bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient satisfaction and attitudes towards immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery
Authors: Campbell Cara G , La Chuiki J , Chan Kim L , Turnbull Andrew M J
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To investigate patients’ first-hand experience, satisfaction and attitudes towards immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS).

Setting

Royal Bournemouth Hospital, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, Castle Lane East, Bournemouth, UK.

Design

Retrospective study using semi-structured phone interviews and qualitative content analysis.

Methods

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted by an independent interviewer, to explore patients’ experiences of ISBCS, at least four weeks postoperatively. The open-ended responses were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Categories and meaning units were tabulated, with the number and percentage of patients contributing to each category provided.

Results

25 patients were included. All patients rated their overall satisfaction of ISBCS as ‘ very satisfied’ and would opt again to have both eyes operated on the same day. 22 patients (88%) reported a ‘ very good/comfortable’ surgery experience. After surgery, 24 patients (96%) felt completely safe going home, with most organizing for family or friends to drive them home. None of the patients experienced any complications in the postoperative period. 24 patients (96%) experienced only minimal reduction in accomplishing daily living activities after surgery and 24 patients (96%) said they would recommend ISBCS to family and friends.

Conclusion

The results support wider implementation of ISBCS from the patient's perspective and experience. Providing written information addressing common themes and concerns is recommended to increase patient acceptance and uptake of ISBCS preoperatively.
Addition of cyanoacrylate adhesive improves the strength of catheter securement and integrity of transparent dressing: Results from an in vitro test model
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Price Nastassia , Guido Amanda
Published: March 2023

Introduction:

Intravenous catheters present complications to patients, such as dislodgment, pistoning, micromovement, and infection. Despite the use of transparent dressings, a significant rate of I.V. catheter complications still arise. This article is to provide a scientific and technological perspective on how bonding a transparent dressing to a substrate using 2-octyl cyanoacrylate and n-butyl cyanoacrylate (OBCA) via multiple methods can significantly enhance the adhesion strength of the transparent dressing product, which subsequently increases the securement strength of the catheter.

Materials and methods:

Using porcine skin, an adhesive formula made of a mixture of OBCA was applied to both the I.V. catheter and transparent dressing to evaluate the adhesion strength and securement strength in vitro.

Results:

The studies show that using OBCA to bond the transparent dressing to the substrate significantly improved the adhesion strength by up to 8 times, and catheter securement by up to 7.4 times stronger than using a transparent dressing alone.

Conclusion:

It was determined that using OBCA to bond the transparent dressing to the substrate results in strengthening the adhesion strength of the transparent dressing, which could potentially reduce dressing complications. By using OBCA to affix the transparent dressing to the substrate catheter securement strength was also significantly increased which can potentially reduce catheter dislodgment, migration, and micromovement.
Research on the thermohydrodynamic lubrication performance of engine main bearing with rough surface considering the axial motion and deformation of crankshaft
Authors: Li Biao , Sun Jun
Published: March 2023

In this paper, the influence of the thermal effect on the lubrication performance of engine main bearing with rough surface considering the axial motion of crankshaft is investigated. In the analysis, the crankshaft-bearing system of a four-cylinder four-stroke engine is taken as the object. The axial motion of crankshaft is measured by the engine bench test. The journal load of main bearing and crankshaft deformation are calculated by the whole crankshaft finite-element method. The analysis model is established based on the average flow lubrication model. The lubrication of main bearing is analyzed by the dynamic method. The temperatures of lubricating oil and bearing are calculated by the energy equation and solid heat conduction equation. The results show that the influence degree of the axial motion of crankshaft on the lubrication of engine main bearing with rough surface is greatly affected by the thermal effect. When the thermal effect is considered, the influence of the axial motion of crankshaft on the lubrication of engine main bearing makes its working condition deteriorate further. When the axial motion of crankshaft is considered, the influence of the thermal effect on the lubrication of different main bearings varies significantly.
Mapping the music of migration: Emergent themes and challenges
Authors: Gardner Abigail , Arne Hansen Kai
Published: March 2023

This article adds to existing scholarship on music and migration by presenting and reflecting on the work undertaken in the project ‘Mapping the Music of Migration’ (2019–2021, www.mamumi.eu ), which comprised partners from seven European countries and focused on storytelling about music and its potential to enable intercultural exchange and counter negative stereotypes. The key activities of the project involved the collection of migrants’ ‘Song Stories’ – personal stories about music – which were made publicly available through an interactive app. The article outlines the background and findings of the project and presents critical reflections on the various circumstances that shaped our process and results. The main objective is to give readers an insight into the key challenges and outcomes of the project, thereby calling attention to a range of themes and tensions that are of relevance to future studies of music and migration.
Frame semantic grammars: Where frame analysis meets linguistics to study collective action frames
Authors: Vicari Stefania
Published: March 2023

