bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taxonomy of the Afrotropical genus Leptomenes Giordani Soika, with description of a new species from South Africa (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae)
Authors: SELIS MARCO
Published: January 2023

A new South African species of Leptomenes Giordani Soika, 1939, namely Leptomenes obliquepunctatus Selis, sp. nov., is described. The Malagasy genus Malgachemenes Gusenleitner, 1992 is synonymized with Leptomenes syn. nov. (Leptomenes angustus comb. nov.). Leptomenes extremus Gusenleitner, 2005 is a junior synonym of Raphiglossa lemuriae Giordani Soika, 1941 syn. nov. The previously published key for the continental species is updated.
Building Thunderstorm Resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region through Probabilistic Forecasts and Satellite Observations
Authors: Case Jonathan L. , Gatlin Patrick N. , Srikishen Jayanthi , Adhikary Bhupesh , Mannan Md. Abdul , Bell Jordan R.
Published: January 2023

Some of the most intense thunderstorms on Earth occur in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region of southern Asia—where many organizations lack the capacity needed to predict, observe, and/or effectively respond to the threats associated with high-impact convective weather. As a result, a disproportionately large number of casualties and damage often occur with premonsoon severe thunderstorms in this region. To address this problem, we combined ensemble numerical weather prediction (NWP), satellite-based precipitation products, and land-imagery techniques into a High-Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT) customized for HKH. In 2018 and 2019 demonstrations, a regional convection-allowing ensemble NWP system was configured to provide real-time probabilistic guidance of thunderstorm hazards over HKH, applying ensemble techniques developed for U.S.-focused experiments. Case studies of damaging wind, large hail, lightning, a rare Nepalese tornado, and landfalling tropical cyclone events show how HIWAT efficiently packages ensemble output into products that are readily interpreted by forecasters in HKH. Precipitation and total lightning flash verification reveal the highest skill occurred where deep convection was most frequently observed in Bangladesh and northeastern India, and verification scores exceeded global ensemble scores for heavy precipitation rates. These results demonstrate that plausible forecasts of thunderstorm hazards can be attained with relatively low computational resources, thereby facilitating advancements in extreme weather forecasting services in historically underserved regions such as HKH. In early 2022, a custom version of HIWAT was installed at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department using in-house computational resources, providing regional ensemble forecast guidance in real time.
Events of the Cross-Equatorial Flows over the Maritime Continent during 1979–2020
Authors: Zhao Xiaoxuan , Lu Riyu , Sun Jianqi
Published: January 2023

This study proposed a definition of the cross-equatorial flow (CEF) events over the Maritime Continent (MC) based on the daily mean data derived from ERA5 from 1979 to 2020. Following this definition, a total of 138 CEF events were identified. The statistical analysis suggests that CEF events are concentrated from May to October, with the peak frequency appearing in July. The occurrence frequency generally decreases along with the increase in duration, with a total of 66% of events persisting no longer than the average (7.1 days), while approximately 16% persist exceeding 10 days. The intensity of events is generally the strongest in August, consistent with the climatological annual cycle of CEF. The CEF events are characterized by a seesaw pattern of equatorial meridional wind anomalies between the upper and lower troposphere, with the strongest southerly (northerly) anomalies located at 925 (150) hPa. Both the upper- and lower-level wind anomalies propagate westward along with the evolution of events. The CEF events are highly connected with the tropical dipole convection, featured by the enhanced convection over the western North Pacific (WNP) and suppressed convection over MC. The convection enhancement over the WNP can be traced back to the equatorial central Pacific, which explains the westward movement of the events-related equatorial meridional wind anomalies. By contrast, the suppressed convection over the Indian Ocean and MC keeps stagnant. The events-related convection anomalies act as a branch of boreal summer intraseasonal oscillations (BSISOs), but CEF events are not fully dependent on BSISOs.
Purple urine in Berdon syndrome: a rare finding in the clinic laboratory
Authors: Oliveira Rodríguez Myriam , Moreno Rodríguez María , Díaz Martín Juan J , Prieto García Belén
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome (PUBS) is a rare disorder seen in elderly persons, wherein the urinary bag and the tubing turn in to purple colour. It is usually seen in patients who are on urinary catheters for a long time. It consists of a change in the colour of the urine that turns purple in a very specific context.

Case report

We report the case of a paediatric female patient with Berdon Syndrome with symptoms consistent with urinary tract infection and purple urine discolouration. Urine test revealed leukocyturia and bacteriuria.

