bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using design kits to test the problem-solving abilities of engineering students
Authors: Tjiparuro Zeundjua
Published: January 2025

Problem Solving; Application of Scientific and Engineering Knowledge; as well as Engineering Design, are core attributes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) requires in engineering graduates. The author investigated these three skills in two classes of second year students at the Botswana International University of Science & Technology (BIUST) in the 2019/2020 and the 2020/2021 academic years. Two different practical engineering problems were given to the participants. The 2019/2020 class designed a sanitizer dispenser, while the 2020/2021 designed a vehicle and trailer locking system. In both cases, participants were given problems to solve and corresponding toolkits of components to use. The toolkits were, essentially, illustrated scrambled lists of components, which, if correctly put together would achieve the solutions to the posed problems. The participants were first asked to generate functional steps to be achieved by the designs. Secondly, the participants were asked to use the generated functional steps to arrange the given components in meaningful ways to achieve the functionalities stipulated in design problems. The works of the participants were evaluated against moderated functional and design models generated by the module instructor. The time limit in both investigations was 90 min. The results show poor performance by the participants who did not only fail to deliver meaningfully functional models in both cases but also produced below average schematic designs. This paper presents the two investigations as follows. The vehicle/trailer project of the 2020/2021 class is presented in the main body of this paper as a representative case study given that both investigations used similar approaches and delivered comparable performance levels. The 2019/2020 sanitizer dispenser project, whose results were slightly lower than the former, is presented as an addendum.
Value capture and value production in the world economy: A Marxian analysis of global value chains, 2000–2014
Authors: Rotta Tomás N.
Published: January 2025

The paper estimates the production, realisation, and capture of economic value in the world economy from 2000 to 2014. Estimates show how value is produced and transferred across 56 sectors and 43 countries. The methodology builds on the Marxian literature and the productive-unproductive classification. Value production is the labour directly and indirectly required to produce goods and services within global value chains. Value capture is the deviation between value realisation and production. Results show that China is the largest giver of value while the USA is the largest capturer of value in the world economy. Unproductive activities (real estate, finance, and trade) and capital-intensive industries (manufacturing, mining, and oil) are value capturers. Labour-intensive industries (health, education, construction, agriculture, and services) transfer value away. The paper also demonstrates that the theory of unequal exchange is incompatible with the conventional assumption that all activities are productive. Only under the Marxian productive-unproductive classification do the results converge with unequal exchange theory.
History Repeats
Authors: Schwirck Samantha
Published: January 2025

The reopening of San Francisco's War Memorial Veterans Building marks the completion of a massive seismic retrofit
Effect of School-Based Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Program on the Serum Folate Status of Adolescent Girls in Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia: Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bolka Amelo , Bosha Tafese , Gebremedhin Samson
Published: January 2025

Background

In Ethiopia, a school-based weekly iron and folic acid supplementation (WIFAS) program is being implemented to reduce burden of anemia in adolescent girls. While the program's impact on iron levels is well-studied, there is limited evidence on its effect on folate status.

Objective

The study was aimed at assessing the effect of the WIFAS on serum folate levels of school adolescent girls in Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional study that compared the serum folate concentration among adolescent girls (10-19 years) enrolled in schools with (n = 165) and without (n = 165) the WIFAS program was carried out. Adolescent girls from both groups were sampled using multistage sampling procedure. The serum folate was compared between the 2 groups using mixed effects linear regression model.

Results

The study presented significantly higher mean (±standard deviation) serum folate concentration among girls from schools implementing the WIFAS program (9.76 ± 4.02 ng/mL) than their counterparts (7.38 ± 4.53 ng/mL) (β = 2.28, P < .001). The mean hemoglobin level was also higher in the WIFAS arm (13.07 ± 1.81 g/dL) than the comparator group (12.4 ± 1.93 g/dL (β = 0.86, P = .034).

Conclusion

The school-based WIFAS program showed positive association with serum folate and hemoglobin concentration in adolescent girls. This evidence should be used for advocating the scale-up of the program to areas with high prevalence of anemia and folic acid deficiencies.
Assessment of Micronutrient Levels in Pediatric Migraine Patients
Authors: Akif Özdemir Fatih Mehmet , Çelik Halil
Published: January 2025

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between attack frequency and severity and serum levels of micronutrient in pediatric migraine patients.

Methods

Children at 2 hospitals from February to December 2022 diagnosed with migraine were reviewed.

Results

A total of 171 patients with a mean age of 14.3 ± 2.9 years were included in the study. The median 25(OH) vitamin D level was 15.6 μg/L in patients with an attack frequency of 1-3 per month versus 11.9 μg/L in those with more than 3 attacks per month ( P = .005). The median vitamin B12 level was 386 ng/L in patients with attack duration of 2-6 hours versus 343.5 ng/L in those with an attack duration of 12-24 hours ( P = .048). The median ferritin level was 34 μg/L among patients not receiving prophylactic treatment and 24 μg/L among those receiving prophylactic treatment ( P = .019).

