bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Third Molar Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol
Authors: Salas Gaston A. , Lai Shuheng A. , Verdugo-Paiva Francisca , Requena Roberto A.
Published: May 2021

Objective:

The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness and safety of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in third molar surgery.

Data Sources:

A comprehensive search strategy is meant to be used in an attempt to identify all relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs), ongoing investigation reported in specialty congresses and trials regardless of language or publication status (published, unpublished, in press and in progress). Searches will be conducted in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PUBMED, Embase, Lilacs, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), ClinicalTrials.gov , US National Institutes of Health (NIH), grey literature and in specialized congresses and conferences.

Eligibility Criteria:

We will include randomized trials evaluating the effect of PRF on wound healing after third molar surgery. Two reviewers will independently screen each study for eligibility, data extraction and risk of bias assessment using Cochrane “risk of bias” tool. We will pool the results using meta-analysis and will apply the GRADE system to assess the certainty of the evidence for each outcome.

Ethics and Dissemination:

As researchers will not access information that could lead to the identification of an individual participant, obtaining ethical approval was waived.
Investigation of Repeatability of Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow Rate Measurements Under Baseline Conditions and After Administration of 0.05% Oxymetazoline
Authors: Dor-Wojnarowska Anna , Radlińska Anna , Rabski Marek , Fal Andrzej , Liebhart Jerzy , Zaleska Anna , Babchyshyn Mariana , Samoliński Bolesław
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) measurement is an inexpensive and user-friendly method to assess nasal patency. However, the repeatability of PNIF measurements, as well as the threshold value of a change in PNIF, which can be considered significant remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the repeatability of PNIF measurements and the change in PNIF after the administration of 0.05% oxymetazoline.

Methods

Repeated measurements of PNIF (Clement Clarke In-Check nasal inspiratory flow meter; Clement Clarke International, Ltd, Harlow, Essex, UK) were obtained in 333 healthy volunteers (174 women). Based on age, participants were categorized into three groups (6–7 years, 13–14 years, and 20–45 years). We obtained five measurements in each participant. PNIF was remeasured in 294 subjects 30 min after administration of 0.05% oxymetazoline. The variability in PNIF measurements was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV = standard deviation × 100%/mean).

Results

The first four PNIF measurements significantly differed from each other. The difference in PNIF measurements ceased to be statistically significant only between the fourth and fifth measurements (p = 0.19). PNIF repeatability was acceptable; the median CV was 15.5% (0–66), which did not significantly differ between age groups. The administration of 0.05% oxymetazoline led to a statistically significant increase in the PNIF value by 14.3% (−45, 157%) (p = 0.000000).

Conclusions

1. No statistically significant difference was observed in PNIF values only between the fourth and fifth measurements; therefore, at least three measurements are essential to draw meaningful conclusions. 2. PNIF measurements were satisfactorily characterized by a relatively low CV (15%). 3. The administration of 0.05% oxymetazoline led to an increase in PNIF by approximately 14% over the baseline value.
A Landscape to Live by an Adaptation of Hardin Tibbs’ Strategic Landscape: A Tool for Use in Facilitation Workshops
Authors: Rose Meg
Published: May 2021

The Strategic Landscape designed by Hardin Tibbs was originally produced for use as a tool to analyze the bigger picture ideas and ideals for better structure within businesses and societies. The focus of facilitation workshops is to uncover subconscious behavioral patterns and make individuals aware of their motivators so that they can make positive changes in their lives. The facilitation workshops incorporate critical thinking activities, encouraging individuals to further break down the many aspects of their lives with open-ended questions designed for personal insight, as well as group discussions around recognized behavior patterns and best practices. The Strategic Landscape contains easily recognized significant symbols. Individuals may separate the different aspects of their lives using this tool, to better recognize their activities and actions and analyze their desires. Through honest analysis of behavioral patterns and goal setting, individuals are afforded clarity in their lives. Here, we describe the adaptation of Hardin Tibbs’ Strategic Landscape for use in facilitation workshops, to assist individuals to better structure their lives so that they may positively impact not only themselves but also their families, workplaces, and societies.
Concomitant Osteotomy Reduces Risk of Reoperation Following Cartilage Restoration Procedures of the Knee: A Matched Cohort Analysis
Authors: Calcei Jacob G. , Varshneya Kunal , Sochacki Kyle R. , Safran Marc R. , Abrams Geoffrey D. , Sherman Seth L.
Published: May 2021

Objective

The objective of this study is to compare the (1) reoperation rates, (2) 30-day complication rates, and (3) cost differences between patients undergoing isolated autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) or osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) procedures alone versus patients with concomitant osteotomy.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study, level III.

