bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘I have to-day seen all the 671 patients in residence in this institution’: not listening to patients in the long 1920s
Authors: Hilton Claire
Published: November 2022

In the 1920s, patients and former patients produced oral and written accounts of their mental hospital experiences. Many aimed to inform the public about the institutions and to improve standards of care, but their views were usually ignored. The assumption that mental disorders affected all aspects of a person’s judgement, plus defensive and disparaging attitudes of hospital authorities and formal committees of inquiry, contributed to this. Various other public agendas, financial crises and rising unemployment detracted from the needs of mentally unwell people. Small improvements in care materialized, but lay, professional and institutional cultures generally preserved the status quo. Regarding learning from patients’ feedback, some hurdles encountered in the 1920s resonate with challenges in today’s National Health Service.
Fuzzy Smith predictor–based active disturbance rejection controller for time-delay systems with application to drilling stick–slip vibration control
Authors: Ba DeJun , Chen Guangwu , Li Peng , An KeXin , Liu XiaoBao
Published: November 2022

This study investigated the design of a drill bit stick–slip vibration and active disturbance rejection controller under the influence of an uncertain load at the bottom of a drill hole. There are two main problems in controlling the bit stick–slip vibration in a complex environment when stick–slip vibration occurs: the delay of the top drive output torque transmission and the uncertain load on the bit. Based on these two problems and the fact that the drilling system cannot be modelled accurately, in this study, we chose the model-independent active disturbance rejection control method to design the controller. The Smith predictor–based active disturbance rejection controller was designed by extending the state observer combined with the Smith predictor principle to achieve the delay compensation effect and introducing fuzzy online correction to cope with the robustness problem under uncertain load conditions, and a conventional Smith predictor–based proportional–integral–derivative controller was designed for comparison. It was verified by simulating oil drilling stick–slip vibration through simulation and semiphysical experiments. The experimental results show that the designed Smith predictor–based active disturbance rejection controller has better control performance, and the controller can effectively suppress the sudden change of torque and speed when a stick–slip vibration occurs, which can play a protective role for the safe and good operation of equipment.
Prediction rule of supratherapeutic peak serum salicylate level in poisoning patients attending emergency departments
Authors: Suen Wah Chan , Chi Keung Chan , Yau Tak Ng , Chun Tat Lui , Hin Tat Fung
Published: November 2022

Background:

Analgesic poisoning is common in Hong Kong. Analgesics containing salicylate are easily available. Salicylate poisoning may be encountered in the daily practice of the accident and emergency department. The issue of routine salicylate screening was discussed in a number of articles, and the viewpoints of most authors were that routine salicylate screening was unnecessary.

Objectives:

The primary outcome is to explore the predictive factors of supratherapeutic peak serum salicylate level (>2.17 mmol/L) and delineate the role of routine screening serum salicylate level in poisoned patients attending the accident and emergency department.

Methods:

This is a retrospective cohort study. Poisoning cases presented to Hong Kong Poison Information Centre between 1 July 2008 and 31 October 2020 with serum salicylate level checked were included. The demographics, laboratory parameters and clinical outcomes were reviewed.

Results:

There were 8673 cases included with serum salicylate level checked, accounting for 17% of all poisoning cases. Sixty-six (0.76%) cases had supratherapeutic peak serum salicylate level and 11 (0.13%) of them were undeclared salicylate ingestion. Worse clinical outcomes were observed in cases with supratherapeutic peak serum salicylate level. Univariate analysis showed that tinnitus, hyperthermia, alkalaemia, metabolic acidosis, respiratory alkalosis and therapeutic use of aspirin were significantly associated with supratherapeutic peak serum salicylate level. Variables with p < 0.3 were entered into the backward stepwise logistic regression by likelihood ratio. A clinical prediction rule with three attributes (tinnitus, therapeutic use of aspirin and partial pressure of CO2<5 kPa) was derived. It showed 100% sensitivity in internal validation.

Conclusion:

Serum salicylate level should be checked in poisoned patients with (1) tinnitus, (2) the therapeutic use of aspirin or (3) partial pressure of CO2<5 kPa in arterial or venous blood gas. Routine salicylate screening remained a tool for clinicians not experienced in toxicology.
Chemogenetic Signaling in Space and Time: Considerations for Designing Neuroscience Experiments Using DREADDs
Authors: Clark Philip J. , Brodnik Zachary D. , España Rodrigo A.
Published: November 2022

The use of designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) has led to significant advances in our understanding of the neural circuits that govern behavior. By allowing selective control over cellular activity and signaling, DREADDs have become an integral tool for defining the pathways and cellular phenotypes that regulate sleep, pain, motor activity, goal-directed behaviors, and a variety of other processes. In this review, we provide a brief overview of DREADDs and discuss notable discoveries in the neurosciences with an emphasis on circuit mechanisms. We then highlight methodological approaches to achieve pathway specific activation of DREADDs. Finally, we discuss spatial and temporal constraints of DREADDs signaling and how these features can be incorporated into experimental designs to precisely dissect circuits of interest.
Michelangelo’s Presentations in the Sistine Chapel: Brain Evolution and the Relationship of the Brain to Specific Cognitive Functions
Authors: Ashford J. Wesson , Tatem Sue Binkley
Published: November 2022