Conclusions

This study suggests that assessing micronutrient levels may be beneficial in children with migraine.
Exploring Aftermath Concerns as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Inmate-on-Staff Victimization and Turnover Intent Among Correctional Officers
Authors: Choi Jaeyong , Wentling Richard , Han Sungil
Published: January 2025

Previous research has shown that victimization can negatively affect perceptions regarding workplaces, especially among those who face a higher risk of interpersonal violence, such as correctional officers. Several studies have also indicated that perceived danger or fear can influence workers’ perceptions of the work environment, including turnover intent. However, the mechanisms that can help explain the link between inmate-on-staff victimization and turnover intent have been understudied. This study uses data from a sample of 269 correctional officers from four prisons in South Korea to explore the mediating role of fear in this relationship. The role of aftermath concerns as a mediator has received strong statistical support from our regression models, showing that victimization influences turnover intent through concerns in response to victimization. Our study highlights that it is critical to consider the potential mechanisms of victimization to prevent correctional officers from leaving their jobs.
Processing of reactive acrylic thermoplastic resin at elevated temperatures for rapid composite and fiber metal laminate manufacturing
Authors: Kruse Moritz , Balk Maria , Neffe Axel T. , Ben Khalifa Noomane
Published: January 2025

Thermoplastic polymers are increasingly being used as matrix materials for composites because they offer the advantage of recyclability and joinability over thermoset matrix systems. The polymerization kinetics and gas formation of different precursor mixtures of the liquid acrylic matrix system Elium® were investigated with different initiator contents and at different temperatures for accelerated processing of composites and fiber metal laminates. The mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting polymers showed no significant difference between the investigated parameters. However, the polymerization time was successfully reduced to under 15 minutes with higher temperatures and initiator contents in laminates with 1 mm thickness. In bulk polymerization and thicker laminates, the right parameters must be chosen to balance polymerization time and matrix heating to avoid gas formation leading to voids in the matrix. A combination of 75 wt% Elium® 130 and 25 wt% Elium® 190 with 1.25 wt% peroxide initiator at 50 °C was found to be optimal for reducing gas formation while simultaneously accelerating the polymerization reaction in 3-5 mm thick layers.
DML-MFCM: A multimodal fine-grained classification model based on deep metric learning for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis
Authors: Wang Heng , Yang Tiejun , Fan Jiacheng , Zhang Huiyao , Zhang Wenjie , Ji Mingzhu , Miao Jianyu
Published: January 2025

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder. There are no drugs and methods for the treatment of AD, but early intervention can delay the deterioration of the disease. Therefore, the early diagnosis of AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is significant. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) is widely used to present structural changes in the subject's brain tissue. The relatively mild structural changes in the brain with MCI have led to ongoing challenges in the task of conversion prediction in MCI. Moreover, many multimodal AD diagnostic models proposed in recent years ignore the potential relationship between multimodal information.

Objective

To solve these problems, we propose a multimodal fine-grained classification model based on deep metric learning for AD diagnosis (DML-MFCM), which can fully exploit the fine-grained feature information of sMRI and learn the potential relationships between multimodal feature information.

Methods

First, we propose a fine-grained feature extraction module that can effectively capture the fine-grained feature information of the lesion area. Then, we introduce a multimodal cross-attention module to learn the potential relationships between multimodal data. In addition, we design a hybrid loss function based on deep metric learning. It can guide the model to learn the feature representation method between samples, which improves the model's performance in disease diagnosis.

Results

We have extensively evaluated the proposed models on the ADNI and AIBL datasets. The ACC of AD vs. NC, MCI vs. NC, and sMCI vs. pMCI tasks in the ADNI dataset are 98.75%, 95.88%, and 88.00%, respectively. The ACC on the AD vs. NC and MCI vs. NC tasks in the AIBL dataset are 94.33% and 91.67%.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate that our method has excellent performance in AD diagnosis.
Research on the realization path of open public health data in China
Authors: Zhao Liyang
Published: January 2025

Purpose/Significance

Public health data is an important part of China's public data. It can help improve China's public data open system, realize the value that public health data should have, and achieve the goal of “building a community of shared future for human health” as soon as possible.

Method/Process

Using the topic mining model, the bibliographic information related to “public health data openness” in the CNKI and WOS is processed to find the influencing factors that affect the realization of public health data openness. Secondly, the mutual influence relationship between these factors is found, and using system dynamics, a causal relationship diagram and a system flow diagram are constructed to simulate and analyze the value realization model of China's public health data openness, and then the value realization path of China's public health data openness is summarized.

Result

The causal relationship diagram mainly includes four types of circuits, and 43 equation designed models have been determined through multiple simulation simulations. At the 22nd month, the value of “public health data” began to gradually emerge. At the same time, the slope of the line between “data security” and “timely response to data concerns” is also rapidly increasing. In the fourth month, the value of “public health data” remained relatively low and stable.

