bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum proteomic analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens for discriminating active tuberculosis from latent infection
Authors: Peng Zhangli , Chen Ling , Zhang Hong
Published: March 2020

Objective

Serum proteomic analysis of tuberculosis (TB) antigens to identify biomarkers enabling discrimination of active TB (ATB) from latent TB infection (LTBI).

Methods

Serum samples from patients with ATB, individuals with LTBI and healthy controls (HCs) were used to probe proteome microarrays. Based on signal intensities of IgG and IgM antibodies, 100 TB proteins were selected for fabrication of mini-protein microarrays, which were then used to screen 204 serum samples.

Results

Proteome microarray analyses showed that 58 IgG or IgM specific antibodies were significantly more abundant in ATB patients than in individuals with LTBI or HCs. Serological evaluation of mini-protein microarrays demonstrated that average levels of 15 specific antibodies were higher in ATB patients than in individuals with LTBI or HCs. This combination of 15 TB serum biomarkers had a sensitivity of 85.4% and specificity of 90.3% in discriminating ATB from LTBI.

Conclusion

Combinations of serum biomarkers can offer improved diagnostic performance in discriminating ATB from LTBI. Five biomarkers (MT1560.1, Rv0049, Rv0270, Rv1597 and Rv3480c) associated with ATB induced stronger IgM responses in these patients.
Prophylactic application of Bakri balloon tamponade versus uterine gauze packing during cesarean section in patients with placenta previa
Authors: Lin Baohua , Zhou Bei , Chen Juanhua , Yang Jinying
Published: March 2020

Objective

This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of routine Bakri balloon tamponade (BBT) and uterine gauze packing (UGP) during cesarean section in patients with placenta previa.

Methods

This study involved women with placenta previa who underwent cesarean section with either prophylactic BBT (n = 98) or UGP (n = 64) from January 2016 to December 2018. The clinical variables and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups.

Results

The estimated intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the BBT than UGP group (667 ± 358 vs. 791 ± 360 ml, respectively). Additionally, the proportion of patients who required transfusion was significantly lower in the BBT than UGP group (9/98 vs. 17/64, respectively). The operative duration (97.8 ± 17.7 vs. 108.2 ± 16.9 minutes) and the length of stay (3.79 ± 0.89 vs. 4.12 ± 0.85 days) were significantly shorter in the BBT than UGP group.

Conclusions

In patients with placenta previa who undergo cesarean section, preventive application of BBT is superior to UGP for decreasing the intraoperative blood loss and transfusion rate. BBT is a more reliable technique to prevent and control postpartum hemorrhage.
Association of body mass index and fasting plasma glucose concentration with post-transplantation diabetes mellitus in Chinese heart transplant recipients
Authors: Zhao Tian , Zhao Yinan , Zong Ailun , Tang Yadi , Shi Xiaopeng , Zhou Yingsheng
Published: March 2020

Objective

Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a frequent complication after heart transplantation. We investigated the specific predictors of PTDM in Chinese heart transplant recipients and the prognostic value of these predictors.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 122 adult patients who underwent heart transplantation. Comparisons were made between patients with PTDM (n = 44) and those without PTDM (n = 78).

Results

During the median follow-up of 44 months, the cumulative incidence of PTDM was 19.7% at 1 year after transplantation and 36.1% at the endpoint. PTDM was associated with a significantly higher preoperative body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.349), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration (OR = 2.538), and serum uric acid concentration (OR = 1.005) after transplantation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.708 and 0.763 for the BMI and FPG concentration, respectively. The incidence of acute rejection and infection were higher and the all-cause mortality rate was considerably greater in patients with than without PTDM.

Conclusions

A higher preoperative BMI (>23 kg/m2), FPG concentration (>5.2 mmol/L), and uric acid concentration could potentially predict PTDM in Chinese heart transplant recipients. PTDM influences long-term survival after heart transplantation.
Pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy presented as gastric signet ring cell carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Cui Ning , Wang Lijun , Zhao Jingming
Published: March 2020

Pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rare complication of cancer characterized by widespread tumour cell emboli in small arteries and arterioles of the lung and often accompanied by microthrombi. We report a case of PTTM in a young Chinese woman that presented as gastric signet ring cell carcinoma. Although rare, PTTM should be considered in cancer patients with a rapidly progressing dyspnoea, chest computed tomography (CT) scan suggestive of pulmonary hypertension and diffuse pulmonary interstitial infiltration.
What Is the Role of Civil Society in Multisectoral Nutrition Governance Systems? A Multicountry Review
Authors: Busse Heidi , Covic Namukolo , Aakesson Ashley , Jogo Wellington
Published: March 2020

Background:

Solutions to create enabling nutrition environments must come from within communities and involve multiple sectors. As vital actors in community mobilization, rights-based advocacy, and accountable public institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs) can help ensure nutrition programs and policies represent and reach all community members to achieve impact.

