bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 and health promotion in Brazil: community health workers between vulnerability and resistance
Authors: Lotta Gabriela , Nunes João
Published: June 2021

Health promotion in Brazil relies on community health workers (CHWs), frontline providers linking the health system with vulnerable groups. Brazilian CHWs are overwhelmingly women from poor backgrounds, with precarious and sometimes hazardous working conditions, as well as fragmented and unsystematic training. This paper evaluates how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities of CHWs (pertaining to low salary, precarious and hazardous working conditions and inadequate training) and created new ones, with a profound impact on their ability to carry out health promotion activities. Drawing on testimonials of dozens of CHWs and online discussions promoted by their unions, the paper reveals that during the pandemic CHWs were asked to continue their work without adequate training and protective equipment, thus exposing themselves to the risk of infection. It further shows how the pandemic rendered dangerous the close interaction with patients that is at the heart of their health promotion role. Nonetheless, CHWs sought to adapt their work. In the absence of leadership and coordination on the part of the federal government, CHWs mobilized different forms of resistance at the national and individual levels. Despite this, COVID-19 contributed to a trajectory of erosion of health promotion in Brazil. Findings from this case signal the difficulties for health promotion in low- and middle-income countries relying on CHWs to bridge the health system and vulnerable users.
Accuracy of CGM Systems During Continuous and Interval Exercise in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Da Prato G. , Pasquini S. , Rinaldi E. , Lucianer T. , Donà S. , Santi L. , Negri C. , Bonora E. , Moghetti P. , Trombetta M.
Published: June 2021

Background:

continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs) play an important role in the management of T1D, but their accuracy may reduce during rapid glucose excursions. The aim of study was to assess the accuracy of recent rt-CGMs available in Italy, in subjects with T1D during 2 sessions of physical activity: moderate continuous (CON) and interval exercise (IE).

Method:

we recruited 22 patients with T1D, on CSII associated or integrated with a CGM, to which a second different sensor was applied. Data recorded by CGMs were compared with the corresponding plasma glucose (PG) values, measured every 5 minutes with the glucose analyzer. To assess the accuracy of the CGMs, we evaluated the Sensor Bias (SB), the Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) and the Clarke error grid (CEG).

Results:

a total of 2355 plasma-sensor glucose paired points were collected. Both average plasma and interstitial glucose concentrations did not significantly differ during CON and IE. During CON: 1. PG change at the end of exercise was greater than during IE ( P = .034); 2. all sensors overestimated PG more than during IE, as shown by SB ( P < .001) and MARD ( P < .001) comparisons. Classifying the performance according to the CEG, significant differences were found between the 2 sessions in distribution of points in A and B zones.

Conclusions:

the exercise affects the accuracy of currently available CGMs, especially during CON, suggesting, in this circumstance, the need to maintain blood glucose in a “prudent” range, above that generally recommended. Further studies are needed to investigate additional types of activities.
Renovating Healthcare Facility Maintenance Planning: A Case Study From Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC)
Authors: Spear Bryan , Kinart Angela C. , Beauvais Brad , Kim Forest S.
Published: June 2021

Purpose:

This article documents the development and implementation of a new approach for health facilities construction and maintenance planning, the use of a Facilities and Clinical Coordination (FCC) Council, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC).

Background:

WRNMMC is preparing for the largest and most complex renovation project in recent Department of Defense history. There is sparse documentation demonstrating stepwise frameworks for the implementation of effective and efficient health facilities maintenance management tools and techniques.

Method:

This study discusses the development and evaluation of the FCC Council. Clarity to the literature sources guiding the development of the FCC Council is provided, followed by the survey approach undertaken to assess Council efficacy based on participants’ perceptions. Data are analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:

Our study suggests routine cross-functional synchronous FCC Council meetings improve perceptions of safety and communication, encourage teamwork, and are more productive when conducted using synchronous rather than asynchronous communication. Clinician participants strongly supported the face-to-face meeting approach and considered such meetings more effective as they are perceived to maintain staff and patient safety as a constant organizational focus.

Conclusion:

The FCC’s perceived effectiveness toward improving healthcare facilities maintenance planning centers on engaged leadership, the inclusion of diverse subject matter experts, and structured group facilitation. Our results inform health facilities planners of the value the FCC Council brings to an organization by helping to develop organizational buy-in for major facilities renovation projects.
Ed-Tech Within Limits: Anticipating educational technology in times of environmental crisis
Authors: Selwyn Neil
Published: June 2021

