bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Myoepithelial Carcinoma of Soft Tissue With an EWSR1-KLF15 Gene Fusion in an Infant
Authors: Bodis Sandor , Kroiss Sabine , Tchinda Joëlle , Fritz Christine , Wagner Ulrich , Bode Peter Karl
Published: March 2021

Overall, neonatal cancer is uncommon. Because of its rarity and heterogeneity, diagnosis can be challenging. We report a unique case of a myoepithelial carcinoma in a 7 week old girl. Molecular diagnostic workup revealed a EWSR1-KLF15 gene fusion which was previously described in only six cases of myoepithelial tumors so far. All cases occurred in children and adolescents. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a congenital EWSR1-KLF15 fusion positive myoepithelial tumor in an infant.
Data-Informed and Place-Based Violent Crime Prevention: The Kansas City, Missouri Risk-Based Policing Initiative
Authors: Caplan Joel M. , Kennedy Leslie W. , Drawve Grant , Baughman Jonas H.
Published: March 2021

The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department sought to reduce violent crime with an evidence-based approach to problem analysis and intervention planning. Informed by hot spot analysis and risk terrain modeling, police and their community partners implemented a place-based crime intervention program focused on key attractors and generators of the environmental backcloth. Target and comparison areas were selected for an outcome evaluation. During the 1-year program time period, violent crimes decreased significantly by over 22%. There was both a significant spatial diffusion of benefits and significantly fewer police officer-initiated actions resulting in arrests or citations. Crime prevention was achieved without an abundance of law enforcement actions against people located at the target areas. Implications for policy and practice are discussed within the contexts of police responses to urgent crime problems and data analytics.
Age of hypertension onset in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Briggs Farren BS , Krill Diane , Hill Eddie , Conway Devon S
Published: March 2021

Background/Objective:

Hypertension (HTN) is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), and it is associated with poorer outcomes. We sought to characterize HTN age at onset (AAO) by MS status.

Methods/Results:

There were 130,050 incident HTN patients, among whom there were 892 MS patients. We conducted multivariable linear regression adjusting for patient attributes. Sex- and race-stratified models were conducted. HTN AAO did not differ in patients with and without MS ( p = 0.17). Similar null associations were observed in the sex- and race-specific analyses.

Conclusion:

While there are complex relationships between HTN and MS, there are no differences in HTN AAO by MS status.
Usefulness of orbital colour Doppler ultrasound in vascular-related monocular vision loss
Authors: Ruiz-Ares Gerardo , Fuentes Blanca , Rodríguez-Pardo de Donlebún Jorge , Alonso de Leciñana Maria , Gutiérrez-Zúñiga Raquel , Rigual Ricardo , Díez-Tejedor Exuperio
Published: March 2021

Acute, painless, monocular vision loss (APMVL) usually has a vascular aetiology. We conducted a prospective observational study from 2011 to 2018 to analyse the added value of colour Doppler imaging to assess orbital vessel blood flow in the diagnosis of APMVL. The study included 67 patients (39 [58.2%] men; mean age, 65.9 years [SD 13.7]) with APMVL evaluated at the Neurosonology Laboratory within the first 5 days of symptom onset, who were classified as having either transient or persistent monocular blindness. The blood flow in the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries was assessed using colour Doppler ultrasound with a linear 7.5-MHz transducer. Thirty-three (49.3%) patients presented transient monocular blindness, with reduced blood flow in either the ophthalmic or central retinal artery. The group with persistent vision loss included 24 cases of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and 10 cases of ischaemic optic neuropathy (35.8% and 14.9%, respectively, of the total sample). These patients were older and had a higher prevalence of hypertension and mild carotid atherosclerosis. Orbital colour Doppler ultrasound (OCDUS) clarified the mechanism/cause of the ischaemia in 11 (16.4%) patients and showed abnormal flow in 46 (68.7%) patients, confirming the vascular origin in 19 (57.6%) of the transient monocular blindness cases. Lower peak systolic velocity was observed in patients with CRAO ( p < 0.001), and a velocity < 10 cm/s in the central retinal artery was independently associated with the diagnosis of CRAO. OCDUS can be helpful in confirming the vascular cause and identifying the aetiology of APMVL.
What do children think of their own bilingualism? Exploring bilingual children’s attitudes and perceptions
Authors: Peace-Hughes Tracey , de Lima Philomena , Cohen Bronwen , Jamieson Lynn , Tisdall E Kay M , Sorace Antonella
Published: March 2021

Aims and objectives:

This paper explores children’s experiences and perceptions of their own bilingualism in two contexts in Scotland, UK: a primary school with a high proportion of children using a language other than English at home; and a primary school where the language of instruction is an indigenous, minority language, Gaelic.

Methodology:

The paper draws upon data gathered from multiple qualitative methods, including interviews, group activities and discussion, with both children and their parents. The data in this paper draw upon a broader interdisciplinary project exploring children’s experiences of bilingualism. Ethics were duly considered.