Design

Patients who underwent knee ACI (Current Procedural Terminology [CPT] 27412) or OCA (CPT 27415) with minimum 2-year follow-up were queried from a national insurance database. Resulting cohorts of patients that underwent ACI and OCA were then divided into patients who underwent isolated cartilage restoration procedure and patients who underwent concomitant osteotomy (CPT 27457, 27450, 27418). Reoperation was defined by ipsilateral knee procedure after the index surgery. The 30-day postoperative complication rates were assessed using ICD-9-CM codes. The cost per patient was calculated.

Results

A total of 1,113 patients (402 ACI, 67 ACI + osteotomy, 552 OCA, 92 OCA + osteotomy) were included (mean follow-up of 39.0 months). Reoperation rate was significantly higher after isolated ACI or OCA compared to ACI or OCA plus concomitant osteotomy (ACI 68.7% vs. ACI + osteotomy 23.9%; OCA 34.8% vs. OCA + osteotomy 16.3%). Overall complication rates were similar between isolated ACI (3.0%) and ACI + osteotomy (4.5%) groups and OCA (2.5%) and OCA + osteotomy (3.3%) groups. Payments were significantly higher in the osteotomy groups at day of surgery and 9 months compared to isolated ACI or OCA, but costs were similar by 2 years postoperatively.

Conclusions

Concomitant osteotomy at the time of index ACI or OCA procedure significantly reduces the risk of reoperation with a similar rate of complications and similar overall costs compared with isolated ACI or OCA.
miR-142-3p and HMGB1 Are Negatively Regulated in Proliferation, Apoptosis, Migration, and Autophagy of Cartilage Endplate Cells
Authors: Wang Bo , Ji Demin , Xing Wenhua , Li Feng , Huang Zhi , Zheng Wenkai , Xue Jianmin , Zhu Yong , Yang Xuejun
Published: May 2021

Background

Cartilage endplate (CEP) degeneration plays a vital role in the pathological process of intervertebral disc degeneration. It has been previously reported that microRNAs may participate in the occurrence and development of intervertebral disc degeneration through regulating its target genes directly. The regulatory roles of miR-142-3p/HMGB1 in some orthopedic diseases have been determined successively, but there was no report about the degeneration of CEP. Therefore, we aimed to determine the regulation of miR-142-3p/HMGB1 or potential molecular mechanisms on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and autophagy of CEP cells.

Methods

The target gene of miR-142-3p was determined by double luciferase assay. We selected ATDC5 cell lines. CCK-8 method was used to detect cell proliferation. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine gene expression levels, and western blot analysis was used to determine protein expression levels. We chose flow cytometry to measure cell apoptosis and cell cycle.

Results

The result of luciferase detection showed that the target gene of miR-142-3p in CEP cells was HMGB1. Knockdown of the miR-142-3p inhibited the expression level of HMGB1, the proliferation and migration of CEP cells, but it promoted apoptosis of CEP cells. In addition, the detection results of the proteins related to apoptosis or autophagy showed that knockdown of miR-142-3p promoted apoptosis and autophagy.

Conclusion

The negative regulation of miR-142-3p/HMGB1 can affect the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and autophagy of CEP cells. Our results provide a new idea for the targeted treatment of CEP degeneration by inhibiting the expression of HMGB1.
Nature and significance of stromal differentiation in carcinosarcoma (MMMT): unravelling the biology and shifting current paradigms
Authors: Hacking Sean , Wu Dongling , Nasim Rafae , Chavarria Hector , Nasim Mansoor
Published: May 2021

Carcinosarcoma (CS) is a rare, aggressive malignancy of the Mullerian system often termed mixed malignant Mullerian tumor (MMMT). It is biphasic in nature, differentiating into epithelial and sarcomatous components. Tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging and mismatch repair (MMR) status is the basis for both prognostication and therapeutic decision making. However, stromal differentiation (SD) is a new frontier in the field of histopathology and many studies have demonstrated its prognostic significance. The present study is the first study to evaluate the role of SD in carcinosarcoma. Here we found immature SD to be a significant prognostic signature ( p = 0.04). It outperformed age, nodal metastasis, and lymphovascular invasion for predicting cancer-free survival. Immature SD also corelated with both myometrial invasion ( p = 0.01) and tumor stage ( p = 0.02). Carcinosarcoma has been previously thought to have universally poor outcomes; however, mature SD was found to be protective in this cancer subtype. Our findings support the integration of SD into the synoptic reporting for carcinosarcoma; however, this will require pathologists to shoulder the adoption of SD into clinical practice.
Advances in therapeutic options for newly diagnosed, high-risk AML patients
Authors: Doucette Kimberley , Karp Judith , Lai Catherine
Published: May 2021

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by clonal proliferation of neoplastic immature precursor cells. AML impacts older adults and has a poor prognosis. Despite recent advances in treatment, AML is complex, with both genetic and epigenetic aberrations in the malignant clone and elaborate interactions with its microenvironment. We are now able to stratify patients on the basis of specific clinical and molecular features in order to optimize individual treatment strategies. However, our understanding of the complex nature of these molecular abnormalities continues to expand the defining characteristics of high-risk mutations. In this review, we focus on genetic and microenvironmental factors in adverse risk AML that play critical roles in leukemogenesis, including those not described in an European LeukemiaNet adverse risk group, and describe therapies that are currently in the clinical arena, either approved or under development.
From shared climate to personal ecosystems: Why some people create unique environments
Authors: Friedman Ray , Olekalns Mara
Published: May 2021

