bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Earnings Management, Earnings Quality, Board Gender Diversity and Cost of Equity Capital: Evidence from an Emerging Market
Authors: Saleh Isam , Afifa Malik Abu , Al-Hawatmah Zaid , Albakkar Ola
Published: December 2022

This study seeks to analyse the direct association between earnings management (EM), earnings quality (EQ) and the cost of equity capital (CoEC). It also studies the mediating role of EQ and the moderating role of board gender diversity (BGD) in the context of the EM–CoEC nexus. Contradictions in the results of earlier investigations inspired the current study, with the findings filling a gap in the existing literature. This study presented a novel empirical model based on a mediation–moderation model, which sheds light on the mechanism of effect of numerous factors on the CoEC. The findings of this study reveal that the influence of EM practices on EQ is negative. Furthermore, the impact of EM practices on CoEC was positively significant, implying that the more EM practices there were, the higher the CoEC. At the same time, the findings show that EQ has a negative significant influence on CoEC. Additional findings confirm that EQ fully mediates the EM practices–CoEC nexus. Following that, in terms of BGD’s moderating role, the findings indicate that BGD has a significant negative impact on CoEC, and the interaction impact (EM × BGD) is positive and significant.
Narratives of Women with Infertility Who Use Indigenous Practices to Conceive, North West Province, South Africa
Authors: Baakeleng B. G. , Pienaar A. J. , Sithole P. M. , Mashego S. L.
Published: December 2022

Infertility is a serious reproductive health challenge that has a far-reaching impact on women’s lives as they, inevitably, are the ones blamed for the failure to conceive. Despite availability of Western treatments to manage infertilit y, women frequently consult indigenous healthcare practitioners (IHCP) for healthcare, preferring these services to Western practice due to reasons such as accessibility and affordability.

The study used a qualitative explorative, descriptive, and contextual design. Both purposive and snowballing technique were used to identify five women whom indigenous practitioners had assisted to conceive. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed using the Tesch method of data analysis.

IHCPs are known experts in managing infertility, experiences of women on indigenous management of infertility and continuous holistic management of infertility among women.
Contextual and Experiential Understandings of Privilege as Intersectional
Authors: Lo Kevin D.
Published: December 2022

With ongoing racial tensions, terms such as antiracism and diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) are buzzwords on campuses across the United States. Yet resources, especially in management education, to teach privilege and intersectionality are limited. This article introduces four reflection exercises I have found valuable in facilitating students’ different understandings (contextual and experiential) of privilege as intersectional. In addition, I present a conceptual framework for thinking about the intersection of multiple identities simultaneously given contextual and experiential understandings of privilege. In this way, this article makes both pedagogical and theoretical contributions. The sharing of these exercises, personal reflections, and teaching suggestions are geared at stimulating dialogue for how we learn and teach privilege, intersectionality, diversity, and antiracism. Instructors, regardless of their backgrounds, are invited to reflect on their intersectionality and privilege and also to consider integrating these exercises into their own DEI teaching.
Using Technology to Provide Opportunities to Respond in Synchronous Online Learning Environments
Authors: Cook Sara Cothren , Nelson Gena , Friedheim Natanya , Bass Byron C. , Colburn Geena , Figueira-Savella Misty , Halaby Gabby , Hoadley Nancy , Rohde Lauryn
Published: December 2022

The increase in enrollment in online programs for Grades K–12 students, including students with disabilities, requires teachers to consider how to provide effective online instruction. Although schools may offer students a fully online curriculum, teachers serve an essential role in supporting students with disabilities in meeting (a) learning goals of the online curriculum and (b) individual needs as outlined in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Because students with disabilities often need targeted instruction to meet their academic and behavioral needs, teachers should consider integrating small group synchronous instruction to supplement fully online curricula. This article provides teachers with guidance on how to select appropriate online tools and technology to increase opportunities to respond throughout the main components of explicit instruction (i.e., modeling, guided, and independent practice).
The Process Model of Emotion Regulation Questionnaire: Assessing Individual Differences in Strategy Stage and Orientation
Authors: Olderbak Sally , Uusberg Andero , MacCann Carolyn , Pollak Katja M. , Gross James J.
Published: December 2022

The study of individual differences in emotion regulation has typically focused exclusively either on the stage of the emotion generation process at which regulation occurs or on the engagement versus disengagement orientation of the regulation efforts. We introduce a new measure that samples equally across each stage of the process model of emotion regulation and from both engagement and disengagement orientations. Through five studies ( ntotal = 2,543), we present the development and convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity evidence for the Process Model of Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (PMERQ). We show the final 10-scale 45-item questionnaire has acceptable internal consistency, is invariant between genders and across the age range, and has sufficient convergent and discriminant validity. The PMERQ also predicts affective and relationship functioning with strategies occurring earlier in the process model generally showing the strongest effects. We propose the PMERQ is a valuable measure to assess individual differences in the use of emotion regulation strategies.
A State of Emergency or Business as Usual in Climate Science Communication? A Three-Dimensional Perspective on the Role Perceptions of Climate Scientists, Climate Journalists, and Citizens
Authors: Nicolaisen Peter Busch
Published: December 2022