Discussion

Several risk factors have been proposed regarding this syndrome. Among them the commonest are female gender, advanced age, kind of diet (increased dietary tryptophan), alkaline urine and diverse situations that leads to urinary retentions which allows bacteria to work on their substrate for a longer time. Although it is a process that is not associated with gravity, recognizing it is important as treatment is simple and can minimize patient and family distress.
The role of psychological surveillance in reducing harm and building resilience in police forensic investigators
Authors: Tehrani Noreen
Published: January 2023

Police staff working in digital forensics, scenes of crime and accident investigators as forensic investigators are exposed to scenes and materials which are highly distressing. Two thousand twenty-eight forensic investigators completed a psychological surveillance survey measuring the proportion of investigators above the cut-off level of anxiety, depression, PTSD, burnout, and secondary trauma. The results showed that forensic investigators had higher symptoms than those found in police officers. Measures of workability and health beliefs were used to identify the most significant hazards and resilience factors for this group. The paper provides recommendations for interventions to reduce the levels of psychological distress.
Bio-coloration and ultraviolet protection finishing of tussah silk using chestnut leaf extract and its thermodynamic study
Authors: Zhang Yue , Jia Yan-Mei
Published: January 2023

This study investigates the dyeing effects of chestnut leaf extract on tussah silk and aspires to create bio-colored and ultraviolet-resistant textiles. The results proved that post-mordanting with aluminum potassium sulfate and ferrous sulfate yielded better results than direct dyeing, the color strength value with ferrous sulfate mordant reached 10.9, and the color fastness of tussah silk with post-mordanting was rated above 4. Furthermore, the ultraviolet protection factor values reached 17, 39, 45, and 53 with control, direct dyeing, and post-mordanting with aluminum potassium sulfate and ferrous sulfate, respectively, revealing that the chestnut leaf extract could be a potential ultraviolet protection agent to increase the ultraviolet protection performance on tussah silk. In addition, the adsorption process and thermodynamic characteristics of chestnut leaf extract on tussah silk were examined. The results suggested that the Langmuir isotherm model adequately described the thermodynamic behavior of chestnut leaf extract on tussah silk. The positive enthalpy change indicated that the adsorption process was an endothermic process.
Narrative and the mapping of Diaspora Space: Liminalities and subjectivities in the ‘Happy Multicultural Land’ of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth
Authors: Toprak Sakiz Elif
Published: January 2023

This article explores the features of narrative space in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth by drawing on the notion of diaspora space, which is based upon Avtar Brah’s theory in Cartographies of Diaspora, with a view to defining diaspora subjectivity. The analysis asks how such spaces are imbued with the multiplicity of border crossings, such as metaleptic intrusions of the heterodiegetic narrator, pluralization of perspectivism, the intermingling of the narrator’s and characters’ own spaces with the use of free indirect speech and the problematization of internal and external spaces. The narrator’s engagement with issues of diaspora, subjectivity, ethnicity, multiculturalism and roots/routes as well as their narrative manifestations are traced throughout the novel with recourse to ideas of ‘post-postcolonialism’, a concept that corresponds to the everydayness and ordinariness of migrant experience. Consequently, space proves to be a constitutive element of both the novel’s narrative and the characters’ subjectivities.
The vicissitudes of bilingualism and plurilingualism in the European Union
Authors: Modiano Marko
Published: January 2023

Starting with the early twentieth century, the shifts in what languages mainland Europeans have as additional languages are described and analysed. Historical events, such as World War II, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, as well as the ramifications of globalization, are taken into consideration, as are the implications of Brexit for the role English maintains as Europe’s primary universal language. Declines in French, German and Russian as the first additional language are observed. Comparisons are made of the resources required for a language to challenge English as Europe’s primary lingua franca. It is found that the patterns which emerge over time, with few exceptions, result in the increased importance of English in all of the Member States of the European Union. Moreover, the rise of L2 English in the European Union has caused mainland Europeans to be more likely to become bilingual rather than plurilingual, something contrary to European Union policy.
Designing interventions to ameliorate mental health conditions in resource-constrained contexts: some considerations
Authors: Kagee Ashraf
Published: January 2023

Health interventions, including those directed at ameliorating symptoms of mental disorders, can contribute significantly to realising the goal of sustainable development. The Strategic Development Goal of ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all, at all ages, pertains all health conditions, including those affecting mental health. Considering the low ratio of researchers to the population of many low- and middle-income countries, there is a specific need to build capacity for research so as to ensure good quality data so that social policies can be data-informed. This article outlines four considerations for trial investigators assessing the effectiveness of mental health interventions in low- and middle-income countries, namely, task sharing, scaling up, structural barriers, and the transformation imperative. Task sharing is an arrangement in which non-specialist health workers receive training and supervision to screen for and diagnose mental disorders and intervene with persons affected by them. Scaling up a proof of concept is appropriate when trials yield positive results showing effectiveness of the intervention. Structural barriers such as transport difficulties, long waiting times in clinics, food insecurity, competing demands on people’s time, childcare concerns, and poor health literacy play an important role in driving health behaviours and should be considered in intervention design. Transformation of the cadre of researchers to include those from oppressed and marginalised groups will yield investigators who are able to frame research questions and develop methodologies that reflect the lived realities of these communities.
Meaning in life in adolescents with developmental trauma: A qualitative study
Authors: Olstad Kjersti , Sørensen Torgeir , Lien Lars , Danbolt Lars J
Published: January 2023