Much of organizational behavior research looks at how social context influences individuals’ experiences and behaviors. We add to this view by arguing that some individuals create their own contexts, and do so in a way that follows them across dyads, groups, and organizations. We call these individual-specific contexts “personal ecosystems,” and propose that they are created when an actor consistently engages in visible behaviors that trigger similar and visible reactions across targets of that behavior. We attribute the formation of personal ecosystems to social inertia, and identify three individual traits that increase the likelihood that an individual’s behavior is consistent across people and situations: low self-monitoring, implicit beliefs, and low levels of emotional intelligence. Finally, we discuss why understanding personal ecosystems is important for organizations, identify managerial implications of this phenomenon, and strategies for diminishing the likelihood of having personal ecosystems.
Zoledronic acid does not affect insulin resistance in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy: a prespecified secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Cheung Ada S. , Hoermann Rudolf , Zhu Jasmine , Lim Joon Daryl , Zajac Jeffrey D. , Grossmann Mathis
Published: May 2021

Background:

Animal studies suggest that undercarboxylated osteocalcin may improve insulin sensitivity via its effect on testicular testosterone production. Human studies have been conflicting. Men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer experience profound hypogonadism resulting in increased insulin resistance. In a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of zoledronic acid versus placebo in men commencing extended-duration ADT, we aimed to examine the effects on fat mass and glucose metabolism. We hypothesised that zoledronic acid, which reduces osteocalcin concentrations, would worsen ADT-induced insulin resistance.

Methods:

This was a prespecified secondary analysis of an RCT designed to evaluate the effects of zoledronic acid on bone microarchitecture in 76 men with non-metastatic prostate cancer undergoing curative radiotherapy combined with adjuvant ADT ( n = 39 randomised to a single dose of zoledronic acid 5 mg, n = 37 randomised to matching placebo). Oral glucose tolerance tests to determine Matsuda Index were performed at 0, 3, 12 and 24 months. Using a mixed model, mean adjusted differences [MAD (95% confidence interval)] between the groups over time are reported.

Results:

Over 24 months of ADT, fat mass increased and lean mass decreased for both groups, with no significant between group difference [MAD 401 g (−1307; 2103), p = 0.23 and −184 g (−1325; 955), p = 0.36 respectively]. Bone remodelling markers C-telopeptide [MAD −176 ng/l (−275; −76), p < 0.001 and P1NP −18 mg/l (−32; −5), p < 0.001] as a surrogate for osteocalcin, remained significantly lower in the zoledronic acid group, compared with placebo. There was no mean adjusted between-group difference for homeostatic model assessment 2 insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) [−0.2 (−0.6; 0.2), p = 0.45], HbA1c [−0.1% (−0.3; 0.1), p = 0.64] or Matsuda Index [0.8 (−1.1; 2.7), p = 0.38]. The Matsuda Index decreased in both groups consistent with worsening insulin resistance with ADT.

Conclusion:

A single dose of zoledronic acid does not appear to influence glucose metabolism in men newly commencing ADT. Further study to evaluate the endocrine relationship between bisphosphonates, bone and glucose metabolism is required.

Trial Registration Number:

[ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01006395].
Long-term follow up of carbohydrate metabolism and adverse events after termination of Omnitrope® treatment in children born small for gestational age
Authors: Walczak Mieczyslaw , Szalecki Mieczyslaw , Horneff Gerd , Lebl Jan , Kalina-Faska Barbara , Giemza Tomasz , Moldovanu Florentina , Nanu Michaela , Zouater Hichem
Published: May 2021

Background:

Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy can affect carbohydrate metabolism and lead to impaired glucose tolerance during treatment. In addition, short children born small for gestational age (SGA) are predisposed to metabolic abnormalities. This study assessed the long-term safety of rhGH (Omnitrope®) use in short children born SGA.

Methods:

This was a follow-up observational study of patients from a phase IV study. The baseline visit was the final visit of the phase IV study. Further visits were planned after 6 months (F1), 1 year (F2), 5 years (F3), and 10 years (F4). The primary objective was to evaluate the long-term effect of rhGH treatment on the development of diabetes mellitus; secondary objectives included incidence/severity of adverse events (AEs).

