bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aesthetic Work as Cultural Competence: Chasing Beauty in the Coproduction of Aesthetic Services
Authors: Vlahos Aphrodite , Hartman Anna E. , Ozanne Julie L.
Published: December 2021

Prior research stresses the importance of consumer participation in service coproduction. We examine the coproduction of aesthetic services, which are services in which beauty is a critical outcome. Consumers face challenges communicating their aesthetic tastes because of technical constraints that are understood by service providers but that consumers do not fully understand. To fill this gap, consumers do aesthetic work in communities of practice. Service providers also face challenges, as they must coproduce with consumers whose aesthetic tastes are formed amid shifting social standards. In this qualitative study, we highlight aesthetic work as a different type of consumer work that involves developing cultural competence. We identify four types of aesthetic coproduction in which cultural competence is distributed differently within the service dyad: aesthetic codesigning, aesthetic consenting, aesthetic yielding, and aesthetic reigning. We explore the managerial implications that arise as consumers increasingly use online social resources that shape and increase aesthetic expectations. We examine the unintended consequences of aesthetic service coproduction in which providers’ technical and aesthetic expertise is difficult for consumers to understand often leading to disappointing outcomes.
Biological Functions and Activities of Rice Bran as a Functional Ingredient: A Review
Authors: Sapwarobol Suwimol , Saphyakhajorn Weeraya , Astina Junaida
Published: December 2021

Rice bran (RB) is a nutrient-rich by-product of the rice milling process. It consists of pericarp, seed coat, nucellus, and aleurone layer. RB is a rich source of a protein, fat, dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (mainly oryzanols and tocopherols), and is currently mostly used as animal feed. Various studies have revealed the beneficial health effects of RB, which result from its functional components including dietary fiber, rice bran protein, and gamma-oryzanol. The health effects of RB including antidiabetic, lipid-lowering, hypotensive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, while its consumption also improves bowel function. These health benefits have drawn increasing attention to RB in food applications and as a nutraceutical product to mitigate metabolic risk factors in humans. This review therefore focuses on RB and its health benefits.
The Spanish HbbTV service LOVEStv: When technology facilitates new strategies for survival
Authors: Bonet Montse , Guimerà Josep Àngel , Casado Miguel Ángel
Published: December 2021

Behind the acronym of various technologies, media business strategies seek to survive the force of new entrants. From the perspective of the social construction of technology, the aim of this article is to analyze, in the context of an internationally growing trend of alliances, the cooperation between the Spanish public corporation, RTVE, and the two main private groups, Atresmedia and Mediaset, in the form of the HbbTV offer, LOVEStv. The idea behind LOVEStv is not only to protect traditional television from the incursion of other companies which distribute audiovisual content but also to offer functionalities previously unavailable in linear television. HbbTV is being used to bring “old” television even closer to the Internet environment for this ongoing process to be progressive and non-disruptive. In addition to the documentary analysis, the present study includes statements from the main strategic leaders of both RTVE and the private groups, the HbbTV Association, and the technological partner.
Psychological distress and resilience in a multicentre sample of adolescents and young adults with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jacobson Clare , Miller Nicola , Mulholland Rebecca , Baker Laura , Glazer Daniel , Betts Emily , Brown Louise , Elders Vera , Carr Robert , Ogundiran Olufunmilola , Hudson Lee D
Published: December 2021

Understanding impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with cancer is important to inform care. Online survey of 16–24 year olds receiving cancer treatment at eight cancer centres in the UK. We measured: self-perceived increased anxiety since COVID-19, impact of COVID-19 on treatment, life and relationships, PHQ-8, GAD and the two-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). 112 AYA participated. 59.8% had previous mental health difficulties. 78.6% reported COVID-19 having a significant impact on life. 79% reported experiencing increased anxiety since COVID-19.43.4% had moderate-severe PHQ-8 scores and 37.1% GADS-7 scores. Impact on life was associated with moderate-severe PHQ-8 scores (OR 5.23, 95% CI 1.65–16.56, p < 0.01), impact on relationships with moderate-severe GADS-7 and PHQ-8 score (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.11–7.54, p = 0,03; OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.32–15.17, p < 0.01; OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.11–5.25, p =0.03). Greater resilience was associated with lower mod-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 scores (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.41–0.81, p < 0.01; OR 0.55 95% CI 0.4–0.72, p < 0.01; OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.38–0.69, p < 0.01). We found high levels of psychological distress. Perceived impact of COVID-19 on relationships and life was predictive of poorer mental health, with resilience a protective factor.
Physical and psychological correlates of self and body compassion in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Van Niekerk Leesa M , Bromfield Holly , Matthewson Mandy
Published: December 2021