Aim:The purpose of this study was to explore how adolescent patients displaying developmental trauma experience and describe meaning in life. Schnell’s model of meaning in life is applied to explore meaningfulness, crises of meaning and sources of meaning. Method: The study has a qualitative design based on individual interviews with eight adolescents aged 14–18 years in treatment in an outpatient clinic for mental health care for children and adolescents. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using systematic text condensation. Results: The adolescents related meaning in life to the experience of coherence, intrinsic values, progress and belonging, or the absence of these. Examples of sources of meaning among the informants were positive relations with meaningful others, structure and routines, moments of well-being, achieving goals related to education, work and family, and seeking something else outside oneself such as playing computer games, being engaged in politics, being with animals, having a belief in a god or being outdoors in natural surroundings. Conclusion: Although the topic of meaning in life was unknown to this group, they used sources of meaning intuitively. This group seems to have similar preferences to the general population. More knowledge is needed on how the topic of meaning in life can be useful in therapy for adolescents with development trauma.
An extended ontology model for trust evaluation using advanced hybrid ontology
Authors: Dhillon Parveen , Singh Manpreet
Published: January 2023

In the blooming area of Internet technology, the concept of Internet-of-Things (IoT) holds a distinct position that interconnects a large number of smart objects. In the context of social IoT (SIoT), the argument of trust and reliability is evaluated in the presented work. The proposed framework is divided into two blocks, namely Verification Block (VB) and Evaluation Block (EB). VB defines various ontology-based relationships computed for the objects that reflect the security and trustworthiness of an accessed service. While, EB is used for the feedback analysis and proves to be a valuable step that computes and governs the success rate of the service. Support vector machine (SVM) is applied to categorise the trust-based evaluation. The security aspect of the proposed approach is comparatively evaluated for DDoS and malware attacks in terms of success rate, trustworthiness and execution time. The proposed secure ontology-based framework provides better performance compared with existing architectures.
Doxycycline Promotes Graft Healing and Attenuates Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in a Rat Model
Authors: Cao Mingde , Yao Shiyi , Zhu Xiaobo , Ong Michael T.Y. , Yung Patrick S.H. , Jiang Yangzi
Published: January 2023

Background:

Doxycycline (Doxy) has been shown to facilitate tendon healing by reducing on-site matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, but its effect on graft healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has not been investigated, and the therapeutic effect of Doxy in preventing ACLR-induced posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is unclear.

Hypothesis:

Doxy promotes graft healing and alleviates the progression of PTOA after ACLR.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Sprague Dawley rats (n = 74; age, 12-13 weeks; male) that underwent ACLR were divided into untreated control and Doxy treatment (50 mg/kg/d orally until sacrifice) groups. At 2 and 6 weeks after surgery, graft healing was assessed by biomechanical testing, histology, immunohistochemical staining, and micro–computed tomography (μCT). The progression of PTOA was evaluated at 6 weeks by histology, the Mankin score, and immunofluorescence staining of the tibial plateau, and osteophyte formation was evaluated by μCT. Hindlimb weight distribution was evaluated at 6 weeks, and gait patterns were evaluated at 2 and 6 weeks. Intra-articular MMP activity was evaluated at 6 weeks in vivo using an MMP-activatable near-infrared fluorescent probe.

Results:

Graft healing was enhanced by Doxy treatment, and the ultimate failure load ( P = .002) and stiffness of the graft ( P = .007) were significantly higher in the Doxy group at week 2. Bone mineral density and bone volume/total volume for both the tibial and the femoral tunnels at week 6 in the Doxy group were significantly higher compared with in the control group ( P < .05). The overall graft healing scores were significantly higher in the Doxy group. Doxy treatment enhanced graft integration, intratunnel graft integrity, and collagen birefringence; more collagen types 1 and 10 and less MMP-13 were found at the graft-bone interface. At week 6, the Doxy group had a lower modified Mankin score ( P = .033) and showed fewer MMP 13–positive chondrocytes at the articular cartilage surface ( P = .002), indicating moderate joint cartilage damage. μCT revealed less osteophyte formation, and gait analysis revealed more symmetric weightbearing and gait patterns, after Doxy treatment at week 6 ( P < .05). In vivo imaging with the near-infrared fluorescent probe identified significantly lower intra-articular MMP activity in the Doxy group at week 6 ( P = .016).

