bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention and Management of Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers through Informal Caregiver Involvement: A Systematic Review
Authors: Suglo Joseph Ngmenesegre , Winkley Kirsty , Sturt Jackie
Published: April 2022

Background. The literature remains unclear whether involving informal caregivers in diabetes self-care could lead to improved diabetic foot outcomes for persons at risk and/or with foot ulcer. In this review, we synthesized evidence of the impact of interventions involving informal caregivers in the prevention and/or management of diabetes-related foot ulcers. Methods. A systematic review based on PRISMA, and Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines was conducted. MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial of the Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to February 2021. The following MESH terms were used: diabetic foot, foot ulcer, foot disease, diabetes mellitus, caregiver, family caregiver ,and family. Experimental studies involving persons with diabetes, with or at risk of foot ulcers and their caregivers were included. Data were extracted from included studies and narrative synthesis of findings undertaken. Results. Following the search of databases, 9275 articles were screened and 10 met the inclusion criteria. Studies were RCTs (n=5), non-RCTs (n=1), and prepoststudies (n=4). Informal caregivers through the intervention programmes were engaged in diverse roles that resulted in improved foot ulcer prevention and/or management outcomes such as improved foot care behaviors, increased diabetes knowledge, decreased HbA1c (mmol/mol or %), improved wound healing, and decreased limb amputations rates. Engaging both caregivers and the person with diabetes in education and hands-on skills training on wound care and foot checks were distinctive characteristics of interventions that consistently produced improved foot self-care behavior and clinically significant improvement in wound healing. Conclusion. Informal caregivers play diverse and significant roles that seem to strengthen interventions and resulted in improved diabetes-related foot ulcer prevention and/or management outcomes. However, there are multiple intervention types and delivery strategies, and these may need to be considered by researchers and practitioners when planning programs for diabetes-related foot ulcers.
Course Teaching Design and Practice Analysis by Intelligent Electronic Technology under Big Data
Authors: Li Jingmin
Published: April 2022

The exploration expects to improve the teaching quality of the electronic technology distance course. The teaching management system of the electronic technology network course is constructed based on a flipped classroom. Firstly, the idea of the flipped classroom is analyzed, and the electronic technology course is designed. Secondly, the teaching management system of the electronic technology network course is established, and the remote experiment module is discussed. Finally, the questionnaire survey is made to investigate the use effect of the system. The results show that about 79% of the students are satisfied with the system. About 80% think it allows them to focus on the teaching process. Only 1.3% think that this system does not work for their learning. This shows that the system can help students improve their learning efficiency. However, the main defect is the lack of a real-time feedback module for users on the application effect of the system. In a word, the exploration provides a reference for developing and designing the follow-up network course teaching system.
In Vitro Inhibitory and Proliferative Cellular Effects of Different Extracts of Struthanthus quercicola: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Alcántara-Quintana Luz Eugenia , Arjona-Ruiz Carely , de Loera Denisse , Gamboa-León Rubí , Terán-Figueroa Yolanda
Published: April 2022

Struthanthus quercicola, a hemiparasitic plant known as “seca palo,” is used by Nahuatl traditional healers against diabetes, wounds, and rashes. We aimed to investigate the effects of different S. quercicola extracts, which were selected based on their traditional use in Tamazunchale, San Luis Potosí, on the cell viability and antioxidant activity in HeLa cell cultures. S. quercicola growing on Guazuma ulmifolia and Citrus sp. hosts was collected, and methanolic and ethanolic extracts as well as decoctions, infusions, and microwave-assisted extracts were obtained. The terpenoid, alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, and tannin contents of each extract were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. The effects of different extracts on the viability of cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells were tested using an MTT assay. The differences in the total flavonoid and phenolic contents and free-radical scavenging activity in relation to the host and the extract were also determined. In assessments of the effects of the extracts on cell viability, eight organic extracts (4 from G. quercicola grown on Host 1 and 4 from G. quercicola grown on Host 2) were shown to decrease cell viability significantly in comparison with the control. However, the extract obtained by percolation (PMeOH) caused a significant increase in cell viability (p < 0.05), especially with the plant grown on Host 1. The microwave aqueous and methanolic extracts of the plants grown on both hosts showed a significant increase in the percentage of apoptosis (p < 005). In conclusion, different extracts of Struthanthus quercicola showed variable effects on cell viability and apoptosis. Isolation of the molecule or molecules with inhibitory and proliferative effects on cells should be conducted to evaluate their possible use as antineoplastic agents.
An Intelligent and Reliable Hyperparameter Optimization Machine Learning Model for Early Heart Disease Assessment Using Imperative Risk Attributes
Authors: Ansarullah Syed Immamul , Mohsin Saif Syed , Abdul Basit Andrabi Syed , Kumhar Sajadul Hassan , Kirmani Mudasir M. , Kumar Dr. Pradeep
Published: April 2022