This international cross-sectional study examined the level and potential correlates of self and body compassion in women ( n = 227) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Participants completed an online survey examining quality of life, psychological health, body image and self and body compassion. Low levels of self and body compassion were found, with depression and body image concern identified as negative correlates of self and body compassion. Physical health was identified as a positive correlate of body compassion. The findings identify the important relationship between body image, psychological health and self and body compassion in women with PCOS.
Who gets coached? A qualitative inquiry into community clinicians’ decisions to use caregiver coaching
Authors: Tomczuk Liza , Stewart Rebecca E , Beidas Rinad S , Mandell David S , Pellecchia Melanie
Published: December 2021

Clinicians’ beliefs about an intervention’s fit with an individual family influence whether they use it with that family. The factors that influence clinicians’ decisions to implement evidence-based practices for young autistic children have yet to be evaluated systematically. These factors may partially account for the significant disparities in quality of and access to early intervention. We examined disparities in clinicians’ reported use of caregiver coaching, an evidence-based practice, with families from minoritized or structurally marginalized groups, and the perceived reasons for those disparities, to assess the factors that influence clinicians’ use of caregiver coaching. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 early intervention clinicians from publicly funded early intervention agencies in two distinct geographic regions in the United States. Clinicians identified social and structural factors, including perceived family characteristics and stigma, that influenced their beliefs about the fit of coaching with families from minoritized or structurally marginalized groups. These findings point to the presence of beliefs that likely exacerbate disparities in access to evidence-based practices and reduce the quality of care for minoritized families of young autistic children. These findings highlight the need to develop and deploy equity-focused implementation strategies to improve both access to and quality of evidence-based practices for young autistic children from minoritized groups.

Lay abstract

Providers’ beliefs about an intervention’s fit with a family can affect whether or not they use that intervention with a family. The factors that affect providers’ decisions to use evidence-based practices for young autistic children have not been studied. These factors may play a role in the major differences we see in the quality of and access to early intervention services in the community. We looked at differences in providers’ use of caregiver coaching, an evidence-based practice, with families from minority or vulnerable backgrounds, and the possible reasons for those differences. We did this to figure out what factors affect providers’ use of caregiver coaching. We interviewed 36 early intervention providers from early intervention agencies in two different parts of the United States. Providers pointed out things like what they thought about a family’s circumstances that affected their beliefs about how well coaching fits with minority and vulnerable families. Our findings bring attention to these beliefs that likely make accessing evidence-based practices for minority and vulnerable families harder and lessen the quality of care for these families of young autistic children. These findings highlight the need to come up with and use strategies to improve both access to and the quality of evidence-based practices for young autistic children from minority and vulnerable groups.
African multilingualism viewed from another angle: Challenging the Casamance exception
Authors: Sagna Serge , Hantgan Abbie
Published: December 2021

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:

The former region of southern Senegal, the Casamance, has been portrayed throughout the literature on African multilingualism in a singular light, for example, as an area where monolingualism does not exist. The purpose of this article is to stress the previously unacknowledged importance of monolingual settings and practices by discussing data that have yet to be presented in the literature.

Design/Methodology/Approach:

We investigate rural multilingualism and monolingualism across the Casamance by carrying out the following four studies: (a) we conduct a survey of 62 villages with a questionnaire and our newly created ‘blindfold test’, classifying them into two main types; (b) with 34 women we study the role of exogamy in multilingual language acquisition in one of the villages; (c) we analyse child language production data and child directed speech to examine the existence of monolingual language acquisition; (d) we examine the sociolinguistic profiles of 101 speakers of one language community to investigate intergenerational multilingualism.

Data and Analysis:

Data were analysed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequency counts. Additionally, we couch our results on multilingualism in the theory of canonical typology.

Findings/Conclusions:

We propose a distinction between multilingual settings, e.g. communities where speakers are most likely to accommodate, and who live among villages largely located on national roads and around cities, and monolingual settings, which constitute most of the villages of the Casamance and where language acquisition is monolingual and where migration, rather than exogamy, accounts for the development of individual multilingualism.

Originality:

This article contributes unprecedented research methodology for the study of complex multilingual situations such as those found in African multilingual contexts.

Significance/Implications:

Our study adds to the growing understanding of small-scale multilingualism and the emergence of multilingualism in monolingual contexts.
Surviving cell-sharing: Resistance, cooperation and collaboration
Authors: Muirhead Aimee , Butler Michelle , Davidson Gavin
Published: December 2021

For decades, researchers have sought to understand the impact of imprisonment; yet we have a limited understanding of the lived experience of cell-sharing. To address this gap in knowledge, this paper draws on 37 semi-structured interviews with imprisoned adult men in Northern Ireland. While demonstrating that, for most, cell-sharing was a negative experience, imbued with discomfort, unease and distress, a new conceptual framework is presented that seeks to understand the tactics people use to manage cell-sharing, influences on their choice of tactics and the potential repercussions of these tactics. Potential implications for policy and practice are also discussed.
Ethical infrastructure: Halal and the ecology of askesis in Muslim Russia
Authors: Benussi Matteo
Published: December 2021