Conclusion

The realization path of China's public health data openness can be carried out from three aspects, namely, the “safety standards” on the supply side, the “quality and quantity of citizens” on the demand side, and the improvement of the relevant supervision mechanisms that connect the supply and demand sides, so as to effectively tap the potential value of China's public health data.
Understanding Users’ Attitudes and Intentions to Use Anthropomorphic Technology: Role of Gender and Technology Self-Efficacy
Authors: Gupta Meena , Nagar Komal
Published: January 2025

A growing body of literature is emerging on using AI-enabled anthropomorphic technologies to assist in interactions with humans. The present research uses two experiments to investigate the impact of the gender of the anthropomorphic technology, users’ gender and users’ technology self-efficacy on their attitude and intention towards using anthropomorphic technology. The findings of study 1 suggested that, for gender-neutral tasks, users tend to favour anthropomorphic technology with the opposite gender. This inclination can be understood through the lens of the heterophily theory within the context of customer–seller relationships. The findings of study 2 suggested that users with high technology self-efficacy have more positive attitudes and intentions to use anthropomorphic technology than users with low technology self-efficacy. Also, the findings suggest that users with high technology self-efficacy prefer the female version of anthropomorphic technology, while those with low technology self-efficacy prefer the male version. Findings contribute to academic knowledge and offer practical implications for crafting user-centric anthropomorphic technology solutions in the ever-evolving technological landscape, empowering individuals and facilitating the integration of technology into their daily lives.
Myasthenia Gravis as a Paraneoplastic Manifestation of Renal Cell Carcinoma: More Than a Coincidence?
Authors: Koshy Sujin , Thomas Reji , S Vijayalekshmi , Thampi Jeethu
Published: January 2025

Background

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease primarily caused by autoantibodies against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the neuromuscular junction. However, extrathymic malignancies need to be considered in the elderly population.

Purpose

Although thymic malignancy is the most common tumour association, several extrathymic malignancies complicated with myasthenia gravis have been reported. During the review of the literature, there are only a few reports of myasthenia occurring as a paraneoplastic manifestation of renal cell carcinoma.

Methods

We present a 64-year-old elderly gentleman with progressive weakness. The patient underwent routine blood investigations, AChR antibody testing repetitive nerve stimulation test (RNST), contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen and radical nephrectomy with histopathological analysis.

Results

The patient improved significantly with immune modulatory therapies and underwent surgical intervention. He also later started on adjuvant chemotherapy based on histopathological reports and analysis. This case highlights the need for evaluation of extrathymic malignancy in late-onset myasthenia gravis.

Conclusion

Our case highlights the need for screening for extrathymic malignancies in patients presenting with late-onset myasthenia gravis, which had good outcomes if identified early initiation of treatment.
Farnesol Inhibits Cell Viability and Activates Apoptosis in Glioma C6 Cells via Downregulating Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Protein Kinase B (AKT)/Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Pathway
Authors: Gao Chao , Su Shunzhan , Guan Qi , Huang Xiaoxia , Tan Haichuan , Qiu Zhuang , Su Lili , Cao Shengcao
Published: January 2025

Background

Gliomas are the most aggressive and devastating brain tumors, with a poor prognosis due to their complex etiology, diverse clinical manifestations, and the limited efficacy of existing treatment methods.

Purpose

The present work was conducted to understand the anticancer activities of farnesol against glioma C6 cells.

Methods

The effects of farnesol on in vitro free radical scavenging were evaluated at various dosages (1–100 µM). A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test was used to assess the influence of farnesol on the growth of glioma C6 cells and nonmalignant Vero cells. The apoptotic levels in the cells were investigated using 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and dual staining assays. The levels of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory biomarkers, apoptotic protein levels, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway proteins were assessed using the respective test kits.

Results

The results of the free radical scavenging assays proved the antioxidant properties of farnesol. The MTT assay findings demonstrated a significant reduction in C6 cell viability following treatment with farnesol. The findings of the fluorescent assays proved the onset of apoptosis in the farnesol-treated C6 cells. Furthermore, the farnesol treatment effectively increased oxidative stress, increased apoptotic protein levels, and reduced inflammatory marker levels in the C6 glioma cells. The PI3K, AKT, and mTOR protein expression were also successfully downregulated in the C6 glioma cells by farnesol.