Heart disease is a severe disorder, which inflicts an adverse burden on all societies and leads to prolonged suffering and disability. We developed a risk evaluation model based on visible low-cost significant noninvasive attributes using hyperparameter optimization of machine learning techniques. The multiple set of risk attributes is selected and ranked by the recursive feature elimination technique. The assigned rank and value to each attribute are validated and approved by the choice of medical domain experts. The enhancements of applying specific optimized techniques like decision tree, k-nearest neighbor, random forest, and support vector machine to the risk attributes are tested. Experimental results show that the optimized random forest risk model outperforms other models with the highest sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy, AUROC score, and minimum misclassification rate. We simulate the results with the prevailing research; they show that it can do better than the existing risk assessment models with exceptional predictive accuracy. The model is applicable in rural areas where people lack an adequate supply of primary healthcare services and encounter barriers to benefit from integrated elementary healthcare advances for initial prediction. Although this research develops a low-cost risk evaluation model, additional research is needed to understand newly identified discoveries about the disease.
Supporting Weight Management during COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based, ACT-Based, Guided Self-Help Intervention
Authors: Mueller Julia , Richards Rebecca , Jones Rebecca A. , Whittle Fiona , Woolston Jennifer , Stubbings Marie , Sharp Stephen J. , Griffin Simon J. , Bostock Jennifer , Hughes Carly A. , Hill Andrew J. , Ahern Amy L.
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Adults with overweight and obesity are vulnerable to weight gain and mental health deterioration during the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed a web-based, guided self-help intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that aims to support adults with overweight and obesity to prevent weight gain by helping them to manage their eating behaviours, be more physically active, and protect their emotional wellbeing (“SWiM-C”). SWiM-C is a guided self-help programme using non-specialist guides to enhance scalability and population reach while minimizing cost. This study evaluated the effect of SWiM-C on bodyweight, eating behaviour, physical activity, and mental wellbeing in adults with overweight and obesity over 4 months during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Methods: We randomized adults (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) to SWiM-C or to a wait-list standard advice group. Participants completed outcome assessments online at baseline and 4 months. The primary outcome was self-measured weight; secondary outcomes were eating behaviour, physical activity, experiential avoidance/psychological flexibility, depression, anxiety, stress, and wellbeing. We estimated differences between study groups in change in outcomes from baseline to 4 months using linear regression, adjusted for outcome at baseline and the randomization stratifiers (BMI, sex). The trial was pre-registered (ISRCTN12107048). Results: 486 participants were assessed for eligibility; 388 participants were randomized (196 standard advice, 192 SWiM-C), and 324 were analysed. The adjusted difference in weight between SWiM-C and standard advice was −0.60 kg (−1.67 to 0.47, p = 0.27). SWiM-C led to improvements in uncontrolled eating (−3.61 [−5.94 to −1.28]), cognitive restraint (5.28 [2.81–7.75]), experiential avoidance (−3.39 [−5.55 to −1.23]), and wellbeing (0.13 [0.07–0.18]). Conclusions: SWiM-C improved several psychological determinants of successful weight management and had a protective effect on wellbeing during the pandemic. However, differences in weight and some other outcomes were compatible with no effect of the intervention, suggesting further refinement of the intervention is needed.
Induction of Radiodermatitis in Nude Mouse Model Using Gamma Irradiator IBL 637
Authors: Bernhardt Thoralf , Kriesen Stephan , Manda Katrin , Schlie Christin , Panzer Rüdiger , Hildebrandt Guido , Vollmar Brigitte , Emmert Steffen , Boeckmann Lars
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Acute radiodermatitis is a common, though severe, side effect of radiotherapy against cancer that may lead to an interruption or even abortion of the radiotherapy. Mouse models provide an excellent tool to study pathomechanisms of a radiation-induced dermatitis as well as to test and develop novel innovative treatment strategies. Objective: The aim of this study was to provide an overview of different mouse models and irradiation devices that have been used so far and to describe the process of the induction of a radiation dermatitis in an immune proficient nude mouse model (SKH1-Hrhr) using a IBL 637 cesium-137γ-ray machine. Methods: This process includes the construction of a radiation shielding chamber, restricting the radiation to the right hind leg of the mouse, a dosimetry, and a dose finding study to identify the appropriate irradiation dose to induce a moderate radiation dermatitis. Results: A radiation shielding chamber was successfully constructed allowing selective irradiation of the right hind leg. A moderate radiodermatitis is induced with irradiation doses in the range of 60–70 Gy under the here described conditions. Symptoms peak about 8 days after irradiation and decrease relatively quickly thereafter. Histological analyses confirmed typical signs of inflammation. Conclusion: This study describes for the first time a protocol to induce a moderate radiodermatitis in the nude mouse model SKH1-Hrhr using a IBL 637 gamma irradiator. This protocol will allow researchers to study novel treatment strategies to alleviate the burden of a radiodermatitis as a side effect of cancer treatment.
Quais os limites da liberdade na pandemia? Uma reflexão a partir da obra de John Rawls
Authors: Jesus Carlos Frederico Ramos de
Published: April 2022

