bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intertextualities between Frank Berry’s films, I Used to Live Here (2014) and Michael Inside (2017)
Authors: Martins Cecília Adolpho
Published: August 2024

Sob a orientação de John Nicholl (2001) sobre como se ‘ler’ um filme, este artigo discute as relações intertextuais entre dois longa-metragens, I Used to Live Here (2014) e Michael Inside (2017), do cineasta e produtor Frank Berry. Ambos são dramas fictícios que se passam nos subúrbios do norte de Dublin e retratam questões como bullying, solidão, exclusão social e suicídio. No filme de 2017, o diretor faz uso de alguns elementos fílmicos do filme anterior, como códigos visuais e sonoros: cenário, cenas específicas, música e ator. Através do uso de imagens como signos, conforme definido por Ferdinand de Saussure, o diretor faz apropriações imagéticas para aprofundar a construção de espaço e identidade, o que traz um forte senso de sequência a Michael Inside em relação ao filme anterior, estimulando, assim, debates em relação a sua originalidade. Além disso, esta pesquisa analisa brevemente a função social desses dois filmes voltados para a comunidade e o que motivou o cineasta a fazer uso dessas intertextualidades. Concluindo, este artigo discute como a história recente de rápida globalização da Irlanda transformou a tradição cinematográfica irlandesa, especialmente em filmes sobre prisão, como Michael Inside, em que as linhas entre o ‘local’ e o ‘global’ se entrelaçam.
Traces of Hunger in Colum McCann's Dancer
Authors: Guanaes Alvany
Published: August 2024

O escritor irlandês Colum McCann apresenta Rudi, o protagonista em "Dancer" – uma narrativa ficcional inspirada na biografia do bailarino Rudolf Nureyev. Encarnando o que McCann chamou de "o maior exílio do século" (Cusatis, 2011, p. 125), Rudi nos convida a revisitar a saga de Nureyev, começando pela infância de Rudi durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial na Rússia até seu estrelato após ter desertado para o Ocidente. McCann organiza a vida de Rudi  entre a escassez e os excessos vividos pelo protagonista em contextos econômicos, emocionais, sociais e culturais e entre o Oriente e o Ocidente. Além do tema do exílio, a fome é outro aspecto de "Dancer" que está relacionado à experiência irlandesa. Considerando esses temas transnacionais, o presente trabalho aborda as maneiras de comer e a fome neste romance como um "sistema de comunicação" (Roland Barthes, 1997) para analisar o protagonista sensível e faminto pela vida no Ocidente, incluindo o estilo de vida indulgente que o acompanhou. Diversos itens gastronômicos, eventos e comportamentos serão abordados conotativamente para contemplar a alimentação simbólica e conversar com a fome física e metafórica. Ao longo deste trabalho, as instâncias psicológicas e físicas do personagem dialogarão com o panorama político que pavimentou o caminho para suas escolhas.
"For the Blood is the Life": vampirism and Alterity in Le Fanu's Carmilla
Authors: Trindade Filipe Chernicharo
Published: August 2024

O presente trabalho é uma adaptação de um trabalho de conclusão de curso de graduação, em que se discute a novela Carmilla (1872), de autoria do escritor anglo-irlandês Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Pretende-se focar em seus aspectos de alteridade, articulados por meio da “história de vampiro”. Os objetivos gerais deste trabalho são os de provar que o caráter vampírico de Carmilla é uma manifestação alegórica de alteridade (sexual, cultural e racial), através da exploração da lenda do vampiro conforme esta desdobrou-se pela Europa e atravessou o folclore, ganhando espaço na literatura. A influências das raízes de Le Fanu enquanto um homem irlandês, bem como a posição de sua obra dentro do mosaico maior da tradição gótica irlandesa são, também, imprescindíveis para esta discussão, e contribuem para a articulação deste artigo. Uma leitura cuidadosa da crítica de tais autores e autoras como Fred Botting (2005), James Twitchell (1981), Victor Sage (2004) e Sue-Ellen Case (1997), entre outros (as), é cotejada com passagens da novela, a fim de alcançar os objetivos previamente citados.
In-Between Traditions: the Poetry of Adília Lopes and Rita Ann Higgins
Authors: Wolkoff Gisele
Published: August 2024

How much can poetry survive multiculturalism? A comparative approach between the Irish poet Rita Ann Higgins and the Portuguese poet Adília Lopes can provide us with some clue. Yet, questions regarding aesthetics and the contemporary discussions on identity, feminisms and belonging are still left open. Unless we aim at reading comparatively snapshots of two of the most humorous poets of our times.
Cardiovascular Management of Aortopathy in Children: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Morris Shaine A. , Flyer Jonathan N. , Yetman Anji T. , Quezada Emilio , Cappella Elizabeth S. , Dietz Harry C. , Milewicz Dianna M. , Ouzounian Maral , Rigelsky Christina M. , Tierney Seda , Lacro Ronald V. ,   on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young (Young Hearts); Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease; Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; and Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia
Published: August 2024