Building on post-normal science, Brüggemann et al. (2020) suggest that the uncertain, disputed, high-stakes, and urgent character of the climate challenge facing modern societies may alter the conventional notion of what is expected of scientists, journalists, and citizens in the public discussion of climate science. This article examines this notion via 15 focus groups with climate scientists, climate journalists, and citizens ( N = 76). The analysis shows that neither of the three actors want climate scientists and climate journalists to act as advocates. However, interestingly, it is seen as legitimate for climate scientists to express emotions connected to their findings.
Selection, Trust, and the Effects of Cable News Consumption
Authors: Hoewe Jennifer , Jett Janel , Lusvardi Amber , Wiemer Eric
Published: December 2022

Using two experimental studies, we examine how the selection and consumption of cable news influences news consumers’ cognitive processing, attitudes, and policy preferences. As expected, participants overwhelmingly self-selected into an ideologically aligned cable news network. Then, ideologically congruent messaging from Fox News and MSNBC was likely to prompt higher levels of agreement and lower levels of disagreement for those with mid- and high levels of trust in their selected cable news network. Our findings indicate a reinforcing spiral effect among both MSNBC and Fox News consumers who have high levels of trust in the cable news network they select.
User Interactions in Online Travel Communities: A Social Network Perspective
Authors: Liu Bing , Meng Fang , Luo Chaoliang , Jiang Hui
Published: December 2022

Online travel communities (OTCs) enable users to interact and share travel information voluntarily. Extant research has primarily focused on the content generated through user interactions but neglected how user interactions are structured. This study employed exponential random graph models to examine the formation of user interactions and the outcomes of homophily in terms of network structure across levels (actor, dyad, triad, and network). A dataset of 2,926 posts and 25,854 replies involving 9,712 users in an OTC was used. Results reveal that users’ question initiating and replying ties in OTCs exhibit significant positive structural dependencies in terms of reciprocity, activity spread, generalized transitive closure, and multiple connectivity. Homophily serves as the basis of dyadic interactions and homophilous ties evolve after formation. The study advances hospitality and tourism network research and methodology by going beyond traditional dyadic user interactions, and provides insights into user interactions in OTCs from the social network perspective.
Ingenol Mebutate Is Associated With Increased Reporting Odds for Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Actinic Keratosis Patients, a Pharmacovigilance Study of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)
Authors: Jedlowski Patrick Michael
Published: December 2022

Background

Recently the production and marketing of ingenol mebutate in the European Union (EU) and Canada was halted due to a possible increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in patients with actinic keratosis (AK).

Objective

To investigate the relationship between SCC and topical AK medications including ingenol mebutate in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

Methods

Case/non-case analyses were performed in FAERS using data from 2012 to 2020 to examine the reporting odds ratio (ROR) signal for SCC for ingenol mebutate and all classes of topical AK medications under multiple conditions: i. comparison to all other drugs in FAERs, ii. comparison to other topical AK medications, iii. comparison to all other topical AK medications where only a single agent was implicated, iv. comparison of ingenol mebutate vs. imiquimod.

Results

A statistically significant ROR for SCC was found for ingenol mebutate under all conditions (i. 31.57 (25.45, 39.16), ii. 50.35 (32.21, 78.82), iii 61.09 (35.36, 105.56), iv. 2.53 (1.27, 5.05). A significant but substantially smaller signal was observed for imiquimod (i. 12.38 (6.42, 32.84), ii. 5.18 (2.61, 10.26), iii 5.42 (2.49, 11.78), but not for fluorouracil or diclofenac. When compared to imiquimod directly, ingenol mebutate had a statistically significant ROR for SCC (2.53 (1.27, 5.05).

