bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated Analysis of miR-7-5p-Related ceRNA Network Reveals Potential Biomarkers for the Clinical Outcome of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Shi Meng-Yang , Mu Yan-fei , Shen Neng
Published: February 2022

Gastric cancer (GC) is the second leading cause of tumor-associated death and the fourth most commonly seen tumor across the world. Abnormal ncRNAs have been verified to be involved in potential metastasis via modulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition progression and are vital for the progression of cancers. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) are a vital indicator of whether cancer patients will benefit from immunotherapy. Nonetheless, the association between ceRNAs and immune cells remained largely unclear. We used the ceRNA network combined with TICs for the prediction of the clinical outcome of GC patients based on TCGA datasets. The percentage of immunocytes in GC was speculated by the use of CIBERSORT. Via Lasso and multivariate assays, prognostic models were established applying survival-related genes and immune cells. Nomograms were developed, and the accuracy of the nomograms was determined using calibration curves. The association between ceRNAs and TICs was validated by the use of integration analysis. In this study, there were 2219 mRNAs (1308 increased and 911 decreased), 171 lncRNAs (51 decreased and 120 increased), and 123 miRNAs (55 decreased and 68 increased) differentially expressed between tumor groups and nontumor groups. Five lncRNAs, six miRNAs, and 64 mRNAs were used for ceRNA network construction. Eight genes including LOX, SPARC, MASTL, PI15, BMPR1B, ANKRD13B, PVT1, and miR-7-5p were applied for the development of the prognostic model. Survival assays suggested that tumor cases with high risk exhibited a shorter overall survival. In addition, we included T-cell CD4 memory activated, monocytes, and neutrophils for the development of a prognosis model. Eventually, our team demonstrated the possible associations between the ceRNA prognosis model and prognostic model based on immune cells. To sum up, the ceRNA network could be used for gene regulation and predict clinical outcomes of GC patients.
Patients’ Knowledge and Information Needs about Isotretinoin Therapy Use in Jordan
Authors: Jarab Anan S. , Al-Azzam Sayer , Almutairi Shriefa , Mukattash Tareq L.
Published: February 2022

Background. Despite being the first-line treatment for severe or moderate acne, isotretinoin has several serious side effects that necessitate the evaluation of patients’ knowledge about isotretinoin side effects and its proper use. Objective. The current study aim was to explore information needs about isotretinoin by evaluating patients’ knowledge about the appropriate use of isotretinoin and its associated side effects. Methods. In addition to the sociodemographic variables, a validated online questionnaire was adopted from the literature to evaluate patients’ knowledge about isotretinoin use and its potential side effects. Independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were implemented to find the correlation between the study variables and the knowledge score. Results. The most recognized side effect of isotretinoin therapy was dryness (98.1%). The study patients showed good knowledge about isotretinoin use with a mean knowledge score of 8.1 (SD = 0.7). However, more than half of them (61.0%) mistakenly thought that isotretinoin therapy should be taken continuously for more than 6 months without stop, and some of them did not know that isotretinoin is recommended to be taken with fatty meal (24%) and sunblock (24.6%). Female gender (8.2 (SD = 0.8)) and using isotretinoin for more than 6 months (8.3 (SD = 1.2)) were significantly associated with a higher knowledge score of isotretinoin use (

p
=
0.01

), when compared with male patients (7.8 (SD = 0.7)) and less than 6-month use of isotretinoin (7.7 (SD = 0.7)). Conclusions. The lack of patients’ information about the potential side effects, duration of therapy, and some instructions on isotretinoin use, such as taking the medication with fatty meal and sunblock, shed the light on the necessity to prepare leaflets, educational brochures, and educational posts via social media in order to improve patients’ knowledge about isotretinoin therapy and its optimal use.
Association of Elevated Body Mass Index with Functional Outcome and Mortality following Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Obesity Paradox Revisited
Authors: Dicpinigaitis Alis J. , Palumbo Kieran E. , Gandhi Chirag D. , Cooper Jared B. , Hanft Simon , Kamal Haris , Shapiro Steven D. , Feldstein Eric , Kafina Martin , Kurian Christeena , Chong Ji Y. , Mayer Stephan A. , Al-Mufti Fawaz
Published: February 2022