This article explores the ecology of late-modern askesis through the concept of ‘ethical infrastructure’: the array of goods, locales, technologies, procedures, and sundry pieces of equipment upon which the possibility of ethicists’ striving is premised. By looking at the ethnographic case of halal living among Muslim pietists in post-Soviet Tatarstan (Russia), I advance a framework that highlights the ‘profane’, often unassuming or religiously unmarked, yet essential material scaffolding constituting the ‘material conditions of possibility’ for pious life in the lifeworld of late modernity. Halalness is conceptualised not as an inherent quality of a clearly defined set of things, but as a (sometimes complicated) relationship between humans, ethical intentionality, and infrastructurally organised habitats. Pointing beyond the case of halal, this article syncretises theories of self-cultivation, material religion, ethical consumption, and infrastructure to address current lacunas and explore fresh theoretical and methodological ground. This ‘ethical infrastructure’ framework enables us to conceptualise the embeddedness of contemporary ethicists in complex environments and the process by which processes of inner self-fashioning change and are changed by material worlds.
Theorizing the affective regime of “best practice” in education policy
Authors: Zembylas Michalinos
Published: December 2021

This paper theorizes the affective and moral grounding of “best practice” policymaking, particularly how best practice operates as an affective regime that encourages certain affective norms. To illustrate this, the author takes up the example of best practices promoted by the CoE’s Digital Citizenship Education Handbook for the acquisition of digital citizenship competences. It is shown that the distribution of best practices creates a set of affective conditions—especially through cultivating certain affective skills/competences and ethics/morals—that govern the ways in/though which best practices ought to be appropriately materialized. The paper discusses two implications of this analysis for education policymaking and policymakers. The first implication suggests that there needs to be work informing policymakers how affect works to create regimes of best practice; the second implication emphasizes the importance of working with policymakers to explore how they could challenge affective regimes of best practice.
Victimization experience does matter: Testing the effect of different types of victimization on fear of crime among adolescents
Authors: Podaná Zuzana , Krulichová Eva
Published: December 2021

The aim of the present study is to thoroughly examine the relationship between adolescent fear of crime and a wide variety of offences which commonly affect children. The analysed data comes from the Urban Youth Victimization Survey conducted among 9th grade students in the Czech Republic. The results unequivocally demonstrate that victimization experience, when measured properly, substantially affects adolescent fear of crime. All analysed types of victimization are associated with fear of crime, though the strongest effects were found for cyber-victimization and bullying rather than conventional violent and property crimes. Furthermore, a poly-victimization scale was revealed to be a highly effective tool for capturing overall victimization by using a single summary measure.
Moral distress among nurses in caring COVID-19 patients
Authors: Arafat Rosyidah , Tahir Takdir , Harisa Akbar
Published: December 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses experienced tremendous dilemmas including the need to perform their duties in caring for patients while they have concerns about contracting the disease. This study described the moral distress of nurses in-charge of handling COVID-19 patients which can be used as baseline data for intervention programs in overcoming moral distress among nurses. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with nurses in-charge of handling COVID-19 treatment rooms. Before conducting the survey, ethical approval was obtained from the Medical Faculty of Universitas Hasanuddin. Questionnaires on moral distress for clinical nurses and the demographic data questionnaire were distributed to 128 respondents. These nurses experienced relatively low levels of moral distress despite the fact that they were generally exposed to morally stressful situations. Education background appeared as a factor influencing this condition, in which higher moral distress was mostly experienced by nurses with undergraduate education.
Plasma Total Ascorbic Acid and Serum 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin-D Status in Patients with Venous Leg Ulcers: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Agius Charlton , Micallef Daniel , Brincat Ian , Buhagiar Gerald , Gruppetta Mark , Cassar Kevin , Boffa Michael J.
Published: December 2021

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) pose a significant burden on patients, health care systems, and national economies. Nutritional health is an important determinant of wound healing. Vitamin C and D levels and additional biochemical markers, C-reactive protein, and albumin in a group of patients with VLUs, were compared with a control group without VLUs. No significant difference in either nutrient marker was found with the presence, size, or duration of VLUs. Obesity was significantly more common in the VLU group, as noted in other studies. Additional controlled studies should be performed with measures of VLU size and duration to assess long-term outcomes with nutritional therapy.
Managing Diabetic Foot Complications During COVID-19 Lockdown in India: A Survey
Authors: Nachimuthu Sukanya , Ahmed Khan Balkhiwala , Viswanathan Vijay
Published: December 2021