Despite climate heating and rising ecological instability, environmental issues feature rarely in discussions of educational technology. Most commentators presume the continued unfettered use of digital education resources bolstered by occasional claims that emerging technologies might support the ‘greening’ of school and university provision. In contrast to such business-as-usual complacency, this article anticipates ongoing environmental degradation of the planet as radically upending the continued expansion of digital technologies in education. On the one hand, depletion of natural resources and energy curtailments might put paid to established ‘abundant’ forms of digital technology use. On the other hand, more frequent climate-related disasters might necessitate emergency forms of education for displaced and unsettled populations. As such, the article argues for a new paradigm of educational technology that is both wholly sustainable and targeted towards displaced and disadvantaged populations. The article considers a number of ways that such an ‘Ed-Tech Within Limits’ might be pursued – outlining fundamental shifts in thinking necessary to reorient educational technology along environmentally concerned lines.
Morbihan disease: A diagnostic dilemma: two cases with successful resolution
Authors: Donthi Deepak , Nenow Joseph , Samia Arthur , Phillips Charles , Papalas John , Prenshaw Karyn
Published: June 2021

Morbihan syndrome is a rare entity characterized by persistent erythema and solid edema of upper two-thirds of the face. Although its etiology is poorly understood, it is known to have a wide differential diagnosis and is frequently under-recognized.1–3 We report two such cases of Morbihan syndrome in patients that responded well to treatment with a combination of 2.5% hydrocortisone cream, brimonidine 0.33% topical gel, metronidazole gel and 100 mg doxycycline twice daily. This report emphasizes the necessity of biopsy for clinical correlation in cases of chronic facial edema. It also serves to highlight a potential association of Morbihan syndrome to diabetes mellitus through recently discovered pathophysiology of diabetes on the lymphatic system. It underscores the effectiveness of our therapeutic regimen in the context of other treatment regimen effectiveness. Finally, it highlights novel advances into the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
A rare case of cervical abscess caused by Parvimonas micra
Authors: Fujiwara Erina , Tsuda Takeshi , Wada Kento , Waki Sadanori , Hanada Yukiko , Nishimura Hiroshi
Published: June 2021

Cervical abscesses develop in the tissue spaces between the cervical fascia. The rapid expansion of these abscesses can lead to fatal outcomes. We describe a case of a deep cervical abscess caused by Parvimonas micra. He was referred to our department with complaints of sore throat and neck pain. Ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic area in the cervical interfascicular space. An ultrasound-guided puncture was performed to collect pus for bacteriological examination. Subsequently, a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed a multi-focal abscess extending from the left mandible to the left side of the neck, without any mediastinal abscess. An emergency drainage and antibacterial therapies were performed, and the patient progressed well. Parvimonas micra, a gram-positive anaerobic bacterium, was detected in the pus collected before incision, and appropriate antibiotics were immediately administered. The collection of pus prior to incision and drainage aids accurate identification of the causative organism and appropriate treatment.
Clear cell urethral adenocarcinoma – a case report of an exceptional response to immunotherapy in a metastatic rare tumour
Authors: Cowzer Darren , Mulligan Karen , Glennon Kate , Hegarty Nicholas , Walsh Tom , McCaffrey John A
Published: June 2021

Primary clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra is extremely rare. Given the rarity of these tumours there is no high-level evidence available to guide treatments. Localized disease is typically treated with primary surgery or concurrent chemo-radiotherapy. In the advanced disease setting treatment options are limited and decisions are based on evidence in disease subtypes where similarities exist. Immuno-oncology and the use of checkpoint inhibitors, particularly for metastatic disease has transformed clinical practice over the past few years and patient outcomes continue to improve as a result of their introduction. Here we report the first case, to our knowledge, of a patient with advanced primary clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra who had a dramatic and almost complete response to anti-PD-1 therapy in the fourth line setting.

Level of evidence: 4
Do weather parameters affect emergency room visits due to acute urinary retention?
Authors: Golomb Dor , Ehrlich Yaron , Lifshitz David , Stav Nir , Halfon Noam , Porat Amos , Goldberg Hanan
Published: June 2021

Objective:

This study aimed to describe the effects of the various climate parameters on emergency room (ER) visits due to acute urinary retention (AUR).

Patients and methods:

This was a single-center retrospective analysis of the ER data of visits due to AUR in males and females between 2010 and 2017. We incorporated ER registries with data from the national meteorological service. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, we assessed associations between climate parameters and the incidence of AUR.

Results:

A total of 1917 patients were admitted to the ER due to AUR during the study period, of whom 1706 (89%) were males and211 (11%) were females. Most AURs occurred in patients >70 years of age, with males on average being older than women (72.8 vs. 70.1 years old, p=0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analyses demonstrated that females had more AURs than men (odds ratio (OR)=1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–1.9, p=0.04) in spring. In all seasons except winter, a higher maximal temperature was associated with an increased risk of AUR, while in winter, a lower temperature was associated with an increased risk (OR=0.654, 95% CI 0.602–0.711, p<0.0001). Additionally, the following were associated with an increased AUR risk: increased wind speed and lower heat index during the spring, increased precipitation and a lower heat index during the autumn, and a higher heat index in the winter.

