bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aged care staff perceptions of an online training program for responsive behaviours of residents with dementia
Authors: Almutairi Hend , Stafford Andrew , Etherton‐Beer Christopher , Flicker Leon , Saunders Rosemary
Published: November 2021

Objective

To explore residential aged care staff perceptions of an online training program on the management of antipsychotic medications for responsive behaviour in residential aged care.

Methods

A qualitative process evaluation was undertaken in four residential aged care facilities of one organisation in Australia. Five focus group interviews were conducted with 25 participants including nurses, care workers, occupational therapists and assistants.

Results

Direct care staff found that the training program increased their awareness and knowledge of responsive behaviours associated with dementia. Inductive thematic analysis identified three themes: (1) impact of online learning for dementia care; (2) applying online learning in dementia practice; and (3) realising the benefits and challenges of online learning.

Conclusions

From the perspective of the participants, the online training program had a positive effect on their knowledge, communication and practice of caring for residents with dementia with responsive behaviours.
No Room for Dissent: Domesticating WhatsApp, Digital Private Spaces, and Lived Democracy in India
Authors: Williams Philippa , Kamra Lipika , Johar Pushpendra , Khan Fatma Matin , Kumar Mukesh , Oza Ekta
Published: November 2021

WhatsApp and digital private spaces are transforming the quality of lived democracy in India today. Bringing together STS, geographies of democracy, digital and political anthropology, and feminist approaches to the home, this paper makes visible how the Silicon Valley imaginary of the “digital living room” is domesticated in India. Drawing on digital ethnographic research in urban north India we show how WhatsApp is being used by the Hindu right to digitise new party‐political intimacies. This has implications for how people at the margins of Hindu nationalist politics dwell in the “digital living room”. Framed as a home like space, we problematise Facebook’s “spatiotechnical” utopia by making visible how kinship and (domestic) politics are newly entangled in digital private spaces. Finally, we document how WhatsApp is deployed as a technology of discipline to determine modes of appropriate sociality and reconfigure spaces of digital‐physical inclusion/exclusion in the making of India’s “ethnic democracy”.
The importance of information and support following a suspected second‐trimester anomaly that is later discarded: A qualitative study of women's experiences
Authors: Thirup Lina , Sandager Puk , Vogel Ida , Lou Stina
Published: November 2021

Introduction

A second‐trimester anatomy scan may identify a suspected minor fetal anomaly and/or “soft marker,” such as choroid plexus cysts or femoral shortening. Such findings can raise a medical concern, as they could indicate severe fetal disease; however, they are also often transient or a “false alarm.” The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of pregnant women, where a medical concern was raised at the second‐trimester ultrasound scan and later discarded after follow‐up examinations and diagnostic testing.

Material and methods

This study consists of qualitative, in‐depth interviews with nine women, where a minor anomaly/soft marker was identified at the second‐trimester scan and a severe anomaly was later ruled out. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

The main source of worry was uncertainty about the possible implications for the pregnancy and the baby, particularly concerns about potential termination of pregnancy for a severe fetal condition. The women described four strategies to manage worry and uncertainty during the diagnostic process: (a) seeking additional information to feel more in control, and (b) using social networks to share their concerns. Some women tried to (c) mentally distance themselves from the pregnancy during the diagnostic period, while (d) extra scans could relieve worry and support attachment. The women appreciated when the fetal medicine specialist pointed to normal features in the pregnancy and the baby, as this provided some counterbalance to the sense of uncertainty. In general, the women expressed satisfaction with the information received during the diagnostic process. However, all of them were worried during the diagnostic process, and where this process was prolonged, such worry lingered even after the minor anomaly/soft marker had been discarded.

Conclusions

Diagnostic uncertainty cannot be avoided in obstetric ultrasound and the women concerned appreciated being informed about the suspected findings even if it caused increased worry. Expedient diagnostic processes may alleviate worry, but are not always possible. Women in a prolonged diagnostic process may benefit from psychological and social support in parallel with, and even beyond, the obstetric investigation. However, further research is warranted.
Information about foot care provided to people with diabetes with or without their partners: Impact on recommended foot care behavior
Authors: Reaney Matthew , Gladwin Thomas , Churchill Susan
Published: November 2021

Background

Many people with diabetes will develop foot ulcers. To reduce risk, it is recommended that the feet are protected against harm and checked daily. Spouses can help people with diabetes care for their feet.

Methods

A randomized parallel arm design compared information sheets given to participants with diabetes and their spouses (dyad group;n = 64) to an information sheet given only to participants with diabetes (individual group;n = 69). The self‐reported number of days that the participant with diabetes' feet were (1) checked for problems and (2) protected against problems occurring (by the person with diabetes and/or the spouse) were summed for the week after receiving the information sheet. ANCOVAs tested the effects of group.

Results

Frequency of foot detection behavior (Participant + Spouse) was significantly higher in the dyad group compared with the individual group. This was not the case for foot protection behavior (Participant + Spouse). Findings revealed greater levels of spousal support (for both protection and detection behavior) in the dyad group compared to the individual group.

