bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compassion fatigue as bruises in the soul: A qualitative study on nurses
Authors: Gustafsson Tove , Hemberg Jessica
Published: July 2021

Background:

Nurses who are constantly being exposed to patients’ suffering can lead to compassion fatigue. There is a gap in the latest research regarding nurses’ experiences of compassion fatigue. Little is known about how compassion fatigue affects the nurse as a person, and indications of how it affects the profession are scarce.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to explore compassion fatigue experienced by nurses and how it affects them as persons and professionals.

Research design, participants, and research context:

A qualitative explorative approach was used. The data consisted of texts from interviews with seven nurses in various nursing contexts. Content analysis was used.

Ethical consideration:

Ethical approval was sought and granted from an ethics committee at the university where the researchers were based, and written, informed consent was obtained from all the participants.

Findings:

Five themes were discovered: Compassion as an empathic gift and compassion fatigue as a result of compassion overload, Compassion fatigue as exhausting the nurse as a professional and private person, Compassion fatigue as a crisis with potentially valuable insights, Compassion fatigue can be handled by self-care and focus on self, and Compassion fatigue is affected by life itself and multifaceted factors.

Discussion:

Compassion stress and overload can lead to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue affects the nurse’s ability to compassion, and the caring is no longer experienced in the same way; the nurses experienced it as being deprived of the gift of compassion. Compassion fatigue implicates a crisis with potentially valuable insights.

Conclusion:

Compassion fatigue can be symbolized as bruises in the soul, hurtful, but with time it can fade away, although it leaves a sense of caution within the nurse, which can affect the suffering patient.
From Kyoto to Paris and Beyond: The Emerging Politics of Climate Change
Authors: Thakur Saurabh
Published: July 2021

Anthropogenic climate change has emerged as the most disruptive socio-political issue in the last few decades. The Kyoto Protocol’s failure to curb the rising greenhouse gases emissions pushed the UNFCCC-led negotiations towards a more flexible, non-binding agreement at the Paris COP21 meeting in 2015. The Paris Agreement’s hybrid approach to climate change governance, where flexible measures like the nationally determined commitments are balanced against the ambition of limiting the global temperature within the two-degree range, ensured the emergence of an increasingly complex and multi-stakeholder climate change regime. The article outlines the roadmap of the transition from the top-down approach of Kyoto Protocol to the legally non-binding, bottom-up approaches adopted for the post-Paris phase. The article outlines the post-Paris developments in international climate politics, which hold long-term geopolitical and geoeconomic implications. The article focuses on the fundamental shifts and balances within the UNFCCC architecture and examines the four fundamental features of this transition—the interpretation of differentiation and common but differentiated responsibilities, the evolving role of emerging economies in the negotiations, the rising profile of non-party stakeholders in shaping the climate action strategies and the emergence of climate justice movements as an alternate site of climate action.
Do informal reasoning fallacies really shape decisions? Experimental evidence
Authors: Vrbová Lucie , Jiřinová Kateřina , Helman Karel , Lorencová Hana
Published: July 2021

Informal reasoning fallacies belong to a persuasive tactic, leading to a conclusion that is not supported by premises but reached through emotions and/or misleading and incomplete information. Previous research focused on the ability to recognize informal reasoning fallacies. However, the recognition itself does not necessarily mean immunity to their influence on decisions made. An experiment was designed to study the relationship between the presence of informal reasoning fallacies and a consequent decision. Having conducted paired comparisons of distributions, we have found some support for the hypothesis that informal reasoning fallacies affect decision-making more substantially than non-fallacious reasoning—strong support in the case of a slippery slope, weak in that of appeal to fear, anecdotal evidence argument defying evaluation. Numeracy and cognitive reflection seem to be associated with higher resistance to the slippery slope, but do not diminish appeal to fear.
Association Between Potentially Inappropriate Medications and 30-Day Post–Hospital Discharge Outcomes in US Veterans
Authors: Allore Heather G. , Gnjidic Danijela , Skanderson Melissa , Han Ling
Published: July 2021

Background

Potentially inappropriate medication (PIMs) use is common in older inpatients and it may lead to increased risk of adverse drug events.

Objectives

To examine prevalence of PIMs at hospital discharge and its contribution to health care utilization and mortality within 30-days of hospital discharge.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort of 117 570 veterans aged ≥65 years and hospitalized in 2013. PIMs at discharge were categorized into central nervous system acting (CNS) and non-CNS. Outcomes within 30-days of hospital discharge were: (1) time to first acute care hospital readmission, and all-cause mortality, (2) an emergency room visit, and (3) ≥3 primary care clinic visits.

