bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excavation unloading response of cylindrical rock-like specimen with axial joints: laboratory experiment and numerical simulation
Authors: Hou Gongyu , Zhou Yuliang , Zhao Tielin , Tan Jinxing , Zhao Qinru , Huang Jiamin
Published: January 2023

Joints have a significant influence on the deformation and failure mechanism of the surrounding rock. To reveal the influence of axial joint on mechanical response of the roadway surrounding rock after excavation unloading, the deformation and failure characteristics of cylindrical rock-like specimen (CRLS) with an axial joint was studied through laboratory tests and numerical simulation. Also, the influence of joint size and position on strain variation, secondary stress evolution and plastic zone distribution of the CRLS were analyzed. Results show that the axial joint can promote the deformation of the surrounding rock on the inner side of the joint, while hindering the deformation of the surrounding rock of the roadway on the outer side of the joint. In addition, the size and position of the axial joint have a significant influence on the distribution of secondary stress and plastic zone of the surrounding rock. The stress relief zone is mainly located between the joint and the excavation profile, whereas the plastic zone is mainly distributed at both ends of the joint and between the joint and the excavation profile. Finally, the tangential stress concentration can be alleviated by choosing proper distance between the joints and the roadway, and the failure mode of the surrounding rock between the joint and the excavation profile transmitted from tensile failure to shear failure with the axial joint moves away from the roadway. The research results could provide technical reference for roadway support and disaster prevention in a deep jointed rock mass.
Management of Impella device fracture during direct aortic explantation
Authors: Jackson W Landon , Kepford Matthew J , Yamane Shane S , Carabello John F , Boyer Kryston R
Published: January 2023

The utilisation of mechanical circulatory support devices in patients undergoing high-risk coronary artery bypass continues to increase. The Impella is a ventricular assist device commonly used in the setting of post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock. This device can be implanted directly into the ascending aorta during open cardiac surgery. Device fracture is a documented complication of the Impella; however, the management of device fracture during direct explantation from an aortic graft has not yet been described. We report a case of Impella device fracture during its removal from a prosthetic aortic graft and discuss the management of this complication.
High Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Antibody Prevalence After the Third Epidemic Wave (May–October 2021) in Matadi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Munyeku-Bazitama Yannick , Okitale-Talunda Patient , Mpingabo-Ilunga Patrick , Yambayamba Marc K , Tshiminyi Paul M , Umba-Phuati Aimé , Kimfuta Jacques , Phukuta Ferdinand A , Makindu Goethe , Mufwaya-Nsene Raymond , Asari Ryoko , Makimoto Saeda , Baketana Lionel K , Ahuka-Mundeke Steve , Isono Mitsuo , Nsio-Mbeta Justus , Makiala-Mandanda Sheila , Muyembe-Tamfum Jean-Jacques
Published: January 2023

Background

By the end of the third wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic (May–October 2021), only 3130 of the 57 268 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were reported in Kongo Central. This province, and especially its capital city, Matadi, has essential trade and exchanges with Kinshasa, the epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in DRC. Kinshasa accounted for 60.0% of all cases during the same period. The true burden of COVID-19 in Matadi is likely underestimated. In this study, we aimed to determine the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence and associated risk factors after the third wave in Matadi.

Methods

We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in October 2021. Consenting participants were interviewed and tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay commercial kit. We applied univariable and multivariable analysis to evaluate factors associated with seropositivity and adjusted the seroprevalence for the test kit performance.

Results

We included 2210 participants from 489 households. Female participants represented 59.1%. The median age was 27 years (interquartile range, 16–45 years). The crude SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 82.3%. Age was identified as the main risk factor as younger age decreased the seropositivity odds. Accounting for clustering at the household level increased the seroprevalence to 83.2%. The seroprevalence increased further to 88.1% (95% confidence interval, 86.2%–90.1%) after correcting for the laboratory test kit performance.

Conclusions

The SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was very high, contrasting with reported cases. Evidence generated from this population-based survey remains relevant in guiding the local COVID-19 response, especially vaccination strategies.
Comparing Complication Rates of Midline Catheter vs Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Urtecho Meritxell , Torres Roldan Victor D , Nayfeh Tarek , Espinoza Suarez Nataly R , Ranganath Nischal , Sampathkumar Priya , Chopra Vineet , Safdar Nasia , Prokop Larry J , O’Horo John C
Published: January 2023

Background

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and midlines are commonly used devices for reliable vascular access. Infection and thrombosis are the main adverse effects of these catheters. We aimed to evaluate the relative risk of complications from midlines and PICCs.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. The primary outcomes were catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) and thrombosis. Secondary outcomes evaluated included mortality, failure to complete therapy, catheter occlusion, phlebitis, and catheter fracture. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.

