bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical evaluation of the novel Capiox NX19 adult oxygenator–a multicenter study
Authors: Hendrix Rik H J , Debeuckelaere Gerdy , Degezelle Karlien , Lenaerts Lieven , Verbelen Tom , Weerwind Patrick W
Published: March 2022

Introduction

The novel Capiox NX19 adult oxygenator is, compared to its predecessors, improved with enhanced air removal technology, a polymer heat exchanger and smaller, innovative hollow fibers resulting in a surface area reduction and a lower priming volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate the NX19 oxygenator performance in a clinical setting.

Methods

A prospective multicenter study was performed involving three large European university hospitals. The Capiox NX19 ( n = 150) performance was assessed during adult cardiopulmonary bypass and involved gaseous microemboli handling and gas transfer efficiency. The heat exchanger performance was evaluated separately in vitro.

Results

The heat exchanger performance factors were 0.80 ± 0.03 and 0.58 ± 0.04 at pump flow rates of 3 L/min and 6 L/min, respectively. After priming, residual post-oxygenator gaseous microemboli count and volume were decreased by 91% and 93.7%, respectively. The gas compartment pressure was 6.0 ± 2.5 mmHg, while the O2 transfer was 69 ± 30 mL/min/m2 and the CO2 transfer 73 ± 34 mL/min/m2. The O2 gradient was 44 ± 19 mmHg/LPM and the O2 diffusing capacity 0.38 ± 0.14 mL/min/mmHg. The shunt fraction was 0.19 ± 0.13, whereas oxygenator resistance and shear stress were 10.5 ± 3.7 mmHg/LPM and 5.1 ± 3.1 dyn/cm2, respectively.

Conclusion

This multicenter study displayed good clinical safety and performance of the NX19 oxygenator.
A novel natural-derived tilapia skin collagen mineralized with hydroxyapatite as a potential bone-grafting scaffold
Authors: Yao Shiyu , Shang Yuli , Ren Bo , Deng Shu , Wang Zhe , Peng Yang , Huang Zhaohui , Ma Shiqing , Peng Cheng , Hou Shuai
Published: March 2022

Collagen is widely used in medical field because of its excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity. To date, collagen for biomedical use is always derived from bovine or swine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate collagen-based biomaterials from non-mammalian donors for bone repair. Thus, tilapia skin collagen-hydroxyapatite (T-col/HAp) scaffolds were fabricated in three different proportions and then cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide-N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC-NHS). The scaffolds were evaluated for their microstructure, chemical and physical properties, mechanical strength and degradability. Then the in vitro responses of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to the scaffolds were investigated in terms of cellular proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization. At last, the scaffolds were implanted into rat skull critical defections to investigate the potential of osteogenic activities. As a result, the pore sizes and the porosities of the scaffolds were approximately 106.67–196.67 μm and 81.5%–66.7%. Pure collagen group showed a mechanical strength of 0.065 MPa, and the mechanical strength was significantly enhanced almost 17 times and 32 times in collagen/HAp ratio 1:4 and 1:9 groups. In vitro studies revealed the most prominent and healthy growth of BMSCs in collagen/HAp ratio 1:4 group. All the scaffolds showed certain osteogenic activities and those loaded with small amount of hydroxyapatite showed the strongest bioactivities. The micro-CT showed that the critical bone defect was almost filled with generated bone 6 months after implantation in collagen/HAp ratio 1:4 group. The biomechanics tests further confirmed the highest generated bone strength was in the collagen/HAp ratio 1:4 group. This study indicated aquatic collagen might be a potential alternative for type I collagen from mammals in bone tissue engineering. The combination of collagen and inorganic materials was also important and appropriate inorganic component loading can achieve both osteogenic quality and osteogenic efficiency to a certain extent.
Study on vinyl crosslinking and related properties of silicon-containing arylacetylene resin synthesised by zinc powder catalysis
Authors: Dong Sensen , Chen Fan , Wang Guihui , Hu Wei , Zhao Chuanqing , Hu Yanhong , Deng Shifeng
Published: March 2022

A matrix resin poly(silicon-containing arylacetylene vinyl)s (PSAV) containing vinyl at both branch and terminal chains underwent synthesis via the zinc powder catalytic method using m-diacetylene benzene and dichloromethylvinylsilane as raw materials. Vinyl in the PSAV resin was crosslinked by the free radical initiator dibenzoyl peroxide to obtain a crosslinked network structure resin (PSAV-L). This approach sought to improve the thermal properties and other related properties of the matrix resin. A series of tests, such as rotated rheometer, FTIR, DSC, TGA, Py-GC-MS and universal testing machine, characterised processing property, curing behaviour, thermal properties and mechanical properties. The rheological curve shows that PSAV-L resin has a wide processing window (40–134.5°C), endowing the resin with excellent processing performance. Thermal curing behaviour indicates that PSAV-L resin can start curing at a lower temperature, namely, 32°C earlier than PSAV resin. TGA analysis shows that the degradation temperature at 5% weight loss (Td5) of PSAV-L resin stands at 579.4°C, 45.4°C higher than that of PSAV resin due to the fact that the crosslinking of vinyl gives PSAV-L resin a network structure. The flexural strength, flexural modulus and ILSS of the quartz fibre cloth reinforced PSAV-L resin composite (QF/PSAV-L) are 184.68 MPa, 15.50 GPa and 12.40 MPa. The PSAV-L resin exhibits the comprehensive properties of good processing performance, low curing temperature, excellent thermal performance and high mechanical properties.
Effects of Coanda jet direction on the aerodynamics and flow physics of the swept circulation control wing
Authors: Shao Shuai , Guo Zheng , Hou Zhongxi , Jia Gaowei , Zhang Laiping , Gao Xianzhong
Published: March 2022