Data and analysis:

Data were gathered from 27 children and 11 parents. Data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis. Comparison between contexts was of particular interest for this article.

Findings:

This paper highlights the importance of research with children in order to gain an insight into their experiences and perceptions of their own bilingualism. In particular, our findings illustrate how children’s language learning is encouraged and supported by children’s connections with others and the fundamental role of family (particularly parents/carers) and diverse community-based support systems (which encompass a wide range of individuals and community groups) in order to develop active bilingualism.

Originality:

This paper addresses a research gap in a largely quantitative field, by adopting a qualitative approach to explore children’s experiences and perceptions of their own bilingualism. A qualitative approach facilitates attention to complexity and the participants’ own meanings and understandings.

Significance:

The paper highlights the value of research with children in order to explore their views and perspectives. In particular, qualitative research methodologies, where children’s experiences are central to understanding the research phenomenon, and to facilitating the exploration of the range of complex issues that interact with a child’s bilingualism.
From the barbecue to the sauna: A comparative account of the folding of media reception into the everyday life
Authors: Boczkowski Pablo J , Suenzo Facundo , Mitchelstein Eugenia , Kligler-Vilenchik Neta , Tenenboim-Weinblatt Keren , Hayashi Kaori , Villi Mikko
Published: March 2021

How and why do people still get print newspapers in an era dominated by mobile and social media communication? In this article, we answer this question about the permanence of traditional media in a digital media ecosystem by analyzing 488 semi-structured interviews conducted in Argentina, Finland, Israel, Japan, and the United States. We focus on three mechanisms of media reception: access, sociality, and ritualization. Our findings show that these mechanisms are decisively shaped by patterns of everyday life that are not captured by the scholarly foci on either content- or technology-influences on media use. Thus, we argue that a non-media centric approach improves descriptive fit and adds heuristic power by bringing a wider lens into crucial mechanisms of media reception in ways that expand the conceptual toolkit that scholars can utilize to analyze the role of media in everyday life.
Free repair against the consumer society: How repair cafés socialize people to a new relationship to objects
Authors: Madon Julie
Published: March 2021

Several authors have described contemporary purchasing and consumption behavior as part of a “throwaway society.” Broader movements around environmental and consumer issues try to offset this process. Among these movements, Repair Cafés—places where volunteers help people repair their household items for free—are an interesting vantage point to study how a different relationship to objects can be transmitted by practicing repair. By conducting qualitative field observations, semi-structured interviews and quantitative questionnaires in three French Repair Cafés, I show that these organizations, which are intended to be places of learning, aimed at empowering individuals to deal with their household goods by teaching them repair techniques, cannot help but drift toward a logic of service, where audiences play the role of consumers rather than learners. But I argue that this service relationship has the advantage of attracting many individuals who are not familiar with the issue of product durability, and of socializing them, through concrete practice, to a new reflex of repair.
Evaluation of the diagnostic value of the renal resistive index as a marker of the subclinical development of cardiorenal syndrome in MMVD dogs
Authors: Szczepankiewicz Barbara , Pasławska Urszula , Siwińska Natalia , Plens Krzysztof , Pasławski Robert
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs inevitably causes renal dysfunction. These interactions are known as the cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). The main aims of the study were to evaluate whether renal resistive index (RRI) may be useful as a non-invasive marker in subclinical stage of kidney injury in dogs with MMVD and to compare RRI with SDMA and Cyst C.

Methods:

Forty-four dogs were divided into two groups: control—15 healthy dogs and the heart group—29 dogs with MMVD (ACVIM class Cc). Study protocol included: anamnesis, clinical examination, electrocardiography, echocardiography, chest radiography, abdominal ultrasonography with measurements of the renal resistive index (RRI), urine, and blood analysis.

Results:

The RRI in the heart group was significantly higher 0.725 ± 0.035 versus control group 0.665 ± 0.028 ( p < 0.00085). The RRI cut-off point in dogs with stable chronic heart failure (CHF) under 8 years is 0.775, in older 0.64. RRI was similar in MMVD dogs treated with ACE-I + furosemide and dogs treated ACE-I + torasemide + pimobendan + spironolactone. There was no correlation between RRI and SDMA or Cyst C.

Conclusion:

RRI is more sensitive than creatinine, SDMA and Cyst C to reveal kidney injury in MMVD dogs class Cc younger than 8 years.
Cytosolic protein quality control machinery: Interactions of Hsp70 with a network of co-chaperones and substrates
Authors: Karunanayake Chamithi , Page Richard C
Published: March 2021