Results

Of 8368 citations identified, 20 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 1 RCT and 19 observational studies. Midline use was associated with fewer patients with CRBSI compared with PICCs (odds ratio [OR], 0.24; 95% CI, 0.15–0.38). This association was not observed when we evaluated risk per catheter. No significant association was found between catheters when evaluating risk of localized thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. A subgroup analysis based on location of thrombosis showed higher rates of superficial venous thrombosis in patients using midlines (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.48–3.57). We did not identify any significant difference between midlines and PICCs for the secondary outcomes.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that patients who use midlines might experience fewer CRBSIs than those who use PICCs. However, the use of midline catheters was associated with greater risk of superficial vein thrombosis. These findings can help guide future cost-benefit analyses and direct comparative RCTs to further characterize the efficacy and risks of PICCs vs midline catheters.
Brave new workplace
Authors: Barling Julian
Published: January 2023

The pandemic has created a unique opportunity to reimagine the nature of productive, healthy, and safe work. But what should the future of work look like? Several assumptions guide our understanding of productive, healthy, and safe work. First, such work can be achieved by providing environments in which people can flourish, rather than by trying to make people more resilient so they can withstand destructive workplaces. Second, we need an evidence-based approach to understand what it is that makes work productive, healthy, and safe. Following these assumptions highlights seven, interrelated characteristics, namely high-quality leadership, autonomy, belonging, fairness, growth and development, meaningful work, and safety, which together constitute the key to productive, healthy, and safe work. A final assumption guiding the types of changes that will be needed is that small changes make a big difference to people and organizations.
Belonging
Authors: Barling Julian
Published: January 2023

Maslow initially popularized the idea during World War II that people need to feel a sense of belonging, extending his focus to the workplace some fifteen years later. This chapter emphasizes the benefits for work and well-being from high-quality social relationships and affective commitment—the feeling of pride and sense of belonging in being a member of the organization. The negative effects of thwarted belonging are widespread—whether through poor-quality relationships, ostracism, or calculative commitment—the feeling of being “stuck” in the organization. This chapter considers in depth whether any move toward remote work might compromise the benefits gained from satisfying the need for belonging at work. Finally, we consider research examining why managers think their employees are committed to the organization—whether because managers feel employees want to belong, or have to, and how this affects how managers evaluate and treat their employees.
MCQs for FRCOphth Part 1
Authors: Rufai Sohaib R.
Published: January 2023

This book covers the full range of core subjects tested in the FRCOphth Part 1 examination: optics, anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, genetics, investigations, and miscellaneous (including biostatistics and evidence-based medicine). As well as ophthalmic subjects, this book covers general physiology, general pathology, microbiology, biochemistry, and immunology. It features 450 questions spread evenly across five papers. The subjects are ordered logically and weighted according to recent FRCOphth Part 1 examination reports. Many high-yield topics are covered. This book features helpful images using the latest ophthalmic imaging technology, as well as useful diagrams, tables, acronyms, and mnemonics.
Solutions
Authors: Rufai Sohaib R.
Published: January 2023

This paper covers the full range of core subjects tested in the FRCOphth Part 1 examination: optics, anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, genetics, investigations, and miscellaneous (biostatistics and evidence-based medicine). As well as ophthalmic subjects, this paper covers general physiology, general pathology, microbiology, biochemistry, and immunology. Several high-yield topics are covered. Ray diagrams are provided for spherical lenses (thin convex lens and thin concave lens), the Galilean telescope, prisms, and Goldmann applanation tonometry. An anatomical diagram displays the spiral of Tillaux. The components and foramina of the 12 cranial nerves are summarised in a table. The design of the 6/6 Snellen chart letter ‘E’ is explained in a figure using minutes of arc
General Introduction
Authors: Cappelletti Marco
Published: January 2023

The general introduction discusses the fundamental aspects of the book. First, it explains that the book explores the substantive justifications for the imposition of strict liability and sets out the objectives of this investigation. Secondly, it clarifies the scope of the book, which focuses on tort law in four legal systems, namely England, France, Italy, and the United States. Thirdly, it explains what type of sources the book relies upon to explore the reasoning on strict liability, most notably judicial decisions and academic writings. Fourthly, the general introduction explains that the book adopts a comparative approach and that it combines the ‘jurisprudential’ and the ‘structural’ methods of comparative law. Fifthly, it explains the structure of the book.
Risk
Authors: Cappelletti Marco
Published: January 2023

