bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of food waste degradation in a simulated septic tank
Authors: Lin Hongjian , Wang Yuchuan , van Lierop Leif , Zamalloa Carlos , Furlong Casey , Keleman Michael , Hu Bo
Published: October 2019

Septic systems are typically designed to treat domestic wastewater from households without access to centralized facilities. The installation of a food waste disposer (FWD) may increase the discharge of food waste (FW) into the wastewater; therefore, the installation of a FWD is discouraged in households that have a septic system. This study was conducted to determine how a typical dose of FW from a FWD can affect the performance of a septic system in terms of sewage treatment and solids accumulation. A 20-L control tank was compared with an experiment tank to which FW was added, increasing the amount of total suspended solids (TSS) by 31.3% and total chemical oxygen demands by 46.3% for a period of 110 days. Although the influent water quality changed dramatically, the effluent from the experiment tank had a substantially lower percentage increase in water quality parameters compared with the effluent from the control. It was found that in the experiment tank, 75.8% of FW TSS was degraded, whereas only 36.7% of sewage TSS was degraded, and that 18.8% of FW TSS and 44.9% of sewage TSS accumulated in the experiment tank. The addition of FW increased the scum accumulation, even though the dry matter of the scum layer was much less in quantity than the sludge layer. It also increased the lipid content in the sludge. The increase in the scum layer was mainly due to the increase in protein from the addition of the FW. Overall, compared with sewage TSS, FW TSS tends to be more biodegradable, which indicates that the impact on pumping frequency from adding FW will be insignificant.
Language Brokering Experience Affects Feelings Toward Bilingualism, Language Knowledge, Use, and Practices: A Qualitative Approach
Authors: López Belem G. , Lezama Esteffania , Heredia Dagoberto
Published: October 2019

Language brokering refers to the global practice whereby children in immigrant communities are called upon by family members to serve as linguistic and cultural intermediaries by translating and interpreting. Past research has examined the effects of brokering on parent-child relationships, mental health, and substance abuse and feelings toward brokering. A lesser-studied area is brokering effects on bilingualism, language maintenance, and cognition. This study examined how brokers perceive their own feelings toward their brokering, bilingualism, language, and problem-solving abilities through a series of semistructured interviews with Latinx college students. Language brokers reported both positive and negative experiences in addition to viewing language brokering as important for maintaining their first language and bilingualism. Language brokers also identified ways in which brokering experience enhanced their problem-solving abilities. These findings extend prior research by suggesting that brokering is an experience, which operates across cultural and linguistic domains. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Why Do Citizens Not Turn Out? The Effect of Election-Specific Knowledge on Turnout in European Elections in Eastern Europe
Authors: Petričević Vanja , Stockemer Daniel
Published: October 2019

Throughout the European Parliament’s nearly forty years of existence, electoral turnout in European parliamentary elections has consistently been lower than electoral turnout in the national elections of the member states. This is particularly the case for the majority of states in Eastern Europe where turnout in European elections has resulted in low electoral participation of eligible voters. Focusing on the 2014 election to the European Parliament, we highlight that low election-specific knowledge contributes to these low participation rates. In more detail, we rely on name recognition of the main candidates of the three main party groups, and show that knowledge of these candidates is more than twice as high in Western Europe as in Eastern Europe. Second, we illustrate that these low knowledge levels in the East also help explain the larger turnout gap between national and European elections in the East.
Sociological Contributions to School Choice Policy and Politics Around the Globe: Introduction to the 2020 PEA Yearbook
Authors: Potterton Amanda U. , Edwards D. Brent , Yoon Ee-Seul , Powers Jeanne M.
Published: October 2019

The introduction to the Yearbook provides an overview of the global context of school choice policies and practices, trends in research and reform, and extant knowledge about research on school choice that draw upon the sociology of education. The article also highlights the contributions of the papers included in the Yearbook. The co-editors explain how the studies engage, complement, and extend existing streams of literature by bringing together a collection of contemporary sociological studies from the United States and other countries that illuminate understudied aspects of school choice reform policies, practices, and politics from across the globe. The Yearbook aims to raise the international profile of sociological research on school choice, and document how school choice policies and programs can be understood through a sociological lens, with a focus on how stakeholders perceive, experience, and respond to these reforms in local settings. This Yearbook also offers directions for future studies.
A comparison of rigid, semi-rigid and flexible spinal stabilization devices: A finite element study
Authors: Biswas Jayanta Kumar , Roy Sandipan , Rana Masud , Halder Subhasish
Published: October 2019