Aortopathy encompasses a spectrum of conditions predisposing to dilation, aneurysm, dissection, or rupture of the aorta and other blood vessels. Aortopathy is diagnosed commonly in children, from infancy through adolescence, primarily affecting the thoracic aorta, with variable involvement of the peripheral vasculature. Pathogeneses include connective tissue disorders, smooth muscle contraction disorders, and congenital heart disease, including bicuspid aortic valve, among others. The American Heart Association has published guidelines for diagnosis and management of thoracic aortic disease. However, these guidelines are predominantly focused on adults and cannot be applied adeptly to growing children with emerging features, growth and developmental changes, including puberty, and different risk profiles compared with adults. Management to reduce risk of progressive aortic dilation and dissection or rupture in children is complex and involves genetic testing, cardiovascular imaging, medical therapy, lifestyle modifications, and surgical guidance that differ in many ways from adult management. Pediatric practice varies widely, likely because aortopathy is pathogenically heterogeneous, including genetic and nongenetic conditions, and there is limited published evidence to guide care in children. To optimize care and reduce variation in management, experts in pediatric aortopathy convened to generate this scientific statement regarding the cardiovascular care of children with aortopathy. Available evidence and expert consensus were combined to create this scientific statement. The most common causes of pediatric aortopathy are reviewed. This document provides a general framework for cardiovascular management of aortopathy in children, while allowing for modification based on the personal and familial characteristics of each child and family.
Loss of TGFβ-Mediated Repression of Angiopoietin-2 in Pericytes Underlies Germinal Matrix Hemorrhage Pathogenesis
Authors: Dave Jui M. , Chakraborty Raja , Agyemang Alex , Ntokou Aglaia , Saito Junichi , Ballabh Praveen , Martin Kathleen A. , Greif Daniel M.
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND:

TGF (transforming growth factor)-β pathway is central to blood-brain barrier development as it regulates cross talk between pericytes and endothelial cells. Murine embryos lacking TGFβ receptor
Alk5
(activin receptor-like kinase 5) in brain pericytes (mutants) display endothelial cell hyperproliferation, abnormal vessel morphology, and gross germinal matrix hemorrhage-intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH-IVH), leading to perinatal lethality. Mechanisms underlying how ALK5 signaling in pericytes noncell autonomously regulates endothelial cell behavior remain elusive.

METHODS:

Transcriptomic analysis of human brain pericytes with ALK5 silencing identified differential gene expression. Brain vascular cells isolated from mutant embryonic mice with GMH-IVH and preterm human IVH brain samples were utilized for target validation. Finally, pharmacological and genetic inhibition was used to study the therapeutic effects on GMH-IVH pathology.

RESULTS:

Herein, we establish that the TGFβ/ALK5 pathway robustly represses ANGPT2 (angiopoietin-2) in pericytes via epigenetic remodeling. TGFβ-driven SMAD (suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic) 3/4 associates with TGIF1 (TGFβ-induced factor homeobox 1) and HDAC (histone deacetylase) 5 to form a corepressor complex at the
Angpt2
promoter, resulting in promoter deacetylation and gene repression. Moreover, murine and human germinal matrix vessels display increased ANGPT2 expression during GMH-IVH. Isolation of vascular cells from murine germinal matrix identifies pericytes as a cellular source of excessive ANGPT2. In addition, mutant endothelial cells exhibit higher phosphorylated TIE2 (tyrosine protein kinase receptor). Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of ANGPT2 in mutants improves germinal matrix vessel morphology and attenuates GMH pathogenesis. Importantly, genetic ablation of
Angpt2
in mutant pericytes prevents perinatal lethality, prolonging survival.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study demonstrates that TGFβ-mediated ANGPT2 repression in pericytes is critical for maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity and identifies pericyte-derived ANGPT2 as an important pathological target for GMH-IVH.
The Obscure Appellate: The Egyptian Islamic Supreme Court, 1898–1955
Authors: Ayoub Samy
Published: August 2024