This section explores the risk-based justifications put forward to explain or support the imposition of strict liability in the four legal systems studied. First, the section identifies five permutations of risk, namely ‘risk creation’, ‘abnormality of risk’, ‘nonreciprocity of risk’, ‘risk–benefit’, and ‘risk–profit’. Secondly, it unravels the patterns of use that characterize each of these permutations in the four legal systems, and it assesses their justificatory significance, paying attention to the contexts of liability in relation to which these arguments are invoked. The section shows that risk represents a widespread and significant argument in legal reasoning seeking to justify the imposition of strict liability in the four legal systems studied. At the same time, though, it shows that each permutation of risk possesses its own conceptual distinctiveness, its own patterns of use, and its significance across the four laws.
Timon of Athens and Scottish Mines
Authors: Borlik Todd Andrew
Published: January 2023

Chapter 2 situates Timon of Athens in the context of a Scottish gold boom to argue that the monarchy’s superficial control over the subterranean world and its minerals perpetuated dubious views of the natural world as a gift economy. Entranced by the glittering promises of mining entrepreneurs like Bevis Bulmer, the king’s faith in chimerical reserves of gold and silver encouraged a fiscal recklessness mirrored in Shakespeare and Middleton’s tragic satire. Timon bears a notable resemblance to Jacobean England’s biggest coal baron, Bulmer, who hosted lavish feasts and engaged in acts of aggressive generosity until he was forced to flee into the wilds of Ireland after his credit collapsed. Assaying the Folio’s rhetorical capitalization of Gold, the chapter argues that Shakespeare imbues the metal with a vitalist power or mettle far more absolute than that of the insolvent king.
Performing The Winter’s Tale in ‘the Open’
Authors: Borlik Todd Andrew
Published: January 2023

The fifth chapter pursues the bear in The Winter’s Tale back to the Arctic to expose the involvement of the Jacobean state and theatre industry in the global fur trade. Whereas theatre historians police boundaries in seeking to determine whether Renaissance drama featured ‘real’ bears, Shakespeare’s romance revels in the indistinction promoted by animal studies. The chapter discovers another important humanimal hybrid in Shakespeare’s representation of Hermione as an ermine, a creature emblematic of the wintery north and queenly chastity. Leontes’s sexual jealousy is symptomatic of an adult male desire to control nature, but the play prescribes an antidote in rural girlhood, idealizing the upbringing of James’s daughter as a feral princess and milkmaid, turning to pastoral romance to model a more benign relationship to the natural world than that exhibited by menageries and Skinners’ pageants, which naturalized royal and mercantile dominion over the icy north and its fur-bearers.
‘Purple Plagues or Crimson War’
Authors: Borlik Todd Andrew
Published: January 2023

Chapter 7 sifts the Jacobean state’s efforts to impose its authority over London, its suburbs, and Irish plantations—efforts which were underwritten by the emergent discipline of demography. It turns out that Shakespeare’s Jacobean plays share the king’s acute anxieties about urban overpopulation in the aftermath of the 1603 plague. The chapter detects proto-Malthusian rhetoric in Measure for Measure’s grim view of human sexuality, implicating the levelling of Overdone’s bawdy houses with legislative crackdowns on urban sprawl and unwanted pregnancies. Population pressures reached a boiling point again after the 1607 dearth but Coriolanus poses tough questions about the state’s attempt to vent them through war or through the colonization of war-ravaged Ulster. Coriolanus reckons with early modern justifications of war as a medicinal blood-letting of the body politic, an opinion trumpeted by anti-Irish hawks at the Stuart court, and responds to the crisis ignited by the rebellion of the Gaelic chieftain Cahir O’Doherty, who turned on his allies and burned down the English settlement at Derry. Shakespeare’s Roman tragedy is also an Irish tragedy. To sketch a fuller picture of the environmental degradation Ulster suffered, however, the chapter turns from Shakespeare to Irish bardic poetry.
Schools of Fiction
Authors: Day Frank Morgan
Published: January 2023

Schools of Fiction argues that the institutionalization of literature drove the expansion and consolidation of the modern school system in the United States after the Civil War. From our historical perspective, the study of literature may seem like a traditional academic endeavor, one that the sciences superseded in the curriculum long ago. The conviction that literature is marginal to the program of modern education has taken hold even (and especially) in English departments, where feelings of crisis have predominated since the founding of the discipline and where literature is more and more often understood as subject to the school’s administrative imperatives. Against this abiding sense of crisis and abjection, Schools of Fiction reveals literature’s profound influence on the development of US educational institutions, an influence derived, paradoxically, from its anti-institutionalism. Since the inception of the modern school, teachers have eagerly taught literary works that disparage formal education—preferring the anti-scholasticism of the American romance tradition to the didacticism of the sentimentalists, for instance, or embracing the novel form whose “very nature,” in Mikhail Bakhtin’s words, is “not canonic.” As an object of classroom study that announces its own imperviousness to pedagogy and pedagoguery, literature has helped dissolve the boundaries dividing formal education from public life. It has embedded non-scholastic experience in the school’s increasingly sophisticated administrative apparatus.
The Interaction of Laws Enabling Gender Equality with Other Legal Regimes
Authors: García Helena Alviar
Published: January 2023

