bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between handgrip strength, peripheral muscle strength, and respiratory muscle endurance in women with fibromyalgia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Melian Natasha Teixeira da Cunha , Branco Joaquim Henrique Lorenzetti , Torres Guilherme , Andrade Alexandro , Matte Darlan Laurício
Published: March 2022

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disease characterized by generalized and chronic musculoskeletal pain. It is common, the presence of other symptoms such as fatigue, depression, sleep disorders, leading patients to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Objective: Verify the muscular and respiratory strength of women with FM. Method: Is a cross-sectional study that evaluated 41 women with clinical diagnosis of FM. We analyzed handgrip strength (HS), the strength of the lower limbs, and respiratory muscle endurance using the spirometric maneuver. Results: Patients with FM had a significant reduction in HS, both in the dominant and non-dominant upper limb. Furthermore, peripheral muscle strength in the lower limbs was reduced because on average, participants exceeded the normative five-repetition sit-to-stand test times stipulated for the age groups. Approximately two-thirds of the sample had maximal voluntary ventilation values below the lower limit of normality. We detected inverse and moderate correlation between peripheral muscle strength and HS of non-dominant upper limb (r= −0.472; p= 0.002) and inverse and weak correlation with the HS of dominant upper limb (r= −0.374; p= 0.016); weak correlations between respiratory muscle endurance and HS of dominant upper limb (r= 0.299; p= 0.058), HS of non-dominant upper limb (r= −0.317; p= 0.043), and peripheral muscle strength (r= −0.372, p= 0.017); and strong correlation between HS of dominant upper limb and non-dominant upper limb (r= 0.899; p<0.001). Conclusion: Women with FM present with reduced muscle strength in the upper and lower limbs, as well as lower respiratory muscle resistance.
Um ano com a pandemia da COVID-19: reflexões e aprendizados nas instituições de longa permanência
Authors: Rossini Guilherme , De Benedetto Maria Auxiliadora Craice , Moreto Graziela , Levites Marcelo Rozenfeld , Blasco Pablo González
Published: March 2022

The performance as doctors and teachers in facing, for more than a year, the pandemic of COVID-19 in several clinical settings made us realize that we live in difficult times, facing a unknown disease and, often, of unpredictable behavior. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the measures taken in our Institution in these 14 months of the pandemic, and the recurrent learning, which require thoughtful reflection for its convenient assimilation. The measures taken in 2020 included objective and regular information on the situation of our clinical practice scenarios, with special emphasis on the nursing homes for elderly under our supervision. Daily information, weekly charts, provided a realistic picture of the situation we were experiencing. The measures taken, which also aimed at maintaining the morale of the team at the forefront, provided an opportunity to rethink current medical education models, suggesting new changes and adaptations. Finally, with the arrival of vaccines in 2021, the measures we had been taking converged on a massive vaccination effort, especially in nursing homes. This particular scenario, which presented itself as critical at the beginning of the pandemic, after vaccination became a place of high security, according to the results presented. There were also new learnings in that same place - reduction of other diseases, worsening of cognitive levels - which will henceforth be incorporated into our clinical practice.
Neuroimaging and motor development of twins with congenital microcephaly associated with Zika virus: a case report
Authors: Klinger Tainã Ribeiro , Sanada Luciana Sayuri , Menegol Natália Alves , Lima Viviane de Rezende Santos Passos , Melo Gabriela Amorim , Guedes Ellen Soares , Sato Karina
Published: March 2022

Objective: We aimed to describe a case of congenital microcephaly caused by Zika virus infection in a monozygotic twin pregnancy. Methods: Transfontanelle ultrasonography and cranial computed tomography revealed different lesion patterns for both twins with congenital microcephaly caused by Zika virus infection. Motor development assessments were performed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and the Gross and Motor Function Measure before, during, and after physiotherapy. Results: The evaluations showed differences in motor acquisition between the twins. The values in the first case were much lower than those in the second case, which showed more motor delay. Conclussion: The present study showed that despite the twins being monozygotic, the effects of neurological lesions as revealed by neuroimaging were worse in the first case, and even with two weekly rehabilitation sessions, motor development over time was considerably worse in the twin in case 1 than in the other twin.
Desempenho físico e força de preensão manual como preditores de qualidade de vida de idosos
Authors: Souza Lara Andrade , Tavares Darlene Mara dos Santos
Published: March 2022