This article examines the Egyptian Islamic Supreme Court (al-Maḥkama al-ʿUlyā l-Sharʿiyya), thereafter the isc, and its role in overseeing Islamic judicial practice in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The isc introduced new procedural requirements for dispensation of justice and assumed the responsibility to defend the jurisdiction of Islamic courts against persistent attempts by British colonial administrators and reform-minded political and bureaucratic elite to limit, if not undermine, their authority. The isc marked the recalibration of the legal and judicial authority of the Chief Judge of Egypt (qāḍī Miṣr, an Ottoman administrative judicial position) along with Shaykh al-Azhar and the Muftī of Egypt (who used to exercise oversight of Islamic courts’ decisions and procedures), in favor of this institutional apparatus. The creation of the isc demonstrates the centrality of the regulatory authority of the Ministry of Justice in fostering any potentiality for Islamic law as a system of governance. The continuous attempts to regulate Islamic courts since the 1880s cannot be examined in isolation from the procedural developments pursued in the secular National and Mixed Courts. The role of the isc was determinative of Islamic judicial practice in lower Islamic courts across Egypt. As a result, operations of Islamic courts were readjusted to a set of evolving norms concerning internal coherence, judicial reasoning, adoption of procedural rules to reflect directives from the Ministry of Justice, and attention to the updated rules of evidence and appeal. This process underscores how Islamic judicial practice was both transformed and made possible through an interwoven set of institutions, actors, and traditions. I argue that this institution, the isc, provides an ideal site for critical and interdisciplinary reflection aimed at exploring both the structural and the contextual history of law in colonial Egypt.
Relationship Between CHA₂DS₂-VASc Score on Admission and In-Hospital Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients Diagnosed With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Inan Duygu , Genc Duygu , Şimsek Barış , Tanık Ozan , Akdeniz Evliya , Korkmaz Betül , Aydogdu Ufuk , Vatanoglu Elif G. , Zeren Gönül , Ceylan Büşra , Yumurtaş Çağdaş , Yüksel Gizem , Pay Levent , Tanboga Halil , Karabay Can Y.
Published: August 2024

The CHA₂DS₂-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes mellitus, stroke, vascular disease, sex) scoring system, which includes conventional risk factors of coronary artery disease, was originally created to quantify the risk of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. This study evaluated the usefulness of this score to predict adverse outcomes in STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) patients without atrial fibrillation. Primary end points were identified as MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) which included in-hospital death or cerebrovascular accident. MACE rate was 10% (193 patients). The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was an independent predictor of MACE (95% CI, 2.31 [1.37–3.9]; P = .0016). Other independent predictors of MACE included heart rate (95% CI, 1.56 [0.97–2.50]; P = .0242), admission Killip class (95% CI, 24.19 [10.74–54.46]; P < .0001), admission creatinine level (95% CI, 1.54 [1.10–2.16]; P = .0024), peak CK-MB level (95% CI, 1.63 [0.98–2.70]; P = .0001), and no-reflow (95% CI, 2.45 [1.25–4.80]; P = .0085). A nomogram was developed to estimate the risk of in-hospital adverse outcomes for STEMI patients. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was an independent predictor of MACE in STEMI patients. Linear analysis of CHA₂DS₂-VASc score without dichotomization was the main difference of this study from others.
Social work and management: Interdisciplinary education from an international perspective in South America
Authors: Calderón-Orellana Magdalena , Inostroza María Alejandra , Miranda Sánchez Paula , Farah Ojeda Jorge
Published: August 2024

Addressing social work challenges requires interdisciplinary approaches. While traditionally linked with health, law, and education, its connection with administration is underexplored. This research examines the management–social work relationship in South American training programs. Using qualitative methods, it highlights the scope and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Exploring Professional and Carer Stakeholder Conceptualizations of Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Malawi Using a Contextual Co-Design Methodology: The Interplay of Pathology, the Supernatural, and a Pathway to Healing
Authors: Chibwana Khama , Hoelterhoff Mark , Kawale Paul , Guerra Cristóbal , Marley Charles , Amos Action , Mekani Paul , Johnston Susannah , Chibwana Alinafe , Taylor Emily P. , Calia Clara , Reid Corinne
Published: August 2024

In Malawi, there is a high prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents. However, access to specialized care is scarce due to a lack of public policies, resources, and cultural factors. In this context, the aim of this research is to understand how child and adolescent mental health is conceptualized by key stakeholders in Malawi. The participants were 117 stakeholders (59 female and 58 male) involved with children’s mental health from different roles. They participated in workshops, focus groups, and open interviews. The data were processed following the steps of thematic analysis. The results show agreement between the different stakeholders in conceptualizations of child and adolescent mental health in Malawi, where symptoms and signs are not necessarily related to the Western vision, as well as the interaction between natural and supernatural sources in the genesis of mental disorders. Likewise, a pattern of help-seeking is described in which traditional healers stand out over hospitals. Finally, the results allow us to highlight the suggestions made by practitioners, policymakers, community leaders, and academics to improve access to and provision of mental health for children and adolescents in Malawi.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Balancing Pedagogy and Partnerships in an Undergraduate Community-Based Research Class
Authors: Rojo Florencia
Published: August 2024

