bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Addressing Barriers to Reducing Prescribing and Implementing Deprescribing of Sedative-Hypnotics in Primary Care
Authors: Burry Lisa , Turner Justin , Morgenthaler Timothy , Tannenbaum Cara , Cho Hyung J. , Gathecha Evelyn , Kisuule Flora , Vijenthira Abi , Soong Christine
Published: July 2021

Objective:

To describe interventions that target patient, provider, and system barriers to sedative-hypnotic (SH) deprescribing in the community and suggest strategies for healthcare teams.

Data Sources:

Ovid MEDLINE ALL and EMBASE Classic + EMBASE (March 10, 2021).

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

English-language studies in primary care settings.

Data Synthesis:

20 studies were themed as patient-related and prescriber inertia, physician skills and awareness, and health system constraints. Patient education strategies reduced SH dose for 10% to 62% of participants, leading to discontinuation in 13% to 80% of participants. Policy interventions reduced targeted medication use by 10% to 50%.

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice:

Patient engagement and empowerment successfully convince patients to deprescribe chronic SHs. Quality improvement strategies should also consider interventions directed at prescribers, including education and training, drug utilization reviews, or computer alerts indicating a potentially inappropriate prescription by medication, age, dose, or disease. Educational interventions were effective when they facilitated patient engagement and provided information on the harms and limited evidence supporting chronic use as well as the effectiveness of alternatives. Decision support tools were less effective than prescriber education with patient engagement, although they can be readily incorporated in the workflow through prescribing software.

Conclusions:

Several strategies with demonstrated efficacy in reducing SH use in community practice were identified. Education regarding SH risks, how to taper, and potential alternatives are essential details to provide to clinicians, patients, and families. The strategies presented can guide community healthcare teams toward reducing the community burden of SH use.
The Effect of Backplate Design for Mountain Bike Backpacks on Thermoregulation Mechanisms
Authors: Daza Beltrán Carolina , Muñoz Larsson Erika , Otero Caicedo Ricardo Fernando , Rojas Losada Edna Constanza
Published: July 2021

Using infrared thermography, we assess how a new backpack design for mountain bikers can contribute to their thermoregulation process and perceived comfort during a cycling activity in a controlled environment. We gathered qualitative and quantitative data of heat concentration areas on skin temperature and thermal comfort perception by comparing two types of backpacks: a conventional backpack and a novel backpack design. Our results show that a guaranteeing airflow due to distance between the user’s back and the backpack with a rigid backplate and an arc radius morphology improves heat dissipation and thermal comfort for mountain bikers.
How Universal Is a Construct of Loneliness? Measurement Invariance of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in Indonesia, Germany, and the United States
Authors: Hudiyana Joevarian , Lincoln Tania M. , Hartanto Steffi , Shadiqi Muhammad A. , Milla Mirra N. , Muluk Hamdi , Jaya Edo S.
Published: July 2021

The UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-20) and its short version (ULS-8) are widely used to measure loneliness. However, the question remains whether or not previous studies using the scale to measure loneliness are measuring the construct equally across countries. The present study examined the measurement invariance (MI) of both scales in Germany, Indonesia, and the United States ( N = 2350). The one-, two-, and three-factor structure of the ULS-20 did not meet the model fit cut-off criteria in the total sample. The ULS-8 met the model fit cut-off criteria and has configural, but not metric invariance because two items unrelated to social isolation were not MI. The final six items (ULS-6) exclusively related to social isolation had complete MI. Participants from the United States scored highest in the ULS-6, followed by participants from Germany and then Indonesia. We conclude that the ULS-6 is an appropriate measure for cross-cultural studies on loneliness.
Electrical analogs of curved beams and application to piezoelectric network damping
Authors: Darleux Robin , Lossouarn Boris , Giorgio Ivan , dell’Isola Francesco , Deü Jean-François
Published: July 2021

In this paper, the method of electric analog synthesis is applied to design a piezo-electro-mechanical arch able to show the capacity of multimodal damping. An electric-analog circuit is designed by using a finite number of lumped elements representing the equivalent of a curved beam. Spatial and frequency coherence conditions are proven to be verified for the modes to be damped: in fact, lumped-element circuit can damp only a finite number of vibration modes. Analogous boundary conditions are ensured, so that natural frequencies and mode shapes of both the curved beam and the analog circuit are equal. The instance considered here is the vibration mitigation of a piezo-electro-mechanical arch. Having a view towards prototypical applications, all simulations consider values of physically feasible passive circuital elements. It is believed that the present results may represent a step towards the design of multi-physics metamaterials based on micro-structures exploiting the principle of multimodal damping.
Ligneous conjunctivitis associated with type I plasminogen deficiency: A rare case
Authors: Dimopoulos Dimitris , Zacharioudakis Andreas , Kazamias Georgios , Danilatou Viasiliki , Katerini Dimitra , Nodarakis Michael , Koutentaki Maria Eleni , Koutentakis Pavlos
Published: July 2021