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) presented some of the most spectacular artworks of all times in frescos on the ceiling and behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. While Michelangelo’s presentations depict events described in the Bible, there is broad consensus that Michelangelo was conveying his knowledge and theoretical ideas gleaned from his experiences with anatomic dissection. Michelangelo appears to have communicated several ideas about the brain in the images of the Days of Creation and the Last Judgment. Taking the Days of Creation and the Last Judgment together, Michelangelo appears to be symbolizing that God is in the brain, specifically the brainstem, and the brain performs mental functions. The five images on the ceiling of the chapel showing Days of Creation may be interpreted as reflecting the course of vertebrate brain evolution. There are further suggestions about brain function, including perceiving light and complex images and giving spirit to Adam. Furthermore, on the front wall of the Sistine Chapel behind the altar, within the work titled the Last Judgment, the central ellipse, in which Jesus is sitting, appears to represent a midcoronal cross section of a human brain, suggesting that it is the brain that renders judgments about good and evil.
Impact of totally implanted venous access port placement on body image in women with breast cancer
Authors: Pizzuti Giada , Cassani Chiara , Bottazzi Andrea , Ruggieri Annamaria , Della Valle Angelica , Dionigi Francesca , Anghelone Chiara Annunziata Pasqualina , Sgarella Adele , Ferrari Alberta
Published: November 2022

Totally implanted venous access ports (TIVAPs) have been established as effective and safe devices for oncologic patients. In breast cancer setting, the implant of the reservoir at mid-arm allows the absence of additional scars on the chest and the easier access to the port with significant cosmetic and psychological advantages. In the last decades, breast surgery has made great progresses to ameliorate the cosmetic results even in mastectomy techniques. In fact, many studies have demonstrated that negative body image perception affects physical and psychological wellbeing of survivors. Despite this evidence, limited importance is still reserved to TIVAPs placement site, which is traditionally the chest. It is not unusual to see patients after a nipple-sparing mastectomy with excellent cosmetic result who show a disfiguring scar on their upper chest due to TIVAP placement. We report the case of a young woman with BRCA2-related breast cancer who underwent bilateral nipple sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and adjuvant chemotherapy. Her TIVAP was located at the mid-arm, which is still an uncommon site compared to the upper chest. An optimal cosmetic result was obtained both in breast reconstruction and in the arm site of port, with high-rate patient satisfaction. This case presentation aims to raise awareness towards women’s body image preservation, particularly in the choice of TIVAP placement: in most cases neckline and upper chest should be avoided for a better patient related outcome.
Peer support through video meetings: Experiences of people with young onset dementia
Authors: Gerritzen Esther Vera , Kohl Gianna , Orrell Martin , McDermott Orii
Published: November 2022

Background

People with young onset dementia can experience stigmatization and social isolation. Peer support provides an opportunity for social connection and support. However, access to in-person peer support groups varies across the UK, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in-person peer support groups moved online.

Objectives

We explored the experiences of people with young onset dementia attending peer support meetings through online videoconferencing platforms, and identified barriers and facilitators.

Methods

A focus group study with existing peer support groups for people with young onset dementia that had their meetings online was conducted. Participants were people living with young onset dementia. Participants were recruited through convenience and purposeful sampling. Initial contact was made with the group facilitator to discuss the study purposes and assess eligibility of the group members. The data was analysed thematically by two independent researchers, using an inductive approach.

Findings

Four focus groups with UK-based peer support groups were conducted through the group’s usual platform, including 20 participants. Through online peer support people stayed connected during the pandemic. It provided opportunities to meet people from different places and be involved in research projects. People found it a convenient way of connecting with others without having to travel. However, some missed in-person interaction and digital exclusion and challenges to navigate different platforms were identified as barriers. Organisational skills of the facilitator and support with getting into meetings can help overcome these challenges.