Community-based research (CBR) as a form of community-engaged learning (CEL) offers students valuable sociological practice and learning experiences. Although CEL strategies are well documented for enhancing students’ sociological imagination, gaps persist in the literature regarding the impact on community partners. This article addresses the challenges and opportunities inherent in CEL, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that enhances student learning while maintaining meaningful community partnerships. Through a case study of an undergraduate CBR class, this article highlights the instructor’s role in building authentic community-academic relationships, providing a blueprint for designing high-impact pedagogical practices with real-world applications. Employing qualitative interviews focused on students’ and community partners’ experiences, the study probes power dynamics, potential inequalities, and time-intensive aspects. It introduces an instructor-anchored partnership model incorporating team-based learning, addressing these complexities and presenting a framework for effective community-based learning in sociological education.
A latent profile analysis in Italian workers: Crucial ingredients of career construction counseling for enhancing gifted and talented learners?
Authors: Di Fabio Annamaria , Imbimbo Enrico , Svicher Andrea
Published: August 2024

Giftedness is a lifelong journey; gifted adult workers need specific career counselling. The Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development enhances the value of positive psychological resources for gifted and talented workers to sustain them in their careers and life projects. The study implemented a latent profile analysis (LPA) in adult workers ( n = 311) to identify profiles according to self-rated job performance and work engagement as proxies for gifted and talented learners. Other crucial resources were also considered. A tree-profile (A, B, C) solution best fits the data. Among these, Profile C ( n = 77; 24%) showed high job performance and engagement. It could represent an “eminence” profile. Profile C also showed high levels of emotional intelligence, positive affect, satisfaction with life, meaning in life, flourishing, job satisfaction, meaning at work, flourishing at work, workplace relational civility, acceptance of change, and low levels of negative affect. This profile includes crucial ingredients that could be useful to pay attention to during career construction counselling and innovative career counselling for gifted and talented learners.
Path creation as a discursive process: A study of discussion starters in the field of solar fuels
Authors: Popa Eugen Octav , Blok Vincent , Schubert Cornelius , Katsoukis Georgios
Published: August 2024

When a technology is seen as the right solution to a recognized problem, the development of alternative technologies comes under threat. To secure much-needed resources, proponents of alternative technologies must, in these conditions, restart societal discussion on the status quo, a process at once technological and discursive known as ‘path creation’. In this article, we investigate discussion-restarting strategies employed by supporters of emerging technologies in the field of solar fuels, particularly the advocates of a technology referred to as ‘artificial photosynthesis’. For illustrative purposes we explore four such strategies: revisiting weak spots, resizing the problem, redefining the game, and renegotiating labels. We conclude with a methodological reflection on the empirical study of discursive strategies in a socio-technical system. We further suggest a more systematic application of discourse-analytical and argumentation-theoretical insights that can complement current scholarship on path dependence and path creation.
Pars Interarticularis and Pedicle Stress Injuries in Young Athletes With Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 902 Patients Evaluated With Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Kriz Peter K. , Kobelski Greggory P. , Kriz John P. , Willwerth Sarah B. , Hunt Danielle L. , Evangelista Peter T. , Meehan William P.
Published: August 2024

Background:

Previous studies have reported that spondylolysis occurs predominantly at the L5 and L4 levels, with defects at higher levels occurring in <5% of cases. However, computed tomography and radiography were the primary imaging modalities in these studies. Current evidence regarding diagnostic imaging for pediatric lumbar spondylolysis suggests that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is as accurate as computed tomography in detecting early stress reactions of the pars interarticularis or pedicles without fractures while avoiding radiation exposure. The early detection of spondylolysis results in a higher likelihood of bony union and a decreased likelihood of spondylolisthesis.

Hypothesis:

The increased use of MRI may reveal a larger proportion of spondylolysis in patients who experience an injury at a higher spinal level than previously reported.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The medical records of 902 pediatric and adolescent athletes (364 female, 538 male) diagnosed with symptomatic pars interarticularis and pedicle stress injuries at 2 academic medical centers between 2016 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients had MRI scans taken at the time of diagnosis. Only patients with pars/pedicle edema on MRI were included. Data regarding spondylolysis stage, spinal level of injury, unilateral versus bilateral injury, sport participation, and MRI protocol over the 5-year study period were analyzed.

Results:

Male patients presented at older ages than female patients ( P < .001). Soccer was the most common sport at symptom onset and the second most common single-sport activity among those who specialized (participating in 1 sport year-round at the exclusion of others), behind gymnastics. The mean symptom duration was 4.0 months. Although most patients (83.5%) had exclusively lower lumbar stress injuries, 9.1% of injuries occurred at or above the L3 level. Over half of the patients had active single-level pars/pedicle fractures on MRI, with a mean symptom duration before presentation in this subgroup of 4.0 months. Even when pars/pedicle stress reactions were excluded from analysis, 7.1% of patients were injured at or above the L3 level.