Conclusion

Our findings support an association between SCC and ingenol mebutate. This association is maintained under controls to limit bias and falsely elevated signal including controlling for disease state and cases with multiple drug exposures and when compared to imiquimod as in Phase IV studies of ingenol mebutate.
Small world sampling: Qualitative sample reliability and validity for efficient and effective recruitment of journalists as research participants
Authors: Firdaus Amira , Aksar Iffat Ali , Gong Jiankun
Published: December 2022

One primary concern in researching journalistic practice and media production is the difficulty of gaining research access to media organizations and their media professionals. This paper theorizes Small World Sampling method for identifying and recruiting participants for qualitative research. Based on an ethnographic interview study involving 32 journalists at six different international news organizations, our Small World Sampling method created a direct research path into journalists’ professional occupational networks without having to negotiate indirect access through their non-journalist organizational gatekeepers (e.g. PR executives, HR department, managers). Small World Sampling allows the participant selection process to be guided by media practitioners’ expert and in-group knowledge of their professional network of media colleagues and acquaintances. More methodologically important, our Small World Sampling protocol offers a novel technique for demonstrating the qualitative reliability of the sampling process and for establishing the qualitative validity of the sample under study. Additionally, the paper introduces the concept of ‘contextual case studies’ offering additional nuance and insights enriching the conclusions drawn from the project’s main case studies. Beyond media and journalism research, we propose that Small World Sampling may also prove useful for other fields to facilitate research access into closed organizations, elite networks, and hidden communities.
Emotion and othering in a contaminated community
Authors: Hart Laura B
Published: December 2022

This article focuses on community responses to residential toxic exposure in eastern Sandusky County, Ohio, where 35 children were diagnosed with or died of cancers of the brain and central nervous system between 1996 and 2010. I turn to emotion—an often presupposed mechanism of power—to examine how risk discourses and strategies reproduce inequalities. Analysis of interviews and archival documents shows how emotional responses are not only implicated in residents’ community identity, but also how emotion works to suppress the emergence of collective action. Emotions including fear, confusion, guilt, powerlessness, and apathy contribute to how a contaminated community, in spite of awareness of risk, minimizes threat to support the continuity of their life pattern. I address the mechanisms of shaming and “othering” of community members who challenge the status quo while emotion—as read from a cultural framework—facilitates adaptation to risk.
The clarity and correctness of visualized thrust actions: a description and insights from users and experts
Authors: Van der sluis Ielka , Matoušková Gabriela , Niemeier Hannah , Popp Sophia , Carstens Josephine
Published: December 2022

This article presents three studies that evaluate the effectiveness of instructional pictures that visualize Heimlich maneuver thrusts. Firstly, a corpus study is used to describe a collection of 30 pictures employing a model in which the angle, perspective, body and hand positions of the first-aid helper and the victim, the thrust action and its depicted results are analysed. Results show a large variation in the visualizations of the same action. Secondly, 56 potential users of the pictures filled out a questionnaire to evaluate the clarity and correctness with which the action is displayed in five representative pictures from the corpus with Heimlich’s description of the thrust action as a reference. Results showed that the pictures were considered far from perfect. In particular, the clarity of the visualization of the helper applying pressure on the abdomen of the victim was considered the least clear and incorrect. Thirdly, six certified first-aid instructors gave their expert opinions on the five pictures. Their comments concentrate on the location of the hands which are depicted dangerously high on the front of the victim. These studies advance the annotation and evaluation methodologies for the investigation of visualized actions. Results serve authoring and analysis of multimodal instructions.
A scoping review of family-centered interventions in dementia care
Authors: Ramachandran Meena , Bangera Kshama , Anita Dsouza Sebestina , Belchior Patricia
Published: December 2022

Families of persons living with dementia provide varying levels and forms of support to their loved ones and experience changes in familial dynamics, roles, and responsibilities over time. Family-centered care can enable their successful adaptation and participation in meaningful occupations. This scoping review aimed to explore available familycentered interventions for persons living with dementia, with a focus on occupational therapy. Three databases were searched and 31 eligible studies were found. Thirteen family-centered interventions were identified that were mostly multicomponent in nature, of which three involved occupational therapy. These interventions were investigated using a range of study designs and addressed outcomes related to the person with dementia, primary caregiver, and extended social network. With respect to study context, most interventions were developed in the United States and other Western countries with a limited number located in other contexts. The review findings underline the need for developing more family-centered interventions within occupational therapy, particularly for different contexts and cultures, and for translating available interventions to practice.
Educational Persistence in Latinx STEM Students: Examining Positive Mental Health at HSI and PWI
Authors: Thornhill Carly W. , Milian Polet M. , Castillo Linda G.
Published: December 2022

This study examines the relationship between positive mental health and educational persistence for 493 Latinx STEM students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). Results from the hierarchical multiple regression model for the HSI students found a significant relationship between educational persistence and psychological well-being while PWI students demonstrated a significant relationship between educational persistence and psychological well-being and depressive symptomatology. Implications for practice with Latinx STEM students will be discussed.
Long-term Outcomes for Late-Phase Kienböck’s Tenoarthroplasty
Authors: Henry Mark , Lundy Forrest H. , Henry Giselle K.
Published: December 2022

Background:

In late Kienbӧck’s, the lunate is fully fragmented and nonreconstructible. Replacing the lunate with a pyrocarbon prosthesis preserves load distribution and avoids carpectomy or fusion, but leaves the wrist intrinsically unstable, requiring additional soft-tissue stabilization techniques.