After navigating conceptual and empirical developments in frame analysis research, I reflect on cornerstones and weaknesses in its elaboration of a rigorous analytical prism. In the reflection, I discuss how combining the frame analysis conceptual toolkit with linguistics work on semantic grammars can perhaps help heal some of these weaknesses.
Framing and related concepts in interactional sociolinguistics
Authors: Gordon Cynthia , Tannen Deborah
Published: March 2023

This essay provides an overview of the study of framing in discourse as conducated in the field of interactional sociolinguistics. We review key theorizing on frames and related concepts such as footing, positioning, and speech activity that provides the foundation for this research. We note two basic understandings of frame in our field: interactive frames relate to situational definitions of what is going on in an interaction; knowledge schemas account for participants’ expectations regarding people, objects, and so on. We give examples of how interactional sociolinguists have applied framing to illuminate moment-by-moment constructions of meanings, identities, and relationships across a range of contexts, as well as the role of knowledge and memory in these processes. With examples from studies of cross-cultural communication, everyday conversations among family and friends, and interaction in medical and digital discourse contexts, we emphasize how frames are transformed and laminated (or layered). While social movements have not been a central focus of interactional sociolinguistics research, we note that concern for social justice has been of foundational concern from the inception of this field, and note a number of studies that have demonstrated how micro-level moments of social activism and change are discursively constructed. These studies attest to the relevance of interactional sociolinguistic analysis of framing to researchers interested in social movements.
Ideological crystallization: rethinking the alternative-mainstream binary in times of populist politics
Authors: Peeters Maud , Maeseele Pieter
Published: March 2023

This paper assesses if and how alternative news media manifest their counter-hegemonic potential within the current conjuncture of populist politics in Western liberal democracies. Based on the method of critical discourse analysis, it compares the ways in which the yellow vests movement is discursively (re)constructed by two Flemish legacy newspapers and five alternative news media. Analytically, it engages with an agonistic pluralist perspective. Findings show how both newspapers and alternative media reproduce the same discursive constructions that legitimize the yellow vests’ socio-economic and political grievances. What distinguishes alternative from traditional media is not so much their counter-hegemonic potential but their ideological crystallization, as they reproduce only one discursive construction each. With legacy media now also operating as sites of contestation, this paper makes the importance of the role of political context all the clearer in the assessment of the counter-hegemonic potential of alternative news media.
Entrepreneurial conditions and economic growth in entrepreneurial ecosystems: Evidence from OECD countries
Authors: Gomes Sofia , Ferreira João J , Lopes João M
Published: March 2023

This study analyses the potential influences of entrepreneurial framework conditions on the economic growth of OECD countries. We correspondingly divided these countries into groups according to their income level (high- and upper-middle-income economies) with the data, structured into an unbalanced dynamic longitudinal panel (2000–2020), obtained from the National Expert Survey, Global Monitor Entrepreneurship and the World Bank. After applying the generalised method of moments, we may report that commercial, professional, physical and service infrastructures, government support and policies, R&D transfers, cultural and social norms and financing entrepreneurs positively affect economic growth independently of the national income level. Basic entrepreneurial education does not attain significance in explaining the economic growth of high-income economies and post-education is not significant in explaining the economic growth of upper-middle-income economies. Furthermore, government programmes generate negative effects on the economic growth of OECD countries when considered jointly and individually in high-income economies but with a positive effect on upper-middle-income economies that display an inverse behaviour in the case of the effects of taxes and bureaucracy. The upper-middle-income economies also registered a negative effect in terms of internal market dynamics and openness even while this factor returned positive effects in high-income economies.
The role of women in United Kingdom farm businesses
Authors: Kempster Zoë , Morris Wyn , Manning Louise , Bowen Robert
Published: March 2023

The global empowerment of women has been, and remains to be, a continuing issue, especially within the workplace. The agribusiness industry is no exception, where continuation of gender bias and stereotypes positions women as under-represented. Whilst the significance of women in farm businesses is evidenced, their relative invisibility in policy discourse is clear, despite the number of women developing careers in the industry increasing. This qualitative study examines the self-identified roles of women in United Kingdom (UK) farm businesses by interviewing individual participants in the sector (n = 8). The literature highlights four roles: the farmer, farm manager, off-farm income careerist and entrepreneur with an on-farm diversified business which forms a theoretical framework to structure the interviews. Findings show five emergent self-identification of role characterisations as being the mother, a decision-maker, a supporter, a labourer and an entrepreneur within a personal role profile. Thus, whilst externally identified roles consider women's status and contribution in a siloed job role structure, the multiplicity of roles that women undertake are much more nuanced and contiguous. The research contribution is an understanding of the variance and multiplicity of tasks undertaken which indicate the extensive work and contributory efforts that women instinctively provide to the farming business and the farm household structure. Findings contribute by establishing a new conceptualisation of the contributions of women to farm businesses informing rural policymakers, to consider the roles of women at farm household level rather than simply focussing on the gender characteristics of the principal farmer.
The ‘Heron’: Nine steps for a past life
Authors: Gilloch Graeme
Published: March 2023