Conclusion

The current results demonstrate that farnesol effectively suppresses viability and triggers apoptosis in C6 cells. Thus, it has the capacity to be an effective anticancer agent to treat glioma. Nonetheless, additional work is still necessary in the future to determine the specific molecular mechanisms involved in farnesol-induced apoptosis in C6 cells.
The Impact of Culture Time on Genistin and Genistein Accumulation in Flemingia macrophylla (Willd.) Prain Seedlings and the Differentially Expressed Genes
Authors: Yu Qiao Ling , Wu Guang Xiu , Tan Kai Wen , Liang Ying , Qin Shuang Shuang , Wei Fan , Cai Jin Yuan , Chen Ling Yun , Xie Guo Yong , Zhai Ming , Wei Kun Hua
Published: January 2025

Background

Genistein and genistin are the main active constituents of Flemingia macrophylla (Willd.) Prain and the amount of active constituents in the roots varies depending on the cultivation time. The harvesting period has a great influence on its quality, and there are fewer studies on the optimal harvesting time of F. macrophylla, which is urgently needed to explore the optimal harvesting period to improve its use value.

Purpose

F. macrophylla (Willd.) Prain is an important medicinal plant distributed in China. This study aimed to enhance the accumulation of active ingredients genistin and genistein in F. macrophylla, and explore the mechanism of biological synthesis of these active compounds at molecular levels.

Methods

Transcriptome sequencing and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technology were applied to F. macrophylla tissue culture seedlings for 30 days after culturing (DAC), 45 DAC, 60 DAC, and 75 DAC. Then, gene expression, representative active substances, and important phenotypic indexes were analyzed.

Results

The highest fresh weight and root thickness were attained at 45 DAC, the highest plant height at 60 DAC, and the maximum rooting rate at 75 DAC. The genistin content reached the highest level at 45 DAC, and the content of genistein reached the highest level at 30 DAC. The total content of genistin and genistein achieved the maximum levels at 45 DAC. A total of 7,735 differently expressed genes (DEGs) in the three comparable groups, including T45d vs T30d, T60d vs T30d, and T60d vs T45d, were identified. Through the Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of DEGs, isoflavonoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways were significantly enriched in two groups, including T45d vs T30d and T60d vs T30d. A total of 41 DEGs involved in the production of isoflavones were discovered in the three groups.

Conclusion

The optimism culture time for the accumulation of genistein and genistin in F. macrophylla seedlings ranged from 30 to 45 days. Forty-one DEGs in the genistein and genistin synthesis pathways were found through transcriptomics analysis. This study sheds light on the biosynthesis of genistin and genistein in F. macrophylla.
Luteolin-Zinc Modulates PRR11 Methylation and Ferroptosis in Lung Cancer Cells Under Hypoxia
Authors: Huang Jiayong , Fang Binbo , Guo Ting , Li Yiyang , Yang Yilin , Ying Jiongcheng , Zhou Haoyun , Li Xiang
Published: January 2025

Background

Activation of PRR11 contributes to the progression of lung cancer and is related to its methylation status. However, the regulatory mechanism of luteolin-zinc (Lu-Zn) on PRR11 methylation-mediated lung cancer progression under hypoxic conditions remains to be explored..

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effect of Lu-Zn on lung cancer cells, its regulation of ferroptosis, and the role of PRR11 in lung cancer progression under hypoxia.

Methods

In vitro experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of Lu-Zn on lung cancer cells, focusing on its impact on invasion, migration, and ferroptosis. The expression levels of PRR11, its methylation status, and microRNA-6769b-3p (miR-6769b-3p) were also analyzed.

Results

Under hypoxic conditions, Lu-Zn significantly inhibited the invasion and migration abilities of lung cancer cells and promoted ferroptosis. Additionally, Lu-Zn reversed the pro-cancer effects induced by PRR11. At the molecular level, Lu-Zn promoted the methylation of PRR11 and regulated miR-6769b-3p.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that Lu-Zn enhances the methylation of PRR11 and reduces its expression under hypoxic conditions through miR-6769b-3p. This leads to inhibition of the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, promoting ferroptosis and exerting anti-lung cancer effects.
Foreign Solutions Over Local Realities: Impacts of Leading Global News Networks on Framing of COVID-19 News in Bangladesh
Authors: Habib Arif Md Tareque , Yousuf Mohammad
Published: January 2025

This study examined the extent to which leading Western news networks had influenced the local framing of COVID-19 news in Bangladesh, a small South Asian country, considering geographic and economic terms. Using a qualitative content analysis complemented by a computational text analysis method, this study analysed over 5,300 news stories about the COVID-19 pandemic published in a significant Bangladeshi news network called bdnews24.com that supplies news to other local news outlets. The findings show that the West-headquartered networks such as Reuters and The New York Times substantially influenced the pandemic’s regional coverage. While a vast majority of the pandemic-related stories published on bdnews24.com came from the global news networks, the ones authored by bdnews24.com’s journalists used the six frames, namely consequence, uncertainty, action, reassurance, conflict and new evidence, prominent in the West-headquartered networks.
The Italy–Albania Protocol: A new model of border-shifting within the EU and its compatibility with Union law
Authors: De Leo Andreina , Celoria Eleonora
Published: January 2025