Objectives:

To review attributes of civic engagement in multisectoral nutrition governance systems and to provide recommendations to increase CSO participation.

Methods:

We reviewed 7 national case studies of Civil Society Networks involved with the Scaling Up Nutrition movement and characterized 6 functional attributes of CSOs in multisectoral nutrition governance: identify needs of all community members, mobilize and build civic capacity, advocate for political commitments, inform program design and evaluation, ensure accountability mechanisms in public institutions, and report challenges and successes using broad media campaigns.

Results:

All studies described government agencies involved with multisectoral nutrition governance systems, at national and subnational levels; however, there was limited evidence of subnational platforms for CSO engagement. Although countries increased investments in public institutions for nutrition, it was unclear whether nutrition service quality improved and none reported corresponding investments in civil society.

Conclusion:

Our characterization identifies strategies to engage CSOs in multisectoral nutrition governance at multiple ecological levels. We hope future adaptation and application of this characterization will increase community ownership and diverse representation in nutrition governance systems. Both of these are key to enabling national and international entities to address malnutrition’s underlying determinants in ways that align with local contexts, values, and systems change processes.
Eye Lens Dosimetry in Interventional Radiology: Assessment With Dedicated Hp(3) Dosimeters
Authors: Merrachi Nassim-Albert , Bouchard-Bellavance Roxanne , Perreault Pierre , Gilbert Patrick , Soulez Gilles , Bouchard Louis , Oliva Vincent L. , Giroux Marie-France , Normandeau Lysanne , Therasse Eric
Published: March 2020

Purpose:

To quantify eye lens dose in interventional radiology and assess whether neck dosimeter is a good surrogate to evaluate eye lens dosimetry.

Methods:

Radiation exposure was prospectively measured in 9 interventional radiologists between May and October 2017. Standard Hp(0,07) thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were worn at the neck outside the lead apron, and 2 dedicated eye lens Hp(3) TLDs were placed just above the eyes, one midline and another at the outer edge of the left eye. Correlations between eye lens and neck TLD doses were assessed with Pearson coefficient, and linear regression was used to predict eye lens dose from neck TLD values.

Results:

Eye lens dose without eye protection was 0.18 ± 0.11 (mean ± standard deviation; 0.08-0.41) mSv per workday and 35.3 ± 6.6 mSv (16.3-82.9) annually (200 workdays/year). Five (56%) radiologists exceeded the 20 mSv annual eye lens dose limit. Eye lens doses from left and central TLDs were 12.46 ± 3.02 and 9.29 ± 3.38 mSv, respectively ( P = .027). Mean eye lens (left and central) and neck TLD doses were 10.87 ± 2.67 and 16.56 ± 5.67 mSv, respectively ( P = .008). Pearson correlation coefficient between both eye lens TLD and between mean eye lens TLD and neck TLD doses were 0.91 and 0.92, respectively. Average of eye lens dose was 0.0179 + (0.5971 × neck dose).

Conclusion:

Full-time interventional radiologists are likely to suffer from deterministic radiation effects to the eye lens, especially on the left side. Neck TLD significantly overestimates eye lens dose. However, eye lens doses are highly correlated with neck doses and may be predicted from the neck TLD values.
Eosinophilic peritonitis induced by sucroferric oxyhydroxide
Authors: Minato Saori , Miyazawa Haruhisa , Kitano Taisuke , Shindo Mitsutoshi , Ito Kiyonori , Ueda Yuichiro , Hirai Keiji , Hoshino Taro , Ookawara Susumu , Morishita Yoshiyuki
Published: March 2020

A 49-year-old woman developed eosinophilic peritonitis 2 months after starting continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis because of congenital right kidney hypoplasia and chronic glomerulonephritis. This was shown to have been induced by sucroferric oxyhydroxide, an iron-based phosphate binder, using a drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test. Her eosinophilic peritonitis was improved after stopping the administration of sucroferric oxyhydroxide without providing any immunosuppressive agents.
Motion similarity comprehensive evaluation of humanoid robot arm based on dynamic comprehensive evaluation method
Authors: Li Liming , Zhao Jing , Yan Chaojie
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this paper is to propose a suitable comprehensive evaluation method for motion similarity comprehensive evaluation of humanoid robot. Different humanoid robot operation tasks with different complexity degree were selected. The indexes of humanoid robot arm motion were used in the fields of robotics and ergonomics. A static comprehensive evaluation model was established based on the projection pursuit evaluation method. However, the static evaluation model is only suitable for single time point evaluation without the time dimension. A dynamic comprehensive evaluation method, based on the projection pursuit evaluation method with information entropy and time degrees, was proposed by linearly weighting the index weight of the static model at each time point according to the timing-weighted vectors. The comparison between the motion similarity comprehensive evaluation results obtained from the static and the dynamic comprehensive evaluation models demonstrated that the similarity in motion based on the dynamic comprehensive evaluation model is higher. The comparison of the reliability, similarity, and dispersion between the static and the dynamic comprehensive evaluation models showed that the dynamic comprehensive evaluation result had better accuracy, stability, and lower dispersion, and the result was more reasonable and credible. Therefore, the dynamic comprehensive evaluation method proposed in this paper is more suitable for the motion similarity comprehensive evaluation of humanoid robot arm.
Grinding Marks in Back Grinding of Wafer with Outer Rim
Authors: Zhu Xianglong , Li Yu , Dong Zhigang , Kang Renke , Gao Shang , Li Liansheng
Published: March 2020