Conclusions

Clinical recommendations and advice on foot care delivered both to people with diabetes and their spouses can encourage greater foot care than if delivered to the patient alone.
Genetically informed, multilevel analysis of the Flynn Effect across four decades and three WISC versions
Authors: Giangrande Evan J. , Beam Christopher R. , Finkel Deborah , Davis Deborah W. , Turkheimer Eric
Published: November 2021

This study investigated the systematic rise in cognitive ability scores over generations, known as the Flynn Effect, across middle childhood and early adolescence (7–15 years; 291 monozygotic pairs, 298 dizygotic pairs; 89% White). Leveraging the unique structure of the Louisville Twin Study (longitudinal data collected continuously from 1957 to 1999 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children [WISC], WISC–R, and WISC–III ed.), multilevel analyses revealed between‐subjects Flynn Effects—as both decrease in mean scores upon test re‐standardization and increase in mean scores across cohorts—as well as within‐child Flynn Effects on cognitive growth across age. Overall gains equaled approximately three IQ points per decade. Novel genetically informed analyses suggested that individual sensitivity to the Flynn Effect was moderated by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors.
Endoscopic management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas with over‐the‐scope clips: A single‐institution case series
Authors: DeLong Colin G. , Scow Jeffrey S. , Morrell David J. , Knoedler John J. , Alli Vamsi V. , Winder Joshua S. , Pauli Eric M.
Published: November 2021

Aim

Conventional surgical management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas can be morbid and is contraindicated in many patients. Our aim in this work is to evaluate our experience in the management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas with endoscopic over‐the‐scope (OTS) clips.

Method

A retrospective review of all patients who underwent attempted endoscopic OTS clip management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas between 2013 and 2020 was performed. Preoperative risk factors, operative details and postoperative outcomes are reported.

Results

Ten patients were identified. Fistula types were: colovesical (five), rectovesical (two), colovaginal (two) and rectovaginal (one). The aetiology of the fistula was diverticular disease in seven (70%) cases and surgical complication of pelvic surgery in three (30%). The mean defect age was 157 ± 98 days, the mean defect diameter was 4.5 mm (range 2–10 mm) and the mean fistula length was 15 mm (range 2–25 mm). In nine (90%) cases, fistula identification and cannulation were performed through the nonenteric lumen of the fistula. Initial management with an OTS clip was technically successful in eight (80%) patients. Of the eight patients who underwent OTS clip placement, long‐term success (mean follow‐up 218 days, range 25–673 days) was achieved after initial intervention in four (50%) patients. One patient underwent serial OTS clip procedures and achieved long‐term success after four interventions; three patients have not undergone a repeat procedure after initial failure.

Conclusion

Endoscopic management of colovesical and colovaginal fistulas with OTS clips offers a promising therapeutic option for patients with contraindications to conventional surgical management. Immediate technical success and long‐term success rates are similar to other gastrointestinal tract applications of OTS clips.
Parietal and hippocampal hyper‐connectivity is associated with low math achievement in adolescence – A preliminary study
Authors: Abreu‐Mendoza Roberto A. , Pincus Melanie , Chamorro Yaira , Jolles Dietsje , Matute Esmeralda , Rosenberg‐Lee Miriam
Published: November 2021

Mathematical cognition requires coordinated activity across multiple brain regions, leading to the emergence of resting‐state functional connectivity as a method for studying the neural basis of differences in mathematical achievement. Hyper‐connectivity of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), a key locus of mathematical and numerical processing, has been associated with poor mathematical skills in childhood, whereas greater connectivity has been related to better performance in adulthood. No studies to date have considered its role in adolescence. Further, hippocampal connectivity can predict mathematical learning, yet no studies have considered its contributions to contemporaneous measures of math achievement. Here, we used seed‐based resting‐state fMRI analyses to examine IPS and hippocampal intrinsic functional connectivity relations to math achievement in a group of 31 adolescents (mean age = 16.42 years, range 15–17), whose math performance spanned the 1% to 99% percentile. After controlling for IQ, IPS connectivity was negatively related to math achievement, akin to findings in children. However, the specific temporo‐occipital regions were more akin to the posterior loci implicated in adults. Hippocampal connectivity with frontal regions was also negatively correlated with concurrent math measures, which contrasts with results from learning studies. Finally, hyper‐connectivity was not a global feature of low math performance, as math performance did not modulate connectivity of Heschl's gyrus, a control seed not involved in math cognition. Our results provide preliminary evidence that adolescence is a transitional stage in which patterns found in childhood and adulthood can be observed; most notably, hyper‐connectivity continues to be related to low math ability into this period.
The occurrence of neuropathic pain following surgery of brainstem cavernous malformations
Authors: Herten Annika , Saban Dino , Santos Alejandro N. , Chen Bixia , Darkwah Oppong Marvin , Rauschenbach Laurèl , Jabbarli Ramazan , Wrede Karsten , Bingel Ulrike , Müller Daniel , Holle‐Lee Dagny , Schmidt Börge , Li Yan , Sure Ulrich , Dammann Philipp
Published: November 2021

Background and purpose

This study aimed to assess the occurrence and significance of postoperative neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with surgically treated brainstem cavernous malformations (BSCMs).