Methods:

Five men and 7 women with a mean age of 43 (±15) years underwent prosthetic replacement of the lunate with dual bundle scaphoid-triquetrum tenodesis for carpal stabilization. The mean follow-up interval from initial surgery was 9.1 (±1.7) years. Outcomes were Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score, revision or conversion surgery, and wrist range of motion.

Results:

The mean DASH score was 8.9 (±7.1). No patients reported any additional revision or conversion surgery. The mean wrist flexion was 60° (±14°); wrist extension was 45° (±21°).

Conclusions:

Clinical outcomes proved more favorable than anticipated, particularly the self-rated outcomes scores and the absence of any revision or conversion surgery.
LSTM neural network techniques-based analytical predictive models for wind energy and mechanical power
Authors: Masri Aladdin , Al-Jabi Muhannad
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, the importance of renewable energy is rapidly increasing. It is considered as an alternative clean source of energy due to environmental reasons. Therefore, this research presents a data analysis model to predict the generated electrical power based on wind energy and the long short-term memory (LSTM) model. The work focused on the Spring and Autumn seasons where wind speed has high variation and the data was collected every 15 min in a wide, open space area located in southeast Palestine. To investigate and validate the correctness and robustness of the work, three different scenarios were performed for each season to predict wind speed and direction, and mechanical power. Also, different performance metrics were applied. The results were very promising with an average error of less than 3% and an R-Squared value of 0.95. Since the price of electricity in Palestine is relatively high, the results showed also the possibility to generate electricity with lowered price of about 40% and a reasonable payback period of 11 years. The work confirms that wind energy is cost-effective and a good alternative to reducing global warming.
The COVID conversations: A content analysis of Canadian pharmacy organizations’ communication of pharmacists’ roles and services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Safnuk Calli , Ackman Margaret L. , Schindel Theresa J. , Watson Kaitlyn E.
Published: December 2022

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique challenge for pharmacists as they navigated information scarcity on the frontlines while being identified as information experts. Alberta pharmacists looked to their professional organizations for direction regarding what their roles should be in a crisis. The objective of this study was to explore pharmacists’ roles and services and how they were communicated by pharmacy organizations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

The study used a conventional content analysis method to explore the online communication of relevant pharmacy organizations for Alberta pharmacists. Five organization websites (National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, Canadian Pharmacists Association [CPhA], Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists [CSHP], Alberta College of Pharmacy [ACP] and the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association [RxA]) were examined to identify and catalogue publicly accessible documents that communicated pharmacists’ roles and services during the first year of the pandemic for Alberta pharmacists.

Results:

A total of 92 documents were collected from CPhA (60), CSHP (2), ACP (26) and RxA (4). While most documents communicated information about pharmacists’ roles in public health, patient care and drug and personal protective equipment supply, more than one-third of the documents (32/92, 34.8%) required contextual information to interpret the communication. There was an observed shift in the communication after the first 6 months, becoming more direct in its messaging and context.

Conclusion:

These pharmacy organizations communicated information for pharmacists’ roles and services to provide direction and guidance in the ever-changing context of the COVID-19 pandemic for Alberta pharmacists. Their communication became clearer and more direct as the pandemic progressed, requiring less inference to understand the intended message.
Community pharmacist perceptions of drug–drug interactions
Authors: Dahri Karen , Araujo Louise , Chen Si , Bagri Harkaryn , Walia Keerti , Lau Louise , Legal Michael
Published: December 2022

Background:

Drug–drug interactions are preventable medication errors that can lead to serious negative outcomes for patients. Community pharmacists are uniquely positioned with their medication knowledge and role in prescription clinical assessment. However, workplace pressures and limitations related to computer systems can lead to drug–drug interactions being missed. There is a lack of information as to how community pharmacists assess drug interactions.

Methods:

A qualitative study using key informant interviews of community pharmacists was conducted. Pharmacists were questioned on their perceptions and views of drug interactions.

Results:

Eight community pharmacists participated. Four main themes were identified from the interviews: 1) pharmacist process of identifying drug interactions, 2) tools that help pharmacists assess and respond to drug interactions, 3) challenges in identifying and responding to clinically important drug interactions and 4) measures to avoid missing interactions.

Discussion:

Community pharmacists experience challenges around their lack of access to patient information, which limits their ability to properly assess drug–drug interactions. In addition, increasing workload pressures have affected their ability to ensure their patients receive optimal pharmaceutical care. There is also a disconnect between the community pharmacy computer systems’ alerts and their clinical relevancy to their specific patients. The overall burdens can lead to professional abstinence in the assessment of drug–drug interactions.