The chaperone heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and its network of co-chaperones serve as a central hub of cellular protein quality control mechanisms. Domain organization in Hsp70 dictates ATPase activity, ATP dependent allosteric regulation, client/substrate binding and release, and interactions with co-chaperones. The protein quality control activities of Hsp70 are classified as foldase, holdase, and disaggregase activities. Co-chaperones directly assisting protein refolding included J domain proteins and nucleotide exchange factors. However, co-chaperones can also be grouped and explored based on which domain of Hsp70 they interact. Here we discuss how the network of cytosolic co-chaperones for Hsp70 contributes to the functions of Hsp70 while closely looking at their structural features. Comparison of domain organization and the structures of co-chaperones enables greater understanding of the interactions, mechanisms of action, and roles played in protein quality control.
A Long Way to Go Understanding the Role of Chaplaincy? A Critical Reflection on the Findings of the Survey Examining Chaplaincy Responses to Covid-19
Authors: Best Megan , Rajaee Geila , Vandenhoeck Anne
Published: March 2021

This contribution reflects on some of the most prominent findings in the survey on the chaplaincy response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The finding that chaplain respondents had difficulty understanding their own role prior to the first wave is of concern. If chaplains cannot articulate their own role, it is not surprising that those around them are also unclear. Chaplains are not the only ones to blame for the confusion around their role though.
Studying Game Development Cultures
Authors: Sotamaa Olli
Published: March 2021

By analyzing and contextualizing different aspects of the Finnish game development scene, this article provides concrete examples of why we need cultural studies of game development and how game development cultures can be studied. The article follows a three-layer approach, first exploring some of the historical and political developments that have shaped forms of local game production. Second, a focus is placed on working cultures within the industry and attitudes toward crunch time, work–life balance, and workplace regulation. Third, everyday strategies of organizing creative work are analyzed to better understand game studio cultures. The lessons from this empirical study directly contribute to the larger scholarly discussions around game production and creative labor.
“This New Chapter of Life”: Content Analysis of Facebook Posts After Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury
Authors: Zhu Eric , Rolf Liz , Smolev Emma T. , Brogan David M. , Dy Christopher J.
Published: March 2021

Background: After traumatic brachial plexus injuries (BPI), the sudden loss of physical function is often accompanied by psychological distress. Given the complex nature and relative infrequency of the injury, BPI patients will often use online resources for information about their injury as well as emotional support. Questions/Purpose: Recognizing the influence of social media, we sought to search a popular social media platform to identify challenges faced by BPI patients and strategies used to overcome these challenges. Methods: We searched “traumatic brachial plexus injury” on Facebook and selected the 2 most popular BPI support groups. We collected posts regarding traumatic BPI from November 1, 2018 through November 1, 2019. We performed inductive and deductive thematic analysis of the posts to identify recurring topics, knowledge gaps, and peer interaction dynamics. Results: We analyzed 7694 posts from the 2 Facebook support groups. The following themes emerged: (1) BPI patients express discontent regarding the inability to use their arm and the slow or stagnant pace of recovery; (2) BPI patients are frustrated over their inability to retain their preinjury livelihood; and (3) BPI patients emphasize that acceptance and moving on are key components of adjustment to their condition. Some patients described the role of limb amputation in achieving these goals. Conclusions: Our analysis demonstrates the areas in which BPI patients are in need of emotional support. Adjustment to BPI might be facilitated through multidisciplinary care that addresses emotional aspects of recovery and emphasizes self-management skills, in addition to the traditional focus on physical function.
Effect of Acromioplasty on Postoperative Pain Following Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Singh Chintanpreet , Lam Patrick H. , Murrell George A. C.
Published: March 2021

Background: The surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears traditionally involves rotator cuff repair (RCR) with concomitant acromioplasty. However, there is some doubt as to whether acromioplasty is of value to this procedure. Questions/Purpose: We sought to evaluate whether RCR with acromioplasty provided better outcomes than RCR without acromioplasty in a cohort of more than 1000 patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 1320 patients with rotator cuff tears who subsequently received a primary arthroscopic RCR, with acromioplasty (n = 160) or without acromioplasty (n = 1160), performed by a single surgeon. Acromioplasty was performed if there was significant mechanical impingement on the rotator cuff. To assess outcomes, all patients completed a standardized, modified L’Insalata questionnaire in which they reported the level and severity of pain at rest and during activities. An examiner assessed shoulder strength and range of motion before and 1 week, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months after surgery. Results: Patients who had RCR with concurrent acromioplasty had a greater level of pain and more frequent pain 1 week after surgery. However, at 6 months there were no differences between patients who underwent RCR with or without acromioplasty in any patient-reported outcome (level of pain with overhead activity, at rest and during sleep; frequency of pain with activity, sleep and extreme pain, difficulty of activity overhead and behind back, level of shoulder stiffness; and overall shoulder satisfaction). The postoperative re-tear rate in both groups was 13%. Conclusion: This study showed no additional benefit to acromioplasty in patients undergoing RCR.
Humerus Lengthening: A Comparison of the Internal Lengthening Nail to External Fixation
Authors: Galal Sherif , Shin Jonggu , Principe Peter , Mehta Rena , Khabyeh-Hasbani Nathan , Hamilton Amber , Fragomen Austin , Rozbruch S. Robert
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Magnetic internal lengthening nails (MILNs) have been used for humeral lengthening to avoid complications associated with external fixation. Purpose/Questions: We compared the 1-year Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score, adjacent joint range of motion (ROM), bone healing index (BHI), length achieved, distraction rate, and complications when lengthening the humerus using MILN vs using external fixation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 18 patients (22 humeri) from January 2001 to March 2020 divided into 2 groups, the MILN group (7 patients, 7 humeri) and the mono-lateral fixator group (11 patients, 15 humeri). Results: The MILN group showed larger improvement of DASH scores (average 26.8 and 8 for MILN and fixator groups, respectively), less loss of elbow ROM (average 5° and 7° for MILN and fixator groups, respectively), and shorter time to full recovery of elbow ROM (average 39 days and 122 days for MILN and fixator groups, respectively). In the MILN group, there was slower distraction rate (average 0.66 mm/day and 0.86 mm/day for MILN and fixator groups, respectively), less lengthening achieved (average 5.2 cm and 7 cm for MILN and fixator group, respectively), and a lower lengthening percentage (average 19% and 41% for MILN and fixator group, respectively). Bone healing index (BHI) of 0.94 and 0.99 months/cm for the MILN and the fixator groups were similar. Conclusion: Humeral lengthening using the MILN allowed for early full recovery of joint ROM with comparable functional and radiographic outcomes compared with using external fixators.
Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided Contrast-Free Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: A Porcine Feasibility Study
Authors: Krapf Christoph , Altaner Niklas , Martini Judith , Putzer Gabriel , Rudolf Benjamin , Grimm Michael , Friedrich Guy , Bonaros Nikolaos
Published: March 2021