Methods

Seventy‐four BSCM patients surgically treated between 2003 and 2019 were reviewed for the occurrence of postoperative NP and related treatment. The relevance of BSCM location, preoperative characteristics, influence on functional outcome, postoperative health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and life satisfaction was evaluated.

Results

Six out of 74 patients (8%) suffered from NP. The Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs scores ranged from 12 to 16 (mean 14.28 ± 1.6). Visual analog scale pain was 5.2 ± 2.0. NP had no effect on preoperative characteristics or functional outcome. Bodily pain (HRQOL) and vocational time (life satisfaction) were significantly decreased in NP compared to non‐NP patients. Specific BSCM location (regarding brainstem nuclei involved in pain processing) and other preoperative patient‐ and BSCM‐related parameters were not associated with the occurrence of postoperative NP. Three out of six patients were currently under NP‐specific treatment. The proportion of patients suffering from postoperative NP (8%) was substantially higher compared to previously published studies. The pain affected the HRQOL of patients, most of whom were insufficiently treated and not satisfied with treatment results.

Conclusion

Our findings may help to raise awareness for postoperative NP in BSCM, which is essential to improve diagnosis and initiation of proper treatment, as well as preoperative informed consent of patients.
A Simple Relation to Constrain Groundwater Models Using Surface Deformation
Authors: Brown Megan R.M. , Ge Shemin , Screaton Elizabeth
Published: November 2021

A simple relation between pore pressure change and one‐dimensional surface deformation is presented. The relation is for pore pressure change in a confined aquifer that causes surface deformation. It can be applied to groundwater models of any discretization and is computationally efficient. The estimated surface deformation from model results can be compared to observed surface deformation through geodetic techniques such as Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar. Model parameters then are constrained using the observed surface deformation. The validity of this relation is shown through constraint of model parameters for surface uplift due to pore pressure increase caused by wastewater disposal injection.
rFIXFc prophylaxis improves pain and levels of physical activity in haemophilia B: Post hoc analysis of B‐LONG using haemophilia‐specific quality of life questionnaires
Authors: Astermark Jan , Hermans Cédric , Ezzalfani Monia , Aballéa Samuel , Santagostino Elena , Hakimi Zalmai , Nazir Jameel
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Recurrent bleeding in severe haemophilia B causes painful hemarthroses and reduces capacity for physical activity. Recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) prophylaxis results in low annualised bleeding rates, with the potential to improve patients’ health‐related quality of life (HRQoL).

Aim

To present a post hoc analysis of data from B‐LONG describing change over time in patient‐reported outcomes associated with pain and physical activity.

Methods

Patients (≥12 years) who received weekly dose‐adjusted or interval‐adjusted rFIXFc prophylaxis and completed the Haemophilia‐Specific QoL questionnaire for adolescents (Haemo‐QoL) or adults (Haem‐A‐QoL) at baseline (BL) and end of study (EoS). Individual level changes in items of the ‘Physical Health’ and ‘Sports and Leisure’ domains, categorised as ‘never/rarely/seldom’ or ‘sometimes/often/all the time’, were analysed using McNemar's test to compare distribution of responses at EoS versus BL.

Results

At EoS versus BL, a significantly greater proportion of patients did not experience painful swellings (64% vs. 44%; P = .004), painful joints (44% vs. 28%; P = .003) or pain when moving (54% vs. 41%; P = .026). Additionally, at EoS versus BL, patients were less likely to avoid participating in sports like football (30% vs. 8%; P = .002), avoid sports due to their haemophilia (47% vs. 27%; P = .007), or experience difficulty walking as far as they wanted (63% vs. 43%; P = .001). The proportion of patients who played sports as much as the general population was numerically increased (52% vs. 37%; P = .033) at EoS versus BL.

Conclusion

Results of the analysis suggest that over time, rFIXFc prophylaxis is associated with significant improvements in pain and physical functioning. This contributes to previous evidence of overall HRQoL improvements in patients with haemophilia B treated with rFIXFc.
Consistent practices in pressure ulcer prevention based on international care guidelines: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Haavisto Elina , Stolt Minna , Puukka Pauli , Korhonen Teija , Kielo‐Viljamaa Emilia
Published: November 2021