Background: Previous literature has identified a survival advantage in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with elevated body mass indices (BMIs), a phenomenon termed the “obesity paradox.” Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the independent association between obesity and clinical outcomes following AIS. Methods: Weighted discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample were queried to identify AIS patients from 2015 to 2018. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed to evaluate associations between obesity (BMI ≥ 30) and clinical endpoints following adjustment for acute stroke severity and comorbidity burden. Results: Among 1,687,805 AIS patients, 216,775 (12.8%) were obese. Compared to nonobese individuals, these patients were younger (64 vs. 72 mean years), had lower baseline NIHSS scores (6.9 vs. 7.9 mean score), and a higher comorbidity burden. Multivariable analysis demonstrated independent associations between obesity and lower likelihood of mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71, 0.82, p < 0.001; hazard ratio 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.97, p = 0.015), intracranial hemorrhage (aOR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.93, p < 0.001), and routine discharge to home (aOR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.99; p = 0.015). Mortality rates between obese and nonobese patients were significantly lower across stroke severity thresholds, but this difference was attenuated among high severity (NIHSS > 20) strokes (21.6% vs. 23.2%, p = 0.358). Further stratification of the cohort into BMI categories demonstrated a “U-shaped” association with mortality (underweight aOR 1.58, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.79; p < 0.001, overweight aOR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.99; p = 0.046, obese aOR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.71, 0.83; p < 0.001, severely obese aOR 1.18, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.87; p = 0.485). Sub-cohort assessment of thrombectomy-treated patients demonstrated an independent association of obesity (BMI 30–40) with lower mortality (aOR 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.96; p = 0.015), but not with routine discharge. Conclusion: This cross-sectional analysis demonstrates a lower likelihood of discharge to home as well as in-hospital mortality in obese patients following AIS, suggestive of a protective effect of obesity against mortality but not against all poststroke neurological deficits in the short term which would necessitate placement in acute rehabilitation and long-term care facilities.
Transfusion Independence Achieved with Combination Fedratinib and Luspatercept in an Elderly Man with Heavily Pretreated Intermediate-2 Risk Primary Myelofibrosis
Authors: Yun Nicole K. , Alrifai Taha , Miller Ira J. , Shammo Jamile M.
Published: February 2022

Myelofibrosis (MF)-associated anemia and transfusion dependency are associated with inferior quality of life and poor prognosis. JAK2 inhibitors and TGF-β superfamily ligand traps are being explored as treatment options for MF-associated anemia. Here, we present the case of a 66-year-old man with heavily pretreated intermediate-2 (INT-2) risk primary MF who had an exceptional response to combination fedratinib and luspatercept therapy. He achieved transfusion independence and experienced a reduction in spleen size from 20 cm to 12 cm, with remarkable improvement in performance status. Compared with other JAK inhibitors, the mechanism of action of fedratinib may explain its milder effect on anemia. It is possible that the addition of luspatercept may result in an additive or synergistic effect of one or both medications. Although the exact biological pathways have not yet been elucidated, combination fedratinib and luspatercept nevertheless is a promising therapy for anemia in patients with transfusion-dependent INT-2 risk MF.
Endovascular Treatment Failure of Renal Arteriovenous Malformation due to an Extrarenal Feeding Artery: A Case Report
Authors: Chen Shulian , Li Guangjie , Zhou Hui , Liang Guobiao , Luo Xu , Zhao Zeju
Published: February 2022

Renal arteriovenous malformation (RAVM) is a rare pathology. It may present with heamturia, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the standard diagnostic choice, and endovascular embolization is a preferred procedure of management in most cases. The feeding branches of RAVM are reported to originate from renal arteries. In this report, a 43-year-old female with recurrent massive hematuria and left flank pain was described. Renal angiography revealed double renal arteries supplying the left kidney and multiple renal arteriovenous fistula formation around the renal pelvis. Embolization with coils and gelfoam was performed after which her hematuria subsided. One month later, the patient was readmitted to our hospital due to the relapse of massive hematuria following heavy physical activities. DSA found another feeding artery of the RAVM originating from the aorta around the 4th lumbar vertebra. After embolization of this arterial feeder, hematuria settled. There was no recurrence during a 10-month follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the first case of RAVM with an extrarenal feeding artery, and omission of this scenario can lead to treatment failure.
A Sudden Rise of Patients with Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Jalink Maarten B. , Bronkhorst Inge H.G.
Published: February 2022