Objetivo: Verificar a influência do desempenho físico e da força de preensão manual na qualidade de vida de idosos. Método: Pesquisa quantitativa, longitudinal, do tipo inquérito domiciliar conduzida com 322 idosos residentes no interior de Minas Gerais. Os dados foram coletados em 2014 e 2017/2018 por meio dos instrumentos: Mini Exame do Estado Mental; questionários com dados sociodemográficos/econômico e clínico; Short Physical Performance Battery, dinamometria, World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref e World Health Organization Quality of Life-Olders. Procedeu-se a análise descritiva, bivariada e regressão linear múltipla (p≤0,05). Resultados: Entre as duas coletas houve alteração do maior percentual do estado conjugal, com esposo(a) ou companheiro(a) na baseline para viúvos(as) no follow-up, além do aumento percentual de 5 ou mais morbidades. O menor desempenho físico foi preditor de piores escores de qualidade de vida nos domínios: físico (p<0,001) e relações sociais (p= 0,012); e nas facetas: autonomia (p= 0,001); atividades passadas, presentes e futuras (p= 0,005) e participação social (p<0,001). A menor força de preensão manual foi preditora de menor escore de qualidade de vida no domínio físico (p= 0,009). Conclusão: O menor desempenho físico e a menor força de preensão manual associaram-se com pior escore de qualidade de vida entre idosos da comunidade.
A Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF) como dicionário unificador de termos
Authors: Barreto Marina Carvalho Arruda , Andrade Fernanda Guimarães , Castaneda Luciana , Castro Shamyr Sulyvan
Published: March 2022

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (CIF) was formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO), based on the biopsychosocial model, having as one of the main objectives to provide a neutral and non-discriminatory universal language. However, it is still possible to observe challenges for the success in establishing and using this language universally, causing a series of barriers in communication at the level of teaching, clinical practice, management, and research. This theoretical essay seeks to reflect on the analysis of the challenges that the heterogeneity of the language used to describe and characterize the functioning and the perception that, even after 20 years of publication of the ICF, the use of biomedical logic is still persistent, if configuring as a barrier to the paradigm shift. In addition to discussing the benefits of using ICF as a universal language for health professionals. We affirm the need for an effort by the academic and clinical community for the correct use of ICF terms since the misunderstanding in language can lead to inconsistent definitions. We emphasize that this theoretical essay seeks to cover a gap in the Brazilian literature regarding the use of ICF as a dictionary of guiding terms for describing lived health experiences.
Exercícios passivos na reabilitação de pacientes com dor, edema e limitação articular: estudo piloto
Authors: Folchine Ana Elisa Rosselli , Foss Marco Henrique Dall’aglio , Cavenaghi Simone , Godoy Jose Maria Pereira de
Published: March 2022

Imobilização parcial ou completa leva a diferentes processos de ajuste como perda de força muscular, diminuição do desempenho geral e edema. Objetivo: Avaliar a melhora da dor utilizando de um dispositivo eletromecânico que realiza movimentos passivo nos pacientes com dor, limitação da mobilidade e uso de dispositivos auxiliadores da marcha. Método: Foram avaliados em ensaio clinico prospectivo 20 pacientes, a melhora da dor, fazendo uso de dispositivos auxiliares de locomoção, em pacientes que faziam tratamento convencional por quatro a 12 meses, mas que passaram a fazer diariamente por uma hora e, comparando com exercício passivo realizado com o dispositivo, por duas horas/dia,  por cinco dias, e avaliados pela escala analógica de dor antes e depois no Hospital de Base da Fundação Faculdade de Medicina de São Jose do Rio Preto - FUNFARME de março de 2019 a janeiro de 2020. Resultados: Quando compara a diferença de redução do grupo realizou dispositivo eletromecânico passivo com o grupo convencional houve uma redução de 6,6 na escala analógica de dor e em relação ao grupo convencional de 2, sendo diferente estatisticamente teste t pareado valor p= 0,0001. Conclusão: Exercícios passivos mecânicos, que realizam a drenagem linfática é uma nova opção de tratamento aos pacientes que tem dor e limitação crônica da marcha.
A Historiografia entre modernidade e contemporaneidade
Authors: Coggiola Osvaldo Luis Angel
Published: March 2022

A introdução da contemporaneidade no campo historiográfico e científico não foi o simples acréscimo de uma nova era numa divisão periódica da história preexistente: ela foi precedida por uma nova percepção político-social, e implicou em mudanças metodológicas tanto quanto numa cisão no antigo conceito de modernidade. O artigo tenta abordar, de maneira sintética, essas mudanças, as condições em que se originaram, e suas implicações, cujas consequências ambíguas se fazem sentir até o presente.
Dialysis Initiation in Patients With Chronic Coronary Disease and Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease in ISCHEMIA‐CKD
Authors: Briguori Carlo , Mathew Roy O. , Huang Zhen , Mavromatis Kreton , Hickson LaTonya J. , Lau Wei Ling , Mathew Anoop , Mahajan Sandeep , Wheeler David C. , Claes Kathleen J. , Chen Gang , Nolasco Fernando E. B. , Stone Gregg W. , Fleg Jerome L. , Sidhu Mandeep S. , Rockhold Frank W. , Chertow Glenn M. , Hochman Judith S. , Maron David J. , Bangalore Sripal
Published: March 2022

Background

In participants with concomitant chronic coronary disease and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), the effect of treatment strategies on the timing of dialysis initiation is not well characterized.