Pedicle-screw-based spinal fixation system has shown its success for treating degenerative disc disease-related back pain and spinal instability. In the last few decades, several non-fusion implants ( ‘flexible’ or ‘dynamic’ fixation) are developed for treating slight degenerate disc disease. The aim of this study is to characterize and compare the biomechanical responses of pedicle-screw-based fusion with various rod materials and a flexible spinal stabilization device on the lumbar spine (L3L5). Computed tomography scan-based finite element model and pedicle screw fixation with rigid rod material stainless steel rod, semi-rigid rod material poly-ether-ether-ketone and flexible rod device made of stainless steel are used in this study. Intact model of the lumbar spine and treated with all the different implants are simulated under typical physiological loading conditions. Compared with the intact model, pedicle screw with the stainless steel rod fixation system is found to offer very less range of motion. Poly-ether-ether-ketone rod system increased range of motion 3.8, 7 and 1.8 times for axial rotation, lateral bending and flexion–extension, respectively, compared to the stainless steel rod system. The flexible rod device rod system is found to reduce stress on vertebral body, carrying out more loads as compared to poly-ether-ether-ketone rods. In the case of stainless steel rods, range of motion is almost restricted on the fusion zone, which is overcome by the poly-ether-ether-ketone rod system to some extent and farther improved by the flexible rod device rod system. So, the poly-ether-ether-ketone rod and flexible rod device rod systems may be implemented for better clinical results after succeeding experimental validation and clinical trial.
Tripping the Black fantastic at a PWI: Or how Afrofuturist exhibitions in an academic library changed everything
Authors: Reed Robyn , Lohnes Julie
Published: October 2019

There is diversity in our stacks and cultural collections. How might an academic library present these differently from a museum or art gallery to create dynamic and inclusive exhibitions? This case study will examine the use of our library’s spaces to showcase its collections and art, which are often more representative of diverse populations than the campus at large, to present a theoretical and practical framework with which other libraries might exhibit their rich resources. As part of our theoretical discussion, we will take up such practical issues as displaying cultural work in a non-museum setting, anticipating possible resistance and cultural challenges, and exploring partnerships between art curators and academic librarians. We also hope to show how such exhibits can forge new relationships with teaching faculty and foster more meaningful interactions with students and community users. Additionally, the Afrofuturist exhibit and art installation presented in this article will show how a library can be purposeful in art and artifact displays that reflect the institutional commitment to inclusion and diversity and support student retention efforts.
Firm innovation and capitalist dialectics: The economics of Nina Shapiro
Authors: Balakrishnan Radhika , Milberg William
Published: October 2019

This essay is a review of and tribute to the life and contributions of Nina Shapiro, who passed away this year. Shapiro was an American Post-Keynesian economist, who was a bridge figure in radical economics, connecting Marx to Keynes, Schumpeter to Kaldor, the behavior of the firm to the dynamics of the macroeconomy, and the process of innovation to the organization of production and accumulation. She was seminal to important moments in the history of radical economics in the US, including the formation of the Hegel-inspired journal Social Concept in the 1980s and the Rutgers University’s Post-Keynesian circle in the 1980s and 1990s. Shapiro’s deeply philosophical and dialectical approach to firm behavior, innovation, and business cycles led her to theorize the “revolutionary character” of Post-Keynesian economics and to formulate a critique of the competitive neoclassical firm which, she argued, is at odds with the logic of capitalism in which firms seek to make profit and grow.
Understanding Opportunities in Social Entrepreneurship: A Critical Realist Abstraction
Authors: Hu Xiaoti , Marlow Susan , Zimmermann Angelika , Martin Lee , Frank Regina
Published: October 2019

This article extends social entrepreneurship (SE) research by drawing upon a critical realist perspective to analyse dynamic structure/agency relations in SE opportunity emergence, illustrated by empirical evidence. Our findings demonstrate an agential aspect (opportunity actualisation following a path-dependent seeding-growing-shaping process) and a structural aspect (institutional, cognitive and embedded structures necessary for SE opportunity emergence) related to SE opportunities. These structures provide three boundary conditions for SE agency: institutional discrimination, an SE belief system and social feasibility. Within this article, we develop a novel theoretical framework to analyse SE opportunities plus, an applicable tool to advance related empirical research.
The Rhyme and Reason for Nursery Rhymes in the Elementary Music Classroom
Authors: May Brittany Nixon
Published: October 2019

Many educators have recognized how nursery rhymes can be used in classrooms to nurture the cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and music development of children. In the elementary music classroom, nursery rhymes can be used to foster a playful and engaging music learning environment, and prompt interdisciplinary learning opportunities. The vast repertoire of nursery rhymes from all over the world enables music educators to be conscientious and creative practitioners.
Cultural Humility: A Way to Reduce LGBTQ Health Disparities at the End of Life
Authors: Sprik Petra , Gentile Danielle
Published: October 2019