Conclusions:

Our data suggest that weather parameters might be associated with an increased AUR incidence in a Mediterranean coastline area, with maximal ambient temperature, wind speed, heat index, and precipitation playing a potential role.

Level of evidence:

6.
Uncovering the nuances of criminal motivations and modus operandi in the Russian Far East: A wildlife crime case study
Authors: Skidmore Allison
Published: June 2021

Wildlife crime is a relatively new line of inquiry for scholars of criminology; traditionally it has been the purview of conservation science. However, as conservation is fundamentally about changing human behavior, the value of a criminological perspective to understand both the theoretical underpinnings of wildlife crime commission and practical mitigation strategies is being increasingly recognized. Based on an ethnographic case study on the poaching and trafficking of Amur tigers in the Russian Far East, this article reflects upon the use of criminological ethnographic methods to understand the complexity and subtleties of wildlife crime by directly interviewing the poachers, middlemen, buyers, and smugglers involved. The article seeks transparency on how qualitative methods can be successfully employed to engage in fieldwork with active criminals in peripheral settings.
Cervical Spine Immobilization in Patients With a Geriatric Facial Structure: The Influence of a Geriatric Mandible Structure on the Immobilization Quality Using a Cervical Collar
Authors: Jung Matthias K. , Grützner Paul A. , Schneider Niko R. E. , Keil Holger , Kreinest Michael
Published: June 2021

Introduction:

Demographic changes have resulted in an increase in injuries among geriatric patients. For these patients, a rigid cervical collar is crucial for immobilizing the cervical spine. However, evidence suggests that patients with a geriatric facial structure require a different means of immobilization than patients with an adult facial structure. This study aimed to analyze the remaining motion of the immobilized cervical spine based on facial structure.

Materials and Methods:

This study was performed on 8 fresh human cadavers. Facial structure was evaluated via ascertaining the mandibular angle by computer tomography. A mandibular angle below 130°, belongs to the adult facial structure group ( n = 4) and a mandibular angle above 130°, belongs to the geriatric facial structure group ( n = 4). The flexion and lateral bending of the immobilized cervical spine were analyzed in both groups using a wireless motion tracker system.

Results:

A flexion of up to 19.0° was measured in the adult facial structure group. The mean flexion in the adult vs. geriatric facial structure groups were 14.5° vs. 6.5° (ranges: 9.0-19.0 vs. 5.0-7.0°), respectively. Thus, cervical spine motion was ( p = 0.0286) significantly more reduced in the adult facial structure group. No ( p = 0.0571) significant difference was oberserved in the mean lateral bending of the adult facial structure group (14.5°) compared to the geriatric facial structure group (7.5°).

Conclusion:

Emergency medical service personnel should therefore follow current guidelines and recommendations and perform cervical spine immobilization with a cervical collar, including in patients with a geriatric facial structure.
Development and Validation of Learning Style Scale for E-Learners
Authors: Siddiquei Nabia Luqman , Khalid Ruhi
Published: June 2021

The present study aimed to develop an indigenous measure of learning styles for e-learners in Pakistan and to establish its psychometric properties. The objectives of the study were attained via three studies. First, the items for the development of the Learning Style Scale for e-Learners (e-LSS) were generated empirically based on a 5-point Likert-type scale. In Study I, the internal consistency and dimensionality of the measure were determined by sampling 360 e-learners aged from 20 to 40 years through a convenient sampling technique, whereas other demographic characteristics were kept in close consideration. For this purpose, exploratory factor analysis was utilized. In Study II of scale development, the factor structure that emerged in Study I was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling. In Study III, the convergent and divergent validities of the newly constructed scale were established by correlating scores with preestablished scale scores that assess the similar construct (i.e., LSS) and with scores on the discriminant construct (i.e., Solving Problems Survey). The sample for this study consisted of 80 e-learners aged from 20 to 40 years. A total of 29 items were confirmed in the final scale with 8 distinctive factors (namely, visual, auditory, kinesthetic, global, analytical, individual, collaborative, and technological type) with sound psychometric properties. To conclude, the newly constructed scale was a significant addition to assess learning styles particularly of e-learners in the context of Pakistan.
New Trends in Sustainable Environmental Governance in Mainland China. The Zhejiang Case.
Authors: Qejvanaj Gentian
Published: June 2021