Methods and Results

In ISCHEMIA‐CKD (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness With Medical and Invasive Approaches–Chronic Kidney Disease), 777 participants with advanced CKD and moderate or severe ischemia were randomized to either an initial invasive or conservative management strategy. Herein, we compare the proportion of randomized participants with non–dialysis‐requiring CKD at baseline (n=362) who initiated dialysis and compare the time to dialysis initiation between invasive versus conservative management arms. Using multivariable Cox regression analysis, we also sought to identify the effect of invasive versus conservative chronic coronary disease management strategies on dialysis initiation. At a median follow‐up of 23 months (25th–75th interquartile range, 14–32 months), dialysis was initiated in 18.9% of participants (36/190) in the invasive strategy and 16.9% of participants (29/172) in the conservative strategy
(P=
0.22). The median time to dialysis initiation was 6.0 months (interquartile range, 3.0–16.0 months) in the invasive group and 18.2 months (interquartile range, 12.2–25.0 months) in the conservative group
(P=
0.004), with no difference in procedural acute kidney injury rates between the groups (7.8% versus 5.4%;
P
=0.26). Baseline clinical factors associated with earlier dialysis initiation were lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (hazard ratio [HR] associated with 5‐unit decrease, 2.08 [95% CI, 1.72–2.56];
P
<0.001), diabetes (HR, 2.30 [95% CI, 1.28–4.13];
P
=0.005), hypertension (HR, 7.97 [95% CI, 1.09–58.21];
P
=0.041), and Hispanic ethnicity (HR, 2.34 [95% CI, 1.22–4.47];
P
=0.010).

Conclusions

In participants with non–dialysis‐requiring CKD in ISCHEMIA‐CKD, randomization to an invasive chronic coronary disease management strategy (relative to a conservative chronic coronary disease management strategy) is associated with an accelerated time to initiation of maintenance dialysis for kidney failure.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01985360.
Evolution of Neuropsychological Deficits in First-Ever Isolated Ischemic Thalamic Stroke and Their Association With Stroke Topography: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Scharf Anne-Carina , Gronewold Janine , Todica Olga , Moenninghoff Christoph , Doeppner Thorsten R. , de Haan Bianca , Bassetti Claudio L.A. , Hermann Dirk M.
Published: March 2022

Background:

The thalamus plays an essential role in cognition. Cognitive deficits have to date mostly been studied retrospectively in chronic thalamic stroke in small cohorts. Studies prospectively evaluating the evolution of cognitive deficits and their association with thalamic stroke topography are lacking. This knowledge is relevant for targeted patient diagnostics and rehabilitation.

Methods:

Thirty-seven patients (57.5±17.5 [mean±SD] years, 57% men) with first-ever acute isolated ischemic stroke covering the anterior (n=5), paramedian (n=12), or inferolateral (n=20) thalamus and 37 in-patient controls without stroke with similar vascular risk factors matched for age and sex were prospectively studied. Cognition was evaluated using predefined tests at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping was used to determine associations between neuropsychological deficits and stroke topography.

Results:

Patients with anterior thalamic stroke revealed severe deficits in verbal memory (median T score [Q1–Q3]: 39.1 [36.1–44.1]), language (31.8 [31.0–43.8]), and executive functions (43.8 [35.5–48.1]) at 1 month compared with controls (verbal memory: 48.5 [43.6–61.0], language: 55.7 [42.3–61.1], executive functions: 51.3 [50.1–56.8]). Patients with paramedian thalamic stroke showed moderate language (44.7 [42.8–55.9]) and executive (49.5 [44.3–55.1]) deficits and no verbal memory deficits (48.1 [42.5–54.7]) at 1 month compared with controls (59.0 [47.0–64.5]; 59.6 [51.1–61.3]; 52.5 [44.2–55.3]). The language and executive deficits in paramedian thalamic stroke patients almost completely recovered during follow-up. Intriguingly, significant deficits in verbal memory (44.7 [41.5–51.9]), language (47.5 [41.8–54.1]), and executive functions (48.2 [46.2–59.7]) were found in inferolateral thalamic stroke patients at 1 month compared with controls (50.5 [46.7–59.9]; 57.0 [51.2–62.9]; 57.4 [51.2–60.7]). Language, but not executive deficits persisted during follow-up. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping revealed an association of verbal memory deficits with anterior thalamus lesions and an association of non-verbal memory, language, and executive deficits with lesions at the anterior/paramedian/inferolateral border.