The use of consistent and evidence‐based practices is essential in terms of patient safety and quality of care. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of consistent practices in PU prevention based on international care guidelines and to assess the validity and reliability of the pressure ulcer prevention practice (PUPreP) instrument. The data (n = 554) were collected between 2018 and 2019 from nursing professionals working at two hospital districts in Finland using the PUPreP instrument. The instrument consisted of 42 items assessing participants' perceptions of the frequencies of pressure ulcer prevention practices with the following scale: never, sometimes, often, always. The data were analysed using statistical analysis. According to the results, the use of pressure ulcer prevention practices was more frequently described as often. The most frequently used prevention practice was repositioning, and the least frequently used practice was nutrition. Factors related to nursing professionals' pressure ulcer prevention practices were the working sector, education and working frequency in pressure ulcer prevention, and early identification of pressure ulcers. The study results suggest that the evidence‐based pressure ulcer prevention practices were followed at a moderate level by nurses. The PuPreP instrument demonstrated validity and reliability, but further development is needed.
Using tissue microstructure and multimodal MRI to parse the phenotypic heterogeneity and cellular basis of autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Peterson Bradley S. , Liu Jiaqi , Dantec Louis , Newman Courtney , Sawardekar Siddhant , Goh Suzanne , Bansal Ravi
Published: November 2021

Background

Identifying the brain bases for phenotypic heterogeneity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will advance understanding of its pathogenesis and improve its clinical management.

Methods

We compared Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) indices and connectome measures between 77 ASD and 88 Typically Developing (TD) control participants. We also assessed voxel‐wise associations of DTI indices with measures of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) to understand how tissue microstructure associates with cellular metabolism and neuronal density, respectively.

Results

Autism Spectrum Disorder participants had significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher diffusivity values in deep white matter tracts, likely representing ether reduced myelination by oligodendrocytes or a reduced density of myelinated axons. Greater abnormalities in these measures and regions were associated with higher ASD symptom scores. Participant age, sex and IQ significantly moderated these group differences. Path analyses showed that reduced NAA levels accounted significantly for higher diffusivity and higher rCBF values in ASD compared with TD participants.

Conclusions

Reduced neuronal density (reduced NAA) likely underlies abnormalities in DTI indices of white matter microstructure in ASD, which in turn are major determinants of elevated blood flow. Together, these findings suggest the presence of reduced axonal density and axonal pathology in ASD white matter. Greater pathology in turn accounts for more severe symptoms, lower intellectual ability, and reduced global efficiency for measures of white matter connectivity in ASD.
Variation in vertebrae shape across small‐bodied newts reveals functional and developmental constraints acting upon the trunk region
Authors: Scholtes Stefan J. , Arntzen Jan W. , Ajduković Maja , Ivanović Ana
Published: November 2021

The salamander vertebral column is largely undifferentiated with a series of more or less uniform rib‐bearing presacral vertebrae traditionally designated as the trunk region. We explored regionalization of the salamander trunk in seven species and two subspecies of the salamander genus Lissotriton by the combination of microcomputed tomography scanning and geometric morphometrics. The detailed information on trunk vertebral shape was subjected to a multidimensional cluster analysis and a phenotypic trajectory analysis. With these complementary approaches, we observed a clear morphological regionalization. Clustering analysis showed that the anterior trunk vertebrae (T1 and T2) have distinct morphologies that are shared by all taxa, whereas the subsequent, more posterior vertebrae show significant disparity between species. The phenotypic trajectory analysis revealed that all taxa share a common pattern and amount of shape change along the trunk region. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis of a conserved anterior‐posterior developmental patterning which can be associated with different functional demands, reflecting (sub)species’ and, possibly, regional ecological divergences within species.
Sedation with dexmedetomidine is associated with transient gallbladder wall thickening and peritoneal effusion in some dogs undergoing abdominal ultrasonography
Authors: Seitz Marc A. , Lee Alison M. , Woodruff Kimberly A. , Thompson Alexis C.
Published: November 2021

Background

Dexmedetomidine often is used for sedation before or during abdominal ultrasonography. The effect of dexmedetomidine on gallbladder wall thickness is unknown.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To investigate the relationship between dexmedetomidine administration and gallbladder wall thickening in dogs. The hypothesis was that sedation with dexmedetomidine will cause transient gallbladder wall thickening. Gallbladder wall thickness will be associated with duration of sedation and recumbency position.

Animals

Seventy‐nine client owned dogs and 10 healthy research dogs.

Methods

A prospective observational study (n = 79) was used to establish the prevalence of gallbladder wall thickening (> 2.0 mm) after sedation with dexmedetomidine. A randomized, crossover study (n = 10) was used to evaluate the effect of time and recumbency position on the development of gallbladder wall thickening. Linear mixed models were used.