Conclusion

Online platforms can make peer support more accessible for people with young onset dementia as it overcomes geographical barriers as well as barriers for those who feel uncomfortable attending an in-person group. Researchers and policy makers should explore how to implement and overcome barriers to online peer support, so that peer support is more widely accessible and clearly signposted to people with young onset dementia.
Research on compound faults identification of aeroengine inter-shaft bearing based on CCF–Complexity–VMD–SVD
Authors: Fang Minghe , Yu Mingyue , Guo Guihong , Feng Zhigang
Published: November 2022

Inter-shaft bearing is an important component of dual-rotor aeroengine and it is difficult to extract fault characteristics and identify a fault type. Therefore, the paper has proposed a method (CCF–Complexity–VMD–SVD) combining information fusion, Complexity parameter of Hjorth parameters, variational mode decomposition (VMD), and singular value decomposition (SVD). Firstly, to fully embody fault characteristic information, the method has established the cross-correlation function (CCF) of homologous acceleration information from the casing of one of the aeroengines (acceleration signals collected from the same section at the same moment in orthogonal directions) to blend homologous information, reinforce fault characteristic components, and lessen the influence of noise. Secondly, considering the great influence of signal complexity on the extraction of fault characteristics and the Complexity parameter of Hjorth parameters can express the complexity of signals better, the Complexity parameter of Hjorth parameters is placed into the fault characteristic extraction of inter-shaft bearing. The Complexity parameter is applied to optimize the number of layers and central frequency of VMD. Thirdly, signals are denoised through SVD to further lessen the influence of noise on characteristic extraction. Finally, frequency spectrum (FS) of signal denoised is used to make characteristic extraction and fault identification of compound faults of inter-shaft bearing. The result of comparative analysis with other methods has further illustrated the proposed method CCF–Complexity–VMD–SVD that can actualize the effective characteristic extraction of compound faults and precise identification in the early stage of fault based on vibration signals from casing of aeroengine. The performance of engineering appliance of the proposed method has been further verified through fault analysis of disassembly for the aeroengine.
Is graphene the rock upon which new era continuous glucose monitors could be built?
Authors: Papanikolaou Eirini , Simos Yannis V , Spyrou Konstantinos , Tzianni Eleni I , Vezyraki Patra , Tsamis Konstantinos , Patila Michaela , Tigas Stelios , Prodromidis Mamas I , Gournis Dimitrios P , Stamatis Haralambos , Peschos Dimitrios , Dounousi Evangelia
Published: November 2022

Diabetes mellitus’ (DM) prevalence worldwide is estimated to be around 10% and is expected to rise over the next decades. Monitoring blood glucose levels aims to determine whether glucose targets are met to minimize the risk for the development of symptoms related to high or low blood sugar and avoid long-term diabetes complications. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGMs) systems emerged almost two decades ago and have revolutionized the way diabetes is managed. Especially in Type 1 DM, the combination of a CGM with an insulin pump (known as a closed-loop system or artificial pancreas) allows an autonomous regulation of patients’ insulin with minimal intervention from the user. However, there is still an unmet need for high accuracy, precision and repeatability of CGMs. Graphene was isolated in 2004 and found immediately fertile ground in various biomedical applications and devices due to its unique combination of properties including its high electrical conductivity. In the last decade, various graphene family nanomaterials have been exploited for the development of enzymatic and non-enzymatic biosensors to determine glucose in biological fluids, such as blood, sweat, and so on. Although great progress has been achieved in the field, several issues need to be addressed for graphene sensors to become a predominant material in the new era of CGMs.
Doing Duoethnography: Addressing Essential Methodological Questions
Authors: Burleigh Dawn , Burm Sarah
Published: November 2022

Duoethnography is a collaborative research methodology that invites researchers to serve as sites of inquiry. Through juxtaposition, the voices of each researcher are made explicit, working in tandem to untangle and disrupt meanings about a particular social phenomenon. We gravitate to duoethnography for its evocative power and the opportunity this methodology provides to engage in meaningful self-study in the presence of another. Yet, we grapple with methodological issues related to the unseen and unspoken enactments of the methodology. This article makes transparent the process of engaging in duoethnography by modeling its polyvocal dialogic nature while simultaneously addressing five essential questions about this collaborative research methodology. In this article, we retrace our collective journey engaging in duoethnography over the past 10 years, reflecting upon how our understanding and engagement with the methodology has shifted and expanded with each new inquiry. We make visible what is often invisible in the process of doing duoethnography, explicitly discussing our process for beginning and concluding a duoethnography, addressing what constitutes duoethnographic data, and the importance of cultivating a trustworthy and safe dialogical space. This article contributes to the existing methodological literature on duoethnography and further substantiates and generates transparency and teachability of this collaborative research approach.
Stability analysis of the pitch angle control of large wind turbines using different controller strategies
Authors: Bouregba H , Hachemi M , Bey M , Hamidat A
Published: November 2022