Conclusion:

The oral administration of Doxy was able to synchronously promote graft healing and attenuate PTOA in an ACLR rat model.

Clinical Relevance:

Our results indicated that Doxy, a widely used drug, is potentially beneficial to patients after ACLR.
Semi-analytical static compliance modeling of hybrid equipment
Authors: Ni Yanbing , Cui Yizhang , Lu Chenghao , Liu Haitao , Zhang Ling , Lu Wenliang
Published: January 2023

Based on screw theory and computer-aided engineering software, the static compliance modeling of a hybrid machine through the serial and parallel assembly of components was performed to construct the mapping relationship between wrench and deformation twist in Cartesian space. For low-speed and heavy-duty hybrid equipment, the static compliance performance is extremely important, and a complete static compliance model is a prerequisite for analysis and design. The semi-analytical model considers gravity, which facilitates the rapid prediction of static compliance and static deformation, providing guidance for static compliance matching in the design process.
Under ballast mat – A review of recent developments, limitations, and future prospects
Authors: Wang Rui , Jing Guoqing , Wang Bo , Tavakol Mohammad , Nateghi Yekta
Published: January 2023

A high frequency of loadings and an excessive amount of axle loads are rising as trains are becoming faster and heavier. In this regard, improvements in track design, such as using an under ballast mat, are vital to performance improvement. In addition to reducing noise, vibration, and ballast degradation, UBMs are designed to improve the dynamic behavior of tracks, thus extending their service life and increasing safety. This paper provides an overview of the recent developments on UBMs, identifies the crucial characteristics of different kinds of mats, including fatigue strength, environmental conditions, stiffness, and ballast deformation, and describes challenges for more widespread adoption. Limitations of using a UBM include their high cost and stiffness, limited knowledge of long-term efficiency, and interlocking reliability. This paper also provides future perspectives and prospects for overcoming the challenges in the utilization and acceptance of UBMs.
‘Trials and Tribulations’: The Ambivalent Influence of Temporary Accommodation on Mental Health Recovery in Chronically Homeless Adults
Authors: Karadzhov Dimitar
Published: January 2023

Relatively few studies have explicitly examined whether and how shelter-type, temporary or emergency accommodation shapes homeless clients’ personal (mental health) recovery. A transatlantic phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to examine the influence of those services on personal recovery. Eighteen chronically homeless adults with a history of serious mental illness were recruited from several temporary accommodation services in New York City (NYC), U.S., and Glasgow, Scotland. Participants completed repeat in-depth interviews and a novel one-week multimedia mobile phone diary. The interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) produced three overarching group experiential themes: ‘ everything was just starting to fall into place’; ‘caught in a trap’; and ‘ trials and tribulations’. Collectively, the findings underscore the duality of influence of temporary accommodation on recovery. Those ambiguous spaces confronted participants with existential uncertainty, volatility and chronic boredom, but also proffered opportunities for envisioning and enacting recovery. Embarking on recovery while residing in temporary accommodation is possible, even for those enduring chronic life adversity. However, it is contingent upon enabling socio-material, affective and relational resources. Implications are discussed for theorising recovery as a contextually embedded, relational phenomenon, and for providing recovery-oriented support across the housing continuum.
Exceeding the Ordinary: A Framework for Examining Teams Across the Extremeness Continuum and Its Impact on Future Research
Authors: Schmutz Jan B. , Bienefeld Nadine , Maynard M. Travis , Rico Ramón
Published: January 2023

Work teams increasingly face unprecedented challenges in volatile, uncertain, complex, and often ambiguous environments. In response, team researchers have begun to focus more on teams whose work revolves around mitigating risks in these dynamic environments. Some highly insightful contributions to team research and organizational studies have originated from investigating teams that face unconventional or extreme events. Despite this increased attention to extreme teams, however, a comprehensive theoretical framework is missing. We introduce such a framework that envisions team extremeness as a continuous, multidimensional variable consisting of environmental extremeness (i.e., external team context) and task extremeness (i.e., internal team context). The proposed framework allows every team to be placed on the team extremeness continuum, bridging the gap between literature on extreme and more traditional teams. Furthermore, we present six propositions addressing how team extremeness may interact with team processes, emergent states, and outcomes using core variables for team effectiveness and the well-established input–mediator–output–input model to structure our theorizing. Finally, we outline some potential directions for future research by elaborating on temporal considerations (i.e., patterns and trajectories), measurement approaches, and consideration of multilevel relationships involving team extremeness. We hope that our theoretical framework and theorizing can create a path forward, stimulating future research within the organizational team literature to further examine the impact of team extremeness on team dynamics and effectiveness.
A numerical study on planar gradient acoustic impedance matching for guided ultrasonic wave detection
Authors: Rottmann Max , Roloff Thomas , Rauter Natalie , Rittmeier Liv , Sinapius Michael , Weber Wolfgang E.
Published: January 2023

