bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Telestroke consultation can accurately diagnose ischemic stroke mimics
Authors: Poon Jason T , Tkach Aleksander , Havenon Adam H de , Hoversten Knut , Johnson Jaleen , Hannon Peter M , Chung Lee S , Majersik Jennifer J
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Telestroke (TS) networks are standard in many areas of the US. Despite TS systems having approximately 33% mimic rates, it is unknown if TS can accurately diagnose patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) versus stroke mimics.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of consecutive TS consults to 27 TS sites in six states during 2018. Clinical information and diagnosis were extracted from discharge records and compared to those from the TS consult. Discharge diagnoses were verified and coded into 12 categories. Cases without a clear discharge diagnosis and intracerebral haemorrhage were excluded. We report agreement and a Cohen’s kappa between TS and discharge diagnoses for the category of AIS/transient ischemic attack (TIA) versus stroke mimic.

Results

We included 404 cases in the analysis (mean age 66 years; 54% women). Of these, 225 had a TS diagnosis of AIS/TIA; 102 (45%) received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. Our study demonstrated a high diagnostic agreement for AIS/TIA (88%) with a kappa of 0.75 for stroke and mimics. Of the 179 patients diagnosed with a stroke mimic on TS, 27 (15%) were diagnosed with AIS/TA by discharge. TS mimic diagnosis had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 85% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 90%; TS diagnosis of stroke/TIA had PPV 90%, NPV 85%.

Discussion

We found excellent correlation between TS and discharge diagnoses for patients with both stroke and stroke mimics. This suggests that TS systems can accurately assess a wider variety of patients with acute neurologic syndromes other than AIS.
‘Online therapy’ to reduce caregiver’s distress and to stimulate post-severe acquired brain injury motor and cognitive recovery: A Sicilian hospital experience in the COVID era
Authors: De Luca Rosaria , Rifici Carmela , Pollicino Patrizia , Di Cara Marcella , Miceli Sabrina , Sergi Giuseppina , Sorrenti Luisa , Romano Michela , Naro Antonino , Billeri Luana , Lauria Paola , Caminiti Angelo , Bramanti Placido , Torrisi Michele
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Severe acquired brain injury(SABI) often results in the deterioration of physical, cognitive and emotional functions in the patient and a significant caregiver's distress syndrome, which is now amplified by the social isolation, depression and financial difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of web-based online-therapy has been shown to be useful to overcome caregiver's distress syndrome and further stimulate cognitive-motor recovery of SABI-patients. Our study aimed to investigate whether a systematic online Skype-therapy(OLST) may be of support in favoring global cognitive and sensory-motor recovery in SABI-patients and reducing caregiver distress.

Methods

Twenty-five SABI-subjects in inpatient regimen were provided with intensive OLST with the caregiver for 12 weeks in addition to standard neurorehabilitation. Each subject and caregiver was evaluated before and after the treatment by administering an ad hoc battery. Furthermore, 18 of 27 patients were provided with EEG recording in resting state.

Results

We found a significant reduction in caregiver's anxiety (p<0.0001) and burden(p<0.0001). Patients showed significant improvement in trunk control (p<0.0001), functional independence (p = 0.005), functional (p = 0.01) and global communication (p = 0.004), cognitive functioning (p = 0.001), and behavioral responsiveness (p = 0.0004). The training yielded a significant connectivity change within the fronto-centro-parietal areas in the delta frequency band (p<0.0001) and the centro-parieto-occipital areas in the alpha range (p = 0.004).

Discussion

OLST may be a useful and complementary treatment to optimize global cognitive and functional recovery in SABI-subjects and reduce caregivers' concerns in the Covid-era. OLST can foster cognitive-motor recovery potentially by favoring the plasticity-dependent functional recovery. Therefore, OLST could be proposed as a tool allowing social conversations also in the hospital setting.
A mixed methods exploration of community providers’ perceived barriers and facilitators to the use of parent training with Medicaid-enrolled clients with autism
Authors: Straiton Diondra , Groom Barb , Ingersoll Brooke
Published: February 2021

This mixed methods analysis examined provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to parent training use with Medicaid-enrolled clients. Provider survey data were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression models and thematic analysis was used to analyze follow-up interviews with providers. Qualitative themes were developed inductively from interview transcripts without preconceived hypotheses. Barriers and facilitators were identified at the family-, provider-, and organization-level. Family-level barriers were the only barriers to uniquely predict parent training extensiveness ( β = −0.27, p = 0.007), which is a composite measure of parent training frequency and quality. No facilitators uniquely predicted extensiveness, but provider skills and professional training experiences marginally predicted extensiveness ( ps < 0.06). Five themes regarding barriers to parent training emerged as follows: logistical barriers, limited family engagement/interest, limited agency support/norms, limited professional training, and family stressors/family structures. Four themes about facilitators emerged as follows: logistical facilitators, agency support/norms, high family engagement/interest, and professional training. Recommendations are provided to increase the use of parent training in low-resourced community settings.