Ligneous conjunctivitis is a rare form of chronic, recurrent conjunctivitis characterized by wood-like, fibrinous pseudomembranes, which may be associated with systemic disease manifestations. It has been associated with congenital plasminogen (PLG) deficiency that is inherited with an autosomal recessive pattern due to mutations in the PLG gene and a variety of other genes, leading to disturbed wound healing. In this case report, we present the clinical, laboratory, and histopathological findings of a 36-year-old female patient who presented at the ophthalmology department with complaints of redness, irritation for the previous few weeks, and appearance of membranous lesions mainly on the tarsal conjunctivae. During biomicroscopic examination we found thick, yellowish-white pseudomembranes, and conjunctival proliferation with ligneous induration on the conjunctiva, located on the upper eyelids. Histopathological evaluations showed up ligneous conjunctivitis and laboratory evaluation confirmed a severe plasminogen deficiency (PLG < 2%). The patient was treated with topical fresh frozen plasma (FFP), topical steroids, heparin eye drops, and artificial tear drops daily, without systemic therapy.
Surgical treatment of consecutive exotropia: Comparison of different surgical methods applied to one eye in one session
Authors: Sefi-Yurdakul Nazife , Oto Sibel , Pelit Aysel
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

To compare the different surgical methods performed on a single eye in a single session and the factors that affect the success of patients having consecutive exotropia (XT) developed after esotropia surgery.

Methods:

The medical data of the patients who underwent surgery for consecutive XT were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with followed of 6 months or more were divided into four groups; patients with medial rectus (MR) advancement (Group 1 = 10), MR advancement and MR resection (Group 2 = 12), MR advancement and lateral rectus (LR) recession (Group 3 = 13), MR advancement, MR resection, and LR recession (Group 4 = 14). Success results and possible risk factors were investigated.

Results:

Forty-nine patients with consecutive XT (21 female, 28 male) were enrolled in the study. The mean age of overall patients was 22.97 years at surgery for consecutive XT. The groups did not display significant differences in terms of surgery ages, gender, refraction values, visual acuity, amblyopia, inferior oblique overaction, limitation of adduction, surgical success rates, and follow-up time ( p > 0.05). Patients of Group 4 had larger preoperative and postoperative deviation, while Group 1 had smaller ( p < 0.05). The surgical success rates of Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 were 90%, 75%, 76.9%, and 50%, respectively ( p = 0.192). Statistically, no factor was found to be effective in surgical success rates ( p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Surgical treatment of consecutive XT is successful in most of the patients with numerous surgical options performed on a single eye in a single session. Patients, particularly with a high amount of deviation should be warned about the possibility of additional surgery.
Quantitative analysis of retinal and choroidal vasculature in patients with chorioretinal folds secondary to hyperopia
Authors: Remolí Sargues Lidia , Monferrer Adsuara Clara , Castro Navarro Verónica , Navarro Palop Catalina , Montero Hernández Javier , Soler Sanchis María Isabel , Cervera Taulet Enrique
Published: July 2021

Introduction:

There is a lack of information on quantitative parameters of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in cases of chorioretinal folds (CRF). The aim of this study was to compare OCTA retinal and choriocapillary vessel density (VD) between normal subjects and patients with CRF.

Methods:

We conducted an observational retrospective study. A total of 16 eyes of eight patients were recruited (eight eyes with CRF and eight control eyes). Data on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refractive error, central macular thickness (CMT), central subfoveal thickness (CST), and OCTA findings (VD and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area in superficial capillary plexus (SCP), middle capillary plexus (MCP), and deep capillary plexus (DCP), and VD in choriocapillaris (CC)) were recorded in each eye.

Results:

Compared with control group, CRF group showed decreased VD in the foveal region of SCP and MCP ( p value 0.003 and 0.001), and increased VD in nasal region of SCP and MCP ( p value 0.02 and 0.001), and in parafoveal area of MCP ( p value 0.005). No differences were found in DCP and CC layers. Furthermore, we observed an enlargement of FAZ in CRF group at SCP and MCP slabs ( p value <0.001 and 0.015). Respect to optical coherence tomography parameters, we demonstrated a thicker choroid in the CRF group ( p value 0.002).

Conclusion:

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reported in the literature quantifying VD of retinal capillary plexus and CC in a group of patients with a diagnosis of CRF secondary to hyperopia.
Tissue Ki67 proliferative index expression and pathological changes in hemodialysis arteriovenous fistulae: Preliminary single-center results
Authors: Mauro Raffaella , Rocchi Cristina , Vasuri Francesco , Pini Alessia , Croci Chiocchini Anna Laura , Ciavarella Carmen , La Manna Gaetano , Pasquinelli Gianandrea , Faggioli Gianluca , Gargiulo Mauro
Published: July 2021

Background:

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis integrates outward remodeling with vessel wall thickening in response to drastic hemodynamic changes. Aim of this study is to determine the role of Ki67, a well-established proliferative marker, related to AVF, and its relationship with time-dependent histological morphologic changes.