Increasing the service-life of engineering structures such as aeroplanes is a major issue in order to enhance their cost-effectiveness and to reduce the carbon footprint. One possibility to achieve this goal is to determine the current structural health state and to derive respective measures in order to increase the structure’s technical reliability. For doing so, a structural health monitoring system consisting of both an actuator and a sensor network may be applied. Whereas the actuator induces a wave field of guided ultrasonic waves, the measuring data of the sensors allows to determine the health state of the respective structure. However, both actuators and sensors in most cases distort these wave fields. This distortion may lead to false-detection of damage: both the number and severity of damage may be over- or underestimated. The former leads to an unnecessary high effort for retrofitting the structure, whereas the latter reduces the structure’s technical reliability. Several measures exist in order to avoid such false-detections. In the present contribution, focus is set on reducing the distortion of the wave field which is caused by an embedded sensor. The reduced distortion of the wave field is achieved by an acoustic impedance matching with a functionally graded material which is based on a mechanical model. The approach additionally results in amplified measuring signals of the sensor. The applicability of the proposed approach is shown by means of a numerical study.
The Relationship Between Eating-Attitudes and Clinical Characteristics, Agouti-Related Peptide, and Other Biochemical Markers in Adult-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Gürbüzer Nilifer , Ceyhun Hacer Akgül , Öztürk Nurinnisa , Kasali Kamber
Published: January 2023

Objective:

In our study, we aimed to evaluate eating-attitudes in adult-ADHD, and to examine its relationship with sociodemographic, clinical, AgRP, and biochemical parameters.

Method:

The study included 70 adult-patients and 47 healthy-controls. The DIVA2.0, SCID-1 was administered to the participants. Eating-Attitudes Test (EAT), Night-Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) were filled by the participants.

Results:

We found that psychological state affect eating-attitudes in adult-ADHD ( p = .013), emotional eating is more common, nocturnal chronotype is dominant ( p < .001), NES is more frequent ( p < .001), waist circumference measurement is higher ( p = .030), and lipid profile is deteriorated ( p < .001). AgRP levels were significantly lower in patients treated with methylphenidate ( p = .021). Those who received methylphenidate treatment had less NES than those who did not. Deterioration in eating-attitudes and symptom severity of night eating in ADHD, it was positively correlated with clinical severity of ADHD and impulsivity. In addition, age and increase in night eating symptoms were predictors of deterioration in eating attitudes in adult-ADHD. We found that impaired eating-attitudes and impulsivity severity were also predictors of NES ( p = .006, p = .034).

Conclusion:

The necessity of adult-ADHD treatment has been demonstrated by the deterioration in eating-attitudes and cardiometabolic risk dimensions and the underlying mechanisms.
Immunogenetic Profiles and Associations of Breast, Cervical, Ovarian, and Uterine Cancers
Authors: James Lisa M , Georgopoulos Apostolos P
Published: January 2023

It is increasingly recognized that the human immune response influences cancer risk, progression, and survival; consequently, there is growing interest in the role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA), genes that play a critical role in initiating the immune response, on cancer. Recent evidence documented clustering of cancers based on immunogenetic profiles such that breast and ovarian cancers clustered together as did uterine and cervical cancers. Here we extend that line of research to evaluate the HLA profile of those 4 cancers and their associations. Specifically, we evaluated the associations between the frequencies of 127 HLA alleles and the population prevalences of breast, ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancer in 14 countries in Continental Western Europe. Factor analysis and hierarchical clustering were used to evaluate groupings of cancers based on their immunogenetic profiles. The results documented highly similar immunogenetic profiles for breast and ovarian cancers that were characterized predominantly by protective HLA effects. In addition, highly similar immunogenetic profiles for cervical and uterine cancers were observed that were, conversely, characterized by susceptibility effects. In light of the role of HLA in host immune system protection against non-self antigens, these findings suggest that certain cancers may be associated with similar contributory factors such as viral oncoproteins or neoantigens.
The residue of composition and improvisation activities in a woodwind lab course
Authors: Mastin Hanson Alisa
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this research was to learn about the short-term residue of composing and improvising activities experienced in a woodwind lab course. Five undergraduates enrolled in a Music Learning and Teaching program in the United States shared what they retained after completion of the course and how they were thinking about composition and improvisation in relation to their future teaching. Data were generated through class observations, researcher journal entries, one-on-one interviews, and a focus group interview. Although participants found value in composition and improvisation, they still viewed these activities as supplemental to traditional large ensemble practices. In this case, I use the metaphor of sedimentary rock to analyze and present the data in a way that makes space for dialogical meaning-making between the researcher, participants, and reader. This research may be meaningful for those in charge of curricular decisions as well as applied faculty and graduate students working to incorporate composition and improvisation into preservice music teacher coursework, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach.
Low prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health in the general Swedish population: Results from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS)
Authors: Higueras-Fresnillo Sara , Herraiz-Adillo Ángel , Ahlqvist Viktor H. , Berglind Daniel , Lenander Cecilia , Daka Bledar , Brännholm Syrjälä Maria , Sundström Johan , Östgren Carl Johan , Rådholm Karin , Henriksson Pontus
Published: January 2023