The trade-off between environmental sustainability and economic growth has been the focus of an extensive debate in the developing world and in this debate China is no exception, as it moves away from a single-minded growth-only policy toward a more sustainable economic model. The reason for this new policy trend has to be found in civil society’s rising environmental awareness and the growing accountability by local governments and multinational companies. Interviews with civil society and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) mainly based in Zhejiang province, together with secondhand data from national online database show that a political feedback mechanism is possible also in a non-democratic country like China, and despite the Chinese political framework lacking an accountability mechanism, the civil society growing environmental concerns and multinational companies’ reputation abroad have indirectly forced policymakers to act toward tighter environmental regulation. In conclusion, this study shows that the Chinese middle class is not fully passive in its relationship with the local government, but it activates when its key interest is threatened, and as the Chinese middle class grows rich and educated and the economic growth slows down, a similar accountability mechanism could be replicated concerning issues where political legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is not questioned like economic or social issues.
Performance Expectancy of Officiating Technology in Spectator-Based Sport Events: Scale Development and Validation
Authors: Kim Jihoon (Jay) , Ko Yong Jae , Connaughton Daniel P.
Published: June 2021

In an effort to decrease the number of missed calls and to improve officiating during sport events, various sports leagues have implemented media technology (e.g., Video Assistant Referee, Hawk-Eye). More importantly, the use of officiating technology has significantly influenced spectatorship in various ways (e.g., perception of and attitude toward the technology). Although officiating technology is an impressive tool for communicating final decisions to spectators, few scholars have examined how spectators perceive the use of officiating technology, and no psychometric measurement scale exists that measures this perception. To fill this void, we developed and validated the Performance Expectancy of Officiating Technology (PEOT) scale to measure the perceptions of spectators, one of the most important stakeholder groups in the industry. We identified four sub-dimensions of PEOT: fair judgment, enjoyability, efficient game operation, and convenience of review; a multi-dimensional framework that provides a psychometrically sound approach to assessment. The results reveal that PEOT had a positive and direct impact on attitude toward and intention to watch sport events. In addition, attitude partially mediated the relationship between performance expectancy and intention to watch sport events. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
PDMS-enhanced slowly degradable Ca-P-Si scaffold: Material characterization, fabrication and in vitro biocompatibility study
Authors: Wu Tao , Li Zhanpeng , Chen Yadong , Liu Qiang , Zhang Jingshu , Yu Kun , Wang Yu , Wang Zhiguo , Gong Tianxing
Published: June 2021

A slowly degradable bone scaffold can well maintain the balance between new bone regeneration and scaffold resorption, esp. for seniors or patients suffering from pathological diseases, because too fast degradation can lead to the loss of long-term biological stability and result in scaffold failure. In this present study, calcium phosphate silicate (CPS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were blended in different ratios to formulate slurries for scaffold fabrication. The effects of crosslinked PDMS on the CPS material properties were first characterized and the most viable formulation of CPS-PDMS slurry was determined based on the aforementioned results to 3D fabricate scaffolds. The biocompatibility of CPS-PDMS was further evaluated based on the scaffold extract’s cytotoxicity to osteoblast cells. Furthermore, real-time PCR was used to investigate the effects of scaffold extract to increase osteoblast proliferation. It is showed that the crosslinked PDMS interfered with CPS hydration and reduced both setting rate and compressive strength of CPS. In addition, CPS porosity was also found to increase with PDMS due to uneven water distribution as a result of increased hydrophobicity. Degradation and mineralization studies show that CPS-PDMS scaffold was slowly degradable and induced apatite formation. In addition, the in vitro analyses show that the CPS-PDMS scaffold did not exert any cytotoxic effect on osteoblast cells but could improve the cell proliferation via the TGFβ/BMP signaling pathway. In conclusion, CPS-PDMS scaffold is proved to be slowly degradable and biocompatible. Further analyses are therefore needed to demonstrate CPS-PDMS scaffold applications in bone regeneration.
Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy in patients with discoid lateral meniscus
Authors: Kim Hee-June , Shin Ji-Yeon , Lee Hyun-Joo , Jung Chul-Hee , Park Kyeong-Hyeon , Oh Chang-Wug , Kyung Hee-Soo
Published: June 2021

Background:

There are concerns about the progression of the lateral osteoarthritis (OA) should be taken into account when high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is performed in patients with discoid lateral meniscus (LM). This study evaluated the clinical results of HTO in patients with discoid LM and elucidated factors affecting the results.

Methods:

This study evaluated 32 female patients with varus deformity and medial OA. Patients with discoid LM (8 patients) or without discoid LM (24 patients) underwent open-wedge HTO. The mean age was 53.5 years and the mean follow-up period was 35 months. Clinical results, including the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, Knee Society knee score (KS) and function score (FS), were evaluated. The progression of OA in the lateral compartment was also evaluated. Finally, we evaluated the factors affecting the clinical results and OA progression in the lateral compartment.