The chapter analyses women’s precarious access to work before and during the Covid-19 crisis. It explores gendered access to work in one of the most important sectors of the Colombian economy: mining. Along with the economic challenges that Colombian women faced before Covid-19, the legal tools available to attack diverse sources of inequality were superficial, lacked sufficient public resources, and demanded very little from the private sector. Therefore, once faced with a crisis of the magnitude of the pandemic, legal instruments remained weak and insufficient. As women’s access to mining jobs illustrates, existing legal and institutional problems invite us to move beyond promises of equality law alone and focus instead on the assignment of public resources, the strength of institutions designed to deploy and distribute those resources across gender lines, and the use of policies targeted towards women in the informal sector.
Politics
Authors: Arterton F. Christopher
Published: January 2023

Democratic politics provides the means for resolving society’s problems relatively peacefully, and certainly with far less violence than the alternatives of anarchy or dictatorship. However, since citizens hold different values, conflict is inevitable. Democratic politics constitutes a struggle—often brutal and bruising—in which participants articulate and advance competing visions of a desired future. Power is essential to achieving purpose in the swirling competition that constitutes civil politics. But the pursuit of power must be balanced by the values inherent in democratic politics. Functioning democratic systems exhibit the characteristic of “pluralism,” a diffusion of power into different channels of influence that offers political managers multiple opportunities to pursue their policy goals effectively. In their plotting for victory, political managers should ensure that their strategies do not weaken the institutions of democratic politics through which power is accumulated and exercised.
Guidelines to Effective Strategy
Authors: Arterton F. Christopher
Published: January 2023

Given the competitive, complex interaction that characterizes politics, readers might well demand a set of rules they should follow to achieve victory. There are, however, no ironclad laws that prescribe strategic judgment because (a) strategy is situational, and (b) following a predetermined set of rules makes one predictable to the opponent and therefore more vulnerable. Instead, this chapter provides guidelines for how to think strategically. In the fluid, reciprocal dynamic of political combat, seize the initiative by changing the situation your opponent confronts, even while avoiding the inevitable tendency to focus exclusively on your actions and not on the likely acts of your opponent. Understand that perceptual realities are just that: realities. They can have real political potency even when they are demonstrably false. A desire for power and victory can overwhelm political managers. Power should be instrumental for achieving purpose, not as an end unto itself.
Real Consequences
Authors: McKinney Jennifer
Published: January 2023

This chapter addresses how a church like Mars Hill thrived in the city of Seattle and why it failed, given changing sociocultural conditions, its hypermasculine theology, and the inability of its pastor to fulfill his own masculine standard. The chapter revisits the dynamics of sect-church theory to explain how the church became too exclusive, too extensive, and too expensive for many members. The seemingly countercultural nature of the church was more complicated in practice and led to some dysfunctions for church members. The church’s hypermasculine theology sought a return to a nostalgic gender and family ideal, that gave men—at least some men—ultimate authority.
No Case to Answer Procedure within the ICC: Legal Guardian of the Accused’s Fundamental Rights
Authors: Knoops Geert-Jan Alexander
Published: January 2023

This chapter addresses the ICC Appeals Chamber judgment of 31 March 2021 in the case of Mr Charles Blé Goudé, which confirmed the acquittal of Mr Blé Goudé rendered by Trial Chamber I of the ICC in February 2019. The acquittal was based on a filing by the Defence of Mr Blé Goudé directly after the conclusion of the Prosecution case, which procedure—called a “No case to answer” procedure—is not regulated in the ICC Statute nor its Rules of Procedure and Evidence. The importance of the ruling relates to the criteria and standard of proof for a defendant to successfully submit a “No case to answer” request. The chapter provides further insights into this specific procedure. It was the first time in the history of the ICC that the Appeals Chamber of this Court was called upon to set the parameters for a “No case to answer.”
Bahrain’s 2011–2021 Anniversary: A Decade of Abandonment
Authors: Matwijkiw Anja , Matwijkiw Bronik , Nordbring Lisa
Published: January 2023

In this chapter, the authors explore the country-specific justice scenario and challenge that Bahrain poses in connection with its ten-year anniversary for the 2011 civil unrest. The interpretative perspective is mediated by UN rule of law developments. By placing an emphasis on certain fundamental principles and values, the account maximizes the tension between liberal and illiberal strategies and outcomes, especially human rights versus regime-conservation. Unfortunately, 2021 fact-checking of the post-2011 situation in Bahrain confirms the hypothesis that the government continues to practice a policy of realpolitik and abandonment when it comes to its own people. Then again, the domestic rulers are not the only stakeholders that retroactively can be said to disappoint the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI). One decade later, there may be no narrative that is sufficient for international damage control. What the authors call “implosion effects” may be the only way forward.
Migratory Flows Between Colombia and Venezuela Since 1950: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Olasolo Héctor , Urueña-Sánchez Mario , Velásquez María Paula López
Published: January 2023