Back Grinding of Wafer with Outer Rim (BGWOR) is a new method for carrier-less thinning of silicon wafers. In this paper, the simulation model of grinding marks of wafer in BGWOR was developed. With the model, the relationship between process parameters, including wheel rotational speed, wafer rotational speed, wheel infeed rate, spark out time and the protruding height of the abrasive grains in the grinding wheel, and grinding marks was discussed. Reasonable grinding parameters to control the grinding marks were also proposed. The model was verified by the experiments of BGWOR. The results showed that: (1) The pattern of the grinding marks of the wafers in BGWOR was depended on the grinding wheel rotational speed, the wafer rotational speed, the wheel infeed rate, the spark out time and the protruding height of the abrasive grains on the grinding wheel; (2) The angle between two adjacent grinding marks changes as the variation of the wheel rotational speed and wafer rotational speed; (3) The grinding marks density can be controlled by selecting the proper ratio of wheel speed to wafer speed. The depth of grinding marks can be reduced by increasing the spark out time and reducing the protruding height of the abrasive grains.
Design and analysis of a hydraulic drive downhole traction in-pipe robot based on flexible support structure
Authors: Shang Jianzhong , Fang Delei , Luo Zirong , Wang Rong , Li Xin , Yang Junhong
Published: March 2020

For the strict requirement of convey tools in horizontal well operation, this paper proposes a hydraulic drive downhole traction in-pipe robot based on the flexible support structure, which has the characteristics of compact structure, large traction force, and high reliability. Based on the design of mechanical structure, the motion principle of the robot continuous propulsion is analyzed. Analysis of mechanical characteristics of the flexible support structure is obtained. Hydraulic system including some key hydraulic components are designed and analyzed. Control strategy of purely hydraulic drive mode is researched. Simulation analysis and experimental platform are all accomplished to prove feasibility of purely hydraulic drive mode, and some parameters that affect the robot performance are discussed. Results show that the novel in-pipe robot has a total length of 3.4 m and can adapt to borehole diameter of 155–218 mm. When load is 15 kN, robot motion speed reaches 0.12 m/s. What is more, this novel traction robot does not require an electric power source and has great advantages in safety and reliability, which shows considerable potential for the downhole operation.
Clustering with varying risks of false assignments in discrete latent variable model
Authors: Lee Donghwan , Choi Dongseok , Lee Youngjo
Published: March 2020

In clustering problems, to model the intrinsic structure of unlabeled data, the latent variable models are frequently used. These model-based clustering methods often provide a clustering rule minimizing the total false assignment error. However, in many clustering applications, it is desirable to treat false assignment errors for a certain cluster differently. In this paper, we introduce the false assignment rate for clustering and estimate it by using the extended likelihood approach. We propose VRclust, a novel clustering rule that controls various errors differently across clusters. Real data examples illustrate the usage of estimation of false assignment rate and a simulation study shows that error controls are consistent as the sample size increases.
Henry Hurry Goodeve (1807–1884), the first professor of Anatomy in India
Authors: Whitfield Michael J
Published: March 2020

Henry Goodeve was appointed assistant surgeon to the Bengal Principality of the East India Company in 1831 and in 1835 was appointed assistant to Dr MJ Bramley, who was the newly appointed Superintendent of the Calcutta Medical School. Later that year, Goodeve was appointed Professor of Medicine and Anatomy and in 1845 accompanied four Indian students to London where they underwent further training at University College. Returning to Calcutta two years later, he was appointed Professor of Midwifery and retired in 1853, returning to England. Goodeve was appointed Senior Physician to the Rentkioi Hospital at the end of the Crimean war in 1855. After this he spent the rest of his life in Bristol. He built a large mansion and became a magistrate and was on numerous committees. He had many publications including Hints on Children in India that went to 14 editions and was the co-editor of one of the Calcutta Medical Journals.
Student nurses’ ethical views on responses to the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak
Authors: Kam Joseph KM , Chan Eric , Lee Albert , Wei Vivian WI , Kwok Kin On , Lui Dominic , Yuen Robert KN
Published: March 2020

Background

Fifteen years have passed since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong. At that time, there were reports of heroic acts among professionals who cared for these patients, whose bravery and professionalism were highly praised. However, there are concerns about changes in new generation of nursing professionals.