Sexual and gender minorities experience disparities throughout the life course. These are especially detrimental at the end-of-life and can include disenfranchised grief, homophobia and transphobia from medical staff, and forced outing. The best healthcare training approach to ameliorate health disparities is debated. Cultural competency trainings for clinicians have been commonly proposed by major medical institutions and certifying bodies to ameliorate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) health disparities. However, cultural competency trainings have limitations, including (1) false competence, (2) measurement issues, and (3) ecological fallacy (i.e., assuming individuals conform to the norms of their cultural group). The purpose of this commentary is to describe the limitations of cultural competency training and argue for healthcare systems to implement cultural humility trainings as a way to reduce LGBTQ health disparities at the end-of-life. The strengths of cultural humility training include focus on (1) individuals instead of their cultural groups, (2) self-reflection, and (3) active listening. While there are challenges to implementing cultural humility trainings in the health-care system, we assert that these trainings align with the aims of healthcare systems and can be an essential tool in reducing LGBTQ health disparities. We suggest practical components of successful cultural humility trainings including leadership buy-in, appropriate outcome measurements, multiple training sessions, and fostering a safe reflection space.
Early Vocabulary in Children With Cochlear Implants: A Comparison Between Three Assessment Methods
Authors: Duchesne Louise , Trudeau Natacha , MacLeod Andrea A. N. , Bergeron François , Thordardottir Elin
Published: October 2019

In children with a hearing loss who receive cochlear implants (CIs) under the age of 2, regular assessments are conducted to monitor auditory and linguistic progress. However, the collection of authentic, representative, and reliable expressive language data on young children with CIs remains a challenge. The purpose of the study was to determine whether data from parental report, language diary, and spontaneous language sample are equally representative of the development of expressive vocabulary over the first 12 months of CI use. Nine French-speaking children and their families participated in the study. We collected data at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-implantation, and we measured parental satisfaction regarding the use of a language diary. All three methods showed a progression in the total number of different words expressed over time and captured grammatical diversity. The findings suggest that when vocabulary size is still small, the diary might provide a more comprehensive picture of development than a vocabulary checklist.
Performing Critical Pedagogy in a Politicized Public Sphere
Authors: Denzin Norman K.
Published: October 2019

Here, I outline a performative approach to the politicized public sphere specifically drawing on Moises Kaufman’s Laramie Project,1 Saldaña’s call for a critical ethnotheatre that engages key moments in a culture’s history, and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed.
Occupational Health Risks and Hazards Among the Fisherfolk in Kampi Samaki, Lake Baringo, Kenya
Authors: Ngaruiya Faith Waithera , Ogendi George Morara , Mokua Millicent A
Published: October 2019

Globally, almost 2.78 million deaths that occur annually are attributed to work-related health risks. Worldwide and, especially, in developing countries, about 20% to 50% of the workers are exposed to health risks. Fishing is an ancient occupation, and like many others, it is characterized by numerous health risks and hazards. This study sought to understand the exposure of fisherfolk to human health risks, through fish handling and processing in Lake Baringo, Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional social survey design. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents for this study. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the respondents to collect data on risks involved during the handling and processing of fish. Key informant interviews and observation checklists were also used to collect more information. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Inferential statistics included Pearson χ2 test, which was used to test the association of various factors on the encounter with occupational health risks. The level of significance was tested at α = 0.05. The study findings reveal the fisherfolk-encountered risks such as cuts, eye irritability, sunburns, skin burn, cold, falls, and musculoskeletal injuries during their work. The results showed that only 12% of the fisherfolk use personal protective equipments (PPEs) at work. Pearson χ2 test analysis showed there was an association between gender and gender roles (χ2 = 39.517, P < .05). In addition, an association was revealed between occupational health risks and gender (χ2 = 16.283, P < .05). There was also an association between occupational hazards and gender (χ2 = 21.352, P < .05). However, there was no association revealed between occupational health risk and marital status (χ2 = 1.305, P > .05) and PPEs (χ2 = 1.089, P > .05). Furthermore, results indicate that 61% of the fisherfolk who suffered from occupational health risks missed work. The study concludes that all the fisherfolk at Kampi Samaki are exposed to various health risks while working, which is thus likely to affect their health. We recommend public health campaigns to sensitize fisherfolk on the associated risks in fish handling and processing. There is also a need for health campaigns for the fisherfolk to appreciate the need for First Aid Kits during the fishing operations.
Setting soft power in motion: towards a dynamic conceptual framework
Authors: Bakalov Ivan
Published: October 2019