Conclusion:

Among male and female athletes aged 8 to 21 years presenting with symptomatic pars interarticularis and pedicle stress injuries evaluated by MRI at the time of initial diagnosis, there was a higher incidence of upper lumbar stress injuries than previously reported.
Usability Assessment of Voice-Enabled Technologies for Users with Visual Disabilities
Authors: Kim Hyung Nam
Published: August 2024

Voice-enabled technologies such as VoiceOver (screen reader) and the Seeing AI app (image recognition) have revolutionized daily tasks for people with visual disabilities, fostering greater independence and information access. However, a gap remains in understanding the user experience (UX) of these technologies. This study investigated how those with visual disabilities interacted with VoiceOver and the Seeing AI app. A convenience sample of eight participants with visual disabilities engaged in direct observations while using these technologies. The study utilized the System Usability Scale (SUS) to assess perceived usability and analyzed findings using descriptive statistics. Results indicated a poorer UX with VoiceOver compared to the Seeing AI app, with challenges identified in graphical user interfaces (GUIs), voice and gesture commands. Relevant recommendations were made to enhance usability. The study emphasizes the need for more intuitive GUIs and optimized voice/gesture interactions for users with visual disabilities.
Not Right Now: Factors Affecting Interruption Decisions in a Healthcare Paradigm
Authors: Pacailler Matthew G. , Ball Rachel , Hirst Ballie , Scerbo Mark W.
Published: August 2024

Interruptions that occur during high-stakes tasks in healthcare increase the likelihood of adverse events. Research on interruption management strategies has addressed the outcomes of interruptions but not what influences the decision to accept or reject them. This study examined the effects of high and low levels of three moderators on the interruption decision-making process: priority, cost of the interruption, and method of interruption. Participants entered data in a simulated patient chart while monitoring simulated patient vital signs and were interrupted four times to perform other activities. Participants could either accept or reject each interruption. The results showed that high priority, low-cost, and face-to-face interruptions were more likely to be accepted. Thus, participants considered the nature of the interrupting task when deciding to suspend work on their current task. These results suggest that a better understanding of factors that affect interruption decisions can lay a foundation to help diminish their disruptiveness.
2D and 3D Augmented Reality Attention Cueing Comparisons in 3D Target Search
Authors: Kelley Brendan , Wickens Christopher , Warden Amelia C. , Clegg Benjamin , Ortega Francisco
Published: August 2024

This study compared three attentional cueing types to assist the user/participant in visually searching for a target within a simulated naturalistic scene. Participants had to locate a hostile combatant appearing in one of several building windows on an AR-simulated building. Other non-target windows either contain no people or people dressed in non-hostile clothes. We compare the effectiveness of three commonly used attention cues placed in simulated augmented reality on a head mounted display (Magic Leap 2): a 2D wedge arrow pointing toward the target, a 3D Arrow pointing toward the target, and a 3D gaze guidance line, connecting the center of the momentary field of view to the target. Results revealed that the gaze guidance line significantly supported the most rapid cueing and the 3D arrow was slowest and least accurate. The gaze guidance line also induced the fewest head movements. This pattern of results is explained via three mechanisms: the ambiguity of depth perception and the complexity of the 3D arrow, and the ability of the gaze guidance line to always indicate the direction of the target, even when the latter is not in the initial field of view.
Effectiveness of a nurse-led peripherally inserted central catheter service: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Alsaleh Kawthar , Alosaimi Dalyal , Almousawi Adnan , Alshaikh Mohammed , Omar Hisham
Published: August 2024

Background:

A multitude of challenges arises from the growing utilisation of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), including the ability to provide timely, effective and safe insertion, which must be ensured and prioritised in patient care. A nurse-led model of care has become more prevalent as PICCs become extensively needed due to their applications. However, despite their widespread use, such intervention is yet in its inception in Saudi Arabia, and thereby, evaluating the outcomes of this service is of utmost importance to support patient safety initiatives and quality of care.

Purpose:

This research aims to assess the effectiveness of a nurse-led PICC placement service.

Methods:

A quantitative retrospective cohort design was used. The sample of this study was 333 random subsets of records on PICC insertion for adult patients between 1st April 2019 and 31st March 2023 in a tertiary medical facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Results:

A nurse-led PICC service demonstrated an overall successful placement of 330 cases (99.1%), out of which 323 PICCs (97%) were successfully inserted under intra-cavitary electrocardiogram (IC-ECG) guidance, while 7 PICCs (2.1%) were successfully inserted with fluoroscopy. The overall complication rate was 2.35 occurrences per 1000 CL days, whereas the complication rate within the first 10 days after PICC insertion was 0.42 per 1000 CL days.

Conclusion:

A nurse-led model for PICC insertion has remarkably high success rates and low rates of complication, highlighting the pivotal role of a specialised PICC team. This service boasted a commendable track record of achieving a high rate of success in its implementation, implying that a nurse-led PICC service operates effectively to improve the patient experience by delivering timely and high-quality healthcare service.
Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Telemedicine: A Systematic Review
Authors: van der Zee Casper , Chang-Wolf Jennifer , Koopmanschap Marc A , van Leeuwen Redmer , Wisse Robert PL
Published: August 2024

Background:

Healthcare is responsible for 4% to 10% of carbon emissions worldwide, of which 22% is related to transport. Telemedicine emerged as a potential solution to reduce the footprint, for example, by reducing travel. However, a need to understand which variables to include in carbon footprint estimations in telemedicine limits our understanding of the beneficial impact telemedicine might have on our environment. This paper aims to systematically assess the reported carbon footprint and include variables assessed by the literature, comparing telemedicine with usual care.