To understand the management of diabetic foot complications by the Diabetic Foot Research India (DFRI) members during the lockdown period. An online survey link was created in “Survey Monkey", and the link was sent to all the members of Diabetic Foot Research India (DFRI) who are staying in different parts of India and data were collected from May 2020 to June 2020. The survey included questions on the type of consultation they provided to their patients, management of a patient with an active foot ulcer, and the various difficulties encountered by the doctors during the lockdown. A total of 33 diabetologists from all over the country participated in this survey. Among them, 26 doctors had attended to active diabetic foot infection at the time of the online survey. Almost three fourth of the (n = 24; 72.7%) doctors recorded difficulties during the inpatient consultations. Difficulty in regular follow-ups, the facility's workforce shortage was reported to be a significant concern. In managing active foot ulcer cases, 15 doctors (45.5%) opted for in-person consultation in their hospital as they felt the infection cannot be handled over a tele-consultation. Amputation was not performed by 78.7% of doctors, 15% (n = 5) of the doctors performed less than five amputations, and 6% (n = 2) of the doctors performed more than five amputations during the lockdown period. In the case of SMBG (Self-monitoring blood glucose) values, the regularity of patients reporting the values varied significantly. Only 8 (24.2%) doctors reported that 75% of their patients regularly shared their SMBG values while all the others mentioned that their patients were not performing SMBG regularly. Most of the physicians were able to manage the diabetic foot complications by tele-consultation during the lockdown and only a few asked the patients to get hospitalized for surgical intervention. All doctors should recommend SMBG to continuously monitor patients’ blood glucose levels and prevent complications of hyperglycemia, particularly during pandemic situations.
Basic Characteristics, Status, and Challenges of Integrative Oncology in China
Authors: Yang Geliang , Zhang Huiqing , Xu Yun , Zhao Aiguang , Shu Peng , Wang Wei , Zhang Haibo , Wang Tingting , Yang Yufei
Published: December 2021

Integrative oncology has developed for about 20 years in some countries; however, integrative oncology is still a relative new term for most China’s oncologists. Thus, it is essential to summarize the experience and expertise, share details of differing existing models and discuss future perspectives to help define and guide practice in integrative oncology in China. This study presents a summary of the basic characteristics, status, and challenges of integrative oncology in China, and also reports on China’s integrative physicians’ service delivery, clinical practice and research patterns of integrative oncology by an online national survey, including 405 oncologists. It is easy for cancer patients to access to integrative therapies in China. Public funding is sufficient for integrative oncology in China, and services are often provided through general hospitals and academic hospitals. Most (95.3%) of oncologists showed a positive attitude toward the development of integrative oncology. More than half (55.6%) of the oncologists worried about the influence on integrative oncology of COVID-19, especially for routine treatment, follow-up and holding seminars. We found that integrative oncology in China has swiftly developed in recent years. However, we suggest that standard diagnosis and treatment patterns and national professional guidelines should be set up as soon as possible.
Stay Humble and Fly High: The Roles of Subordinate Voice and Competitive Work Context in the Linkage Between Leader Humility and Career Success
Authors: Wang Danni , Ou Amy Yi , Song Lynda Jiwen
Published: December 2021

This study examines the relationship between leaders’ humility and their career success. We propose that humble leaders are more likely to occupy central positions in their subordinate teams’ voice networks where they improve their own performance and gain favorable reward recommendations. We also argue that in seemingly disadvantageous competitive work contexts, humble leaders become more central in the team voice network and increase their career prospects. We found support for these hypotheses in a multisource field study of 116 supervisors, 461 subordinates, and 34 shop managers from a Chinese company and in a vignette-based experiment with 233 working adults. Theoretical and practical implications for career success, leader humility, and voice literature are discussed.
Perceptions of HIV Research Participation Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who Have Sex with Men and Transgender and Nonbinary Adults: Results From a Midwest Pride Event
Authors: Kaniuka Andrea R. , Zarwell Meagan , Cramer Robert J. , Quinn Katherine , Broaddus Michelle , Patton Alexandra , Walsh Jennifer L.
Published: December 2021

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to disproportionately affect gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) and transgender and nonbinary (trans/NB) individuals. This study investigated attitudes toward participation in HIV survey research, guided by Emanuel's framework for ethical clinical research (e.g., risk–benefit ratio, fair participant selection, respect for participants, social value, and collaborative partnership). GBM ( n = 294) and trans/NB ( n = 86) persons recruited at a Pride event in Milwaukee completed a survey assessing risks and benefits of participation in, and comfort responding to, sexual health surveys. Participants reported few ethical concerns (e.g., privacy and confidentiality), with notable differences by race, sexual orientation and gender identity, and prior research experiences. Implications for HIV research with GBM and trans/NB individuals are discussed.
Study on antibacterial and copper ion removal of chitosan fiber/acetate fiber and yarn for water purification
Authors: Zhang Yating , Zhang Shujie , Fu Lisong , Jing Mengke
Published: December 2021

