bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Turning discontent into votes: Economic inequality and ethnic outbidding
Authors: McGauvran Ronald J , Stewart Brandon
Published: December 2021

Ethnic outbidding, where parties adopt ever more extreme positions to capture electoral advantage, has become an increasingly common practice among ethnic parties. As economic issues have often served as a catalyst for ethnic tension, increasing levels of economic inequality should lead parties to adopt more extreme positions in an attempt to outbid one another. Furthermore, as their economic and ethnic platforms will appeal to the same ethnically defined constituency, ethnic outbidding should be more effective where inequality is high. Using a sample of over 150 ethnonational parties in Europe between 2011 and 2017, this paper finds that inequality is linked to increasing ideological extremism along a number of policy dimensions. Employing local-level voting data for Romania and Slovakia, we show that higher inequality makes adopting a more ideological extreme position a more successful electoral strategy, especially where economic issues are ethnically salient.
Social determinants of health in the Big Data mode of population health risk calculation
Authors: Rowe Rachel
Published: December 2021

Amidst the climate of crisis surrounding the rise in opioid-related overdose in the USA, early in 2019, Google and Deloitte launched ‘Opioid360’. Here came a platform combining browser histories, credit, insurance, social media, and traditional survey data to sell the service of risk calculation in population health. Opioid360's approach to automating risk calculation not only promised to identify persons ‘at risk’ of opioid dependence, but also paved the way for broader applications anticipating common chronic diseases and coordinating logistical operations involved in pandemic response. Beginning with this experimental platform, this paper develops an analysis of the Big Data mode of risk calculation - an epistemological and political shift that involves technology companies, investors, insurers, governments, and public health institutions. The analysis focuses on the re-emergence of ‘social determinants of health’ (SDOH) in the rhetoric accompanying novel analytic platforms that estimate, calculate, and compute individual health risks. While the treatment of SDOH has always been a site of political contestation within the discipline of public health, powerful interests are crystallising around the concept and instrumentalising it in platforms that sell algorithmic prediction. Silicon Valley's breed of asset-oriented technoscience appears not only to be amplifying the behaviouralist elements of public health. Among the stakes of the Big Data mode is the paradoxical retreat from changing social conditions that contribute to the prevalence of health and illness in populations; and instead, the promotion of an apparatus for pricing and exchanging individual risk or excluding from services those who bear risk most acutely.
Social Media and Political Dissent in Russia and Belarus: An Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Bodrunova Svetlana S.
Published: December 2021

The special issue focuses on the roles of socially mediated communication in expressing, aggregating, and shaping political dissent and discontent in Russia and Belarus at the borderline between the 2010s and 2020s. Lately, these post-Soviet countries have demonstrated the growth of restrictive trends in both politics and the public sphere reciprocated by increasing street protest and online polarization. The six papers of the special issue come from the Seventh Annual Conference “Comparative Media Studies in Today’s World” of April 2019. They address the differences between autocracies and democracies in the impact of social media on protest participation, appearance of critical publics, and new media-like gatekeepers on YouTube, Instagram, VKontakte, and other platforms, and cumulative patterns in socially mediated deliberation. The papers demonstrate various manifestations of political disagreement, critique, and moral struggle, including politicization of the mundane, accumulation of self-criticism, and alternation of media consumption habits, thus uncovering the post-Soviet public spheres as vibrant and diverse, even if polarized and constrained.
Economic security in Southeast Asia: An introduction
Authors: Chong Alan
Published: December 2021

The subject of economic security has always been bandied about in academic discourse since the emergence of an interconnected world economy. With ASEAN states getting increasingly enmeshed in free trade agreements, and common market like arrangements, it is imperative to explore what economic security means for national governments today. The shocks of the 2017-20 Donald Trump presidency of the USA and the COVID-19 pandemic impart timely momentum for inquiring after economic security. If the USA currently embodies the idea of zero-sum economic logics as the way forward into the twenty first century, it becomes even more urgent that Asians re-examine the degrees of openness needed to sustain growth and prosperity. Contributors to this Special Section will not only examine government-to-government trade interactions, the prospects of Islamic Finance and gender inequalities will also be analysed in terms of how they can make or break conventional notions of economic security.
Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Usmani Sadia , Greca Elona , Javed Sana , Sharath Medha , Sarfraz Zouina , Sarfraz Azza , Salari Syeda Wajiha , Hussaini Syed Sameer , Mohammadi Asma , Chellapuram Nikitha , Cabrera Erik , Ferrer Gerardo
Published: December 2021

Introduction:

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating worldwide effect on mental health. Recent studies correlate the spreading of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with symptoms of depression, most prominent in postpartum women. Our systematic literature review scope is to identify the risk factors and predictors for postpartum depression (PPD) and describe the steps that should be taken to help postpartum women. This study will help clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to elucidate the predictors of PPD during this pandemic and prevent these adverse outcomes in future crises.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic search by employing databases PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Embase to identify articles published before March 2021. About 463 publications were generated during our search process and from those, 36 were reviewed, summarized, and synthesized. Studies qualified the criteria if they (1) utilized qualitative or quantitative design, (2) explored the risk factors for PPD, and (3) were written in English. Quality evaluation of each study was achieved by using criteria set by Lincoln and Guba.