Results

The proportion of client‐owned dogs that developed gallbladder wall thickening was 24.05% (19/79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15.1%‐35.0%) with a median dose of dexmedetomidine of 5.0 μg/kg (range, 2.0‐12.5 μg/kg). After sedation, the proportion of research dogs that developed gallbladder wall thickening in left lateral (5/10, 50%; 95% CI, 18.7%‐81.3%) and dorsal (7/10, 70%; 95% CI, 34.8%‐93.3%) recumbency did not differ significantly (P = .45). Gallbladder wall thickening developed within 20 to 40 minutes. Duration of sedation was significantly associated with thickening of the gallbladder wall (P < .001). Five dogs developed 9 instances of peritoneal effusion in both lateral (5) and dorsal (4) recumbency.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Sedation with dexmedetomidine is associated with gallbladder wall thickening (> 2.0 mm) and peritoneal effusion that could be confused with pathologic etiologies.
Persistent illiberalism: Democracy, authoritarianism, and politics in Veracruz
Authors: Olvera Rivera Alberto J. , Andrade Guevara Víctor M.
Published: November 2021

This article aims to explain why, despite the democratic legal and institutional changes that have occurred in the political system in Veracruz over the last 30 years that now point to a competitive local electoral system, illiberal structures, and practices persist, through the continuity of a form of subnational authoritarianism. Examples of this system are the political controls exercised by regional caciques and union corporativism; the reproduction of clientelistic practices; the persistent problem of the low state institutional capacities; the lack of an effective division of powers; and—more recently—the empowerment of various organized crime groups. The justice system is broken by design. Political parties lack institutionality, credible leadership, and political programs. The public space is fragile and highly fragmented. Civil society is weak and very concentrated in the capital city at the federal level. Inequality and poverty are so widespread that working classes, peasants, indigenous peoples, and urban dwellers have no capacity to organize in an autonomous manner. This situation explains the persistence of illiberal structures and practices in the process of transition to and consolidation of democracy. Veracruz is an extreme example of all these processes.
A unified normalization method for homography estimation using combined point and line correspondences
Authors: Lu Linjun , Dai Fei
Published: November 2021

Data normalization is an essential and imperative step when using the direct linear transform method for homography estimation. However, the existing data normalization methods only rely on either point coordinates or line coefficients in computing homography, which is inapplicable to many civil infrastructure scenes, in which both points and lines exist but are scarce. It is plausible to maximize the accuracy level achievable by fully utilizing all points and lines available in these scenes. To fit this purpose, this study proposed a unified data normalization method for homography estimation by processing combined point and line correspondences. In this method, an analytical procedure was created to transform line coefficients for normalization under similarity transformation. By this procedure, formulas for defining parameters of the similarity transformation were developed and equations for pre‐ and post‐processing of data were established, leading to a pipeline that allows for solving different combinations of point and line correspondences simultaneously. Both simulation experiments and field tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the method. The results showed that the method can effectively exploit all available point and line correspondences and significantly improve the accuracy for homography estimation under different measurement conditions.
Supporting multiple birth families: Perceptions and experiences of health visitors
Authors: Turville Nathalie , Alamad Lara , Denton Jane , Cook Robert , Harvey Merryl
Published: November 2021

Objective

To explore the current practice and perceptions of health visitors in supporting multiple birth families.

Design and sample

Practicing health visitors across the United Kingdom were invited to complete a cross‐sectional, descriptive, online survey. The questionnaire covered multiple birth caseload, education received about multiples and the experience of working with families. Two‐hundred and ninety health visitors completed the questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis of the quantitative components and thematic analysis for the qualitative data.

Results

Most health visitors had twins on their current workload. Most health visitors had not received any specific training or continuing professional development regarding the needs of multiple birth families. Supporting the families within the confines of reduced time and increased workload was challenging. Daily tasks of caring for multiples were the main areas that health visitors and parents wanted more information about.

Conclusions

In the United Kingdom, health visitors are uniquely positioned to support multiple birth families, in particular during the more challenging early years. However, the findings of this study suggest that many health visitors are aware that the care and support that they are able to provide multiple birth families falls short of meeting their needs
Impact of IFN‐y and CD40 signalling on Toxoplasma gondii cyst formation in differentiated Neuro‐2a neuroblastoma cells
Authors: Doherty Claire M. , Romero Alicia D. , Denkers Eric Y.
Published: November 2021

Signalling by IFN‐y and CD40 is known to trigger anti‐microbial activity in macrophages infected with Toxoplasma gondii, but their effects on infected neurons are less well known. Here, we compared how stimulation with IFN‐y and an agonistic anti‐CD40 mAb impacts infection and cyst formation in the mouse neuroblastoma cell line Neuro‐2a relative to bone marrow‐derived macrophages. Both IFN‐y and CD40 mAb decreased cyst emergence in Neuro‐2a cells. In macrophages, these stimuli decreased infection, but had no impact on infection in the neuroblastoma cell line. Resistance to killing in Neuro‐2a cells may explain why neurons preferentially harbour parasites during chronic infection in the brain.
On Efficient Dimension Reduction with Respect to the Interaction between Two Response Variables
Authors: Luo Wei
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we propose the novel theory and methodologies for dimension reduction with respect to the interaction between two response variables, which is a new research problem that has wide applications in missing data analysis, causal inference, graphical models, etc. We formulate the parameters of interest to be the locally and the globally efficient dimension reduction subspaces, and justify the generality of the corresponding low-dimensional assumption. We then construct estimating equations that characterize these parameters, using which we develop a generic family of consistent, model-free and easily implementable dimension reduction methods called the dual inverse regression methods. We also build the theory regarding the existence of the globally efficient dimension reduction subspace, and provide a handy way to check this in practice. The proposed work differs fundamentally from the literature of sufficient dimension reduction in terms of the research interest, the assumption adopted, the estimation methods and the corresponding applications, and it potentially creates a new paradigm of dimension reduction research. Its usefulness is illustrated by simulation studies and a real data example at the end.
“The First Mark of Pain”: Toward a child‐centered methodological reorientation of social theory, race and corporal punishment in American life
Authors: Patton Stacey , Rollo Toby , Curry Tommy J.
Published: November 2021