Results

The cohort’s mean age was 74.3 years (SD 8.1), with 51.3% exposed to CNS and 62.8% to non-CNS PIMs. Use of CNS and non-CNS PIMs, respectively, was associated with a reduced risk of readmission, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 0.93 (95% CI = 0.89-0.96) for ≥2 (vs 0) CNS PIMs and an aHR of 0.85 (95% CI = 0.82-0.88) for ≥2 (vs 0) non-CNS PIMs. Use of CNS PIMs (≥2 vs 0) was associated with increased risk of mortality (aHR = 1.37 [95% CI = 1.25-1.51]), whereas non-CNS PIMs use was associated with a reduced risk of mortality (aHR = 0.75 [95% CI = 0.69-0.82]).

Conclusion and Relevance

PIMs were highly common in this veteran cohort, and the association with outcomes differed by PIMs. Thus, it is important to consider whether PIMs are CNS acting to optimize short-term posthospitalization outcomes.
Underreported Risk of Lisinopril-Induced Angioedema in a Veteran Population
Authors: Whitehead Whitley J. , Reid Jennifer Meyer
Published: July 2021

Background:

Lisinopril-induced angioedema (LIA) is a rare but serious adverse drug event (ADE) with a published incidence of 0.1% to 0.7%. It is well known that ADEs are widely underreported; however, LIA is one of the most reported ADEs within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Objective:

To estimate the effect of underreporting on the risk of LIA within VHA.

Methods:

The reported risk of LIA was calculated from reports submitted to the Veterans Affairs (VA) Adverse Drug Event Reporting System (VA ADERS) and the number of veterans prescribed lisinopril. To estimate underreporting, local chart review identified cases of LIA that were compared to reports submitted. The underreporting rate was then applied to the national reported risk.

Results:

Locally, 68 reports of LIA were submitted of the 21 262 patients prescribed lisinopril, for a reported risk of 0.32%. Nationwide, 14 289 reports of LIA were submitted of the 3 109 661 patients prescribed lisinopril, for a crude reported risk of 0.46%. Of the 324 patients identified for chart review, 240 patients were diagnosed with LIA, suggesting that at least 71.7% of cases were unreported. When this underreporting rate is extrapolated to the national reported risk, a better estimate of the risk of LIA within VHA could increase to 1.6%.

Conclusion and Relevance:

When estimating the effect of underreporting, the risk of LIA increases to approximately 1.6% or 1 in 63 patients. Because this ADE may affect more patients than previously understood, providers may wish to take LIA into consideration when prescribing lisinopril.
Journalism Employability in the Modern Newsroom: Insights From Applicant Resumes and Cover Letters
Authors: Thomson T. J. , Sternberg Jason
Published: July 2021

What skills, attributes, and experiences are needed for a visual journalism job in a contemporary print and digital newsroom? Previous attempts at answering this question examine it through insights from hiring managers or news editors, often collected retrospectively or at arbitrary times of the year through surveys; analyses of position descriptions, which are often framed in normative terms; or through analyzing journalism curricula, which perpetually struggle to adapt nimbly to evolving industry demands. This signaling theory study adopts a novel approach by examining, through qualitative thematic analysis, all applicants’ resumes and cover letters submitted by candidates for a visual journalism job posted in 2019. The hiring organization sought a candidate who could not only tell newsworthy stories through images but also one who could “write their own stories,” “have strong organizational skills,” and be “knowledgeable about current digital technology and applications for smartphone photography.” The results provide insight into the types of applicants who apply to such a position; the skills, attributes, and experiences employers regard as worthy of shortlisting; and the strategies candidates adopted in addressing the position description and selection criteria.
Comparison of Risk Factors of Falling for Psychiatric Inpatients and General Ward Inpatients Who Had Fallen
Authors: Chang Wen P. , Jen Hsiu J.
Published: July 2021

Background:

For psychiatric patients, the issue of falling is complex.

Aim:

The objective of this study was to compare the risk factors for falling in psychiatric inpatients and general ward inpatients who had fallen.

Methods:

The researchers first derived official fall records for 122 psychiatric inpatients and then selected 122 psychiatric inpatients who had not fallen as well as 122 general ward patients who had fallen, matched for gender, age, and length of hospital stay at the time of the fall incident.

Results:

After controlling other variables, multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that psychiatric inpatients who had fallen and had dizziness (odds ratio [OR] = 7.11, p < .001), had an unsteady gait (OR = 1.97, p = .030), or were not using aids (OR = 0.42, p = .042) were at greater risk of falling than those who had not fallen. The researchers also found that general ward inpatients who had fallen and had higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (OR = 1.77, p < .001), were clear-headed (OR = 27.15, p = .001), had dizziness (OR = 11.55, p < .001), were unable to walk (OR = 64.28, p < .001), or were using aids (OR = 3.86, p = .001) were at greater risk of falling than those who had not fallen before.