In Farewell to the Working Class,1 (1982), a book dedicated to his wife Dorine, André Gorz (1923–2007) offers the reader ‘Nine Theses for a Future Left’. Here, I borrow and play with this nomenclature for a series of reflections on the two volumes which constitute Gorz’s most personal writings and which book-end, so to speak, his oeuvre: The Traitor and Letter to D. A Love Story. More precisely, this is a viewing of the former text through the lens of the latter. The ‘steps’ presented here are not those of a linear path and progression but rather, like steps in a dance, move backwards and forwards, turn and circle, trace and retrace ephemeral patterns. In following in such steps, I contrast Gorz’s account of the self with another set of explicitly non-autobiographical autobiographical writings, those of the German Critical Theorist Walter Benjamin (1892–1940). Central to both writers is an understanding of particular traumatic experiences and past catastrophes, and an abiding concern with overcoming contemporary alienation through play and dance, love and eros.
Setting the Stage to Flourish: Supporting LGBTQIA2S+ Graduate Students
Authors: Hector Dominique Jerome , Talbot Laura L. , Bodine Al-Sharif Mary Ann
Published: March 2023

The lived experiences of LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two Spirit) doctoral students remain an area for deeper exploration and understanding in the higher education landscape. Higher education administrators and faculty often focus on the well-being and social integration of undergraduate students where the greatest source of revenue is generated. To this end, our story about how doctoral students can educate faculty in this space is of great significance. The term student-centered is often used generically, but each student’s center and lived experience are not the same. To be a true student advocate for the LGBTQIA2S+ population involves vulnerability, unearthing uncomfortable truths, and active listening. Thus, support can be an inherently kind word or one that is empty blanket terminology for being nice. We (the faculty) want to do more than be nice, smile politely, and pretend to understand the student; this takes effort, altruism, character, and the ability to say teach me about your lived experiences. The student has to feel a high level of trust and the depth of fortitude to tell their truths that are often painful and not articulated to more than two or three close others, much less faculty members. This article focuses on the lived experiences of two straight faculty and a doctoral student who is part of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. We share our collective narratives, so that you can build yours.
“Impressive Miniature Scenes Full of Life and Humour”: The Interpretation of Netsuke at the Museum Folkwang 2010 to 2021
Authors: Nutting Ryan
Published: March 2023

Although primarily known as a modern and contemporary art museum the Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany also possesses a significant anthropology collection dating from the museum’s inception which is ignored in most scholarship on the museum. Using a biography of objects approach this work analyzes the interpretation of four netsuke in the museum’s collection across three exhibitions between 2010 and 2021. By analyzing the display methods of these objects in these exhibitions, their interpretation by the museum, and utilizing theories of miniature objects I demonstrate that the small size of these objects encouraged visitors to closely examine and decode these objects. Consequently, this work provides a basis for further investigation on how museums exhibit and interpret miniature objects to construct knowledge.
‘Keeping news alive in Venezuela’: Using social media as tactical media
Authors: Pain Paromita , Korin Ezequiel
Published: March 2023

Venezuela leads Latin America with the largest number of imprisoned journalists and extreme government-led media censorship. Our in-depth interviews with 25 Venezuelan journalists reveal that assisting journalists to combat government control are social media and technology platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, which, in Venezuela, have moved beyond their ability to share and mobilise, and have become tactical media, the media of crisis criticism and opposition.
Discursive dynamics and local contexts on Twitter: The refugee crisis in Europe
Authors: Warin Thierry , Stojkov Aleksandar
Published: March 2023

In today’s hybrid media environment, traditional news organizations extend their presence on Online Social Networks (OSNs) and compete with political and civil society organizations, public figures, and other influential digital storytelling individuals. This article examines conversations on Twitter, one of the most widely used OSNs, about Europe’s refugee crisis in 2014 and 2015. We use, in particular, topic modeling techniques to deduce the existence of a complex network of Twitter topics formed in response to coverage of and opinion formation surrounding the European refugee crisis. We collected more than 11 million tweets in six different languages. One of our most significant findings is that while most conversations happen in English, the refugee crisis has had different rhythms in other languages. Our assumption is that this could be evidence that the power of mainstream local media on Twitter to set the agenda is considerable, at least regarding refugee-related conversations in Europe.
Marginal(ized) plurality: An empirical conceptualization of Michael Rothberg’s “multidirectional memory” in German educational settings
Authors: Arnold Sina , Bischoff Sebastian
Published: March 2023