Results:

Between two groups, all clinical scores were not different (p = 0.964, 0.963, and 0.559, respectively). Three of eight patients (37.5%) in the discoid group developed OA in the lateral compartment, whereas 2 of 24 patients (8.3%) in the control group developed such; however, this was not significantly different (p = 0.085). In discoid group, patients with undercorrection has higher KS relative to patients with acceptable correction (p = 0.044). Other clinical results and OA change in the lateral compartment were not affected by evaluated factors.

Conclusions:

Patients who underwent open-wedge HTO showed the satisfactory clinical results and lateral OA progression regardless of the presence or absence discoid LM. However, when discoid LM was present, patients with undercorrection showed higher KS in comparison with patients with acceptable correction.
Implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards: Its Practices, Challenges and Prospects: The Case of Commercial Banks in Ethiopia
Authors: Dagnew Derbew Kenubeh
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study is to examine challenges, prospects and factors that affect the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards at the commercial banks in Ethiopia. The study adopted a concurrent mixed research approach. Data were collected through questionnaire and interview. Descriptive and econometric analysis was used for the quantitative data, and data from interview were analysed through narration. Based on the descriptive analysis, all banks have practiced the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) highly. Beside this, the lack of guidance and consulting services, high cost of training and consulting services, the complexity nature of most standards and the shortage of time set by the regulatory bodies are among the most important challenges. The international comparability, transparency and quality of the financial reporting system are among the prospects to implement IFRS. In addition, the result of stepwise multiple regression analysis also reveals that information technology system, attitude and perceived ease of use have highly contributed for the implementation of IFRS at commercial banks in Ethiopia. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the government, commercial banks and other concerned bodies in the country should care for the successful implementation of IFRS.
A Study of Commuter’s Shift Behaviour Towards New Age Convenient Transport Services
Authors: Parihar Shubhendra Singh , Rai Puneet , Siddiqui Masood
Published: June 2021

This study identifies the determinants of commuter’s perception and shift behaviour towards new-age transport services. Convenience is an essential determinant in influencing consumer preferences. Multiple factors such as accessibility, convenience, cost of transport, number of transfers during the journey and waiting time are a few salient variables that influence the commuter’s shift to a new transport mode. Responses from ongoing commuters were collected by using a structured questionnaire from the users and non-users of the metro. The collected data were analysed. The study reveals that categorical variables such as age, gender and occupation have some degree of influence in commuters’ shift behaviour towards new-age transport services. The study will provide insights to formulate a future strategy to improve the acceptance of new-age transportation.
Clinical and Functional Outcomes After Operative and Nonoperative Treatment of Distal Biceps Brachii Tendon Ruptures in a Consecutive Case Series
Authors: Berthold Daniel P. , Muench Lukas N. , Cusano Antonio , Uyeki Colin L. , Slater Maria , Tamburini Lisa M. , Geyer Stephanie , Cote Mark P. , Arciero Robert A. , Mazzocca Augustus D.
Published: June 2021

Background:

Patients with ruptures of the distal biceps brachii tendon (DBBT) have traditionally been treated via surgical repair, despite limited patient data on nonoperative management.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

To determine the clinical and functional outcomes for patients with partial and complete DBBT injuries treated nonoperatively or surgically through an anatomic single-incision technique. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in outcomes in patients treated with nonoperative or operative management.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review identified all patients with a partial or complete DBBT injury sustained between 2003 and 2017. Surgically treated patients underwent DBBT repair using an anatomic single-incision technique. Nonoperative management consisted of formal physical therapy. The following clinical outcome measures were included for analysis: American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score; the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) upper extremity patient questionnaire; the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score; and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey.

Results:

A total of 60 patients (mean ± SD age, 47.8 ± 11.5 years; range, 18-70 years) sustained DBBT ruptures (38 complete and 22 partial) during the study period. Of patients with complete DBBT, 34 were treated operatively and 4 nonoperatively; of those with partial DBBT, 11 were treated operatively and 11 nonoperatively. At a mean follow-up of 5.4 ± 4.0 years (range, 0.5-16.6 years), patients with complete DBBT ruptures achieved overall similar improvements with respect to mean ASES pain, ASES function, SANE, and DASH scores, regardless of whether they were treated operatively or nonoperatively. Subjective satisfaction and functional scores were comparable between the groups. Similarly, at a mean follow-up of 4.1 ± 3.8 years (range, 0.5-11.3 years), patients with partial DBBT injuries had improved mean ASES pain, ASES function, SANE, and DASH scores, regardless of operative or nonoperative treatment. Subjective satisfaction and functional scores were comparable between these groups. For those treated surgically, 5 patients (11.1%) sustained a surgical postoperative complication.