The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (iCVH) in the general Swedish middle-aged population. To address this aim, we utilised data from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) which is a large Swedish population-based study ( N=30,154) that combined comprehensive state-of-the-art imaging technology with clinical examinations and included all iCVH components. A total iCVH score was calculated as the number of iCVH metrics at an ideal level for the seven components and classified as: ideal (⩾5 ideal components), intermediate (3–4 ideal components) and poor (⩽2 ideal components). Our results showed that only 18.2% of the population reached ideal status (i.e. ⩾5 components at the ideal level), whereas 51.9% were classified as intermediate status and 29.9% as poor status of iCVH. Women had a higher prevalence of iCVH status (23.9% vs. 12.0%) and a lower prevalence of poor iCVH status (23.5% vs. 36.8%). Our data may serve as benchmarks for future national and international comparisons and motivate efforts to promote cardiovascular health in the general population, given the strong link between iCVH with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity.
Intimate partner violence and negative health consequences: A cross-sectional study among women in a regional sample in Sweden
Authors: Elvin-Nowak Ylva M.S. , Backman-Enelius Moa M. , Jonas Wibke C. , Eriksson Julia A. , Åhlund Doris S. , Barimani Mia M.
Published: January 2023

Background:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health problem of enormous proportions. However, little is known about the prevalence or health consequences of IPV among women in Stockholm, Sweden, a city characterised by high levels of gender equality that hosts a large population of people born outside Europe.

Aims:

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of exposure to physical, psychological and sexual IPV and its associated background factors and health outcomes.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study employing a survey containing questions about the previous year’s exposure to IPV that was distributed to 35 midwifery clinics in Stockholm during the autumn of 2020. Any woman who visited any of these midwifery clinics during these two months was eligible to participate.

Results:

A total of 2239 women answered the questionnaire, of whom 25.1% reported having been subjected to IPV at some point during their life and 8.7% during the previous year. The most common ongoing exposure was psychological violence, which was reported by 6.6% of the women. Women living with IPV reported poorer self-rated general health and more recurring health symptoms and depression than unexposed women.

Conclusions:

Exposure to IPV is common and is associated with depression, lower general well-being and somatic health problems.
Perceived barriers and enablers of a personal health record from the healthcare provider perspective
Authors: Yousef Consuela C , Salgado Teresa M , Burnett Keisha , McClelland Laura E , Alhamdan Hani S , Khoshhal Sahal , Aldossary Ibrahim , Alyas Omar A , DeShazo Jonathan P
Published: January 2023

Personal health records (PHRs) have been implemented around the world as a means to increase the safety, quality, and efficiency of health care. The Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched their PHR in 2018. This study aimed to explore healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives of barriers to and enablers of PHR adoption in Saudi Arabia. The 291 participating HCPs (40.5% nurses, 23.0% pharmacists, 17.2% physicians, 15.5% technicians, and 3.8% other) selected the following as top-3 barriers to PHR adoption: 1) lack of patient awareness (19.4%), 2) patient low literacy (17.7%), and 3) patient resistance to new technologies (12.5%). Of these, 36 responded to the open-ended question gauging feedback on the PHR. Three main themes were identified from the comments: 1) general perceptions of the PHR (positive attitudes, negative attitudes, additional features); 2) patient engagement as a requirement for the successful implementation of the PHR; and 3) education/training of HCPs, patients, and caregivers. This analysis extends our understanding of HCP perspectives of barriers and enablers to PHR adoption. Further qualitative research with patients is required to confirm our findings.
“Voices from the Island”: Informational annexation of Crimea and transformations of journalistic practices
Authors: Ermoshina Ksenia
Published: January 2023