Objective

Patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) frequently present with chronic kidney disease and are therefore particularly susceptible to nephrotoxic influences like iodinated contrast media. Acute kidney injury after TAVI is a severe complication that independently predicts short- and long-term mortality. The present study investigates the feasibility of a contrast-free approach by using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in conjunction with fluoroscopy.

Methods

Six domestic pigs (60 ± 5 kg) were anesthetized and underwent transapical implantation of a balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve. In the control group ( n = 3), the procedures were guided by fluoroscopy/angiography. In the study group ( n = 3), the procedures were guided by IVUS for preimplantation evaluation, intra-procedural guidance, and post-implantation evaluation, in conjunction with fluoroscopy without contrast. The procedures were evaluated by IVUS, fluoroscopy, aortic root angiography, and explantation and dissection of the hearts.

Results

Relevant anatomical landmarks for correct implantation were assessed by IVUS. The following annulus measurements were obtained: area (359.67 ± 29.58 mm2), perimeter (68.28 ± 2.63 mm), maximum diameter (22.20 ± 1.22 mm), minimum diameter (20.43 ± 1.12 mm), mean diameter (21.32 ± 0.70 mm), ellipticity index (1.09 ± 0.10), and area-derived diameter (21.39 ± 0.87 mm). IVUS-guided valve deployment resulted in correct expansion within the aortic annulus without signs of paravalvular leak, compromised mitral valve, or coronary obstruction. IVUS-guided post-implantation assessment confirmed circular expansion (25.88 ± 0.30 mm) of the valves.

Conclusions

IVUS-guided, contrast-free transapical TAVI is feasible in a porcine model.
Trajectory planning of unmanned aerial vehicle based on the improved biogeography-based optimization algorithm
Authors: Xue Zhishuang , Liu Xiaofang
Published: March 2021

This paper is concerned with trajectory planning for unmanned aerial vehicle in a three-dimensional complex workspace. Biogeography-based optimization algorithm is widely used in solving practical problems because of its fewer parameters, fast convergence rate, and good global optimization ability. In this paper, some improvements, modifying migration and mutation operations are made on the biogeography-based optimization algorithm to make it suitable for solving the trajectory planning problem. The optimal trajectory obtained by the improved algorithm can be used to generate the reference trajectory. Then, a control scheme of unmanned aerial vehicle based on the Lyapunov theory and radial basis function neural network is formed to track the reference trajectory. The improved trajectory algorithm generates the shortest trajectory and the time consumption is the lowest. Finally, the designed control scheme makes the unmanned aerial vehicle track the different trajectories quite well, the effectiveness of it can be illustrated by algorithm accuracy and electricity consumption.
Reasons for the utilization of the services of traditional birth attendants during childbirth: A qualitative study in Northern Ghana
Authors: Tabong Philip Teg-Nefaah , Kyilleh Joseph Maaminu , Amoah William Wilberforce
Published: March 2021

Background:

Skilled delivery reduces maternal and neonatal mortality. Ghana has put in place measures to reduce geographical and financial access to skilled delivery. Despite this, about 30% of deliveries still occur either at home or are conducted by traditional birth attendants. We, therefore, conducted this study to explore the reasons for the utilization of the services of traditional birth attendants despite the availability of health facilities.