Reducing the environmental impact necessitates a boost in renewable energy conversion systems. Wind energy is regarded as one of the most essential energy sources. For this purpose, the high wind variations in the energy conversion chain require robust and reliable control. This research aims to implement a regulation based on artificial intelligence toward a blade orientation mechanism to improve the stability of energy conversion. On the other hand, an energy maximization technique called Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is integrated into the control system. A developed program in MATLAB estimates the turbine performance with two different strategies, namely the MPPT technique and the Pitch control mechanism. For the best control and more stability of energy conversion, three artificial intelligence controllers, which are Neuronal Network (PI-ANN), Fuzzy Logic (PI-FLC), and Neuro-Fuzzy (PI-NFLC), were employed. They are compared with the conventional controller (PI-C). This comparison is made to distinguish the most robust regulator against wind speed variations. The different performance indices showed that the controller PI-NFLC has an excellent response, with an Integral Time Absolute Error (ITAE) of 375.28, whereas the Integral Absolute Error (IAE) and Integral Time Square Error (ITSE) equal 13.87 and 406.59, respectively.
Remaining useful life prediction of implicit linear Wiener degradation process based on multi-source information
Authors: Yang Jiaxin , Tang Shengjin , Fang Pengya , Wang Fengfei , Sun Xiaoyan , Si Xiaosheng
Published: November 2022

Accurate remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is helpful to improve the reliability and safety of complex systems. However, in practical engineering applications, it often occurs imperfect or scarce prior degradation information for the degradation system with measurement error (ME). In order to solve this problem, based on the implicit linear Wiener degradation process, a RUL prediction method which reasonably fuses failure time data or multi-source information is proposed in this paper. Firstly, based on the implicit linear Wiener degradation process, we obtain the relationship between the natures of parameters estimation and degradation data by theoretical derivation, which provides a theoretical basis regarding how to fuse multi-source information. Secondly, according to the natures of parameters estimation, we use field degradation data and historical degradation data to estimate the fixed parameters of the two prediction cases respectively, and fuse failure time data into the degradation model by the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Then, the Kalman filtering algorithm is used to online update the drift parameter based on field degradation data. Finally, we use some simulation experiments to further verify the natures of parameters estimation, and two practical case studies to verify the superiority of the proposed method.
‘I’m actually shocked of how rude you are!’ Communication challenges in webchat-based customer service
Authors: Darics Erika , Lockwood Jane
Published: November 2022

Computer-mediated webchat is fast replacing voice support in customer service. Whilst previous studies have explored how communication breaks down in customer service voice exchange in off-shored/outsourced multinational companies; studies into webchat exchange in the same industries are scarce. Given the high stakes of customer service interactions – for example customer satisfaction, return intention and loyalty to the company – there is an urgent need to understand how conversations unfold, in a linguistic sense, in successful and unsuccessful service. This study, using interactional linguistics, has used a close interpretative process to analyse instances of problematic exchange showing two key causes of communicative disruption. This first relates to disrupted turn adjacency where the sequence and flow of the exchange becomes confusing. The second relates to conceptual misunderstandings of terms in the exchange that may have multiple meanings. As workplaces invest millions of dollar in recruiting, training and appraising global webchat agents to serve their customers, the findings of this study can fruitfully inform webchat training and coaching that impact performance at work and provide high satisfaction to customers.
Optimization on the dose and time of nicaraven administration for mitigating the side effects of radiotherapy in a preclinical tumor-bearing mouse model
Authors: Xu Yong , Abdelghany Lina , Sekiya Reiko , Zhai Da , Jingu Keiichi , Li Tao-Sheng
Published: November 2022

Objective:

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is one of the serious complications of radiotherapy. We have recently demonstrated that nicaraven can effectively mitigate RILI in healthy mice. Here, we further tried to optimize the dose and time of nicaraven administration for alleviating the side effects of radiotherapy in tumor-bearing mice.

Methods and results:

A subcutaneous tumor model was established in the back of the chest in C57BL/6N mice by injecting Lewis lung cancer cells. Therapeutic thoracic irradiations were done, and placebo or different doses of nicaraven (20, 50, 100 mg/kg) were administrated intraperitoneally pre-irradiation (at almost 5–10 min before irradiation) or post-irradiation (within 5 min after irradiation). Mice that received radiotherapy and nicaraven were sacrificed on the 30th day, but control mice were sacrificed on the 15th day. Serum and lung tissues were collected for evaluation. Nicaraven significantly decreased the level of CCL8, but did not clearly change the levels of 8-OHdG, TGF-β, IL-1β, and IL-6 in serum. Besides these, nicaraven effectively decreased the levels of TGF-β, IL-1β, and SOD2 in the lungs, especially by post-irradiation administration with the dose of 20 mg/kg. Although there was no significant difference, the expression of SOD1, 53BP1, and caspase 3 was detected lower in the lungs of mice received nicaraven post-irradiation than that of pre-irradiation.

Conclusion:

According to our data, the administration of nicaraven at a relatively low dose soon after radiotherapy will be recommended for attenuating the side effects of radiotherapy.
Functional MRI and ApoE4 genotype for predicting cognitive decline in amyloid-positive individuals
Authors: Zhu Jun-Ding , Huang Chi-Wei , Chang Hsin-I , Tsai Shih-Jen , Huang Shu-Hua , Hsu Shih-Wei , Lee Chen-Chang , Chen Hong-Jie , Chang Chiung-Chih , Yang Albert C.
Published: November 2022

Background:

In light of advancements in machine learning techniques, many studies have implemented machine learning approaches combined with data measures to predict and classify Alzheimer’s disease. Studies that predicted cognitive status with longitudinal follow-up of amyloid-positive individuals remain scarce, however.