Over the last decade, many flight tests of the conventional/canard/flying-wing layout UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) have proven that the trailing-edge circulation control (CC) is an effective method to generate a significant rolling moment for the rolling control. However, the Coanda jet’s three-dimensional effects, especially the Coanda jet direction, on the design of UCAVs (unmanned combat air vehicle) have not been revealed and discussed clearly yet. In order to solve this problem, the effects of the Coanda jet direction on the swept wing’s aerodynamics and flow physics are investigated in detail in this paper. An in-house CFD(computational fluid dynamics) solver HyperFLOW with the Spalart–Allmaras for Rotation and Curvature turbulence model and the velocity inlet boundary has been validated by 2-D and 3-D CC cases and is used in this work. The research reveals that compared with the Coanda jet in the freestream direction (FJ jet), the Coanda jet perpendicular to the trailing edge (PJ jet) has a more significant impact on the aerodynamic loads and flow structures for swept wings, including increasing lift, drag, and nose-down moment, enhancing the wingtip vortex and weakening the thickness vortex. In contrast, the FJ jet performs better in improving the lift-to-drag ratio of swept wings. On a typical UCAV, the generalizability of the conclusion about the Coanda jet direction effects on the aerodynamic characteristics is verified. The current research gets an insight into the three-dimensional effects of the trailing-edge CC and provides solid support for implementing the CC technology into practical aircraft concepts.
Flight performance of helicopter tail rotors with extendable chord
Authors: Yang Kelong , Han Dong
Published: March 2022

To investigate the potential of Statically and Dynamically Extendable Chord (SEC/DEC) in performance improvement of helicopter tail rotors, a prediction model of helicopter flight performance is developed and validated. It is suitable to deploy the SEC and DEC close to the blade tip for power reduction of tail rotor in hover and high-speed flight. The deployment locations of SEC and DEC for tail rotors are similar to that of main rotors. In hover, the deployment of the SEC and DEC results in little power reduction. From low to medium speed flight, the deployment of the DEC and SEC increases the power. In high-speed flight, the SEC and DEC can significantly decrease the power, especially at a large take-off weight. At 300 km/h, when the chord extension is 20% of blade chord, the SEC and DEC with 1/rev input decrease the power by 14.44% and 20.47% at a take-off weight coefficient of 0.0091. The DEC shows greater potential in power reduction than the SEC. There is an optimal phase input for the maximum power reduction, which does not vary with forward speed. For the DEC with 1/rev input, the optimal phase is [Formula: see text]. The optimal phase input for the maximum power reduction of tail rotors is different from that of main rotors.
Goodness-of-fit tests for a logistic regression model with missing covariates
Authors: Lee Shen-Ming , Tran Phuoc-Loc , Li Chin-Shang
Published: March 2022

Model checking for logistic regression with covariates missing at random is considered. Based on the ideas of Copas (1989) and Osius and Rojek (1992) and studies of Homser et al. (1997), proposed are the two-type goodness-of-fit tests, Pearson chi-squared and unweighted residual sum-of-squares tests, in which their test statistics are centralized by subtracting their estimated mean to be mean-zero-form test statistics via the inverse probability weighting (IPW) and nonparametric multiple imputation (MI) methods to solve the missing value problem. The asymptotic properties of these test statistics are established under the null hypothesis and some regularity conditions. The test statistics conducted by using the IPW and MI estimators are asymptotically equivalent. Proposed are the IPW method and two bootstrap re-sampling approaches for estimation of the variances of the proposed test statistics to solve the issue of underestimating their variances by the MI method of Rubin (1987). Simulation studies are carried out to assess the finite-sample power performances of these proposed tests. Two real data examples are used to illustrate the applicability of the proposed tests.
‘Gold Standard' Legislation for Adults Only: Reconceptualising Children as ‘Adjoined Victims' Under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018
Authors: Cairns Ilona , Callander Isla
Published: March 2022

