recibió, además, soporte adicional mediante sesiones de teletutorización.
Resultados. Se realizaron una mediana de 3 sesiones de teletutorización síncrona. Los principales
obstáculos fueron problemas técnicos y dificultades para coordinar las sesiones. La satisfacción de los
alumnos fue muy alta con una mediana de 10 en el Net Promoter Score. Los alumnos del grupo
intervención realizaron una mediana de 20 ecografías tras la teletutorización, mientras que los del grupo
control realizaron 1 (20 vs 1, p=0.27). Al excluir a un alumno que se auto-percibía como autónomo en
cada grupo, las diferencias aumentaron, acercándose a la significación estadística (20 vs 0, p=0.057).
Conclusiones. La teletutorización complementaria a la formación estándar en ecografía es factible, muy
bien valorada por los alumnos, y podría contribuir a una mayor implantación de la técnica en la práctica
clínica.
Los estudios organizacionales en Argentina: una historia de campos divergentes con un objeto en común
Authors: Szlechter Diego , Bauni Natalia , Suárez Maestre Andrea
Published: December 2024

El objetivo de este capítulo es trazar una genealogía de los debates sobre las organizaciones a través de un relevamiento de literatura autóctona, en clave histórica, que a su vez recupera los aportes de corrientes de pensamiento de otras latitudes. Esto, tomando en cuenta las complejidades de nuestros territorios.
Estado actual y perspectivas de desarrollo de los estudios organizacionales en Ecuador
Authors: Naranjo Borja Efraín , Acuña Bermeo Cristina , Abad Merchán Andrés
Published: December 2024

Este capítulo está conformado por tres partes. La primera presenta una reseña histórica sobre la conformación de la administración como campo de conocimiento. Esta reseña histórica fue el resultado de una investigación documental que permitió determinar que el origen de la
administración data de 1958, con la creación de la Escuela de Administración pública de la Universidad Central del Ecuador. Otro hito relevante se da, posteriormente, en el 2007. En este año se inicia el Doctorado en Administración de la Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Sede Ecuador, y su cohorte inicial tuvo sus primeros graduados en el 2012. El doctorado de la Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar tiene relevancia puesto que representa el inicio de los estudios organizacionales en Ecuador, debido a la fuerte influencia del pensamiento brasileño dentro de este campo.
En la segunda parte se analizan las corrientes de pensamiento que influyeron en los estudios organizacionales en el país. Estas corrientes de pensamiento provienen de pensadores brasileños que aportaron a los estudios organizacionales a través del trabajo desarrollado en la Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Sede Ecuador, y que fueron invitados a participar en su programa doctoral. La perspectiva de quienes influyeron en los estudios organizacionales en Ecuador conlleva una crítica al discurso gerencial. Se observó a su vez la existencia del aporte de pensadores latinoamericanos como Enrique Dussel (argentino naturalizado mexicano),
Eduardo Ibarra Colado (mexicano), Aníbal Quijano (peruano) y Bolívar Echeverría (ecuatoriano), entre otros.
En la tercera parte se muestra el estado actual de los estudios organizacionales en Ecuador. A partir de seis categorías tomadas del trabajo de Sanabria et al. (2014), se realizó una investigación exploratoria a 201 carreras de pregrado ofertadas por el sistema de educación superior. Se concluye que el aporte de los estudios organizacionales en las carreras de pregrado es tan solo del 4 %, lo que evidencia que se trata de un campo de conocimiento marginal y aún no explorado en profundidad.
Understanding HIV – A guide for primary care nurses
Authors: Peate Ian
Published: December 2024

The treatment and management of patients with HIV and AIDS has made huge progress, with clinicians now often managing the condition alongside coexisting long terms needs and the frailty of old age.

This article provides an insight into Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A brief overview of HIV is offered along with a discussion of the virus, a definition and the basic biology of HIV, its structure and types. The lifecycle of the virus is outlined as well as its impact on the immune system and how HIV affects the body. The importance of HIV testing in early detection and prevention is described. Introduction to ART and its significance is provided.
EVALUATION OF MATERIAL LOSS IN FIXED-BEARING UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY POLYETHYLENE INSERTS
Authors: Bhalekar Rohan , Wells Stephen , Nargol Matthew , Nargol Antoni , Waller Susan , Wildberg Linda , Sidaginamale Raghavendra , Langton David J
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) is a conservative option for degenerative disease, with mobile (Oxford UKR) and fixed bearing (Physica ZUK) the most commonly used devices. The primary reasons for revising UKRs include disease progression (36.9%), loosening (31.7%), and pain (7.5%). Loosening typically occurs due to osteolysis caused by wear particles from the polyethylene (PE) inserts. There is limited published literature which has quantified volumetric material loss from the PE inserts of cemented fixed-bearing UKRs. This study aimed to quantify bearing wear and backside deformation of these PE components.

Design and Methods

At our national retrieval centre, we measured changes volumetric bearing wear and backside deformation of 31 explanted fixed-bearing Physica ZUK UKR PE inserts using a peer-reviewed methodology based on coordinate measuring machine analysis. These explants had been revised for any indication [Females (19) and Males (12)]. The location of the wear scars was identified and mapped. We compared the volumetric wear from the bearing surface with contemporary total knee replacement (TKR) inserts.

Results

The median (IQR) total volumetric wear of the UKR PEs [96(50-152) mm3] was significantly higher (p<0.001) than contemporary TKR PEs [40 (24-83) mm3]. The median (IQR) total volumetric wear of the PEs in males [148(122-200) mm3] was significantly higher(p=0.016) than in females [56(61-119) mm3]. The wear scars were situated in the anterior third in 61% of cases, with 26% located posteriorly. Examination of the PE backside surfaces exhibited damage in the area directly inferior to the bearing surface wear scar in the majority of cases.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study highlights significant PE wear of Physica ZUK UKR inserts, with higher wear rates compared to contemporary TKR inserts, particularly in males.