A pandemia da Covid-19 trouxe desafios aos países. Para controlar a disseminação do vírus, o Brasil promulgou a Lei n. 13.979/2020, que estabeleceu diversas restrições à liberdade, como uso de máscaras em locais públicos, quarentena e barreiras sanitárias na locomoção. Tendo em vista que existe uma resistência às medidas sanitárias, embasada no direito à liberdade, o artigo questiona se estas regras estão moralmente justificadas, tomando como parâmetro a teoria liberal da justiça mais influente nos debates contemporâneos: a teoria de John Rawls. Pretende-se mostrar que a limitação à liberdade é razoável até mesmo do ponto de vista da parte racional e autointeressada, da posição original rawlsiana. Por fim, argumenta-se que a coordenação de liberdades é questão de justiça distributiva, e não comutativa, pois diz respeito à fruição de uma coisa comum (o ar, o espaço público) por todos. Nesse contexto, as restrições permitem que o uso da coisa comum ocorra em harmonia com o direito à vida e à saúde de cada um. Conclui-se que tais limitações são justificadas com base em uma teoria liberal da justiça e que não faz sentido atacar tais limitações com base em um direito abstrato à liberdade.
Articulação interinstitucional e judicialização de políticas públicas: o caso da educação infantil no município de São Paulo
Authors: Lutaif Michel Kurdoglian , Balbani Arthur Paku Ottolini , Fonseca Lucca Lopes Monteiro da
Published: April 2022

A administração pública, na contemporaneidade, não pode mais ficar presa aos seus antigos dogmas, sobretudo no que toca à implementação e gestão das suas políticas públicas. O modelo vertical e hierárquico não mais se mostra eficiente para atender às demandas sociais e nem para solucionar os litígios estruturais que se apresentam como os principais desafios ao gestor. A articulação interinstitucional, espécie de governança pública que reúne horizontalmente os principais atores envolvidos com a política pública que se deseja implementar em busca de um alinhamento comum para maximização de resultados, é uma alternativa que se afigura possível a esse quadro tradicional e tem se demonstrado exitosa na prática, como se verifica no caso da redução a zero da fila de vagas da educação pré-escolar no Município de São Paulo – marco que nunca havia sido alcançado.
Luta por terras e concentração fundiária no Brasil: a forma estatal e a repressão dos movimentos de trabalhadores rurais
Authors: Amaral Lucas Oliveira Menditi do , Cipollone Murilo Amadio
Published: April 2022

O presente artigo versa sobre concentração de terras no Brasil e o modo como sua estrutura agrária corroborou para a gestação da realidade periférica. Aborda-se também, o Estado e sua forma política no capitalismo. Trata-se, ainda, das relações entre o Estado dependente e concentração fundiária como forma de reprodução dessa realidade específica; nesse sentido, a persistência da acumulação primitiva de capital será enfocada. No ensejo de comprovar as relações expostas prossegue-se à análise dos dados acerca da concentração de terras no Brasil; contudo, a observação dos dados da realidade do campo europeu e estadunidense impõe a necessidade de tratar, brevemente, do neoliberalismo como a nova forma dos processos de acumulação em todo o globo. Finalmente, analisa-se a luta dos trabalhadores rurais no Brasil e a repressão contra esses infligida, destacando o Massacre de Eldorado dos Carajás, que completou 25 anos – no esquecimento – em 2021.
Prognostic Relationship Between Coronary Artery Calcium Score, Perfusion Defects, and Myocardial Blood Flow Reserve in Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Patel Krishna K. , Peri-Okonny Poghni A. , Qarajeh Raed , Patel Femina S. , Sperry Brett W. , McGhie A. Iain , Thompson Randall C. , Kennedy Kevin F. , Chan Paul S. , Spertus John A. , Bateman Timothy M.
Published: April 2022

Background:

Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is an anatomic measure of calcified atherosclerosis. Myocardial perfusion defects and reduced myocardial blood flow reserve (MBFR) are physiological measures of ischemia and coronary circulatory health. We aimed to assess the relative prognostic importance of MBFR, perfusion defects, and CACS in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Methods:

A total of 5983 consecutive patients without known history of coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy, who underwent a CACS and
82
Rb positron emission tomography myocardial perfusion imaging between 2010 and 2016, were followed for all-cause death (n=785) over median of 3 years. Prognostic value was assessed using multivariable Cox regression models, and incremental risk discrimination for imaging variables was evaluated by comparing model c-indices after adjusting for clinical risk factors (RF).

Results:

Mean age was 67.1 years, 60% were female, and 83% were symptomatic. CACS was 0 in 22%, abnormal perfusion in 19%, and MBFR <2 in 53.3%. When added to RF, the model with MBFR had the best fit (c=0.78,
P
<0.0001). Addition of CACS to model with RF and perfusion (c=0.77) offered modest improvement in discrimination over the model with RF and perfusion (c=0.76,
P
=0.02). Adding CACS to a model with RF, perfusion, and MBFR did not provide incremental prognostic value (c=0.785 for both,
P
=0.16). CACS and MBFR both had independent prognostic value in patients with normal and abnormal myocardial perfusion imaging. Even among patients with CACS of 0, MBFR <2 was present in 37.8%, being associated with higher risk of death (hazard ratio per 0.1↓, 1.10 [1.04–1.15];
P
<0.001), but perfusion defects were not.