The aim of this paper is to inform on the surge of cases of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) – a rare disease characterized by the sudden onset of acute scotomas caused by ischemia of the retinal capillary plexus – during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a sudden rise in patients with AMN was observed in our clinic. In this paper, 4 cases from a hospital in the south of the Netherlands are reported, all of which could directly be linked to a COVID-19 infection or vaccination against the corona virus. A search for similar cases in the PubMed database produced thirteen relevant reports, which revealed that a similar increase in cases of AMN, all linked to COVID-19, has been observed worldwide. Analysis of the literature revealed that AMN is seen more often during the pandemic and that AMN after COVID-19 happens at a significantly older age than typically reported. This is the largest case series of patients with AMN after COVID-19 infection or vaccination. With the ongoing pandemic and extensive vaccination programs, it is expected that cases of AMN will surge. It is important for ophthalmologists to be aware of this disease, especially since typical patient characteristics may differ.
MiRNA-21-HIF-1α-VEGF Axis Is Associated with Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization in Guinea Pigs
Authors: Liu Lin , Zhu Dan , Ding Wenzhi , Zhang Ting , Ma Xiaoyun , Zou Jun
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) often causes serious damage to central vision. The mechanisms behind it remain unclear. Method: In this study, monocular form deprivation was applied to induce high myopia, and 532-nm laser was employed to induce CNV in guinea pig. The development of neovascularization was measured comprehensively by fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Gene expression was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Results: The proliferation of new blood vessels increased with time and peaked at 21 days. At each time point after laser photocoagulation, the incidence of CNV was higher in form-deprived myopia (FDM) group than in control group. Myopic CNV started earlier and decreased more slowly. The obvious continuous fluorescein leakage could last as long as 1 month. The expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increased and peaked at 14 days in both groups after laser photocoagulation. Moreover, after laser photocoagulation, miR-21 expression was upregulated in both groups, reached a peak at 7 days, with a level much higher in FDM group. In addition, miR-21 expression was positively correlated with VEGF and HIF-1α expression in both groups. Conclusion: miR-21 correlated with HIF-1α-VEGF signaling pathway may promote CNV formation in high-myopia guinea.
Piwo i gospoda w kulturze czeskiej – polskie widzenie zjawiska
Authors: Dębicki Marcin
Published: February 2022

Beer and Local Pub in Czech Culture from a Polish PerspectiveThe article aims at outlining the most distinctive features of two elements of Czech national culture: beer and the places where it is customary consumed. Specifically, the text focuses on characteristics of the position which beer occupies among Czechs, as well as on a social dimension of the “traditional” provincial and village local pubs (specific ambience, a type of service, guests, etc.), which makes the article embedded in the cultural context. A special attention was paid to the restaurants located at the Czech railway stations, too. The analysis was carried out from the Polish perspective, that is why the article includes a range of references to the peculiarities of the Polish culture of drinking. Additionally, the observations were gathered during a number of visits the author paid in the Czech Republic. It all means that the selection of the phenomena presented in the text and the way they were valued might be different if some other national approach were employed here.
Pogranicze polsko-słowackie – analiza społeczno-gospodarcza
Authors: Lewkowicz Łukasz
Published: February 2022

Polish-Slovak Borderland: A Socio-Economic AnalysisThe aim of this article is to analyze the Polish-Slovak borderland region in a multifaceted manner. The study opens with a discussion of geographical and social aspects, including a detailed outline of the demographic and ethnic structure of the population. The following sections are devoted to the scientific, cultural and economic potential of the borderland (local industry and communication infrastructure). Careful attention is also paid to the dynamic development of tourism, including cross-border tourism. The article concludes with a SWOT analysis assessing weaknesses and strengths of the region and thus presenting the perspectives of its development.
Néo-bretonnants – konstruowanie tożsamości językowej przez młode pokolenie osób bretońskojęzycznych
Authors: Dołowy-Rybińska Nicole
Published: February 2022

Néo-bretonnants: The Construction of Linguistic Identity by the Young Generation of Breton-Speaking PeopleAccording to statistics there are today only about 200,000 people who know the Breton language, but 70% of them are over 60 years old. However, every year more than a thousand young Bretons learn the language in schools and another several thousand adults attend language courses. It seems that in a dozen years or so the Breton language will be known almost only as a second/learned language. This paper is based on open interviews conducted with pupils in the Diwan immersion High School, students of the Faculty of Breton at Rennes University and Breton language learners (aged 16–25). A large majority of them come from families who have not used Breton for two generations. The reason why these young people have decided to learn the language of their ancestors and their relation to the language are studied. The Breton identity of today is not based on knowledge of the language but on the strong emotional relation to it. The relation between their Breton identity and the language is interesting. Speaking Breton is their conscious choice. It is not their first language, in which they think and feel. The central question of the paper is concerned about to what extent the identity of néo-bretonnants is based on the relation with the language as a distinguishing feature of cultural membership, and to what extent the Breton language is the medium of enforcing this selected and consciously created identity.
Między tożsamością etniczną a marką globalną. Antropologiczna analiza klubu FC Barcelona jako katalońskiej marki etnicznej
Authors: Prabucki Bartosz
Published: February 2022

Between Ethnic Identity and Global Brand: An Anthropological Analysis of FC Barcelona as a Catalan Ethnic BrandThe article describes a very interesting phenomenon: connections between identity, ethnicity, sport (especially football) and marketing – being used to create an ethnic brand in the contemporary global world. The author examines the example of the “nation without a state”, Catalans, and their famous football club, FC Barcelona, to indicate how they use their ethnic and cultural heritage to make an interesting market “product”, binding local features with global openness. Contemporary reality seems to put ethnic identity in danger. However, the case of Catalans and FC Barcelona shows that it is possible to link identity and culture with global market’s needs.
Ukryty fragment czarnogórskiej historii: przyłączenie Czarnogóry do Serbii w 1918 roku
Authors: Morawski Konrad Sebastian
Published: February 2022