Results:

Prevalence of depression symptoms ranged from 7% to 80.8% in postpartum women during the SARS-COV 2 pandemic. The risk factors for PPD were classified into 6 major categories: socio-demographic, psychological, pre-existing pathology, metabolic factors, previous events of miscarriage, and media misinformation.

Conclusion:

It is extremely vital to care for women’s mental health during pregnancy and after childbirth during these unprecedented times. This review urges the need to design adequate interventions for this vulnerable population to prevent negative consequences of PPD.
Prediction of Postoperative Delirium in Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients: A Clinical Prediction Model Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Oosterhoff Jacobien H. F. , Karhade Aditya V. , Oberai Tarandeep , Franco-Garcia Esteban , Doornberg Job N. , Schwab Joseph H.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Postoperative delirium in geriatric hip fracture patients adversely affects clinical and functional outcomes and increases costs. A preoperative prediction tool to identify high-risk patients may facilitate optimal use of preventive interventions. The purpose of this study was to develop a clinical prediction model using machine learning algorithms for preoperative prediction of postoperative delirium in geriatric hip fracture patients.

Materials & Methods

Geriatric patients undergoing operative hip fracture fixation were queried in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (ACS NSQIP) from 2016 through 2019. A total of 28 207 patients were included, of which 8030 (28.5%) developed a postoperative delirium. First, the dataset was randomly split 80:20 into a training and testing subset. Then, a random forest (RF) algorithm was used to identify the variables predictive for a postoperative delirium. The machine learning-model was developed on the training set and the performance was assessed in the testing set. Performance was assessed by discrimination (c-statistic), calibration (slope and intercept), overall performance (Brier-score), and decision curve analysis.

Results

The included variables identified using RF algorithms were (1) age, (2) ASA class, (3) functional status, (4) preoperative dementia, (5) preoperative delirium, and (6) preoperative need for mobility-aid. The clinical prediction model reached good discrimination (c-statistic = .79), almost perfect calibration (intercept = −.01, slope = 1.02), and excellent overall model performance (Brier score = .15). The clinical prediction model was deployed as an open-access web-application: https://sorg-apps.shinyapps.io/hipfxdelirium/ .

Discussion & Conclusions

We developed a clinical prediction model that shows promise in estimating the risk of postoperative delirium in geriatric hip fracture patients. The clinical prediction model can play a beneficial role in decision-making for preventative measures for patients at risk of developing a delirium. If found to be externally valid, clinicians might use the available web-based application to help incorporate the model into clinical practice to aid decision-making and optimize preoperative prevention efforts.
“Behind the Façade: Motivations for Cosmetic Usage by Women”
Authors: Robertson Julia M. , Kingsley Barbara E.
Published: December 2021

Given the wealth of literature on appearance manipulation generally, it is, perhaps, surprising that cosmetic usage receives so little empirical attention, and perhaps reflects a patriarchal approach to “appropriate” research areas. Incorporating a postfeminist approach, the current study aims to address, in part, this lacuna by providing a contemporary synopsis of the various and diverse motivations for cosmetic usage. Online, written responses to a semi-structured questionnaire were collected. In response to six broad questions, for example, “Why do you currently use cosmetics?”, respondents were encouraged to write, in as much detail as they liked, on their motivations for using cosmetics. Thematic analysis, using deductive and inductive approaches, revealed four main themes: “Multiple selves”—Conformity, Impression Management, and Judgment; Enhancement and Confidence; Fun, Creativity and Well-being; and Signification and Identity. Whilst some of these themes had been anticipated and, indeed, sign-posted in prior literature, the weight of interest in particular areas was unexpected (e.g., in terms of Fun, Creativity, and Well-being), whilst other areas did not receive the expected attention (e.g., in mate attraction). Additionally, and worthy of future research, entirely new areas also emerged (e.g., cosmetics for fun and creativity).
Employment and Livelihoods among Tribal in India
Authors: Mehta Balwant Singh , Singh Bharat
Published: December 2021