Conclusions:

Use of anatomic testing such as CACS of 0 to avoid myocardial perfusion imaging in symptomatic patients could lead to missing microvascular dysfunction in 4 out of 10 patients, a finding associated with a high mortality risk. Higher CACS was independently associated with the risk of death but did not provide incremental prognostic value over positron emission tomography with MBFR.
Investigating Language Relationships in Multilingual Sentence Encoders Through the Lens of Linguistic Typology
Authors: Choenni Rochelle , Shutova Ekaterina
Published: April 2022

Multilingual sentence encoders have seen much success in cross-lingual model transfer for downstream NLP tasks. The success of this transfer is, however, dependent on the model’s ability to encode the patterns of cross-lingual similarity and variation. Yet, we know relatively little about the properties of individual languages or the general patterns of linguistic variation that the models encode. In this article, we investigate these questions by leveraging knowledge from the field of linguistic typology, which studies and documents structural and semantic variation across languages. We propose methods for separating language-specific subspaces within state-of-the-art multilingual sentence encoders (LASER, M-BERT, XLM, and XLM-R) with respect to a range of typological properties pertaining to lexical, morphological, and syntactic structure. Moreover, we investigate how typological information about languages is distributed across all layers of the models. Our results show interesting differences in encoding linguistic variation associated with different pretraining strategies. In addition, we propose a simple method to study how shared typological properties of languages are encoded in two state-of-the-art multilingual models—M-BERT and XLM-R. The results provide insight into their information-sharing mechanisms and suggest that these linguistic properties are encoded jointly across typologically similar languages in these models.
Hierarchy into Heterarchy
Authors: Parciack Ronie
Published: April 2022

This article addresses the heterarchical dynamism generated by the reorganization of sacred geographies in India and the Arabian Peninsula through contemporary iconographies and religious practices. The cities at the top of the orthodox Islamic/Arab sacred, authoritative hierarchy have lost their status in the current Indian context both concretely and symbolically, and have become equated, embedded, or subordinated to the Indian space. This dynamism is unfolding primarily in Indian vernacular spaces: in the material culture and audiovisual media produced and sold in Islamic bazaars in proximity to Sufi shrines; and in public religious practices that are reshuffling the sacred spaces of both India and the Hijaz, manifesting a polyphonic, at times rhizomatic fabric corresponding to social theorist Kyriakos Kontopoulos’s definition of a heterarchy.
R2P and Counter-terrorism: Where Sovereignties Collide
Authors: Zimmerman Shannon
Published: April 2022

States play the lead role in implementing the norms of the international system. They interpret norms through the lens of their sovereignty, refining and revising them until they are suitable to local interests and context. The complex nature of sovereignty and its diverse manifestations across states means that norms will be interpreted and implemented in different ways. This article argues that R2P and counter-terrorism are complex norm regimes which are susceptible to modification as they are interpreted through diverse conceptions of state sovereignty. Using the cases of China’s response to the Uyghurs and Sri Lanka’s response to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, this article shows that the malleable prescriptive norms of R2P and counter-terrorism can be reinterpreted by states in ways contingent on their sovereignty that deeply impact, and may even violate, the original intent of the norm.
Geographical and ecological distribution of native bamboo species in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Authors: ARMENDÁRIZ NATALIA MARÍA CRUZ , REYES-AGÜERO JUAN ANTONIO , RUIZ-SANCHEZ EDUARDO , MARTÍNEZ JAVIER FORTANELLI , ARMENDÁRIZ FERNANDA MARTÍNEZ
Published: April 2022

Prior to this study, only four native bamboo species: Guadua longifolia, G. velutina, Lithachne pauciflora and Olyra latifolia, had been recorded in the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. However, the ecological and geographical distribution of those species were unknown. Two questions are addressed in this study: How many native bamboo species are there in San Luis Potosí? and, what is the geographical and ecological distribution of those species? The botanical exploration was carried out in 2019 and 2020. The geographical and ecological distribution was determined with a record of herbaria specimens and a botanical exploration. Multivariate methods and a similarity index were used to analyze the information of bamboo species in 13 sub-basins of the Huasteca Potosina (HP). The study registered seven native species, of which five are woody species: Chusquea enigmatica, Guadua aff. longifolia, G. velutina, Otatea acuminata and Riphidocladum racemiflorum, and two are herbaceous species: Lithachne pauciflora and Olyra latifolia. The study also found that G. velutina is the most frequent native species in the study area, registered in 12 of the 13 sub-basins mapped. The species with the least frequency were C. enigmatica and O. acuminata, registered in only one sub-basin each. The sub-basins with the highest richness were located in a strip along the slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental (the SMOR). The seven native bamboo species in San Luis Potosí are distributed in the HP region, from the windward side of the SMOR to its extension to the Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP), in an elevation range of 15–1815 m asl. These seven native species are distributed throughout the SMOR, whereas the G. velutina predominates in GCP. The distance from water bodies is a determining factor in the distribution of species, especially G. velutina, identified in the present study as a riparian species.
Begonia xenos—a new species and an updated checklist of Begonia in Laos
Authors: LIN CHE-WEI , PHONEPASEUTH PHONGPHAYBOUN , RAHM PETER
Published: April 2022