The current white supremacist racial order in America fundamentally relies on fear and pain to shape the subjectivities of Black people in childhood. This violence is most visible when enacted by police officers against unarmed Black youth. A less visible yet more pernicious form of racist violence against Black children is exercised by community proxies such as Black teachers and parents. Annual government reports reveal that Black children are more likely to be injured or killed by their parents than by police. In this paper we inquire as to why, despite the many Black writers who have described parental violence as an intergenerational re‐enactment of the violence of slavery, and despite decades of research on the harms of hitting children, social theorists have not analyzed how Black parents can serve as proxies for white supremacist violence. We argue that Black parenting culture has in many ways internalized the white supremacist view that corporal punishment is required to instill the discipline necessary to spare Black youth from police violence and incarceration. We conclude that until social scientists foreground the voices of Black youth in their studies, rather than adults, our ability to understand and confront the reproduction of white supremacist violence will be impeded. We argue that the physical punishment of children in Black families is an aspect of the legacy or “afterlife” of slavery. We contend that this omission persists because Black youth voices are absent from social analysis on the issue of physical punishment, existing only in clinical studies divorced from macro‐sociological analysis, and we discuss how this omission occurred as a matter of scholarly history.
Recognition of the HLA‐B*39:36 allele in a Taiwanese bone marrow donor
Authors: Yang Kuo‐Liang , Li Chi‐Cheng , Lin Py‐Yu
Published: November 2021

Four nucleotide substitutions in exon 3 of HLA‐B*39:01:01:01 result in a novel allele, HLA‐B*39:36.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐A*23:118 allele by two next‐generation sequencing methods
Authors: Walencik Alexandre , Calvo De Olmos Orane , Bonneville Francoise , Blanchet Gaelle , Cesbron‐Gautier Anne
Published: November 2021

The novel HLA‐A*23:118 allele was characterized using two next generation sequencing technologies.
Collagen has a unique SEC24 preference for efficient export from the endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Lu Chung‐Ling , Ortmeier Steven , Brudvig Jon , Moretti Tamara , Cain Jacob , Boyadjiev Simeon A. , Weimer Jill M. , Kim Jinoh
Published: November 2021

SEC24 is mainly involved in cargo sorting during COPII vesicle assembly. There are four SEC24 paralogs (A–D) in vertebrates, which are classified into two subgroups (SEC24A/B and SEC24C/D). Pathological mutations in SEC24D cause osteogenesis imperfecta with craniofacial dysplasia in humans. sec24d mutant fish also recapitulate the phenotypes. Consistent with the skeletal phenotypes, the secretion of collagen was severely defective in mutant fish, emphasizing the importance of SEC24D in collagen secretion. However, SEC24D patient‐derived fibroblasts show only a mild secretion phenotype, suggesting tissue‐specificity in the secretion process. Using Sec24d KO mice and cultured cells, we show that SEC24A and SEC24B also contribute to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export of procollagen. In contrast, fibronectin 1 requires either SEC24C or SEC24D for ER export. On the basis of our results, we propose that procollagen interacts with multiple SEC24 paralogs for efficient export from the ER, and that this is the basis for tissue‐specific phenotypes resulting from SEC24 paralog deficiency.
The oxygen saturation of red blood cell concentrates: The basis for a novel index of red cell oxidative stress
Authors: Yoshida Tatsuro , McMahon Emma , Croxon Harry , Dunham Andrew , Gaccione Peter , Abbasi Babak , Beckman Neil , Omert Laurel , Field Stephen , Waters Allison
Published: November 2021

Background

Oxidative stress is a major driving force in the development of storage lesions in red cell concentrates (RCCs). Unlike manufactured pharmaceuticals, differences in component preparation methods and genetic/physiological status of donors result in nonuniform biochemical characteristics of RCCs. Various characteristics of donated blood on oxygen saturation (SO2) distribution were investigated, and a model to estimate potential oxidative stress burden of stored RCC at transfusion is proposed.

Study design and methods

The oxygen content of freshly prepared RCCs (770) was quantified noninvasively as fractional hemoglobin saturation (SO2) with visible reflectance spectrometry. Using separate RCCs and mimicking typical handling of RCCs during routine storage, evolution of SO2 was followed for construction of an empirical model. Based on this model, the oxygen exposure index (OEI) was formulated to estimate the accumulated oxygen exposure burden of RCC at the time of transfusion.