In this article we argue that the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 should not be regarded as ‘gold standard’ in the way in which it seeks to recognise the harms caused to children who experience intimate partner coercive control in their living environment. We argue that children should be reconceptualised children as ‘adjoined victims’ of intimate partner domestic abuse and that the 2018 Act should be amended to include a parallel section 1 offence of ‘abusive behaviour towards partner or ex-partner and adjoined child’. By offering the first academic analysis of why and how the criminal law should seek to capture children’s experiences of coercive control, this article contributes to broader discussions about criminalising coercive control and the scope of such offences. It highlights key lessons that can be learnt from the Scottish story so far and sounds a note of caution against simply ‘rolling out’ the Scottish approach elsewhere.
The assetisation of housing: A macroeconomic resource
Authors: Stirling Phoebe , Gallent Nick , Purves Andrew
Published: March 2022

The most significant episode in the assetisation of housing (underpinning its financialisation) is often understood to be the economic restructuring that took place during the 1980s – particularly deregulation of the banking sector and credit liberalisation. Research has reported on the housing ‘investor subject’ that emerged during this time, as an integral part of the transition towards financialised economies. This article provides new evidence about the housing consumer subject, and its place in this transition, by drilling into UK housing policy history and its discourses around the consumer relationship with housing. Using archive data from the Parliamentary and National Archives alongside interviews with key informers, we illustrate three cases of housing policy development in which the consumer demand for, and relationship with, housing is discursively reconditioned. We conclude that the housing investor subject was pursued in housing policy reform and its discourses well before the 1980s and the economic reforms commonly identified as the causes of financialisation. In addition, these discourses are found to have been reconditioned in order to align with broader macroeconomic policy concerns of the time. The article therefore provides a rare view of assetisation from within the state apparatus, revealing how housing policy and its discourses around consumption became functionally integrated within wider macroeconomic goals.
Symbolic Intersection of Self-Reflection, Workplace Interaction and Sociocultural Aspects in Shaping Women Identify as Leaders: A Study in Higher Education, Vietnam
Authors: Maheshwari Greeni
Published: March 2022

The current literature identified the under-representation of women in leadership roles in higher education. Several countries have recognized the absence of women leaders in senior roles. Along with government efforts in various countries, the first thing is that women need to consider themselves as leaders to prepare themselves to take up leadership positions. The purpose of this study is to examine if there is any role of self-reflection, workplace interaction, and sociocultural phenomenon in shaping up the identities of women in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Vietnam. The data was collected from 14 women leaders working in higher education sector in Vietnam. The methodology used in this study to analyse the data was symbolic interaction to understand how women think about themselves asleaders and shape their own identify. The results from the study suggest that there is intersection of all three aspects—self-reflection, workplace interaction indicating gendered leadership, and sociocultural phenomenon and all these plays a vital role in shaping up the identify of women leaders. The women did not see themselves as leaders due to their family responsibilities, lack of self-confidence, views on gendered leadership at the workplace, and societal pressure. It is suggested to formally train the women, which will boost their self-confidence, and support from institutions and society is also equally important to encourage them to become leaders.
The Gender of Fuelwood: Headloads and Truckloads in India
Authors: Khandelwal Meena , Hill Matthew E. , Beck Margaret , Valappanandi Sanoop , Mahapatra Hrushikesh
Published: March 2022

Cookstove improvement projects in India have emerged from the longstanding concerns about the nexus of cooking, fuelwood, gender and the environment. Such work, both academic and interventionist, focuses on rural women hauling headloads of firewood from the forests to their kitchens, where they burn it for daily cooking in a mud cookstove [ chulha]. We argue that this focus on village women’s cooking is too narrow if we are to understand and address problems caused by burning fuelwood in India, as cookstove campaigns attend to villages and not cities, domestic cooking and not commercial uses, and women and not men. Ethnographic research in Rajasthan and Odisha shows why we must expand our understanding of fuelwood use beyond villages, rural kitchens and women, and how cookstove interventions, often expressed as concern for women, require gender analysis.
What Makes Intentional Unidirectional Peer Support for Homeless People Work? An Exploratory Analysis Based on Clients’ and Peer Workers’ Perceptions
Authors: Schel Sandra H. H. , van den Dries Linda , Wolf Judith R. L. M.
Published: March 2022

Homeless people are increasingly supported by peer workers in one-on-one mentorship relations called intentional unidirectional peer support (IUPS). Insight is therefore needed into the application and outcome of IUPS for this vulnerable population. This study examined the outcomes, critical elements, and working mechanisms of IUPS within homeless services from the perspective of both clients receiving IUPS and peer workers providing IUPS. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were held with ten homeless clients and ten peer workers. According to participants, IUPS enhances clients’ self-image, advances their personal growth, and results in better engagement with needed services. Rapport and empathy, a trustworthy and empowering relationship, as well as support, guidance, and mediation are what makes IUPS work according to the participants. The inclusion of both perspectives has led to a deeper understanding of what makes IUPS work for homeless people. Implications for practice are discussed.
The Meaning Given to Bioethics as a Source of Support by Physicians Who Care for Children Who Require Long-Term Ventilation
Authors: Alexander Denise , Quirke Mary B. , Doyle Carmel , Hill Katie , Masterson Kate , Brenner Maria
Published: March 2022