Use chitosan (CS) fiber and cellulose acetate (CA) fiber with different mixing ratios as raw materials, the kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of the adsorption process of chitosan fiber/cellulose acetate fiber (CS/CA) ratio of 90:10 are explored, and the adsorption process conforms to the quasi-second-order kinetic equation. It can be fitted by Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption process is a spontaneous thermal reaction with both physical adsorption and chemical adsorption. The best adsorption time is 30 min, the time to reach adsorption equilibrium is 180 min, and the best adsorption pH is 5, the most suitable temperature is 35°C, and rising the temperature is conducive to the fibers adsorption. The materials before and after the CS/CA blended yarn adsorbed copper ions were characterized by XRD, DSC, FT-IR, and the adsorption mechanism was analyzed. In the orthogonal experiment, the copper ions concentration has the most obvious effect on the adsorption capacity, and the temperature has the most obvious effect on the adsorption efficiency. The optimal adsorption combination is that the mixing ratio of chitosan fiber/cellulose acetate (CS/CA) is 80:20, the pH is 5, the temperature is 35°C, and the copper ion concentration is 100 mg L−1. Comparing the adsorption performance of fibers with different mixing ratios, the adsorption performance of CS/CA ratio of 90:10 is the best. The filtration efficiency of the filter material, made of fibers with different mixing ratios, to copper ions is tested, and the filtration performance with a mixing ratio of 90:10 is the best, and the filtration efficiency is 64.33%.
The segmentation of the vertebral artery: An ambiguous anatomical concept
Authors: Gailloud Philippe
Published: December 2021

The course of the vertebral artery from its subclavian artery origin up to its termination at the vertebrobasilar junction is divided into four segments (V1–V4). This segmentation, based on schemes that have evolved since the late nineteenth century, should be a consistent and reproducible anatomical concept. However, the current literature offers conflicting definitions of that scheme, not infrequently within a single article or monograph. The principal inconsistency found in modern publications concerns the termination of the V2 segment, which is either set at the C2 or C1 transverse foramen depending on the scheme considered. Consequently, the portion of the vertebral artery extending between C2 and C1—a frequent site of pathological involvement—either belongs to the V2 or V3 segment. This discrepancy can affect the validity of studies evaluating the diagnosis and management of vertebral artery disorders. A V3 segment extending from the transverse foramen of C2 to the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane and subdivided into vertical, horizontal, and oblique subsegments—a pattern suggested by Barbieri in 1867 and adopted in some modern publications—would provide a simple, precise, and reliable solution without significantly altering the widely accepted division of the vertebral artery into four segments (V1–V4).
A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach for the Design of a Qualitative Methodology in Science Educational Research
Authors: Grimalt-Álvaro Carme , Ametller Jaume
Published: December 2021

Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was conceived and has been developed as an interventionist proposal and mostly as an analytical tool. The aim of this paper is to explore the connections between ontological and epistemological considerations underpinning CHAT and concrete research methodological decisions. We discuss how considerations of the philosophical basis of CHAT and more recent developments in philosophy can offer specific guidance to methodological decisions by exploring an example of research about using technology to teach in secondary science education. The explicit definition of the ontological character of activity, the status of the concept of transformation, or considering points of entry as an epistemological device suggest a possible logic to define data-gathering methods which could be generalised to other areas of CHAT research. We also discuss complementary frameworks, in particular the concept of identity, to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of the activity.
Distributed variable stiffness joint assist mechanism based on laminated structure
Authors: Fan Zhenquan , Wang Xiaoyu , Wang Zijin , Gao Sijia , Lin Sheng
Published: December 2021

Exoskeleton technology is more and more widely used in military, human rehabilitation, and other fields, but exoskeleton assisting mechanisms have problems such as high quality, concentrated driving sources, and poor flexibility. This article proposes a distributed variable stiffness joint power-assisted mechanism based on a laminated structure, which uses a giant magnetostrictive material as the driving source and the variable stiffness source of the structure. The distributed driving is realized by multiple driving units connected in series and parallel. Firstly, the drive unit stiffness matrix is deduced, and the expression equations of the cascaded total stiffness matrix of the drive module are obtained. After the simulation study, the curve of the stiffness of a single drive unit with a magnetic field and the stiffness of multiple drive units connected in series and parallel are in the absence of the magnetic field. The change curve of the stiffness of the booster module with the number of drive units under the excitation and saturation magnetic field excitation conditions is to achieve the effect of dynamically controlling the structural stiffness of the drive unit by controlling the size of the magnetic field and to obtain a general formula through data fitting. The number of drive units required under a fixed magnetic field excitation can ensure that the error is within 5%. The research results lay the foundation for further analysis of the distributed variable stiffness joint assist technology.
How do situational variables, related to shooting, in elite Gaelic football impact shot success?
Authors: McGuigan Kevin , Collins Kieran , McDaid Kevin
Published: December 2021