After the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March 2014, the peninsula experienced a progressive transition of telecommunication and broadcasting infrastructure under Russian influence, followed by a wave of repression of Ukrainian media. Between 2014 and 2015, dozens of Ukrainian media organizations and independent journalists left the peninsula to continue working in exile. This paper explores the phenomenon of informational annexation using a mixed methods approach consisting of in-depth interviews with media and IT professionals as well as digital ethnography and network measurements. It argues that, besides pressure from pro-Russian authorities, journalistic work in the area is challenged by legal and infrastructural factors such as the absence of legal and financial protections for Ukrainian journalists traveling to Crimea, lack of holistic digital security within media organizations, and increased Internet censorship in Crimea. By analyzing the risk perceptions and digital security practices of exiled and Crimean civic journalists, this paper explores how informational annexation challenges journalistic work on the infrastructural and organizational level, enabling the rise of civic journalism, and how it affects journalists' individual digital security practices. In the context of the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, this research provides insights into some of the informational annexation tactics used by Russians in the occupied Ukrainian territories.
Conceptualizing and Enabling Transformative Learning Through Relational Onto-Epistemology: Theory U and the u.lab Experience
Authors: Carrillo Beatriz
Published: January 2023

The article puts forward Theory U as a framework for developing a more holistic and embodied understanding and approach to the practice and conceptualization of transformative learning. It argues that Theory U’s relational onto-epistemology, which emphasizes the collective nature of knowledge creation and transformation, provides a compelling schema for learners to engage and integrate the cognitive, emotional, relational and spiritual dimensions of their personal and professional development, as well as their role in broader societal change. Using the case study of u.lab, an educational program based on Theory U, the article identifies key practices, tools and interactions that served to enable transformative learning. It also highlights the potential of relational onto-epistemological frameworks such as that of Theory U to guide the development of a more holistic conceptualization of transformative learning, one that encompasses aspects and experiences of transformation beyond rational-cognitive processes and beyond dualistic understandings of the world around us.
Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors in US College Students: A Pre-post Test Pilot Study
Authors: Anestal Chelsea , Garcia Jeanette , Brazendale Keith
Published: January 2023

Purpose: Concerning rises in obesity and type 2 diabetes in college students warrants the investigation of potential mechanisms. The aim of this study was to (1) assess the association between Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) knowledge, perceived stress, and coping resources with changes in MetS risk factors in college students, and (2) examine differences between first-time on-campus and final-year college students. Methods: A pre-post study design over a 16-week semester examined changes in BMI and blood pressure of 43 undergraduate students (mean age 20.5 yrs. old, 86% female, 77% ethnic/racial minority). The MetS Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, and Coping Resources Inventory were administered at baseline. Mixed-effects linear regression and independent samples t-tests were computed. Results/findings: There were no significant associations between changes in MetS risk factors and MetS knowledge, perceived stress, and coping resources. Students on campus for the first time had higher increases in BMI and gained more weight compared to students in their final years of college ( P < .05). Conclusions: Findings from this preliminary study suggest that students attending college for the first time demonstrate poorer MetS risk factors compared to peers. Additional studies are needed to explore the causal mechanism driving poor health outcomes in first time college students.
Intraplaque neovascularisation is associated with ischaemic events after carotid artery stenting: an observational prospective study
Authors: Cui Liuping , Xing Yingqi , Wang Lijuan , Chen Hongxiu , Chen Ying
Published: January 2023

Background:

Intraplaque neovascularisation (IPN) is a component of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, which is a biomarker of cardiovascular events. However, the identification of patients with high probability of ischaemic events after carotid artery stenting (CAS) is mainly based on vascular risk factors. Prospective studies on the development of plaques are lacking.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether IPN detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound is related to the occurrence of ischaemic events after CAS.

Methods:

Sixty consecutive patients receiving CAS were prospectively enrolled in our centre. The patients were evaluated using contrast-enhanced ultrasound before CAS. According to the degree of microbubble enhancement, IPN was graded from 0 to 2. Endpoint events, including ischaemic stroke and other cardiovascular events, were recorded during follow-up. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate the risk factors for endpoint events. At a median follow-up of 30 months, 13 patients (28.9%) experienced endpoint events. Kaplan–Meier survival curves showed that patients with grade 2 IPN had a higher risk of future ischaemic events than those with grade 0 or 1 IPN ( p < 0.05). Cox proportional-hazards models showed that grade 2 IPN [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 4.049; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.078–15.202] was a significant predictor of endpoint events ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Grade 2 IPN evaluated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound has predictive value for ischaemic events in patients after CAS and may help clinicians identify high-risk patients who need close follow-up.