Lay abstract

Using quantitative data from an online survey and qualitative data from follow-up interviews with applied behavior analysis providers, researchers examined barriers and facilitators to providing parent training to Medicaid-enrolled youth with autism spectrum disorder. Barriers and facilitators were identified at the family-, provider-, and organization-levels. Family-level barriers were significantly related to less frequent parent training use and poorer quality of use. Two recommendations are provided to increase the use of parent training in low-resourced community settings: (1) provide professional training opportunities to providers about best practices in parent training and (2) increase agency support for parent training, particularly in reducing logistical barriers.
A (supra)nationalist personality? The Big Five’s effects on political-territorial identification
Authors: Curtis K Amber , Miller Steven V
Published: February 2021

Recent work suggests personality affects the subjective psychological weight one attaches to an identity. This study extends prior findings showing a static effect on European identification in a single country by investigating whether a similar systematic relationship exists for a wider range of political-territorial identities (regional, national, supranational, and exclusively nationalist) across different country contexts (Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom) and over time (2012–2018). Original cross-national and panel survey data show that different traits predict both the type and degree of inclusivity of individuals’ identity attachments. These results contribute to the growing scholarship surrounding personality’s effects on EU support while underscoring the impact predispositions have on citizens’ sociopolitical orientations. They especially illuminate the contrasting profiles associated with those who identify as exclusively nationalist versus supranational European.
What creates the public’s impression of social work and how can we improve it?
Authors: Staniforth Barbara , Dellow Slade C , Scheffer Catherine
Published: February 2021

This paper presents results from a study in Aotearoa New Zealand 1 which explored the ideas of social work practitioners on public perceptions of social work and how to improve them. This qualitative research was part of a Master’s project for two of the authors and followed on from two previous quantitative studies on this topic in Aotearoa. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 social work practitioners. Thematic analysis was used to create themes concerning what the perceived public perception was, what contributed to it, and how to improve it. The findings have implications for being better able to understand factors that contribute to the public perception of social work so that it may be improved, for increasing the public’s understanding of social work, and for recruitment of students into the profession.
What is the Eisenhardt Method, really?
Authors: Eisenhardt Kathleen M
Published: February 2021

This essay sharpens and refreshes the multi-case theory-building approach, sometimes termed The “Eisenhardt Method.” The Method’s singular aim is theory building, especially with multiple cases and theoretical logic. Its defining features (e.g. research questions without obvious answers, careful case selection, well-identified constructs and relationships, theoretical arguments, boundary conditions) reflect this aim. I begin with the influence of the 1980s, including grounded theorizing and case logic. Relying on exemplars, I illustrate the Method’s defining features. I also address common misconceptions (e.g. types of data, number of cases, performance emphasis). These miss the Method’s essence and imply a rigid template that does not exist. Instead, the Method’s relatively few defining features enable a wide variety of research possibilities. I conclude with what I would write today like a richer palette of research choices, more emphasis on time, and flexible philosophy of science. Yet the core message of theory building would remain.
Navigating the tensions of quality in qualitative research
Authors: Jarzabkowski Paula , Langley Ann , Nigam Amit
Published: February 2021

In this essay that serves to introduce the So!apbox Forum on quality in qualitative research, we argue that achieving quality involves a process of navigating the tensions between structure and creativity, and between accountability and professionalism. Guidelines for achieving quality such as those offered in this forum or elsewhere should not therefore be seen as absolute standards, templates or checklists to be strictly followed, but rather as toolkits that can assist in navigating the tensions involved in participating in and developing the qualitative research craft as a community of scholars, reviewers and editors.
Futurescapes: Imagination and temporal reorganization in the design of strategic narratives
Authors: Rindova Violina P , Martins Luis L
Published: February 2021