Methods:

The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines in PubMed, Medline, Embase and Scopus. A quality assessment was performed using a transparency checklist for carbon footprint calculators. Carbon emissions were evaluated based on four categories, including patient travel, and streamlined life cycle assessment (LCA) for assessing included variables relevant to telemedicine.

Results:

We included 33 articles from 1117 records for analysis. The average transparency score was 38% (range 18%-68%). The median roundtrip travel distance for each patient was 131 km (interquartile range [IQR]: 60.8-351), or 25.6 kgCO2(IQR: 10.6-105.6) emissions. There is high variance among included variables. Saved emissions are structurally underestimated by not including external factors such as a streamlined LCA.

Conclusions:

Telemedicine aids in reducing emissions, with travel distance being the most significant contributor. Additionally, we recommend accounting for the LCA since it highlights important nuances. This review furthers the debate on assessing carbon footprint savings due to telemedicine.
Study on the wear performance of V-combined tandem seals
Authors: Yang Xiuli , Xiao Hao , Wang Yueming , Yao Zhihong , Guo Fei
Published: August 2024

In this thesis, a numerical simulation model of tandem reciprocating sealing system is established for a V-type combination seal for large-size piston rods according to the material and structural characteristics of the seals to achieve the quantitative calculation of leakage rate, friction and other sealing performance indexes; Based on Rhee's wear theory, combined with the hybrid lubrication model, a wear life prediction method for V-type combination seals is proposed to predict and analyse the evolution of lip profile with working time, and a V-type combination seal bench is built for experimental verification.The results show that: with the increase of lip wear, the contact pressure decreases, the contact width increases, the wear is maximal at the lip, the friction of seals decreases gradually, the leakage rate increases gradually, and the total leakage meets the working requirements. Comparison of experimental and simulation results with high degree of overlap, the life prediction method has high reliability; this paper proves that, in 300 h service cycle, the V-type combination seals have good abrasion resistance and wear compensation ability, the seals have good sealing performance, meet the requirements of work use. This study provides a reference for predicting the wear of V-combination tandem seals.
Hearing Victims’ Voices: The Asbestos Story in the Archive
Authors: McIvor Arthur
Published: August 2024

This paper is developed from a keynote presentation to the Hazardous Heritage Conference, Antwerp, 23 to 24 October 2023. It aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation around toxic heritage in museums and archives. It focuses on the ways that the asbestos story has been archived and curated at the UK’s largest aggregation of asbestos-related archives at the Archives and Special Collections, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. Particular attention is placed on the University’s asbestos-related oral history interviews and the potential of oral history as “intangible heritage.” The focus here is on the community behind the heritage. I discuss how the witness stories of workers exposed to asbestos, their family members and activists and advocacy groups help us to better understand the toxic heritage of asbestos and the impact of the asbestos disaster.
Hygrothermal risk assessment tool for brick walls in a changing climate
Authors: Janssens Kaat , Vandemeulebroucke Isabeau , Marincioni Valentina , Van Den Bossche Nathan
Published: August 2024

Due to the heritage value of historical buildings, external facades can often not be modified. Therefore, in heritage buildings interior insulation is often considered when undergoing an energy renovation. However, interior retrofitting drastically changes the hygrothermal behaviour of a wall and can potentially cause moisture-related problems. Besides an interior retrofit, a changing climate might also trigger some of these damage mechanisms as parameters such as temperature and precipitation will change over time. Hygrothermal models can provide relevant insights into the risk of deterioration associated with these damage phenomena. However, these Heat, Air and Moisture (HAM) tools are commercially available but rarely used in the building industry to study deterioration risks. Translating research into practical tools and guidelines is a challenge across the whole field of building renovation. This paper aims to tackle that challenge, by means of creating a hygrothermal risk assessment tool based on 48,384 HAM-simulations for the climate of Brussels, Belgium. Seven different performance criteria are addressed and discussed: freeze-thaw damage, mould growth, wood rot, corrosion, moisture accumulation, salt efflorescence and bio-colonisation. Subsequent to a sensitivity analysis, the study further explains how these results can be translated into practice, providing building practitioners the most suitable insights and recommendations. The development of an interactive web tool to assess hygrothermal risks is demonstrated and its use and benefits are further elaborated.
Empowering and disempowering climate generated by coaches is associated with negative coping control and attentional control in football players: The mediating role of self-confidence and competitive anxiety
Authors: Domínguez González José Antonio , Sánchez García Carolina , Morales Sánchez Verónica , Hernández Mendo Antonio , Reigal Garrido Rafael Enrique
Published: August 2024