This study provides an updated list of Begonia occurring in Laos, and a new species is added to the checklist. The new taxon, Begonia xenos C.W.Lin, Phonep. & Rahm is similar to B. sinofloribunda Dorr in habit and leaf shape, but the new species differs in its staminate flowers having 4 tepals (vs. 2) with slightly crenulate (vs. entire) margins, pistillate flowers with 5 tepals (vs. 2 or 3) and a 2-locular (vs. 3-locular) ovary.
Taxonomy of Diamesa steinboecki group (Diptera: Chironomidae: Diamesinae), with description and DNA barcoding of new species. I. Subgroups steinboecki and longipes
Authors: MAKARCHENKO EUGENYI A. , SEMENCHENKO ALEXANDER A. , PALATOV DMITRY M.
Published: April 2022

The results of a revision of the Diamesa steinboecki group, namely soubgroups steinboecki and longipes (Diptera, Chironomidae, Diamesinae) are presented. Illustrated descriptions of the adult male of D. dragani sp. nov. from Sayan Mountains, D. kownackii sp. nov. from Wrangel Island, D. maisaraensis sp. nov. from Pamir, D. marinskiyi sp. nov. from Tian-Shan, D. zagrosica sp. nov. from Iran, D. moubayedi sp. nov. from Lebanon are provided with redescriptions of D. steinboecki Goetghebuer from Pamir, French and Swiss Alps, D. sakartvella Kownacki et Kownacka from Caucasus and D. praecipua Sæther et Willassen from Himalayas. Taxonomic remarks with data on the ecology and biogeography of the investigated species are given. In addition to taxonomic information, 658-bp fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene from the eight species are presented and the results of DNA barcoding are discussed. Previous investigations focused to integrative taxonomy and molecular analysis of the Diamesa species collected in various mountain regions such as Alps, Tien Shan and Pamir. In the present work, we focused on the principle of considering morphological groups, giving more emphasis respect to the division in geographical areas.
Leptophyes axeli sp. nov. a new bush-cricket from Crete, Greece (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae)
Authors: WILLEMSE LUC , ODÉ BAUDEWIJN , TILMANS JOS
Published: April 2022

Leptophyes axeli sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Tables are presented with character states and song characteristics differing between Leptophyes species.
New snakeflies of the genus Mongoloraphidia H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1968 (Raphidioptera: Raphidiidae) from Xinjiang, China
Authors: SHEN RONGRONG , LI BINGCHEN , REN JINLONG , SHALI YASEN , LIU XINGYUE
Published: April 2022

The raphidiopteran fauna of Xinjiang in northwestern China is poorly known, although it is near Central Asia where the diversity of this group is high. Herein we report a new species and a new Chinese record of the raphidiid genus Mongoloraphidia H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1968 from Xinjiang, namely Mongoloraphidia xinjiangana sp. nov. and Mongoloraphidia (Mongoloraphidia) kaszabi (H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1967), respectively. A key to the identification of the Mongoloraphidia species from China is provided.
First report of a cricket with filiform hairs on foretibia (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae)
Authors: LIU YI-JIAO , HE ZHU-QING
Published: April 2022

There are hundreds of filiform mechanosensory hairs on the cricket cercus, however, such sensory hairs have never been reported on cricket foretiba. In this study, we collected a new species from China, which possesses two long filiform hairs on foretibia. Combined with its burrowing habit, these hairs mainly contribute to detecting ground vibration. We describe a new genus for this new species Fodigryllus bisetus gen. et sp. nov. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).
Increased Lengths of Stay, ICU, and Ventilator Days in Trauma Patients with Asymptomatic COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Klutts Garrett N , Squires Austin , Bowman Stephen M , Bhavaraju Avi , Kalkwarf Kyle J
Published: April 2022

Background

The SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus has varying clinical effects—from asymptomatic patients to life-threatening illness and death. At the only Level 1 Trauma Center in a rural state, outcomes appeared worse in trauma patients who tested positive for COVID despite these patients presumably being asymptomatic or only mildly affected before their traumatic event. This study compares all trauma admissions that were COVID-positive to those who were not.

Methods

The institutional database was queried for all level 1 and 2 trauma activations from March 2020-July 2021. The analysis consisted of a multivariate regression between COVID-negative and the COVID-positive group controlling for age, injury severity score (ISS), and Glasgow Coma Score (GCS). Outcomes compared were hospital length-of-stay (LOS), ICU LOS, ventilator days, days to discharge to a facility, and in-hospital mortality.

Results

Hospital LOS was 2.7 days longer in the COVID-positive group ( P < .0005). ICU LOS was 2.9 days longer for patients admitted to the ICU in the COVID positive-group ( P = .017). Ventilator days were 4.7 days longer for patients requiring mechanical ventilation in the COVID-positive group ( P = .002). Discharge to a post-acute facility required 6.1 more days in the COVID-positive group ( P = .005).