The concept of soft power is widely regarded as unfit for academic service. But instead of dismissing it, this article grapples with its unresolved conceptual problems in an attempt to reveal the hidden value of soft power. Arguably, the proposed conceptual revision can prove its merit to International Relations scholars by structuring research around the study of mechanisms and reconciling rationalist and constructivist approaches for the analysis of power. While the revised conceptual framework builds on Nye’s original account and on the achievements of soft-power scholarship, it is the intellectual import from the contentious politics research programme that enables the crucial adjustments setting soft power in motion. The article proposes three conceptual interventions: the first draws a twofold difference-in-kind between soft and hard power, the second develops an understanding that is both relational and diachronic, while the third shifts the focus from an actor-centred to a process-centred analysis. The three interventions coalesce into a common approach to tackle the unresolved problems that takes an agnostic stance towards paradigmatic debates and prioritises inquiries into the mechanisms of interaction between the various forms of power.
Ireland Inc.: The corporatization of affective life in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland
Authors: Negra Diane , McIntyre Anthony P
Published: October 2019

Employing a framework of commercial nationalism, this article analyses how a post-Celtic Tiger Irish government aligned with elite interests has doubled down on its commitment to corporate citizenship. Despite the depredations of this era being directly attributable to the irrational exuberance of the Celtic Tiger period and lapses in financial regulation, Ireland post-2008 is marked by a radical forgetfulness and defined by ‘Shock Doctrine’ regulatory policies that have installed corporatism at the heart of everyday life. Key features of this landscape include ongoing governmental facilitation of tax avoidance by multinational corporations, the hollowing out of public services, the normalization of under-employment and a burgeoning housing crisis. We show here how the popular images and narratives of the period index a shift toward corporate impregnability and a public culture in which individuals absorb greater risk and take up positions of heightened precarity.
An autoethnographic account of urban restructuring and neighborhood change in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley
Authors: Bloch Stefano
Published: October 2019

Suburbs have long been glossed over by critical urbanists for being culturally, even if not spatially, less than urban. In Los Angeles, it is the San Fernando Valley that has received such treatment as scholars have tended toward the metropolitan basin. In this article, I aim to help re-center the San Fernando Valley as a complex and conflictual cultural landscape through an autoethnographic exploration of four moments of urban restructuring in the Panorama City neighborhood. I provide a personal account of how a succession of events – the 1992 LA Riot, 1993 General Motors Plant closure, 1994 Northridge earthquake, and 1996 dismantling of the Aid for Families with Dependent Children welfare program – led to the disruption and partial destruction of a neighborhood. I situate these moments of crisis within the context of a civil gang injunction and outbreak of abject violence during this time period, which further destabilized the neighborhood and informed my own decision to pick up a gun.
Publicly verifiable data transfer and deletion scheme for cloud storage
Authors: Yang Changsong , Tao Xiaoling , Zhao Feng
Published: October 2019

With the rapid development of cloud storage, more and more resource-constraint data owners can employ cloud storage services to reduce the heavy local storage overhead. However, the local data owners lose the direct control over their data, and all the operations over the outsourced data, such as data transfer and deletion, will be executed by the remote cloud server. As a result, the data transfer and deletion have become two security issues because the selfish remote cloud server might not honestly execute these operations for economic benefits. In this article, we design a scheme that aims to make the data transfer and the transferred data deletion operations more transparent and publicly verifiable. Our proposed scheme is based on vector commitment (VC), which is used to deal with the problem of public verification during the data transfer and deletion. More specifically, our new scheme can provide the data owner with the ability to verify the data transfer and deletion results. In addition, by using the advantages of VC, our proposed scheme does not require any trusted third party. Finally, we prove that the proposed scheme not only can reach the expected security goals but also can satisfy the efficiency and practicality.
Physical Activity During Early Childhood: The Importance of Parental Modeling
Authors: Crumbley Christine A. , Ledoux Tracey A. , Johnston Craig A.
Published: October 2019

Increasing physical activity (PA) is a critical issue in improving overall health. Prior attempts by public health campaigns to promote PA through health-focused messaging have faced challenges. As PA and sedentary behaviors are developed during the early childhood period (ages 0 to 5 years), this stage represents a unique opportunity for clinicians to encourage activity at the family level. Clinicians should discuss the holistic benefits of PA, including the development of social skills and relationships, motor skills that could be applicable to sports later in life, and cognitive skills that could translate to academic achievements in school. For PA to occur in children, parents should also be engaged in and model the PA behaviors, increasing the likelihood of young children learning to be physically active.
Hopeless Didacticism: Archival Sources and Spectatorial Address in ‘I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians’
Authors: Popa Diana
Published: October 2019