Objective

We aimed to examine the attitude of nursing students, should they be faced with severe acute respiratory syndrome patients during their future work.

Research design

A questionnaire survey was carried out to examine the attitude among final-year nursing students to three ethical areas, namely, duty of care, resource allocation, and collateral damage.

Ethical considerations

This study was carried out in accordance with the requirements and recommendations of the Central Research and Ethics Committee, School of Health Sciences at Caritas Institute of Higher Education.

Findings

Complete responses from 102 subjects were analyzed. The overwhelming majority (96.1%) did not agree to participate in the intubation of severe acute respiratory syndrome patients if protective measures, that is, N95 mask and gown, were not available. If there were insufficient N95 masks for all the medical, nursing, and allied health workers in the hospital (resource allocation), 37.3% felt that the distribution of N95 masks should be by casting lot, while the rest disagreed. When asked about collateral damage, more than three-quarters (77.5%) said that severe acute respiratory syndrome patients should be admitted to intensive care unit. There was sex difference in nursing students’ attitude toward severe acute respiratory syndrome care during pregnancy and influence of age in understanding intensive care unit care for these patients. Interestingly, 94.1% felt that there should be a separate intensive care unit for severe acute respiratory syndrome patients.

Conclusion

As infection control practice and isolation facilities improved over the years, relevant knowledge and nursing ethical issues related to infectious diseases should become part of nursing education and training programs, especially in preparation for outbreaks of infectious diseases or distress.
Elasticities of Gold Demand—An Empirical Analysis Using Cointegration and Error Correction Model
Authors: Immanuvel S. Maria , Lazar D.
Published: March 2020

This article examines the long-run and the short-run elastic relationships between price, income and gold demand. Four major gold consuming countries in the world, such as India, the USA, Europe and Japan, are included in the analysis. The study period is from January 2000 to December 2017. Using the Cointegration and Error Correction model, we found a long-run relationship between gold demand, price and income of the consumers. Price elasticity is negative and income elasticity is positive in the long run. The speed of error correction is slightly higher for India. Indian gold market takes a shorter time to get back to its equilibrium than the other major gold consuming countries. India’s overall gold consumption is relatively lesser reactive to the fluctuations in the world gold price than the other countries. Consumers in India react expeditiously in the short run and their response to the price changes is stable in the long run. More than 70 per cent of India’s gold consumption is unaffected by the price fluctuations. This behaviour eventually increases the wealth in the country. Hence the study suggests that instead of curbing the demand, new financial products may be developed to monetise the gold lying idle in the households. Various gold monetisation schemes already launched by the government should reach especially the rural section, as most of them may not be aware of these schemes. This may tend to bring a considerable amount of gold into the system.

JEL: G14, Q02, Q21
Novel Prognostic Scores Based on Plasma Prothrombin Time and Fibrinogen Levels in Patients With AFP-Negative Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Mao Minjie , Wang Xueping , Song Yiling , Sheng Hui , Han Runkun , Lin Weihong , Dai Shuqin
Published: March 2020

Noninvasive tools for the prognosis of α-fetoprotein negative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed. The present study proposed a prognostic system based on preoperative plasma prothrombin time and fibrinogen (PT/Fbg system). With respect to α-fetoprotein (AFP)-negative HCC, we compared the prognostic value in PT/Fbg system, Glasgow Prognostic Score, and aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase ratio. The present study retrospectively analyzed patient characteristics, clinicopathological factors, and the level of pretreatment biomarkers in 628 patients with HCC. Patients with increased PT and Fbg levels were allocated a score of 2, patients with only one of these abnormalities were assigned score 1, and patients with neither of these abnormalities were allocated a score of 0. The following distributions of the PT/Fbg system scores were observed: 187 (29.78%) patients had a score of 0, 305 (30.65%) had a score of 1, and 134 (22.69%) patients had a preoperative score of 2. The prognostic significance of the PT/Fbg system was determined using univariate and multivariate Cox hazard analyses in AFP-negative HCC. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with a higher PT/Fbg system exhibited worse overall survival (OS) than patients with a lower PT/Fbg system. Our study proposes preoperative evaluation of the plasma PT/Fbg system to predict the OS of patients with AFP-negative HCC.
Priority research directions for in situ data management: Enabling scientific discovery from diverse data sources
Authors: Peterka Tom , Bard Deborah , Bennett Janine C , Bethel E Wes , Oldfield Ron A , Pouchard Line , Sweeney Christine , Wolf Matthew
Published: March 2020