Conclusion

Trauma patients presenting positive for COVID-19 are presumed to be asymptomatic before their traumatic event. Despite this, the physiologic toll of trauma combined with the COVID infection causes significantly worse clinical outcomes, including increasing hospital days in this patient population, which continues to tax the already burdened healthcare system.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Breast Cancer Screening and Operative Treatment
Authors: Cairns Ashley , Jones V. Morgan , Cronin Kelly , Yocobozzi Margaret , Howard Clifford , Lesko Nadja , Chiba Akiko , Howard-McNatt Marissa
Published: April 2022

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many areas of health care and had a significant impact on care delivery, including breast cancer.

Methods

To better understand the changes to detection and treatment of breast cancer at our institution, we analyzed mammogram rates (screening and diagnostic) and breast cancer operations in 2019-2020. Mammography rates were calculated using county level census data for eligible women (Z-test). For breast cancer staging, a stage severity score was analyzed with a Mann-Whitney U-test (two-tail, P < .05) with proportions derived from WFBH operative volume quarterly reports. Results: Data revealed a relative decline from 2019 to 2020 in breast cancer screening. Screening mammograms decreased by 44% or 1558 fewer screening mammograms (Z = 4.75, P < .00001) and by 21% or 771 fewer for diagnostic mammograms (Z = 2.16, P = .03). With regards to breast cancer operations, we did not identify a statistically significant difference in number of new breast cancer operations at WFBH with 340 cases in 2020 as compared to 384 cases in 2019 ( P = .9905). We compared a breast cancer severity score (weighted by stage at time of operation), which did not reveal statistically significant difference in clinical stage of breast cancer at time of operation ( P = .71, U = 28).

Conclusion

Mammography was impacted more than breast surgery cases by the COVID-19 pandemic. More data needs to be collected to evaluate future morbidity and mortality related to breast cancer operations and persistent disparities related to delay in breast cancer care due to COVID-19.
Reducing Plastic Waste by Visualizing Marine Consequences
Authors: Luo Yu , Douglas Jeremy , Pahl Sabine , Zhao Jiaying
Published: April 2022

Plastic pollution has become a major global conservation challenge. To reduce the generation of plastic waste, we designed and tested several behavioral interventions in a randomized control trial to reduce plastic waste in a high-rise office building. We randomly assigned eight floors in the building to four conditions: (1) simplified recycling signage, (2) signage with a marine animal trapped in plastic debris, (3) signage with a pledge that invited people to be plastic wise to protect ocean life, and (4) control. We found that the signage with the animal reduced plastic waste by 17%, the largest effect among the other conditions. After implementing the signage to the entire building, we found an overall reduction in plastic waste over 6 weeks. The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of visualizing marine consequences of plastic waste and provides a behavioral solution connecting disposal actions and the downstream consequences for plastic waste reduction.
The Road More Traveled: Evacuation Networks in the US and Japan
Authors: Fraser Timothy
Published: April 2022

When crisis strikes, where do evacuees go? This question affects how policymakers and first responders allocate their time, funds, and resources after disaster. While past research compared evacuation rates of cities within the same disaster, evacuation among different types of disasters remain under-examined. This mixed methods study compares evacuation patterns from 7,631 cities among 10 major disasters in the US and Japan between 2019 and 2020, combining social network analysis, modeling, and visualization. This study highlights that evacuation from some hazards is more alike than others; large, sprawling disasters, including some storms, fires, and power outages trigger both clustered and dispersed evacuation networks, while smaller, focused disaster result in mainly dispersed evacuation networks. Further, cities with similar levels of social capital tend to see greater evacuation between them. By uncovering the different shapes and drivers of evacuation networks across different disasters, scholars can clarify where evacuees go and which kinds of cities need additional support after crisis.
Protestant Portrayals of Islam: From the Reformation to Modern Missions
Authors: Womack Deanna Ferree
Published: April 2022

This study compares Protestant portrayals of Islam during the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation and the nineteenth-century era of imperialism and missions. It considers the earliest Protestant writings about Islam and the views of the first Protestant missionaries who had close personal contact with Muslims. To understand the historical thought patterns that still influence contemporary American Protestant views of Muslims, the article examines common theological themes, statements about women and sexuality, rhetoric about Islamic violence, and shifting approaches to Muslims over the centuries. While addressing misrepresentations of Islam, this study finds that Protestant understandings of Islam are not always skewed or hostile. Religious rivalry and condemnation have made a lasting impact, yet this history also reveals appreciative views of Islam from which we could learn today.
Christians and Muslims in Egypt
Authors: Skreslet Stanley H.
Published: April 2022

This essay surveys the long history of Christian-Muslim relations in Egypt. Interfaith relations in this context have ranged from cordial to tense, depending on a variety of internal and external factors.
Topological design using multivariate laminate stackings for tailored fiber placement
Authors: Schwingel Johannes , Middendorf Peter
Published: April 2022