This paper examines “Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari” / “I Do Not Care if We Go Down in History as Barbarians” (Radu Jude, 2018) (hereafter “Barbarians”), a film that explores the persistence of problematic official narratives about the Romanian participation in Second World War. I argue that this is a narrative film akin to conceptual art, in which formal elements combine with a variety of heterogenous media, such as archival still and moving imagery, to provide ‘evidence’ about the past while also reflecting on historical truth’s fragility to propagandistic manipulation and on the role that media, film included, can play in it. Through close analysis and drawing on recent theorising on the cinematic dispositif, this article examines the ways in which “Barbarians” encourages complex text–viewer relationships and eventually thwarts spectators’ expectation of being presented with a ‘final truth’. It ultimately reveals the inevitable multitude of perspectives about the past, highlighting the risks of failure that any pedagogical attempt to ‘fix memory’ will face.
Preliminary operational aspects of microwave-powered airship drone
Authors: Song Kyo D , Kim Jaehwan , Kim Jung W , Park Yeonjoon , Ely Jay J , Kim Hyun J , Choi Sang H
Published: October 2019

This paper reports the development of an experimental airship drone powered by microwave as a precursor toward a large-scale airship drone for cargo transportation in mind under the collaboration with U.S. Federal Highway Administration and universities. Research work on a 2.2-m long airship drone powered by X-band microwave has provided sufficient data for the design and analysis for the operation of airship drone. A block of 16 rectenna array sheets of X-band was placed on each side of the airship drone (total 32 sheets) to collect and convert microwave power into direct current power for running the electrical propulsion system. The demonstration of the airship drone operation, powered only by microwave, was successfully performed inside the High Intensity Radiation Facility chamber located at NASA Langley Research Center. The data show the feasibility of practical use of microwave power for a transportation airship drone.
Optimization of Meniscus Cell Transduction Using Lentivirus and Adeno-Associated Virus for Gene Editing and Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Arrigoni Paolo , Ruprecht Jacob C. , Chasse Dawn A.D. , Glass Katherine A. , Andress Benjamin , Guilak Farshid , Weinberg J. Brice , McNulty Amy L.
Published: October 2019

Objectives

The utilization of viral vectors to deliver genes of interest directly to meniscus cells and promote long-term modulation of gene expression may prove useful to enhance meniscus repair and regeneration. The objective of this study was to optimize and compare the potential of lentivirus (LV) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver transgenes to meniscus cells in both intact meniscus tissue and isolated primary cells in monolayer.

Design

Porcine meniscus tissue explants and primary meniscus cells in monolayer were transduced with LV or self-complementary AAV2 (scAAV2) encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Following transduction, explants were enzymatically digested to isolate meniscus cells, and monolayer cells were trypsinized. Isolated cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine percent transduction.

Results

LV and scAAV2 showed a high transduction efficiency in monolayer meniscus cells. scAAV2 was most effective at transducing cells within intact meniscus tissue but the efficiency was less than 20%. Outer zone meniscus cells were more readily transduced by both LV and scAAV2 than the inner zone cells. Higher virus titers and higher cell density resulted in improved transduction efficiency. Polybrene was necessary for the highest transduction efficiency with LV, but it reduced scAAV2 transduction.

Conclusions

Both LV and scAAV2 efficiently transduce primary meniscus cells but only scAAV2 can modestly transduce cells embedded in meniscus tissue. This work lays the foundation for viral gene transfer to be utilized to deliver bioactive transgenes or gene editing machinery, which can induce long-term and tunable expression of therapeutic proteins from tissue-engineered constructs for meniscus repair and regeneration.
The Role of Organizational Trust and JOY in Organization’s Strategic Behaviour
Authors: Quttainah Majdi A.
Published: October 2019

The concepts of Organizational Trust (OT) and JOY have changed substantially both denotatively and conceptually over the span of past years. This article reveals the insights, understands and explores the conundrum of OT and JOY. The study involves breaking down the transient sentiment of JOY and traces the impact it shares on OT. We endeavour to break down applicable arbiters and arbitrators that may impact JOY and association trust. It is found that consumers trust less without JOY and buy less without OT. This implies that retailers should put in a constant effort into JOY, which would lead to clear market understanding of their customers demand and taste. Along these lines, the connection among Organization Trust and JOY can be described as commonly affecting a consumer’s feelings and experiences by focusing on the positive and negative events.