A Concealed Fragment of the History of Montenegro: The Incorporation of Montenegro into Serbia in 1918The circumstances accompanying the incorporation of Montenegro into Serbia in November 1918 were marked by an internal conflict in the Montenegrin nation, which, to be specific, was the conflict between King Nicholas I and his supporters on the one side and the group of pro-Serbian former ministers in Montenegrin governments on the other side. The royal camp aimed at maintaining independence of the Kingdom of Montenegro, while the pro-Serbian camp’s aspiration was unconditional incorporation of the country into the borders of the Kingdom of Serbia and later into the unified South Slavic Kingdom. The pro-Serbian camp tipped the scales in its favour as it organised the illegal National Assembly on the territory of Montenegro, which decided about the unification of Montenegro and Serbia and the dethronement of King Nicholas I. The consequences of this state of affairs led to a significant number of uprisings of the Montenegrins allied with the royal camp. Out of these, the Christmas Uprising gained a rank of a symbol. Montenegrin-Montenegrin and Montenegrin-Serbian fights involved considerable losses on the part of the people of Montenegro and the country’s architectural wealth, yet they solidified the national awareness of the Montenegrins, and the cult of this awareness made it possible to regain independence after 88 years of strong bonds with Serbia.
Nacjonalizm w przemówieniach Slobodana Miloševicia
Authors: Jagiełło-Szostak Anna
Published: February 2022

Nationalism in Slobodan Milošević’s SpeechesThe fall of Yugoslavia showed economic, national, ideological and political problems. Thus, there was a strong rise of hidden nationalisms among nations living on the same territory, such as Slovenian, Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Montenegrin and Macedonian from the 1980s.The aim of the article is to show how Slobodan Milošević’s nationalism was rising in his speeches in the period between 1988 (when he came to power) and 1992 (when the new constitution of FRY was adopted). The author analyzed eleven speeches made during the debates in the Serbian Parliament, during sessions of the Socialist Party of Serbia and during meetings with people in such cities as Gazimestan, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Bor and Niš. In his speeches Milošević raised such subjects as the question of Yugoslavia, the question of Serbian nation living on the whole territory of Yugoslavia, the role of Serbia in the creation of Yugoslavia. Additionally, he was blaming “enemies” (such as Slovenia, Croatia, Albanians from Kosovo) for the collapse of Yugoslavia and the war in the 1990s. He was using a language of populism and propaganda to enhance his goals and tried to be emotionally close to his nation.
Polityka językowa i nacjonalizm – przyczynek krytyczny
Authors: Konarski Wawrzyniec Konrad
Published: February 2022

The Politics of Language and Nationalism: A Critical ContributionReview of: Tomasz Kamusella, The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Basingstoke, New York: Palgrave MacMillan 2009.  Polityka językowa i nacjonalizm – przyczynek krytycznyRecenzja: Tomasz Kamusella, The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Basingstoke, New York: Palgrave MacMillan 2009.
Two Distinct Modes of Climate Responses to the Anthropogenic Aerosol Forcing Changes
Authors: Shi Jia-Rui , Kwon Young-Oh , Wijffels Susan E.
Published: February 2022

Unlike greenhouse gases (GHGs), anthropogenic aerosol (AA) concentrations have increased and then decreased over the past century or so, with the timing of the peak concentration varying in different regions. To date, it has been challenging to separate the climate impact of AAs from that due to GHGs and background internal variability. We use a pattern recognition method, taking advantage of spatiotemporal covariance information, to isolate the forced patterns for the surface ocean and associated atmospheric variables from the all-but-one forcing Community Earth System Model ensembles. We find that the aerosol-forced responses are dominated by two leading modes, with one associated with the historical increase and future decrease of global mean aerosol concentrations (dominated by the Northern Hemisphere sources) and the other due to the transition of the primary sources of AA from the west to the east and also from Northern Hemisphere extratropical regions to tropical regions. In particular, the aerosol transition effect, to some extent compensating the global mean effect, exhibits a zonal asymmetry in the surface temperature and salinity responses. We also show that this transition effect dominates the total AA effect during recent decades, e.g., 1967–2007.
Leisure Possibilities of Adults Experiencing Poverty: A Community-Based Participatory Study
Authors: Cantor Pamela , Polakowska Monika , Proietti Amanda , Tran Victor , Lebire Jonathan , Roy Laurence
Published: February 2022