Results:

In total, 130 subjects were enrolled in the follow-up study; 99 completed F1, 88 completed F2, and 13 completed F3 (no subject reached F4). The full analysis set for evaluation comprised 118 patients (64 female). Mean (standard deviation) duration of follow up was 39.6 (24.4) months. No subject was newly diagnosed with diabetes. The results for carbohydrate metabolism parameters were consistent with this finding. A total of 144 AEs were reported in 54 subjects; these were mostly of mild-to-moderate intensity (96.5%) and not suspected to be related to previous rhGH treatment (94.4%). Serious AEs ( n = 18) were reported in eight patients; three (in one patient) were suspected as possibly related to previous rhGH treatment (anemia, menorrhagia, oligomenorrhoea). One fatal event occurred (sepsis), which was judged as not related to previous rhGH treatment.

Conclusions:

None of the participating subjects, who had all been previously treated with Omnitrope® in a phase IV study, developed diabetes during this follow-up study. In addition, no other unexpected or concerning safety signals were observed.
Media literacy for children: Empowering citizens for a mediatized world
Authors: Mateus Julio-Cesar
Published: May 2021

Becoming a critical user of media is a premise for citizenship in contemporary times. The use of critical thinking skills in mediatized scenarios demands developing the ability to interact with media, not only in being able to use devices, but also for understanding their socio-cultural effects. Our recent pandemic and political circumstances have raised our levels of awareness about fake news and biased media opinions. Here, I contend that we need to consider three basic arguments that should be taken into account when thinking about media literacy: Access to the internet constitutes a human right, though that is not enough, as we must develop critical media literacy skills as well; media policies should focus on the empowerment of citizens; and media literacy education policies must address the initial and continued professional learning of teachers to ensure its success.
A preliminary comparison of fundamental fears related to anxiety
Authors: Papenfuss Inka , Ostafin Brian D.
Published: May 2021

In the quest to uncover lower order processes that underlie anxiety disorders, researchers have proposed a number of fundamental fears, which are thought to represent fears of inherently aversive stimuli that can explain a number of higher order constructs such as more specific fears. In a recent theoretical article, Carleton narrowed the list of potential fundamental fears down to three candidates: fear of death, fear of pain, and fear of the unknown. Carleton proposes that fear of the unknown represents the primary fundamental fear, suggesting that unlike the other two, fear of the unknown is inherently aversive and logically irreducible. The present study represents an initial empirical investigation of this hypothesis. In a cross-sectional study ( N = 373), fear of death, fear of pain, and fear of the unknown were assessed as simultaneous predictors of anxiety. Results showed that fear of the unknown was indeed the strongest unique predictor, while fear of pain also uniquely predicted anxiety, although to a lesser extent. While the results suggest that fear of the unknown may indeed be the most fundamental fear, the need for conceptual clarification and empirical work using diverse measures is discussed.
Èèwọ̀: Cultural issues mediating the coverage of maternal and child healthcare experiences in the Nigerian press
Authors: Adeniran Raheemat , Tijani-Adenle Ganiyat , Oso Lai
Published: May 2021

Although the Nigerian government appears committed to improving maternal and child healthcare (MCH), studies consistently show high maternal and child mortality in the country. Studies have also shown that a lack of awareness about symptoms and their severity prevents women from seeking medical attention until complications arise. The media can help address these issues by enlightening and empowering the public with relevant information. Unfortunately, even when published, critical information (about MCH) are usually buried in statistics and within ‘authority interviews’ which may not attract the attention of the target audience or provide them with the relevant information they need to protect the lives of women and children during pregnancy and childbirth. This study presents results from a content analysis of MCH-related contents in four national newspapers for a 12-month period and also interviews with ten health editors about the coverage of MCH-related issues in the Nigerian press. Major findings are that health journalists use statistics and stakeholder interviews mainly in producing health contents in the press because cultural ideologies around secrecy/silence about MCH experiences, the fatalistic acceptance of unfavourable outcomes as destiny, as well as patriarchy, have consistently discouraged women (and men) from sharing their MCH experiences in the media. The study recommends that the media should avoid the sensationalisation of MCH experiences to encourage more people to share their stories. This is because including the positive and challenging experiences of individuals in MCH-related contents in the media provides the human-interest angle that can increase readership of health contents, thus empowering citizens with the information they need to get adequate care and also seek redress when such care is denied.
Expanding the discussion on internal management of risk communication: A critique of the current risk communication literature
Authors: Lemon Laura L. , VanDyke Matthew S.
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this paper is to build from the infrastructural approach to risk communication, rethink the internal management of risk communication, and critique the current literature’s discussion of how risks emerge, the role of the risk communication manager, and the decentralization of the risk communication function. Some of the risk communication literature is too general in terms of recognizing the nuance of the locus of risk, and the role(s) of stakeholders and communicators, which limit understanding that could extend and enrich current risk communication literature. In doing so, the conceptualization of where risk may occur broadens and research-based recommendations are developed from varied contexts to offer specific guidelines for future research to better understand the role of “internal” in risk communication and its practice. All of these points are not to diminish previous risk communication scholarship, but rather to refine and complement the current understanding so the management and communication of risk continues to enhance society as a whole.
Assessing the quality and readability of NHS urology webpages in England
Authors: Pook Celina J , Thomas Kay , Bultitude Matthew F
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To examine the readability of urology webpages to assess their suitability for the general population and their inclusivity for varied levels of health literacy.