The use of a survey method handles the moderating impact of OT on repurchase intentions of customers. Early exists of customers direct an impact on repurchasing adversely.
Jurisdictional Coordination of Integrated HIV Prevention and Patient Care Planning and Implementation
Authors: Watts Graham Fitzgerald , Kelley Deidre , Wilson Matthew Maximillion , Arts Sandy , Mims Joseph
Published: October 2019

Jacksonville, Florida, provides services to persons living with the HIV. A federal call for integrated HIV prevention and treatment was published on June 19, 2015. This study unveils the principles that guided the local response to that call. Service providers have not systematically engaged in strategic planning for system improvement, the absence of which defines the boundaries and properties of the service system. Integration requires a unifying strategy as it draws leaders from their respective silos. Directed leadership, community-based participatory research, and action research provided a science-based framework for integration. Quantitatively, one-third of the planning implementation journey has elapsed, and 46% of the 75 planned activities have either reached fulfillment or are ongoing. Another one-fourth is in progress and slightly more than one-fourth (28%) are pending. Qualitatively, this study recorded 7 system-level changes. Progress to date is a harbinger of future system-level changes.
Return to Sport After Turf Toe Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Vopat Matthew L. , Hassan Maaz , Poppe Tanner , Tarakemeh Armin , Zackula Rosey , Mulcahey Mary K. , Mullen Scott , Burkholder Rick , Schroeppel John Paul , Vopat Bryan G.
Published: October 2019

Background:

The prevalence of turf toe injuries has increased in recent years. However, uncertainty remains as to how to optimally treat turf toe injuries and the implications that the severity of the injury has on outcomes, specifically return to sport (RTS).

Purpose:

To determine RTS based on treatment modality and to provide clinicians with additional information when comparing operative versus nonoperative treatment of turf toe injuries in athletes.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the PubMed/Ovid MEDLINE/PubMed Central databases (May 1964 to August 2018) per PRISMA-IPD (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Individual Participant Data) guidelines. RTS, treatment, severity of injury, athletic position, and sport were recorded and analyzed.

Results:

Of 858 identified studies, 12 met the criteria for the final meta-analysis. The studies included 112 athletes sustaining a total of 121 turf toe injuries; 63 (52.1%) of these injuries were treated surgically, while 58 (47.9%) were treated nonoperatively, and 53.7% were classified by the grade of injury (grade I, n = 1; grade II, n = 9; grade III, n = 55). Overall, 56 (46.3%) injuries could not be classified based on the data provided and were excluded from the final analysis. The median time to RTS for patients treated nonoperatively was 5.85 weeks (range, 3.00-8.70 weeks) compared with 14.70 weeks (range, 6.00-156.43 weeks) for patients treated surgically ( P < .001); however, there was variability in the grade of injury between the 2 groups. Similarly, patients who sustained grade II injuries returned to sport more quickly (8.70 weeks) than patients who had a grade I (13.04 weeks) or grade III injury (16.50 weeks) ( P = .016). The amount of time required to RTS was significantly influenced by the athlete’s level of play (16.50 weeks for both high school and college levels; 14.70 weeks for professional level) ( P = .018).

Conclusion:

The time to RTS for an athlete who suffers from a turf toe injury is significantly influenced by the severity of injury and the athlete’s level of competition. Professional athletes who suffer from turf toe injuries RTS sooner than both high school and college athletes. However, there are a limited number of high-level studies evaluating turf toe injuries in the athletic population. Further research is necessary to clearly define the appropriate treatment and RTS protocols based on sport, position, and level of play.
The Use of Enterprise Social Media and Its Disparate Effects on the Social Connectivity of Globally Dispersed Workers
Authors: Kim Heewon , Pilny Andrew
Published: October 2019

Research has suggested that the use of enterprise social media (ESM) can help employees enhance their social connectivity. Despite the potential benefits, the effects of ESM use can be multifaceted since workers may engage with the tool in varied ways. Drawing on the three metaphors of ESM as a social lubricant, leaky pipe, and echo chamber, this study investigates different patterns of ESM use and their influences on distributed workers’ social networks. The analysis of full network data collected in a global high-tech organization revealed that ESM use for company-wide communication was positively associated with globally dispersed workers’ network size, betweenness, and external connections. By contrast, ESM use for private group communication was negatively linked to their network size and betweenness. The findings indicate that ESM use may lead to disparate social connectivity outcomes, depending on the usage patterns that vary by groups and individuals.
Temporal trends in the accuracy of hospital diagnostic coding for identifying acute stroke: A population-based study
Authors: Li Linxin , Binney Lucy E , Luengo-Fernandez Ramon , Silver Louise E , Rothwell Peter M ,   on behalf of the Oxford Vascular Study
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Administrative hospital diagnostic coding data are increasingly being used in identifying incident and prevalent stroke cases, for outcome audit and for ‘big data’ research. Validity of administrative coding has varied in previous studies, but little is known about the temporal trends of coding accuracy, which could bias analyses.

Patients and methods

Using all incident and recurrent strokes in a population-based cohort (Oxford Vascular Study/OXVASC) with multiple sources of ascertainment as the reference, we determined the temporal trends in sensitivity and positive predictive value of hospital diagnostic codes for identifying acute stroke from 2002 to 2017.