Background. Poverty disproportionally affects persons with disabilities, elderly individuals and racialized groups. Leisure, play and rest are not prioritized in either services for or research with people living in poverty. Purpose. This study aims to examine the facilitators and barriers to participation in meaningful leisure activities for adults living in poverty. Method. We used community-based participatory research and art-based elicitation strategies with 39 service users at a food security organization. Findings. Individuals experiencing poverty value and engage in a variety of free and affordable leisure activities, but they are not afforded the necessary leisure opportunities, accommodations and supports as the general population. We co-created a map of local leisure resources to foster collective capacity in leisure planning, and to support organizations working with this population. Implications. Occupational therapists can work alongside members of underserved communities to uncover and address the systemic and local contextual barriers to engagement in leisure activities.
Heterogeneous Labor Market Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cortes Guido Matias , Forsythe Eliza
Published: February 2022

The authors study the distributional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on employment, both during the onset of the pandemic and over subsequent months. Using cross-sectional and matched longitudinal data from the Current Population Survey, they show that the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities. Although employment losses have been widespread, they have been substantially larger—and more persistent—in lower-paying occupations and industries. Hispanics and non-White workers suffered larger increases in job losses, not only because of their over-representation in lower-paying jobs but also because of a disproportionate increase in their job displacement probability relative to non-Hispanic White workers with the same job background. Gaps in year-on-year job displacement probabilities between Black and White workers have widened over the course of the pandemic recession, both overall and conditional on pre-displacement occupation and industry. These gaps are not explained by state-level differences in the severity of the pandemic nor by the associated response in terms of mitigation policies. In addition, evidence suggests that older workers have been retiring at faster rates.
An exploratory prioritisation of supervision styles in library and information science experiential learning programmes in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Arif , Qayyum Asim , Mahony Linda
Published: February 2022

Library and information science (LIS) education in Pakistan requires students to undergo in-depth supervised practicum placement as part of the course requirements. The purpose of this study was to explore the supervision styles of LIS practicum supervisors, and to examine how these supervision styles are perceived by the practicum students. Forty-three semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with practising librarians ( n = 21) who supervise practicums in their respective libraries, and LIS students ( n = 22) who had completed their practicums. Data were collected across 13 higher education LIS institutions in Pakistan. Constructivist Grounded theory was used as a method of data collection and analysis. Findings revealed four distinct styles of practicum supervision: (1) directed, (2) developmental, (3) independent, and (4) reflective. While LIS practicum supervisors practise a combination of these supervision styles, one style was found dominant among others. Also discovered was a mismatch of supervision style preferences between supervisors and students, which can negatively impact the promotion of learning and consequent development of professionally competent graduate librarians. Findings of this study warrant the need for more research to explore impacts of supervision on professional practice.
Are English skills really necessary for Indonesian IT specialists?
Authors: Dewi Rahmatika
Published: February 2022

This study investigates the potential importance of the English skills element in the context of the Indonesian IT specialist workforce. Given the apparent incongruity of Indonesian IT specialists’ lack of English skills and the current rapid growth in the IT sector and the number of digital start-ups in Indonesia, a question emerges: ‘Are English skills really necessary?’ Drawing on semi-structured interviews with Indonesian IT specialists, companies that hire IT specialists, and a higher education institution, as well as teaching document analysis, this study explores the perceptions of IT specialists and employers in relation to the importance of English skills and investigates the supply-side role to discover whether satisfactory English courses are provided. It finds that English is not the most important skill, but that it is necessary as a supporting skill. The paper proposes a combination of English skill elements with other skill sets as meaningful to assist in creating technologies, learning new and updated technologies, and developing career trajectories in the global IT sector, especially in the current gig economy. This skill reformation concept is relevant for IT specialists’ future career navigation and, as a reference, especially for the Indonesian government to design policies for a digital economy.
Hydropower development, policy and partnership in the 21st century: A China-Nigeria outlook
Authors: Yuguda Taitiya Kenneth , Imanche Sunday Adiyoh , Ze Tian , Akintunde Tosin Yinka , Luka Bobby Shekarau
Published: February 2022

Regardless of the challenges facing renewable energy development in today’s world, hydropower is still the most broadly patronized source of renewable energy, with a global installed capacity of 1330 GW in 2020. Hydropower contributes the largest share of the total installed renewable energy globally, accounting for more than 54% of renewable energy generation capacity worldwide. In this 21st century, the quest for a global shift to a carbon-emission-free future has been epitomized by China through its way of overcoming some crucial challenges to becoming the number one hydropower producer in the world. China is currently the top exporter of its hydropower technology and expertise to a reasonably significant number of countries across the globe. Due to failed energy policy implementation, Nigeria, on the other hand, has been languishing in air pollution from fossil fuel energy generation due to poor and erratic electrical energy supply from the grid, despite its enormous hydropower potential. However, a resurgence of Nigeria’s National renewable energy and Energy Efficiency Policy in 2015 resulted in a consortium signed between China and Nigeria, placing China at the helm of reviving Nigeria’s hydropower industry, yielding some positive outcomes so far. A partnership between technologically advanced and undeveloped countries, particularly Africa, is required to overcome significant avoidable hydropower constraints towards attaining their full hydropower output potential. In this way, the imperative to guaranteeing a globally cleaner and more sustainable energy future is more reassuring.
Does environmental pollution weaken the positive effect of government public expenditure on residents’ subjective well-being? A case study in China
Authors: Li Jingmei , Yu Shaofei , Xu Zhihua
Published: February 2022