Method:

Using a phenomenology study design, we selected 31 women who delivered at facilities of four traditional birth attendants in the Northern region of Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to recruit only women who were resident at a place with a health facility for an in-depth interview. The interviews were recorded and transcribed into Microsoft word document. The transcripts were imported into NVivo 12 for thematic analyses.

Results:

The study found that quality of care was the main driver for traditional birth attendant delivery services. Poor attitude of midwives, maltreatment, and fear of caesarean section were barriers to skilled delivery. Community norms dictate that womanhood is linked to vaginal delivery and women who deliver through caesarean section do not receive the same level of respect. Traditional birth attendants were believed to be more experienced and understand the psychosocial needs of women during childbirth, unlike younger midwives. Furthermore, the inability of women to procure all items required for delivery at biomedical facilities emerged as push factors for traditional birth attendant delivery services. Preference for squatting position during childbirth and social support provided to mothers by traditional birth attendants are also an essential consideration for the use of their services.

Conclusion:

The study concludes that health managers should go beyond reducing financial and geographical access to improving quality of care and the birth experience of women. These are necessary to complement the efforts at increasing the availability of health facilities and free delivery services.
Queer considerations: Exploring the use of social media for research recruitment within LGBTQ communities
Authors: Littler Catherine , Joy Phillip
Published: March 2021

The use of social media platforms (such as Facebook) for research recruitment has continued to increase, especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Social media enables researchers to reach diverse communities that often do not have their voices heard in research. Social media research recruitment, however, can pose risks to both potential participants and the researchers. This topic paper presents ethical considerations related to social media recruitment, and offers an example of harassment and hate speech risks when social media is used for research recruitment. We explore the implications of hate speech risks for ethical research.
Is children’s health-related quality of life associated with physical fitness and mode of commuting? PREVIENE Project
Authors: Saucedo-Araujo RG , Huertas-Delgado FJ , Villa-González E , Ávila-García M , Gálvez-Fernández P , Tercedor P
Published: March 2021

Aim:

The aims of this study were (1) to examine the associations between self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL), health-related physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and speed-agility), and mode of commuting to and from school in Spanish children, and separately by gender and (2) to analyse the difference in cardiorespiratory fitness by mode of commuting to and from school by gender.

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis that included 415 children aged 8.47 ± 0.36 years from 14 schools in Granada, Spain. The HRQoL outcome was assessed using the valid and reliable KINDL-R questionnaire, which covers six life dimensions, children’s physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA fitness test battery, and while commuting to and from school was assessed using the valid, reliable, and feasible ‘Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire’.

Results:

Cardiorespiratory fitness was positively correlated with all dimensions of HRQoL in boys, whereas higher muscular strength (standing long jump) was positively correlated with the emotional wellbeing dimension in girls. In addition, boys who actively commute to school (walking) presented better cardiorespiratory fitness. Moreover, children who actively commuted to school (walking) presented better scores for the emotional wellbeing, family, and school dimensions, as well as total scores (both, p < .05) of HRQoL.

Conclusion:

In our study, HRQoL was positively correlated with cardiorespiratory fitness in boys (all dimensions), whereas muscular strength (standing long jump) was positively correlated with the emotional wellbeing dimension only in girls. Active commuting to and from school was associated with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, school dimension, and KINDL-R total score. Improving cardiorespiratory fitness might be especially useful to improve HRQoL in children, and vice versa.
Effects of age on memory for pragmatic implications in advertising
Authors: Yu Jing , Peng Xue-Rui , Yan Ming
Published: March 2021

People employ automatic inferential processing when confronting pragmatically implied claims in advertising. However, whether comprehension and memorization of pragmatic implications differ between young and older adults is unclear. In the present study, we used eye-tracking technology to investigate online cognitive processes during reading of misleading advertisements. We found an interaction between age and advertising content, manifested as our older participants generated higher misleading rates in health-related than in health-irrelevant products, whereas this content-bias did not appear in their younger counterparts. Eye movement data further showed that the older adults spent more time processing critical claims for the health-related products than for the health-irrelevant products. Moreover, the correlations between fixation duration on pragmatic implications and misleading rates showed opposite trends in the two groups. The eye-tracking evidence novelly suggests that young and older adults may adopt different information processing strategies to comprehend pragmatic implications in advertising: More reading possibly enhances young adults’ gist memory whereas it facilitates older adults’ verbatim memory instead.
The Role of Shame and Virtues in the Self-Regulation of Decisions to Engage in Digital Piracy
Authors: Herjanto Halimin , Bagozzi Richard P. , Gaur Sanjaya S.
Published: March 2021