The role and potential of bioethics input when a child requires the initiation of technology dependence to sustain life is relatively unknown. In particular, little is understood about the meaning physicians give to bioethics as a source of support during the care of children in pediatric intensive care who require long-term ventilation (LTV). We used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to underpin the collection and analysis of data. Unstructured interviews of 40 physicians in four countries took place during 2020. We found that elements of trust, communication and acceptance informed the physicians’ perceptions of the relationship with bioethics. These ranged from satisfaction to disappointment with their input into critical decisions. Bioethics services have potential to help physicians gain clarity over distressing and complex care decisions, yet physicians perceive the service inconsistently as a means of support. This research provides a sound basis to guide more beneficial interactions between clinicians and bioethics services.
Factors Associated with Complicated Grief Following a Railway Tragedy
Authors: Maltais Danielle , Cherblanc Jacques , Cadell Susan , Bergeron-Leclerc Christiane , Pouliot Eve , Fortin Geneviève , Généreux Mélissa , Roy Mathieu
Published: March 2022

On July 6, 2013, a train with 72 crude oil tank cars derailed in the heart of Lac-Mégantic, a small municipality of 6,000 inhabitants located in Québec (Canada). This tragedy killed 47 people. Technological disasters are rarely studied in bereavement research, and train derailments even less. The goal of this article is to increase our understanding of the bereavement consequences of technological disasters. Specifically, we aim to identify the factors that lead to the experience complicated grief and distinguish from the protective factors. A representative population-based survey was conducted among 268 bereaved people, three and a half years after the train accident. Of these, 71 people (26.5%) experienced complicated grief. People with complicated grief (CG) differ significantly from those without CG in terms of psychological health, perception of physical health, alcohol use and medication, as well as social and professional relationships. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis identified four predictive factors for CG: level of exposure to the disaster, having a negative perception of the event, as well as having a paid job and low-income increase the risk of CG. The importance of having health and social practitioners pay attention to these factors of CG are discussed along with future directions for research.
Why Is Oral Phenylephrine on the Market After Compelling Evidence of Its Ineffectiveness as a Decongestant?
Authors: Hatton Randy C. , Hendeles Leslie
Published: March 2022

Ineffective over-the-counter (OTC) drugs should be removed from the US market. Despite solid research showing that oral phenylephrine is ineffective as a decongestant, the US Food and Drug Administration has failed to respond to a 2015 citizen’s petition to remove it from the OTC nasal decongestant monograph. Other examples of scientifically proven ineffective OTC medications include guaifenesin as an expectorant, dextromethorphan as a cough suppressant, and chlorpheniramine for cold symptoms.
Cold plasma technology: An insight on its disinfection efficiency of various food systems
Authors: M S Sriraksha , Ayenampudi Surendra Babu , Noor Mizna , S.N. Raghavendra , Chakka Ashok Kumar
Published: March 2022

Cold plasma technology is considered as one of the novel potential non-thermal techniques for food disinfection. The acceptability of any food product depends upon its physicochemical properties and shelf life. Recent studies have confirmed that plasma can effectively reduce the pathogenic microbes in various food systems. Further, there are reports that cold plasma showed minimal or no effect on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the foods owing to its low-temperature operation. The present review explores the recent reports on cold plasma technology emphasizing its disinfection efficacy on different food categories. Various researchers have demonstrated that plasma successfully reduced the microorganisms on cereals, milk, meat, fish and spices. Therefore, based on the current research, it can be suggested that cold plasma is an effective disinfectant technology for the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms, and its non-thermal and environmentally friendly nature is an added advantage over traditional processing technologies.
Donor graft harvesting with air in pterygium surgery
Authors: Moscovici Bernardo Kaplan , Rodrigues Pablo Felipe , Freitas Marcela Mara Silva , e Silva Francisco Bandeira , Felberg Sérgio , Dantas Paulo Elias Correa
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Report a new technique for improvement of pterygium surgery: donor graft harvesting with air.

Case reports

We describe a technique that was used with 138 patients who underwent surgery that included a conjunctival autograft and fibrin glue with air injection to dissect the Tenon capsule from the conjunctiva.

Results

No complications occurred with this technique and all patients achieved good results.

Discussion

The surgical time with this new technique was similar to that reported in the literature. In addition, the graft thickness was close to that reported with femtosecond laser dissection and it was thinner than that reported with aesthetic/saline dissection (unable to determine statistical significance).

Conclusions and importance

With the injection of an air bubble, we could easily dissect the conjunctiva from the Tenon capsule and quickly acquire thin grafts without any additional costs or complications.
Substance Use in Healthcare Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin America: A Systematic Review and a Call for Reports
Authors: Moya-Salazar Jeel , Nuñez Elizabeth , Jaime-Quispe Alexis , Zuñiga Nahomi , Loaiza-Barboza Isabel L , Balabarca Edison A , Chicoma-Flores Karina , Cañari Betsy , Contreras-Pulache Hans
Published: March 2022

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a remarkable change in the behaviour of Healthcare workers (HCWs) around the world. However, there is a lack of evidence on substance use among HCWs in Latin America. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the current frequency of substance use among Latin American among HCWs.