Conclusions:

The causes of falling among psychiatric inpatients and general ward inpatients are different. Medical personnel should understand the medications and attributes of patients for an accurate assessment of their risk factors for falling and thus implement fall prevention measures and health education to reduce falls.
Ultrasound evaluation of dialysis access-related distal ischaemia
Authors: Pirozzi N , De Alexandris L , Scrivano J , Fazzari L , Malik J
Published: July 2021

Dialysis access-related distal ischaemia is a rare yet potentially rather risky complication of haemodialysis angioaccess. Timely diagnosis is crucial to target both the goals of the access team: first of all to preserve the function of the hand ideally along with angioaccess patency. Unfortunately for some patients, urgent access ligation and central vein catheter insertion would be needed to save the hand. After a first clinical examination to determine the diagnostic suspicion, the ultrasound evaluation would provide nearly all the needed information to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the most appropriate procedure to rescue the patient from distal ischaemia. In some cases, photoplethysmography would help in the differential diagnosis of other non-ischaemic causes of similar signs and symptoms. Angiography would complete the preoperative evaluation for some.

Dialysis access-related distal ischaemia would be briefly reviewed, and a deep description of the ultrasound examination tools and findings would be provided for a tailored therapeutic approach.
The corporeality of sound: drag performance, lip-synching and the popular critique of gendered theatrics in Australian film and television
Authors: Cover Rob , Prosser Rosslyn , Dau Duc
Published: July 2021

This article investigates the representation of male and trans drag performance in Australian film to interrogate drag’s continuing potential for gender subversion. We argue that while drag has become mundane through repetition and recognisability, attention to the disjuncture between the visual and the sound (or lip-synching’s non-sound) in drag opens new possibilities for film depictions to disrupt gender norms. We begin with an account of how lip-synching provides new critical ways to think about drag, identity and gender performativity, and then analyse how three Australian films represent drag performance in the context of sound. By showing how drag frames performance through layers of sound emanating from different corporeal sources (the body, the recording), we argue that contemporary drag subverts the cultural demand for the seamlessness of vocal sound and visual embodiment for authentic gender identity, thereby pointing to the precarity of gender normativity.
Elite clientelism in Nigeria: The role of parties in weakening legislator-voter ties
Authors: Demarest Leila
Published: July 2021

Political parties in Africa and other developing countries are known to forge clientelist rather than programmatic ties to voters. Yet this does not mean that parties reward strong legislator-voter ties. In this paper, I argue for the case of Nigeria that lawmakers seeking to advance their political careers are incentivized to direct public resources to party members and senior party elites rather than serve their constituents in general. I draw on interviews with 8th National Assembly (2015–2019) lawmakers as well as quantitative data on MP re-election, targeted bills and motions, and the use of constituency development funds to demonstrate the predominance of narrow clientelism in Nigeria. I also place the Nigerian case in comparative perspective to argue that the extent to which legislators devote attention to constituents is likely to exist on a continuum, with the causes and consequences of this variation requiring further attention from scholars.
Health system barriers to accessing care for children with weight issues in New Zealand: An interview-based study
Authors: Wild Cervantée EK , Rawiri Ngauru , Willing Esther J , Hofman Paul L , Anderson Yvonne C
Published: July 2021

Objective

To identify barriers created and maintained by the health system affecting engagement in a family-based multidisciplinary healthy lifestyle programme for children and adolescents in New Zealand.

Methods

We conducted 64 semi-structured interviews with participants of the programme (n = 71) with varying levels of engagement, including those who declined contact after their referral. Half the interviews were with families with Māori children, allowing for appropriate representation. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Five health system factors affecting engagement were identified: the national policy environment, funding constraints, lack of coordination between services, difficulty navigating the health system, and the cost of primary health care.

Conclusions

Engaging with a health system that creates and maintains substantial barriers to accessing services is difficult, affecting programme engagement, even where service-level barriers have been minimised. Lack of access remains a crucial barrier to improved health outcomes for children and their families experiencing childhood obesity in New Zealand. There is a need for comprehensive approaches that are accompanied by a clear implementation strategy and coordinated across sectors.
Siblings of young people with chronic illness: Caring responsibilities and psychosocial functioning
Authors: Kelada Lauren , Wakefield Claire E , Drew Donna , Ooi Chee Y. , Palmer Elizabeth E , Bye Ann , De Marchi Sandra , Jaffe Adam , Kennedy Sean
Published: July 2021