Conclusions:

All 3 stroke topographies exhibited significant deficits in diverse cognitive domains, which recovered to a different degree depending on the stroke localization. Our study emphasizes the need for comprehensive neuropsychological diagnostics to secure adequate patient rehabilitation.
Integrating Cultural Heritage into Human Security Analysis
Authors: Weinert Matthew S.
Published: March 2022

The UN Development Programme introduced the human security concept in 1994 to address the diversity of challenges to people’s survival, livelihood, and dignity in seven key areas: personal, food, health, economic, political, community, and environmental security. A voluminous literature has since engaged its definitional parameters, theoretical implications, and practical applications. Yet neither dignity nor community security, defined in part to include cultural traditions and identities, have attracted much attention despite considerable human and community insecurities caused by assaults on cultural heritage which, as emblematic of distinctive cultural identities, have downward effects on dignity. This article aims to correct that gap. It identifies and examines three security markers to ascertain and redress the sufferance of indignities and insecurities pertaining to heritage, dignity, and community security: ensuring use of heritage; promoting its transmission; and protecting and advancing cultural rights.
Influence of Tactile Flow on Visual Heading Perception
Authors: Rosenblum Lisa , Grewe Elisa , Churan Jan , Bremmer Frank
Published: March 2022

The integration of information from different sensory modalities is crucial for successful navigation through an environment. Among others, self-motion induces distinct optic flow patterns on the retina, vestibular signals and tactile flow, which contribute to determine traveled distance (path integration) or movement direction (heading). While the processing of combined visual–vestibular information is subject to a growing body of literature, the processing of visuo-tactile signals in the context of self-motion has received comparatively little attention. Here, we investigated whether visual heading perception is influenced by behaviorally irrelevant tactile flow. In the visual modality, we simulated an observer’s self-motion across a horizontal ground plane (optic flow). Tactile self-motion stimuli were delivered by air flow from head-mounted nozzles (tactile flow). In blocks of trials, we presented only visual or tactile stimuli and subjects had to report their perceived heading. In another block of trials, tactile and visual stimuli were presented simultaneously, with the tactile flow within ±40° of the visual heading (bimodal condition). Here, importantly, participants had to report their perceived visual heading. Perceived self-motion direction in all conditions revealed a centripetal bias, i.e., heading directions were perceived as compressed toward straight ahead. In the bimodal condition, we found a small but systematic influence of task-irrelevant tactile flow on visually perceived headings as function of their directional offset. We conclude that tactile flow is more tightly linked to self-motion perception than previously thought.
Phylum Nematoda: a classification, catalogue and index of valid genera, with a census of valid species
Authors: HODDA M.
Published: March 2022

A classification of the entire Phylum Nematoda is presented, based on current molecular, developmental and morphological evidence. The classification reflects the evolutionary relationships within the phylum, as well as significant areas of uncertainty, particularly related to the early evolution of nematodes.   It includes 3 classes, 8 subclasses, 12 superorders, 32 orders, 53 suborders, 101 superfamilies, 276 families, 511 subfamilies, 3030 genera, and 28537 species.   All valid species named from the time of publication of the previous classification and census (2010) to the end of 2019 are listed, along with the number of valid species in each genus.   Taxonomic authorities are provided for taxon names of all ranks.   The habitats where the species in each genus are found are listed, and an alphabetic index of genus names is provided.   The systematics of nematodes is reviewed, along with a history of nematode classification; evolutionary affinities and origins of nematodes; and the current diagnosis of the group.   Short overviews of the general biology, ecology, scientific and economic importance of the group are presented.
High Ice Water Content Conditions Associated with Wintertime Elevated Convection in the Midwest
Authors: Rugg Allyson , Bernstein Ben C. , Haggerty Julie A. , Korolev Alexei , Nguyen Cuong , Wolde Mengistu , Heckman Ivan , DiVito Stephanie
Published: March 2022

Aircraft flying through areas of high ice water content (HIWC) can experience engine damage and/or failure. HIWC is typically associated with convection and the microphysical properties of tropical oceanic and coastal convection are well documented as a result of several field campaigns in the past decade. HIWC appears to be less common in extratropical convection, but instances of HIWC-related aircraft issues have been recorded in extratropical weather, even during winter. The present study documents the microphysical properties of HIWC between −25° and 0°C and the meteorological and thermodynamic conditions around that HIWC from five flights from the In-Cloud Icing and Large-Drop Experiment (ICICLE) in the midwestern United States in February 2019. All five cases contained elevated convection above a strong low-level temperature inversion. Values for top-of-inversion mixing ratios and total column precipitable water were about 5 g kg−1and 20 mm, respectively, according to soundings near each case. A maximum ice water content of 2.1 g m−3was observed over a length scale of about 500 m, and ice particle size distributions had mean volume equivalent diameters around 1000μm. Supercooled drizzle droplets were also observed in the vicinity of the HIWC, raising questions about the possible role of secondary ice production via the freezing and shattering of supercooled large droplets in HIWC formation. The generalizability of these results is limited by the small number of cases, but they provide some of the first in situ observations of extratropical winter HIWC and highlight the need for continued research on these conditions.