Materials and methods:

All patients were enrolled in 1 year and stratified in two groups: (A) pre-dialysis patients submitted to first AVF and (B) patients submitted to revision of AVF. Morphological changes: neo-angiogenesis (NAG), myointimal thickening (MIT), inflammatory infiltrate (IT), and aneurysmatic fistula degeneration (AD). The time of AVF creation was recorded. A biopsy of native vein in Group A and of arterialized vein in Group B was submitted to histological and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. IHC for Ki67 was automatically performed in all specimens. Ki67 immunoreactivity was assessed as the mean number of positive cells on several high-power fields, counted in the hot spots.

Results:

A total of 138 patients were enrolled, 69 (50.0%) Group A and 69 (50.0%) Group B. No NAG or MIT were found in Group A. Seven (10.1%) Group A veins showed a mild MIT. Analyzing the Group B, a moderate-to-severe MIT was present in 35 (50.7%), IT in 19 (27.5%), NAG in 37 (53.6%); AD was present in 10 (14.5%). All AVF of Group B with the exception of one (1.4%) showed a positivity for Ki67, with a mean of 12.31 ± 13.79 positive cells/hot spot (range 0–65). Ki67-immunoreactive cells had a subendothelial localization in 23 (33.3%) cases, a myointimal localization in SMC in 35 (50.7%) cases. The number of positive cells was significantly correlated with subendothelial localization of Ki67 ( p = 0.001) and with NA ( p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

Native veins do not contain cycling cells. In contrast, vascular cell proliferation starts immediately after AVF creation and persists independently of the time the fistula is set up. The amount of proliferating cells is significantly associated with MIT and subendothelial localization of Ki67-immunoreactive cells, thus suggesting a role of Ki-67 index in predicting AVF failure.
Contrasting Patterns of Gene Duplication, Relocation, and Selection Among Human Taste Genes
Authors: Wang Yupeng , Sun Ying , Joseph Paule Valery
Published: July 2021

In humans, taste genes are responsible for perceiving at least 5 different taste qualities. Human taste genes’ evolutionary mechanisms need to be explored. We compiled a list of 69 human taste-related genes and divided them into 7 functional groups. We carried out comparative genomic and evolutionary analyses for these taste genes based on 8 vertebrate species. We found that relative to other groups of human taste genes, human TAS2R genes have a higher proportion of tandem duplicates, suggesting that tandem duplications have contributed significantly to the expansion of the human TAS2R gene family. Human TAS2R genes tend to have fewer collinear genes in outgroup species and evolve faster, suggesting that human TAS2R genes have experienced more gene relocations. Moreover, human TAS2R genes tend to be under more relaxed purifying selection than other genes. Our study sheds new insights into diverse and contrasting evolutionary patterns among human taste genes.
Personalising cultural policy: The influence of Tom O’Regan
Authors: Lee Terence
Published: July 2021

This article offers a personal commentary on the influence of Tom O’Regan, my Honours supervisor in the 1990s. Among many other things, he was a major contributor to the ‘cultural policy debate’ in Australia. More than offering an explanation about the subject, O’Regan had warned of the need to strike a balance when debating culture and critiquing cultural policy, and not fall into polemical traps. Making a case for policy independence, he urged academics to participate collaboratively and cooperatively in cultural policy-making processes, instead of primarily engaging in cultural criticisms. I write as well of my firsthand experience of how his cultural policy writings transcended scholarly rationale into the actual policy domain during my time as a media policy professional in Singapore. His ability to apply policy thinking beyond academia underscores why he was – and will remain – a giant of media and cultural studies in Australia and beyond.
Super aggregators and the media supply chain
Authors: O’Regan Tom , Balnaves Mark
Published: July 2021

Search engines and social media came into their own from 2006. Indeed, when regulators in the United States crafted Section 230 in the 1990s to give immunity to web publishers from third-party content, they did not know that search services would become hypergiant advertising and news vehicles. In this article, the authors argue that the sudden upending of established practices in the media industries has far-reaching consequences for how audiences are represented for businesses and the public.
Australian (post) national cinema
Authors: Williams Deane
Published: July 2021

This article proposes that Tom O’Regan’s Australian National Cinema book is best understood among the contexts from which it emerged and, in this process, repositions the magnum opus of his scholarly career, as a post-national theorising of the national cinema formation in terms of ‘an unprincipled assemblage’ and a discursive multiplicity.
Reading the Tulsa V S Naipaul Archive
Authors: Mishra Vijay
Published: July 2021