In this article, we apply Michael Rothberg’s concept of “multidirectional memory” to an empirical setting, by analyzing qualitative interviews with 124 educators in the field of memory work, such as museum and memorial site employees, teachers, volunteers of non-governmental organizations, and civil society initiatives. We analyzed where they come across memory conflicts and commonality, and what the respective “enabling conditions” were, that is, the influencing factors that promoted or prevented developments toward multidirectionality in the sense of a “differentiated solidarity.” We found only a few examples of this kind of multidirectional memory in educational settings. It was fostered by four factors: personal autobiographical experiences, political positions, structural/institutional aspects, and certain pedagogical principles. By contrast, different forms of competitive memory were dominant: first, “Conflicting Memory” characterized by differing politics; second, “Divided Memory” characterized by a perception of resource competition; and third, “Fragmented Memory,” consisting of a form of sympathetic ignorance by which memories of other groups or events are tolerated, but not actively interlinked. Central topics that emerge within memory conflicts and entanglements are the history of National Socialism, World War II and the Shoah, the history of the state of Israel and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Armenian Genocide, the history of the Ottoman Empire and—to a lesser extent—the history of colonialism. We argue that much can be gained by applying Rothberg’s concept to contemporary empirical settings, both in order to understand its current implications but also to help flesh out its underlying theoretical notions. These are regarding possible “negative” forms of multidirectional memory, as well as the implications and ethics of historical comparisons.
Dual mobility prosthesis for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: results from a prospective study of 55 prostheses
Authors: Falkner Florian , Tümkaya Arman Mahmut , Thomas Benjamin , Panzram Benjamin , Bickert Berthold , Harhaus Leila
Published: March 2023

This prospective study evaluated outcomes after trapeziometacarpal joint replacement with a dual mobility prosthesis (Touch®) in 55 thumbs (52 patients) with a mean follow-up of 25 months (range 12–36). Pre- and postoperative assessments included pain, range of motion, the Kapandji index, pinch- and grip strength, as well as functional scores and radiological parameters. Mean preoperative metacarpophalangeal joint hyperextension of 19° (range 15°–28°) showed a significant correction after 1 year with a mean value of 2° (range 0°–5°). Mean Quick Disabilities of the Hand, Shoulder and Arm score was 14 (range 6–28), and Michigan Hand Questionnaire 82 (range 67–92). No revisions due to infection, loosening, dislocation or material failure occurred during follow-up. The dual mobility trapeziometacarpal joint prosthesis was a reliable treatment option to decrease pain, improve motion, strength and pre-existing metacarpophalangeal joint hyperextension at short-term follow-up.

Level of evidence: IV
Philosophical issues in the English School of international relations
Authors: Bevir Mark , Hall Ian
Published: March 2023

This article responds to Charlotta Friedner Parrat’s critique of our argument that the English School of international relations should embrace a more thoroughgoing interpretivism. We address four of Friedner Parrat’s objections to our argument: that our distinction between structuralism and interpretivism is too stark; that our understanding of the relationship between agency and structure is problematic; that our approach would confine the English School to the study of intellectual history; and that the English School should eschew explanation. We argue that if the School is to use structuralism, it must be clearer about how it understands structures and their relationships to agents. We argue too that interpretivism not only offers a better account of situated agency, but also that it provides the English School with one way to move beyond the description and classification of institutions in international society towards better explanations of international relations.
Evaluation of Achilles Tendon Stiffness as Measured by Shear Wave Elastography in Female College Athletes Compared With Nonathletes
Authors: Althoff Alyssa D. , Vance Kayleigh , Plain Megan , Reeves Russell A. , Pierce Jennifer , Gwathmey Frank W. , Werner Brian C.
Published: March 2023

Background:

We sought to utilize a noninvasive technology to assess the effects of activity on Achilles tendon stiffness and define baseline Achilles tendon stiffness in female college athletes compared with nonathletes using tendon shear wave velocity as a marker for tendon stiffness.

Hypothesis:

Training status and exercise may affect Achilles tendon stiffness.

Study Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 4.

Methods:

A total of 32 college-age female athletes were prospectively enrolled (n = 17 varsity athletes and n = 15 nonathletes). Demographic characteristics, activity level, and previous injuries were recorded. Sonographic shear wave elastography (SWE) was used to assess Achilles tendon shear wave velocity bilaterally for all subjects, both at baseline and after 2 minutes of exercise. Student t tests were used to compare the mean elastography measurements between participants stratified by athlete status and pre/postexercise stimulus. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean proximal, middle, and distal Achilles tendon elastography measurements.