Analysis of 3926 shots from the 2019 Senior inter-county football championship aims to establish the impact of distance, angle, shot type, method and pressure on shot success. Findings demonstrate that shots from free kicks contribute 20.5% of the total attempts in Gaelic football, with a success rate of 75%, in contrast to 50% success of shots from open play. Moreover, the range from which free kick success is >57.6% accuracy extends to 40 m, while from open play this is passed at a range of 28 m. There were almost twice as many right foot shots (64.4%) compared with the left foot (32.4%), with right foot attempts marginally more accurate. Shots under low pressure were most successful, while those under medium pressure were less successful than those under high pressure, albeit taken from an average distance of 7.5 m closer to the target. A logistic regression model to explore the impact of all variables on shot outcome demonstrates the significance of shot distance, angle and pressure on the kicker, as well as whether shots are taken with the hand or foot. This research provides an important step in understanding the scale of the impact of a range of variables on shot success in Gaelic football while simultaneously providing an initial model to predict the shot outcome based on these variables.
Sensitivity of cycling Motion Performance Indicators (MPIs) to incremented load and their relationship with performance in professional cyclists
Authors: Courel-Ibáñez Javier , Mateo-March Manuel , Moreno-Pérez Víctor , Bini Rodrigo
Published: December 2021

There is a lack of research assessing Motion Performance Indicators (MPIs), which have been recently made commercially available. Therefore, this study explored: (1) the influence of incremented exercise on MPIs and; (2) the relationships between MPIs and cycling performance at different intensities during a graded exercise test (GXT) in professional cyclists. Thirty-six professional cyclists performed GXT until exhaustion with their own bikes attached to a cycle ergometer. MPIs were collected using a real-time motion capture system based on inertial measurement units at 100 Hz of sample rate. Data were extracted from intensities of the GXT when lactate thresholds (LT1, LT2) and peak power (POpeak) were determined. Results showed that only Pelvic Angle ( p < 0.01, d > 1.15) and Pelvic Rotation ( p < 0.01, d > 1.37) were sensitive to increases in exercise intensity (i.e. greater inclination and increased rotation at greater power). Multivariate liner regression analyses showed that a reduced range of movement (ROM) for the upper legs at sub-maximum intensities (LT1 and LT2) was associated with greater power production ( r2 > 0.21), whilst a reduced ROM for the right foot was associated with greater POpeak ( r2 = 0.20). In conclusion, changes in movement patterns were limited to a greater inclination and rotation of the pelvis at maximum power without changes in other MPIs throughout the GXT. Cyclists who produced greater power presented less ROM for their upper legs at LT1 and LT2 whilst at POpeak and greater power production was moderately associated with less ROM for the right foot. Coaches may be able to use MPI to analyze for excess ROM, particularly at higher exercise intensities, as this seems to increase inefficiencies and limit power production.
Imaging findings of vinyl dimethyl polydimethylsiloxane used as a paraurethral injectable for female stress urinary incontinence
Authors: de Vries Allert M. , Casteleijn Fenne M. , Roovers Jan-Paul W.R. , Heesakkers John P.F.A. , Fütterer Jurgen J.
Published: December 2021

Objectives:

Vinyl dimethyl polydimethylsiloxane (VDPDMS) is a urethral bulking agent used for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI), that is clearly visible on computed tomography (CT). Clinical effects are promising, but it remains difficult to identify factors predicting clinical success. Clinical outcome might depend on the shape and position of the implants after injection. Objective of this study is to analyze the appearance and position of bulk material on CT scans and to see whether it is delivered the intended circumferential and mid-urethral position.

Methods:

A single-center retrospective study was performed in 20 women, treated with VDPDMS for SUI. A senior radiologist analyzed all CTs, using an assessment scheme. This scheme describes whether the bulk is scattered, mid-urethral, and/or circumferentially distributed. The imaging findings were subsequently correlated to the patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I) and the percentage of subjective improvement experienced 6 weeks post-operatively.

Results:

The patient’s mean age was 61 years, and they underwent median 2.0 previous surgical treatments for SUI. Three patients reported no improvement, 9 patients had 20–90% improvement and 8 reported >90% improvement of their SUI. In 17/74 (24%) positions, the implant was scattered rather than spherical. In 9/20 (45%), the implants were not located in the intended mid-urethral position. In 8/20 patients (40%), the material was distributed circumferentially.

Conclusion:

This is the first study describing the position and shape of VDPDMS in patients after treatment. The appearance and position of the implants appears to be variable, but optimal positioning or shape seems to be no absolute requisite for success.
Paroxysmal Hypothermia With Prominent Parkinsonian Features After Suprachiasmatic Tumor Resection
Authors: Erlich-Malona Natalie , Bartolini Luca , D’Abreu Anelyssa , Roth Julie
Published: December 2021