Significance Statement

High ice water content (HIWC) conditions can cause engine damage, stall, and failure in aircraft and can cause air data probes to report erroneous values. Most research on HIWC has focused on tropical convection. This paper serves to draw more attention to the aviation hazard posed by extratropical winter HIWC and the need for additional research into these environments. The cases examined also contained supercooled precipitation-sized liquid droplets. Combined with other recent research, these observations may help to motivate laboratory experiments investigating the role of secondary ice production via droplet freezing and shattering in the formation of HIWC.
Barriers to Increasing Teacher Diversity: The Need to Move Beyond Aspirational Legislation
Authors: Smith Joanna , Porter Lorna , Harrison Brandon J. , Wohlstetter Priscilla
Published: March 2022

Research has found that teachers of color contribute to better academic, behavioral, and socioemotional outcomes for diverse students. Despite these benefits, the diversity of the teacher workforce in the United States has not kept pace with increases in student diversity. States have adopted aspirational legislation aimed at increasing teaching diversity, but have fallen short of diversity targets. This qualitative study examines barriers to increasing teacher diversity by presenting the efforts to do so at 28 diverse-by-design charter schools across five locales. Despite a range of approaches, these schools struggled to meet teacher diversity targets, suggesting a need for states to adopt alternate policy instruments rather than relying on legislative mandates.
Sometimes enough is enough: Nurses’ nonlinear levels of passion and the influence of politics
Authors: Hochwarter Wayne , Jordan Samantha , Kapoutsis Ilias , Franczak Jennifer , Babalola Mayowa , Karim Khan Abdul , Li Yingge
Published: March 2022

Does work politics get in the way of nurses’ passions even when mired in a global pandemic? To address this question, we examined the nonlinear associations of general work passion with job outcomes for practicing nurses and investigated whether these relationships were consistent across levels of perceived work politics. Results from multi-source, time-separated data indicated that passion possessed nonlinear associations with job satisfaction (inverted U-shape), work effort (U-shape), organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) (U-shape), and work performance (U-shape). Furthermore, passion demonstrated nonlinear relationships with job satisfaction and work effort when perceptions of organizational politics (POPs) were high (inverted U-shape) and low (U-shape). A nonlinear relationship emerged when POPs were high (inverted U-shape) when examining work passion associations with OCBs and job performance. Conversely, nonlinear associations were nonsignificant when POPs were low. These findings question the often-held assumption of linearity in the organizational sciences, in general, and support the speculation of more complex passion – outcome forms, specifically. We discuss implications of these results for nursing practice and scholarship, strengths, limitations, and avenues for future research.
Bourdieu and Sociological Biography: The Case of Vincent van Gogh’s Choice of Profession
Authors: Atkinson Will
Published: March 2022

Pierre Bourdieu’s conceptual framework offers a productive means of making sense of statistical regularities and correspondences. When it comes to explaining the intricacies of individual biographies, however, including something as seemingly personal as one’s choice of occupation, Bourdieu offers only a starting point in need of elaboration. Above all, there is a need to pay greater attention to the multiplicity of fields in which individuals are situated and the interplay between them in shaping desires and strategies. These include class, family relations and, in some cases, employment-based fields such as art, religion or specific organisations. To demonstrate the argument, this article takes as a case study the trajectory of Vincent van Gogh, highlighting the ongoing interaction between class, family and other fields in generating his eventual decision to become an artist.
Non-linear finite element model established on pectoralis major muscle to investigate large breast motions of senior women for bra design
Authors: Zhang Jun , Lau Newman ML , Sun Yue , Yip Joanne , Yick Kit-Lun , Yu Winnie , Chen Jianming
Published: March 2022

This paper presents a three-dimensional nonlinear biomechanical finite element model to simulate elderly breast deformation under arm abduction. The finite element model was constructed based on complex anatomical structures that consist of the soft tissues including torso, breast, pectoralis major muscle, and rigid bones including humerus, sternum, clavicle and ribs. The elderly breast was defined as material nonlinearity and geometric nonlinearity. The computational model can simulate and illustrate the deformation of soft tissues during arm abduction from 30° to 90°. The finite element model was validated by motion data. The Young’s modulus for the clavicular portion and the sternocostal portion of the pectoralis major muscle was characterized as 0.1 MPa and 0.08 MPa, respectively. Besides this, the finite element model presented here features the musculoskeletal system for breast deformation and reveals the synergistic relationship between the breast and the pectoralis major muscle. A questionnaire was conducted to analyze the importance of purchasing factors and the discomfort positions in a sports bra from the perspective of senior women. Combined with the finite element model results, this study provides a promising basis for the design of sports bras in an ergonomic way.
Do participation structures affect workers’ voice?
Authors: Alsos Kristin , Trygstad Sissel C
Published: March 2022

Employees’ democratic right to participate is a core element of Nordic labour market models exercised both through representative and indirect participation as well as individual and direct participation. This article analyses representative participation and whether the form it takes matters: Is local trade union representatives’ assessment of influence at company level dependent on whether meetings with management are formal or informal? The question is important because institutional arrangements are on the decline in several European countries. Weaker trade unions and trade union representatives, due to falling unionisation rates, could affect strategic decisions by management when it comes to inviting trade union representatives into decision-making forums. Furthermore, individual-oriented management concepts may be strengthening this trend, in turn challenging the Nordic labour market models at company level. These issues are addressed through power resource perspectives by examining how such resources affect local trade union representatives’ capacity to influence decisions.
Low Voltage Direct Current Supplies Concept for Residential Applications
Authors: Alsaedi Ammar , Alharbi Fahad , Alahdal Abdulrahman , ALAHMADI Ahmed. N. M. , Ammous Anis , Ammous Kaiçar
Published: March 2022