Conclusion:

Community pharmacists are in an ideal position to prevent patients from experiencing drug–drug interactions. However, to further enable them to fulfill this role, increased access to patients’ health records, decreased workload and better customization of computer alerts need to occur.
Combining BERT with numerical variables to classify injury leave based on accident description
Authors: Ramos Plínio MS , Macedo July B , Maior Caio BS , Moura Márcio C , Lins Isis D
Published: December 2022

The occurrence of work accidents may threaten the workers’ health and lead to consequences for the organizations as well, such as restructuring of work and direct/indirect costs with the absence of the worker. In this context, accident investigation reports contain information that can support companies to propose preventive and mitigative measures and identify causes and consequences of injury events. However, this information is frequently complex, redundant, and/or incomplete. Additionally, a complete human review of the entire database is arduous, considering numerous reports produced by a company. Indeed, Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based techniques are suitable for analyzing a massive amount of textual information. In this paper, we adopted NLP techniques to determine whether an injury leave would be expected from a given accident report. The methodology was applied to accident reports collected from an actual hydroelectric power company using Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), a state-of-art NLP method. The text representations provided by BERT model were combined with numerical and binary variables extracted from the accident reports. These combined variables are input to a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) that predicts the occurrence of the accident leave for a given accident. After cross-validation, the results showed a median accuracy of 73.5%. Additionally, we discuss several reports that presented high and low proportions of correct classifications by the models tested and discussed the possible reasons. Indeed, accident investigation reports provide useful knowledge to support decisions in the safety context.
The Civil Sphere and Social Class
Authors: Villegas Celso M.
Published: December 2022

How can civil sphere theory contribute to class analysis? In contrast to critics who suggest Jeffrey Alexander’s The Civil Sphere does not take class seriously, this paper argues that class is a central component to both the rhetorical argument and empirical justification of the text. Through a new reading of the book’s discussions and references to class, this paper provides the rudiments for a new civil sphere theory of social class. The paper first demonstrates how Alexander uses social class as a rhetorical foil against instrumentalist, class-centric models of civil society. Second, the paper elaborates on the obscured but rich set of references to historical cases of class formation to push civil sphere theory towards attending to the creative discursive and institutional action of class movements in the civil sphere. Third, the paper develops Alexander’s concept of ‘refraction’ and argues that the ways in which class communities create new cultures better explains the relationship between classes and the civil sphere. In the conclusion, the paper offers two directions for a civil sphere theory of class – a realist one which posits social classes are products of the economy and then become meaningfully civil as they approach the civil sphere; and an interpretivist one which posits that classes are already-meaningful structures in both the economy and the civil sphere, leading to an open-ended transformation of both.
Optimal assessment of quality of life for patients with prostate cancer
Authors: Briggs Logan G , Sentana-Lledo Daniel , Lage Daniel E , Trinh Quoc-Dien , Morgans Alicia K
Published: December 2022

The burden of cancer and oncologic treatment is reflected not only through morbidity and mortality, but also through impacts on patient quality of life (QoL). However, QoL has not been historically measured or addressed with the same rigorous methodology as traditional disease-related outcomes such as overall survival and progression, as these are driven by objective measurements and events. Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent non-cutaneous cancers in men around the world. Both the cancer and its treatment significantly impact patients’ physical, emotional, sexual, social, and overall QoL. Ensuring assessment and integration of QoL in research and clinical care enables improvement in treatment outcomes that matter most to patients while also facilitating alignment of healthcare priorities with reimbursements. Great strides toward this end have been made over the last decade, but significant room for improvement remains. To ensure high quality, reliable data collection, QoL assessment tools must be psychometrically validated, standardized, widely implemented across trials, and regularly assessed to allow internal and external validity, longitudinal comparative effectiveness research, and quality control. Additional consideration should be taken for instruments used to measure the aspects of QoL specific to minority, caregiver, and elderly populations. Open clinical questions include how providers should weight changes in different QoL subscales and how clinically meaningful difference thresholds should be defined. Review of ongoing clinical trials encouragingly reveals an increased focus on measuring and improving QoL for men with PCa which will inform the way we utilize QoL assessments. However, additional efforts herein described are needed to fully optimize these processes. In summary, this review will explain the rationale for QoL assessments in PCa populations, discuss requirements for effective implementation, describe considerations for vulnerable and under-evaluated populations, and summarize ongoing clinical trials assessing patient QoL.
Neuroimaging findings of hypercoagulable states: A case report on polycythemia vera (PV)
Authors: Chaudhary Kapil , Mikhayel Madi , Mahmoud Shamseldeen
Published: December 2022