Paroxysmal hypothermia (PH) is a rare syndrome of stereotyped episodes of hypothermia, bradycardia, and altered mental status occurring in patients with hypothalamic lesions. Prior cases have mentioned bradykinesia, ataxia, and dysarthria, but parkinsonism has not been described as a specific feature of PH. We report two patients, an adult and a child, who developed PH after suprachiasmatic tumor resection, both with clinical presentations notable for prominent parkinsonian features despite no evidence of parkinsonism during the intervening months and years. We propose a diagnostic algorithm and scoring tool to aid in the clinical diagnosis of PH presenting as parkinsonism.
‘Platformisation’ of work: An EU perspective on Introducing a legal presumption
Authors: Kullmann Miriam
Published: December 2021

For some time now, the European Commission has stressed the need to address the ongoing misclassification of employment status in platform work and has thus considered introducing a rebuttable presumption of employment status or a reversal of the burden of proof. This contribution focuses on the benefits and limitations of introducing a rebuttable legal presumption in EU labour law as an evidentiary means to improve the working conditions of platform workers. In doing so, some general remarks on rebuttable legal presumptions will be made, while also offering some comparative legal insights, before exploring their potential benefits and limitations in the context of EU labour law in general and platform work in particular. This contribution will finish with an analysis of how such a presumption could be integrated in the current EU social acquis.
Crossmodal Associations with Olfactory, Auditory, and Tactile Stimuli in Children and Adults
Authors: Speed Laura J. , Croijmans Ilja , Dolscheid Sarah , Majid Asifa
Published: December 2021

People associate information with different senses but the mechanism by which this happens is unclear. Such associations are thought to arise from innate structural associations in the brain, statistical associations in the environment, via shared affective content, or through language. A developmental perspective on crossmodal associations can help determine which explanations are more likely for specific associations. Certain associations with pitch (e.g., pitch–height) have been observed early in infancy, but others may only occur late into childhood (e.g., pitch–size). In contrast, tactile–chroma associations have been observed in children, but not adults. One modality that has received little attention developmentally is olfaction. In the present investigation, we explored crossmodal associations from sound, tactile stimuli, and odor to a range of stimuli by testing a broad range of participants. Across the three modalities, we found little evidence for crossmodal associations in young children. This suggests an account based on innate structures is unlikely. Instead, the number and strength of associations increased over the lifespan. This suggests that experience plays a crucial role in crossmodal associations from sound, touch, and smell to other senses.
Auto-essentialization: Gender in automated facial analysis as extended colonial project
Authors: Scheuerman Morgan Klaus , Pape Madeleine , Hanna Alex
Published: December 2021

Scholars are increasingly concerned about social biases in facial analysis systems, particularly with regard to the tangible consequences of misidentification of marginalized groups. However, few have examined how automated facial analysis technologies intersect with the historical genealogy of racialized gender—the gender binary and its classification as a highly racialized tool of colonial power and control. In this paper, we introduce the concept of auto-essentialization: the use of automated technologies to re-inscribe the essential notions of difference that were established under colonial rule. We consider how the face has emerged as a legitimate site of gender classification, despite being historically tied to projects of racial domination. We examine the history of gendering the face and body, from colonial projects aimed at disciplining bodies which do not fit within the European gender binary, to sexology's role in normalizing that binary, to physiognomic practices that ascribed notions of inferiority to non-European groups and women. We argue that the contemporary auto-essentialization of gender via the face is both racialized and trans-exclusive: it asserts a fixed gender binary and it elevates the white face as the ultimate model of gender difference. We demonstrate that imperialist ideologies are reflected in modern automated facial analysis tools in computer vision through two case studies: (1) commercial gender classification and (2) the security of both small-scale (women-only online platforms) and large-scale (national borders) spaces. Thus, we posit a rethinking of ethical attention to these systems: not as immature and novel, but as mature instantiations of much older technologies.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Intervention for Mothers and Children at a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center
Authors: Hingle Melanie , Blew Robert , James Kyla , Mockbee Joy , Palmer Kelly N.B. , Roe Denise J. , Saboda Kathylynn , Shaibi Gabriel Q. , Whitlatch Shelley , Marrero David
Published: December 2021

Background:

Maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) contribute to increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among both mothers and their offspring. Randomized trials demonstrated T2DM risk reduction in adults following lifestyle behavior change and modest weight loss; the evidence base for at-risk children remains limited.

Purpose:

Evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a T2DM prevention intervention for mother-child dyads delivered by Federally Qualified Health Center staff.

Methods:

A group randomized design tested the effects of a behavioral lifestyle intervention on T2DM risk factors in women with a history of GDM and their 8- to 12-year-old children. Mother-child dyads were recruited and randomized to intervention or wait-listed control conditions. Intervention participants completed the 13-week intervention; control participants received standard of care. Baseline and 13-week measures assessed program acceptability and feasibility, and explored effects on body weight, waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c, and lifestyle behaviors.

Results:

Forty-two dyads were randomized and 35 (83%) completed pre-/post-measurements. Participants and program leaders positively rated content and engagement. Nearly all strongly agreed that activities were enjoyable (97%), applicable (96%), useful (97%), and motivational (96%). Attendance averaged 65% across 2 cohorts; delivery costs were approximately $225/dyad. There were no significant differences in body weight, BMI (or BMI z-score), waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c, diet quality, physical activity, sleep, or home environment changes between intervention and control groups.