Recent work in organizational and strategy research increasingly accords centrality to narratives in developing and legitimating future-oriented strategies. Despite this growing interest in the use of strategic narratives for prospective sensemaking and sensegiving, the design of such narratives as persuasive vehicles that shape beliefs about possible futures and firms’ potential roles in them remains undertheorized. We build on Paul Ricœur’s narrative theory to develop a theoretical framework of how firms can employ imaginative thought, in the form of productive and creative imagination, to depict plausible and desirable “possible worlds.” We term these worlds “futurescapes” and theorize how they synthesize heterogenous information through factual and fictive means to project different types of futures that have differential persuasive qualities. We argue that continuous or near futures are likely to be perceived as more plausible, whereas discontinuous or distant futures are likely to be perceived as more desirable by stakeholder audiences. We further draw on Ricœur’s ideas about narrative time to theorize how narratives are used by firms for temporal reorganization that can alter perceptions of plausibility and desirability, thereby increasing the overall persuasiveness of their futurescapes. We illustrate our arguments using narratives created by auto manufacturers in response to the changing landscape of their industry. Our ideas have implications for research on the strategic use of narratives, future-focused strategy making as temporal work, and shaping strategies under uncertainty.
A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relationship Between Learning Organization and Organizational Performance and Employee Attitudes: Using the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire
Authors: Ju Boreum , Lee Yunsoo , Park Sunyoung , Yoon Seung Won
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this meta-analysis study is to examine the correlations between the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) and frequently examined outcomes including organizational performance and employee attitudes. Positive relationships were found between the DLOQ and organizational performance (e.g., financial, knowledge, and innovative performance) and employee attitudes (e.g., organizational commitment and job satisfaction) and the sub-dimensions (e.g., affective, continuance, and normative commitment), with a notable exception of a negative relationship between the DLOQ and turnover. Because the DLOQ has been used in many countries over the years, this study also examined the influence of national culture on the outcomes. Power distance moderated the relationship between the learning organization and overall organizational performance. Our meta-analytic review makes substantive contributions to the literature on the learning organization concept and the study of national culture as a significant moderator. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Radical Geography and Advocacy Mapping: The Case of the Detroit Geographical Expedition and Institute (1968–1972)
Authors: Garrido Gonzalo José López
Published: February 2021

In 1968, a group of geographers led by William Bunge founded the Detroit Geographical Expedition and Institute (DGEI), a methodology based on teaching neighborhood residents the skills of a folk geographer to help them improve their built environments. This article focuses on the necessity of revisiting the geographical expedition format today and its influence on participatory urban planning practices and advocacy mapping. After looking at DGEI’s activities in the Detroit neighborhood of Fitzgerald, I then focus on two specific elements in direct relation to the field of urban planning: that of communal participation and that of the map-making process itself.
Factors Impacting Management of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema (BCRL) in Hispanic/Latina Breast Cancer Survivors: A Literature Review
Authors: Anderson Elizabeth A. , Armer Jane M.
Published: February 2021

Introduction:

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a treatment sequela with negative physical and psychological implications. BCRL is a lifetime concern for survivors and is currently incurable. With the increase in the Latino population in the United States, it is critical for the cancer care community to address factors that increase BCRL risk and negatively impact long-term quality of life. This literature review undertook to identify successful intervention strategies for BCRL among Latina survivors.

Methods:

Multiple databases were searched for published articles from 2006 to 2020. PRISMA guidelines were utilized. Data were extracted related to physical activity, diet, and psychosocial stress concerns of Latinas at risk for or living with BCRL.

Results:

Eleven interventions combined education and skill-building techniques to address physical activity, diet, and stress management for BCRL. Family involvement, peer-mentoring, culturally tailored education, and self-care skill development were identified as important for Latina survivors.

Conclusion:

Latina survivors may benefit from culturally tailored BCRL education programs and self-management interventions. Health care professionals and researchers should consider cultural influences when developing clinical intervention strategies to enhance outcomes for Latinas at risk for living with BCRL. In addition, including family members and/or peers in such strategies may be helpful to Latina survivors.
Siting strategy for co-locating windfarms and radars considering interference constraints
Authors: Sharma Ashish , Kumar Ajay , Choudhury Sushabhan
Published: February 2021

As the energy sector moves away from use of fossil fuels towards clean renewable energy alternatives, the technical impediment of windfarm interference with radars has dented the deployment of windfarms. This paper provides a step-by-step siting methodology for co-locating windfarms and radars with the support of simulation tools. A procedural framework for co-locating windfarms and radars is suggested. The proposed methodology identifies crucial variables, such as azimuth, frequency, and topographical features affecting the co-existence of radars and windmills. The effect of variables on radar cross-section for feasible radar frequency ranges between 0.1 GHz and 10 GHz is calculated. The siting methodology suggests use of digital terrain maps for evaluating the interference impact due to terrain screening. In case of inextricable circumstances, where radar needs to be sited in high impact zones near windfarms, suitable mitigation techniques are suggested.
miR-100 alleviates the inflammatory damage and apoptosis of H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells via inactivation of Notch signaling by targeting MMP9
Authors: Wang Chen , Zhang Yanqin , Jiang Zhenxing , Bai Huiling , Du Zizhong
Published: February 2021

Objective

Thromboangiitis obliterans is a nonatherosclerotic segmental inflammatory disease, and miR-100 plays an anti-inflammatory role in chronic inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that miR-100 might alleviate the inflammatory damage and apoptosis of H2O2-induced ECV304 cells and aimed to investigate the relationship between miR-100 and thromboangiitis obliterans and the related molecular mechanism.

Methods

Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect cell viability, and the expression of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress was measured by ELISA. TUNEL assay was used to detect the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells after induction by H2O2. Furthermore, the interaction between miR-100 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 was verified by dual-luciferase assay. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to detect the expression of the adhesion factors, apoptosis-related proteins and Notch pathway-related protein.