Siblings of young people with chronic illness commonly undertake caring responsibilities for their affected brother/sister, which may encourage maturation, yet may also be perceived as a burden. Our study determined (1) siblings’ caring responsibilities, (2) siblings’ current emotional distress and psychosocial functioning, and (3) how siblings’ caring responsibilities and psychosocial functioning related to familial relationships and coping strategies. Siblings completed questionnaires which contained Sibling Inventory of Behavior, Sibling Inventory of Differential Experiences, PedsQL, emotion thermometers, Brief COPE, and a checklist of caregiving responsibilities. We analyzed the data with t-tests and multi-level models. Forty-five siblings (mean age = 15.40 years, SD = 3.31 years; 60.0% female) participated. Siblings who had caring responsibilities ( n = 26, 57.8%) reported lower anxiety symptoms, lower need for help, greater use of problem-focused coping, and more companionship and teaching/directiveness with their affected brother/sister than siblings without caring responsibilities. Siblings reported lower psychosocial and physical functioning when they perceived their parents provided them with less affection than their affected brother/sister. Family-based psychosocial interventions may aim to improve the sibling–parent relationship (including expressing affection) and the sibling–sibling relationship. Future interventions may also focus on increasing siblings’ use of problem-focused coping strategies.
Loot boxes, problem gambling and problem video gaming: A systematic review and meta-synthesis
Authors: Spicer Stuart Gordon , Nicklin Laura Louise , Uther Maria , Lloyd Joanne , Lloyd Helen , Close James
Published: July 2021

Loot boxes (LBs) are video game-related purchases with a chance-based outcome. Due to similarities with gambling, they have come under increasing scrutiny from media, academics and policymakers alike. Initial evidence suggested that LB engagement might be associated with both problem gambling (PG) and problem video gaming (PVG). We therefore conducted a systematic review of the evidence for associations between LB purchasing, PG and PVG. For LB/PG, 12 of 13 publications reported a positive relationship, with a moderately sized mean effect of r = .27. For LB/PVG, the mean effect was r = .40, although this finding was drawn from only six surveys in total. For PG/PVG, the mean effect was r = .21, with only 11 of 20 studies reporting significant effects. While further evidence is required to determine the direction of causality, the strength of relationships suggests that policy action on LBs may have benefits for harm minimisation.
Understanding the reaction mechanism of the regioselective piperidinolysis of aryl 1-(2,4-dinitronaphthyl) ethers in DMSO: Kinetic and DFT studies
Authors: Moghazy Yasmen M , Hamada Nagwa MM , Fathalla Magda F , Elmarassi Yasser R , Hamed Ezzat A , El-Atawy Mohamed A
Published: July 2021

Reactions of aryl 1-(2,4-dinitronaphthyl) ethers with piperidine in dimethyl sulfoxide at 25oC resulted in substitution of the aryloxy group at the ipso carbon atom. The reaction was measured spectrophotochemically and the kinetic studies suggested that the titled reaction is accurately third order. The mechanism is began by fast nucleophilic attack of piperidine on C1 to form zwitterion intermediate (I) followed by deprotonation of zwitterion intermediate (I) to the Meisenheimer ion (II) in a slow step, that is, SB catalysis. The regular variation of activation parameters suggested that the reaction proceeded through a common mechanism. The Hammett equation using reaction constant σo values and Brønsted coefficient value showed that the reaction is poorly dependent on aryloxy substituent and the reaction was significantly associative and Meisenheimer intermediate-like. The mechanism of piperidinolysis has been theoretically investigated using density functional theory method using B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) computational level. The combination between experimental and computational studies predicts what mechanism is followed either through uncatalyzed or catalyzed reaction pathways, that is, SB and SB-GA. The global parameters of the reactants, the proposed activated complexes, and the local Fukui function analysis explained that C1 carbon atom is the most electrophilic center of ether. Also, kinetics and theoretical calculation of activation energies indicated that the mechanism of the piperidinolysis passed through a two-step mechanism and the proton transfer process was the rate determining step.
Illusory Essences: A Bias Holding Back Theorizing in Psychological Science
Authors: Brick C. , Hood B. , Ekroll V. , de-Wit L.
Published: July 2021

The reliance in psychology on verbal definitions means that psychological research is unusually moored to how humans think and communicate about categories. Psychological concepts (e.g., intelligence, attention) are easily assumed to represent objective, definable categories with an underlying essence. Like the “vital forces” previously thought to animate life, these assumed essences can create an illusion of understanding. By synthesizing a wide range of research lines from cognitive, clinical, and biological psychology and neuroscience, we describe a pervasive tendency across psychological science to assume that essences explain phenomena. Labeling a complex phenomenon can appear as theoretical progress before there is sufficient evidence that the described category has a definable essence or known boundary conditions. Category labels can further undermine progress by masking contingent and contextual relationships and obscuring the need to specify mechanisms. Finally, we highlight examples of promising methods that circumvent the lure of essences and suggest four concrete strategies for identifying and avoiding essentialist intuitions in theory development.
Systematic review with meta-analysis: effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy for ulcerative colitis
Authors: Chen Pingrun , Li Yina , Zhang Xian , Zhang Yan
Published: July 2021

Background and aims:

Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy has been used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis in the past few years. However, its efficacy still remains unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen combination therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Methods:

We conducted a comprehensive study search up to September 2020, from the online databases Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang and VIP.