Results:

As seen by a greater mean shear wave velocity (8.60 ± 1.58 m/s vs 8.25 ± 1.89 m/s; P = 0.02), athletes had stiffer tendons than nonathletes. Exercise stimulus decreased average tendon shear wave velocity (8.57 ± 1.74 m/s vs 8.28 ± 1.72 m/s; P = 0.05). Tendon shear wave velocity was greatest proximally and least distally with significant differences between each region ( P < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant 2-way interaction between weekly training status and foot dominance ( P = 0.01). Post hoc analysis showed that this result was due to differences in tendon shear wave velocity between the dominant and nondominant lower extremity in nonathletes (7.73 ± 2.00 m/s vs 8.76 ± 1.62 m/s; P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Female varsity collegiate athletes have higher baseline Achilles tendon stiffness as measured by SWE compared with nonathletes. Mean tendon stiffness varies based on Achilles measurement location. SWE is a quick, cost-effective, and noninvasive imaging modality that can be used to evaluate tendon stiffness and elasticity.

Clinical Relevance:

SWE is an efficient and noninvasive imaging modality that can evaluate dynamic tendon stiffness and elasticity. SWE may be helpful to assess injuries in female college athletes and may play a role in risk stratification or clinical follow-up. In theory, SWE could be used to identify athletes with increased elasticity as a marker for potential risk for rupture in this population.
Attachment: A question of how and a question of why
Authors: Rose Mitch
Published: March 2023

Attachment has not been a central concern for cultural geographers for some time – a consequence, I have argued, of process ontologies that emphasise becoming over being. Ben Anderson's article proves me wrong by providing a compelling framework for how we might approach attachment from within these ontological terms. While I point out some areas of overlap and agreement, I also argue that process ontologies are limited in their capacity to understand why attachment happens: from whence – in a world of perpetual and dynamic unfolding – does the desire for attachment come from?
Replacement of Obstructed Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Conduits: The Modified Peel Operation
Authors: Cervantes-Salazar Jorge L , Flores-Sarria Iris P , Ortega-Zhindón Diego B , Calderón-Colmenero Juan , Benita-Bordes Antonio , Martínez-Guerrero Josue
Published: March 2023

Reconstruction of the right outflow tract with extracardiac conduits has made complete repair of complex cardiac malformations possible. However, reoperation is usually required for a right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduit obstruction. We describe a modified peel operation, where the sides and posterior half of the previously placed conduit are preserved, and a prosthetic roof is placed over the conduit remnant. This has been our current technique to manage conduit obstructions. It is a safe operation and to teach residents. This review aims to convey the technical details of each step of this technique.
Decision-Making in Anterior Shoulder Instability
Authors: Kholinne Erica
Published: March 2023

The shoulder is the most frequently dislocated joint, accounting for more than half of all joint dislocations. Several classification systems have been proposed for glenohumeral instability. A physical exam is mandatory, despite which classification system is applied. When treating patients with anterior shoulder instability, surgeons must be aware of the subcritical and critical size of bone loss, which is commonly seen. The glenoid track concept may guide surgeons in decision-making by using the glenoid track measurement. A detailed assessment of the existing soft tissue injury to the labrum, capsule, glenohumeral ligaments, and rotator cuff is also mandatory, as their presence influences the surgical outcome. Non-operative measures such as rehabilitation, arthroscopic repair techniques, open Bankart procedure, remplissage, and bone-block procedures offer the surgeon different treatment options according to the characteristic of the patient and the lesions to be treated.
Superior Labrum Anterior – Posterior (SLAP) Lesion: Consideration and Controversies
Authors: Panjaitan Troydimas
Published: March 2023

SLAP tears are a common pathology, observed in 26% of patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy. First described by Andrews et al, SLAP tears were then further subclassified by Snyder et al. The variable relationship between the anterosuperior labrum and the glenohumeral ligaments has important implications for the evaluation and treatment of SLAP lesions. These normal variants include a sublabral recess / foramen (3.3%), a sublabral foramen with a cord-like MGHL (8.6%) and an absent anterosuperior labrum with a cord-like MGHL (i.e. Buford complex, 1.5%).

Frequently accepted mechanisms of injury include forceful traction loads to the arm, direct compression loads, and repetitive overhead throwing activities. SLAP lesions are difficult to examine accurately, because that most SLAP lesions occur concomitantly with other shoulder injuries (e.g. glenohumeral instability, rotator cuff tears, biceps tendon ruptures), and they typically have no specific associated pain pattern. Several provocative tests for SLAP tears have been described, however, none of these tests has been found to be highly accurate for diagnosis of SLAP tears. The definitive diagnosis of SLAP lesions is best made through diagnostic arthroscopy. Treatment of these lesions is directed according to its type.