The relationship between motivational climate and psychological sporting abilities could be influenced by levels of competitive anxiety and self-confidence. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationships between empowering and disempowering motivational climates with negative coping control and attentional control, analyzing whether there was an effect of self-confidence and competitive anxiety on these relationships. A total of 328 male adolescents, aged between 14 and 18 years (M = 15.85; SD = 1.44), participated in this research. To collect the information, the Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire (EDMCQ-C), the Inventario Psicológico de Ejecución Deportiva (IPED), and the Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R) were used. The structural equation model revealed positive and statistically significant associations between empowering motivational climate and self-confidence, between disempowering climate and competitive anxiety, as well as between self-confidence and psychological sporting abilities (negative coping control and attentional control). On the other hand, the analyses highlighted negative relationships between competitive anxiety and negative coping control, as well as attentional control. Furthermore, the model revealed indirect associations between empowering climate and negative coping control, and attentional control through self-confidence, as well as between disempowering climate and negative coping control, and attentional control through competitive anxiety. This information could be valuable for professionals in the field of sports, including coaches, psychologists, athletes, managers, or even individuals close to the athletes such as family members or mentors.
The influence of oblique sutures and tendon-suture anchorages on tensile resistance and ultimate strength of 4-strand tendon repairs
Authors: Xu Si Wei , Sun Li Han , Wu Ya Fang
Published: August 2024

This study investigated whether the integration of the oblique sutures contributes to the resistance to gapping in 4-strand flexor tendon repairs. In 72 porcine tendons, we compared repairs incorporating oblique sutures against those without using three distinct anchorage types. The studied suture configurations were longitudinal and oblique, modified Savage and Adelaide, and modified Kessler and Lahey. The number of tendons that formed the first gap or a 2 mm gap at the repair site during cyclic loading, stiffness at the 1st and 20th cycles, gap size between tendon ends and ultimate strength were recorded. No significant differences were found between core sutures with and without oblique sutures except between the modified Savage and Adelaide sutures. The Kessler-type anchorage was inferior in resisting gap formation than simple grasping or cross-locking sutures. We conclude that an oblique suture does not increase the gap resistance of 4-strand tendon repairs when using grasping or Kessler-type anchorages, but it does when using a cross-locking anchorage, such as the Adelaide suture. Simple grasping anchorage is comparable to cross-locking in resisting gap formation.
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome-induced pancreatitis: Case report
Authors: Zakhama Mejda , Moussaoui Safa , Aissaoui Firas , Guediche Arwa , Loghmari Mohamed Hichem , Moussaoui Marwa , Sallem Om Kalthoum , Imen Jemni , Ben Chaabene Nabil , Zrig Ahmed , Safer Leila
Published: August 2024

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is an acquired vascular compression disorder resulting from the compression of the third portion of the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine, leading to a reduction in the space between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. Although rare, superior mesenteric artery syndrome-induced pancreatitis has been documented in the literature. This article presents the case of a 20-year-old female patient with a history of colectomy for acute severe colitis, resulting in significant weight loss. She was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of upper bowel obstruction, and the diagnosis of superior mesenteric artery syndrome complicated by acute pancreatitis was made. The patient underwent a nutritional assistance program along with intravenous fluid therapy, resulting in positive outcomes. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome -induced pancreatitis is rarely reported and can be attributed to an occlusive post-papillary syndrome, which causes retrograde reflux of bile into the pancreatic duct, activating inflammation responsible for pancreatitis.
Integration of Spinal Musculoskeletal System Parameters for Predicting OVCF in the Elderly: A Comprehensive Predictive Model
Authors: Wang Song , Zhang Xin , Zheng Junyong , Chen Guoliang , Jiao Genlong , Peng Songlin
Published: August 2024

Study Design

Systematic literature review.

Objectives

To develop a predictive model for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) in the elderly, utilizing current tools that are sensitive to bone and paraspinal muscle changes.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of data from 260 patients from October 2020 to December 2022, to form the Model population. This group was split into Training and Testing sets. The Training set aided in creating a nomogram through binary logistic regression. From January 2023 to January 2024, we prospectively collected data from 106 patients to constitute the Validation population. The model’s performance was evaluated using concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) for both internal and external validation.

Results

The study included 366 patients. The Training and Testing sets were used for nomogram construction and internal validation, while the prospectively collected data was for external validation. Binary logistic regression identified nine independent OVCF risk factors: age, bone mineral density (BMD), quantitative computed tomography (QCT), vertebral bone quality (VBQ), relative functional cross-sectional area of psoas muscles (rFCSAPS), gross and functional muscle fat infiltration of multifidus and psoas muscles (GMFIES+MF and FMFIES+MF), FMFIPS, and mean muscle ratio. The nomogram showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.91 for the C-index, with internal and external validation AUCs of 0.90 and 0.92. Calibration curves and DCA indicated a good model fit.