Results:

Thirteen studies comprising 780 patients were included. We found that compared with conventional therapy, hyperbaric oxygen combination therapy was superior in reaching clinical remission [risk ratio (RR)=1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42 to 1.84; p < 0.001] and clinical response (RR=1.29; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.38; p < 0.001), with lower disease activity scores [standard mean difference (SMD)= −1.19; 95%CI −1.74 to −0.65; p < 0.001]. An obvious reduction of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (SMD= −1.96; 95%CI −2.50 to −1.41; p < 0.001) and interleukin (IL)-6 (SMD= −2.49; 95% CI −2.84 to −2.15; p < 0.001), and elevation of IL-10 level (SMD=2.40; 95% CI 0.68 to 4.12; p = 0.006) were also observed.

Conclusion:

Hyperbaric oxygen combination therapy was effective in patients with ulcerative colitis, and has potential as a complementary method for its treatment.
Interstitial lung disease pathology in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Konopka Kristine E. , Myers Jeffrey L.
Published: July 2021

Interstitial lung disease is a relatively frequent manifestation of systemic sclerosis with approximately one-third of patients developing clinical restrictive lung disease. Fibrotic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia is the most common cause of diffuse parenchymal lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), followed by usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). Radiographic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis-like changes may accompany other forms of interstitial lung disease, most commonly UIP. In an appropriate clinical setting with supportive high-resolution computed tomography findings, lung biopsy is not needed to confirm the presence of interstitial lung disease and surgical lung biopsies are often reserved for atypical presentations. In this review, we discuss the histological findings that define the most common patterns of SSc-ILD and outline other findings sometimes encountered in lung biopsies obtained from systemic sclerosis patients, including pulmonary vascular changes, aspiration, chronic pleuritis, and diffuse alveolar damage.
In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Satureja horvatii ssp. macrophylla Against 3 Tomato Phytopathogenic Fungi
Authors: Yfanti Paraskevi , Patakioutas George , Douma Dimitra , Lekka Marilena E.
Published: July 2021

The essential oil from the aerial part of Satureja horvatii spp. macrophylla, an endemic plant species of northwest Greece has been analyzed using GC-MS. Thirty-nine compounds were identified, among which carvacrol was the major constituent (46.8%). The antifungal effect of the essential oil was investigated in vitro against 3 phytopathogenic fungi of tomato, using fumigant and contact assays. Fumigant assay was more effective than contact assay against all phytopathogens. The essential oil inhibited completely the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (123 µL L-1 air) and Alternaria alternatα (100 µL L-1 air), while it significantly reduced the growth of Botrytis cinerea (91%).
Adrenocortical carcinoma: current state of the art, ongoing controversies, and future directions in diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Shariq Omair A. , McKenzie Travis J.
Published: July 2021

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy with an annual incidence of ~1 case per million population. Differentiating between ACC and benign adrenocortical tumors can be challenging in patients who present with an incidentally discovered adrenal mass, due to the limited specificity of standard diagnostic imaging. Recently, urine steroid metabolite profiling has been prospectively validated as a novel diagnostic tool for the detection of malignancy with improved accuracy over current modalities. Surgery represents the only curative treatment for ACC, although local recurrence and metastases are common, even after a margin-negative resection is performed. Unlike other intra-abdominal cancers, the role of minimally invasive surgery and lymphadenectomy in ACC is controversial. Adjuvant therapy with the adrenolytic drug mitotane is used to reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery, although evidence supporting its efficacy is limited; it is also currently unclear whether all patients or a subset with the highest risk of recurrence should receive this treatment. Large-scale pan-genomic studies have yielded insights into the pathogenesis of ACC and have defined distinct molecular signatures associated with clinical outcomes that may be used to improve prognostication. For patients with advanced ACC, palliative combination chemotherapy with mitotane is the current standard of care; however, this is associated with poor response rates (RR). Knowledge from molecular profiling studies has been used to guide the development of novel targeted therapies; however, these have shown limited efficacy in early phase trials. As a result, there is an urgent unmet need for more effective therapies for patients with this devastating disease.
The Role of Online Media in Mobilizing Large-Scale Collective Action
Authors: Chen Zhuo , Oh Poong , Chen Anfan
Published: July 2021

This study investigates the role of online media in mobilizing large-scale collective action. Adopting the theoretical framework of collective action space, we formulated the organizing process of collective action into a model with two dimensions—hierarchy and closure—and analyzed how they influence mobilization. The model was tested against Twitter data collected during the 2020 Hong Kong protest, including a total of 54,365 tweets posted by 14,706 distinct users between 1 May and 31 May 2020. Social networks analysis metrics— k-coreness and brokerage of individual users in their following networks—were employed to quantify the organizing process of the protest and estimate their effects on message virality. The results showed that messages generated by users who occupied peripheral positions (i.e., lower k-coreness) and by those connecting others within closed communities (i.e., lower brokerage) were more likely to diffuse than those generated by central users or those who bridged different communities. That is, online media facilitate mobilization in a decentralized yet fragmented fashion. This article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical implications of the current findings and suggests the directions for future research on collective action on online media.
Validation of the State Version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in a University Sample
Authors: Thomas Christopher L. , Cassady Jerrell C.
Published: July 2021

Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Model makes a theoretical distinction between the contribution of dispositional anxiety and the transitory experience of anxiety to performance difficulties during testing situations. According to the State-Trait framework, state anxiety is viewed as the primary performance barrier for test-anxious students, and as such, educators and educational researchers have expressed interest in validated, state anxiety measurement tools. Currently, the most widely used measure of state anxiety is the state version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. However, evidence regarding the psychometric properties of this scale is relatively scarce. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the structural validity, reliability, and concurrent/divergent validity of the instrument. Participants ( N = 294) completed the state version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale 2nd Edition, and an exam task. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we tested the viability of one-, two-, and bi-factor solutions for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicated a two-factor solution consisting of State Anxiety and State Calmness dimensions provided superior fit to the observed data. Results of a reliability analysis indicated that the State Anxiety and State Calmness factors demonstrated excellent internal consistency when applied to university students. Our discussion concerns the utility of the State Anxiety factor as a tool for the identification of test-anxious students.
How Capability Reconfiguration in Coping With External Dynamism Can Shape the Performance of the Vietnamese Enterprises
Authors: Vo-Thai Huy-Cuong , Lo Shihmin , Tran My-Linh
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine the direct and moderating effects of internal endowment and external dynamism on capability reconfiguration, which in turn has a positive impact on a firm’s post-reconfiguration performance. A researcher-designed survey questionnaire was developed based on multiple works and subsequently administered with a final sample of 266 Vietnamese small and medium enterprises engaged in manufacturing industries. As a result, we find that internal endowment and external dynamism positively impact a firm’s capability reconfiguration and post-reconfiguration performance consequently. This empirical research provides four major contributions that supplement the extant literature. First, the internal endowment sponsored by resource abundance and absorptive capacity enables both a firm’s capability evolution and capability substitution. Second, the external dynamism in terms of market turbulence, technology turbulence, and competitive intensity directly affects the enterprise’s capability reconfiguration and positively moderates the relationship between internal endowment and capability reconfiguration. Third, this study demonstrates that the firm’s engagement on capability reconfiguration once in line with external and internal factors can help maintain its post-reconfiguration performance. Finally, the primary data collected in Vietnam offers a firsthand investigation of the catching-up economy to be compared with the research findings available in developed countries.
Investigation of the structure and compressive strength of a bioceramic root canal sealer reinforced with nanomaterials
Authors: Baghdadi Inaam , AbuTarboush Belal J , Zaazou Ashraf , Skienhe Hasan , Özcan Mutlu , Zakhour Mirvat , Salameh Ziad
Published: July 2021

Objectives:

A root canal sealer that can increase the resistance of endodontically treated teeth to compressive strength would be of great advantage. The purpose of this study is to use three different nanoparticles: multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), Titanium carbides (TC), and Boron nitrides (BN) into a bioceramic adhesive root canal sealer; BioRoot™ RCS, in an attempt to improve its structural and compressive strength properties.

Methods:

Three composites of two weight fractions (1- and 2-wt.%) were produced by mixing each nanomaterial separately with a pre-weighed mass of Bioroot powder. The microstructural properties and compressive strength of the different hardened composites obtained were investigated. The composites have been characterized by X-ray Diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Compression testing was performed.

Results:

The 1-wt.% composites, Bioroot/MWCNTs, and Bioroot/TC, except for the one reinforced with BN, displayed a significant improvement in the compressive strength compared to pristine BioRoot™ RCS. The 2-wt.% composites showed no significant improvement in the compressive strength.

Conclusion:

The addition of 1-wt.% MWCNTs and TC nanomaterials can be considered in the future for enhancing the microstructure and compressive strength properties of pristine BioRoot™ RCS.
Periodontal Disease and Oral Health–Related Quality of Life in the Older Population in Indonesia
Authors: Hijryana M. , MacDougall M. , Ariani N. , Saksono P. , Kusdhany L.S. , Walls A.W.G.
Published: July 2021

Introduction:

Despite being acknowledged as the second global burden of oral disease, periodontal disease has few epidemiologic studies in the literature, particularly for developing countries. Many previous studies have assessed the relationship between periodontal disease and oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL), with patients attending dental clinic or hospitals rather than a general population. This study attempted to fill the knowledge gap in limited information about periodontal disease and OHRQoL, with reference to a general population in a developing country.

Objectives:

To investigate the relationship between OHRQoL and periodontal diseases in an older population in Indonesia.

Methods:

We invited 582 older people from community health centers. The 369 (63.4%) older people who agreed to participate consented to an oral health examination and a questionnaire capturing demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and Oral Health Impact Profile–14 (OHIP-14) data.