Results

The results revealed that miR-100 was decreased in H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Overexpression of miR-100 attenuated inflammatory response and cell apoptosis in H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The overexpression of miR-100 inhibited matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. miR-100 inhibited H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis via inactivation of Notch signaling by targeting matrix metalloproteinase.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that miR-100 reduced the inflammatory damage and apoptosis of H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells via inactivation of Notch signaling by targeting matrix metalloproteinase. These findings suggested that miR-100 might be a novel therapeutic target for the prevention of thromboangiitis obliterans.
Principals’ views on continuing professional development programmes: Evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Tahir Lokman , Berhandden Musah Mohammed , Ali Mohd Fadzli , Abdullah Abdul Halim , Hamzah Mohd Hilmi
Published: February 2021

This study reports on the professional development and school leadership programmes requested by principals in Malaysian schools. A total of 557 principals provided feedback on their preferred school leadership and professional development programmes which they believed as essential to be effective school leaders. Based on their feedback, mentoring was named the most needed leadership development programme as it allowed access to the guidance, knowledge and skills of senior principals. As for school leadership courses mentioned by school principals, financial management was considered as most useful. The study concludes by recommending suggestions to improve principals’ professional development programmes in Malaysia.
Type of injury and recovery time in elite adolescent Korean judo athletes: An epidemiological study
Authors: Kim Hyun-Chul , Park Ki-Jun
Published: February 2021

We aimed to assess the risk of injury associated with training activities in a population of elite adolescent judo athletes, expected to represent South Korea. From 2019, we prospectively collected data on elite adolescent judo athletes at the Korean Training Center. The athletes were assessed by sports medicine doctors, and data were stratified according to sex, weight class, and injury location. We used χ2 tests to compare groups. Injury rates were expressed as Poisson rates with 95% confidence intervals. One-way analysis of variance was used to investigate the pain score and recovery time due to type of injury. The study included 240 elite adolescent judo athletes whose 617 injuries (annual average, 2.57 injuries/athlete) were recorded. When all athletes were considered, most injuries occurred in the lower extremities (39.71%), followed by the upper extremities (36.63%), trunk (16.69%), and head and neck area (6.97%). Recovery time significantly differed according to the body regions in the weight classes. The pain score and recovery time according to the type of injury were significantly different. When the pain score decreased by 1, the recovery time decreased by about 1.47 days. In all weight classes, female athletes had a higher injury rate than male athletes; both male and female athletes had different recovery time depending on their weight class. The type of injury influenced the pain score and recovery time, with pain score being associated with recovery time.
The nature of formative physical activities and sports in the development of senior volleyball players
Authors: Coutinho Patrícia , Ramos Ana , Fonseca António M , Davids Keith , Mesquita Isabel
Published: February 2021

This study characterized developmental sporting activities undertaken by volleyball players between ages of 6 to 12 years. Highly skilled (n = 30) and less skilled (n = 30) players participated in retrospective interviews to identify the nature of their formative enrichment experiences (formal adult-led and informal child-led activities) and types of sports practised (team or individual sports). All participants reported involvement in multiple formal sport activities and informal child-led activities, confirming that they did not specialize early in volleyball. Highly skilled male players reported being involved in more formal, adult-led activities, generally, and more formal team sports. In contrast, highly skilled and less skilled female players participated in equal amounts of formal adult-led and informal child-led activities. Results partially supported the value of an early diversified sport involvement to develop functional behavioural adaptability needed to specialise later in sports like volleyball. Findings highlighted the importance of considering the nature and types of early enriching play and practice activities to better understand possible complementary transfer of training effects during specialization. Data also emphasized relevance of considering sex differences in future analyses of player developmental pathways.
Community vulnerability perspective on robust protection planning in interdependent infrastructure networks
Authors: Lobban Hannah , Almoghathawi Yasser , Tajik Nazanin , Barker Kash
Published: February 2021

Critical infrastructure networks, including water, power, communication, and transportation, among others, are necessary to society’s functionality. In recent years, the threat of different types of disruptions to such infrastructure networks has become an increasingly important problem to address. Due to existing interdependencies, damage to a small area of one of the networks could have far-reaching effects on the ability to meet demand across the entire system. Common disruption scenarios include, among others, intentional malevolent attacks, natural disasters, and random failures. Similar works have focused on only one type of scenario, but combining a variety of disruptions may lead to more realistic results. Additionally, the concept of social vulnerability, which describes an area’s ability to prepare for and respond to a disruption, must be included. This should promote not only the protection of the most at-risk components but also ensure that socially vulnerable communities are given adequate resources. This work provides a decision making framework to determine the allocation of defensive resources that accounts for all these factors. Accordingly, we propose a multi-objective mathematical model with the objectives of: (i) minimizing the vulnerability of a system of interdependent infrastructure networks, and (ii) minimizing the total cost of the resource allocation strategy. Moreover, to account for uncertainty in the proposed model, this paper incorporates a means to address robustness in finding the most adaptable network protection plan to reduce the vulnerability of the system of interdependent networks to a variety of disruption scenarios. The proposed work is illustrated with an application to social vulnerability and interdependent power, gas, and water networks in Shelby County, Tennessee.
The Celebrity Icon Mask: The Multi-Institutional Masking of Sir Jimmy Savile
Authors: Greer Chris , McLaughlin Eugene
Published: February 2021