In 1993, the University of Tulsa purchased the V S Naipaul papers and installed the V S Naipaul Archive, principally a paper archive, a year later. In this essay, which is also a homage to the late Professor Tom O’Regan, I examine the value of archives, a scholar’s use of them and the ‘Freudian impressions’ or latent texts embedded in in them. Although once established an archive can acquire mystical power, in reading it, one has to be conscious of processes of selection and redaction built into the archive. One ‘Freudian impression’ that requires attending to is the role of Naipaul’s first wife Patricia Naipaul in the growth of the writer’s craft. The archival evidence suggests that his best works were written while she was alive.
The media geographies of Tom O’Regan
Authors: Lobato Ramon , Thomas Julian
Published: July 2021

This essay reflects on the many contributions of Tom O’Regan to media scholarship in Australia. While O’Regan may be best known as a scholar of Australian film and television, we suggest that O’Regan was also – and always – a scholar of the global. His work was premised on the idea that national and global industries are co-constitutive, shaped by flows of content, technology, ideas and attention. These are, fundamentally, matters of media geography – an issue to which O’Regan returned continuously throughout his long career. O’Regan was fascinated by spatial aspects of media: questions of flow and exchange across, between and within nations; problems of scale and scalar relations; and interactions between local, national, subnational, regional and global formations. We suggest O’Regan’s research oriented national and subnational media studies along that expansive geographical plane, and we consider how this perspective informed his prolific work on film, television, video, and digital platforms.
Thomas ‘Tom’ Andrew O’Regan FAHA 1956–2020
Authors: Cunningham Stuart , Turner Graeme , Carter David
Published: July 2021

This Obituary for Tom first appeared on the website of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. With permission, it is reproduced here with minor changes. Tom was elected to the Academy in 2002 in recognition of his standing in cultural and communication studies.
Re-Visiting Tom O’Regan’s Australian Television Culture: Why Media Ownership, Regulation and Policy Still Matter
Authors: Potter Anna
Published: July 2021

Almost 30 years after its publication, Tom O’Regan’s innovative and ambitious, multi-layered analysis of Australian television culture remains an important text for contemporary scholars of television studies, cultural and communications studies, and media industries. In this article, I re-visit the multiple lessons of value that we can take from Australian Television Culture and its distinctive analytical frameworks. Two of the book’s key areas of focus, media ownership structures, and media policy and regulation are explored further, including in work Tom and I would go on to do together.
The promotional culture of social media and search platforms: an original article by Tom O’Regan and a commentary by Nicholas Carah
Authors: O’Regan Tom , Carah Nicholas
Published: July 2021

As the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platforms Inquiry was at pains to point out, social media and search platforms now capture unprecedented shares of Australian media advertising expenditure. However, this loose collection of media forms and the advertising that supports them are some distance from traditional forms of media and advertising. While much has been written about these differences, the nexus between social media and search media forms and their advertising and promotional settlements had received comparatively little attention until the ACCC made it the front and centre of its inquiry. Our concern here is to take up the invitation the ACCC offers: to reorient our scholarly and public discussions of platforms towards the promotional culture of social media and search platforms. We consider the implications for advertiser-supported media, the unique form of advertising they have created and their challenge to public accountability.
Early initiatives, 1983–1994
Authors: Moran Albert
Published: July 2021

This article remembers the foundational years of Tom O’Regan’s academic career, focusing in particular on three scholarly initiaves - two book publications, An Australian Film Reader (1985) and The Australian Screen (1989) both co-edited with Albert Moran, and his partnership with Brian Shoesmith in founding the journal Continuum.
Celebration of the distinguished career of Professor Tom O’Regan (1956–2020)
Authors: Aveyard Karina , Goggin Gerard
Published: July 2021

Professor Tom O’Regan played an important role in the establishment and formalisation of media and cultural studies, especially in Australia and New Zealand. He had a long association with Media International Australia, serving on the journal’s Editorial Board for many years and helping to guide MIA successfully through several key periods of significant change. In this special issue MIA, on behalf of its community of scholars, takes this opportunity to honour Tom, and to remember and celebrate his insightful and innovative work.
The emergence of promotional gatekeeping and converged local music professionals on social media
Authors: Järvekülg Madis , Wikström Patrik
Published: July 2021

The digitalization of creative industries has undermined the business models of legacy media outlets as well as the music industries. This article discusses the two primary ways that legacy media has functioned in the context of the music industries—as a producer of symbolic value and as an engine of music promotion. However, the central aim of this study is to analyze the development of these functions in the new media sphere by identifying music promotion practices on Facebook. Based on in-depth interviews conducted with local music industry professionals in Estonia, two sets of promotional approaches have been identified: brand-centered approaches and community-oriented approaches. The findings indicate a continuing convergence of autonomous music criticism and music promotion across many dimensions and the presence of “promotional gatekeeping” as a form of business activity in small creative industries.
A unified approach to the study of language contact: Cross-language priming and change in adjective/noun order
Authors: Adamou Evangelia , Feltgen Quentin , Padure Cristian
Published: July 2021

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:

The connection between language contact and the bilingual speaker goes back to foundational authors in the field of contact linguistics. Yet there is very little work that combines these two levels in a single study. In this paper, we propose a unified approach to language contact by testing the role of cross-language priming (CLP) on contact-induced change at the level of complex noun phrases (NPs).