Migratory flows between Colombia and Venezuela have been continuous and bidirectional since 1950. Depending on the period under analysis, one can find migratory flows from Colombia to Venezuela, or vice versa. During the second half of the twentieth century, intense violence and lack of economic development caused a constant migratory flow from Colombia to Venezuela. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, this situation began to be reversed. Initially, an incipient migration to Colombia of Venezuelans with resources and high professional training occurred between 2000 and 2014. Subsequently, a massive migration flow of Venezuelans with fewer resources and limited professional training took place between 2015 and 2019, and especially between 2017 and 2019. This has been described as the largest migration wave in the recent history of Latin America. The COVID-19 pandemic has abruptly halted this migration wave from March 2020 due to several socioeconomic and political factors that are analysed in the chapter.
Beyond Classic Core Crimes: International Criminal Law for the Protection of Mankind—Economic and Environmental Crimes as International Crimes
Authors: Engelhart Marc , Roksandić Sunčana
Published: January 2023

It has become apparent that problem areas and challenges for international criminal law go far beyond armed conflict (and their coverage, such as in the Statute of the International Criminal Court). The risks and dangers for humanity in the most diverse areas are capable of massively impairing people’s quality of life or even depriving them of their livelihood; thereby endangering peace, security, and global well-being. Of particular concern are serious economic (systematic and large-scale corruption) as well as environmental crimes. The development of a global regulatory framework in which criminal law is embedded to cover the most serious violations is therefore indispensable. This chapter, after recognising the shift in global politics, presents the viewpoint on how international, transnational, EU, and national criminal law should be reshaped and connected. Furthermore, the chapter proposes enforcement mechanisms to efficiently tackle the existing challenges. Prior to undertaking this project, the chapter provides an analysis of the existing norms.
Introductory Note
Authors: Gomula Joanna
Published: January 2023

In 2020, WTO Panel and Appellate Body reports were adopted in five disputes. This was the last year of the Appellate Body’s activity, which was able to finalize appeals notified prior to December 2019 owing to Rule 15 of the Working Procedures for Appellate Review. The Appellate Body’s last report (which was the highlight of the 2020 jurisprudence), issued in the Australia—Plain Packaging dispute, confirmed that Australia’s tobacco plain packaging measures did not violate the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. WTO reports adopted in 2020 also included another TBT case (focusing on conformity assessment procedures in the ongoing trade conflict between Ukraine and Russia), as well as three trade remedy disputes.
Introductory Note
Authors: Teles Patrícia Galvão , Antunes João Gil , Teixeira Rita Guerreiro
Published: January 2023

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) provided administrative services in 211 proceedings in 2020, divided by 7 inter-state arbitrations, 126 investor-state arbitrations, 74 contract-based arbitrations, and 4 other proceedings of a different nature. These proceedings involved a diverse variety of actors, including sovereign states, intergovernmental organizations, and public or private entities. Of these proceedings, 59 were initiated in 2020. As for appointing authority services, in 2020, the PCA received 42 requests in total, including requests that the Secretary-General of the PCA designate an appointing authority (18), act as an appointing authority for the appointment of an arbitrator (13), or act as an appointing authority to decide a challenge to an arbitrator (6). Among the public arbitral awards issued in 2020, of particular significance are the award concerning the preliminary objections of the Russia Federation in the dispute brought by Ukraine concerning coastal state rights in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and Kerch Strait and the award in the UNCITRAL Arbitration between PV investors and the Kingdom of Spain.
Child-Driven Parenting: Differential Early Childhood Investment by Offspring Genotype
Authors: Breinholt Asta , Conley Dalton
Published: January 2023

A growing literature points to children’s influence on parents’ behavior, including parental investments in children. Further, previous research has shown differential parental response by socioeconomic status to children’s birth weight, cognitive ability, and school outcomes—all early life predictors of later socioeconomic success. This study considers an even earlier, more exogenous predictor of parental investments: offspring genotype. Specifically, we analyze (1) whether children’s genetic propensity toward educational success affects parenting during early childhood and (2) whether parenting in response to children’s genetic propensity toward educational success is socially stratified. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Survey of Parents and Children (N = 6,247), we construct polygenic indexes (PGIs) for educational attainment (EA) and regress cognitively stimulating parenting behavior during early childhood on these PGIs. We apply Mendelian imputation to construct the missing parental genotype. This approach allows us to control for both parents’ PGIs for EA and thereby achieve a natural experiment: Conditional on parental genotype, the offspring genotype is randomly assigned. In this way, we eliminate the possibility that child’s genotype may be proxying unmeasured parent characteristics. Results differ by parenting behavior: (1) parents’ singing to the child is not affected by the child’s EA PGI, (2) parents play more with children with higher EA PGIs, and (3) non-college-educated parents read more to children with higher education PGIs, while college-educated parents respond less to children’s EA PGI.
Teaching Strategies for Health Advocacy for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Scoping Review
Authors: Gandra Elen C. , da Silva Kênia L.
Published: January 2023

AIM

The goal of this study was to identify strategies for teaching health advocacy for undergraduate nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Although health advocacy is a core skill of professional nursing practice, there are challenges in the health advocacy approach in nursing education.