Results

The SO2 of RCCs varied widely at donation (mean 43% ± 1.3%; range 20%–93%). Multivariate regression model showed that sex and processing method had small effects on SO2 (R2 = 0.12), indicating that variability was mainly attributed to other individual donor characteristics. Storage simulation model indicated that median SO2 increased gradually over 6 weeks (approx. 1.3 fold), while OEI increased at a faster rate (approx. eight‐fold).

Conclusion

In addition to storage age, the OEI provides a potential new metric to assess the quality of RCCs at the time of transfusion in terms of their oxidative stress. In future studies, a single noninvasive measurement during storage could link OEI to clinical outcomes in transfusion recipients.
Nutritional approaches to counter performance constraints in high‐level sports competition
Authors: Burke Louise M.
Published: November 2021

New Findings

What is the topic of this review?

The nutritional strategies that athletes use during competition events to optimize performance and the reasons they use them.

What advances does it highlight?

A range of nutritional strategies can be used by competitive athletes, alone or in combination, to address various event‐specific factors that constrain event performance. Evidence for such practices is constantly evolving but must be combined with understanding of the complexities of real‐life sport for optimal implementation.

High‐performance athletes share a common goal despite the unique nature of their sport: to pace or manage their performance to achieve the highest sustainable outputs over the duration of the event. Periodic or sustained decline in the optimal performance of event tasks, involves an interplay between central and peripheral phenomena that can often be reduced or delayed in onset by nutritional strategies. Contemporary nutrition practices undertaken before, during or between events include strategies to ensure the availability of limited muscle fuel stores. This includes creatine supplementation to increase muscle phosphocreatine content and consideration of the type, amount and timing of dietary carbohydrate intake to optimize muscle and liver glycogen stores or to provide additional exogenous substrate. Although there is interest in ketogenic low‐carbohydrate high‐fat diets and exogenous ketone supplements to provide alternative fuels to spare muscle carbohydrate use, present evidence suggests a limited utility of these strategies. Mouth sensing of a range of food tastants (e.g., carbohydrate, quinine, menthol, caffeine, fluid, acetic acid) may provide a central nervous system derived boost to sports performance. Finally, despite decades of research on hypohydration and exercise capacity, there is still contention around their effect on sports performance and the best guidance around hydration for sporting events. A unifying model proposes that some scenarios require personalized fluid plans while others might be managed by an ad hoc approach (ad libitum or thirst‐driven drinking) to fluid intake.
Physiological and molecular sex differences in human skeletal muscle in response to exercise training
Authors: Landen Shanie , Hiam Danielle , Voisin Sarah , Jacques Macsue , Lamon Séverine , Eynon Nir
Published: November 2021

Sex differences in exercise physiology, such as substrate metabolism and skeletal muscle fatigability, stem from inherent biological factors, including endogenous hormones and genetics. Studies investigating exercise physiology frequently include only males or do not take sex differences into consideration. Although there is still an underrepresentation of female participants in exercise research, existing studies have identified sex differences in physiological and molecular responses to exercise training. The observed sex differences in exercise physiology are underpinned by the sex chromosome complement, sex hormones and, on a molecular level, the epigenome and transcriptome. Future research in the field should aim to include both sexes, control for menstrual cycle factors, conduct large‐scale and ethnically diverse studies, conduct meta‐analyses to consolidate findings from various studies, leverage unique cohorts (such as post‐menopausal, transgender, and those with sex chromosome abnormalities), as well as integrate tissue and cell‐specific ‐omics data. This knowledge is essential for developing deeper insight into sex‐specific physiological responses to exercise training, thus directing future exercise physiology studies and practical application.

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Myofibre injury induces capillary disruption and regeneration of disorganized microvascular networks
Authors: Jacobsen Nicole L. , Norton Charles E. , Shaw Rebecca L. , Cornelison D. D. W. , Segal Steven S.
Published: November 2021

Injury to skeletal muscle disrupts myofibres and their microvascular supply. While the regeneration of myofibres is well described, little is known of how the microcirculation is affected by skeletal muscle injury or its recovery during regeneration. Nevertheless, the microvasculature must also recover to restore skeletal muscle function. We aimed to define the nature of microvascular damage and time course of repair during muscle injury and regeneration induced by the myotoxin BaCl2. To test the hypothesis that microvascular disruption occurred secondary to myofibre injury, isolated microvessels were exposed to BaCl2 or the myotoxin was injected into the gluteus maximus (GM) muscle of mice. In isolated microvessels, BaCl2 depolarized smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells while increasing intracellular calcium in SMCs but did not elicit death of either cell type. At 1 day post‐injury (dpi) of the GM, capillary fragmentation coincided with myofibre degeneration while arteriolar and venular networks remained intact; neutrophil depletion before injury did not prevent capillary damage. Perfused capillary networks reformed by 5 dpi in association with more terminal arterioles and were dilated through 10 dpi. With no change in microvascular area or branch point number in regenerating capillary networks, fewer capillaries aligned with myofibres and were no longer organized into microvascular units. By 21 dpi, capillary orientation and microvascular unit organization were no longer different from uninjured GM. We conclude that following their disruption secondary to myofibre damage, capillaries regenerate as disorganized networks that remodel into microvascular units as regenerated myofibres mature.