This article critically examines the extraterritorial asylum processing model established by the Italy–Albania deal, arguing that it departs from traditional EU externalization strategies and presents new legal challenges. By analysing the criteria used by the EU Court of Justice to determine whether situations not explicitly regulated by EU law fall within its scope, the article shows that the examination of asylum claims in Albania could trigger the applicability of Union law, despite the territorial limitations of much of EU secondary legislation in the area of asylum. It further explores how this system may undermine the effectiveness and integrity of the CEAS and violate certain provisions of the Charter. The article concludes by advocating for CJEU intervention to clarify the relationship between extraterritorial asylum procedures and EU law, ensuring legal certainty and the consistent application of Union law.
Paving the way to the New Pact on Migration and Asylum: Some reflections on Ministero dell’Interno (Joined Cases C-228/21, C-254/21, C-297/21, C-315/21, C-328/21)
Authors: Gerbaudo Marco
Published: January 2025

The annotation analyses the CJEU preliminary ruling in the Ministero dell’Interno case, among the latest interventions of the Court interpreting the Dublin system. The Court confirmed its case law enhancing the prescriptiveness of procedural rights awarded to asylum seekers subject to transfer decisions, touching upon the rights to information and to be heard in take-back procedures. At the same time, the judges adopted a very conservative approach over possible rebuttals of the principle of mutual trust: national courts cannot rely on the divergence of assessments of asylum seekers’ protection needs between Member States to annul a transfer decision, even when such divergences concern the refoulement risks of the return to their country of origin. Ministero dell’Interno is symptomatic of a settled approach of the CJEU in its Dublin case law: the reliance on statutory interpretation when touching upon fundamental rights, and the envision of mutual trust as the fundamental premiss governing the system. The Court case law is presented vis-à-vis the recent adoption of the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation replacing the Dublin III Regulation. With this judgment, the Court provided useful insight into its future position on the soon-to-be-implemented new responsibility-sharing mechanism.
Patient factors associated with treatment completion in a 12-week inpatient dual diagnosis treatment program
Authors: Membrey Dean , Naren Thileepan , Cook Jon , MacCartney Paul , Brown Dianne
Published: January 2025

Objective

To identify whether mental health wellbeing, age, gender or recent substance use pattern affected completion rates of a dual diagnosis inpatient program.

Method

This retrospective cohort study reviewed medical records of patients admitted between October 2018 and December 2021 of Westside Lodge, a dual diagnosis inpatient program. Demographic information, mental health screening tool results (BASIS-24) and self-reported substance use data were accessed from the patients’ electronic medical records.

Results

181 admissions were included in the study, of which the majority were male (53.6%). Recently used common substances were alcohol (52%), cannabis (40%) and methamphetamine (43%). None of the factors studied demonstrated any statistically significant effect on the likelihood of program completion.

Conclusion

This study found that age, gender, mental health wellbeing and recent substances used were not associated with the likelihood of completing inpatient dual diagnosis treatment though further high-powered studies are required to validate these claims.
Comparing Competitive Integrated Employment Outcomes in The State-federal Vocational Rehabilitation Program Among Individuals with Cognitive, Physical, and Sensory Functional Impairments
Authors: Ahonle Zaccheus J , Wei Tianlan , Rumrill Phillip D , Dillahunt-Aspillaga Christina
Published: January 2025

Background

State-Federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) services are available for eligible individuals with disabilities (IWD) who are interested in pursuing, obtaining, and maintaining gainful employment. Despite availability of VR services, employment outcomes of IWD compared to those without disabilities continue to be limited.

Objective

To examine effects of receipt of VR services on the employment outcomes of individuals with cognitive impairments (CI) compared to people with other impairments (i.e., physical and sensory impairments) while accounting for individual characteristics and patterns of VR service use.

Methods

Secondary data analysis using Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 data covering cases in 2019. Hypothesized covariates and predictors of employment outcomes were divided into four groups: demographic variables, environmental/social variables, disability related variables, and receipt of VR services. The target outcome variables from the RSA 911 database were competitive integrated employment (CIE) employment outcome, hourly wage at case closure, and hours worked in a week at case closure. A hierarchical logistic regression analysis was performed using CIE as the criterion.

Results

Findings suggest that (a) the group including CI individuals was at a disadvantage in terms of CIE outcomes; (b) from the logistic regression, gender, education level, significance of disability, and receipt of some VR services were significantly associated with CIE outcomes (yes/no); and (c) when we examined the percentages of individuals receiving VR services, higher percentages of individuals with CI received varieties of VR services, but less assistive technology services.

Conclusions

Individuals with disabilities continue to experience disparate employment outcomes. The receipt of varieties of VR services facilitates IWDs to successfully obtain CIE. Receipt of VR services alone may not be the only factor that supports IWD in obtaining successful CIE. A critical investigation of the quality and type of these VR services, difference by impairment, and the economic impact of societal/environmental trends is warranted.
How Game Features and Treatment-Related Factors Facilitate Generalization in Technology-Based Aphasia Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gorshkov Georgii , Buivolova Olga , Gavrilova Elena , Dragoy Olga
Published: January 2025

Background

Nowadays, developers offer mobile applications for aphasia treatment. Although their overall effectiveness and acceptance by the target audience was proved, it has not been established what aspects of technology-based aphasia rehabilitation facilitate these improvements and translate into generalization.