Treatment ranges from non-operative management to surgical management including SLAP repair, biceps tenotomy, and biceps tenodesis. The management of Type-II SLAP (most common) of the shoulder remains a controversial topic. Whether to repair a shoulder SLAP lesion or perform a biceps tenodesis depends on a multitude of factors: patient age, activity or work level, type of SLAP tear, location of SLAP tear, and quality of labral tissue. Determining which procedure to perform does not have such a simple, one-size-fits-all solution.
Diagnosis of Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase (AADC) Deficiency via Epilepsy Gene Panel Screening in a Patient with Atypical Presentation
Authors: Gantz Emily , Daniel Sharer J. , McGrath Tony M.
Published: March 2023

We describe an atypical presentation of a girl with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency identified via a genetic testing program for children with epilepsy. At 21 months of age, she presented with poor head control, diffuse hypotonia, poor fixation, developmental delay, and dysphagia. She was lost to follow-up, then presented back at 3 years of age with staring spells and brief episodes of upward eye deviation. The diagnosis of unprovoked epilepsy allowed her to be included in a genetic testing program, which identified two heterozygous variants in the dopa decarboxylase (DCC) gene. Based on the genetic testing, plasma AADC enzyme activity and plasma 3-O-methyldopa results, a diagnosis of AADC deficiency was made when she was 4 years and 2 months of age. This case report shows that AADC deficiency can be the underlying diagnosis in patients with suspected epilepsy.
Jargon Be Gone – Patient Preference in Doctor Communication
Authors: Allen Katherine A , Charpentier Victoria , Hendrickson Marissa A , Kessler Molly , Gotlieb Rachael , Marmet Jordan , Hause Emily , Praska Corinne , Lunos Scott , Pitt Michael B
Published: March 2023

While it has been shown that healthcare providers often use medical jargon, less is known about how patients prefer their clinicians communicate. This mixed-methods study aimed to better understand the general public's preference in healthcare communication. A volunteer cohort of 205 adult attendees at the 2021 Minnesota State Fair was presented a survey with two scenarios at a doctor's office sharing the same information: one using medical terminology and one using simpler, jargon-free language. Survey participants were asked which doctor they preferred, to describe each doctor, and to explain why they believe that doctors may use medical terminology. Common descriptive themes for the jargon-using doctor included that this doctor caused confusion, was too technical, and was uncaring, while the doctor who spoke without jargon was perceived as a good communicator, caring/empathetic, and approachable. Respondents perceived a range of reasons why doctors use jargon, from not recognizing they are using words that are not understood to trying to make themselves feel more important. Overall, 91% of survey respondents preferred the doctor who communicated without medical jargon.
Games, Mimesis and the Environmental-Imagination: Childhood in Select Dalit Autobiographies
Authors: Rao Kuruvella Babu Shankar
Published: March 2023

The theme of childhood remains an integral part of any life-writing narratives and, when it comes to Dalit autobiographies it is no exception. Strikingly, researchers on Dalit autobiographies have focused mostly on the ‘darker-side’ of the childhood by revealing only the socio-economic deprivations (food, clothes and shelter), plight, and the mental trauma and physical abuse, humiliation, and pain of the Dalit children, often overlooking the diversifying aspects of Dalit childhood. Though caste system pushes Dalit children to live in isolated ghettos, they still create their own imaginary world within the confines of their Dalit inhabitations by playing games with things available at hand, by role-playing some characters seen in their environs, by celebrating traditional festivals, and by listening to the elders’ stories! The article, therefore, attempts to examine how the playful activities of Dalit children, as represented in the autobiographies, embody an ecological imagination of interconnectedness. By inscribing their lived experience of subjugation in nature, Dalit children not only share a relationship of common oppression with the environment, but such an entanglement sheds new insights on the human–non-human relationship. I have chosen four Dalit autobiographies to exemplify the fact that through their games and play Dalit-children nurture an ‘intra-active’ communication between humans and the non-human environment which in turn makes ‘multispecies liveability possible’. The article draws insights from eco-criticism to reflect on the embodied experience of Dalit childhood.
Toxic SEL: Beware the Temptation to Become the Compliance Police
Authors: Varner Edward
Published: March 2023

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a process for students and adults to better understand emotions, feel, and demonstrate empathy for others, and establish and maintain positive relationships with others. It can additionally be part of the implementation of effective racial equity strategies. Unfortunately, SEL programming is far too often engineered and used as merely a means to achieve compliance and control. SEL has even become yet another way for some teachers to penalize and police underserved populations. The key concept promoted in this column for music educators is for teachers to deliberately act upon strategies that promote rather than hinder equity for underserved populations.
The queens of loud machines: Knitting and making music in West Berlin in the 1970s–1980s
Authors: Skov Marie Arleth
Published: March 2023

“Those old eco-feminists knitted. But we were using a machine! That was a big difference indeed” (2020, personal interview with the author). That statement was made by musician and knitwear designer Gudrun Gut of the punk girl band Mania D./Malaria! and it cuts out what this article is about: Women knitting and making music on their machines in the subculture of West Berlin in the late 1970s and early 1980s. New and easily accessible technology, such as the Atari console, enabled new Do-It-Yourself strategies. At the same time—within fashion and knitting in particular—there was a shift in feminist generations: Loud, technical, noisy music, and machine-made knitwear signified aggressive, modern, and self-assured women. In West Berlin specifically, punk women musicians and designers looked back in time, and sought to reconnect with the hedonistic avant-garde and the “new women,” the divas, dadaists, and women modernists of Berlin in the 1910s–1930s.
Bamboo slivers with high strength and toughness prepared by alkali treatment at a proper temperature
Authors: Wu Jieyu , Yixiu Zong , Zhong Tuhua , Zhang Wenfu , Chen Hong
Published: March 2023