Vaso-occlusive events leading to neurological complications are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in Polycythemia Vera (PV). Low prevalence and unfamiliarity of clinicians and radiologists to the neurological manifestations and radiological findings often result in delayed diagnosis of this potentially fatal disease. Awareness of a radiologist to the imaging findings of PV and other hypercoagulable states and their full spectrum of presentation is essential for the prevention of neurological complications. There are not many examples of neurological complication of PV. Here, we report a case of a 58-year-old male who presented with stroke. Initial neuroimaging revealed hyperdense dural venous sinuses, multifocal and multi-territorial synchronous, and metasynchromous ischemic infarctions. Prompt laboratory work-up revealed high hematocrit and low serum erythropoietin levels suggesting PV, which was confirmed on bone marrow biopsy.
Non-invasive assessment of metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease
Authors: Chandra Kumar C. Vikneshwaran , Skantha Ruben , Chan Wah-Kheong
Published: December 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects an estimated one-quarter of the global adult population and has become one of the leading causes of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma with increased liver-related and overall morbidity and mortality. The new term, metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), has a set of positive diagnostic criteria and has been shown to have better clinical utility, but it has yet to be universally adopted. This review addresses the non-invasive tests for MAFLD and is based mostly on studies on NAFLD patients, as the MAFLD term is relatively new and there are limited studies on non-invasive tests based on this new term, while a large body of research work on non-invasive tests has accumulated in the literature for NAFLD. This review focuses on blood-based biomarkers and scores for the assessment of hepatic steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and fibrosis, and two of the most widely studied imaging biomarkers, namely vibration-controlled transient elastography and magnetic resonance imaging. Fibrotic NASH has become a diagnostic target of interest and novel serum biomarkers and scores incorporating imaging biomarker for diagnosis of fibrotic NASH are emerging. Nonetheless, the degree of liver fibrosis remains the key predictor of liver-related morbidity and mortality in patients with MAFLD. A multitude of non-invasive biomarkers and scores have been studied for the detection of liver fibrosis, including use of sequential non-invasive tests for risk stratification of advanced liver fibrosis. In addition, this review will explore the utility of the non-invasive tests for prognostication and for monitoring of treatment response.
Epidemiology, natural history, and diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: a comparative review with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Kaya Eda , Yilmaz Yusuf
Published: December 2022

Metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide – with an estimated global prevalence of 37%. Different from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is an exclusion diagnosis, MAFLD is defined by a set of positive criteria. This recent change in terminology is challenging because MAFLD and NAFLD denote two similar, albeit not identical, clinical populations. When the diagnostic criteria for MAFLD are applied, liver histology appears more severe and clinical outcomes are less favorable. However, the clinical management of MAFLD and NAFLD remains similar. While liver biopsy is still the reference standard for achieving a final diagnosis, noninvasive imaging- or biomarker-based diagnostic modalities are currently gaining momentum. However, liver biopsy should be recommended when diagnostic challenges exist. In this review, we compared the epidemiology, natural history, and diagnosis of MAFLD with respect to the traditional NAFLD definition.
Synthetic opioids: a review and clinical update
Authors: Shafi Abu , Berry Alex J. , Sumnall Harry , Wood David M. , Tracy Derek K.
Published: December 2022

The term ‘opioids’ refers to both the natural compounds (‘opiates’) which are extracted from the opium poppy plant ( Papaver somniferum) and their semi-synthetic and synthetic derivatives. They all possess relatively similar biochemical profiles and interact with the opioid receptors within the human body to produce a wide range of physiological effects. They have historically been used for medicinal purposes, their analgesic and sedative effects, and in the management of chronic and severe pain. They have also been used for non-medicinal and recreational purposes to produce feelings of relaxation, euphoria and well-being. Over the last decade, the emergence of an illegal market in new synthetic opioids has become a major global public health issue, associated with a substantial increase in unintentional overdoses and drug-related deaths. Synthetic opioids include fentanyl, its analogues and emerging non-fentanyl opioids. Their popularity relates to changes in criminal markets, pricing, potency, availability compared to classic opioids, ease of transport and use, rapid effect and lack of detection by conventional testing technologies. This article expands on our previous review on new psychoactive substances. We now provide a more in-depth review on synthetic opioids and explore the current challenges faced by people who use drugs, healthcare professionals, and global public health systems.
Bilateral higher carotid termination with rare anomalous emergence of ventral branches of the external carotid arteries: A cadaver study
Authors: Shreevastava Amit Kumar , Das Rajat Subhra , Maheshwari Tarun Prakash , Damodhar Balkund Kailash
Published: December 2022