Key points

Skeletal muscle regenerates after injury; however, the nature of microvascular damage and repair is poorly understood. Here, the myotoxin BaCl2, a standard experimental method of acute skeletal muscle injury, was used to investigate the response of the microcirculation to local injury of intact muscle.

Intramuscular injection of BaCl2 induced capillary fragmentation with myofibre degeneration; arteriolar and venular networks remained intact. Direct exposure to BaCl2 did not kill microvascular endothelial cells or smooth muscle cells.

Dilated capillary networks reformed by 5 days post‐injury (dpi) in association with more terminal arterioles. Capillary orientation remained disorganized through 10 dpi.

Capillaries realigned with myofibres and reorganized into microvascular units by 21 dpi, which coincides with the recovery of vasomotor control and maturation of nascent myofibres.

Skeletal muscle injury disrupts its capillary supply secondary to myofibre degeneration. Reorganization of regenerating microvascular networks accompanies the recovery of blood flow regulation.
Machine Learning-Based Digital Twins Reduce Seasonal Remapping in Aeroderivative Gas Turbines
Authors: Petro Nick , Lopez Felipe
Published: November 2021

Aeroderivative gas turbines have their combustion set points adjusted periodically in a process known as remapping. Even turbines that perform well after remapping may produce unacceptable behavior when external conditions change. This article introduces a digital twin that uses real-time measurements of combustor acoustics and emissions in a machine learning model that tracks recent operating conditions. The digital twin is leveraged by an optimizer that select adjustments that allow the unit to maintain combustor dynamics and emissions in compliance without seasonal remapping. Results from a pilot site demonstrate that the proposed approach can allow a GE LM6000PD unit to operate for ten months without seasonal remapping while adjusting to changes in ambient temperature (4 − 38 °C) and to different fuel compositions.
Exact Solutions for the Free Vibrations and Buckling of Rectangular Plates With Linearly Varying In-Plane Loading
Authors: Leissa Arthur W. , Kang Jae-Hoon
Published: November 2021

An exact solution procedure is formulated for the free vibration and buckling analysis of rectangular plates having two opposite edges simply supported when these edges are subjected to linearly varying normal stresses. The other two edges may be clamped, simply supported or free, or they may be elastically supported. The transverse displacement (w) is assumed as sinusoidal in the direction of loading (x), and a power series is assumed in the lateral (y) direction (i.e., the method of Frobenius). Applying the boundary conditions yields the eigenvalue problem of finding the roots of a fourth order characteristic determinant. Care must be exercised to obtain adequate convergence for accurate vibration frequencies and buckling loads, as is demonstrated by two convergence tables. Some interesting and useful results for vibration frequencies and buckling loads, and their mode shapes, are presented for a variety of edge conditions and in-plane loadings, especially pure in-plane moments.
Piezoelectric Bending Control of Nonlinear Viscoelastic Plates: Probabilities of Failure and Survival Times
Authors: Hilton Harry H. , Kubair Dhirendra , Beldica Cristina E.
Published: November 2021

Analytical and numerical formulations and simulations are carried out in order to conduct sensitivity studies of physical parameters motion and amplitude control by viscoelastic piezoelectric and material damping of viscoelastic plates. Numerical simulations in terms of critical parameters, such as relaxation functions of the structure and piezoelectric devices, are carried out to evaluate system responses, sensing and structural control.
Asymptotic Construction of Reissner-Like Models for Composite Plates With Accurate Strain Recovery
Authors: Yu Wenbin , Hodges Dewey H. , Volovoi Vitali V.
Published: November 2021

The focus of this paper is to develop an asymptotically correct theory for composite laminated plates when each lamina exhibits monoclinic material symmetry. The development starts with formulation of the three-dimensional, anisotropic elasticity problem in which the deformation of the reference surface is expressed in terms of intrinsic two-dimensional variables. The Variational Asymptotic Method is then used to rigorously split this three-dimensional problem into a linear one-dimensional normal-line analysis and a nonlinear two-dimensional “plate” analysis accounting for transverse shear deformation. The normal-line analysis provides a constitutive law between the generalized, two-dimensional strains and stress resultants as well as recovering relations to approximately express the three-dimensional displacement, strain and stress fields in terms of plate variables calculated in the “plate” analysis. It is known that more than one theory that is correct to a given asymptotic order may exist. This nonuniqueness is used to cast a strain energy functional that is asymptotically correct through the second order into a simple “Reissner-like” plate theory. Although it is true that it is not possible to construct an asymptotically correct Reissner-like composite plate theory in general, an optimization procedure is used to drive the present theory as close to being asymptotically correct as possible while maintaining the beauty of Reissner-like formulation. Numerical results are presented to compare with the exact solution as well as a previous similar yet very different theory. The present theory has excellent agreement with the previous theory and exact results.