Objective:

We developed models based on voxel-wise functional connectivity (FC) density mapping and the presence of the ApoE4 genotype to predict whether amyloid-positive individuals would experience cognitive decline after 1 year.

Methods:

We divided 122 participants into cognitive decline and stable cognition groups based on the participants’ change rates in Mini-Mental State Examination scores. In addition, we included 68 participants from Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database as an external validation data set. Subsequently, we developed two classification models: the first model included 99 voxels, and the second model included 99 voxels and the ApoE4 genotype as features to train the models by Wide Neural Network algorithm with fivefold cross-validation and to predict the classes in the hold-out test and ADNI data sets.

Results:

The results revealed that both models demonstrated high accuracy in classifying the two groups in the hold-out test data set. The model for FC demonstrated good performance, with a mean F1-score of 0.86. The model for FC combined with the ApoE4 genotype achieved superior performance, with a mean F1-score of 0.90. In the ADNI data set, the two models demonstrated stable performances, with mean F1-scores of 0.77 in the first and second models.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that the proposed models exhibited promising accuracy for predicting cognitive status after 1 year in amyloid-positive individuals. Notably, the combination of FC and the ApoE4 genotype increased prediction accuracy. These findings can assist clinicians in predicting changes in cognitive status in individuals with a high risk of Alzheimer’s disease and can assist future studies in developing precise treatment and prevention strategies.
An open label, safety study of Asian patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer receiving second-line nivolumab monotherapy (CheckMate 870)
Authors: Lu Shun , Cheng Ying , Zhou Jianying , Wang Mengzhao , Zhao Jun , Wang Baocheng , Chen Gongyan , Feng Jifeng , Ma Zhiyong , Wu Lin , Wang Changli , Ma Kewei , Zhang Shucai , Liang Jun , Song Yong , Wang Jie , Wu Yi-Long , Li Ang , Huang Yizhi , Chang Jianhua
Published: November 2022

Background:

Nivolumab has been approved in China as second-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) via weight-based infusion, based on the CheckMate 078 study. We investigated the safety and efficacy of 240 mg flat-dose nivolumab in patients with advanced NSCLC, including those with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) mutation/ALK receptor tyrosine kinase ( ALK) translocation due to high prevalence in China.

Methods:

CheckMate 870 was a single-arm, open-label, phase IIIb trial in Asian (primarily Chinese) patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC. Patients received flat-dose nivolumab 240 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) for up to 2 years. The primary endpoint was the incidence and severity of treatment-related select adverse events (TRsAEs) in non-HBV patients; secondary and exploratory endpoints included severity of high-grade TRsAEs in HBV-infected patients, and safety, efficacy and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the whole population.

Results:

Out of 404 patients enrolled, 400 received treatment. Median (standard deviation) age was 60.5 (8.68) years and the majority were male (78.5%). At a median follow-up of 37.6 months, no Grade 5 TRsAEs were reported, and the frequency of Grade 3–4 TRsAEs was low (0.0–5.9%) in non-HBV and HBV NSCLC patients. Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in all treated patients were 14.7 (12.3–18.1) and 3.6 (2.3–3.8) months, respectively. Median OS was 14.2 (12.3–18.1) and 22.3 (10.0–NA) months for non-HBV and HBV-infected patients, 19.3 (11.2–31.7) and 13.7 (11.5–18.1) months for EGFR-positive and wild-type subgroups, and 19.3 (12.9–23.5) and 13.3 (10.9–17.7) months for those with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression ⩾1% and <1%, respectively. No notable changes from baseline were observed in PROs throughout the study.

Conclusion:

Nivolumab 240 mg infusion Q2W was well tolerated, efficacious, and maintained health status and quality of life in Asian patients with previously treated advanced NSCLC regardless of HBV, EGFR, or PD-L1 status.
Non-contrast MR dacryocystography for the evaluation of epiphora and recurrent dacryocystitis: A preliminary study
Authors: Cè Maurizio , Grimaldi Elena , Toto-Brocchi Marco , Martinenghi Carlo , Oliva Giancarlo , Felisaz Paolo Florent , Schiavo Paolo , Lunardi Giuseppe , Cellina Michaela
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Obstruction of the lacrimal drainage represents a common ophthalmologic issue. The blockage may interest any level of the lacrimal drainage pathway, and it is important to find the site of obstruction to plan the most appropriate treatment. In this study, findings from magnetic resonance (MR) dacryocystography were compared with findings from endoscopic and surgical procedures to evaluate the accuracy of MR dacryocystography in localizing the site of nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

Methods

We enrolled twenty-one patients with clinical suspicion of nasolacrimal duct obstruction who underwent dacryoendoscopy and surgery. MR dacryocystography was performed with a heavily T2-weighted fast spin echo sequence in the coronal planes. Before the MRI was performed, a sterile 0.9% NaCl solution was administered into both conjunctival sacs. For each examination, two independent readers (with 8 and 10 years of experience in head and neck imaging) evaluated both heavily 3D space T2-weighted and STIR sequences.