Digital piracy of DVDs, software, and music is a prevalent behavior worldwide and has significant financial and social costs for society. Yet legal remedies and technological ways of controlling digital piracy are expensive and often do not work. To address a need for study of moral reasoning in digital piracy decisions, we develop and test a model of moral behavior that relies on self-control. Two kinds of shame are examined in separate experiments: indirect shame, where a shamed person overhears a friend condemning digital piracy but the friend is unware that the person overhearing the criticism has in fact committed digital piracy, and direct shame where a person becomes aware that his or her friend has in fact committed digital piracy and reprimands him or her. Findings show that both kinds of felt shame can be induced to affect such behaviors as decisions to discontinue digital piracy, giving advice or discouraging others not to engage in digital piracy, giving money to anti-digital piracy causes, reporting people who commit acts of digital piracy, signing a petition against digital piracy, and supporting legislation and fines against digital piracy. We examine two boundary conditions of felt shame: values of personal ambition and equality that function as automatic cognitions regulating the shame and through it digital piracy. Hypotheses were tested on a sample of 300 adults.
Natural Products, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the Quintuple Helix
Authors: Daley Sharna-kay , Cordell Geoffrey A.
Published: March 2021

The profound interconnectedness of the sciences and technologies embodied in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is discussed in terms of the global role of natural products, and how that interplays with the development of sustainable and climate-conscious practices of cyberecoethnopharmacolomics within the Quintuple Helix for the promotion of a healthier planet and society.
Epistemologies of predictive policing: Mathematical social science, social physics and machine learning
Authors: Hälterlein Jens
Published: March 2021

Predictive policing has become a new panacea for crime prevention. However, we still know too little about the performance of computational methods in the context of predictive policing. The paper provides a detailed analysis of existing approaches to algorithmic crime forecasting. First, it is explained how predictive policing makes use of predictive models to generate crime forecasts. Afterwards, three epistemologies of predictive policing are distinguished: mathematical social science, social physics and machine learning. Finally, it is shown that these epistemologies have significant implications for the constitution of predictive knowledge in terms of its genesis, scope, intelligibility and accessibility. It is the different ways future crimes are rendered knowledgeable in order to act upon them that reaffirm or reconfigure the status of criminological knowledge within the criminal justice system, direct the attention of law enforcement agencies to particular types of crimes and criminals and blank out others, satisfy the claim for the meaningfulness of predictions or break with it and allow professionals to understand the algorithmic systems they shall rely on or turn them into a black box. By distinguishing epistemologies and analysing their implications, this analysis provides insight into the techno-scientific foundations of predictive policing and enables us to critically engage with the socio-technical practices of algorithmic crime forecasting.
Benefits of a psychoeducational happiness course on university student mental well-being both before and during a COVID-19 lockdown
Authors: Hood Bruce , Jelbert Sarah , Santos Laurie R
Published: March 2021

We tested whether a psychoeducational course improved well-being in three cohorts. Study 1 found significantly higher mental well-being in first year undergraduates who took the course compared to a waiting-list control. Study 2 revealed that students taking the course when COVID-19 restrictions began did not experience increases in mental well-being but had significantly higher well-being than a third matched group. In Study 3, an online course increased mental well-being in University students and staff during a COVID-19 lockdown. These findings support the claim that psychoeducational courses are beneficial in both live and online formats and in times of collective uncertainty.
Cervus nippon var. mantchuricus water extract treated with digestive enzymes (CE) modulates M1 macrophage polarization through TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways on murine macrophages
Authors: Hong Se Hyang , Ku Jin Mo , Lim Ye Seul , Kim Hyo In , Shin Yong Cheol , Ko Seong-Gyu
Published: March 2021

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Cervus nippon var. mantchuricus water extract treated with digestive enzymes (CE) on the promotion of M1 macrophage polarization in murine macrophages. Macrophages polarize either to one phenotype after stimulation with LPS or IFN-γ or to an alternatively activated phenotype that is induced by IL-4 or IL-13. Cell viability of RAW264.7 cells was determined by WST-1 assay. NO production was measured by Griess assay. IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, and iNOS mRNA levels were measured by RT-PCR. IL-6, IL-12, and IL-10 cytokine levels were determined by ELISA. TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB signaling in RAW264.7 cells was evaluated by western blotting. The level of NF-κB was determined by immunoblotting. CE induced the differentiation of M1 macrophages. CE promoted M1 macrophages to elevate NO production and cytokine levels. CE-stimulated M1 macrophages had enhanced IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α. CE promoted M1 macrophages to activate TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB phosphorylation. M2 markers were downregulated, while M1 markers were upregulated in murine macrophages by CE. Consequently, CE has immunomodulatory activity and can be used to promote M1 macrophage polarization through the TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.
Outcome of Ti/PEEK Versus PEEK Cages in Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Authors: Yao Yu-Cheng , Chou Po-Hsin , Lin Hsi-Hsien , Wang Shih-Tien , Chang Ming-Chau
Published: March 2021

Study Design:

Retrospective case-control study.

Objectives:

This study aims to present the clinical and radiographical outcomes of the titanium-polyetheretherketone (Ti/PEEK) composite cage compared to those of the standard PEEK cage in patients receiving minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF).

Methods:

Patients receiving 1 level MI-TLIF between October 2015 and October 2017 were included with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. The patients were segregated into 2 groups; Ti/PEEK group and PEEK group. Each patient was propensity-matched using preoperative age, sex, and body mass index. Early fusion rate was evaluated by computed tomography at postoperative 6 months. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores.