METHOD

The databases LILACS, IBECS, BDENF, Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library were searched, without limit of time and language, for this scoping review; 11 articles were included. Data were analyzed and synthesized in a narrative form.

RESULTS

The following teaching strategies emerged: theoretical exposition and supervised clinical internship, technology-enhanced simulation, clinical experience, experiential learning, simulated social experiences, digital story making, and narrative pedagogy. The topic was taught according to several themes: economic disparity, health legislation, LGBTQ+ population, elder health, mental health, health policies, concept of advocacy, and nontechnical skills.

CONCLUSION

Teaching strategies for health advocacy should be based on constructivist education linked to social reality.
α-starch and glycyrrhizin denature the acrid raphides of Pinellia tuber in traditional processing
Authors: Fueki Tsukasa , Nose Itsuki , Liu Yan , Tanaka Koichiro , Namiki Takao , Makino Toshiaki
Published: January 2023

Objective:

Pinellia tuber, the dried tuber of Pinellia ternata, causes severe acrid irritation in the mouth and throat when swallowed in its raw form. Based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, this acridity is reduced by heating or processing using ginger, licorice, alum, or lime. Although these detoxification methods have been known since ancient times, only little is known about the mechanisms by which they detoxify Pinellia tubers. In the present study, we aimed to reveal the effectiveness of α-starch, and glycyrrhizin in licorice for the detoxification of Pinellia tubers.

Methods:

Previously, we found that intact raphides of raw Pinellia tuber have a lipophilic character, and denaturation of the raphides reduced their lipophilicity and acridity. Accordingly, we developed a raphide denaturation assay (RDA) to quantify the degree of denaturation of raphides by measuring the absorbance of the petroleum ether (PE) layer comprising the raphides. The effect of α-starch or the decoction of licorice (the root and stolon of Glycyrrhiza uralensis) on raphide denaturation was then determined using this assay.

Results:

The treatment of raphides with α-starch markedly enhanced heat denaturation of the raphides. Licorice decoction, glycyrrhizin, and glycyrrhetinic acid significantly denatured raphides in a calcium-dependent manner at high pH. Glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid are also attached to the denatured raphides.

Conclusions:

α-starch in Pinellia tubers contributes to detoxification by heating. In the traditional processing method for Pinellia tubers using licorice and lime, glycyrrhizin in licorice and calcium ions play important roles in denaturing raphides.

Graphical abstract:

http://links.lww.com/AHM/A42.
The role of phytoandrogens for benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment
Authors: Wu Yaoxin , Wichai Nuttapong , Yang Xiaohua , Ma Yaxuan , Suo Tongchuan , Miao Lin
Published: January 2023

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological condition in aging men. High levels of androgens, including testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are closely associated with BPH occurrence and development. Currently, the main clinical drugs used for BPH treatment are 5α-reductase inhibitors and α-receptor blockers, both of which aim to decrease abnormal androgenic signaling while having several unignored side effects. Recently, various natural herbs, such as tonifying yang traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been found to have androgenic activities, some of which are also effective for BPH treatment. Here, we review the androgenic activities of phytoandrogens, together with their therapeutic effects in BPH, and summarize the mechanisms involved, providing evidence that such herbs serve as selective androgen receptor modulators.

Graphical abstract:

http://links.lww.com/AHM/A46
Times Constraints, Lack of Confidence in Treatment, Stigma, and Confidentiality Concerns: Barriers to Care Among First-year Internal Medicine Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Karpe Ashna , Nguyen Celine Dan-Tam , Raza Zainab , Yan Jin , Murphy Nicholas , O’Brien Brittany
Published: January 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for frontline health care workers. First-year medical residents have been at high risk of psychological distress given these challenges as well as those related to transitioning to a provider role. Virtual peer discussion groups were organized for first-year residents (N=47) at a large, American academic medical center to process the emotional impacts from the pandemic and provide support. Residents completed an anonymous survey before the initiation of the discussion groups to assess their level of psychological distress, perceived sources of stress, impact of the pandemic on their mental health, and attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Results from the survey identified time constraints as the greatest barrier to accessing mental health care, followed by lack of confidence in treatment, stigma, and concerns about confidentiality. We discuss potential ways to address some of these barriers to improve access and acceptability of mental health support for this specific population during a pandemic.
Therapy Strategies for Late-life Depression: A Review
Authors: Piel Carla , Quante Arnim
Published: January 2023

Background:

Depression in the elderly requires different treatment options because therapies that are commonly used for depression in younger patients show different effects later in life. Treatment options for late-life depression (LLD) are summarized in this article.