Design/methodology/approach:

We conducted three studies with different types of data. In Study 1, we analyse the Romani Morpho-Syntax database to identify word order preferences in Romani dialects from different countries. In Study 2, we examine a corpus of interviews in Romani from Romania. In Study 3, we conduct an experiment to test short-term priming in adjective (ADJ)/noun (N) order from Romanian to Romani and within Romani.

Data and analysis:

In Study 1, we examine the word order in approximately 3000 NPs from 119 Romani speakers. In Study 2, we analyse a speech corpus of 9400 words from four elderly Romani–Romanian bilinguals. In Study 3, 90 Romani–Romanian bilinguals participated in a priming experiment. We used multinomial mixed-effects logistic regression, Bayesian models and Random Forests to analyse the experimental results.

Findings/conclusions:

Study 1 shows that Romani speakers from Romania stand out for their frequent use of postnominal ADJs. Study 2 confirms these uses in free speech. Study 3 reveals significant CLP effects, whereby speakers favour the use of determiner (DET)–N–ADJ order in Romani immediately following a noun with a suffixed determiner (NDET)–ADJ sentence read in Romanian.

Originality:

Our study is the first to demonstrate CLP effects in ADJ/N order.

Significance/implications:

We illustrate a unified approach to language contact by introducing theoretical and methodological advances from the field of bilingualism into the study of contact-induced change.
The epidemiology of muscle-strengthening activity among adolescents from 28 European countries
Authors: Bennie Jason A. , Faulkner Guy , Smith Jordan J.
Published: July 2021

Aims:

This study aimed to describe the prevalence and socio-demographic and lifestyle-related correlates of muscle-strengthening activity (MSA; strength/resistance training, sit-ups/push-ups, etc.) among a large sample of European adolescents.

Methods:

Data were drawn from the European Health Interview Survey Wave 2 (2013–2014), including 8818 adolescents (15–17 years) from 28 European countries. Self-reported MSA was assessed using a previously validated survey item. Population-weighted prevalence ratios were calculated for (a) ‘none’ (0 days/week), (b) ‘insufficient MSA’ (1–2 days/week) or (c) ‘sufficient MSA’ (⩾3 days/week). Generalised linear models using Poisson regression with robust error variance were used to calculate the prevalence ratios for adolescents reporting sufficient MSA by socio-demographic/lifestyle characteristics and by European region.

Results:

Overall, 19.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 18.3–20.7) reported sufficient (⩾3 days/week) MSA and 57.9% (95% CI 56.4–59.6) reported none. Females, adolescents from Southern and Eastern European regions, those not meeting the aerobic guideline and adolescents classified as overweight were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of reporting sufficient MSA, independent of other characteristics.

Conclusions:

The majority of European adolescents do not meet the MSA guidelines. Future large-scale MSA public-health interventions should target female and currently inactive adolescents, as well as those from Southern and Eastern European regions.
Should a patient’s socioeconomic status count in decisions about treatment in medical care? A longitudinal study of Norwegian doctors
Authors: Bringedal Berit , Isaksson RØ Karin
Published: July 2021

Aims:

The major causes of social inequalities in health are found outside of healthcare. However, healthcare can also play a role in maintaining, reducing, or reinforcing inequality. We present and discuss results from a panel study of doctors’ views on whether and how socioeconomic factors should play a role in clinical decision making.

Methods:

The panel comprised a representative sample of Norwegian doctors, established in 1994. For the current study, the doctors received postal questionnaires in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, factor analysis and mixed models for repeated measurements.

Results:

The sample sizes were 1072 (65%), 1279 (71%) and 1605 (73%), respectively. The doctors were increasingly positive towards considering socioeconomic factors, and reported giving more time and advice and asking for less pay to compensate for unfavorable socioeconomic factors. General practitioners were more likely to consider socioeconomic factors and changed their practice accordingly compared to other clinicians. The percentage of doctors who agreed that different amounts of resources should be used to obtain similar health effects was high and increased over time.

Conclusions:

Increasingly more doctors are willing to consider patients’ socioeconomic factors in clinical care. This could be contrary to professional ethics, in which only medical need should count. However, it depends on how ‘need’ is interpreted. As treatment outcomes partly depend on non–medical factors, socioeconomic factors should be considered because they influence patients’ ability to benefit from medical care. Equality requires mitigating factors with negative impacts on health outcomes.
Quick Response (QR) codes for patient information delivery: A digital innovation during the coronavirus pandemic
Authors: Sharara Shima , Radia Sapna
Published: July 2021

Over the past year, Quick Response (QR) codes have played a significant role in our day-to-day lives in reducing the transmission and tracking the spread of COVID-19. In this article, we share our innovation utilising QR codes to replace paper information leaflets allowing patients to immediately access the required information on their own personal device. This is contactless and therefore preferred to reduce viral transmission, as well as having several other advantages. Our findings demonstrate that QR codes are a familiar, easy-to-use system and a preferred tool for delivering patient information over paper leaflets. The findings and methodology may be of benefit to other units seeking to improve their infection control in the COVID-19 era.
What are dental professionals posting on Facebook? A cross-sectional content analysis
Authors: Fox Keelin , Singh Parmjit
Published: July 2021

Objective:

To profile the posts on open orthodontic Facebook groups and identify which communication strategies and media modalities generate the most engagement from users.