With the deepening of government reform, the Chinese government has strengthened the functions of public service and social management. Public policies are increasingly concerned with residents’ well-being. However, environmental quality, which can be regarded as a visual indicator to reflect the performance of environmental protection and the quality of public service, is still not optimistic in China. Thus, we wonder if there exist deep relationships among public expenditure, environmental pollution, and subjective well-being. By combining the data from the Chinese Family Panel Survey (CFPS) with relevant government statistics, we find that public expenditure improves residents’ well-being, whereas environmental pollution has a negative effect. More importantly, environmental pollution is found to moderate the relationship between government expenditure and residents’ subjective well-being. These findings not only prove the extra costs of environmental degradation, but also suggest that good performance of environmental governance should be emphasized in promoting human welfare.
Psychological Measurement in the Information Age: Machine-Learned Computational Models
Authors: D’Mello Sidney K. , Tay Louis , Southwell Rosy
Published: February 2022

Psychological science can benefit from and contribute to emerging approaches from the computing and information sciences driven by the availability of real-world data and advances in sensing and computing. We focus on one such approach, machine-learned computational models (MLCMs)—computer programs learned from data, typically with human supervision. We introduce MLCMs and discuss how they contrast with traditional computational models and assessment in the psychological sciences. Examples of MLCMs from cognitive and affective science, neuroscience, education, organizational psychology, and personality and social psychology are provided. We consider the accuracy and generalizability of MLCM-based measures, cautioning researchers to consider the underlying context and intended use when interpreting their performance. We conclude that in addition to known data privacy and security concerns, the use of MLCMs entails a reconceptualization of fairness, bias, interpretability, and responsible use.
The Ethics of Delivering Bad News: Evaluating Impression Management Strategies in Corporate Financial Reporting
Authors: DeJeu Emily Barrow
Published: February 2022

Business communication textbooks offer impression management (IM) strategies to help students learn how to soften bad news. But corporations sometimes use these strategies in ethically questionable ways. This article analyzes IM strategies in a landmark case of ethically dubious corporate financial reporting. Findings suggest that the company, Ivax, manipulated three standard IM strategies by overamplifying its power to fix a financial crisis, substantially downplaying bad news, and concealing damaging information. Ivax also used a fourth, less familiar strategy: It buried contradictory information in legal disclaimers. Instructors need to help students become ethical writers who avoid questionable IM strategies like these.
Methods and approaches for enhancing communication with people with moderate-to-severe dementia that can facilitate their inclusion in research and service evaluation: Findings from the IDEAL programme
Authors: Collins Rachel , Hunt Anna , Quinn Catherine , Martyr Anthony , Pentecost Claire , Clare Linda
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Dementia can affect language processing and production, making communication more difficult. This creates challenges for including the person’s perspective in research and service evaluation. This study aims to identify methods, tools and approaches that could facilitate meaningful communication with people with moderate-to-severe dementia and support the inclusion of their perspectives.

Methods

This qualitative study was conducted as part of the IDEAL programme and involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 dementia research and/or care professionals with expertise in communication. Transcripts were analysed using framework analysis.

Findings

Three main themes each with sub-themes were identified: (1) Awareness, knowledge and experience; (2) Communication approach and (3) Personalization. A person-centred orientation based on getting to know the participant and developing a bi-directional exchange formed the fundamental context for effective communication. Building on this foundation, an approach using pictures, photographs or objects that are meaningful to the person and appropriate for that person’s preferences and ability could help to facilitate conversations. The findings were integrated into a diagram illustrating how the topics covered by the themes interrelate to facilitate communication.

Conclusions

Useful skills and approaches were identified to help researchers engage and work with people with moderate-to-severe dementia and ensure their perspective is included. These covered getting to know the participant, using a variety of tangible tools and interactional techniques and considering the environment and context of the conversation.
Evaluation of an Individualized Levels System to Increase Consumption for an Adolescent with Food Refusal
Authors: Ripple Hailey E. , Smith Hallie M. , Whipple Heather , Druffner Rita
Published: February 2022