In structural optimization of fiber-reinforced composites, unidirectional design material is normally applied due to its high anisotropy character. Using volume constraints to save weight often results in truss-like frameworks with defined tension and shear loaded areas, while the latter one is often neglected or improperly described with unidirectional material. Here, a method is proposed to extend the material design space to a continuously variable domain between UD and cross-ply laminates which is simultaneously optimized with topology. This allowed us to increase the design improvement and create smoother material distributions which is more beneficial for fiber placement technologies such as Tailored Fiber Placement. Parameter studies have been performed to investigate the effects of variable shear properties and different design spaces on the structural performance of the final designs, concluding with classical benchmarks to validate the proposed method.
Development as Gender Equity: Women's Advocacy and Cancer Control at the Pan-American Health Organization, 1980–2000
Authors: Necochea López Raúl
Published: April 2022

Women's advocates’ strategies to influence international health agencies offer a new way to think about development. This article deals with the vibrant growth of women's health initiatives at the Pan-American Health Organization during Latin America's financially turbulent years from the 1980s through the 1990s. The multi-faceted nature of this process was especially apparent in the case of cervical cancer, the illness that launched the organization's cancer control programs. Archived reports and interviews with former officers show how the Pan-American Health Organization's approach to women's health broadened in this period to include new actors in response to demands of women's health advocates from Latin America. These advocates advanced the position that gender inequality played a fundamental role in placing women at risk for lethal and preventable illnesses. They also challenged international health agencies such as the Pan-American Health Organization to prioritize redressing those gendered inequalities as integral to development, rather than define the latter solely in terms of the improvement of economic conditions.
Expected Socioeconomic-Status-Based Discrimination Reduces Price Sensitivity Among the Poor
Authors: Jacob Jorge , Vieites Yan , Goldszmidt Rafael , Andrade Eduardo B.
Published: April 2022

Low-socioeconomic-status (SES) consumers tend to be more price sensitive than their high-SES counterparts. Nonetheless, various economic-related burdens, such as mobility costs and lack of information, often hinder their ability to attend to scarcity—a phenomenon called “ghetto tax.” The current research moves a step further to show that even when very poor consumers can exert price sensitivity and are fully informed, a “psychological ghetto tax” often discourages them from doing so. Across five studies, the authors demonstrate that, relative to (1) high-SES consumers or (2) contexts of intragroup interaction, low-SES consumers are willing to pay higher prices and to accept lower-value rewards to avoid commercial settings that require intergroup interaction (e.g., poor consumers in a high-end shopping mall). This effect is driven by the poor consumers’ heightened expectations of discrimination in upscale commercial settings, a concern virtually nonexistent among wealthy consumers. Companies’ inclusion statements emphasizing customer equality and/or customer diversity can serve as safety cues against stigmatized identities and increase low-SES consumers’ price sensitivity.
Quantitative Assessment of Prewriting Skills in Children: The Development and Validation of a Tablet Assessment Tool
Authors: Chu Virginia , Krishnan Kavitha
Published: April 2022

Our purpose in this study was to determine the feasibility of assessing children’s prewriting with a new tablet tool, the Quantitative Assessment of Prewriting Skills (QAPS), while determining the validity of the QAPS for identifying visual motor skill differences. We recruited 10 children who were receiving occupational therapy (OT) services for visual motor deficits from a local OT clinic and 10 age-matched typically developing (TD) children from the local community. The QAPS assesses the accuracy of copying patterns on a tablet that records the child’s finger position on the tablet, and the data are then analyzed for different dimensions of pattern copying. We found a large effect size difference in the QAPS total score between our two participant groups, with the OT group showing poorer performance than TD children; and, among nine assessment dimensions, roundness of a drawn circle showed the largest effect size difference between groups. The QAPS appears to be a promising tool for assessing visual motor skills, and it warrants additional testing in larger participant samples.
Changes in perception of pitch during vocal performance after three- and two-wall orbital decompression surgery
Authors: Johnson Kasey B. , Stoddard David , Cruz Michael , Michels Kevin S.
Published: April 2022

This case series presents 2 Caucasian females that underwent orbital decompression surgery for symptomatic exophthalmos and postoperatively developed a change in their perception of pitch during vocal performance. One patient went as far as to undergo voice lessons in attempt to regain her pre-operative pitch perception; however, the attempt was unsuccessful. We propose the etiology of this complication is anatomic changes within the ethmoid sinus. Temporary changes in nasalance have previously been reported with functional endoscopic sinus surgery literature, but this specific complication of change in pitch perception has not.
Developing a Solution for Nasal and Olfactory Transport of Nanomaterials
Authors: O’Connell Ryan C. , Dodd Tiana M. , Clingerman Sidney M. , Fluharty Kara L. , Coyle Jayme , Stueckle Todd A. , Porter Dale W. , Bowers Lauren , Stefaniak Aleksandr B. , Knepp Alycia K. , Derk Raymond , Wolfarth Michael , Mercer Robert R. , Boots Theresa E. , Sriram Krishnan , Hubbs Ann F.
Published: April 2022