Despite bamboo slivers having long been used to manufacture bamboo weaving products, the flexibility is still well below satisfactory, especially for those split from inner layer of bamboo culm. Here, a facile approach was reported to obtain strong and flexible bamboo slivers, in which the slivers from the outer and inner layer of bamboo culm were processed with 5 wt% alkali treatment at various temperatures (23, 40, 60, and 80 °C), respectively. Compared with untreated bamboo slivers, the treated ones were investigated in terms of the microstructure, chemical composition, morphology, tensile and bending performances. The results showed that tensile and bending properties of all treated bamboo slivers were significantly improved, especially for those from inner layer of bamboo culm. The tensile strength of outer bamboo sliver treated at 60 °C and the inner ones treated at 40 °C increased up to the maximum, respectively, increasing by 86.6% and 132.0% compared with the untreated ones. The highest flexibility of the outer- and inner bamboo sliver can be achieved at 80 °C and 60 °C alkali treatment, respectively. The slivers can be completely wound around a nylon rod with a diameter of 10 mm without fracture. The excellent tensile and bending performance of bamboo slivers alkali-treated at proper temperature was largely attributed to tightly cellulose molecule aggregating induced by substantially increasing hydrogen bonding after the partial removal of lignin and hemicellulose. A denser and interlocking cellular structure due to the collapse of parenchyma cells after alkali treatment at proper temperature also partly contributed to the increased tensile and bending strength. The results suggest that strong and flexible bamboo slivers can be prepared by one-spot alkali treatment at a proper temperature, which may widen the application scope of bamboo slivers.
Should migraine without aura be further divided? A study of 1444 female patients with migraine without aura
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Na Weinan , Yang Ying , Zhang Wenwen , Zhao Junxia , Zhang Tingting , Zhou Yuanji , Liu Hua , Zhao Dong , Yu Shengyuan
Published: March 2023

To explore the possibility of further dividing migraine without aura (MWA), 1444 female patients fulfilled the criterion were recruited, and grouped basing on the association of MWA onset with menarche and childbirth (group J1, onset before menarche; group J2, onset between menarche and childbirth; group J3, onset after childbirth). By comparing migraine (side, location, aggravated by routine physical activity, NRS score, frequency, accompanying symptoms, with premonitory symptom (PS) and trigger, sum of PS and trigger) and migraine-related factors [chronic daily headache, medicine overused headache, body mass index (BMI), education level, exercise status, sleep status, consumption of tea/coffee/alcohol, patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score and generalized anxiety disorder-7, (GAD-7) score)] among groups, it was found that the J1 group and the J2 group presented more typical migraine features than the J3 group; 2) the J3 group was more prone to emotion and sleep disorders, weight management issues, frequent migraine attacks and medication overuse. This study provided a basis for further dividing MWA. Genetic research should be conducted and treatment should be prescribed accordingly because the underlying pathogenesis may be different.
Screen exposure time of children under 6 years old: a French cross-sectional survey in general practices in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
Authors: Akbayin Mehtap , Mulliez Aurélien , Fortin Frédéric , Vicard Olagne Mathilde , Laporte Catherine , Vorilhon Philippe
Published: March 2023

Background

The advent of miniature, easy-to-use and accessible multimedia products is leading to screen exposure that begins in early childhood. Overexposure in preschool may lead to adverse effects. The main objective of this study was to determine the average daily time (ADT) spent by children under 6 years of age, followed in general practice, in front of television or interactive screens.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region among randomly selected General Practitioners (GPs). The average daily screen time (ADST), regardless of the type of device (TVs, computers, tablets, smartphones, video game consoles), of the included children aged 0 to 2 years and 2 to 5 years was calculated from a self-questionnaire completed by the parents. A multivariate Poisson regression model was performed to analyse daily screen time, adjusted by factors selected on their clinical relevance and statistical significance.

Results

The 26 participating GPs included 486 parents. They reported an ADST of 26 (± 44) minutes on weekdays and 30 (± 46) minutes on weekends for children under 2 years of age. For children over 2 years of age, the ADST was 66 (± 82) minutes on weekdays and 103 (±91) minutes on weekends. There was an association between the children’s average screen time and certain sociodemographic and environmental factors. Children whose parents had higher levels of education, those living in a family without TV screens or those who were well informed about the possible adverse health consequences of overuse of screens had lower average screen time. On the other hand, children of parents who spent more than 2 hours a day in front of screens, were more exposed.