The aim of this article is to develop the concepts of masks and masking to interrogate the role of institutions in the co-production of ‘untouchable’ celebrity icon status. The empirical focus is the multi-institutional masking of Sir Jimmy Savile OBE KCSG. For decades, Savile was celebrated as one of the UK’s best-loved celebrity icons. One year after his death, he was exposed as a serial sexual predator. We argue that the largely compartmentalised official reports on Savile have presented a partial analysis. They have emphasised the importance of Savile’s celebrity status while taking it for granted, downplayed the significance of his moral standing in British society, and marginalised the proactive, enabling role of the BBC, the NHS and the British establishment. However manipulative the individual, we propose that it was Savile’s cumulative multi-institutional masking as celebrity personality (the BBC), celanthropist (the NHS) and, ultimately, celebrity icon (the British establishment) that co-produced his ‘untouchable’ status and enabled him for decades to deflect and discredit rumour, gossip and allegations about his sexually predatory behaviour. We conclude by reflecting on the ‘researchability’ of powerful elites, and by suggesting how our analysis might inform further research into the power dynamics that have co-produced the ‘untouchability’ of other celebrities subsequently exposed as serial sexual predators.
Before the summit: News media framing, scripts and the flag-raising at Iwo Jima
Authors: Pressman Matthew , Kimble James J
Published: February 2021

Drawing upon media framing theory and the concept of cognitive scripts, this article provides a new interpretation of the context in which the famous World War II photograph ‘Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima’ appeared. This interpretation is based primarily on an examination of American newspaper and newsreel coverage from the Pacific island battles prior to Iwo Jima. The coverage – especially the pictorial coverage – often followed a three-step sequence that showed US forces proceeding from a landing to a series of skirmishes, then culminating with a flag-raising image. This created a predictable cognitive script. That script, combined with other framing devices found in the news coverage (such as metaphors and catchphrases), conveyed the misleading message that the Allies’ final victory over Japan was imminent in early 1945. The Iwo Jima photo drove home that message more emphatically than anything else. This circumstance had profound implications for government policy at the time and, in retrospect, it illustrates the potency of media framing – particularly in times of crisis or war.
Pharmacologic management of nocturnal polyuria: a contemporary assessment of efficacy, safety, and progress toward individualized treatment
Authors: Monaghan Thomas F. , Weiss Jeffrey P. , Everaert Karel , Wein Alan J.
Published: February 2021

This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the medical management of nocturnal polyuria, including antidiuretic replacement therapy as well as other emerging modalities, with particular emphasis on areas of active investigation and future research directions. Relative to earlier formulations, the pharmacological profiles of novel desmopressin acetate nasal spray and orally disintegrating tablet formulations appear favorable in optimizing the balance between efficacy and safety. Additionally, several highly selective small-molecule arginine vasopressin 2 receptor agonists are under active development, while appropriately timed short-acting diuretics, pharmacotherapy for hypertension, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and sex hormone replacement therapy are also a focal point of extensive ongoing nocturnal polyuria research. Emerging laboratory technologies now make feasible a sub-stratification of nocturnal polyuria patients into substrate-based phenotypes for individualized treatment. An increasingly refined understanding of the pathogenesis of nocturnal polyuria, and arginine vasopressin dysregulation in particular, has also introduced new opportunities for point-of-care testing in patients with nocturnal polyuria.
Emphysematous pyelonephritis: A rare cause of sepsis in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wan Hanafi Hany Haqimi , Mustaffa Nazri , Lee Yeong Yeh , Mohd Nawi Siti Nurbaya
Published: February 2021

The association between emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) and diabetes mellitus is well known. EPN as the cause of sepsis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare and unreported. We report a case of EPN in a non-diabetic HCC patient, in which the clinical features of decompensated chronic liver disease masked the more sinister urological emergency to a certain degree. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a mixture of gas and fluid in the left retrorenal space, in keeping with left EPN. Nevertheless, the course of clinical deterioration was rather rapid that any surgical intervention was not feasible.
Killing HIV-infected resting central memory CD4+ T cells by targeting inhibitor of apoptosis proteins-inhibited autophagy
Authors: Zhang Gang , Huang Xing
Published: February 2021