The present article attempts to explore one of the most pertinent issues of livelihood among tribals in India. In this context, the following two key issues have been examined: (a) whether tribal people are still engaged primarily in agriculture or forestry related activities for their livelihood or they have moved to non-farm and industrial activities over the years and (b) whether the government affirmative action like reservation policy has helped the tribal people in joining more government/public/formal sector jobs. This article is based on analysis of last two decades secondary data from National Sample Surveys (NSS) and Census of India. On the basis of the analysis of the data it has been observed that the participation of tribals in public sector or formal sector jobs has increased over the years, which may be due to various affirmative actions by the governments’ reservation policy. However, the human capital base of tribals is still much below the other social groups. Another important fact has been revealed through probit regression analysis that the government reservation policy is exclusionary in effect. Maximum benefits have been derived by those who are highly educated and those who belong to high income group. These issues need urgent policy interventions for creating better livelihood conditions for the tribal population particularly for those who are relatively less benefitted which may need further investigation.
Swing Type and Batting Grip Affect Peak Pressures on the Hook of Hamate in Collegiate Baseball Players
Authors: Flynn Lindsay S. , Richard George J. , Vincent Heather K. , Bruner Michelle , Chen Cong , Matthias Robert C. , Zaremski Jason L. , Farmer Kevin W.
Published: December 2021

Background:

Bat swing and grip type may contribute to hook of hamate fractures in baseball players.

Purpose:

To compare the effects of swing type and batting grip on the pressure and rate of pressure development over the hook of hamate in collegiate baseball players.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study. Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This was an experimental quasi-randomized study of bat grip and swing differences in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I baseball players (N = 14; age, 19.6 ± 1.1 years [mean ± SD]). All participants performed swings under 6 combinations: 3 grip types (all fingers on the bat shaft [AO], one finger off the bat shaft [OF], and choked up [CU]) and 2 swing types (full swing and check swing). Peak pressure and rate of pressure generation over the area of the hamate were assessed using a pressure sensor fitted to the palm of the bare hand over the area of the hamate. Wrist angular velocities and excursions of radial ulnar deviation were obtained using 3-dimensional motion analysis.

Results:

The OF–check swing combination produced the highest peak pressure over the hamate (3.72 ± 2.64 kg/cm2) versus the AO–full swing (1.36 ± 0.73 kg/cm2), OF–full swing (1.68 ± 1.17 kg/cm2), and CU–full swing (1.18 ± 0.96 kg/cm2; P < .05 for all). There was a significant effect of condition on rate of pressure development across the 6 conditions ( P = .023). Maximal wrist angular velocities were 44% lower in all check swing conditions than corresponding full swing conditions ( P < .0001). The time to achieve the maximal wrist angular velocity was longest with the AO–full swing and shortest with the CU–check swing (100.1% vs 7.9% of swing cycle; P = .014).

Conclusion:

The OF–check swing condition produced the highest total pressure reading on the hook of hamate. Check swing conditions also had the steepest rate of pressure development as compared with the full swing conditions.

Clinical Relevance:

Batters who frequently check their swings and use an OF or AO grip may benefit from bat modifications or grip adjustment to reduce stresses over the hamate. Athletic trainers and team physicians should be aware of these factors to counsel players in the context of previous or ongoing hand injury.
Patients’ Perceptions of Healthcare Quality at Hospitals Measured by the Revised Humane Caring Scale
Authors: Al-Jabri Fatma Yaqoob Mohammed , Turunen Hannele , Kvist Tarja
Published: December 2021

The patients’ perceptions are central to quality improvement of the healthcare system worldwide. This study aimed to examine patients’ perceptions of quality care and investigate the demographic factors related to the overall patients’ perceptions. The Revised Humane Caring Scale was distributed to 367 adult patients who were admitted at medical, surgical, and obstetrics and gynecology departments in 2 tertiary hospitals in Oman. Overall patients’ perceptions of quality of care were high, with professionalism being rated the highest, and cognition of physical needs and human resources rated the lowest. Significant differences in patients’ perceptions between hospitals as well as in the subscales of interdisciplinary collaboration and outcome variables, between planned- and emergency-admitted patients were found. The linear regression analysis indicated a relationship between gender and overall quality care where male patients reported higher satisfaction compared to counterparts. This study suggested the need to improve the cognition of physical needs (food quality and environmental sanitation) and human resources (staff to patient ratio) as well as pay attention to the individual patients’ needs especially for emergency-admitted patients.
Tribes at the Margin of Tribal Space: Urban Socio-Spatial Exclusion
Authors: Kumar Bipin , Baraik Vijay Kumar
Published: December 2021

Unlike the cities of the global North, where poor indigenous communities are primarily immigrants attracted to cities to secure better livelihoods, the tribals of Jharkhand in urban spaces are mostly ‘original inhabitants’. In Ranchi, their original state has been increasingly dwindled or marginalised and led to a dialectical process of socio-spatial poverty traps. This study attempts to understand the socio-spatial integration of the tribal community within Ranchi city through the identification of tribal toponymy and the patterns of clustering and concentration vis-à-vis the process of land association and dissociation. Further, it brings together the attributes of such a produced spatiality. Location Quotient, based on secondary data, and Key Informant Interviews with field observations are applied to measure the tribal concentration and the processes of spatiality, respectively. The findings present a dismal picture, where the tribals mostly find themselves at the margins of the city space, especially in the core-inner city and the microperipheral localities. The continuous inflow of outsiders, the issue of land rights and land alienation, the pattern of socio-spatial clustering and disadvantages, and the dynamics of tribal identity associations are all integrally connected in perpetuating tribals’ urban spatial exclusion and thereby their socio-spatial segregation.
Comparison of Dental Injury Rates in Perioperative Intubation and Suspension Laryngoscopy for Otolaryngology Procedures
Authors: Wilson Caleb P. , Romano Erica , Vasan Nilesh R.
Published: December 2021