Results:

Almost 75% of the older people had generalized periodontitis; 3% had healthy periodontal status; and around 22% had localized periodontitis. There was a lack of statistical evidence for an association between periodontal disease status and OHRQoL. This result was based on the appraisal of the prevalence of the impact (Odds ratio [OR], 0.95 [95% CI, 0.54 to 1.59]; P = 0.77), difference in mean severities (0.07 [95% CI, –1.66 to 1.80]; P = 0.94), and extent of the impact (P = 0.996). However, we found evidence for a relationship between tooth mobility and OHRQoL for all of the OHIP assessments, including prevalence of the impact (OR, 1.87 [95% CI, 1.16 to 3.01]; P = 0.009), difference in mean severities (–2.98 [95% CI, –4.50 to –1.45]; P < 0.001), and extent of the impact (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

There was a lack of statistical evidence for a relationship between periodontal disease status and OHRQoL in this society. However, we found evidence that tooth mobility, as a sign of periodontal disease progression, is related to OHRQoL.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The present study can be used by dentists, community health workers, and policy makers in Indonesia to understand the prevalence, severity, and extent of the negative impacts of periodontal disease on older people’s quality of life. In addition, this study provides information about factors that might considerably affect the oral health–related quality of life in this society, such as brushing habits, dental visit, family income, DMF-T status, and subjective appraisal toward dental health.
Polyurethane-Coated Implants for Prevention of Double-Bubble Effect in Breast Augmentation
Authors: Bagirov Vitali
Published: July 2021

Breast augmentation is the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery in the United States, with approximately 279,000 patients every year. The so-called double-bubble effect (DBE) is a common complication in breast augmentation. This complication is characterized by folds running along the lower pole of the breast, forming distinct bubble-like protrusions above and below the fold. Factors that increase the risk of DBE include bulbous breasts and a large native breast volume. There is evidence that polyurethane-coated (PU) implants may help to reduce the risk of DBE. We describe here the case of a 47-year old patient for whom DBE has recurred in each of 4 tandem breast surgeries. PU implants ultimately appeared to prevent the DBE, leading to an aesthetically satisfying treatment result for the patient. This case adds weigh to the growing body of evidence that supports the use of polyurethane implants to prevent DBE.
Alzheimer’s and Consciousness: How Much Subjectivity Is Objective?
Authors: Bajic Vladan , Misic Natasa , Stankovic Ivana , Zaric Bozidarka , Perry George
Published: July 2021

Does Alzheimer Disease show a decline in cognitive functions that relate to the awareness of external reality? In this paper, we will propose a perspective that patients with increasing symptoms of AD show a change in the awareness of subjective versus objective representative axis of reality thus consequently move to a more internal like perception of reality. This paradigm shift suggests that new insights into the dynamicity of the conscious representation of reality in the AD brain may give us new clues to the very early signs of memory and self-awareness impairment that originates from, in our view the microtubules.

Dialog between Adso and William, in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, Third Day: Vespers.

“But how does it happen,” I said with admiration, “that you were able to solve the mystery of the library looking at it from the outside, and you were unable to solve it when you were inside?” “Thus, God knows the world, because He conceived it in His mind, as if it was from the outside, before it was created, and we do not know its rule, because we live inside it, having found it already made.”
MAB-MIG: registry of the spanish neurological society of erenumab for migraine prevention
Authors: Belvís Robert , Irimia Pablo , Pozo-Rosich Patricia , González-Oria Carmen , Cano Antonio , Viguera Javier , Sánchez Belén , Molina Francisco , Beltrán Isabel , Oterino Agustín , Cuadrado Elisa , Gómez-Camello Angel , Alberte-Woodward Miguel , Jurado Carmen , Oms Teresa , Ezpeleta David , de Terán Javier Díaz , Morollón Noemí , Latorre Germán , Torres-Ferrús Marta , Alpuente Alicia , Lamas Raquel , Toledano Carlos , Leira Rogelio , Santos Sonia , del Río Margarita Sánchez
Published: July 2021

Background

Erenumab was approved in Europe for migraine prevention in patients with ≥ 4 monthly migraine days (MMDs). In Spain, Novartis started a personalized managed access program, which allowed free access to erenumab before official reimbursement. The Spanish Neurological Society started a prospective registry to evaluate real-world effectiveness and tolerability, and all Spanish headache experts were invited to participate. We present their first results.

Methods

Patients fulfilled the ICHD-3 criteria for migraine and had ≥ 4 MMDs. Sociodemographic and clinical data were registered as well as MMDs, monthly headache days, MHDs, prior and concomitant preventive treatment, medication overuse headache (MOH), migraine evolution, adverse events, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs): headache impact test (HIT-6), migraine disability assessment questionnaire (MIDAS), and patient global improvement change (PGIC). A > 50% reduction of MMDs after 12 weeks was considered as a response.