In January 2019, the US Department of Energy, Office of Science program in Advanced Scientific Computing Research, convened a workshop to identify priority research directions (PRDs) for in situ data management (ISDM). A fundamental finding of this workshop is that the methodologies used to manage data among a variety of tasks in situ can be used to facilitate scientific discovery from many different data sources—simulation, experiment, and sensors, for example—and that being able to do so at numerous computing scales will benefit real-time decision-making, design optimization, and data-driven scientific discovery. This article describes six PRDs identified by the workshop, which highlight the components and capabilities needed for ISDM to be successful for a wide variety of applications—making ISDM capabilities more pervasive, controllable, composable, and transparent, with a focus on greater coordination with the software stack and a diversity of fundamentally new data algorithms.
Caregiving and bereavement in palliative care: A cross-cultural study between Brazil and Portugal
Authors: Delalibera Mayra , Coelho Alexandra , Frade Pedro , Barbosa António , Leal Isabel
Published: March 2020

Caregiving and bereavement outcomes are strongly influenced by socio-cultural context. Past research has found higher levels of caregiver burden and psychological morbidity in Portuguese compared to Brazilian caregivers. This study compared Brazilian and Portuguese family caregivers in palliative care to identify differences in psychological morbidity and caregiver burden and their relationship with psychosocial factors such as sociodemographic variables, circumstances of end-of-life care and dying, social support, family functioning, and perception of quality of care. Prospective data were collected from convenience samples of family caregivers in Brazil (T0 n = 60; T1 n = 35) and Portugal (T0 n = 75; T1 n = 29) at two separate time points—during caregiving (T0), and during the first two months of bereavement (T1). The study samples consisted mostly of women, offspring, and spouses. In both countries, family caregivers devoted most of their day to taking care of their sick relatives and reported a lack of practical support. Portuguese caregivers had higher levels of burden than Brazilian caregivers, and in both populations a greater burden was associated with more psychopathological symptoms. Higher caregiver burden among Portuguese caregivers was associated with the circumstances of death and the perceived lack of emotional support. Among Portuguese caregivers, symptomatology persisted during bereavement, reaching significantly higher levels of anxiety, somatization, and peritraumatic symptoms compared to the Brazilian sample. These results show differences between family caregiver samples in Portugal and Brazil during the bereavement process. Understanding the underlying cultural patterns and mechanisms requires future research.
Contribution of colour-zoning differentiation to multidimensional spatial knowledge acquisition in symmetrical hospital wards
Authors: Min Young Hee , Ha Mikyoung
Published: March 2020

Symmetrical hospital buildings often use a colour-zoning differentiation strategy to vary the repetition and monotony of their architectural structures. However, there is scarce scientific evidence or systematized research regarding the cognitive effects of interior colour schemes applied to the entire building. The present study investigated the effect of colour schemes combined with geometric plan configurations on multidimensional spatial knowledge acquisition. In total, 192 participants navigated 12 virtual environments – combinations of three distinct geometric plans and four colour schemes of varying contrasts and hues. Generalised linear models were used to predict the effects of environmental factors (plan configurations and colour schemes) and individual factors (age, gender, sense of direction and gaming experience). The results indicated that the colour scheme significantly contributed only to landmark and route knowledge, and acquiring survey knowledge was only significantly affected by plan configuration. Women were more significantly influenced by environmental factors and men by individual factors, regardless of varied environmental attributes.
Deliberate corrosive substance attacks – A systematic review
Authors: Moffatt S , Rhimes P
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Deliberate corrosive substance attacks (DCSA) have traditionally been associated with low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). However, the incidence of DCSA in certain geographical locations of the UK has increased in recent years. These attacks have a relatively low mortality rate but cause extensive life-changing injuries and the management from point of wounding to definitive care is challenging for all involved.

Methods

A systematic review was used to identify literature about DCSA and establish how much evidence about these attacks has been published over the last decade. Victim and perpetrator characteristics, substances used, injury patterns, mortality, pre-hospital and hospital-based management and complications associated with management were areas of interest. The review included any medical literature (case reports, letters, reviews) published within the last 10 years that described DCSA against human victims. Non-English language articles were excluded.

Results

Eighteen articles containing 762 victims of DCSA were included; seven victims had incomplete data. Articles were mostly from LMIC (Bangladesh, Columbia, Cambodia, India, Iran, Sri Lanka and Pakistan) but there were five articles were from the UK (three ‘Letters to Editors’, one survivor letter and one retrospective review of 21 victims). UK victim and perpetrator characteristics varied from those in LMIC. Seven papers described pre-hospital management and nine described hospital/surgical management.