Methods:

We accessed all urology department websites from NHS trusts in England. A standard framework was used to assess these for ease of navigation, availability and quality of urology-specific information. Text was analysed using Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level and Ease Score to measure readability.

Results:

From the 132 NHS trust websites investigated, 117 (88.6%) had a urology-specific webpage, a considerable increase from 98 trusts (68%) in 2010. However, a smaller proportion of websites explained their services and procedures, and only 23.9% explained common urological conditions. Websites still appeared outdated, 23.9% had spelling errors, and 75.2% made none or poor use of images. The mean reading grade level was 13.40, equivalent to a UK reading age above 18 years, and the mean reading ease score was 30.35, in the range of ‘difficult’ text.

Conclusion:

Our data suggest that urology-specific webpages are not providing useful content for patients and are too complex for the general population to understand. Improvement would allow patients to be able to utilise such resources to aid decision making and to navigate complex NHS pathways.

Level of evidence:

Not applicable
Communication surrounding initiation and withdrawal of non-invasive ventilation in adults with Motor Neuron(e) Disease: clinicians’ and family members’ perspectives
Authors: Chapman Charlotte , Bayes Sara , Sim Moira
Published: May 2021

Introduction

International guidelines recommend that health care clinicians communicate with people with MND and their family members about non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and percutaneous gastrostomy tube (PEG) prior to or at the onset of respiratory symptoms. This study sought to discover the degree to which these recommendations are followed in practice.

Methods

Interpretive Description methodology was employed. Nineteen clinicians experienced in caring for people with MND, six relatives of recently deceased people with MND and one person with MND participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Clinicians’ accounts of NIV and PEG related communications were compared to family member participants’ recollections of their own discussions with clinicians. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Six major themes emerged that together capture the factors that impact practitioner-patient-family communications about NIV and PEG. Some clinicians were unaware of MND guidelines particularly communicating the burdens or possible withdrawal of NIV or found them challenging to implement. Consequently, family participants reported that they and their relatives with MND found clinicians’ communication on these topics inadequate. This led to them ‘topping up’ their knowledge from less authoritative sources, predominantly the internet.

Discussion

Clinicians’ lack of awareness of the international guidelines and discomfort about discussing the benefits and burdens of NIV and PEGs means some people with MND and their families may be unprepared for the consequences of using and ceasing NIV.
Big Data in the workplace: Privacy Due Diligence as a human rights-based approach to employee privacy protection
Authors: Ebert Isabel , Wildhaber Isabelle , Adams-Prassl Jeremias
Published: May 2021

Data-driven technologies have come to pervade almost every aspect of business life, extending to employee monitoring and algorithmic management. How can employee privacy be protected in the age of datafication? This article surveys the potential and shortcomings of a number of legal and technical solutions to show the advantages of human rights-based approaches in addressing corporate responsibility to respect privacy and strengthen human agency. Based on this notion, we develop a process-oriented model of Privacy Due Diligence to complement existing frameworks for safeguarding employee privacy in an era of Big Data surveillance.
Identifying and characterizing scientific authority-related misinformation discourse about hydroxychloroquine on twitter using unsupervised machine learning
Authors: Haupt Michael Robert , Li Jiawei , Mackey Tim K
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the types of misinformation spread on Twitter that evokes scientific authority or evidence when making false claims about the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. Specifically, we examined tweets generated after former U.S. President Donald Trump retweeted misinformation about the drug using an unsupervised machine learning approach called the biterm topic model that is used to cluster tweets into misinformation topics based on textual similarity. The top 10 tweets from each topic cluster were content coded for three types of misinformation categories related to scientific authority: medical endorsements of hydroxychloroquine, scientific information used to support hydroxychloroquine’s use, and a comparison group that included scientific evidence opposing hydroxychloroquine’s use. Results show a much higher volume of tweets featuring medical endorsements and use of supportive scientific information compared to accurate and updated scientific evidence, that misinformation-related tweets propagated for a longer time frame, and the majority of hydroxychloroquine Twitter discourse expressed positive views about the drug. Metadata from Twitter accounts found that prominent users within misinformation discourse were more likely to have media or political affiliation and explicitly expressed support for President Trump. Conversely, prominent accounts within the scientific opposition discourse primarily consisted of medical doctors or scientists but had far less influence in the Twitter discourse. Implications of these findings and connections to related social media research are discussed, as well as cognitive mechanisms for understanding susceptibility to misinformation and strategies to combat misinformation spread via online platforms.
Countering misinformation: A multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Gradoń Kacper T , Hołyst Janusz A. , Moy Wesley R , Sienkiewicz Julian , Suchecki Krzysztof
Published: May 2021