The common carotid artery bifurcates into two terminal branches—the external and internal carotid arteries. The head, neck, and face regions principally get their blood supply from the external carotid artery and its branches. Some previous articles have mentioned the abnormal pattern of the external carotid artery branching and its variable origin. In this article, a rare case has been documented, having the combination of anomalies of the high carotid termination and bilateral variable origin of the ventral branches of the external carotid artery encountered during routine dissection of the head and neck region of a 55-year-old male cadaver in the Department of Anatomy. In this instance, on the right side of the neck, we observed the presence of a thyrolinguofacial trunk which arose from the ventral surface of the external carotid artery, and on the left side, the linguofacial trunk emerged from the ventral surface of the external carotid artery while the superior thyroid artery branched off directly from the left common carotid artery. This apart, there was bilateral high termination of the common carotid artery. Although the exact embryogenesis of such common arterial trunks anomalies and high carotid termination is not clear, detailed and precise anatomical knowledge of such a combination of anomalies will provide further insight for better radiological evaluation and to avert iatrogenic vascular injuries during any surgical procedures of the head and face region.
Simulating Prophylactic Fixation Methods for Osteoporotic Femoral Neck Fracture Prevention
Authors: Roytman Gregory R. , Ramji Alim F. , Beitler Brian , Yoo Brad , Leslie Michael P. , Baumgaertner Michael , Tommasini Steven M. , Wiznia Daniel H.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Geriatric patients who suffer femoral neck fractures have high morbidity and mortality. Prophylactic fixation of the femoral neck is a potential avenue to reduce the incidence of femoral neck fractures. We studied 3 different implants traditionally used to stabilize the femoral neck: 6.5 mm cannulated screws (CANN), the femoral neck system (FNS) (Depuy Synthes), and the dynamic hip screw (DHS) (Depuy Synthes).

Materials and Methods

Five osteoporotic Sawbone femurs were used for each model and a control group. Two scenarios were investigated: single leg stance to measure construct stiffness and lateral impact to measure construct stiffness, energy to fracture, and qualitative examination of fracture patterns. Stiffness for each femur and energy to fracture for the lateral impact scenario were calculated and compared between groups using one-way ANOVA.

Results

DHS showed significantly higher stiffness than the other 2 implants and the control in single leg stance. In the lateral impact scenario, the DHS and CANN were significantly stiffer FNS and the control. Femurs implanted with CANN tended to fracture at the greater trochanter while FNS fractured in a transverse subtrochanteric pattern, and DHS fractured obliquely in the subtrochanteric region.

Discussion

FNS and DHS experienced fracture patterns less amenable to surgical correction. CANN and DHS proved better able to resist external forces in the lateral fall scenario. CANN also proved better able to resist external forces in the single leg stance scenario and experienced a more amenable fracture pattern in the lateral fall scenario.

Conclusions

FNS was less able to resist external forces compared with the other implants. This work informs the potential implications between the choice of implants that, although historically have not been used prophylactically, may be considered in the future for prophylactic stabilization of the femoral neck. Cadaveric study and clinical trials are recommended for further study.
“When We See Strange Words”: Student-centered Experiences Using Dictionary Apps Within and Beyond the English Language Classroom in Palestine
Authors: Barham Kefah A. , Clarke Rachel
Published: December 2022

Mobile technologies have been shown to be potential aids in improving language learning a long with computer technology, The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of their socio-affective learning practices when utilizing dictionary applications on their mobile phones. Twenty-five undergraduates were chosen at random from a group of 110 students to engage in five focus group discussions about their experiences using mobile dictionaries as learning tools in the West Bank and Palestine. The analysis of the data identified four main themes in the described experiences, each of which is related to specific socio affective aspects of learning and feelings of self-efficacy: feeling confident in their knowledge, independence in their learning, changing the pace of learning outside of the classroom, and overcoming obstacles like multiple meanings, Arabic accents, and technological distractions. The study’s proposals for adding more socio-technical pedagogies to English language instruction for Arabic learners are its conclusion.
Providing Solution in an Emergency: COVID-19 and Voice Behavior of Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Nawaz Muhammad , Abid Ghulam , Islam Talat , Hwang Jinsoo , Lassi Zohra
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the mechanism between idiosyncratic deals (I-deals) and voice behavior, considering display aggression and deontic justice as mediating variables. We collected data from 702 nurses and their immediate supervisors who work with COVID-19 patients through survey questionnaires at two different times, and we analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM). We found that I-deals are significantly associated with deontic justice and voice behavior. Moreover, I-deals are significant but negatively associated with displayed aggression, which is significant and negatively associated with voice behavior. In addition, deontic justice and display aggression mediate the association between I-deals and voice behavior. These findings suggest that the hospitals’ top management should provide I-deals to nurses to improve their voice behavior.
Managing in Writing: Recommendations from Textual Patterns in Managers’ Email Communication
Authors: Molek-Kozakowska Katarzyna , Molek-Winiarska Dorota
Published: December 2022