Dysfunction of CD4+ T cells by HIV infection can cause serious immune defects. Recently, Campbell and colleagues described an intriguing and simple therapeutic method for HIV-infected resting central memory CD4+ T cells (HIV-TCM), dependently on inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family proteins-targeted and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (SMAC) mimetics-mediated apoptosis, which is only triggered in HIV-TCM and not uninfected ones. Autophagy induction and subsequent formation of a ripoptosome-like death signaling complex were observed after such treatment, which may partially explain the potential mechanism. However, the direct intracellular inhibitory effects of IAPs on autophagy, as well as the critical roles of autophagy in activating extracellular anti-infection immune responses, warrant further investigation. Thus, this pointer aims to provide potential alternative mechanisms and to suggest important avenues for follow-up study.
Human engineered meniscus transcriptome after short-term combined hypoxia and dynamic compression
Authors: Szojka Alexander RA , Marqueti Rita de Cássia , Li David Xinzheyang , Molter Clayton W , Liang Yan , Kunze Melanie , Mulet-Sierra Aillette , Jomha Nadr M , Adesida Adetola B
Published: February 2021

This study investigates the transcriptome response of meniscus fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) to the low oxygen and mechanical loading signals experienced in the knee joint using a model system. We hypothesized that short term exposure to the combined treatment would promote a matrix-forming phenotype supportive of inner meniscus tissue formation. Human MFCs on a collagen scaffold were stimulated to form fibrocartilage over 6 weeks under normoxic (NRX, 20% O2) conditions with supplemented TGF-β3. Tissues experienced a delayed 24h hypoxia treatment (HYP, 3% O2) and then 5 min of dynamic compression (DC) between 30 and 40% strain. Delayed HYP induced an anabolic and anti-catabolic expression profile for hyaline cartilage matrix markers, while DC induced an inflammatory matrix remodeling response along with upregulation of both SOX9 and COL1A1. There were 41 genes regulated by both HYP and DC. Overall, the combined treatment supported a unique gene expression profile favouring the hyaline cartilage aspect of inner meniscus matrix and matrix remodeling.
Management of BK virus-associated haemorrhagic cystitis in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients
Authors: Jandial Aditya , Mishra Kundan , Sandal Rajeev , Kant Sahu Kamal
Published: February 2021

BK virus (BKV)-related haemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is an important cause of morbidity following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The various risk factors include high-level BKV viruria and/or viremia, myeloablative conditioning, acute graft versus host disease (GVHD), cytomegalovirus viremia, and unrelated or HLA-mismatched donor. The presence of high plasma BK viral load and cytopenias have been implicated as important predictors for protracted disease course. These patients frequently require hospitalisation which may extend for several weeks. Supportive measures in the form of analgesics, intravenous hydration, bladder irrigation, and transfusion support remain the mainstay of management. Various drugs have been used with limited success in this setting. These include antiviral drugs, fluoroquinolones, leflunomide, growth factors, clotting factors, estrogens, and prostaglandins. The role of adoptive cellular immunotherapy has also been explored but lacks clinical validation. The strategies aimed at expediting urothelial repair like hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), intravesical fibrin glue and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are emerging. Some patients with severe disease do require surgical intervention to relieve urinary obstruction. The frequent co-occurrence of acute GVHD and CMV disease further complicates the management in such patients. There is an unmet need for effective and evidence-based options for the prevention and management of this disease. Due to lack of robust data supported by randomised trials, the acceptability of the available guidelines to simplify the treatment is expected to be low. Despite the availability of various treatment options, the management of BKV-related HC in day-to-day practice continues to be a challenge. The aim of this article is to put forward an up-to-date review of the preventive and therapeutic strategies for BKV-related HC.
Enhancing Primary Care Experiences for Homeless Patients with Serious Mental Illness: Results from a National Survey
Authors: Gabrielian Sonya , Jones Audrey L. , Hoge April E. , deRussy Aerin J. , Kim Young-il , Montgomery Ann Elizabeth , Blosnich John R. , Gordon Adam J. , Gelberg Lillian , Austin Erika L. , Pollio David , Holmes Sally K. , Varley Allyson L. , Kertesz Stefan G.
Published: February 2021

Objectives:

Patients experiencing homelessness (PEH) with serious mental illness (SMI) have poor satisfaction with primary care. We assessed if primary care teams tailored for homeless patients (Homeless-Patient Aligned Care Teams (H-PACTs)) provide this population with superior experiences than mainstream primary care and explored whether integrated behavioral health and social services were associated with favorable experiences.