The article explores the concept of infodemics during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the propagation of false or inaccurate information proliferating worldwide throughout the SARS-CoV-2 health crisis. We provide an overview of disinformation, misinformation and malinformation and discuss the notion of “fake news”, and highlight the threats these phenomena bear for health policies and national and international security. We discuss the mis-/disinformation as a significant challenge to the public health, intelligence, and policymaking communities and highlight the necessity to design measures enabling the prevention, interdiction, and mitigation of such threats. We then present an overview of selected opportunities for applying technology to study and combat disinformation, outlining several approaches currently being used to understand, describe, and model the phenomena of misinformation and disinformation. We focus specifically on complex networks, machine learning, data- and text-mining methods in misinformation detection, sentiment analysis, and agent-based models of misinformation spreading and the detection of misinformation sources in the network. We conclude with the set of recommendations supporting the World Health Organization’s initiative on infodemiology. We support the implementation of integrated preventive procedures and internationalization of infodemic management. We also endorse the application of the cross-disciplinary methodology of Crime Science discipline, supplemented by Big Data analysis and related information technologies to prevent, disrupt, and detect mis- and disinformation efficiently.
The case for tracking misinformation the way we track disease
Authors: Bonnevie Erika , Sittig Jennifer , Smyser Joe
Published: May 2021

While public health organizations can detect disease spread, few can monitor and respond to real-time misinformation. Misinformation risks the public’s health, the credibility of institutions, and the safety of experts and front-line workers. Big Data, and specifically publicly available media data, can play a significant role in understanding and responding to misinformation. The Public Good Projects uses supervised machine learning to aggregate and code millions of conversations relating to vaccines and the COVID-19 pandemic broadly, in real-time. Public health researchers supervise this process daily, and provide insights to practitioners across a range of disciplines. Through this work, we have gleaned three lessons to address misinformation. (1) Sources of vaccine misinformation are known; there is a need to operationalize learnings and engage the pro-vaccination majority in debunking vaccine-related misinformation. (2) Existing systems can identify and track threats against health experts and institutions, which have been subject to unprecedented harassment. This supports their safety and helps prevent the further erosion of trust in public institutions. (3) Responses to misinformation should draw from cross-sector crisis management best practices and address coordination gaps. Real-time monitoring and addressing misinformation should be a core function of public health, and public health should be a core use case for data scientists developing monitoring tools. The tools to accomplish these tasks are available; it remains up to us to prioritize them.
Identifying how COVID-19-related misinformation reacts to the announcement of the UK national lockdown: An interrupted time-series study
Authors: Green Mark , Musi Elena , Rowe Francisco , Charles Darren , Pollock Frances Darlington , Kypridemos Chris , Morse Andrew , Rossini Patricia , Tulloch John , Davies Andrew , Dearden Emily , Maheswaran Henrdramoorthy , Singleton Alex , Vivancos Roberto , Sheard Sally
Published: May 2021

COVID-19 is unique in that it is the first global pandemic occurring amidst a crowded information environment that has facilitated the proliferation of misinformation on social media. Dangerous misleading narratives have the potential to disrupt ‘official’ information sharing at major government announcements. Using an interrupted time-series design, we test the impact of the announcement of the first UK lockdown (8–8.30 p.m. 23 March 2020) on short-term trends of misinformation on Twitter. We utilise a novel dataset of all COVID-19-related social media posts on Twitter from the UK 48 hours before and 48 hours after the announcement (n = 2,531,888). We find that while the number of tweets increased immediately post announcement, there was no evidence of an increase in misinformation-related tweets. We found an increase in COVID-19-related bot activity post-announcement. Topic modelling of misinformation tweets revealed four distinct clusters: ‘government and policy’, ‘symptoms’, ‘pushing back against misinformation’ and ‘cures and treatments’.
Integrating faith into an accounting ethics class: A project illuminated by Bonhoeffer
Authors: Sauerwein Josh
Published: May 2021

Teaching accounting ethics at a faith-based university requires a balance between professional guidance and the special mission of these universities. This paper reimagines the objectives on an undergraduate accounting ethics course and uses them along with insights from integration literature to develop a project of faith integration. The project incorporates the life and selected writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The outline for the project, professor reflections, and student responses are included. In past years, this project has created a dynamic classroom, encouraged faith integration, and been well received by students. This paper contributes to the praxis of faith integration literature through an articulation of creative instruction.
Assessing Christian learning: Towards a practices-based approach to faith, vocation, and assessment
Authors: Smith David I. , Green Beth , Kurkechian Mia , Cheng Albert
Published: May 2021

This essay proposes that efforts at assessing the contribution of faith-based schools to faith formation be grounded in an account of student vocation framed by Christian practices. We identify gaps in research on assessment of school effectiveness and suggest that a focus on the present vocation of students may fruitfully connect faith and school-based learning practices. On this basis, we describe a framework for viewing assessment through a practices lens by identifying Christian practices that orient learning practices. We also briefly introduce the Practicing Faith Survey, a new tool based on this approach.
Cohort dynamics in relation to gender attitudes in China
Authors: Luo Mengsha
Published: May 2021