Methods:

A literature search in Medline/PubMed performed in June 2020 identified 83 relevant studies.

Results:

Pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be an effective first-line treatment in LLD, but >50% of elderly patients do not adequately respond. Switching to other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or augmenting with mood stabilizers or antipsychotics is often effective in achieving a therapeutic benefit. Severely depressed patients with a high risk of suicidal behavior can be treated with electroconvulsive therapy. Psychotherapy provides a measurable benefit alone and when combined with medication.

Limitations:

LLD remains an underrepresented domain in research. Paucity of data concerning the effect of specific therapies for LLD, heterogeneity in the quality of study designs, overinterpretation of results from meta-analyses, and discrepancies between study results and guideline recommendations were often noted.

Conclusions:

Treating LLD is complex, but there are several treatment options with good efficacy and tolerability. Some novel pharmaceuticals also show promise as potential antidepressants, but evidence for their efficacy and safety is still limited and based on only a few trials conducted to date.
Postpartum Depression Among Gay Fathers With Children Born Through Surrogacy: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Adler Limor , Yehoshua Ilan , Mizrahi Reuveni Miri
Published: January 2023

Background:

Studies on postpartum depression (PPD) in gay fathers are scarce. The goals of this study were to examine the prevalence of PPD among Israeli gay fathers with children born through surrogacy and to identify characteristics associated with PPD in this population.

Methods:

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we sent surveys to gay fathers who had children who were 0 to 12 months of age and were born through surrogacy. Surveys were sent through 3 major surrogacy agencies in Israel and through the media. Data were collected concerning sociodemographic, medical, and lifestyle factors as well as concerning satisfaction with partners, family, and social support. Each respondent completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, which screens for PPD. Characteristics of fathers with and without probable PPD were compared.

Results:

Between July 2018 and December 2019, 66 men answered our questionnaire. The respondents, mean age of 37.5 years, were mostly first-time fathers (82%), with high rates of twin pregnancies (42%). Eight respondents (12%) were classified as having depressive symptoms (95% CI: 5.4%–22.5%), and 16 respondents (25%) reported current or past use of antidepressant medications. A negative association was observed between satisfaction with family support and report of depressive symptoms (χ2
2=6.53, P=0.038) and Spearman correlation test (r
s=−0.34, P=0.005).

Conclusions:

The incidence of probable PPD among gay fathers was 12% compared with 8.8% reported in fathers in the general population. High satisfaction with family support was associated with a lower incidence of probable PPD among gay fathers. Increased awareness of the potential for PPD in gay fathers can improve early diagnosis and treatment.
Agromyces seonyuensis sp. nov., isolated from island soil
Authors: Kim Yeong Seok , Kim Seung Bum
Published: January 2023

A Gram-positive, non-motile, pale yellow coloured actinobacterial strain designated MMS17-SY077T was isolated from island soil, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain MMS17-SY077T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7 and in the absence of NaCl on Reasoner's 2A agar. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain was assigned to the genus

Agromyces

of the family

Microbacteriaceae

, and the most related species were

Agromyces italicus

DSM 16388T (98.8 % sequence similarity),

Agromyces allii

UMS-62T (98.1 %) and

Agromyces terreus

DS-10T (97.8 %). Strain MMS17-SY077T formed a distinct cluster within the

Agromyces

clade in the phylogenetic tree. Genome-based comparative analyses confirmed a clear distinction between the strain and neighbouring species, as the highest orthologous average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values with other related species were 77.2 and 21.4% respectively, which were far below the cutoffs for species distinction. The diagnostic polar lipids of MMS17-SY077T were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol, and unidentified glycolipids and an unidentified aminolipid were also present. The main isoprenoid quinones were menaquinones with 11 and 12 isoprene units (MK-11 and MK-12), and main fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 (34.4 %) and iso-C16 : 0 (33.2 %). The whole-cell hydrolysates contained rhamnose, ribose and galactose as diagnostic sugars, and l-2,4-diaminobutyric acid as the major diamino acid. The DNA G+C content was 72.1 mol %. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxnomic and phylogenetic characterization, strain MMS17-SY077T should be classified as representing a new species of the genus