Methods:

We searched 8 databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScientDirect, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scielo, LILACS and Latindex), 4 public prepublication servers (SocArXiv, medRxiv, bioRxiv and Preprints) and Google scholar from 1/9/2019 to 11/1/2021. We determined the frequency of each study based on original studies, scientific letters, and clinical trials in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Results:

A total of 17 175 study articles were identified from electronic databases and preprints, and 2 cross-sectional studies conducted in 2020 were included in the qualitative analysis. Both studies included HCWs but did not perform a differential analysis. The first was developed by the Pan-American Health Organization and included interviewees from 35 countries, while the second was conducted with 1145 Brazilian participants. Both studies showed increases in substance use during the pandemic, with alcohol being the most commonly used substance (30%), but PAHO’s study reported a 13.8% increase in self-reported heavy-episodic drinking, with differences among genders (males, 15.4%), age groups (highest increase in the 40-49 age group, 16.5%) and area of residence (urban with 14%). The second study showed that 21 32% of participants reported initiating psychoactive substance use, 29.3% added some substance to their initial use and 4% of them had to replace the substance, mainly due to difficulty of access. Other substances of abuse that showed significant increases were tobacco (0.5%) and marijuana (0.3%).

Conclusion:

Overall, despite the analysis of the 2 studies, the results provided are not a conclusive description of the frequency of substance use by HCWs in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is required to understand the impact of the pandemic on drug abuse in the region.

Protocol Registration:

The protocol has been registered on 30 November 2021 on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with ID: CRD420212919700.
Breast Primary Angiosarcoma: A Clinicopathologic and Imaging Study of a Series Cases
Authors: Darre Tchin , Djiwa Toukilnan , N’Timon Bidamin , Simgban Panakinao , Tchaou Mazamaesso , Napo-Koura Gado
Published: March 2022

The aim of our study is to provide clinicopathologic and imaging features of breast primary angiosarcoma. We retrospectively analyzed cases of primary angiosarcoma diagnosed at the Pathological Laboratory of Lomé over a period of 20 years (2000-2019). Eight cases of primary angiosarcoma of the breast were collected, including 6 from women and 2 from men. The median age was 41.63 years (range from 17 to 66 years). Depending on the location, there were 4 of 8 cases in the left breast. Ultrasound classifications were BI-RADS 4 and 5. Histology revealed a malignant vascular proliferation composed of small lumens lined by atypical endothelial cells, evident mitoses, and foci of necrosis. On immunohistochemistry, the lesional cells expressed CD31, CD34, and Factor VIII. Based on Federation Nationale des Centers de Lutte Contre Le Cancer (FNCLCC) grading, the cases were grade II and III. Overall survival at 6 months was estimated to be 25% in a woman.
Variation in first-generation L1 deictic systems: Language attrition and bilingualism effects
Authors: Vulchanova Mila , Collier Jacqueline , Guijarro-Fuentes Pedro , Vulchanov Valentin
Published: March 2022

Aims and Objectives:

This study explored the extent to which bilingual language exposure and practice might alter the way in which bilingual first-generation adult speakers use deictic demonstratives in their first language (Spanish) after immersion in a new language environment (Norwegian). Fully developed L1 systems are expected to be stable and less susceptible to change or restructuring than child systems. In addition, core domains of a language such as deictic demonstrative reference are hypothesized to be more robust.

Design:

Participants were tested with the Spanish version of the memory game. They completed an ethnolinguistic background questionnaire with questions targeting demographic data, experience with language, and daily routines in language use.

Data and analyses:

Demonstrative use was analysed using binomial multilevel modelling, allowing residual variance to be partitioned into a between-participant component and a within-participant component.

Findings:

Results demonstrate a shift in the demonstrative system of Spanish native speakers who have resided in Norway for a median of 6.5 years. This shift is reflected in extensive use of the semantically underspecified item ese at the expense of the form aquel. The latter form is less frequent and highly context-dependent in corpora of the modern language. It can be hypothesized that first-generation speakers are faster in converging on a simplified system of deictic reference than the native speaker group tested in Spain, but this development parallels tendencies observed in the monolingual variety of the language. This faster shift may well be influenced and catalysed by bilingual language practice.

Originality:

This article addresses a gap in research on deictic terms under conditions of language attrition. It documents a restructuring of the deictic system in first-generation speakers of Spanish residing in another country. The results suggest that marking peri-personal space is a core feature of deictic systems across languages, also preserved under deictic system shift.
The attitudes of Vietnamese social work practitioners toward sexual minorities
Authors: Le Trang Mai , Yu Nilan
Published: March 2022

Social workers are expected to challenge the exclusion and oppression of marginalised populations which requires the critical interrogation of prejudicial views, discriminatory attitudes, and oppressive practices. In this regard, social work practitioners need to be vigilant of their own attitudes toward the people they serve. This is relevant to social work practice with sexual minorities. This paper presents the results of a mixed-methods study informed by a critical theoretical frame that explored Vietnamese social work practitioners’ attitudes toward sexual minorities. The findings presented in this article were drawn from a survey of 292 social work practitioners based in Hanoi, Vietnam and 12 semi-structured interviews with volunteers recruited from the pool of survey participants.