Results

We included 210 patients (female 86.7%, mean age 46.4 years old) from 22 Spanish hospitals from February 2019 to June 2020. Most patients (89.5%) suffered from chronic migraine with a mean evolution of 8.6 years. MOH was present in 70% of patients, and 17.1% had migraine with aura. Patients had failed a mean of 7.8 preventive treatments at baseline (botulinum toxin type A—BoNT/A—had been used by 95.2% of patients). Most patients (67.6%) started with erenumab 70 mg. Sixty-one percent of patients were also simultaneously taking oral preventive drugs and 27.6% were getting simultaneous BoNT/A. Responder rate was 37.1% and the mean reduction of MMDs and MHDs was -6.28 and -8.6, respectively. Changes in PROs were: MIDAS: -35 points, HIT-6: -11.6 points, PIGC: 4.7 points. Predictors of good response were prior HIT-6 score < 80 points (p = 0.01), ≤ 5 prior preventive treatment failures (p = 0.026), absence of MOH (p = 0.039), and simultaneous BoNT/A treatment (p < 0.001). Twenty percent of patients had an adverse event, but only two of them were severe (0.9%), which led to treatment discontinuation. Mild constipation was the most frequent adverse event (8.1%).

Conclusions

In real-life, in a personalized managed access program, erenumab shows a good effectiveness profile and an excellent tolerability in migraine prevention in our cohort of refractory patients.
HAVoC, a bioinformatic pipeline for reference-based consensus assembly and lineage assignment for SARS-CoV-2 sequences
Authors: Truong Nguyen Phuoc Thien , Plyusnin Ilya , Sironen Tarja , Vapalahti Olli , Kant Ravi , Smura Teemu
Published: July 2021

Background

SARS-CoV-2 related research has increased in importance worldwide since December 2019. Several new variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged globally, of which the most notable and concerning currently are the UK variant B.1.1.7, the South African variant B1.351 and the Brazilian variant P.1. Detecting and monitoring novel variants is essential in SARS-CoV-2 surveillance. While there are several tools for assembling virus genomes and performing lineage analyses to investigate SARS-CoV-2, each is limited to performing singular or a few functions separately.

Results

Due to the lack of publicly available pipelines, which could perform fast reference-based assemblies on raw SARS-CoV-2 sequences in addition to identifying lineages to detect variants of concern, we have developed an open source bioinformatic pipeline called HAVoC (Helsinki university Analyzer for Variants of Concern). HAVoC can reference assemble raw sequence reads and assign the corresponding lineages to SARS-CoV-2 sequences.

Conclusions

HAVoC is a pipeline utilizing several bioinformatic tools to perform multiple necessary analyses for investigating genetic variance among SARS-CoV-2 samples. The pipeline is particularly useful for those who need a more accessible and fast tool to detect and monitor the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern during local outbreaks. HAVoC is currently being used in Finland for monitoring the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants. HAVoC user manual and source code are available at https://www.helsinki.fi/en/projects/havoc and https://bitbucket.org/auto_cov_pipeline/havoc, respectively.
The association between atrial fibrillation and in-hospital outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients with acute coronary syndrome: findings from the improving care for cardiovascular disease in China-acute coronary syndrome (CCC-ACS) project
Authors: Yang Lijiao , Ye Nan , Wang Guoqin , Bian Weijing , Xu Fengbo , Zhao Dong , Liu Jing , Hao Yongchen , Liu Jun , Yang Na , Cheng Hong ,   CCC-ACS
Published: July 2021

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to explore the frequency and impact of AF on clinical outcomes in CKD patients with ACS.

Methods

CKD inpatients with ACS between November 2014 and December 2018 were included based on the improving care for cardiovascular disease in China-ACS (CCC-ACS) project. Included patients were divided into an AF group and a non-AF group according to the discharge diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders.

Results

A total of 16,533 CKD patients with ACS were included. A total of 1418 (8.6%) patients had clinically recognized AF during hospitalization, 654 of whom had an eGFR of 45 to < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, and 764 had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 45 ml/min/1.73 m2. Compared with the non-AF group, the AF group had a higher risk of in-hospital mortality [OR 1.250; 95% CI (1.001–1.560), P = 0.049] and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) [OR 1.361; 95% CI (1.197–1.547), P < 0.001]. We also found that compared with patients with eGFR 45 to < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, patients with eGFR < 45 ml/min/1.73 m2 had a 1.512-fold increased risk of mortality and a 1.435-fold increased risk of MACEs.

Conclusions

AF was a risk factor affecting the short-term prognosis of ACS patients in the CKD population. Furthermore, the lower the eGFR, the higher the risk of in-hospital mortality and MACEs in CKD patients with ACS.

Trial registry: Clinicaltrial.gov, NCT02306616. Registered 29 November 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02306616?term=NCT02306616&draw=2&rank=1