Conclusions

The evidence base surrounding DCSA is limited especially in the UK setting. More research into the epidemiology and management of DCSA in the UK is warranted.
Examining healthcare institutions by bringing qualitative data from two eras into empirical dialogue
Authors: Everitt Judson G , Johnson James M , Burr William H , Shanower Stephanie H
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we argue that there is new insight to be gained by reexamining the classic text, Boys in White, in strategic ways. Specifically, we share excerpts from Boys in White with current medical students and ask for their reactions in qualitative interviews, examining the relevance (or lack thereof) of earlier meanings about professional training for current processes of professional training. We show how we have employed this technique in our current project revisiting Boys in White with current medical students, and discuss preliminary findings that reveal the potential of this technique for documenting evidence of macro-level forces in healthcare institutions using qualitative data on new doctors. We conclude with discussion of alternative approaches through which scholars could make use of this technique in future professional socialization scholarship that could shed light on dynamics of institutional persistence and change.
Underlying motivating factors for movie-induced tourism among Emiratis and Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Michael Noela , Balasubramanian Sreejith , Michael Ian , Fotiadis Anestis
Published: March 2020

This study explores the underlying motivating factors of Emiratis and Indian expatriates to visit destinations featured in movies. The results revealed a five-factor structure for Indians: novelty, fantasy-driven, personal connection, prestige and movie connection, vis-à-vis a three-factor structure for Emiratis: novelty, fantasy-driven and personal connection with the movie location. An analyses of variance analysis (ANOVA) showed significant differences in the individual mean scores of items, with the exception of novelty. Regarding gender, while no significant differences were found between the male and female Indian expatriate populations across all factors and underlying items, differences for some items were observed between male and female Emiratis, with male participants demonstrating higher motivation than female participants. These findings support the notion that the underlying factors influencing movie-induced tourism differ between cultures, while the influence of gender was found to be limited. Overall, the study enhances the understanding of practitioners and policymakers tasked with attracting tourists to movie destinations.
‘Just because the mind is confused it doesn’t mean the spirit is confused’: Exploring the role of Anglican clergy in ministry to persons with dementia
Authors: Friedrich Robert , Woods Bob , Williams Sion
Published: March 2020

Objectives

Churches and faith groups have an important role to play in the development of dementia-friendly communities; their support of spirituality of people with dementia and their care-givers adds an important dimension, interwoven with concepts of personhood and identity. Priests have a central role here, but little is known of their experiences of ministering to people with dementia and their families, of the challenges they may encounter, or of their perspective on dementia.

Method

Using a collective case-study approach, 10 Church in Wales priests took part in an in-depth qualitative interview regarding their ministry with people with dementia. Initial thematic analysis was used as a basis for an in-depth analysis of the positions adopted by clergy in relation to dementia and those experiencing it, as well as to their roles in the wider church.

Results

Clergy described discovering ways of working with people with dementia, learning ‘on the job’, and, for example, finding familiar symbols and music helpful. They found themselves being an intermediary, between people with dementia and God, but also within families and other care settings, such as care homes. Promoting spirituality within personhood was a fundamental aspect of their role, but was also reflected both in fears of dementia and in identifying redeeming aspects of dementia. They described an absence of preparedness, training and peer support for this ministry. The emerging model of Dementia ministry reflected the dynamic interplay of positions adopted by clergy, with an interface between the professional and the personal at its centre.

Conclusion

The study indicates the need for increased support for clergy in taking forward dementia friendly churches and highlights their role in ensuring that the spiritual life of people with dementia can be maintained and supported.
Expanding the methodological repertoire of participatory research into homelessness: The utility of the mobile phone diary
Authors: Karadzhov Dimitar
Published: March 2020

Participatory research methodologies have expanded the opportunities for critical, emancipatory and democratic health and social work research. However, their practical application in research with vulnerable participants has historically been challenging due to ethical, practical and theoretical concerns. Individuals who are homeless are typically seen as ‘hard-to-reach’, transient, ‘hidden’ and even chaotic participant populations. Unsurprisingly, examples of the use of innovative participatory research techniques with those groups have been relatively scarce. This paper aimed to address this gap by discussing the application of one such technique – the mobile phone diary in research with multiply disadvantaged homeless adults. Diary methods are situated within the qualitative research on health, illness and social marginality, and the enhanced capabilities of the mobile phone diary are highlighted. The author illustrates the application of the mobile phone diary in his participatory research on the everyday life narratives of adults with serious mental illness (SMI) who were homeless. The process of designing the mobile phone diary is detailed. Following this, participant testimonies of their use of the mobile phone diary are presented. They demonstrate the participatory and inclusive nature, as well as the cathartic and empowering potential, of this technique. The methodological contributions and challenges and the theoretical generativity of the mobile phone diary method are discussed. The mobile phone diary is a feasible approach for eliciting evocative, contextualised and nuanced accounts of the lived experience of homelessness, social isolation, coping and recovery.
Hypoxia Activates SOX5/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling by Suppressing MiR-338-3p in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Zheng Jing-jing , Que Qiao-yan , Xu Hong-tao , Luo de-sheng , Sun Zheng , Ni Jun-sheng , Que Hai-feng , Ma Ji , Wu Dan , Shi Hua
Published: March 2020