Design:

A cross-sectional content analysis.

Setting:

Facebook Internet-based search.

Methods:

Post data were collected over a one-month period from the 10 largest public orthodontic Facebook groups. Evaluation of group characteristics included membership levels, number of administrators, time each group had been in existence and growth rate of each group. The number of posts, the numbers and types of engagement (likes, emojis, comments, shares) and engagement rate were calculated. The communication strategies (e.g. case presentation, course promotion, etc.) and media modalities (e.g. plain text, photograph, etc.) were recorded.

Results:

The study identified 190,268 Facebook members from the 10 largest orthodontic Facebook groups (median 17,811; interquartile range [IQR] 11,977). The median time the groups had existed was six years (median 2175 days; IQR 2311 days) and the median number of new group members in the past month was 1257 (IQR 2773). The median number of new group members in the past month was 1257 (IQR 2773). There were 227 postings during the study period with 2546 engagements. The overall median number of engagements was 196 (IQR 445) and the engagement rate of posts was 1.3% overall. Posts relating to course promotion (n = 63, 28%) followed by product promotion (n = 42, 19%) were the most common. Case presentation style posts accounted for 15% (n = 35). The level of engagement was greater for posts that had a clinical component compared to posts that did not ( P < 0.001). For media modality, posts that included a photograph had greater engagement ( P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

There are frequent posts on course and product promotion in orthodontic Facebook groups; however, these are associated with low levels of engagement. Posts that are clinically orientated and include photographs have higher levels of engagement.
A two-centre study assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthodontic patients in secondary care
Authors: Conville Robert M , Flett Andrew , Stern Melanie
Published: July 2021

Objective:

To evaluate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on patients in active orthodontic treatment.

Design:

Digital online survey.

Setting:

Two secondary care orthodontic departments in the United Kingdom.

Participants:

A prospective convenience sample of 103 patients in active orthodontic treatment.

Methods:

A 12-item questionnaire developed using the platform SurveyMonkey was used to assess the following: (1) patient’s feelings towards attending their orthodontic appointments; (2) their desire to continue with their treatment; (3) how many patients encountered problems with their appliance during the lockdown; (4) how patients sought help during the first national lockdown period; and (5) any other concerns regarding impact on their orthodontic treatment.

Results:

A total of 103 participants responses were collected over a four-week period across two departments. Of them, 45% required a face-to-face appointment to solve a problem with their appliance; 45% of patients who had problems with their orthodontic appliance were able to resolve the issue through digital means either via telephone/email advice from their provider or from accessing help via the Internet; and 99% of patients wanted to continue with their orthodontic treatment.

Conclusion:

Our study has shown that a significantly higher percentage of patients are more concerned regarding attending face-to-face appointments after the first national lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Providers of orthodontic care should ensure they support their patients by providing digital support and adopt virtual means of managing emergency cases patients in the event of any further imposed national or local lockdowns. Furthermore, access and availability of emergency face-to-face orthodontic care is necessary for many patients in active orthodontic treatment.
The long-term impacts of hotel’s strategic responses to COVID-19: The case of Dubai
Authors: Kenny Justin , Dutt Christopher S
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant business disruptions around the world, with travel and tourism being particularly impacted. In response, governments and businesses implemented drastic responses to reduce the impact of the virus and mitigate the corresponding loss in business. Through nine semi-structured interviews with senior hotel managers in Dubai, the pattern of response was understood, along with participants’ perceptions of the long-term consequences of such responses. Through a variety of responses to handle this specific crisis, general crisis management – to cope with low demand – and efforts to recover – attracting new customers – the nature of responses appear to match those of previous crises, with some variations. In terms of the long-term impacts of these responses, it was felt that numerous properties would permanently close, the nature of international hospitality would become more consolidated and there would be long-term changes in operations and efficiency improvements.
Photography as play: examining constant photographing and photo sharing among young people
Authors: Niemelä-Nyrhinen Jenni , Seppänen Janne
Published: July 2021