Objective

Direct laryngoscopy is an essential skill during perioperative intubation and otolaryngology procedures. Dental injury is a common complication of direct laryngoscopy. However, the technique and tools used by anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, and others during perioperative intubation and by ear, nose, and throat surgeons for their procedures are different. The purpose of this review is to explore the literature for all studies detailing rates of dental injury in each of these settings and to compare them to see if the approaches have a significant difference in rate of dental injury.

Data Sources

PubMed.

Review Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed was performed through February 2021 with search terms “dental” and “intubation” or “laryngoscopy.” PRISMA guidelines were followed. Studies documenting rates of dental injuries during intubation or during laryngologic procedures were included, and the 2 groups were compared.

Results

Twenty‐three studies met inclusion criteria: 17 in the perioperative intubation group and 6 in the suspension laryngoscopy group. There was an increased incidence of dental injury in the perioperative intubation group (4.86%) as compared with the suspension laryngoscopy group (1.70%).

Conclusions

The difference in dental injury rate between the groups could be due to the differences in direct laryngoscopy technique or tools used, the presence vs absence of a dental guard, or a combination of these factors. More studies need to be performed to develop definitive and specific conclusions to recommend changes that prevent dental injury.
The bioeconomy, carbon sinks, and depoliticization in Finnish forest politics
Authors: Kellokumpu Ville
Published: December 2021

The forest bioeconomy in Finland has emerged as a project that seeks to resolve emergent contradictions in the capitalist ecological regime and to reconfigure spatial, temporal, and economic relations. The bioeconomy rose to public consciousness during the 2010s, especially after its adoption as one of the spearhead projects of the 2015–2019 center-right coalition government. The forest industry's bioeconomic plans are also an attempt to hegemonize and depoliticize a particular political view of forests in the era of climate change. In this paper, the politics of the bioeconomy and carbon sinks are scrutinized in the context of the 2019 parliamentary election season, during which forest use was a central political issue due to investments in new biorefineries. A data set of 80 newspaper articles is analyzed through critical discourse analysis. The analysis identifies three key discursive frames that legitimize the political imaginary of the bioeconomy: 1) rural reinvigoration and the defense of the nation's peripheries through spatial populism; 2) a view of forests as high-throughput carbon conveyors that conform to the temporalities of capital; 3) the establishment of the bioeconomy as a high-value accumulation regime that can resolve the profitability crisis of the paper and pulp production model.
‘A pilgrimage of camels’: Dairy capitalism, nomadic pastoralism, and subnational Hindutva statism in Rajasthan
Authors: Narayanan Yamini
Published: December 2021

Hindu nationalists and NGOs proffer camel dairying as an employment strategy for Rajasthan's nomadic pastoralists, akin to the commodification of bovine milk for poverty alleviation in India. Commercial dairying however is inconsistent with pastoralist ethics though it is consistent with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's broader agenda to consolidate Hindutva at the national and subnational levels in India, and with developmentalism that regards animals as capital. In an original contribution bringing together pastoralist studies and critical animal geographies, this paper introduces species to the ‘conjugated oppressions’ in agrarian economies, currently composing caste, tribes, and class, through the suturing of (dairy) capitalism and right-wing ultranationalism. Focussing the camels and the Raika herders in the subregions of Jaisalmer, and Sirohi, home to India's only camel sanctuary, the paper delineates how the camel is entrapped in the coalescing and conflicts of dairy-based development and Hindutva nationalism. Interconnected oppressions upon the camels and herders are conceptualised and enacted through the control and appropriation of rangelands, understood as yatra or pilgrimage by the pastoralists. However, the camel is also enmeshed in the older violent histories of domestication, raising difficult questions about how nomadic and camel sovereignties may be imagined, together. Arguing that dairy capitalism will discipline the nomads and camels while strengthening Hindutva in Rajasthan, the paper draws on pastoralist worldviews as a starting point to re-imagine human–animal relations, based on an ethic of de-commodification.
An Unusual Case of EBV-Negative Primary CNS Lymphoma of Natural Killer/T-Cell Lineage
Authors: Kajtazi Naim I , Bafaquh Mohammed , Ghamdi Juman Al , AlEissa Zahra , Shmeikh Arwa Al , Alsaeed Ali , Sulaiman Tarek , Vizcaino M Adelita , Al Hameed Majed , Raghunathan Aditya
Published: December 2021

Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a well-defined cytotoxic lymphoma strongly associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, commonly affecting the nasopharynx and upper aerodigestive tract. Primary central nervous system (CNS) involvement is rare, and only 17 cases were previously reported in the literature. Here, we report the case of a 44-year-old male admitted with a 3-month history of personality changes and progressive right leg weakness. Brain magnetic resonance imaging studies (MRIs) revealed multiple rim-enhancing brain lesions bilaterally. An extensive clinical and laboratory workup was unrevealing, and 2 brain biopsies were initially considered inconclusive. Pertinently, no systemic lymphoproliferative disorder was identified. The patient initially experienced remarkable clinical improvement with dexamethasone, pulse methylprednisolone, and rituximab therapy. However, he eventually had rapid clinical deterioration, was found to have increased brain lesions, and died nearly 6 months after the initial presentation. During this time, the second brain biopsy was found to show involvement by T-cell lymphoma of NK-cell lineage, which was EBV negative. No post-mortem examination was done to identify any systemic lymphoma. This case serves to expand the spectrum of lymphomas involving the CNS.
The Dark Side of Environmental Sustainability in Projects: Unraveling Greenwashing Behaviors
Authors: He Qinghua , Wang Zilun , Wang Ge , Xie Jianxun , Chen Zhen
Published: December 2021

Greenwashing behaviors (GWBs) are positive environmental communications in combination with poor environmental performance. Using fraud triangle theory, this study investigated the effects of three types of factors (pressures, opportunities, and rationalizations) that shape contractor GWBs. Primary data from 586 respondents were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The SEM results indicate positive effects for these factors with the exception of isomorphic pressures and reveal the mediating role of rationalization. The fsQCA results present three configurational models that trigger GWBs. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided that shed new light on facilitating environmental sustainability in projects.
JLAN: medical code prediction via joint learning attention networks and denoising mechanism
Authors: Li Xingwang , Zhang Yijia , Islam Faiz ul , Dong Deshi , Wei Hao , Lu Mingyu
Published: December 2021

Background

Clinical notes are documents that contain detailed information about the health status of patients. Medical codes generally accompany them. However, the manual diagnosis is costly and error-prone. Moreover, large datasets in clinical diagnosis are susceptible to noise labels because of erroneous manual annotation. Therefore, machine learning has been utilized to perform automatic diagnoses. Previous state-of-the-art (SOTA) models used convolutional neural networks to build document representations for predicting medical codes. However, the clinical notes are usually long-tailed. Moreover, most models fail to deal with the noise during code allocation. Therefore, denoising mechanism and long-tailed classification are the keys to automated coding at scale.

Results

In this paper, a new joint learning model is proposed to extend our attention model for predicting medical codes from clinical notes. On the MIMIC-III-50 dataset, our model outperforms all the baselines and SOTA models in all quantitative metrics. On the MIMIC-III-full dataset, our model outperforms in the macro-F1, micro-F1, macro-AUC, and precision at eight compared to the most advanced models. In addition, after introducing the denoising mechanism, the convergence speed of the model becomes faster, and the loss of the model is reduced overall.

Conclusions

The innovations of our model are threefold: firstly, the code-specific representation can be identified by adopted the self-attention mechanism and the label attention mechanism. Secondly, the performance of the long-tailed distributions can be boosted by introducing the joint learning mechanism. Thirdly, the denoising mechanism is suitable for reducing the noise effects in medical code prediction. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness of our model on the widely-used MIMIC-III datasets and achieve new SOTA results.
Functional characterization of hydroxyproline-O-galactosyltransferases for Arabidopsis arabinogalactan-protein synthesis
Authors: Kaur Dasmeet , Held Michael A. , Smith Mountain R. , Showalter Allan M.
Published: December 2021

Background

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) are structurally complex hydroxyproline-rich cell wall glycoproteins ubiquitous in the plant kingdom. AGPs biosynthesis involves a series of post-translational modifications including the addition of type II arabinogalactans to non-contiguous Hyp residues. To date, eight Hyp-galactosyltransferases (Hyp-GALTs; GALT2-GALT9) belonging to CAZy GT31, are known to catalyze the addition of the first galactose residues to AGP protein backbones and enable subsequent AGP glycosylation. The extent of genetic redundancy, however, remains to be elucidated for the Hyp-GALT gene family.