Findings

The findings suggest that practitioners who participated in this study held relatively positive attitudes toward people who identify as lesbian or gay. However, those who had what could be considered moderate to positive attitudes were not necessarily free from prejudicial and discriminatory views, particularly when it came to certain matters such as those relating to their own families and work with young children.

Applications

The discussion of the findings illustrate the relevance of the broader social context to Vietnamese social work practitioners’ attitudes toward sexual minorities. It highlights the potent influence of dominant ideologies in shaping prejudicial views and attitudes and points to the need for practice at a broader level targeting Vietnamese society and culture as a whole.
Postvaricocele Embolization Pain Syndrome: A Case Series Report and Review of Current Treatment Strategies
Authors: Chung Eric
Published: March 2022

Background:

Orchialgia is not an uncommon complaint among men with varicocele, but postvaricocele embolization–related testicular pain has not been widely investigated. This study evaluates the phenomenon of postvaricocele embolization pain (PVEP) syndrome and examines the current strategies to treat this unusual complication.

Methods and materials:

A prospectively collected database of patients with PVEP who presented to a tertiary center was analyzed between January 2011 and January 2020 following internal ethics approval. Patient demographics, including other complications related to embolization, analgesic requirements, and pain scores (on a 10-point visual analog score), treatment strategies, Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) score and overall satisfaction score (on a 5-point scale), were reviewed. All patients were reviewed for a minimum of 12 months.

Results:

A total of 20 men with a mean age of 33.8 (18–45) years old, presented with PVEP over 10 years. Most men received embolization on an average of 26.6 (18–48) months. The reasons for varicocele embolization include either isolated or combined orchialgia (15 men), subfertility (5 men), and cosmesis (6 men). Eighteen (90%) men underwent microscopic spermatic cord denervation (MSCD) and 2 patients elected for conservative measures. The average pain scores pre-MSCD and post-MSCD were 6.9 (4–9) and 1.4 (0–4) (p<0.001) with a significant reduction in analgesia requirements. Immediate improvement in pain score was reported in all the patients and this persisted at the 12 months review. Most men reported a high satisfaction score (of 4/5) and only one patient reported no change in symptoms after MSCD.

Conclusion:

PVEP is a unique complication and patients should be counseled on the potential risk of persistent orchialgia following embolization for varicocele. The MSCD appears to be an effective treatment option with high success and satisfaction rates.
An experimental and theoretical investigation into the effect of braiding angle and combination on a tensile modulus of the tubular biaxial hybrid braids
Authors: Ghamkhar Ghazal , Johari Majid Safar , Hosseini Toudeshky Hossein
Published: March 2022

Due to the numerous and growing programs and applications of braid structures, understanding and predicting the mechanical behaviors of these structures is essential for engineers. In this paper, 12 tubular biaxial hybrid braids with different combinations and braiding angles were produced. They are made of two different yarns that one of them is a high-performance yarn and the other is an ordinary yarn. The tensile modulus as a mechanical property of a braided structure was compared in the different braiding angles and hybridization under the uniaxial tensile test. In addition to the experimental and statistical study presented in this research, a theoretical equation was also proposed to predict the tensile modulus of biaxial hybrid braided structures. The theoretical and experimental values are close. Also, statistical analysis of the proposed model showed the same results as statistical analysis of experimental results. So, it seems that the modified equation can be valuable and helpful. Also, several peaks in the second part of the load-extension diagram of hybrid braid observed that by increasing the amount of yarn with higher tensile properties in the hybrid braid structure, the number of peaks decreases. This is due to the fundamental difference in the type of yarn used in the production of hybrid braids. It could be said that this research may be a good start for future research on braid structures as advanced engineering materials.
Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Epilepsy— A New Approach to Neuromodulation
Authors: Bubrick Ellen J. , McDannold Nathan J. , White Phillip J.
Published: March 2022

Patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) who are not surgical candidates have unacceptably few treatment options. Benefits of implanted electrostimulatory devices are still largely palliative, and many patients are not eligible to receive them. A new form of neuromodulation, low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFUS), is rapidly emerging, and has many potential intracranial applications. LIFUS can noninvasively target tissue with a spatial distribution of highly focused acoustic energy that ensures a therapeutic effect only at the geometric focus of the transducer. A growing literature over the past several decades supports the safety of LIFUS and its ability to noninvasively modulate neural tissue in animals and humans by positioning the beam over various brain regions to target motor, sensory, and visual cortices as well as frontal eye fields and even hippocampus. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of LIFUS to suppress seizures in epilepsy animal models without damaging tissue. Resection after sonication to the antero-mesial lobe showed no pathologic changes in epilepsy patients, and this is currently being trialed in serial treatments to the hippocampus in DRE. Low intensity focused ultrasound is a promising, novel, incisionless, and radiation-free alternative form of neuromodulation being investigated for epilepsy. If proven safe and effective, it could be used to target lateral cortex as well as deep structures without causing damage, and is being studied extensively to treat a wide variety of neurologic and psychiatric disorders including epilepsy.
Using Diaries With Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Guidelines From a Study of Children Whose Parents Have Mental Illness
Authors: Cudjoe Ebenezer
Published: March 2022

Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) first appeared in publication in 1996 but was introduced as a comprehensive methodology in a first published book in 2009 by Smith, Flowers and Larkin. Since its publication, IPA has seen tremendous application in psychology and cognate social science disciplines. Most IPA studies have used interviews as their primary data collection tool. This is not surprising as semi-structured interviews fit the theoretical foundations of IPA and the authors of the IPA book themselves dedicated a chapter to interviewing. However, the authors have also lamented the lack of the use of diaries in the methodology. Yet, there are scarce IPA studies (or even phenomenological studies in general) using diaries as data collection tool. This is surprising as diaries are amenable with some core elements of phenomenology which IPA ascribes to. The inadequate use of diaries within IPA may be due to the lack of practical insights into what diaries could look like, how they can be obtained or whether they can fit with phenomenology. In this article, I reflect on how diaries can be administered and what kind of information can be accessed as part of a study involving children whose parents have mental illness. The article shows that diaries have strong connections with the theoretical foundations of IPA. Also, because diaries offer adequate time and space for participants to reflect on their lifeworld, it enables participants to talk in-depth about experiences of significance to them. The article can provide lessons for researchers hoping to employ diaries in their IPA studies or other phenomenological approaches.
The Sociological Confessional: A Reflexive Process in the Transformation From Face-To-Face to Online Interview
Authors: Żadkowska Magdalena , Dowgiałło Bogna , Gajewska Magdalena , Herzberg-Kurasz Magdalena , Kostecka Marianna
Published: March 2022

This aim of the article is to reflect on a new quality in the researcher-participant relationship caused by the transformation from a face-to-face to an online interview (on the Zoom platform during two first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic). It reports methodological learnings from autoethnography. The concept of an interaction order (Goffman) provides a theoretical lens through which the researcher-participant encounter is being analysed. The study is based on the reflections referring to 31 online in-depth interviews with women (mothers in an ‘empty nest’) conducted by a team of five female researchers. Online research was depicted in literature as an option of a second choice for conducting qualitative studies before 2020 and an online methodology as one in need to be tested. In order to provide the context of our methodological learnings, we will present an overview of our study. Our study consisted of 31 online in-depth interviews with women (mothers in an ‘empty nest’) and was conducted by a team of five female researchers. After having reflected on our experience from the field, called ‘the sociological confessional’, we claim that online interviews have potential to be the option of the first choice to conduct in-depth interviews. We do not see the lack of immediate presence in remote interviews as a setback. On the contrary, we believe that thanks to introducing practices of care about the participant, the revised methodology not only meets the criteria of the qualitative IDI standards, but diminishes emotion work ( Hochschild, 1983 ) on the part of the researcher as well. We find our ‘report from the field’ unique: (1) our study was not planned to be conducted online and (2) it has succeeded in gathering equivalent data during the first stage of the pandemic.
Study on contactless measurement method of dropper load
Authors: Liu Jidong , Wu Jiqin , Liang Runan , Cheng Junying , Chen Weirong
Published: March 2022

The fatigue fracture of dropper will threaten the safe operation of high-speed railway. The accurate measurement of dropper load plays an important role in dropper fatigue test and service life prediction. In this work, according to the structural characteristics of catenary suspension and based on string vibration theory, a contactless method for measuring dropper load is proposed. In this method, the edge recognition technology is used to obtain the vibration displacement time history data of the dropper clamp position on the messenger wire, the random vibration is transformed into the linear superposition of sinusoidal vibration through Fourier transform to solve the vibration differential equation. Through the relationship between the shape change of messenger wire and concentrated force, the change of dropper load is analyzed. The measurement accuracy is tested on the test platform built in the laboratory, and the results show the measurement accuracy can reach 0.50%.
Combination therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: is three a crowd?
Authors: Davis Ian D.
Published: March 2022