Conclusion:

In our case series, patients were able to achieve satisfactory outcomes regardless of whether they were treated nonoperatively or with an anatomic single-incision approach for complete or partial DBBT ruptures.
Is Antiplatelet Therapy Contraindicated After Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment? A Narrative Review
Authors: Magruder Matthew , Rodeo Scott A.
Published: June 2021

Background:

Antiplatelet therapies are often withheld before and after platelet-rich plasma product (PRPP) administration due to theoretical concerns that therapies that inhibit the function of platelets would inhibit the effects of PRPP.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect that antiplatelet therapies have on the ability of PRPP to stimulate wound healing and tissue regeneration. Our hypothesis was that antiplatelet therapies would have highly heterogeneous effects on the biological activity of PRPP.

Study Design:

Narrative review.

Methods:

The Medline database was searched via PubMed to identify all studies related to PRPP and antiplatelet therapies, yielding 1417 publications. After the search was confined to articles published after 1995, there were 901 articles remaining. All abstracts were then screened to identify animal or human clinical studies that focused on growth factor or inflammatory cytokine production or treatment outcomes. We limited our analysis to studies reporting on orthopaedic pathologies and in vitro studies of antiplatelet therapies. Ultimately, 12 articles fit the search criteria.

Results:

The majority of studies reported on the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as antiplatelet therapy. The majority of studies were in vitro analyses of growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, or cell viability, whereas 1 study examined clinical outcomes in an animal model. None of the studies investigated clinical outcomes in humans. All of the studies showed no effect or mixed effects of antiplatelet therapies on PRPP efficacy. One study showed PRPP recovery to baseline function after a 1-week washout period.

Conclusion:

The literature did not provide support for the common clinical practice of withholding antiplatelet therapies in patients being treated with PRPP.
Influential Articles on Pediatric and Adolescent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Allahabadi Sachin , Feeley Sonali E. , Lansdown Drew A. , Pandya Nirav K. , Feeley Brian T.
Published: June 2021

Background:

The understanding of pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and optimal treatment has evolved significantly. Influential articles have been previously evaluated using article citations to determine impact.

Purpose:

To identify and characterize the 50 most cited and recent influential articles relating to pediatric and adolescent ACL injuries, to examine trends in publication characteristics, and to evaluate correlations of study citations with quality of evidence.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

The top 50 most cited articles on pediatric and adolescent ACL injuries were gathered using the Web of Science and Scopus online databases by averaging the number of citations from each database. Articles from recent years were also aggregated and sorted by citation density (citations/year). Publication and study characteristics were recorded. Level of evidence and methodologic quality were assessed where applicable using the modified Coleman Methodology Score (mCMS), modified Jadad scale, and Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Spearman correlation was used to evaluate the association between citation data and level of evidence or methodologic quality scorings.

Results:

The top 50 cited papers had a mean of 117.5 ± 58.8 citations (range, 58.5-288.5 citations), with a mean citation density of 9.4 ± 5.4 citations per year (range, 2.9-25.8 citations/year); 80% were published in 2000 or later, and 6% were considered basic science. Articles were mainly level 4 evidence (27/42; 64.3%), and none was level 1. There were moderate, significant associations between publication year and level of evidence ( r S = −0.45; P = .0030) and citation density and publication year ( r S = 0.59; P < .001). Mean methodologic quality scores were as follows: mCMS, 53 ± 7.2 (range, 39-68); modified Jadad scale, 3.2 ± 1.1 (range, 2-6); and MINORS, 11.2 ± 3.2 (range, 6-20). There was a significant, strong correlation between rank of mean citations and modified Jadad scale ( r S = 0.76; P < .0001), suggesting poorer score associated with more mean citations.

Conclusion:

Influential articles on pediatric and adolescent ACL injuries were relatively recent, with a low proportion of basic science–type articles. Most of the studies had a lower evidence level and poor methodologic quality scores. Higher methodologic quality did not correlate positively with citation data.
Personal Determinants for Physical Activity Behavior of Urban-Dwelling Older Adults in Sri Lanka
Authors: Wickramarachchi Bimba I. , Siop Sidiah J. , Perera Bilesha
Published: June 2021

Physical inactivity is a vital risk factor for the development and maintenance of chronic ill-health conditions among older adults. This study examined personal factors associated with physical activity (PA) behavior of urban-dwelling older adults in Sri Lanka, a middle-income country in South Asia. A total of 880 older adults (aged ≥60 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. They responded to anthropometrical, health, and socio-demographic data pertaining to their current physical and behavioral status. The mean age of the participants was 70.1 years ( SD ±6.0), and the majority (75%) were women. Increasing age, male gender, middle income, having cardiovascular diseases or arthritis, deficiencies in muscle strength and balance, pain, and lower self-rated health were associated with insufficient PA behavior among the participants. Old-age physical activity promotion programs should target older adults in advanced ages and men in particularly, as they are highly vulnerable to sedentary lifestyles. Muscle strength and balance, a neglected area in PA promotion in older adults, seem to play an important role in older adults’ participation in physical activities. Incorporation of pain management, and muscle strength and balance techniques into older adults’ PA promotion programs would probably increase adherence rates of the participants in such programs.
Rural-Urban Differences in the Labor-Force Impacts of COVID-19 in the United States
Authors: Brooks Matthew M. , Mueller J. Tom , Thiede Brian C.
Published: June 2021