Objective

The objectives were to analyze what technology- and treatment-related factors, including treatment dose, intensity and duration, affect treatment efficacy and facilitate generalization.

Methods

The PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were searched in February 2024. The review included experimental articles testing mobile- or computer-based applications for aphasia rehabilitation. Studies were excluded if they described AAC techniques or assistive tools, or focused solely on quality of life. ROB-2 was used to assess risk of bias in the included randomized controlled trials.

Results

Eighteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The key factors increasing the therapy effect and leading to generalization were automatic feedback, diversity of the tasks employed in the training, longer periods of treatment, and interaction between the user and the clinician.

Conclusions

Technology-based aphasia treatment is an effective therapy tool. Contact with the clinician, simultaneous practice targeted at various language domains and executive functions, as well as feedback, positively influence outcomes. The review, however, has limitations, as it lacks statistical analysis and synthesizes heterogeneous data.
How Much Pain Medication Do Patients Require After Posterior Iliac Crest Bone Graft to the Alveolar Cleft?
Authors: Deek Andrew J. , Jindal Snigdha , Bridges Kate , Varidel Alistair , Padwa Bonnie L. , Resnick Cory M.
Published: January 2025

Objective

The purpose of this study was to quantify analgesic use following alveolar cleft bone grafting (ABG) utilizing a posterior iliac crest (PIC) donor site.

Design

This is a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients that underwent ABG with PIC in a 10 month period from November 2022 to September 2023.

Setting

Tertiary care free-standing pediatric hospital.

Participants

Patients with cleft lip and alveolus with or without cleft of the secondary palate undergoing alveolar bone graft with cancellous marrow from the PIC.

Interventions

All patients underwent ABG and recorded analgesic use afterwards.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcome variable was total pain medication utilization during the first 10 postoperative days (PODs).

Results

22 subjects (72.7% male, 54.5% Caucasian 72.7% unilateral and 27.3% bilateral clefts) recorded pain medication use. Total duration of analgesic use (any type) was 3.86 ± 1.7 postoperative days. 10 subjects (45.5%) did not use opioid medication postoperatively. The remaining 12 subjects (54.5%) used a median of 12 (0, 19) morphine milli-equivalents (MME), equal to 1.6 (0, 2.53) doses of 5 mg oxycodone. An average of 9.9 ± 5.6 doses of acetaminophen and 9.1 ± 4.7 doses of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) were administered. No subject used opioids after POD3. Patients with unilateral clefts used more acetaminophen ( p = 0.02); otherwise, there were no significant differences in outcomes based on any predictor variable ( p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Analgesic requirements after ABG with PIC were minimal, with nearly half of patients taking no postoperative opioids. As such, judicious opioid prescribing is prudent.
Quality, Necessity, or Accessibility? Impact of Dockless Bike Sharing on Ineffective Use of Medical Resources
Authors: Xu Haifeng , Xiang Yidan , Ding Yi , Zhang Pengzhu , Tan Bernard C Y , Gopal Ram
Published: January 2025

In recent years, patients have increasing autonomy in medical decision-making. With great autonomy in selecting medical institutions, patients with low-risk diseases may opt for treatment in prestigious hospitals, which limits the access of patients with high-risk diseases to these hospitals. Moreover, due to limited medical knowledge and a fear of uncertainty regarding diseases, patients with greater medical autonomy may request various unnecessary medical tests to alleviate their health-related anxiety. This study takes a novel patients’ perspective to investigate how dockless bike sharing, which addresses the “last-mile problem” and improves geographical accessibility to medical institutions, affects two types of ineffective use of medical resources: disease-institution mismatch and overuse of medical tests. By introducing the concept of quality-accessibility trade-off in patients’ decision-making processes, we shed light on the psychological mechanism underlying the effect of dockless bike sharing on patients’ medical institution choices. We also introduce a new concept, perceived necessity of medical tests, to explain how dockless bike sharing reduces unnecessary medical tests. In Study 1, we designed a quasi-experiment and applied a difference-in-differences model based on real-world electronic health record data to show that dockless bike sharing increased the likelihood of patients choosing hospitals over clinics and decreased the number of unnecessary medical tests. In Studies 2a, 2b, 3a, and 3b, four randomized controlled experiments were employed to replicate the findings and reveal the underlying mechanisms. In sum, we found that dockless bike sharing acted as a “double-edged sword” in terms of its impact on exacerbating disease-institution mismatch and alleviating the overuse of medical tests. This study makes significant theoretical contributions to the Operations Management, sharing economy, and medical resource management literature. It also offers important managerial insights for governments, shared mobility platforms, and healthcare providers.
Design and Analysis of Efficient Sequencing Policies for Linear Cold Storage Devices
Authors: Cardonha Carlos H , Cire Andre A , Villa Real Lucas C
Published: January 2025