China has undergone extensive changes since its transition from the socialist era to the reform era in 1978. It is said there was a revival of traditional gender ideologies in the reform era. Nonetheless, individuals’ socioeconomic status improved greatly, and according to cohort replacement theory and interest- and exposure-based theories, this should imply progress in gender attitudes. Drawing on nationwide repeated cross-sectional data from the 2010–2015 Chinese General Social Survey ( N = 44,900), this study explores changes in gender attitudes in relation to cohort in China. Sex-stratified hierarchical age–period–cohort cross-classified random-effects models are used to (a) explore cohort differences in attitude for four gender norm dimensions (ability and work dimensions in the public sphere and division of labor and marriage dimensions in the private sphere), and across three cohort groups, that is, the “war baby” (born 1926–1948), the “pre-reform baby” (born 1949–1977), and the “reform baby” (born 1978–1995) groups, and (b) examine how cohort differences in relation to each attitude have been modified by socioeconomic status and demographic characteristics, and how men’s and women’s gender attitudes are influenced in different ways by these factors. The results reveal the uneven pace of development toward egalitarian gender ideologies in China, with respondents being more supportive of egalitarianism in the public sphere than in the private sphere. Although the movement toward greater gender egalitarianism in the public sphere started from the pre-reform baby cohort, the movement in the private sphere began to emerge only in the reform baby cohort. Additionally, the sex gap in gender attitudes widened and peaked in the reform baby cohort. Women’s attitudes were influenced to a greater extent by socioeconomic and demographic factors than men’s.
Why do Chinese adolescent girls outperform boys in achievement tests?
Authors: Gu Xiaorong , Jean Yeung Wei-jun
Published: May 2021

The current study extends our understanding of the widely documented gender educational gap in favor of females and its contributing factors through a mixed-methods analysis of the Chinese case. We develop an analytical framework that incorporates three mechanisms—intergenerational social contract, non-cognitive skills, and cumulative (dis)advantage across the life course—to empirically assess gendered achievement patterns and their social mechanisms among Chinese adolescents. The Chinese Family Panel Studies data documented that adolescent girls have higher verbal and math achievements than boys, with the gap larger in verbal than in math scores. Three factors account for these gender gaps: (1) (grand)parents hold higher expectations for girls, monitor girls more closely, and invest in girls as much as in boys; (2) girls possess better non-cognitive skills; and (3) girls’ stronger performance in earlier years gives them an edge for later achievement. The in-depth interviews contextualize these statistical patterns in profound changes in families’ logic in supporting girls’ education and in reconfigured gender discourses about girls’ learning behavior. From the perspective of intergenerational contracts, in the context of low fertility, daughters have become cherished as long-term family members at the receiving end of intensive investment, particularly as educational competition intensifies in post-reform China. Moreover, a gender discourse, engaged by family members and teachers, about girls’ superior non-cognitive skills such as compliance and self-discipline exerts a powerful influence as a self-fulfilling prophecy with regards to girls’ achievement. The findings underscore the need to account for both cultural and policy contexts, and nuanced gender work at home and in school in understanding the gender-gap reversal in contemporary China.
Enterprising and lost: Professional lives of programmer interns
Authors: Wang Chadwick , Yang Kunyun
Published: May 2021

Programmer interns are a distinctive group of precarious laborers. They undertake the same jobs as junior programmers with formal employment, while suffering from high pressure and earning low pay. Still, they are convinced that only a long-term internship can keep them on the right track of professional career development. We explore their consent-making through six months of fieldwork in an internet company, and propose the “enterprising-self” game to explain their subjective orientations. In the enterprising-self game, programmer interns become accustomed to identifying themselves with a particular type of quantifiable labor product, for instance, the positioning of “their” sticky notes on company whiteboards and the expected “T-levels” that represent their employability in the industry, by which their enterprising self is a by-product. Programmer interns seems to believe that, rather than higher education, state-owned enterprises, or multinational enterprises, only domestic internet companies can help them attain their enterprising selves. Even though the supervisor–intern relationship and the “gender game” of masculinity performance constitute part of the programmer interns’ enterprising-self game, the essence of the game has never been challenged and in some ways is only being reinforced. Though only a few lucky employees can win the game by attaining promotion to the senior engineer or management level, most of them still get lost in the “periodic” and “imperceptible” time of life as a programmer, which is characterized by full devotion to the company, until the “35-year-old crisis”.
‘Time is our utmost enemy’: First responders’ experiences of ‘While Waiting For the Ambulance’ assignments in rural environments – A phenomenological study
Authors: Nord-Ljungquist Helena , Engström Åsa , Fridlund Bengt , Elmqvist Carina
Published: May 2021