COVID-19 has had dramatic impacts on economic outcomes across the United States, yet most research on the pandemic’s labor-market impacts has had a national or urban focus. We overcome this limitation using data from the U.S. Current Population Survey’s COVID-19 supplement to study pandemic-related labor-force outcomes in rural and urban areas from May 2020 through February 2021. We find the pandemic has generally had more severe labor-force impacts on urban adults than their rural counterparts. Urban adults were more often to go unpaid for missed hours, to be unable to work, and to be unable to look for work due to COVID-19. However, rural workers were less likely to work remotely than urban workers. These differences persist even when adjusting for adults’ socioeconomic characteristics and state-level factors. Our results suggest that rural-urban differences in the nature of work during the pandemic cannot be explained by well-known demographic and political differences between rural and urban America.
Virtual work intensity, job satisfaction, and the mediating role of work-family balance: A study of employees in Germany and China
Authors: Qiu Feng , Dauth Tobias
Published: June 2021

This paper targets virtual work, an increasingly crucial alternative work arrangement in today’s interconnected world. Based on a survey of 308 employees working in Germany and China, we investigate the relationship between virtual work intensity, work-family balance, and job satisfaction through a mediator model. We find empirical evidence for an inverted U-shaped relationship between virtual work intensity and job satisfaction. When virtual work intensity is below a particular level, it is positively related to job satisfaction. However, increasing virtual work intensity begins to decrease job satisfaction when this threshold is exceeded. Our findings suggest this relationship between virtual work intensity and job satisfaction is mediated by work-family balance. Furthermore, empirical evidence demonstrates that the inverted U-shaped relationship has different optimums in different cultures. The research outcome demonstrates that the threshold is lower for Chinese employees than their German colleagues. This paper contributes to literature relating to job satisfaction, work-family balance, and virtual work by focusing on individual virtual work outcomes in a cross-cultural context. It also attempts to provide an alternative explanation for the generative mechanism of the impact of virtual work intensity on job satisfaction.
Assessment of Potential Damage Factor: A Case Study of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata
Authors: Basu Chiradeep , Bhattacharyya Subarna , Chaudhuri Anirban , Akhtar Shaheen , Chatterjee Akash , Thakur Biswajit , Guha Himadri , Chaudhuri Punarbasu
Published: June 2021

Damaging factors such as airborne microorganisms, relative humidity, ventilation, temperature and air pollutants are the major concerns of the tropical climate of Kolkata, India where our study site, 172-year-old St. Paul’s Cathedral is located. In this context, the aim was to develop an equation to assess the management priority and which factors would be more responsible for potentially damaging the heritage building. The temperature varied from 28°C to 31°C, relative humidity was recorded 72% over a period of 14 days in the prayer hall whereas almost constant temperature (27°C) and relative humidity (55%) were recorded in crypt. Air movement was recorded 0.5–3 m s−1 in both crypt and prayer hall. Sulphur dioxide and oxide of nitrogen concentration were lower than the standard mentioned by the Central Pollution Control Board, India. The fungal load was lower inside the crypt (237 CFU m−3) than in the prayer hall (793 CFU m−3). Calculated potential damage for prayer hall and crypt was found to be 48.75% and 37.08%, respectively. Results revealed that microbial load and relative humidity were the potent factors for damage to the building. Continuous air movement, that is, ventilation and building design here played significant roles. The Heritage Conservation Committee can use the data for better management.
Liberating Working Women in Traditional Occupations: Exclusion, Exploitation and Deprivation
Authors: Khan Tanveer Ahmad , Hamid Wasia , Shabir Aamina , Rather Mohd Iqbal
Published: June 2021

This article seeks to introspect the place and significance of Kashmiri women within traditional occupations—professions wherein women have a substantial presence. These occupations have previously acted as the nerve of the economy in Kashmir. It is also the only sector that employs people across age and genders. However, women who are currently associated with traditional occupations experience different forms of deprivation. In light of this fact, this article seeks to examine the prevailing levels of deprivations of Kashmiri women through qualitative research techniques. Besides, the study emphasizes the channels to liberate women from diverse forms of exclusion within the realm of traditional occupations. Women’s deprivation is analysed and explored in carpet and shawl weaving occupations, occupations based on indigenous knowledge. The selection of the participants is based on inclusion criteria. The study remained restricted to the Ganderbal district of Kashmir division. The results of the study were documented through 15 case studies. The results revealed that women involved in traditional occupations have experienced different forms of deprivation depending upon the nature of work, current working conditions, nature of wasta (master), availability of work and distance from the workplace.
Points of convergence: Deploying the geographies of critical nexus-thinking
Authors: Walker Catherine , Coles Benjamin
Published: June 2021