Low Voltage Direct Current (LVDC) Photovoltaic (PV) systems are considered suitable solutions for increasing the capacity of existing LV networks. They provide a good power quality, renewable energy source compatibility, and simple integration with batteries. This paper compares the proposed LVDC supply concept with existing traditional PV systems regarding energy efficiency. The proposed LVDC Photovoltaic System was realized. The results obtained from this study revealed that using the LVDC system supply concept, instead of Low Voltage Alternative Current (LVAC) ones, is very interesting if the PV-generated electricity is used locally during day hours. To achieve a high PV system efficiency, the PV power installed in the houses should be accurately sized regarding the consumed energy. The shorted path taken by the PV-generated power to feed load during daytime is the main advantage of the proposed LVDC architecture.
A renewed purpose for public serving professionals focused graduate programs in global higher education ecosystem
Authors: Tsumagari Maki Ito
Published: March 2022

This explanatory study explored what graduate programs should embrace in educating public serving professionals to become able to respond to paramount challenges unknown at the time of studies. For conceptual frameworks, the study employed (a) principal-agent theory on how predominant philanthropic organizations pushed the creation of globalized higher education industry post-World War II (WWII) and (b) world-systems theory to delineate the spatial penetration of the hegemonic intellectual core. The study found that the post-WWII’s geopolitically driven overseas engagements by US higher education institutions (HEI) orchestrated by well-resourced philanthropic giants such as Ford Foundation made a ground for what we see today: a globalized HEI industry governed by the core with the hegemonic power, termed for the study as a global higher education ecosystem. The study noted that irrespective of if the concerned HEI occupies the position in the core or not, rootedness in the place and its people is the key for public focused programs precisely because of their nature of public-ness. The study then drew three programmatic constructs as referential for late comer HEI to assume meaningful roles for the society they serve through their public serving professionals focused graduate programs: (1) contextualization of globally standardized academic contents into classroom discussions by connecting with cases/situations surrounding given society; (2) positioning the program as a post-entry milestone for public sector professionals to become better prepared state-building force by focusing on the linkage of theories and practices; and (3) HEI specific, unique intellectual identify exploration that is anchored to the place and to its own constituency. The study concluded that today’s graduate programs designed for public serving professionals could frame its objective, as a renewed purpose, to educate academically informed state-builders with the capacity to craft and perform own actions as new realities arise in front of them.
Soluble Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 Level Correlates With Adropin and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Kong Zhongyu , Liu Yuehong
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Soluble vascular adhesion protein-1 (sVAP-1) and adropin are 2 biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of sVAP-1 in patients with moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared to healthy controls, and to further determine the relationship between sVAP-1 and adropin levels, as well as inflammatory biomarkers and sleep parameters.

Methods

In this study, we included 50 male patients with OSA (25 moderate and 25 severe) and 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Patients with OSA underwent polysomnography. All subjects underwent fasting peripheral blood sampling for laboratory analysis.

Results

Serum sVAP-1 and inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-α, and hsCRP) levels were significantly higher in patients with severe OSA compared to those with moderate OSA and control groups, while plasma levels of adropin showed the opposite trend. Furthermore, sVAP-1 levels had a significant positive correlation with AHI, ODI, TNF-α, IL-6, and hsCRP levels and a significant negative correlation with adropin levels. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed an Area Under Curve (AUC) of .876 ( P < .001) for sVAP-1 levels predicting OSA. Serum sVAP-1 threshold of > 445.5 ng/mL had an 88% sensitivity and 80% specificity for detecting OSA status. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that sVAP-1 remained a significant positive predictor of OSA severity.

Conclusions

Increased sVAP-1 levels in OSA patients are significantly correlated with indices of OSA severity, adropin levels, and inflammatory biomarkers, suggesting that sVAP-1 plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of OSA and may become a potential screening tool in the evaluation of OSA severity.
Perspectives and early experience on endoscopic stapedotomy from a group of “traditional school” otologists
Authors: Dutta Mainak , Kundu Sohag , Ghosh Bhaskar , Ghosh Pramit
Published: March 2022

Background: This paper evaluates endoscopic stapedotomy from the perspectives of a group of 3 surgeons, each of whose experience in endoscopic and microscopic stapedotomy is 3 years and more than 12 years, respectively.

Methods: Thirty-four patients clinically diagnosed with stapedial otosclerosis were alternately assigned for unilateral, microscope- and endoscope-assisted stapedotomy following the selection criteria given. Results were evaluated with predetermined epidemiologic, preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative outcome parameters.