Firefighters around the world have the ability to provide first aid before ambulance staff arrive. In Sweden, this assignment is called ‘While Waiting For the Ambulance’ (WWFA). There is limited knowledge about WWFA in rural environments, therefore the aim of this study was to describe the WWFA assignment in a rural environment from the perspective of the firefighters and the ambulance staff. A descriptive design was used with a reflective lifeworld approach, including 16 telephone interviews with firefighters and ambulance staff. The COREQ checklist was applied. A directed responsibility emerges towards affected persons with a situation-adapted attitude during alarms in a WWFA assignment. The firefighters and ambulance staff are each other’s support with a simultaneous need for support from involved organisations. To strengthen this support, training is required, consisting of interprofessional training, feedback from relevant organisations about first aid efforts and expansion of WWFA assignments. Finally, there is a need for a more coordinated picture in order to provide better conditions for future action by the organisations involved, with increased opportunities to save lives in individual local environments.
Up-regulation of KLF17 expression increases the sensitivity of gastric cancer to 5-fluorouracil
Authors: An Zhao-jie , Li Yong , Tan Bi-bo , Zhao Qun , Fan Li-qiao , Zhang Zhi-dong , Zhao Xue-feng , Li Shao-yi
Published: May 2021

It has been reported that the expression of Krüppel-like factor 17 (KLF17) was associated with the occurrence, development, invasion, metastasis and chemotherapy resistance of various tumors. However, the detailed mechanisms by which KLF17 promotes chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer (GC) have not been fully investigated. In the present study, we collected the GC tissues and non-tumor tissues (matched adjacent normal tissues with corresponding GC tissues) of 60 GC patients, used qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry assay to analyze the relationship between the expression of KLF17 and the clinical pathological data of the patients. The effect of KLF17 on the sensitivity of GC cell lines to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and the potential mechanism were detected by MTS assay, Flow cytometry assay, and Western blot. Compared with non-tumor tissues, the expression level of KLF17 in GC tissue was significantly down-regulated, and the expression level of KLF17 in GES-1 cell line and GC cell lines also had a similar trend. Down-regulated expression of KLF17 is related to tumor size, invasion, regional lymph node metastasis, and TNM staging. Furthermore, through upregulating the expression of KLF17, the sensitivity of BGC-823 and SGC-7901 cell lines to 5-FU was obviously increased. Mechanistically, upregulation the expression of KLF17 can inhibit the expressions of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), and B-Cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2), which have been reported to be associated with drug resistance and cell proliferation. Collectively, these data implied that KLF17 has the biological effect of inhibiting chemotherapy resistance of GC, and it could be a potential strategy for the GC chemotherapy resistance.
A review of minor traumatic brain injury presentations and their management in Brisbane emergency departments
Authors: Mitchell Gary , Taylor Jack , Jin Gilbert , Snelling Rahul
Published: May 2021

Objective

A retrospective audit of minor traumatic brain injury presentations to three Brisbane emergency departments aiming to assess rates of CT scans and compliance with the Canadian CT Head Rule (CCTHR), as well as reviewing the demographics of patients and their management.

Method

Minor traumatic brain injury presentations to the Emergency departments of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Redcliffe Hospital and Queen Elizabeth II Hospital between July 1st and August 30th, 2019 were identified via diagnosis searches in patient tracking systems. Data collected included patient demographics, use of CT scans and Abbreviated Westmead Post Traumatic Amnesia Scale assessment, length of stay and discharge advice regarding return to sport.

Results

200 minor traumatic brain injury presentations were included. 75% of patients received a CT head with only 9% of these found to be non-compliant with the CCTHR. The most common indications for CTs were age >65, GCS <15 at 2 hours post injury and anticoagulation. Only 40% of patients that qualified for A-WTPAS received the assessment. 18% of presentations were due to sporting injuries and 69% were not given return to play advice. The average length of stay was 250 minutes with 41.5% of presentations longer than 4 hours. 99% of the patients were discharged home from the ED with 1% admitted.

Conclusion

The study characterised minor traumatic brain injury management across three emergency departments and showed that most patients received CT head scans that were indicated. However, other areas of management such as A-WPTAs and return to play advice must be improved.
Big data and democratic speech: Predicting deliberative quality using machine learning techniques
Authors: Fournier-Tombs Eleonore , MacKenzie Michael K.
Published: May 2021

This article explores techniques for using supervised machine learning to study discourse quality in large datasets. We explain and illustrate the computational techniques that we have developed to facilitate a large-scale study of deliberative quality in Canada’s three northern territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. This larger study involves conducting comparative analyses of hundreds of thousands of parliamentary speech acts since the creation of Nunavut 20 years ago. Without computational techniques, we would be unable to conduct such an ambitious and comprehensive analysis of deliberative quality. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the machine learning techniques that we have developed with the hope that they might be used and improved by other communications scholars who are interested in conducting textual analyses using large datasets. Other possible applications of these techniques might include analyses of campaign speeches, party platforms, legislation, judicial rulings, online comments, newspaper articles, and television or radio commentaries.