In recent years, the concept of ‘nexus’ has become a metaphor for resource interactions (particularly between food, water and energy), a policy apparatus to address resource sustainability and an object of academic analysis. Contending that the ways that nexus has been conceptualised and applied so far are invariably incomplete, this paper marks a concerted attempt to draw geographical scholarship into the conceptualisation of nexus-thinking to offer a more complete reading of resource geographies and their underlying interactions. We present critical nexus-thinking as a conceptual framework for tracing the geographies fashioned by resource nexuses, including the enrolment of human and non-human populations into such nexuses, and how the governance of both routine resource interactions and of ‘shocks’ can impact on such populations. To mobilise critical nexus-thinking as a conceptual framework, we draw out three points of convergence between nexus policy logics and critical geographic/scientific scholarship: socio-material-ecological interactions, politics of scale, and flows, blockages and dis/connectivity. We deploy critical nexus-thinking through analysis that extends the 2014/2015 ‘water crisis’ in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area to other sites, spaces and materials in order to critically evaluate the politics, materiality and spatiality of resource governance, and we use this example to point to how scholars might apply critical nexus-thinking analyses in other contexts.
Rape or ‘NOT’ Rape: Analysis of (Six) Case Studies and Narrative of Victims
Authors: Hetu Vibha
Published: June 2021

The article has focused on six case studies. It analysed different scenarios in known offender rape cases, how the situation unfolded and led to serious consequences. The criminal justice system reacted to polarizing the offenders and victims, and thereby, creating greater dissension. The parents were deeply hurt by their daughters’ decision to form a relationship with a boy without informing them thus showing distrust in them. The fear of being ostracized by society and their norms persuaded them to take strict action against the boy in order to protect their honour. To reclaim their honour, they even got their daughter married to the rapist in one such case. Whether the daughter agreed or not is out of the question. Are these matters of being unfaithful to parents and/or hurt caused by their secret association with their boyfriend, or just a ‘false’ honour to be protected by subduing their daughter and also using the law to fulfil their ulterior motives; are questions to be delved into finding a solution to such common phenomenon.
Journal Scan
Authors: Azam Mohammed Sadiq
Published: June 2021

Cardiology is an everchanging science, and to provide the best of care we need to be updated with the latest in the field. With our busy schedules and with the stress of dealing with a pandemic, we might be hard pressed to review the latest journals and stay up to date. It is with the aim of fulfilling this gap that we present to you this section on journal scan. In this issue, I have focused on articles published from January 2021 to April 2021. The articles I have chosen range from structural heart disease intervention, to heart failure therapeutics, an article on the fast-rising field of cardio-diabetes and of course the quintessential article on COVID-19 cardiology. In my limited capacity, I have made a few comments regarding the utility and impact of these articles on our daily practice. There are a few more articles that I could not incorporate as it fell beyond the scope of this review, and I have mentioned them as suggested reading at the end of the article.
Sonographic Assessment of Renal Volume in Normotensive Pregnant Women and Women With Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension in Enugu Metropolis
Authors: Ugochinyere Idigo Felicitas , Chiamaka Nwankwo Sylvia , Obinna Abonyi Everistus , Chukwunyelu Anakwue Angel-Mary , Amechi Agbo Julius
Published: June 2021

Objective:

Renal volume (RV) assessment during obstetric sonography is rarely considered in our locality. Understanding the changes in RV in both normotensive pregnant (NP) and pregnancy-induced hypertensive (PIH) women is important in making correct diagnosis regarding pregnancy outcome. This study is aimed at determining the RV in NP and PIH women and correlating RV with fetal gestational age (FGA), body mass index (BMI), and parity in NP women.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study involved 450 patients recruited at a Tertiary Hospital. A pilot study was done to determine the interobserver variability in RV measurement. RV was calculated using the following formula: L × W × AP × 0.523. Parity, BMI, and blood pressure were documented, while FGA was calculated as an average of FGAs obtained from the measurements of fetal biometric parameters.

Results:

Mean RV of PIH women was significantly higher than that of NP women ( P < .05). RV shows a positive significant relationship with BMI and FGA, while it shows a negative relationship with parity in NP ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Reference range values of RV were generated for clinical use in our locality, while there is statistically significant difference between RV in NP and PIH women.