Results:

After matching, there were 27 patients included in each group. The demographics, diagnosis, and surgical details were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The 6-month rate was 88.9% in Ti/PEEK group. The fusion rate and cage subsidence rate had no difference between the 2 groups. The complication rate in the Ti/PEEK group was comparable to that in the PEEK group. There was no difference in VAS and ODI scores during a 2-year follow-up period.

Conclusions:

The use of Ti/PEEK composite cage was as safe and effective as the use of PEEK cage in MI-TLIF. The 6-month fusion rate was 88.9%. Our finding revealed comparable clinical results for surgeons using Ti/PEEK composite cages in MI-TLIF compared to those using the PEEK cage.
Giardia lamblia Diagnosed Incidentally by Duodenal Biopsy
Authors: Groudan Kevin , Gupta Kamesh , Chalhoub Jean , Singhania Rohit
Published: March 2021

Giardia lamblia (also referred to as Giardia intestinalis and Giardia duodenalis) is the most common intestinal parasite in the world, affecting approximately 200 million people annually. Symptoms of Giardia include foul-smelling diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, and nausea. Although usually self-limiting, Giardia can progress to dehydration, malnutrition, and failure to thrive, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Early diagnosis and treatment is imperative to prevent and control infection of Giardia. Infectious Disease Society of America diagnostic guidelines recommend obtaining stool studies to diagnose Giardia; when stool studies are negative but suspicion remains high, duodenal aspirate microscopy is the only alternative diagnostic strategy suggested. We report a patient diagnosed incidentally with Giardia from a duodenal biopsy specimen obtained during a workup for a gastrointestinal bleed. There are limited cases of Giardia diagnosed by duodenal biopsy reported in the literature. We review studies that suggest duodenal biopsy can be a very sensitive strategy for the diagnosis of Giardia.
Relationship Between Clinical Scapular Assessment and Scapula Resting Position, Shoulder Strength, and Baseball Pitching Kinematics and Kinetics
Authors: Bullock Garrett S. , Strahm Jeff , Hulburt Tessa C. , Beck Edward C. , Waterman Brian R. , Nicholson Kristen F.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Scapular assessment is important in examining overhead athletes, but there is inconsistency in scapular clinical assessment and its relation to pathology.

Purpose:

To determine the relationship between clinical scapular assessment and biomechanical scapula resting position, shoulder strength, and pitching shoulder kinematics and kinetics.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Two clinicians performed scapular assessments and graded the scapula as presence or absence of scapular dyskinesis. Shoulder external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) strength were collected. The 3-dimensional biomechanics of the scapula resting position (upward/downward rotation, IR/ER, and anterior/posterior tilt) were assessed while participants stood at rest, and pitching kinematics (maximum shoulder ER, shoulder abduction, shoulder horizontal abduction, shoulder rotation velocity) and kinetics (maximum shoulder distraction force) were assessed when participants pitched off the portable pitching mound that was engineered to meet major league specifications.

Results:

A total of 33 high school baseball pitchers (age, 16.3 ± 1.2 years; height, 184.0 ± 6.9 cm; weight, 76.8 ± 20.8 kg; hand dominance: left, 9 [27%]; right, 24 [73%]; pitch velocity, 34.7 ± 2.3 m/s) participated in this study. Of them, 15 participants had scapular dyskinesis, and 18 had normal scapulothoracic rhythm. No differences were observed for upward/downward rotation or anterior/posterior tilt, shoulder ER, shoulder abduction, or shoulder distraction force, based on the presence of scapular dyskinesis. Pitchers with scapular dyskinesis demonstrated significantly greater scapular resting IR position (effect size [ES], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.06 to 1.54; P = .020), greater nondominant shoulder ER to IR strength ratio (ES, 0.49; 95% CI, –0.02 to 1.00; P = .018), and decreased shoulder rotation velocity (ES, 14.66; 95% CI: 12.06 to 17.25; P = .016). Pitchers with greater anterior tilt demonstrated greater shoulder rotation velocity ( r = –0.48; P = .006).

Conclusion:

Pitchers with scapular dyskinesis had greater scapular IR, greater nondominant shoulder ER to IR strength ratio, and reduced shoulder rotation velocity.