Results: The microscope group had 12 ears with otosclerosis and the endoscope-assisted group 14. Ears found to have conditions other than otosclerosis at surgery, and patients lost to follow-up were excluded. Apart from the operative time, the difference in the results of none of the parameters was statistically significant in the two groups. The average operative times for microscope- and endoscope-assisted stapedotomy were 63 minutes and 86.5 minutes, respectively, the difference being statistically significant ( P < .001).

Conclusions: From the perspectives of otologists in differential positions in the learning curve for microscope- and endoscope-assisted stapedotomy, there were no statistically significant differences between the two procedures in the execution of the steps to achieve “adequate surgical exposure” and in postoperative outcomes, except for operative time.
Dealing With Autocorrelation in the Single Case AB-Design: A Study Assessing the Mediating Effect of Infant Crying on the Relation Between Responsive Soothing and Infant Sleep
Authors: Loeys Tom , Rodenburg Roos
Published: March 2022

Mediation analysis is widely adopted by researchers to disentangle the causal pathways by which an intervention affects an outcome. This paper describes a model to estimate the direct and indirect effect from a single subject AB-design with repeated assessments of both the mediator and the outcome. We discuss the plausibility of the modeling assumptions and contrast different approaches to deal with the autocorrelation in the time series data. While there are only small differences between those approaches when the number of timepoints is small (T = 15), the Generalized Least Squares approach performs best in medium (T = 30) to large (T = 90) time series. We apply the proposed methodology to data from a single case AB-design that was conducted with a mother of an excessively crying baby. Daily crying and baby sleep during the night were assessed with online diaries during a baseline phase and intervention phase. Between both phases, the pediatrician instructed the mother how to apply a responsive soothing intervention, the happiest baby (THB) method. We find that the direct effect of THB on sleeping is positive. THB also reduces crying but decreased crying during the day is associated with decreased sleeping during the night and hence a negative indirect effect of THB on sleeping via crying is found.
“Mothers are Medicine”: U.S. Indigenous Media Emphasizing Indigenous Women's Roles in COVID-19 Coverage
Authors: Carter Olson Candi S. , LaPoe Benjamin , LaPoe Victoria , Azocar Cristina L. , Hazarika Bharbi
Published: March 2022

As COVID-19 surged in 2020, non-Indigenous media had a chronic disease of its own: sparse pandemic news from Indian Country. Within this inadequate coverage, there was an erasure of sources: Indigenous women were missing. This study evaluates the role of gender in U.S. Indigenous news coverage during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a qualitative thematic textual analysis, 161 Indigenous media news articles were analyzed to examine gendered news coverage themes from the time the United States instituted a nationwide quarantine until the autumn of 2020. U.S. Indigenous media amplified voices of the Indigenous women on the COVID-19 frontlines. This study focuses on Indigenous media as the benchmark for telling ethical diverse Indigenous community-focused stories, illustrating how women's voices led media coverage and amplified issues. U.S. tribes are often matriarchal. As Europeans wielded disease and genocide as extermination tactics on these communities, women's voices served as medicine to guide narratives to community solutions and healing. As such, this study seeks to add to current theoretical understanding of how Indigenous women's roles were portrayed in COVID-19 coverage.
The 14th Amendment in the Supreme Court's Plessy and Brown Decisions and Influences on Editorial Arguments about Segregation in the Southern United States, 1960–1964
Authors: Mohamed Ali Noor
Published: March 2022

A content analysis of the editorial pages of the Birmingham News from 1960 to 1964 shows that, despite its staunch segregationist stance, the paper's editorial pages, nonetheless, produced strong integrationist narratives. This paradox was borne of discordant interpretations of 14th Amendment rights featured in the Supreme Court's Plessy (1896) and Brown (1954) decisions. Rise of staunch segregationist groups and officials after the Court's 1954 Brown decision drove News editors to embrace greater democratic pluralism. The evolution in editorial approach corresponded to the paper's gradual adoption of Brown's interpretations of 14th Amendment rights. Change in the valence of the paper's narratives supports Condit’s (1987) thesis that rhetorical “crafting” of public morality about race brought about greater tolerance and acceptance of racial equality in America.
Applications of nanoparticles in cardiovascular imaging and therapeutics
Authors: Oey Oliver , Sunjaya Anthony Paulo
Published: March 2022

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health problem afflicting millions of people worldwide. Early detection methods are lacking, and current therapies have significant limitations. Recently, there has been a surge in the number of studies investigating the utilisation of nanoparticles in cardiovascular imaging and therapy. With respect to cardiovascular imaging, previous studies have looked at the role of nanoparticles in thrombus formation, angiogenesis, blood pool and stem cell imaging. Whereas, with respect to therapy, nanoparticles have been studied for delivering drugs and nucleic acids, specifically to the site of interest; in the context of cardiac regeneration; and its potential in refining current therapy guidelines for CVD management. This review aims to extensively summarise the studies that have been conducted investigating the role of nanoparticles in different aspects of cardiovascular imaging and therapy.
The effects of balance and core stability training on postural control in people with visual impairment: A systematic review
Authors: Salar Sarvin , Karimizadeh Ardakani Mohammad , Lieberman Lauren J , Beach Pamela S , Perreault Melanie
Published: March 2022