In this article, we investigate the problem of sequencing data requests for linear devices, such as magnetic tapes, to minimize response time in cold-storage solutions for archival data. Tapes are the technology of choice for long-term storage due to their reliability, low costs, security, and significant energy savings. However, physical limitations on tape pose challenges to policy implementation, which must be scalable on low-power hardware. We provide a theoretical and numerical analysis of existing policies and introduce new ones, identifying cases where each is applicable and evaluating their theoretical performance in terms of the number of requested files. In particular, we show that the standard first-in, first-out (FIFO) policy can be arbitrarily inefficient and investigate novel constant-ratio approximations and polynomial-time procedures. If data on the frequency with which each file is accessed is available, we consider a dynamic programming procedure to minimize a stochastic variant of the problem, providing a constant-time approximation for arbitrary file requests. We also investigate a quality criterion based on makespan and explore online variants of the problem. Our numerical analysis, conducted on both synthetic and real-world data from an industry partner, offers insights into when each policy is most appropriate, identifying cases where the proposed algorithms significantly outperform traditional policies, like FIFO, in terms of average reading times. This study has managerial implications, as current data retrieval practices in data centers are often limited to traditional policies with unknown theoretical performance. Our methodological and numerical analysis provides evidence of the value in appropriately sequencing requests based on tape structure, guiding algorithm choice and highlighting underlying trade-offs in response times.
Evaluation of the Toxicity and Outcomes of the Combination of Midostaurin and CLAG-M in Patients With FLT3-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Chen Ashley , Baek Grace , Russell Kathryn , Shaw Carole , Othus Megan , Cohen Jonathan , Palmer Shannon , Rasmussen Jack , Bubalo Joseph , Tsomo Tenzin , Schwarz Tenley , Namburi Swathi , Halpern Anna
Published: January 2025

Background:

Addition of midostaurin to standard “7+3” (cytarabine and anthracycline) significantly prolongs overall and event-free survival. At University of Washington/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (UW/FHCC), the standard regimen for newly diagnosed (ND) and relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML is cladribine, high-dose cytarabine, GCSF, and mitoxantrone (CLAG-M); midostaurin is added if FLT3-mutated. There is limited data on the use of FLT3-inhibitors with high-dose cytarabine regimens in AML.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination of midostaurin with CLAG-M versus midostaurin plus 7+3 in FLT3-mutated AML patients.

Methods:

This is a retrospective, multicenter review including FLT3-mutated AML patients undergoing (re)induction chemotherapy with either CLAG-M or 7+3 at UW/FHCC, Oregon Health & Science University, and Swedish Cancer Institute. The primary outcome was incidence of adverse events. Secondary outcomes included disease response per ELN2017 criteria and 28-day mortality. Excluded were patients on clinical trials or who started midostaurin 30 days after chemotherapy.

Results:

Eighty patients treated from September 2016 to December 2023 were included; 36 patients received CLAG-M, and 44 patients 7+3. Baseline characteristics were similar across all institutions. Adverse event rates were similar between the 2 cohorts, except diarrhea and bleeding which were more common in the 7+3 cohort. The rate of complete remission (CR) plus CR with incomplete blood count recovery did not significantly differ between the 2 cohorts: CLAG-M, 86% versus 7+3, 70% ( P = 0.11).

Conclusion & relevance:

The toxicity profile of CLAG-M combined with midostaurin is comparable with the combination of 7+3 with midostaurin, and induces high remissions rates in adults with FLT3-mutated AML.
An Evaluation of Iloperidone for Mania in Bipolar I Disorder
Authors: Caskey Kelen , Nelson Leigh Anne
Published: January 2025

Objective:

To review the efficacy of iloperidone for mania associated with bipolar I disorder and discuss its safety profile (eg, QTc prolongation, orthostatic hypotension, and metabolic adverse effects).

Data sources:

Literature was identified using PubMed (1966-September 2024), OVID (1984-November 2024), and clinicaltrials.gov. Search terms included iloperidone, bipolar disorder, and mania.

Study selection and data extraction:

The study included trials evaluating iloperidone for treating bipolar mania.

Data synthesis:

In one phase 3 study, iloperidone demonstrated significant improvement in mania symptoms at day 28 on all primary (ie, Young Mania Rating Scale) and secondary outcomes (Clinical Global Impression-Severity/Change scales) compared to placebo. Iloperidone was well tolerated, with tachycardia, dizziness, dry mouth, alanine aminotransferase elevation, nasal congestion, increased weight, and somnolence reported as common adverse effects.