MicroRNAs are known to be important in a variety of cancer types. The specific expression and roles of miR-338-3p in the context of gastric cancer, however, remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that miR-338-3p was expressed significantly lower in established/primary human gastric cancer cells than that in human gastric epithelial cells; miR-338-3p is also decreased in human gastric cancer tissues and was positively associated with the worse prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Enforced expression of miR-338-3p could inhibit cell growth, survival, and proliferation, while inducing cell apoptosis. In addition, miR-338-3p negatively regulated SOX5 expression through directly binding to the 3′-untranslated region of SOX5, and an inverse correlation was found between miR-338-3p and SOX5 messenger RNA expression in gastric cancer tissues. Furthermore, miR-338-3p-induced inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling was greatly abrogated by SOX5 upregulation. Finally, we found that hypoxic conditions were linked with reduced miR-338-3p expression in the context of gastric cancer. In conclusion, miR-338-3p acts as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer, possibly by directly targeting SOX5 and blocking Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings might provide novel therapeutic targets for gastric cancer.
Impact of high blood pressure variability on the occurrence of acute type B aortic dissection
Authors: Song Chao , Yu Guanyu , Feng Xiang , Feng Rui , Bao Junmin , Zhao Zhiqing , Pei Yifei , Jing Zaiping , Lu Qingsheng
Published: March 2020

Background

Acute type B aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical emergency, and hypertension is believed to be an important predictor of aortic dissection; the impact of blood pressure variability on the onset and development of aortic dissection has attracted increasing attention.

Methods

A total of 120 acute type B aortic dissection patients and 57 hypertensive patients without aortic dissection were consecutively enrolled and retrospectively reviewed between January 2013 and November 2015. There were 60 acute type B aortic dissection patients in both high and low blood pressure variability groups.

Results

Blood pressure variability showed higher diagnostic value than hypertension in aortic dissection, and the best threshold of blood pressure variability is 5.71 mmHg. By performing multivariable logistic regression, we found that the history of hypertension was likely to be a risk factor of blood pressure variability (95% CI: 1.155–6.422, P = 0.022). Nine patients from high blood pressure variability group and two from low blood pressure variability group ( χ2 = 4.90, P = 0.027) received emergency surgery within 24 hours after admission. The presence of multiple tears (>2, 55.0% vs. 45.0%, P = 0.001), configuration of the false lumen (spiral false lumen) (50.0% vs. 21.7%, P = 0.001), the diameter of the false lumen (49.6 ± 15.0 mm vs. 37.6 ± 10.8 mm, P < 0.001), the false/true lumen ratio (1.53 ± 1.02 vs. 0.929 ± 0.733, P < 0.001), and the number of visceral arteries involved (1.75 ± 0.942 vs. 0.800 ± 0.927, P < 0.001) showed significant differences between high and low blood pressure variability groups. Nine (30%) patients from the high blood pressure variability group showed a maximum diameter of false lumen over 60 mm, while none was found in the low blood pressure variability group.

Conclusions

High blood pressure variability, the presence of multiple tears (>2), the configuration of false lumen, the diameter of the false lumen, false/true lumen ratio, and the number of visceral arteries involved were independent risk factors for acute type B aortic dissection.
Diagnosis and management of headaches in adults
Authors: Grewal Tajvinder Kaur , Baheerathan Aravindhan
Published: March 2020

Migraine and other severe recurrent headache disorders are highly prevalent disabling conditions, and are a common reason for presentation to primary care. Headaches can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life, resulting in huge costs to healthcare and the economy. This highlights the importance of being able to assess, diagnose and manage this symptom appropriately within the time constraints of a 10-minute consultation. This article will focus on an approach to the assessment of patients presenting with headache and a framework for managing the headache disorders commonly encountered in primary care.
An Analysis of Communities’ Attitudes Toward Wildlife and Implications for Wildlife Sustainability
Authors: Mogomotsi Patricia Kefilwe , Mogomotsi Goemeone E. J. , Dipogiso Keaoleboga , Phonchi-Tshekiso Nametso D. , Stone Lesego S. , Badimo Dandy
Published: March 2020

Negative human–wildlife interactions do not only have adverse effects on rural livelihoods but also lead to negative attitudes toward wildlife conservation. This research uses primary data collected from 221 randomly selected households in the Okavango Delta to analyze their perceptions on poaching and community involvement in anti-poaching activities. The results reveal that the majority of the respondents acknowledge the existence of poaching within their communities. Close to 50% of the respondents noted that they poach for subsistence purposes. There is a generally low participation rate in anti-poaching efforts in the study area. The study concludes that the negative attitudes of communities toward wildlife and wildlife conservation threaten wildlife sustainability in the Okavango Delta. There is a need to strike an intricate balance between wildlife conservation and improving communities’ welfare and tolerance to wildlife through designing effective institutions that are aligned to local realities.
Neo-extractivism, the Bolivian state, and indigenous peasant women’s struggles for water in the Altiplano
Authors: Rodriguez Fernandez Gisela V.
Published: March 2020