A levels system is an intervention that uses a combination of behavioral principles, such as differential reinforcement and response cost, in order to increase appropriate behaviors and simultaneously decrease problem behaviors. Within a levels system, an individual must meet a pre-determined behavioral criterion in order to gain access to various levels of reinforcement. For example, engaging in higher rates of inappropriate behavior will result in access to highly preferred items or activities, while higher rates of inappropriate behavior will access to lesser preferred activities. Although levels systems have been applied in group settings, as well as in the individual treatment of severe problem behavior, their use has not been explored in the treatment of food refusal. The current study implemented a levels system to target increasing the variety and volume of food consumed by a 12-year-old female diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) effects, mild intellectual disability, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At the end of her admission, the participant had increased her variety consumed at an age-appropriate volume significantly, as well as the volume of food consumed.
Endovascular Occlusion of Iliocaval Confluence During Surgical Repair of Iliocaval Fistula due to Ruptured Abdominal Aortoiliac Aneurysm
Authors: Tenezaca-Sari Xavier , Constenla-García Iván , Gil-Sala Daniel , Tello-Díaz Cristina , Flota-Ruiz David , Bellmunt-Montoya Sergi
Published: February 2022

We describe the successful use of endovascular occlusion of the iliocaval confluence to prevent excessive bleeding during open repair of an iliocaval arteriovenous fistula due to a ruptured abdominal aortoiliac aneurysm. A 70-year-old man was admitted with chest pain, hemodynamic instability, acute pulmonary edema, and bilateral leg swelling. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) showed a ruptured AAIA with a large primary iliocaval fistula. Aortobifemoral bypass with a Dacron bifurcated prosthetic graft was performed with catheter balloon occlusion of the iliocaval confluence to prevent massive bleeding. Follow-up CTA showed no complications. Iliocaval fistula is a rare complication of AAIA that requires emergent surgery. Endovascular occlusion of iliac or inferior cava vein can control bleeding.
Oncofertility care: A qualitative study to understand personal perspectives and barriers in the multidisciplinary breast care team in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Sheng-Miauh , Kao Teh-Sing , Lien Pei-Ju , Hsieh Pei-Ling , Chen Ping-Ho , Tseng Ling-Ming
Published: February 2022

Background:

Previous studies indicate significant gaps exist in current practices and perceptions of oncofertility care.

Objectives:

We aim to understand the clinical experience regarding oncofertility care among health providers in a multidisciplinary breast care team.

Methods:

A qualitative, descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 16 health care providers who worked in a hospital in Taipei. Verbatim transcriptions were analyzed using constant analysis methods.

Results:

Health care providers’ experiences regarding fertility care for reproductive-age women with breast cancer were divided into two themes: personal perspectives and barriers. Personal perspectives consisted of six subthemes including empathizing with the patient’s suffering during the diagnosis and treatment, safety as a prerequisite, satisfying the women’s needs, respecting the women’s choice, questioning women’s ability to raise children, and returning to family life. There were also six subthemes under barriers. These subthemes were poor communication among the multidisciplinary team, lack of initial screening, insufficient support in the women’s families, treatment considerations, lack of evidence-based information regarding oncofertility, and non-follow-up protocol.

Conclusion:

Nurses should evaluate the fertility needs of women with cancer and identify potential gaps during oncofertility care. Education strategies and tactics should be improved in order to overcome difficulties arising from health care providers’ personal perspectives and barriers to the provision of optimal fertility care in women with cancer.
Hydroxychloroquine in systemic lupus erythematosus: overview of current knowledge
Authors: Dima Alina , Jurcut Ciprian , Chasset François , Felten Renaud , Arnaud Laurent
Published: February 2022

The antimalarial hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has demonstrated several crucial properties for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, we reviewed the main HCQ pharmacologic features, detailed its mechanism of action, and summarized the existing guidelines and recommendations for HCQ use in rheumatology with a systematic literature search for the randomized controlled trials focused on lupus. HCQ has been shown to decrease SLE activity, especially in mild and moderate disease, to prevent disease flare and to lower the long-term glucocorticoid need. The numerous benefits of HCQ are extended to pregnancy and breastfeeding period. Based on cohort studies, antithrombotic and metabolic HCQ’s effects were shown, including lipid-lowering properties, which might contribute to an improved cardiovascular risk. Moreover, early HCQ use in antinuclear antibodies positive individuals might delay the progression to SLE. Finally, HCQ has a significant favorable impact on long-term outcomes such as damage accrual and mortality in SLE. Based on these multiple benefits, HCQ is now the mainstay long-term treatment in SLE, recommended by current guidelines in all patients unless contraindications or side effects. The daily dose associated with the best compromise between efficacy and safety is matter of debate. The concern regarding retinal toxicity rather than proper efficacy data is the one that dictated the daily dosage of ⩽5 mg/kg/day actual body weight currently agreed upon.
“The Land Belongs to Us”: Ethnic Claims Over Land During Zimbabwe’s Land Reforms
Authors: Chambati Walter , Mazwi Freedom
Published: February 2022