Results

Stenosis/obstruction of nasolacrimal duct or lacrimal sac was diagnosed in all 21 patients who underwent MRI dacryocystography. In particular, the site of the obstruction was classified as lacrimal sac in 12 (57%) patients, nasolacrimal duct in 6 (29%) patients, and canaliculi in 3 (14%) patients by both readers. By comparison with the evidence resulting from the endoscopy, there were differences between MRI dacryocystography and dacryoendoscopy in the evaluation of the obstruction’s site in three patients, with an overall accuracy of 85.7%.

Conclusion

MR dacryocystography allows a non-invasive evaluation of the lacrimal drainage pathway, valid for the planning of the most appropriate treatment.
Influence of sales force automation on salesperson performance: A study of interpersonal and intrapersonal mediators
Authors: Franck Romain , Dampérat Maud
Published: November 2022

This article investigates the influence of the use of sales force automation (SFA) on the performance of business-to-business (B2B) salespersons, given its growing importance and much discussed effects. We examine the underlying mediating mechanisms between the use of SFA and salesperson outcomes (i.e. job satisfaction and salesperson performance). Based on a sample of 196 B2B salespeople, our results confirm the existence of a direct effect between the use of SFA and salespeople’s performance, as well as the existence of indirect effects via (1) interpersonal mediators, that is, successively adaptive selling behavior and relationship quality and (2) intrapersonal mediators, that is, successively role overload and the risk of salesperson burnout. The results also show the positive influence of job satisfaction on salespeople’s performance, and vice versa.
Motivators and Barriers to Living Donor Kidney Transplant as Perceived by Past and Potential Donors
Authors: Zazoulina Julia , Khehra Keesha , Gill Jagbir
Published: November 2022

Background:

For patients with end-stage kidney disease, living donor kidney transplant is the treatment of choice due to improved patient outcomes, longer graft survival, and reduced expenses compared with other forms of renal replacement therapy. However, organ shortage remains a challenge, and living donation rates have stagnated in recent years, particularly among men.

Objective:

To understand the motivators and barriers for past and potential living kidney transplant donors and inform policy and practice changes that support donors in the future.

Methods:

Past and potential living donors in British Columbia, Canada in the preceding 2 years were surveyed. Motivators and barriers were examined in 5 categories: family pressures and domestic responsibilities, finances, the recovery process, complications, and the transplant evaluation process. Participants ranked statements in each category on a Likert-type scale.

Results:

A total of 138 responses were collected. In both women and men, policies that address family and domestic responsibilities and finances were most strongly identified as motivators to donate. A large proportion of women and men reported that guaranteed job security (47% women and 38% of men), paid time off (51% of women and 42% of men), reimbursement of lost wages (49% of women and 38% of men), and protections to guarantee no impact on future insurability (62% of women and 52% of men) were significant motivators to donate. Timely and efficient medical evaluation was considered to be an important motivator for donation, with 52% of men and 43% of women reporting support for a “fast-track” option for evaluation to allow for a more rapid evaluation process. Median barrier and motivator scores were similar between women and men.

Conclusion:

Policies to decrease financial burden, ensure job security, improve childcare support, and offer a fast-track medical evaluation may motivate potential living kidney donors, irrespective of gender.
Gayservatives on Gab: LGBTQ+ Communities and Far Right Social Media
Authors: Brody Evan , Greenhalgh Spencer P. , Sajjad Mehroz
Published: November 2022

In the United States, LGBTQ+ individuals are often imagined as inherently politically progressive, but this assumption overlooks the experiences of self-identified LGBTQ+ conservatives. Likewise, although social media platforms are recognized as spaces of identity and community production for LGBTQ+ people generally, less work has considered how they provide a similar forum for “gayservatives.” In response, this article engages in a critical discourse analysis of LGBTQ+-oriented groups on the far right social media platform Gab. Results indicate that far right social media is utilized to connect with other politically similar LGBTQ+ individuals perceived to be absent in one’s offline community. Participants do so via discourses that both regulate and celebrate LGBTQ+ identities, particularly as it relates to hegemonic masculinity. These strategies generally reinforce, but at times reframe, stereotypical narratives about LGBTQ+ individuals. This study provides groundwork for more nuanced understandings of both LGBTQ+ conservatives and the ways power is socialized and embodied through discourses about sexual and gender identities.
Walking Through Firewalls: Circumventing Censorship of Social Media and Online Content in a Networked Authoritarian Context
Authors: Dal Aysenur , Nisbet Erik C.
Published: November 2022