Methods:

We surveyed VA PEH with SMI (n = 1095) to capture the valence of their primary care experiences in 4 domains (Access/Coordination, Patient-Clinician Relationships, Cooperation, and Homeless-Specific Needs). We surveyed clinicians (n = 52) from 29 H-PACTs to elucidate if their clinics had embedded mental health, addiction, social work, and/or housing services. We counted these services in each H-PACT (0-4) and classified H-PACTs as having high (3-4) versus low (0-2) service integration. We controlled for demographics, housing history, and needs in comparing H-PACT versus mainstream experiences; and experiences in high versus low integration H-PACTs.

Results:

Among respondents, 969 (91%) had complete data and 626 (62%) were in H-PACTs. After covariate adjustment, compared to mainstream respondents, H-PACT respondents were more likely ( P < .01) to report favorable experiences (AORs = 1.7-2.1) and less likely to report unfavorable experiences (AORs = 0.5-0.6) in all 4 domains. Of 29 H-PACTs, 27.6% had high integration. High integration H-PACT respondents were twice as likely as low integration H-PACT respondents to report favorable access/coordination experiences (AOR = 1.7).

Conclusions:

Homeless-tailored clinics with highly-integrated services were associated with better care experiences among PEH with SMI. These observational data suggest that tailored primary care with integrated services may improve care perceptions among complex patients.
“Squeezing the Life Out of Each Day”: Emerging Adult Women’s Work-Family Expectations in STEM
Authors: Thoman Sarah E. , Stephens Amber K. , Robnett Rachael D.
Published: February 2021

Work-family conflict can create challenges for women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Little is known, however, about how young women in STEM reason about future work-family conflict. The current study examines work-family conflict expectations among undergraduate and graduate women in STEM. Participants ( N = 156) responded to open- and closed-ended survey questions about work-family conflict and academic attitudes. Qualitative analyses revealed two orientations relative to work-family conflict. Women with a challenge orientation anticipated work and family strain, whereas women with an opportunity orientation anticipated that balancing work and family would enhance their lives. Women differed in the strategies they planned to employ to resolve future work-family conflict and in their levels of quantitative constructs such as STEM identity. Findings suggest avenues for improving STEM retention such as mentoring interventions with exposure to role models who are balancing work and family.
Differential Privacy in the 2020 Census Will Distort COVID-19 Rates
Authors: Hauer Mathew E. , Santos-Lozada Alexis R.
Published: February 2021

Scholars rely on accurate population and mortality data to inform efforts regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with age-specific mortality rates of high importance because of the concentration of COVID-19 deaths at older ages. Population counts, the principal denominators for calculating age-specific mortality rates, will be subject to noise infusion in the United States with the 2020 census through a disclosure avoidance system based on differential privacy. Using empirical COVID-19 mortality curves, the authors show that differential privacy will introduce substantial distortion in COVID-19 mortality rates, sometimes causing mortality rates to exceed 100 percent, hindering our ability to understand the pandemic. This distortion is particularly large for population groupings with fewer than 1,000 persons: 40 percent of all county-level age-sex groupings and 60 percent of race groupings. The U.S. Census Bureau should consider a larger privacy budget, and data users should consider pooling data to minimize differential privacy’s distortion.
Medical Waste Due to Intravitreal Injection Procedures in a Retina Clinic
Authors: Cameron Thomas W. , Vo Loi V. , Emerson Lily K. , Emerson M. Vaughn , Emerson Geoffrey G.
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

Medical waste contributes to health care costs and has a direct negative impact on the environment. The goals of this study are to quantify and categorize the medical waste generated by intravitreal injection procedures and identify opportunities to reduce waste.

Methods:

This is a prospective observational series. Medical waste from intravitreal injections was collected from 337 consecutive intravitreal injections by a retina specialist over 2 weeks. The waste was sorted, photographed, weighed, and recorded.

Results:

A total of 65.6 kg of waste was collected across 3 broad categories: (1) shipping waste (cardboard boxes, foam coolers, cold packs, and bubble wrap); (2) waste from administering the intravitreal injection (nitrile gloves, tissues, wipes, and plastic or paper packaging); and (3) biohazard waste (used syringes and needles). Shipping waste contributed 83% of the overall waste, by mass, and varied greatly based on the size of the order and how efficiently shipments were packed. Cold packs, foam coolers, cardboard/paper, and nitrile gloves were the greatest contributors to carbon emissions and landfill.