This study draws from personality psychology and linguistics of written communication to explore the characteristics of self-selected well-written email communications (N=273) solicited from Polish managers who organized and supervised the (remote) work of their units during the COVID-19 period. The focus is on the writing of managers with above-average levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness, as these personality factors are predictors of efficacy in the completion of two work-related goals, Achievement and Communion, according to the Theory of Purposeful Work Behavior. The linguistic patterns responsible for effective email communication are identified through both automated and qualitative textual analyses of the email sample. The study has implications for management training via the assumption that linguistic patterns that a reflexive manager uses in writing are subjected to monitoring and can be modeled and adapted to. Specific recommendations for managerial writing styles concern informational, instructional, explanatory, feedback, and query messages.
Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Feelings of Safety in School: Decomposing Variation and Ecological Assets
Authors: Viano Samantha , Truong Natalie
Published: December 2022

Feeling unsafe at school undermines student well-being and educational outcomes. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) might feel less safe at school due to attending systemically inequitable schools and discriminatory treatment. This QuantCrit study examines two facets of this inequality of opportunity: factors explaining differing rates of feeling unsafe and ecological assets of BIPOC students. Methods include decomposition to understand differences in feelings of safety and structural equation modeling to examine relationships between safety, ecological assets, and subsequent outcomes, using data from two nationally represented, longitudinal data sets. We find that BIPOC students felt less safe at school than did White students, and these differences are more attributable to variation between schools for Black students and within-school differences for Hispanic and American Indian students. The association between feeling unsafe and early adulthood socioeconomic status was fully mediated by ecological assets for Black and Hispanic students, but only partially mediated for White students.
Superficial and Deep Capillary Plexus Nonperfusion in Nonaccidental Injury on OCTA
Authors: Echegaray Jose J. , Iyer Prashanth , Acon Dhariana , Negron Catherin , El Hamichi Sophia , Berrocal Audina M.
Published: December 2022

Purpose:

To report OCTA findings in a case of nonaccidental injury (NAI).

Methods:

Retrospective review of a clinical case.

Results:

A 5-year-old White child with a history of NAI at age 1 year presented with reduced vision in the left eye resulting from a closed funnel retinal detachment. The right eye had optic nerve pallor, peripheral vascular attenuation, and leakage. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) showed significant parafoveal attenuation of the superficial vascular plexus, intermediate capillary plexus, and deep capillary plexus. This correlated with inner and middle retinal layer thinning temporal to the fovea and preservation of the ellipsoid zone. The peripapillary vascular plexus was preserved. Laser photocoagulation was performed to the nonperfused peripheral retina, and intravitreal bevacizumab was injected. Attenuation of the superficial, intermediate, and deep capillary plexuses might represent chronic ischemic retinal changes from traumatic injury to the vitreoretinal interface and inner retina in NAI.

Conclusions:

OCTA identified nonperfusion of the superficial and deep vascular plexuses as late sequelae of NAI. Traumatic injuries to the vitreoretinal interface in NAI might lead to inner retinal ischemia and atrophy with vascular attenuation present on OCTA.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography for Detecting Nonexudative Macular Neovascularization in Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Greenberg Jeremy R. , Kim Brian Y. , Brady Christopher J. , Millay Robert H. , Raut Robert
Published: December 2022

Purpose:

To compare the efficacy of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) for detecting nonexudative macular neovascularization (MNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods:

In this prospective study, patients with a new diagnosis of exudative AMD in 1 eye were imaged using OCTA, fluorescein angiography (FA), and ICGA in both eyes. The rates at which these imaging modalities detected nonexudative MNV in the nonexudative fellow eye were then compared.

Results:

This study comprised 41 eyes with a mean follow-up was 14 months. Nonexudative MNV was found in 3 eyes using OCTA and ICGA. No MNV exudation was detected on FA or structural OCT. One of 3 eyes with MNV progressed to exudative disease 6 months after the initial visit. During the follow-up, 5 of the 38 eyes without MNV developed exudation at 4 to 18 months.

Conclusions:

OCTA is similarly effective as ICGA at detecting nonexudative MNV patterns.
Weeds: Classification, Organization, and Wilding
Authors: Parker Martin
Published: December 2022

In this paper I consider the concept “organization” by using the weed as an example of a category in human culture. The disorganization of the weed is often contrasted to the forms of order that produce farms and gardens, terrains of human labor defended against the wild. In contrast, European romanticism and much environmental thought tends to celebrate that which lies outside culture as being more authentic or regenerative. A survey of these intellectual landscapes is then followed by a consideration of how certain plants move in and out of the category of weed, and what this tells us about an epistemology of organization, particularly a vegetal or post-metaphysical account of organization. Finally, I suggest that it is necessary in Anthropocene conditions, to trouble the boundary between organization and disorganization, and hence to wild organization theory.