Zimbabwe’s radical Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP), implemented in 2000, diversified the agrarian structure by replacing a few large commercial farms with many smaller-scale farms. In understanding how the allocations evolved, studies have emphasized the effects of class, political party affiliation, gender, citizenship, and generation. However, the influence of ethno-regionalism or ethnicity on land access has been understudied. This article examines how ethnic mobilization structured the results of land distribution on the basis of survey data and other sources. Ethno-regionalism was inevitable in the small-scale A1 farms, since it mainly resettled peasants near their communal areas of origin. However, in the small capitalist A2 farms, ethnic tensions were perceived through exclusions of the “insiders,” as they were edged out of the allocations by the urban middle classes seeking accumulation opportunities in the context of an economic crisis. It is argued that if the latter trajectory persists, demand for land will continue to rise and fuel future land struggles, which might be colored by grievances of prior marginalization along ethnic lines.
Unfair Treatment by the Police and Race: Is Religiosity a Protective Resource for Well-Being
Authors: Upenieks Laura , Daniels Colton L.
Published: February 2022

A growing body of work documents the relationship between criminal justice and health has emerged in recent years, including the association between unfair treatment by the police (UTBP) and violent/racialized policing and health outcomes. However, little is known about the resources that could reduce the harmful consequences to well-being of UTBP. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study, we consider both depressive symptoms and allostatic load (a physiological marker of health) and several dimensions of religiosity as stress buffers. African Americans (but not Whites) who experienced personal police contact reported higher depressive symptoms relative to those who experienced no police contact and those reporting vicarious UTBP. Weekly religious attendance and higher church-based support (but not beliefs in divine control, a causal attribution of God’s influence in daily life) mitigated this relationship. African Americans with personal UTBP had higher allostatic load than those with no UTBP. Neither church attendance nor church-based social support attenuated the relationship between personal UTBP and allostatic load, nor did divine control. We discuss how the results of our study can help clarify the parameters of the effectiveness of religious/spiritual coping for African Americans and their implications for criminal justice reform.
School Absenteeism and Academic Achievement: Does the Reason for Absence Matter?
Authors: Klein Markus , Sosu Edward M. , Dare Shadrach
Published: February 2022

Studies consistently show associations between school absences and academic achievement. However, questions remain about whether this link depends on the reason for children’s absence. Using a sample of the Scottish Longitudinal Study (n = 4,419), we investigated whether the association between school absenteeism and achievement in high-stakes exams at the end of compulsory and postcompulsory schooling varies with the reason for absence. In line with previous research, our findings show that overall absences are negatively associated with academic achievement at both school stages. Likewise, all forms of absences (truancy, sickness absence, exceptional domestic circumstances, and family holidays) are negatively associated with achievement at the end of compulsory and postcompulsory schooling. First difference regressions confirm these negative associations, except for family holidays. These findings suggest that, in addition to lost instruction, other mechanisms such as behavioral, health-related, and psychosocial pathways may account for the association between absenteeism and achievement. The findings have implications for designing tailored absenteeism interventions to improve pupils’ academic achievement.
Integrative omics reveals subtle molecular perturbations following ischemic conditioning in a porcine kidney transplant model
Authors: O’Brien Darragh P. , Thorne Adam M. , Huang Honglei , Pappalardo Elisa , Yao Xuan , Thyrrestrup Peter Søndergaard , Ravlo Kristian , Secher Niels , Norregaard Rikke , Ploeg Rutger J. , Jespersen Bente , Kessler Benedikt M.
Published: February 2022

Background

Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC) has been proposed as a therapeutic intervention to circumvent the ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) that is inherent to organ transplantation. Using a porcine kidney transplant model, we aimed to decipher the subclinical molecular effects of a RIC regime, compared to non-RIC controls.

Methods

Kidney pairs (n = 8 + 8) were extracted from brain dead donor pigs and transplanted in juvenile recipient pigs following a period of cold ischemia. One of the two kidney recipients in each pair was subjected to RIC prior to kidney graft reperfusion, while the other served as non-RIC control. We designed an integrative Omics strategy combining transcriptomics, proteomics, and phosphoproteomics to deduce molecular signatures in kidney tissue that could be attributed to RIC.

Results

In kidney grafts taken out 10 h after transplantation we detected minimal molecular perturbations following RIC compared to non-RIC at the transcriptome level, which was mirrored at the proteome level. In particular, we noted that RIC resulted in suppression of tissue inflammatory profiles. Furthermore, an accumulation of muscle extracellular matrix assembly proteins in kidney tissues was detected at the protein level, which may be in response to muscle tissue damage and/or fibrosis. However, the majority of these protein changes did not reach significance (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our data identifies subtle molecular phenotypes in porcine kidneys following RIC, and this knowledge could potentially aid optimization of remote ischemic conditioning protocols in renal transplantation.