The mainstay of treatment for metastatic prostate cancer is androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Outcomes with ADT are variable but control of hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) can often be achieved for many years. Death from prostate cancer is usually due to the development of escape variants able to survive and proliferate in the setting of castrate levels of serum androgens (metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, mCRPC). Several agents can improve survival for patients with mCRPC, including chemotherapy, agents to reduce androgen receptor signalling, the radioisotope radium-223 dichloride, and cellular immunotherapy with sipuleucel-T. Some of these agents have been moved earlier in the disease course and have shown to improve survival in metastatic HSPC also, often to a much greater degree than when the same agents are used in mCRPC. Specifically, survival of metastatic HSPC can be improved with the addition to ADT of any one of docetaxel, abiraterone acetate/prednisone combination, apalutamide, enzalutamide, or darolutamide in combination with docetaxel. Factors affecting outcomes include the volume or burden of disease, timing of metastases relative to the original diagnosis, and patient factors determining the appropriateness of therapy. Unfortunately, uptake of this information by the clinical community remains suboptimal, with many men potentially suitable for combination therapy still receiving only ADT. Some trials have examined the effects of ‘triplet’ therapies although few were designed specifically to address this question. The best evidence to date suggests that triplet therapy with ADT + abiraterone + docetaxel or ADT + darolutamide + docetaxel, can improve overall survival in metastatic HSPC. Clear opportunities exist to improve survival outcomes for men with metastatic HSPC but need to be balanced against cost, accessibility, toxicity, and patient-specific factors.
Sailing the ship of life: scurvy and autoimmunity . . .
Authors: Essien Francis , Jacocks Charles , Carroll Matthew
Published: March 2022

Celiac disease (CD) is a multisystem disorder known to manifest in a multitude of ways to include diarrhea, anemia, and nutritional deficiencies. The malabsorptive state can present as certain classical conditions such as autoimmune gastritis and osteopenia/osteoporosis but scurvy is less recognized within the literature. In this case, we present a unique presentation of scurvy as a result of an undiagnosed CD.
What happy physicians have in common: A qualitative study of workplace perceptions of physicians with low burnout scores
Authors: Woodward Rivers , Cheng Tsaiwei , Fromewick Jill , Galvin Shelley L , Latessa Robyn
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Burnout is a phenomenon in the medical field that adversely affects patient care, physician retention, and physician well-being. The preponderance of burnout research has primarily focused on exploring what parts of medical practice and individual characteristics contribute to burnout. Our research aims to add to the growing body of evidence exploring what physicians who love their work have in common.

Methods:

Physician participants in this qualitative study were recruited through their local medical society from those who indicated a willingness to share tips for joy in practice. Potential participants were then screened for low probability of burnout using a validated single-item burnout inventory. Nine primarily mid- to late-career physicians engaged in semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Of the interviewed physicians, five were practicing in the primary care specialties of family or internal medicine and four in specialties outside of primary care.

Results:

Six major themes arose from the nine interviews and included variety in work, a sense of empowerment, connection with patients, visible impact of one’s work, feelings of community with coworkers and colleagues, and experiencing a sense of calling.

Conclusion:

While further research is needed to demonstrate the transferability of the themes from these interviews, an asset-rooted approach to physician wellness is a direction for research and intervention that deserves further attention. Focusing only on alleviating the factors that contribute to burnout is a worthy goal, but ignores the necessity of designing training systems and workplaces that are built to foster the elements of medicine that bring joy and fulfillment to practice.
Determinants of early discontinuation of etonogestrel sub-dermal implant among reproductive-age women in Legambo district, Northeast Ethiopia: An unmatched case–control study
Authors: Yimer Yesuf , Cherie Niguss , Damtie Yitayish
Published: March 2022

Objective:

Etonogestrel sub-dermal implant discontinuation is very common in the study area. But evidence on the determinants was limited. So, this study aimed to identify determinants of early discontinuation of etonogestrel sub-dermal implant among reproductive-age women in Legambo district, Northeast Ethiopia.

Methods:

An institution-based unmatched case–control study was conducted on 252 reproductive-age women (84 cases and 168 controls) from 1 February up to 30 April 2020. Systematic random sampling was used to select women, and the data were collected by face-to-face interview using a structured, pretested, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 23. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify determinants of early discontinuation of etonogestrel sub-dermal implant. Statistical significance was declared at a p value of less than 0.05, and adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to identify determinants of early discontinuation of etonogestrel sub-dermal implant in the final model.

Result:

In this study, not receiving pre-insertion counseling (adjusted odds ratio = 3.19, 95% confidence interval: (1.61, 6.30)), having a history of abortion (adjusted odds ratio = 2.89, 95% confidence interval: (1.50, 5.54)), contraceptive side effects (adjusted odds ratio = 2.45, 95% confidence interval: (1.99, 3.91)), and not receiving an appointment for a follow-up visit at the time of insertion (adjusted odds ratio = 3.45, 95% confidence interval: (1.89, 5.99)) were determinants of early discontinuation of etonogestrel sub-dermal implant.

Conclusion:

Not receiving pre-insertion counseling, having a history of abortion, contraceptive side effects, and not receiving an appointment for a follow-up visit at the time of insertion were predictors of early discontinuation of etonogestrel sub-dermal implant. Thus, healthcare professionals should give an appointment for a follow-up visit at the time of insertion and provide detailed counseling for all women, not only for those who had had an abortion and contraceptive side effects.