Relevance to patient care and clinical practice in comparison to existing drugs:

Since there are no head-to-head studies comparing iloperidone with other second-generation antipsychotics for bipolar mania, other treatment considerations drive medication selection. Iloperidone is unavailable in a generic formulation; thus, its use will be associated with higher costs. It is dosed twice daily, which may negatively impact adherence. Iloperidone is associated with a moderate risk of QTc prolongation, metabolic adverse effects, and orthostatic hypotension, which will limit its use in certain patient populations. QTc prolongation is dose related, so drug interactions involving CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 inhibition can have serious consequences.

Conclusion:

In the pivotal trial, iloperidone was effective in treating adults with an acute manic or mixed episode associated with bipolar I disorder and was safe and well tolerated.
Links Between Coparenting Alliance and Parenting Styles of French Mothers and Fathers
Authors: Tazouti Youssef , Thomas Aude , Hubert Blandine
Published: January 2025

Parenting style (PS) and coparenting alliance (CA) are central concepts in the literature on family socialization and are frequently cited as family variables that explains interindividual differences in the development of learning during childhood. However, there has been limited research examining the relationship between these two concepts. Furthermore, the absence of suitable measurement tools complicates the conduct of comparative studies in France with those conducted elsewhere globally. Thus, the first objective of the present study is to adapt and validate the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ). The second objective is to examine the links between the PS and the CA among mothers and fathers. The study involved a sample of 169 couples with children in fourth- or fifth grade. Both mothers and fathers completed the PSDQ and Parenting Alliance Inventory. Results show that the French version of the PSDQ demonstrates satisfactory psychometric qualities. Structural validity of the questionnaire was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Similarly, links between CA and PS have been identified. Specifically, mothers and fathers who reported higher levels of CA also tended to exhibit higher scores in the authoritative style. The relationships between PS and CA provide a better understanding of family functioning. The French version of the PSDQ is therefore suitable for use in both psychology research and clinical practice.
High Conflict Divorce in Counselor Education: Investigating an Emergent Curricular Gap
Authors: Schmidt Chris D. , Grigg Jenai M. , Zizik Valerie
Published: January 2025

High conflict divorce (HCD) is increasingly prevalent, profoundly impacting families, and placing a unique burden on mental health professionals. Despite the significant emotional, psychological, and legal challenges associated with HCD, many counselors report feeling unprepared to address these complex cases due to inadequate training during their graduate education. This study examines the extent to which CACREP-accredited counselor education programs in the United States incorporate HCD content into their curricula. A survey of program directors from Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs revealed that while topics related to family dynamics and conflict resolution are commonly addressed, HCD-specific training is less frequently covered. Key areas, such as litigation and courts and parental alienation and the reunification processes, are often neglected, limiting graduates’ ability to navigate the intricacies of HCD effectively. The findings suggest a need for specialized coursework and expanded training to better prepare counselors for the growing demand in this area. Addressing these gaps could enhance both counselor competency and the well-being of families navigating HCDs.
An Intratumoral Phaeohyphomycotic Abscess in a Chemotherapy-Naive IDH-Mutant Glioma: A Mere Coincidence?
Authors: Poyuran Rajalakshmi , Chandrasekharan Kesavadas , Vilanilam George C. , Narasimhaiah Deepti
Published: January 2025

Phaeohyphomycotic agents causing central nervous system (CNS) infection is rare and is known to affect immunocompetent individuals. We present a patient with a CNS phaeohyphomycotic abscess that had developed within a temporal lobe glioma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed two months prior to the surgery showed only the presence of a neoplasm. However, a repeat MRI in the immediate pre-operative period revealed an additional, likely fungal, lesion. During this interval of 2 months, the patient had received a short course of steroids for suspected encephalitis. The steroid therapy and the CNS tropism of the fungi could have contributed to the CNS mycosis. The intratumoral localization of the fungi could be attributed either to the altered tumour vasculature or to a mere coincidence. Occurrence of CNS mycosis within a high grade glioma is exceedingly rare. A majority of such patients reported in the literature had received chemotherapy for the glioma.
Surveying the Upper Echelons: An Update to Cycyota and Harrison (2006) on Top Manager Response Rates and Recommendations for the Future
Authors: Borgholthaus Cameron J. , Bourgoin Alaric , Harms Peter D. , White Joshua V. , Fezzey Tyler N. A.
Published: January 2025

Nearly 2 decades ago, Cycyota and Harrison (2006) documented a concerning trend of declining executive survey response rates and projected a continued decrease in the future. Their seminal work has significantly influenced the methodologies of upper echelons survey research. Our study examines the manner in which Cycyota and Harrison’s paper has impacted the existing upper echelons literature and replicates their study by analyzing peer-reviewed studies published post-2006. We reveal that executive response rates have largely stabilized since Cycyota and Harrison’s initial findings. Furthermore, we expand upon their research by identifying specific geographical contexts and contact methodologies associated with higher (and lower) response rates. Finally, we lend insight into the evolving landscape of executive survey research and offer practical implications for future methodological endeavors in the upper echelons.