Conclusions:

A family T2DM prevention program was feasibly delivered by FQHC staff, and acceptable to mothers and children. Program efficacy will be evaluated in an adequately powered clinical trial.
Immediate Full Weight-Bearing Versus Partial Weight-Bearing After Plate Fixation of Distal Femur Fractures in Elderly Patients. A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Paulsson Martin , Ekholm Carl , Jonsson Eythor , Geijer Mats , Rolfson Ola
Published: December 2021

Introduction

After surgery for distal femur fractures in elderly patients, weight-bearing is commonly restricted. Immediate non-restrictive weight-bearing might have beneficial effects. There are no randomized studies on the topic. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional outcome between immediate full weight-bearing (FWB) as tolerated and partial weight-bearing (PWB) during the first 8 weeks following plate fixation of distal femur fractures in elderly patients.

Methods

Patients aged 65 years or older with distal femur fractures of AO/OTA types 33 A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, and C2 were included. Exclusion criteria were impaired cognitive function, concomitant injuries, or inability to follow the postoperative regimen. Internal fixation was achieved with an anatomical lateral distal femur plate applied as a strictly bridge-plating construct. The primary outcome measure was the function index of the short musculoskeletal functional assessment (SMFA) after 52 weeks from injury.

Results

Thirty-two patients were randomized to FWB (n = 11) or PWB (n = 21). After 16 and 52 weeks, there were no differences in the mean SMFA function index between FWB and PWB (36 vs 43, P = .42 and 52 vs 40, P = .18, respectively) nor in the mean EuroQol 5-dimension index or range of motion (ROM). Overall, the SMFA function index was higher at 52 weeks compared with before injury (44 vs 30, P = .001) as was the mean bothersome index (37 vs 21, P = .011). There was no clear difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the treatment groups.

Conclusions

There were no differences in functional outcome, adverse events, or ROM between immediate FWB and PWB following plate fixation for a distal femur fracture in elderly patients. A distal femur fracture has a negative effect on the functional status of elderly patients that persists at least up to 1 year following injury.
Readmission and Associated Factors in Surgical Versus Non-Surgical Management of Spinal Epidural Abscess: A Nationwide Readmissions Database Analysis
Authors: Pitaro Nicholas L. , Tang Justin E. , Arvind Varun , Cho Brian H. , Geng Eric A. , Amakiri Uchechukwu O. , Cho Samuel K. , Kim Jun S.
Published: December 2021

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives:

Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare but potentially life-threatening infection treated with antimicrobials and, in most cases, immediate surgical decompression. Previous studies comparing medical and surgical management of SEA are low powered and limited to a single institution. As such, the present study compares readmission in surgical and non-surgical management using a large national dataset.

Methods:

We identified all hospital admissions for SEA using the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD), which is the largest collection of hospital admissions data. Patients were grouped into surgically and non-surgically managed cohorts using ICD-10 coding and compared using information retrieved from the NRD such as demographics, comorbidities, length of stay and cost of admission.

Results:

We identified 350 surgically managed and 350 non-surgically managed patients. The 90-day readmission rates for surgical and non-surgical management were 26.0% and 35.1%, respectively ( P < .05). Expectedly, surgical management was associated with a significantly higher charge and length of stay at index hospital admission. Surgically managed patients had a significantly lower risk of readmission for osteomyelitis ( P < .05). Finally, in patients with a low comorbidity burden, we observed a significantly lower 90-day readmission rate for surgically managed patients (surgical: 23.0%, non-surgical: 33.8%, P < .05).

Conclusion:

In patients with a low comorbidity burden, we observed a significantly lower readmission rate for surgically managed patients than non-surgically managed patients. The results of this study suggest a lower readmission rate as an advantage to surgical management of SEA and emphasize the importance of SEA as a not-to-miss diagnosis.
A Case of Hemothorax as Manifestation of Thoracic Endometrial Syndrome
Authors: Patrucco Reyes Sandra , Amoah Kwesi , Rahi Mandeep Singh , Gunasekaran Kulothungan
Published: December 2021

Thoracic endometriosis is a rare progression of a mostly benign disease of ectopic endometrial activity involving the pleura and lung. This is a case of a young female who presented with progressive shortness of breath and was found to have significant anemia. Further investigations showed a massive right-sided pleural effusion and ascites. Subsequent thoracentesis and pelvic diagnostic laparoscopy showed a hemorrhagic pleural effusion and ascites, along with dense pelvic adhesions. Pathology was consistent with endometriosis. Patient improved on leuprolide acetate and norethindrone. This case illustrates an important consideration in the differential of a reproductive-age female with new onset shortness of breath and anemia.