Results

To examine their gene redundancy and functions, we generated various multiple gene knock-outs, including a triple mutant (galt5 galt8 galt9), two quadruple mutants (galt2 galt5 galt7 galt8, galt2 galt5 galt7 galt9), and one quintuple mutant (galt2 galt5 galt7 galt8 galt9), and comprehensively examined their biochemical and physiological phenotypes. The key findings include: AGP precipitations with β-Yariv reagent showed that GALT2, GALT5, GALT7, GALT8 and GALT9 act redundantly with respect to AGP glycosylation in cauline and rosette leaves, while the activity of GALT7, GALT8 and GALT9 dominate in the stem, silique and flowers. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that galactose was decreased in the silique and root AGPs of the Hyp-GALT mutants. TEM analysis of 25789 quintuple mutant stems indicated cell wall defects coincident with the observed developmental and growth impairment in these Hyp-GALT mutants. Correlated with expression patterns, galt2, galt5, galt7, galt8, and galt9 display equal additive effects on insensitivity to β-Yariv-induced growth inhibition, silique length, plant height, and pollen viability. Interestingly, galt7, galt8, and galt9 contributed more to primary root growth and root tip swelling under salt stress, whereas galt2 and galt5 played more important roles in seed morphology, germination defects and seed set. Pollen defects likely contributed to the reduced seed set in these mutants.

Conclusion

Additive and pleiotropic effects of GALT2, GALT5, GALT7, GALT8 and GALT9 on vegetative and reproductive growth phenotypes were teased apart via generation of different combinations of Hyp-GALT knock-out mutants. Taken together, the generation of higher order Hyp-GALT mutants demonstrate the functional importance of AG polysaccharides decorating the AGPs with respect to various aspects of plant growth and development.
A qualitative exploration of nursing undergraduates’ perceptions towards scaffolding in the flipped classroom of the Fundamental Nursing Practice Course: a qualitative study
Authors: Chen Linghui , Lin Ting , Tang Siyue
Published: December 2021

Background

Although the benefits of using a flipped classroom in nursing education have been reported, there are few published studies attempting to understand students’ subjective experiences with scaffolding in a flipped classroom and the challenges they face as a result of this type of educational change. The purpose of this study was to describe students’ perspectives of scaffolding in the Flipped Classroom of the Fundamental Nursing Practice Course (FNPC-FC).

Methods

Thirty-four undergraduates were recruited and separated into four groups in the study. The data was collected through semi-structured focus group interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data in order to determine the themes in the interview transcriptions.

Results

The research revealed two primary themes with associated sub-themes: 1) challenging learning experience, and 2) teacher-student interaction.

Conclusions

Students will confront substantial challenges as scaffolding strategies are implemented in the flipped classroom. On the other hand, scaffolding in the flipped classroom can successfully train students to be self-directed learners and equip them with nursing skills when students are given appropriate support.
Associations between postpartum depression and assistance with household tasks and childcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from American mothers
Authors: Gildner Theresa E. , Uwizeye Glorieuse , Milner Rebecca L. , Alston Grace C. , Thayer Zaneta M.
Published: December 2021

Background

The early postpartum period is recognized cross-culturally as being important for recovery, with new parents receiving increased levels of community support. However, COVID-19-related lockdown measures may have disrupted these support systems, with possible implications for mental health. Here, we use a cross-sectional analysis among individuals who gave birth at different stages of the pandemic to test (i) if instrumental support access in the form of help with household tasks, newborn care, and care for older children has varied temporally across the pandemic, and (ii) whether access to these forms of instrumental support is associated with lower postpartum depression scores.

Methods

This study used data from the COVID-19 And Reproductive Effects (CARE) study, an online survey of pregnant persons in the United States. Participants completed postnatal surveys between April 30 – November 18, 2020 (n = 971). Logistic regression analysis tested whether birth timing during the pandemic was associated with odds of reported sustained instrumental support. Linear regression analyses assessed whether instrumental support was associated with lower depression scores as measured via the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression survey.

Results

Participants who gave birth later in the pandemic were more likely to report that the pandemic had not affected the help they received with household work and newborn care (p < 0.001), while access to childcare for older children appeared to vary non-linearly throughout the pandemic. Additionally, respondents who reported that the pandemic had not impacted their childcare access or help received around the house displayed significantly lower depression scores compared to participants who reported pandemic-related disruptions to these support types (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The maintenance of postpartum instrumental support during the pandemic appears to be associated with better maternal mental health. Healthcare providers should therefore consider disrupted support systems as a risk factor for postpartum depression and ask patients how the pandemic has affected support access. Policymakers seeking to improve parental wellbeing should design strategies that reduce disease transmission, while facilitating safe interactions within immediate social networks (e.g., through investment in COVID-19 testing and contact tracing). Cumulatively, postpartum instrumental support represents a potential tool to protect against depression, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shaiful Bahari Ismail , Norhayati Mohd Noor , Nik Hazlina Nik Hussain , Mohamad Shahirul Aiman Che Abd Aziz , Nik Muhammad Arif Nik Ahmad
Published: December 2021

Background

Over the last two decades, there has been significant growth in public, political, and academic awareness of polygamy. Polygamous families have distinct household problems, usually stemming from jealousy between co-wives over the husband’s affections and resources. This study aimed to ascertain the psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children worldwide.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Google Scholar, and ProQuest using search terms such as “marriage” and “polygamy.” Studies published from the inception of the respective databases until April 2021 were retrieved to assess their eligibility for inclusion in this study. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used for data extraction and the quality assessment of the included studies. The generic inverse variance and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using RevMan software.