This article considers on what grounds contemporary photography may be understood as play. This is done by tracing the common characteristics of play that are revealed in the constant photographing and photo sharing among young friends through the camera-based social media application Snapchat. The arguments are built by presenting qualitative data, consisting of saved snaps and interviews, together with existing theory of play. Snapping, as it emerges from the article’s data, aptly fits in with the theoretical notion of play mainly adopted from Winnicott’s Playing and Reality (2005[1971]) and Huizinga’s Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture (1998 [1949]): the aim of snapping resides in itself; it is limited in terms of time and space; it is executed according to shared rules; it is fun, playful and enjoyable; and it is different from ‘ordinary life’. Further, it reinforces friendships through indices of togetherness, intimacy and trust. The article concludes with a discussion on the advantages of understanding current photography as play and the affordances that photographs provide for that play.
ScalEdge: A framework for scalable edge computing in Internet of things–based smart systems
Authors: Babar Mohammad , Sohail Khan Muhammad
Published: July 2021

Edge computing brings down storage, computation, and communication services from the cloud server to the network edge, resulting in low latency and high availability. The Internet of things (IoT) devices are resource-constrained, unable to process compute-intensive tasks. The convergence of edge computing and IoT with computation offloading offers a feasible solution in terms of performance. Besides these, computation offload saves energy, reduces computation time, and extends the battery life of resource constrain IoT devices. However, edge computing faces the scalability problem, when IoT devices in large numbers approach edge for computation offloading requests. This research article presents a three-tier energy-efficient framework to address the scalability issue in edge computing. We introduced an energy-efficient recursive clustering technique at the IoT layer that prioritizes the tasks based on weight. Each selected task with the highest weight value offloads to the edge server for execution. A lightweight client–server architecture affirms to reduce the computation offloading overhead. The proposed energy-efficient framework for IoT algorithm makes efficient computation offload decisions while considering energy and latency constraints. The energy-efficient framework minimizes the energy consumption of IoT devices, decreases computation time and computation overhead, and scales the edge server. Numerical results show that the proposed framework satisfies the quality of service requirements of both delay-sensitive and delay-tolerant applications by minimizing energy and increasing the lifetime of devices.
The Use of Robotics Coupled With Navigation for Pediatric Congenital Spine Deformity
Authors: Sawires Andrew N. , Birch Craig M. , Hedequist Daniel
Published: July 2021

Background: Spinal instrumentation in children with congenital spine deformity poses challenges to the surgeon, given the small patient size and the anomalous anatomy often encountered. Purpose: We aimed to investigate the accuracy of screw placement when robotics coupled with real-time navigation was used for surgical treatment of pediatric congenital spine deformity at 1 institution. Methods: We conducted a retrospective search of our institution’s database for all patients younger than 18 years of age with congenital spine deformity who were treated with the robotics surgical platform coupled with navigation between June 2019 and December 2020. We recorded data on demographics, location and type of anomaly, procedure performed, and intraoperative variables related to robotics and navigation. We reviewed the images of patients who had intraoperative 3-dimensional imaging or postoperative computed tomographic scans to determine the accuracy of screw placement using the Gertzbein-Robbins scale. Results: In 14 patients identified, a total of 95 screws were attempted, with 94 successfully placed using robotics coupled with navigation. There were no noted screw-related complications (neurologic or visceral) and no return to the operating room for screw malposition. Conclusion: Patients with congenital spine deformity present potentially unique challenges due to variant anatomy. This retrospective series suggests that robotics coupled with navigation for congenital spine deformity correction in the pediatric population may aid in accurate screw placement and reduce complication rates. More rigorous study is warranted.
Revision Arthroscopic Bankart Repair for Anterior Shoulder Instability After a Failed Arthroscopic Soft-Tissue Repair Yields Comparable Failure Rates to Primary Bankart Repair: A Systematic Review
Authors: Shanmugaraj Ajaykumar , Sakha Seaher , Tejpal Tushar , Leroux Timothy , Kirsch Jacob M , Khan Moin
Published: July 2021

Background:

The management of recurrent instability after arthroscopic Bankart repair remains challenging. Of the various treatment options, arthroscopic revision repairs are of increasing interest due to improved visualization of pathology and advancements in arthroscopic techniques and instrumentation.

Purpose:

We sought to assess the indications, techniques, outcomes, and complications for patients undergoing revision arthroscopic Bankart repair after a failed index arthroscopic soft-tissue stabilization for anterior shoulder instability.

Methods:

We performed a systematic review of studies identified by a search of Medline, Embase, and PubMed. Our search range was from data inception to April 29, 2020. Outcomes include clinical outcomes and rates of complication and revision. The Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS) was used to assess study quality. Data are presented descriptively.

Results:

Twelve studies were identified, comprising 279 patients (281 shoulders) with a mean age of 26.1 ± 3.8 years and a mean follow-up of 55.7 ± 24.3 months. Patients had improvements in postoperative outcomes (eg, pain and function). The overall complication rate was 29.5%, the most common being recurrent instability (19.9%).