Results

Of 1883 hospitalised strokes, 1341 (71.2%) were correctly identified by coding. Sensitivity of coding improved over time for all strokes (ptrend = 0.005) and for incident cases (ptrend = 0.002). Of 1995 apparent stroke admissions identified by International Classification of Disease-10 stroke codes (I60–I68), 1588 (79.6%) used the stroke-specific codes (I60–I61/I63–I64). Positive predictive value was higher with the use of specific codes (83.2% vs. 69.2% for all codes) and highest if combined with the first admission only (88.5%), particularly during more recent time periods (2014–2017 = 90.3%). Of 2254 OXVASC incident strokes, 833 (37.0%) were not hospitalised. Sensitivity of coding increased over time for non-disabling stroke (ptrend = 0.001), but not for disabling/fatal stroke (ptrend = 0.40).

Conclusions

Although accuracy of hospital diagnostic coding for identifying acute strokes improved over the last 15 years, residual insensitivity supports linkage to other sources in large epidemiological studies. Moreover, differences in the time trends of coding sensitivity in relation to stroke severity might bias studies of trends in stroke outcome if only administrative coding is used.
Tissue Resident Memory Cells
Authors: Kupper Thomas S
Published: October 2019

Tissue resident memory T cells (TRM) are a relatively newly discovered subset of memory T cells. Rather than inhabiting secondary lymphoid tissue, they are lodged in peripheral tissues. While TRM can appear in any tissue, they are most abundant in tissues that abut the environment--skin, lung, gut, oral and vaginal mucosa. They accumulate as a result of T cell mediated inflammatory processes which occur in response to infection or encounter with a non-pathogenic antigen. Strategically, they can respond almost immediately to a subsequent encounter with the antigen for which they are specific, and thus play a critical role in host defense. CD8 TRM specific for pathogenic viruses have been described, as well as CD4 TRM for pathogenic fungi and other microorganisms. While TRM play a role in host defense, inappropriate activation of TRM in response to autoantigen or otherwise innocuous antigen is thought to play a key role in several T cell mediated inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis, spondyloarthritides, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, and asthma. Dislodging pathogenic TRM from tissue has proven difficult or impossible, and thus many of these disorders are relapsing even if successfully treated. Their dependence on cytokines such as IL-15, fatty acid metabolism, and expression of CD69 may represent targets of therapeutic opportunity.

Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Padi4 Regulates NET Formation and Inflammatory Cell Death Downstream of Mlkl
Authors: D'Cruz Akshay A , Speir Mary , Bliss-Moreau Meghan , Dietrich Sylvia , Chen Alyce A , Gavillet Mathilde , Lawlor Kate E , Vince James E , Kelliher Michelle , Hakem Razq , Pasparakis Manolis , Williams David A , Ericsson Maria , Croker Ben A
Published: October 2019

Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation can generate short-term functional anucleate cytoplasts and can trigger loss of cell viability. We examined the role of non-apoptotic cell death signaling in NET formation by studying necroptotic human and mouse neutrophils. Necroptotic cell death signaling was activated by caspase-8 inhibition and pharmacological targeting of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). The specificity of cell death was confirmed using neutrophils from mice deficient in receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (Ripk3), Ripk1 kinase activity (Ripk1D138N/D138N), caspase-8, or the plasma membrane-disrupting effector protein mixed lineage kinase domain-like (Mlkl). NETs were investigated with a combination of imaging and quantitative flow cytometry, immunogold electron microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, and ex vivo microbicidal assays to demonstrate functionality of NETs.

In response to necroptotic stimuli, Mlkl translocates to the plasma membrane in neutrophils, and is required for downstream NADPH oxidase-independent reactive oxygen species production, loss of cytoplasmic granules, breakdown of the nuclear membrane, chromatin decondensation, histone hypercitrullination, and extrusion of bacteriostatic NETs. Neutrophils expressing a kinase-dead form of Ripk1 (Ripk1D138N/D138N) were unable to generate Ripk3/Mlkl-dependent NETs, or to undergo necroptosis or caspase-8-dependent apoptosis. NET formation that is triggered by necroptotic stimuli is dependent on TNF production, can be differentially modulated by the actions of G-CSF and IFNγ, and occurs concomitantly with the production, processing and release of IL-1α/β. Human necroptotic neutrophils also release NETs that kill S.aureus. Necroptotic NETs contain components of canonical NETs including dsDNA, hypercitrullinated histones, and neutrophil elastase, but also non-canonical components including Mlkl and membranes.

Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (Padi4) is required for extrusion of necroptotic NETs but not for chromatin decondensation. Padi4-deficient neutrophils are hypersensitive to necroptotic stimuli despite normal levels of phosphorylated Mlkl, indicating that Padi4 acts downstream of Mlkl activation. The failure of Padi4-deficient neutrophils to generate necroptotic NETs in the presence of membrane-associated Mlkl, suggests that the removal of Mlkl membrane-disrupting complexes by NETs can facilitate membrane repair and control the kinetics of neutrophil necroptosis. This work defines a distinct cell death signaling network downstream of Mlkl that promotes Padi4-dependent necroptotic NET release.

Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
First Report of α-Thalassemia Genotypes from Transcaucasia
Authors: Aliyeva Gunay , Asadov Chingiz , Mammadova Tahira , Mammadbayov Zaur , Abdulalimov Eldar , Gafarova Surmaya
Published: October 2019

Background: Transcaucasia is a geographical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia including territories of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. The region has long been known for high incidence of thalassemia and previous studies reported the highest prevalence of β-thalassemia in Azerbaijan (AZE - 4-5%, GEO - 3%, ARM - 2%) and an overlapping mutation spectrum within the region. Nevertheless, the characteristic genotypes and mutation spectrum of less recognised α-thalassemia have not been reported by far. In this multicentre cross-sectional study, we analysed the genotypes of α-thalassemia patients from Azerbaijan as representative of the region.

Methods: 45 patients diagnosed with HbH disease, β-thalassemia major with milder clinical manifestations or any other clinical condition with possible inheritance of α-thalassemia mutations were included in the study. Clinically significant deletions as well as point mutations located on the HBA1 and HBA2 genes were identified via reverse dot blot hybridization method.

Results: From total 8 identified mutations, 20.5 kb (45.3%) and 3.7 kb (31.4%) deletions were the most prevalent. Accordingly, -α3.7 /-(α)20.5 genotype was identified in more than half of the patients with HbH disease (N=23). The most common point mutations were α2 Poly A-2 (HBA2:c.*96G>A) - 7.0%, α2 codon 142 [T>C] (HBA2:c.427T>C) - 4.7%, and α2 IVS-I 5nt del (HBA2: c.95+2_95+6delTGAGG) - 4.7%.

Conclusion: Deletions with less severe clinical presentation comparing to point mutations accounted for the majority of the spectrum. The milder phenotype might be the reason why this disease has been undermined in the region by β-thalassemia. The spectrum of mutations were similar of the populations of neighbouring high incidence territories such as Iran and Turkey.

Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Correlation of Direct Antiglobulin Test Strength in Umbilical Cord Blood and Hyperbilirubinemia in ABO Incompatible Neonates with Two Methods
Authors: FEI FEI , Marques Marisa B. , Staley Elizabeth M. , Williams Lawrence A.
Published: October 2019

Introduction: The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) detects the presence of IgG and/or C3 on the red blood cell (RBC) membrane and is used to diagnose autoimmune hemolytic anemias as well as hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). A positive DAT in a neonate occurs when maternal IgG crosses the placenta and binds to fetal RBCs, which may lead to hemolysis and clinical manifestations of HDFN such as hyperbilirubinemia. Historically, DATs in umbilical cord blood samples were performed manually. We have recently switched to using the Ortho Vision Analyzer (gel technology) for this purpose in our institution, and noticed a trend toward stronger positive reactions. The purpose of this study was to compare the DAT results obtained with the conventional tube method and the gel method, and their association with hyperbilirubinemia and/or the need for phototherapy in the neonates tested.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all cord DAT results of infants born between January 2016 and June 2018. We included all tests of neonates of blood group A or B born to blood group O mothers who had a positive DAT and performed a retrospective chart review to collect the following data: DAT strength, gestational age, birth weight, hematocrit, blood type, initial and peak serum total bilirubin levels, use of phototherapy, antibody screening results, and transfusion history. Neonates whose mothers had a positive antibody screen were excluded from the analysis.

Results: During the study-period, 100 ABO-incompatible neonates with a positive DAT were tested by the tube and gel methods (50 with each methodology) and met our inclusion criteria. Their demographic information and laboratory results, including the strength of the positive DAT are in Table 1. There was a clear trend toward stronger DAT results since the gel methodology was introduced; the most common result in the Ortho Vision Analyzer was 1+ positive (52%), and 40% of neonates had a 2+ positive result. The latter was only seen in 2% with the tube method. Furthermore, although there were no significant differences in any demographic or laboratory parameters between the two groups of neonates, an increased percentage of those tested with the new methodology (23/50 or 46%) received phototherapy compared with 14/50 (28%) of those tested manually (Figure 1).

Conclusions: We found that the Ortho Vision Analyzer produced stronger DAT results compared to the tube method without evidence of increased hemolysis. It is essential that Transfusion Medicine physicians communicate the change in methodology to neonatologists to make them aware of the reason for the stronger DAT results in order to avoid unnecessary phototherapy.

Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.