Results

There were 24 studies fulfilling the eligibility criteria, and 23 studies had a low risk of bias. The pooled meta-analysis showed women in polygamous marriages had a 2.25 (95% CI: 1.20, 4.20) higher chance of experiencing depression than in monogamous marriages. Children with polygamous parents had a significantly higher Global Severity Index with a mean difference of 0.21 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.33) than those with monogamous parents.

Conclusions

The psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children was found to be relatively higher than monogamous marriage. Awareness of the proper practices for polygamy should be strengthened so that its adverse effects can be minimized. The agencies involved in polygamous practices should broaden and enhance their understanding of the correct practice of polygamy.
Triplet versus doublet neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens for locally advanced gastric cancer: a propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Chen Yonghe , He Jiasheng , Liu Dan , Xiao Jian , Chen Xijie , Tang Haijie , Luo Dandong , Shang Chenyu , Lian Lei , Peng Junsheng
Published: December 2021

Background

To investigate the differences between doublet and triplet neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) regimens in efficacy and safety profile.

Methods

A total of 227 locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) patients who received NAC and sequential radical gastrectomy were reviewed. After propensity score matching (PSM), 140 patients with similar baseline characteristics were selected. Among them, 70 received doublet NAC regimens consisted of platinum and fluorouracil; the other 70 received triplet NAC regimens consisted of docetaxel, platinum, and fluorouracil.

Results

The efficacy of doublet and triplet regimens was comparable after propensity score matching in terms of tumor regression (pathological complete response, Doublet 11.4% vs. Triplet 15.7%, p = 0.642), achieving of R0 resection (Doublet 88.6% vs. Triplet 88.6%, p = 1), 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) (Doublet 77.1% vs. Triplet 68.6%, p = 0.178), 3-years overall survival (OS) (Doublet 54.3% vs. Triplet 60.9%, p = 0.941). Post-surgery complications were more common in the triplet cohort (Doublet 5.7% vs. Triplet 27.1%, p = 0.001), especially abdominal infection (Doublet 0% vs. Triplet 11.1%, p = 0.001).

Conclusions

A more intense preoperative triplet NAC regimen does not bring extra downstage effect and survival benefit compared to a doublet regimen. It may even result in a higher risk of post-surgery complications.
The effect of photographic light brightness on cup to disc ratio grading
Authors: McSoley Matthew J. , Rosenfeld Eldar , Grajewski Alana , Chang Ta Chen
Published: December 2021

Background

Digital optic disc photographs are integral to remote telehealth ophthalmology, yet no quality control standards exist for the brightness setting of the images. This study evaluated the relationship between brightness setting and cup/disc ratio (c/d) grading among glaucoma specialists.

Methods

Optic disc photographs obtained during routine examinations under anesthesia were collected to construct an image library. For each optic disc, photographs were obtained at 3 light intensity settings: dark, medium, and bright. From the image library, photograph triads (dark, medium and bright) of 50 eyes (50 patients) were used to construct the study set. Nine glaucoma specialists evaluated the c/d of the study set photographs in randomized order. The relationships between the brightness levels and the c/d grading as well as graders’ years in practice and variability were evaluated.

Results

The c/d were graded as significantly larger in bright photographs when compared to photographs taken at the medium light intensity (0.53 vs 0.48, P < 0.001) as well as those taken at the dark setting (0.47, P < 0.001). In addition, no relationship was found between ophthalmologists’ years in practice and the variability of their c/d grading (P = 0.76).

Conclusion

Image brightness affects c/d grading of nonstereoscopic disc photographs. The brighter intensity is associated with larger c/d grading. Photograph brightness may be an important factor to consider when evaluating digital disc photographs.
Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption among New Zealand children aged 8-12 years: a cross sectional study of sources and associates/correlates of consumption
Authors: Smirk Emma , Mazahery Hajar , Conlon Cathryn A. , Beck Kathryn L. , Gammon Cheryl , Mugridge Owen , von Hurst Pamela R.
Published: December 2021

Background

The benefit of reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is widely accepted, but updated and in-depth data on New Zealand (NZ) children’s SSB consumption is lacking. The aims of this study were to describe beverage consumption, focusing on SSBs in primary school age children living in Auckland; to examine the association of selected socio-demographic, home, community and school factors and children’s beverage knowledge/attitudes with regards to beverage consumption; to explore the relationship between SSBs consumption and adiposity in children.