Conclusion:

With significant improvements postoperatively and comparable recurrent instability rates, there exists a potential role in the use of revision arthroscopic Bankart repair where the glenoid bone loss is less than 20%. Clinicians should consider patient history and imaging findings to determine whether a more rigorous stabilization procedure is warranted. Large prospective cohorts with long-term follow-up and improved documentation are required to determine more accurate failure rates.
Predictors of Successful Early Discharge for Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in Octogenarians
Authors: Kay Andrew B. , Ponzio Danielle Y. , Bell Courtney D. , Orozco Fabio , Post Zachary D. , Duque Andres , Ong Alvin C.
Published: July 2021

Background: Decreased length of stay after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is becoming a more common way to contain healthcare costs and increase patient satisfaction. There is little evidence to support “early” discharge in elderly patients. Purpose: We sought to identify preoperative factors that correlated with early discharge (by postoperative day [POD] 1) in comparison to late discharge (after POD2) in octogenarians after TJA. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study from a single institution, we identified 482 patients ages 80 to 89 who underwent primary TJA from January 2014 to December 2017; 319 had total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and 163 had total hip arthroplasty (THA). Data collected included preoperative knee range of motion (ROM), demographics, and comorbidities; 90-day readmission and mortality rates were also evaluated. P values for continuous data were calculated using student’s t test and for categorical data using χ2 testing. Results: Of octogenarian patients, 30.9% were discharged by POD1. Early discharge was associated with being male, married, and nonsmoking, as well as having an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 2, independent preoperative ambulation, and a postoperative caregiver. Type of procedure (TKA vs THA), body mass index, laterality, preoperative range of motion (ROM) for TKA, and single vs multilevel home did not affect the probability of early discharge. Discharge on POD1 was not associated with increased 90-day readmission rates. There were no deaths. Conclusion: Early discharge for octogenarians can be successfully implemented in a select subset of patients without increasing 90-day readmission or death rates. There are multiple factors that predict successful early discharge.
Outcomes of Revision of Interposition Implant Trapeziometacarpal Arthroplasty
Authors: Mattila Simo , Waris Eero
Published: July 2021

Background

Implant arthroplasties for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis are often associated with high complication and revision surgery rates. There are no previous studies reporting revision outcomes of failed interposition implant arthroplasty.

Methods

A patient register search was done for all implant arthroplasties performed for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis during a 10-year period in a single hand surgical unit. Altogether, 32 patients had primary interposition implant arthroplasty (Artelon 22, Pyrosphere 6, Ortosphere 2, and Pyrodisk 2), and 19 of these patients had revision surgery with 23 revision procedures performed. In all, 15 of the revised 19 patients were reexamined clinically (Connolly-Rath score, Quick Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand, patient evaluation measure, the visual analog score for pain, thumb range of motion and strength measurements) and radiographically.

Results

The indication for revision surgery was pain alone or implant dislocation accompanied by pain in all cases. Thirteen of the revised 15 patients reported functional deficit and pain after revision. There was no statistically significant difference in the revision outcomes between patients operated on primarily with the Artelon implant versus pyrocarbon/ceramic implants. Compared to previous studies on revision surgery and primary trapeziometacarpal arthroplasty, our results showed slightly higher pain and poorer functional scores.

Conclusions

Interposition implant arthroplasty may yield high revision rates. The results after revision surgery may be worse than previously described, and there may also be a tendency for worse results than those of primary arthroplasty. Interposition implant arthroplasty should always be thoroughly contemplated.
Epithelioid Sarcoma in the Median Nerve of the Hand: A Case Report
Authors: Uceda Pilar , Zafra Manuel , González-Cámpora Ricardo , Ruiz-Bonilla Carmen
Published: July 2021

Epithelioid sarcoma of the peripheral nerves is extremely rare. We present a case concerning the median nerve of the right hand in a 35-year-old woman who was treated with radical resection, reconstructive surgery, and chemotherapy. After 2 years of follow-up, there is no evidence of local recurrence or metastatic dissemination.
An experimental modal analysis of clavicle bending modes
Authors: Rusovici Razvan , Topping Daniel B
Published: July 2021

Clavicle fractures are common medical emergencies; their prevention through design of protection systems depends upon understanding injury mechanisms. This work analyzes the bending natural frequencies and mode shapes of the human cadaver clavicles in situ. The method applied includes experimental modal analysis (EMA) techniques on cadaver clavicles and correlates results with previous analyses. The clavicle response to shock depends on mechanical energy transmission between load and bone and requires an understanding of modal characteristics of the clavicle as well as the frequency range of the shock. The loads acting upon the clavicle may be represented by hard impacts (i.e. sport-related hits) or loads with short durations which can excite a wide frequency spectrum. Modal analyses of clavicles have been reported in literature, but those studies were performed on the clavicles isolated from the body. As a result, those analyses found mode shapes dependent upon different boundary conditions than those found in nature. In our study, EMA employed triaxial accelerometers and a force hammer, a testing procedure was developed, and data was analyzed. The EMA was performed with the clavicle supported in situ, and results include the coronal and axial plane first bending modes. Modal parameters obtained serve to design shock mitigation systems.