Conclusions

This study identified nine factors as independent predictors of OVCF in the elderly. A nomogram including these factors was developed, proving effective for OVCF prediction.
The Relative Probability of Facebook Friendship in the United States
Authors: Nair Shruthy , Andris Clio
Published: August 2024

We mapped Facebook’s Social Connectedness Index (SCI) between adjacent counties in the Contiguous 48 U.S. States. The index is calculated as the number of Facebook friends between counties, divided by the product of active Facebook users in the two counties. The results follow regional science principles that tell us that fewer flows may occur across political (administrative) borders such as state boundaries, and between economic zones, including transition zones between metropolitan areas and hinterland boundaries. We also found low connectivity between adjacent counties that are divided by interstate highways and low connectivity within densely populated areas. High connectivity is found in rural areas, and areas of cultural significance, such as highly African American regions in the U.S. South and isolated regions in Appalachia.
Effect of Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Diabetes Distress Among People With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Parsons Katelyn A. , Ekong Gladys J. , Charbonneau Maria S. , Hopkins Kayla E. , Capoccia Kam L.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of pharmacist-led interventions on diabetes distress and glucose management among people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in a community care clinic.

Methods

Adults with T2DM were recruited during routine visits at the pharmacist-run clinic. Participants completed a baseline A1C, demographic survey, Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS), and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). Depending on DDS subscale-specific responses, participants qualified for pharmacist-led educational interventions based on the ADCES7 Self-Care Behaviors™. After 6 months, participants completed another A1C, satisfaction survey, DDS, and PHQ-2. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and paired t tests.

Results

Among 53 participants at baseline, diabetes distress was present in 77.4%; emotional burden was most common in 64.2%, followed by regimen distress in 45.3%, interpersonal distress in 34.0%, and physician distress in 20.8%. After the intervention, significant reductions occurred in mean overall DDS score (2.0 to 1.7), emotional burden (2.4 to 1.8), regimen distress (2.3 to 1.7), A1C (7.0% to 6.5%; 53.0 to 47.5 mmol/mol), and PHQ-2 score (1.6 to 1.0). Participants were highly satisfied with the service, their knowledge, and self-management skills following completion of the study.

Conclusions

Diabetes distress was present in most participants despite glucose management that was largely achieving treatment goals. Pharmacist-led educational interventions significantly reduced overall DDS score, emotional burden, regimen distress, A1C, and PHQ-2 score. The results of this study suggest that people with T2DM should receive routine screening for diabetes distress and that pharmacists can positively affect diabetes management and emotional well-being through tailored education.
Genetic risk stratification and outcomes among treatment-naive patients with AML treated with venetoclax and azacitidine
Authors: Döhner Hartmut , Pratz Keith W. , DiNardo Courtney D. , Wei Andrew H. , Jonas Brian A. , Pullarkat Vinod A. , Thirman Michael J. , Récher Christian , Schuh Andre C. , Babu Sunil , Li Xiaotong , Ku Grace , Liu Zihuan , Sun Yan , Potluri Jalaja , Dail Monique , Chyla Brenda , Pollyea Daniel A.
Published: August 2024

The European LeukemiaNet (ELN) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) genetic risk classification systems are based on response to intensive chemotherapy; their ability to discriminate outcomes in older patients treated with venetoclax-azacitidine may be suboptimal. This pooled analysis of the phase 3 VIALE-A trial (NCT02993523) and phase 1b study (NCT02203773) examined prognostic stratification according to the 2017 and 2022 ELN risk classifications and derived new molecular signatures differentiating venetoclax-azacitidine–treated patients based on overall survival (OS). Overall, 279 patients treated with venetoclax-azacitidine and 113 patients treated with placebo-azacitidine were analyzed. The ELN 2017 or 2022 prognostic criteria classified most patients as adverse-risk AML (60.2% and 72.8% for venetoclax-azacitidine and 65.5% and 75.2% for placebo-azacitidine, respectively). Although outcomes with venetoclax-azacitidine improved across all ELN risk groups compared with placebo-azacitidine, ELN classification systems poorly discriminated venetoclax-azacitidine outcomes. By applying a bioinformatic algorithm, new molecular signatures were derived differentiating OS outcomes with venetoclax-azacitidine. The mutational status of TP53, FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD), NRAS, and KRAS categorized patients into higher-, intermediate-, and lower-benefit groups (52%, 25%, and 23% of patients, respectively), each associated with a distinct median OS (26.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 20.2-32.7]; 12.1 months [95% CI, 7.3-15.2]; and 5.5 months [95% CI, 2.8-7.6], respectively). ELN prognostic classifiers did not provide clinically meaningful risk stratification of OS outcomes in patients treated with venetoclax-azacitidine. TP53, FLT3-ITD, NRAS, and KRAS mutation status allows the classification of these patients into 3 risk groups with distinct differences in median OS. These trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02993523 and #NCT02203773.