With advances in nanotechnology, engineered nanomaterial applications are a rapidly growing sector of the economy. Some nanomaterials can reach the brain through nose-to-brain transport. This transport creates concern for potential neurotoxicity of insoluble nanomaterials and a need for toxicity screening tests that detect nose-to-brain transport. Such tests can involve intranasal instillation of aqueous suspensions of nanomaterials in dispersion media that limit particle agglomeration. Unfortunately, protein and some elements in existing dispersion media are suboptimal for potential nose-to-brain transport of nanomaterials because olfactory transport has size- and ion-composition requirements. Therefore, we designed a protein-free dispersion media containing phospholipids and amino acids in an isotonic balanced electrolyte solution, a solution for nasal and olfactory transport (SNOT). SNOT disperses hexagonal boron nitride nanomaterials with a peak particle diameter below 100 nm. In addition, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in an established dispersion medium, when diluted with SNOT, maintain dispersion with reduced albumin concentration. Using stereomicroscopy and microscopic examination of plastic sections, dextran dyes dispersed in SNOT are demonstrated in the neuroepithelium of the nose and olfactory bulb of B6;129P2- Omptm3Mom /MomJ mice after intranasal instillation in SNOT. These findings support the potential for SNOT to disperse nanomaterials in a manner permitting nose-to-brain transport for neurotoxicity studies.
A systemic challenge in dietetics: Methodological inadequacies, erroneous claims, and misleadinginterpretations, and transparency of post-publication scrutiny
Authors: Arandjelović Ognjen
Published: April 2022

Background: Obesity is sweeping across the developed world. Yet, the public remains largely confused when it comes to the nature of dietary habits which would serve to counteract this trend. Aim: I highlight the responsibility that the scientific community bears when it comes to the confusion, and explain the kind of actions that are needed if the public trust in science is to be maintained. Methods: Starting from an example of a recently published and prominently featured article in a leading journal, I analyse various common methodological aspects of dietetics research and the consequent claims, contextualizing this within the broader environment which includes the scientific publishing process and the mainstream media. Results: Methodological inadequacies, erroneous claims, and misleading interpretations of findings are often found in dietetics research, highlighting the deficiencies of the system which fails to uphold the fundamental principles of scientific inquiry. Conclusion: It is imperative that individual scientists speak out and challenge poor science, unsatisfactory publishing processes, and bombastic and misleading communication of research.
Effect of strain rate and load orientation on cyclic response of anisotropic polyurethane foam
Authors: Ben Abdeljelil Dorra , Chatti Sami , O Ahmed Ben Ali Raja
Published: April 2022

Anisotropic cellular materials, such as polymeric foams, play an important role in structures subjected to cyclic loadings. The present paper provides an experimental investigation of the mechanical behavior of an anisotropic polyurethane foam subjected to cyclic compressive loadings under two perpendicular orientations: the rising and perpendicular directions. The foam samples are loaded under three different strain rates and various deformations. The experimental results are presented in terms of elasticity modulus, maximal compressive stress, effective energy absorption capacity, and residual strain. It is proved that the investigated polyurethane foam presents a macroscopic mechanical anisotropy caused by microscopic cell elongation in the foaming direction. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the mechanical behavior of the foam is fully influenced by both deformation rates and imposed strains. The experimental stress–strain curves are modelized using an empirical model considering an adjustable modulus of elasticity. The analytical results show a good agreement with the experiments.
Coopetition strategy as naturalised practice in a cluster of informal businesses
Authors: Darbi William Phanuel Kofi , Knott Paul
Published: April 2022

This article builds on existing analyses of coopetition strategy as practice by exploring coopetition as a social-structural and relational phenomenon. We draw on social practice theory to present an analysis of coopetition in a cluster of small informal businesses in Accra, Ghana. In so doing, we adopt a comprehensive socio-cultural perspective enabling us to account for a wider range of antecedents, drivers and both intended and unintended outcomes for individuals, firms, clusters and wider institutions. We show how immersive cooperation among competing firms became a naturalised practice in the cluster, embedded as a cultural assumption. Following this, we develop a conceptual framework that shows how the actions of individuals (agency) and strength of institutional and societal (structure) influences may lead to different forms of small business coopetition strategy.
Effects of high-dose versus low-dose proton pump inhibitors for treatment of gastrointestinal ulcer bleeding: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zhu Wei , Chen Liang , Zhang Jian , Wang Pei
Published: April 2022

Background

We performed a meta-analysis to compare the effects of high-dose (80 mg/day) versus low-dose (40 mg/day) proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on gastrointestinal ulcer bleeding.

Methods

We retrieved studies of randomized controlled trials of PPIs administered according to different schedules for the treatment of gastrointestinal ulcer bleeding from Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Clinical Trials, and the Cochrane Database in April 2020.

Results

Nine randomized controlled trials including 2329 patients were included in this meta-analysis. There were no significant differences in the incidences of re-bleeding, operation intervention, postoperative mortality, and length of hospital stay between the low-dose and high-dose groups. However, the blood transfusion volume was significantly higher in the high-dose group.

Conclusion

Compared with low-does PPIs, high-dose PPIs had no effect on the incidence of re-bleeding, operation intervention, or postoperative mortality, and did not reduce hospital stay in patients treated with endoscopic hemostasis for gastrointestinal bleeding.