Conclusions

In our survey, the ADST of children under 6 years of age followed in general practice was higher than the current recommendations. GPs can warn parents of preschool children of the effects of overexposure to screens, particularly parents of at-risk children.
Racial/ethnic differences in social determinants of health and health outcomes among adolescents and youth ages 10–24 years old: a scoping review
Authors: Monroe Patricia , Campbell Jennifer A. , Harris Melissa , Egede Leonard E.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

With the recent emergence of the Healthy People 2030 goals there is a need to understand the role of SDOH on health inequalities from an upstream perspective. This review summarizes the recent body of evidence on the impact of SDOH across adolescence and youth health outcomes by race/ethnicity using the Health People 2030 Framework.

Methods

A systematic, reproducible search was performed using PubMed, Academic Search Premier, PsychInfo, and ERIC. A total of 2078 articles were screened for inclusion. A total of 263 articles met inclusion criteria, resulting in 29 articles included for final synthesis.

Results

Across the 29 articles, 11 were cross-sectional, 16 were cohort, and 2 were experimental. Across SDOH categories (economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context), 1 study examined self-efficacy, 6 educational attainment, 10 behavior, 5 smoking, 11 alcohol use, 10 substance use, and 1 quality of life. The majority of outcomes represented in this search included health behaviors such as health risk behavior, smoking, alcohol use, and substance use. Across the 29 articles identified, significant differences existed across outcomes by race/ethnicity across SDOH factors, however magnitude of differences varied by SDOH category.

Discussion

SDOH differentially affect adolescents and youth across race/ethnicity. The lived adverse experiences, along with structural racism, increase the likelihood of adolescents and youth engaging in risky health behaviors and negatively influencing health outcomes during adolescence and youth. Research, public health initiatives, and policies integrating SDOH into interventions at early stage of life are needed to effectively reduce social and health inequalities at a population level.
Cohort Profile: evaluation of the targeted individual promotion in german preschools using the revised Dortmund Developmental Screening for Preschools DESK 3–6 R (project “GIF MV”)
Authors: Ernst Vanessa Sophie , Franze Marco , Kästner Anika , Hoffmann Wolfgang
Published: March 2023

This dynamic cohort was established to evaluate the targeted individual promotion of children affected by developmental risks as part of the German federal state law for child day-care and preschools in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The project has been conducted in preschools in regions with a low socio-economic profile since 2011. Since 2017, the revision of the standardized Dortmund Developmental Screening for Preschools (DESK 3–6 R) has been applied. Developmental risks of 3 to 6-year-old children in the domains of motor, linguistic, cognitive and social competencies are monitored. The cohort is followed up annually. In 2020, n = 7,678 children from n = 152 preschools participated. At the baseline (2017), n = 8,439 children participated. Due to the defined age range of this screening, 3,000 to 4,000 5-6-year-old children leave the cohort annually. Simultaneously, an approximately equal number of 3-year-old children enters the cohort per survey wave. N = 702 children participated in all 4 survey waves. On the basis of DESK 3–6 R scores available from survey waves 2017 to 2019 it is possible to compute expected values for the survey wave 2020 and to compare those with the measured values to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. parental home care due to restrictions related to COVID-19).
Prevalence of QT prolongation and its risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Aburisheh Khaled , AlKheraiji Mohammad F. , Alwalan Saleh I. , Isnani Arthur C. , Rafiullah Mohamed , Mujammami Muhammad , Alfadda Assim A.
Published: March 2023

Background

QT prolongation increases cardiovascular mortality in diabetes. The risk factors for QT prolongation vary across different studies. There is no data on the QT prolongation in patients with diabetes from the Arab region, where diabetes is highly prevalent. Here we aimed to assess the prevalence of QT prolongation and its associated risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes from Saudi Arabia.

Method

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, hospital-based file review study. Data were collected from the medical records of patients with type 2 diabetes aged above 14 years and underwent ECG examination, and laboratory investigations were done within one month of ECG.

Results

The study included 782 patients with a prevalence of QTc prolongation of 13%. Patients with prolonged QTc interval were characterized by older age, higher BMI, longer diabetes duration, lower total cholesterol and LDL-C, and more diabetic nephropathy, hypertension, and CVD cases. They were also more in insulin treatment, antihypertensive medications, loop diuretics, and potassium-sparring diuretics. Logistic regression analysis revealed the odds of prolonged QTc interval increased significantly with CVD (OR = 1.761, 95% CI:1.021–3.036, p = 0.042), and usage of loop diuretics (OR = 2.245, 95% CI:1.023–4.923, p = 0.044) after adjusting for age, gender, and duration of diabetes.

Conclusion

The risk factors associated with QTc prolongation in patients with type 2 diabetes are CVD, and loop diuretics. Age, BMI, and diabetes duration were more in people with QTc prolongation, whereas total cholesterol and LDL-C levels were lower. More patients had diabetic nephropathy, hypertension, and CVD with prolonged QTc.