Methods

A cross-sectional, Auckland-wide survey of 578 school age children (8-12 years) was conducted using questionnaires to collect data on beverage consumption, beverage knowledge/attitudes, and selected socio-demographic and home, community, school factors. Body fat percentage (BF%) was assessed using bioelectrical impedance (BIA).

Results

Ninety-six percent of children consumed ≥1 serving of SSBs a week; with ≥5 servings reported by 62% of children. Of all SSBs assessed, consumption of ≥1 serving of sugar sweetened milk-based beverages (85%, mainly milk drinks made from powder) was most prevalent, followed by fruit juice (46%) and sugar-containing carbonated drinks (39%, mainly soft/fizzy drinks). Among unsweetened beverages, plain water was reported to be consumed < 2 times a day by 22% of children, and plain milk < 1 serving a day by 53%. Higher consumption of SSBs was associated with socio-economic disadvantage, non-NZ European ethnicities (Māori, Pacific, Asian, others), availability of SSBs in the home, frequent takeaway/convenience shop visits, children’s incorrect perception of adequate SSBs consumption frequency, and higher BF% (females only). School health policy and encouragement of children to consume un-sweetened beverages was not associated with SSBs consumption.

Conclusions

The consumption of SSBs is prevalent in NZ school age children, with higher consumption rates observed among those from socially disadvantaged areas. This high consumption is associated with higher BF% in females. Multi-contextual interventions to decrease SSBs should target children, and their families/environment, particularly those from socially disadvantaged areas.
What are risk factors for subsequent fracture after vertebral augmentation in patients with thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fractures
Authors: Chen Zhi , Song Chenyang , Chen Min , Li Hongxiang , Ye Yusong , Liu Wenge
Published: December 2021

Background

Due to its unique mechanical characteristics, the incidence of subsequent fracture after vertebral augmentation is higher in thoracolumbar segment, but the causes have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the potential risk factors for subsequent fracture in this region.

Methods

Patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture in thoracolumbar segment who received vertebral augmentation from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into refracture group and non-refracture group according to the occurrence of refracture. The clinical information, imaging findings (cement distribution, spine sagittal parameters, degree of paraspinal muscle degeneration) and surgery related indicators of the included patients were collected and compared.

Results

A total of 109 patients were included, 13 patients in refracture group and 96 patients in non-refracture group. Univariate analysis revealed a significantly higher incidence of previous fracture, intravertebral cleft (IVC) and cement leakage, greater fatty infiltration of psoas (FIPS), fatty infiltration of erector spinae plus multifidus (FIES + MF), correction of body angle (BA), BA restoration rate and vertebral height restoration rate in refracture group. Further binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated previous fracture, IVC, FIPS and BA restoration rate were independent risk factors for subsequent fracture. According to ROC curve analysis, the prediction accuracy of BA restoration rate was the highest (area under the curve was 0.794), and the threshold value was 0.350.

Conclusions

Subsequent fracture might cause by the interplay of multiple risk factors. The previous fracture, IVC, FIPS and BA restoration rate were identified as independent risk factors. When the BA restoration rate exceeded 0.350, refractures were more likely to occur.
Trim28 acts as restriction factor of prototype foamy virus replication by modulating H3K9me3 marks and destabilizing the viral transactivator Tas
Authors: Yuan Peipei , Yan Jun , Wang Shuang , Guo Yang , Xi Xueyan , Han Song , Yin Jun , Peng Biwen , He Xiaohua , Bodem Jochen , Liu Wanhong
Published: December 2021

Background

Prototype foamy virus (PFV) is nonpathogenic complex retroviruses that express a transcriptional transactivator Tas, which is essential for the activity of viral long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter and internal promoter (IP). Tripartite motif-containing protein 28 (Trim28) is well known as a scaffold protein normally enriched in gene promoter region to repress transcription. We sought to determine if whether Trim28 could be enriched in PFV promoter region to participate the establishment of PFV latency infection.

Results

In this study, we show that Trim28 restricts Tas-dependent transactivation activity of PFV promoter and negatively regulates PFV replication. Trim28 was found to be enriched in LTR instead of IP promoter regions of PFV genome and contribute to the maintenance of histone H3K9me3 marks on the LTR promoter. Furthermore, Trim28 interacts with Tas and colocalizes with Tas in the nucleus. Besides, we found that Trim28, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, binds directly to and promotes Tas for ubiquitination and degradation. And the RBCC domain of Trim28 is required for the ubiquitination and degradation of Tas.

Conclusions

Collectively, our findings not only identify a host factor Trim28 negatively inhibits PFV replication by acting as transcriptional restriction factor enriched in viral LTR promoter through modulating H3K9me3 mark here, but also reveal that Trim28 mediated ubiquitin proteasome degradation of Tas as a mechanism underlying Trim28 restricts Tas-dependent transcription activity of PFV promoter and PFV replication. These findings provide new insights into the process of PFV latency establishment.

Graphical Abstract