The early hopes of the internet as a technology of “liberation” have turned into a reinforcing spiral of control, innovation, resistance, and counter-innovation between authoritarian governments and those that seek to bypass censorship and digital repression. This spiral reflects that even the most robust censorship mechanisms are vulnerable to circumvention, which has become a key concept for illustrating the contemporary online communication experience of citizens. Yet, the scholarship examining the underlying motivations and what influences individuals to employ censorship circumvention technologies (CCTs) in authoritarian contexts remains underdeveloped. We present a theoretical model of how state-sponsored political identity and attitudes about media freedom influence motivated resistance to censorship in the case of using CCTs to access social media and other forms of online content in the networked authoritarian context of Iran. Employing a web-based survey of internet users ( N = 807), we test this theoretical model across a range of censored online content types. Our findings show that regime ideology in Iran indirectly influences CCT use through biasing perceptions of media freedom and how people respond to it in the form of motivated resistance. We discuss theoretical and policy-related implications for resilience to censorship of social media and online content in networked authoritarian contexts.
Faith integration in STEM courses for undergraduates: Exemplars of pedagogical practices
Authors: Klanderman David , Carlson Clayton , Decker Tina , Haan Fred , Norman Victor , Schrotenboer Abbie , Schuurman Derek , Turner James
Published: November 2022

In his book On Christian Teaching, David Smith offers multiple ways in which one’s Christian faith commitments influence pedagogical practices. Specific examples are drawn from the humanities, particularly from languages and literature. Some may conclude that such discussions are less appropriate in areas such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We disagree and offer exemplars aligned with a set of six curricular criteria identified by Wayne Au. We argue that these exemplars emerge naturally from our Christian beliefs and are “faith-influenced” even if not every strategy embodies a narrower integration of faith and pedagogy.
Real World Evidence and Clinical Utility of KidneyIntelX on Patients With Early-Stage Diabetic Kidney Disease: Interim Results on Decision Impact and Outcomes
Authors: Tokita Joji , Vega Aida , Sinfield Catherine , Naik Nidhi , Rathi Shivani , Martin Sharlene , Wang Stephanie , Amoruso Leonard , Zabetian Azadeh , Coca Steven G. , Nadkarni Girish N. , Fleming Fergus , Donovan Michael J. , Fields Robert
Published: November 2022

Introduction and Objective:

The lack of precision to identify patients with early-stage diabetic kidney disease (DKD) at near-term risk for progressive decline in kidney function results in poor disease management often leading to kidney failure requiring unplanned dialysis. The KidneyIntelX is a multiplex, bioprognostic, immunoassay consisting of 3 plasma biomarkers and clinical variables that uses machine learning to generate a risk score for progressive decline in kidney function over 5-year in adults with early-stage DKD. Our objective was to assess the impact of KidneyIntelX on management and outcomes in a Health System in the real-world evidence (RWE) study.

Methods:

KidneyIntelX was introduced into a large metropolitan Health System via a population health-defined approved care pathway for patients with stages 1 to 3 DKD between [November 2020 to March 2022]. Decision impact on visit frequency, medication management, specialist referral, and selected lab values was assessed. We performed an interim analysis in patients through 6-months post-test date to evaluate the impact of risk level with clinical decision-making and outcomes.

Results:

A total of 1686 patients were enrolled in the RWE study and underwent KidneyIntelX testing and subsequent care pathway management. The median age was 68 years, 52% were female, 26% self-identified as Black, and 94% had hypertension. The median baseline eGFR was 59 ml/minute/1.73 m2, urine albumin-creatinine ratio was 69 mg/g, and HbA1c was 7.7%. After testing, a clinical encounter in the first month occurred in 13%, 43%, and 53% of low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk patients, respectively and 46%, 61%, and 71% had at least 1 action taken within the first 6 months. High-risk patients were more likely to be placed on SGLT2 inhibitors (OR = 4.56; 95% CI 3.00-6.91 vs low-risk), and more likely to be referred to a specialist such as a nephrologist, endocrinologist, or dietician (OR = 2.49; 95% CI 1.53-4.01) compared to low-risk patients.

Conclusions:

The combination of KidneyIntelX, clinical guidelines and educational support resulted in changes in clinical management by clinicians. After testing, there was an increase in visit frequency, referrals for disease management, and introduction to guideline-recommended medications. These differed by risk category, indicating an impact of KidneyIntelX risk stratification on clinical care.
Resettlement Divorce: The Hidden Costs of Family Separation During Refugee Resettlement
Authors: Warren Kamryn
Published: November 2022