Conclusions:

Waste due to shipping of medication is a major opportunity for reducing the environmental impact of intravitreal injections. Buying in bulk is a simple way for retina practices to reduce waste. Manufacturers should consider less bulky packaging for branded intravitreal injections; distributors and outsourcing facilities should consider take-back programs to reuse coolers and cold packs. Improved sustainability in the treatment of retinal disease is achievable but requires awareness and optimization of a clinic’s routine.
What justice and for whom? A political ecology of voice study into ‘senses of justice’ in Peru's Loreto Region
Authors: Gonzalez Adrian
Published: February 2021

This article explores community-based organisation and non-governmental organisation ‘senses of justice’ and their interaction with community procedural environmental justice claims. The research was centred on a study of Peru’s Loreto Region and the pollution impacts from oil extraction. This was conducted through the political ecology of voice theoretical framework which can act as a bridge between the fields of environmental justice and political ecology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight relevant non-governmental organisations and four community-based organisations operating in Loreto, alongside testimony from other stakeholders. Results show that sense of justice synergies can occur between non-state actors and local communities, achieved through inclusive participatory mechanisms and equitable partnerships. This synergy enables local struggles to be made visible to the wider world as well as heard, evidenced through the grievances being addressed by the state and resource extraction industries. Nevertheless, how transformative these partnerships are is variable, with procedural legal justice offering the most beneficial way for community-based organisations and non-governmental organisations to support local justice struggles. Moreover, to be truly a transformative process, there is a need for these legal justice partnerships to challenge the deeper structural injustice of misrecognition so that human rights, alternative livelihoods and developmental futures are recognised and safeguarded.
Relationships among Inorganic Arsenic, Nutritional Status CpG Methylation and microRNAs: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Venkatratnam Abhishek , Marable Carmen A , Keshava Arjun M , Fry Rebecca C
Published: February 2021

Inorganic arsenic is a naturally occurring toxicant that poses a significant and persistent challenge to public health. The World Health Organization has identified many geographical regions where inorganic arsenic levels exceed safe limits in drinking water. Numerous epidemiological studies have associated exposure to inorganic arsenic with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. Randomized clinical trials have shown that nutritional supplementation can mitigate or reduce exacerbation of exposure-related effects. Although a growing body of evidence suggests that epigenetic status influences toxicity, the relationships among environmental exposure to arsenic, nutrition, and the epigenome are not well detailed. This review provides a comprehensive summary of findings from human, rodent, and in vitro studies highlighting these interactive relationships.
Foreign Accent Syndrome: A Rare Sequelae after Orthognathic Surgery
Authors: Chen Kevin , Tyrell Rich , Lee Justine , Kawamoto Henry , Bradley James P.
Published: February 2021

Background: Foreign accent syndrome is a rare speech disorder in which patients develop a sudden change in accent (eg, from American English to British accent) secondary to neurogenic, psychogenic, structural, or mixed causes. Orthognathic surgery may produce alterations in speech in select patients. Until now, foreign accent syndrome has not been noted after orthognathic surgery. Methods: A retrospective study of patients who underwent orthognathic surgery and developed foreign accent syndrome was conducted to document surgical details, postoperative course, speech evaluations, perioperative imaging and follow-up outcome (n = 5). Results: Patients who developed FAS after orthognathic procedures had an age range of 19 to 42 years and changed speech from American English to a British accent almost immediately in the postoperative period. There were no perioperative complications. Speech therapy revealed similar speech patterns and articulation changes. Patients found speech therapy helpful and all but 1 patient had resolution of their FAS speech within 2 years. Conclusion: Foreign Accent Syndrome is very rare but may result after orthognathic surgery when presumably a minor neurologic insult from temporary brain ischemia occurs during surgery. However, this phenomenon typically resolves and speech therapy may be helpful.
Broadening Bandwidths of Few-Layer Absorbers by Superimposing Two High-Loss Resonators
Authors: Wu Dong , Chen Jianjun
Published: February 2021

Efficient broadband absorption of solar radiation is desired for sea water desalination, icephobicity and other renewable energy applications. We propose an idea of superimposing two high-loss resonances to broaden bandwidths of a few-layer absorber, which is made of dielectric/ metal/dielectric/ metal layers. Both the simulation and experiment show that the structure has an averaged absorption efficiency higher than 97% at wavelengths ranging from 350 to 1200 nm. The bandwidth of the absorption larger than 90% is up to 1000 nm (410–1410 nm), which is greater than that (≤ 750 nm) of previous MIM planar absorbers. Especially, the average absorption from 350 to 1000 nm is kept above 90% at an incidence angle as high as 65°, meanwhile still maintained above 80% even at an incident angle of 75°. The performance of angular insensitivity is much better than that of previous few-layer solar absorbers. The flexible 1D nonoble metasurface absorbers are fabricated in a single evaporation step. Under the illumination of a halogen lamp of P = 1.2 kW/m2, the flexible metasurface increases its surface temperature by 25.1 K from room temperature. Further experiments demonstrate that the heat localization rapidly melts the accumulated ice. Our illumination intensity (P = 1.2 kW/m2) is only half of that (P = 2.4 kW/m2) in previous solar anti-ice studies based on gold/TiO2 particle metasurfaces, indicating that our metasurface is more advantageous topractical applications. Our results illustrate an effective pathway toward the broadband metasurface absorbers with the attractive properties of mechanical flexibility, low cost of the no-noble metals, and large-area fabrications, which have promising prospects in the applications of solar heat utilization.