Visual impairment is one of the most common functional impairments that considerably affects the postural control process and the ability to maintain balance. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review concerning the effects of balance and core stability training on postural control in individuals who are visually impaired. This article comprehensively reviewed studies on balance in individuals who are blind from the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus from 2007 to 2021. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were people who were blind or visually impaired (acquired and congenital), men and women, all ages, and at least 6 weeks balance or core stability training program. Twelve articles were included in this review. Individuals with visual impairment and blindness from all ages were included in this study. According to this review, all balance and core stability protocols in this article have positive effects on balance and postural control for individuals with visual impairments. Therefore, balance and core stability intervention for at least 6 weeks is one of the more well-established protocols for improving balance and postural control in people with visual impairment and can have a positive impact in risk of falling regardless of age, gender, or severity of visual impairment.
Magnitude of urban malaria and its associated risk factors: the case of Batu town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Hassen Jifar , Dinka Hunduma
Published: March 2022

Objective

This study aimed to assess the magnitude of malaria and its associated risk factors in urban, Batu town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

Methods

This health-facility based prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 356 febrile malaria patients to assess risk factors associated with malaria infection.

Results

An overall positivity rate of 17.13% (61/356) for malaria infection was observed. Among the malaria-positive patients, 50.8% (31/61) of them were positive for Plasmodium vivax, 45.90% (28/61) were positive for Plasmodium falciparum, and 3.3% (2/61) had mixed infections of P. falciparum and P. vivax. Logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals who possessed insecticide-treated net (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.194, 0.743]) and whose houses were sprayed with insecticides (OR = 0.18, 95% CI [0.097, 0.34]) were significantly less likely to have a malaria infection. Individuals living closer to stagnant water had a significantly greater chance of malaria infection than those who lived a distance from stagnant water (OR = 0.34, 95% CI [0.19, 0.59]).

Conclusion

The present study revealed that malaria remains a public health problem in the urban area of Batu town, which suggests that the same might be true for other urban areas in the country.
Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes in patients affected by SCLC: a case series
Authors: Zanella Caterina , Leone Alberto Giovanni , Zambelli Luca , Bottiglieri Achille , Canziani Luca , Brambilla Marta , Lo Russo Giuseppe , Platania Marco , De Braud Filippo , Occhipinti Mario
Published: March 2022

Paraneoplastic syndromes occur in about 0.1% of patients affected by neoplastic diseases. In some types of tumors, such as Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), Thymoma, and particular forms of Plasmacytoma, the association with Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes (PNS) is much more frequent. It seems that these syndromes are triggered by tumor production of factors normally expressed only by the individual's nervous system. The immune system stimulates an autoimmune response against these factors that induce neurological symptoms. Also, in light of the latest updates on the relationship between immunotherapy and PNS as well as of the introduction of first-line immunotherapy in SCLC, it seems that the use of immunotherapy in SCLC is associated with concomitant increase in autoimmune neurological syndromes.

In this article, we report our experience at Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan with three patients affected by SCLC and PNS. Our experience seems to confirm that the oncological treatment scarcely impacts the paraneoplastic neurological deficits. Further research is needed to improve the treatment and recovery of patients affected by PNS.
Playing cards designed by young cancer patients with the Youth Project in Milan
Authors: Ferrari Andrea , Silva Matteo , Patriccioli Alice , Chisari Marco , Clerici Carlo Alfredo , Massimino Maura
Published: March 2022

This short piece briefly describes a creative project undertaken by a group of adolescent and young adult cancer patients as part of our Youth Project (a scheme dedicated to young cancer patients with the dual aim of optimizing medical aspects of their care and promoting a holistic approach to their needs, including the organization of artistic activities). In this project, young cancer patients designed their personalized playing cards, with kings receiving chemo, queens wearing bandanas, jacks dressed as nurses, and jokers as doctors. The playing cards, with the patients’ own words, contain a little bit of these young cancer patients’ stories in them.
Optimal shaft-hub connections
Authors: Leergaard Pedersen Niels
Published: March 2022

In all power transmitting machines the shaft-hub connection has a large impact on the overall machine size, if the strength can be increased we can reduce the size. The connection between shaft and hub is a machine element with many possible designs available and described in standards. The connection can be either permanent or changeable, the goal is in all cases to have as high a strength for the connection as possible. Focus is in the present paper on the connections with easy assembly and disassembly, that is, on positive connections (geometrically locked). The designs specified in standards are traditionally made with straight lines and circular arches. Alternatively the involute spline can be used. For this case the cutting tool shape is made with straight lines and circular arches. Present standard designs are not made with minimum stress concentrations as the main objective, other features as for example, easy manufacturing has the primary importance. In the present paper we show how the involute spline design can be significantly improved in relation to strength maximization by reducing the maximum stress. The maximum stress can in many cases be reduced by more than [Formula: see text] relative to standard design.