Refugee resettlement is a solution to provide safety and security to individuals left vulnerable from displacement. However, some refugees who intermarry with non-refugees are barred from resettling with their intact family unit. This article utilizes an in-depth ethnographic analysis of the everyday life of refugees in mixed nationality marriages living in Nepal to argue that the right to family unity is denied to some refugees. Refugees in mixed-nationality marriages must choose between divorcing a loving and stable partner to resettle in a third country and remaining encamped in Nepal, where opportunities for safety, security, and advancement are severely limited. This analysis indicates that “resettlement divorces” became a way that mixed-marriage refugee couples managed to navigate the offer of resettlement for Bhutanese refugees in Nepal and the ways that resettlement structured their everyday lives. Implications exist for interrogating which families are granted the right to “unity,” patterns of refugee resettlement, and the resettlement outcomes of single refugee mothers.
Islamophobic Discourse of European Right-Wing Parties: A Narrative Policy Analysis
Authors: Oztig Lacin Idil
Published: November 2022

In Europe, in tandem with growing social anxiety regarding the so-called threat of Islamization, right-wing, populist parties have increasingly positioned themselves against Muslims and Islam to the point of becoming anti-Islam parties. This paper deconstructs Islamophobic discourses of the Freedom Party of Austria, the League, and the Alternative for Germany through narrative policy analysis and shows that they are built upon a similar narrative of a villain, victim, and hero. Muslims are depicted as villains that pose a threat to Europe, while national and European cultures are presented as victims, threatened by Islamic practices which are cast as irrational, dominant, and violence-prone. The depiction of Muslims as villains and European culture and society as victims gives these parties an opportunity to create a “hero” character for themselves. By presenting proposals, such as bans on Islamic practices, these parties narratively construct themselves as heroes determined to save their countries and European culture. Disregarding the heterogeneity of Muslims and Islamic traditions as well as the contribution of Muslim scientists and philosophers, these parties depict a simplistic picture of the world in which they appropriate for themselves the role of protector. Character construction in Islamophobic discourses raises important questions about multiculturalism, tolerance, and religious freedom in Europe.
The multifaceted influence of age on employee work engagement: Examining the interactive effects of chronological age, relational age, and perceived age-related treatment
Authors: Sammarra Alessia , Profili Silvia , Peccei Riccardo
Published: November 2022

Building upon and extending prior research, this study examines the interplay between chronological age, relational age, and perceived age-related treatment in predicting work engagement. While previous studies have often examined these three facets of age in isolation from one another, this article develops an integrative framework that combines life span theories with relational demography and age-related treatment studies. Findings from a sample of 434 school teachers from 16 schools in Italy supported the hypothesis that the three-way interaction between relational age, chronological age and age-related treatment generates asymmetrical effects on work engagement. Specifically, at high levels of perceived positive age-related treatment, relational age was positively associated with older workers’ engagement, while greater relational age was associated with reduced work engagement when older workers perceived that they were treated unfairly based on their age. In contrast, among younger workers, work engagement was positively related to perceived positive age-related treatment whatever the level of relational age.
Ultrasound Stimulation Inhibits Morphological Degeneration of Motor Endplates in the Denervated Skeletal Muscle of Rats
Authors: Ito Akira , Araya Yuki , Kawai Hideki , Kuroki Hiroshi
Published: November 2022

Recovery of motor function after peripheral nerve injury requires treatment of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), as well as the injured nerve and skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ultrasound (US) stimulation on NMJ degeneration after denervation using a rat model of peroneal nerve transection. Twelve-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: US stimulation, sham stimulation, and intact. US or sham stimulation was performed on the left tibialis anterior (TA) muscle starting the day after peroneal nerve transection for 5 minutes daily under anesthesia. Four weeks later, the number and morphology of the motor endplates were analyzed to assess NMJ in the TA muscle. The endplates were classified as normal, partially fragmented, or fully fragmented for morphometric analysis. In addition, the number of terminal Schwann cells (tSCs) per endplate and percentage of endplates with tSCs (tSC retention percentage) were calculated to evaluate the effect of tSCs on NMJs. Our results showed that endplates degenerated 4 weeks after transection, with a decrease in the normal type and an increase in the fully fragmented type in both the US and sham groups compared to the intact group. Furthermore, the US group showed significant suppression of the normal type decrease and a fully fragmented type increase compared to the sham group. These results suggest that US stimulation inhibits endplate degeneration in denervated TA muscles. In contrast, the number of endplates and tSC and tSC retention percentages were not significantly different between the US and sham groups. Further investigations are required to determine the molecular mechanisms by which US stimulation suppresses degeneration.
Possibilities enhanced and constrained: Where dynamic semiosis works
Authors: Valsiner Jaan
Published: November 2022

The newly established field of possibility studies is set to solve complex theoretical problems created by the future-based setup of the notion of possibility. Irreversible time sets strict limits upon the uses of the concept of possibility and calls for its conceptualization in terms of cultural psychology of dynamic semiosis. Use of signs work in two parallel ways—organizing the present experience and catalyzing future possibilities. Negotiation of the constraint borders for the future is the main function of possibilities discourse. Hence investigation into possibilities requires coordination of intentionality of the actor with imagination about the future.