Clinical Relevance:

Scapular assessment may be more influenced by differential IR than upward rotation or anterior tilt. Scapular dyskinesis has no competitive performance advantage among amateur athletes. Greater understanding is needed to decipher the critical threshold between beneficial and maladaptive scapular movement patterns.
Impact of Oral Health on the Quality of Life of Preschoolers and Their Families
Authors: Abreu Mariana Gouvêa Latini , Germano Fabiana , Antunes Leonardo Santos , Azeredo Alves Antunes Lívia
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate how the oral hygiene condition can influence the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of preschoolers and their families. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 446 children aged 2 to 6 years from public schools located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The groups were dichotomized: regular/poor oral hygiene condition (RPOH) or good oral hygiene condition (GOH). The caregivers answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS). The average score in the RPOH group was 6.36 (6.35 DP) and GOH was 4.43 (5.35 SD) ( P < .01). In the child subscale, the average of the RPOH and GOH group were, respectively, 4.12 (4.14 DP) and 3.13 (3.66 DP) ( P = .01). In the family subscale, RPOH and GOH group were, respectively, 2.24 (3.12 DP) and 1.29 (2.52 DP) ( P = .01). RPOH group had the greatest impact on OHRQoL.
Secular State and the ‘Religious Left’: Navayana Buddhism and Dr Ambedkar’s Vision for the Future of Democracy in South Asia
Authors: Silva Kalinga Tudor
Published: March 2021

In the light of ongoing debates about secular state and religious right in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, this article examines the intellectual contribution of Dr B. R. Ambedkar towards sustaining democracy in South Asia. His critical contributions included non-violent mobilisation of Dalits and adivasis around their human rights, identity, citizenship and religious faith. Most importantly, he argued that democratic values of equality, liberty and fraternity are not only of European origin but also have roots in South Asia, particularly within the Buddhist tradition. The article reflects on Ambedkar’s politics, social philosophy and contribution to the formation of ‘religious left’ and the process of progressive democratic change via Navayana Buddhism.
Pleiotropic associations of heterozygosity for theSERPINA1Z allele in the UK Biobank
Authors: Fawcett Katherine A. , Song Kijoung , Qian Guoqing , Farmaki Aliki-Eleni , Packer Richard , John Catherine , Shrine Nick , Granell Raquel , Ring Sue , Timpson Nicholas J. , Yerges-Armstrong Laura M. , Eastell Richard , Wain Louise V. , Scott Robert A. , Tobin Martin D. , Hall Ian P.
Published: March 2021

Homozygosity for theSERPINA1Z allele causes α1-antitrypsin deficiency, a rare condition that can cause lung and liver disease. However, the effects of Z allele heterozygosity on nonrespiratory phenotypes, and on lung function in the general population, remain unclear.

We conducted a large, population-based study to determine Z allele effects on >2400 phenotypes in the UK Biobank (N=303 353).

Z allele heterozygosity was strongly associated with increased height (β=1.02 cm, p=3.91×10−68), and with other nonrespiratory phenotypes including increased risk of gall bladder disease, reduced risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure, reduced risk of osteoarthritis and reduced bone mineral density, increased risk of headache and enlarged prostate, as well as with blood biomarkers of liver function. Heterozygosity was associated with higher height-adjusted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (β=19.36 mL, p=9.21×10−4) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (β=0.0031, p=1.22×10−5) in nonsmokers, whereas in smokers, this protective effect was abolished. Furthermore, we show for the first time that sex modifies the association of the Z allele on lung function.

We conclude that Z allele heterozygosity and homozygosity exhibit opposing effects on lung function in the UK population, and that these associations are modified by smoking and sex. In exploratory analyses, heterozygosity for the Z allele also showed pleiotropic associations with nonrespiratory health-related traits and disease risk.
Effect of β-blockers on the risk of COPD exacerbations according to indication of use: the Rotterdam Study
Authors: Karimi Leila , Lahousse Lies , De Nocker Phebe , Stricker Bruno H. , Brusselle Guy G. , Verhamme Katia M.C.
Published: March 2021

Observational studies report a reduction of COPD exacerbations in patients treated with β-blockers. In contrast, the Beta-Blockers for the Prevention of Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (BLOCK COPD) randomised controlled trial which excluded COPD patients with cardiovascular conditions showed an increase in COPD exacerbations. It is unclear whether this discrepancy could be explained by underlying cardiovascular comorbidity. We examined whether the association between use of β-blockers and risk of COPD exacerbations differed between patients with and without a cardiovascular indication for β-blockers use.

Within the Rotterdam Study, we followed COPD subjects until the first COPD exacerbation, or end of follow-up. Cardiovascular indication for β-blockers use was defined as a history of hypertension, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation and/or heart failure at baseline. The association between β-blockers use and COPD exacerbations was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, incident cardiovascular disease (i.e.heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and/or coronary heart disease during follow-up), respiratory drugs and nitrates.

In total, 1312 COPD patients with a mean age of 69.7±9.2 years were included. In patients with a cardiovascular indication (n=755, mean age of 70.4±8.8 years), current use of cardioselective β-blockers was significantly associated with a reduced risk of COPD exacerbations (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.57–0.85). In contrast, in subjects without a cardiovascular indication (n=557, mean age of 68.8±9.7 years), current use of cardioselective β-blockers was not associated with an altered risk of COPD exacerbations (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.55–1.62).

Use of cardioselective β-blockers reduced the risk of exacerbations in COPD patients with concomitant cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the potential benefits of β-blockers might be confined to COPD patients with cardiovascular disease.