In pursuing progress and economic growth, the Bolivian state led by President Evo Morales replicated the colonial division of labor through a development model known as neo-extractivism. Rooted tensions between indigenous communities and the state emerged due to the latter’s zealous economic bond with the extractivist sector. While the political economy of neo-extractivism has been considerably studied, how such tensions affect socio-political relations at the intersections of class, race, and gender remains underexplored and undertheorized. To address this research gap, this qualitative study posed the following research questions: How does neo-extractivism create gendered forms of accumulation by dispossession? And what forms of resistance emerge to challenge the impact of neo-extractivism among indigenous communities? By analyzing processes of social reproduction in Oruro, Bolivia, this study shows that neo-extractivism leads to the dispossession of indigenous lands and indigenous ways of life mainly through the contamination of water. Because indigenous peasant women are subsistence producers and social reproducers whose activities are water centric, the dispossession of water has a direr and gendered effect on them. Indigenous women and their communities, however, are not idle. Resistances against neo-extractivism have emerged. In parallel, the daily responsibilities of social reproduction within the context of subsistence agriculture, which are embedded in Andean epistemes of reciprocity, have allowed indigenous peasant women to build solidarity networks that keep the social fabric within and between communities alive. These solidarity networks provide important socio-political resources that are sites of everyday resistances that represent an ongoing threat and an alternative to capitalist, colonial, and patriarchal mandates.
Fried eggs and all-women gangs: the geopolitics of Chinese gold mining in Ghana, bodily vulnerability, and resistance
Authors: Hausermann Heidi , Adomako Janet , Robles Maya
Published: March 2020

Between 2008 and 2016, more than 50,000 Chinese citizens migrated to Ghana to mine gold on small-scale concessions. This is particularly surprising given that small-scale mining is an activity reserved for Ghanaian citizens. Foreign gold mining is mediated by various intersecting political economic and geopolitical shifts, including unprecedented gold demand, economic crisis, and informal conditions to Chinese loans. Based on long-term, mixed-methods fieldwork, and drawing from feminist geopolitics research, we argue Ghana’s recent gold rush portends gendered implications for bodies in rural areas. We center our discussion on bodies to demonstrate the ways extractive practices increase vulnerability among women and children, including teen pregnancy and mercury exposure. Yet, women also contest foreign mining and its myriad implications (e.g., refusing to sell land and entering sites while menstruating despite being “forbidden” to do so). A feminist geopolitics perspective allows the tracing of specific political economic processes (Chinese monetary policies, informal loan conditions) to other sites (Pokukrom, the pregnant teen), thereby enabling a clearer understanding of how supportive interventions might occur.
Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion for Thoracic and Thoracolumbar Disease: The Diaphragm Dilemma
Authors: Von Glinski Alexander , Elia Christopher J. , Takayanagi Ariel , Yilmaz Emre , Ishak Basem , Dettori Joe , Schell Benjamin A. , Hayman Erik , Pierre Clifford , Chapman Jens R. , J.Oskouian Rod
Published: March 2020

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective:

Complication profiles for lateral approaches to the spine are well established. However, the influence of level of surgery on complication rates and subtypes are less well established. To determine risk factors for complications as determined by level and surgery type in patients undergoing a lateral (retroperitoneal or retropleural approach) to the thoracolumbar spine.

Methods:

All adult patients undergoing a lateral thoracolumbar fusion with or without posterior instrumentation performed at a single institution were identified. Primary outcomes assessed were presence of complication, complication subtype, and need for reoperation. The primary independent variables were spinal level (thoracic, thoracolumbar, or lumbar) and type of surgery (discectomy or corpectomy). Categorical outcomes were compared using chi-square test. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for corpectomy status were calculated to determine risk of complication by level. P < .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

A total of 165 patients aged 18 to 75 years were identified as having undergone a lateral fusion. Complication rates were 28.6%, 36.4%, and 11% for thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbar lateral approach fusions, respectively. Under univariate analysis, patients undergoing lateral approach in the thoracic spine group had significantly higher rates of postoperative complications than those in the lumbar group ( P = .005). After adjusting for corpectomy status, there was no difference in complication rates.

Conclusions:

Lateral (retroperitoneal or retropleural) approaches to the thoracic and thoracolumbar spine may be used with complication rates comparable to well-established lumbar approaches. Extent of surgery (corpectomy vs discectomy) rather than level of surgery may represent the primary driver of complications.