Agromyces

, for which the name Agromyces seonyunensis sp. nov. is proposed (type strain MMS17-SY077T=KCTC 49423T=LMG 31762T).
Sex-dependent Differences in the Genomic Profile of Lingual Sensory Neurons in Naïve and Tongue-Tumor Bearing Mice
Authors: Ibrahim Tarek , Wu Ping , Wang Li-Ju , Fang-Mei Chang , Murillo Josue , Merlo Jaclyn , Tumanov Alexei , Lai Zhao , Weldon Korri , Chen Yidong , Ruparel Shivani
Published: January 2023

Mechanisms of sex-dependent orofacial pain are widely understudied. A significant gap in knowledge exists about comprehensive regulation of tissue-specific trigeminal sensory neurons in diseased state of both sexes. Using RNA sequencing of FACS sorted retro-labeled sensory neurons innervating tongue tissue, we determined changes in transcriptomic profiles in males and female mice under naïve as well as tongue-tumor bearing conditions Our data revealed the following interesting findings: 1) Tongue tissue of female mice was innervated with higher number of trigeminal neurons compared to males; 2) Naïve female neurons innervating the tongue exclusively expressed immune cell markers such as Csf1R, C1qa and others, that weren’t expressed in males. This was validated by Immunohistochemistry. 4) Accordingly, immune cell markers such as Csf1 exclusively sensitized TRPV1 responses in female TG neurons. 3) Male neurons were more tightly regulated than female neurons upon tumor growth and very few differentially expressed genes (DEGs) overlapped between the sexes, 5) Male DEGs contained higher number of transcription factors whereas female DEGs contained higher number of enzymes, cytokines and chemokines. Collectively, this is the first study to characterize the effect of sex as well as of tongue-tumor on global gene expression, pathways and molecular function of tongue-innervating sensory neurons.
Exploration of the Link Between COVID-19 and Alcoholic Hepatitis from the Perspective of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
Authors: Huang Tengda , Yu Bingxuan , Zhou Xinyi , Pan Hongyuan , Du Ao , Bai Jincheng , Li Xiaoquan , Jiang Nan , He Jinyi , Yuan Kefei , Wang Zhen
Published: January 2023

Objective

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been suggested to purpose threats to health of mankind. Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a life-threatening acute and chronic liver failure that takes place in sufferers who drink excessively. During the epidemic, AH has an increasing incidence of severe illness and mortality. However, for these two diseases, the intrinsic relationship of molecular pathogenesis, as well as common therapeutic strategies are still poorly understood.

Methods

The transcriptome of the COVID-19 and AH has been compared to obtain the altered genes and hub genes were screened out through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Via gene ontology (GO), pathway enrichment and transcription regulator analysis, a deeper appreciation of the interplay mechanism between hub genes were established.

Results

With 181 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AH and COVID-19 were obtained, 10 hub genes were captured. Follow-up studies located that these 10 genes typically mediated the diseases occurrence by regulating the activities of the immune system. Other results suggest that the common pathways of the two ailments are enriched in regulating the function of immune cells and the release of immune molecules.

Conclusion

This study reveals the common pathogenesis of COVID-19 and AH and assist to discover necessary therapeutic targets to combat the ongoing pandemic induced via SARS-CoV-2 infection and acquire promising remedy strategies for the two diseases.
Integrated ACMG approved genes and ICD codes for the translational research and precision medicine
Authors: Wable Raghunandan , Nair Achuth Suresh , Pappu Anirudh , Pierre-Louis Widnie , Abdelhalim Habiba , Patel Khushbu , Mendhe Dinesh , Bolla Shreyas , Mittal Sahil , Ahmed Zeeshan
Published: January 2023

Timely understanding of biological secrets of complex diseases will ultimately benefit millions of individuals by reducing the high risks for mortality and improving the quality of life with personalized diagnoses and treatments. Due to the advancements in sequencing technologies and reduced cost, genomics data is developing at an unmatched pace and levels to foster translational research and precision medicine. Over ten million genomics datasets have been produced and publicly shared in the year 2022. Diverse and high-volume genomics and clinical data have the potential to broaden the scope of biological discoveries and insights by extracting, analyzing, and interpreting the hidden information. However, the current and still unresolved challenges include the integration of genomic profiles of the patients with their medical records. The disease definition in genomics medicine is simplified, when in the clinical world, diseases are classified, identified, and adopted with their International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, which are maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO). Several biological databases have been produced, which includes information about human genes and related diseases. However, still, there is no database exists, which can precisely link clinical codes with relevant genes and variants to support genomic and clinical data integration for clinical and translation medicine. In this project, we are focused on the development of an annotated gene-disease-code database, which is accessible through an online, cross-platform, and user-friendly application i.e., PAS-GDC. However, our scope is limited to the integration of ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes with the list of genes approved by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Results include over seventeen thousand diseases and four thousand ICD codes, and over eleven thousand gene-disease-code combinations.