Plain Language Summary

Neovascularisation and carotid artery stenting Introduction: Introduction: It is unclear whether intraplaque neovascularisation (IPN) can be used as an biomarker of high probability ischemic events after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Materials and methods: We enrolled 60 patients who underwent CAS, all of whom underwent CEUS before CAS. We recorded ischaemic events during follow-up. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate the risk factors for ischaemic events. Results: We found that grade 2 IPN was an independent predictor (hazard ratio, 4.049; 95% confidence interval, 1.078–15.202; p < 0.05) of ischaemic events in patients after CAS. Conclusion: This may help clinicians identify high-risk patients who need close follow-up.
In-hospital treatment outcomes of acute stroke and determinant factors in a teaching hospital in eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Adem Fuad , Mohammed Behar , Nigussie Shambel
Published: January 2023

Objective:

To assess the in-hospital mortality of acute stroke and determinant factors in a teaching hospital in eastern Ethiopia.

Method:

A retrospective review of medical records of patients admitted to Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital was conducted. Adult patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of either ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke were included. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Result:

A total of 112 patients with acute stroke were included in the study and 56.0% of them were of hemorrhagic stroke. The mean age was 60.32 years and 61.6% were male. The mean length of hospitalization and the mean time of presentation from symptoms onset were 4.85 days and 33.64 h, respectively. The in-hospital mortality was 36.8% for ischemic stroke and 27% for hemorrhagic stroke. Aspiration pneumonia (35.0%), cerebral edema (17%), and seizure (14.3%) were the most common complications occurring during hospitalization. Atrial fibrillation (adjusted odds ratio = 15.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.089–219.2; p = 0.043) was the independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion:

Hemorrhagic stroke was predominant in the study sample. One-third of patients died in the hospital and the mortality rate was slightly higher in patients with ischemic stroke. Atrial fibrillation was the predominant risk factor for hospital mortality from acute stroke. There is a need to promote cardiovascular health, early recognition, and management of risk factors, and implement coordinated stroke care services to reduce premature death from stroke.
A Dual-Screw Technique for Vertebral Compression Fractures via Robotic Navigation in the Osteopenic Lumbar Spine: An In-Vitro Biomechanical Analysis
Authors: Steinmetz Michael P. , Riggleman Jessica R. , Mahoney Jonathan M. , Harris Jonathan A. , Butler John B. , Ferrick Bryan J. , Bucklen Brandon S.
Published: January 2023

Study Design

Biomechanical cadaveric study.

Objectives

Multi-rod constructs maximize posterior fixation, but most use a single pedicle screw (PS) anchor point to support multiple rods. Robotic navigation allows for insertion of PS and cortical screw (CS) within the same pedicle, providing 4 points of bony fixation per vertebra. Recent studies demonstrated radiographic feasibility for dual-screw constructs for posterior lumbar spinal fixation; however, biomechanical characterization of this technique is lacking.

Methods

Fourteen cadaveric lumbar specimens (L1–L5) were divided into 2 groups (n = 7): PS, and PS + CS. VCF was simulated at L3. Bilateral posterior screws were placed from L2–L4. Load control (±7.5Nm) testing performed in flexion-extension (FE), lateral bending (LB), axial rotation (AR) to measure ROM of: (1) intact; (2) 2-rod construct; (3) 4-rod construct. Static compression testing of 4-rod construct performed at 5 mm/min to measure failure load, axial stiffness.

Results

Four-rod construct was more rigid than 2-rod in FE ( P < .001), LB ( P < .001), AR ( P < .001). Screw technique had no significant effect on FE ( P = .516), LB ( P = .477), or AR ( P = .452). PS + CS 4-rod construct was significantly more stable than PS group ( P = .032). Stiffness of PS + CS group (445.8 ± 79.3 N/mm) was significantly greater ( P = .019) than PS (317.8 ± 79.8 N/mm). Similarly, failure load of PS + CS group (1824.9 ± 352.2 N) was significantly greater ( P = .001) than PS (913.4 ± 309.8 N).

Conclusions

Dual-screw, 4-rod construct may be more stable than traditional rod-to-rod connectors, especially in axial rotation. Axial stiffness and ultimate strength of 4-rod, dual-screw construct were significantly greater than rod-to-rod. In this study, 4-rod construct was found to have potential biomechanical benefits of increased strength, stiffness, stability.
A Pair of Siblings With Wolfram Syndrome: A Review of the Literature and Treatment Options
Authors: Png Doanna , Yeoh Ester , Tan Clara , Lim Su Chi
Published: January 2023

Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder typically characterized by juvenile onset diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, hearing loss, diabetes insipidus, and neurodegeneration. There would be a high index of clinical suspicion for WS when clinical manifestations of type 1 diabetes and optic atrophy present together. Genetic analysis is often required to confirm the diagnosis. We describe a pair of Chinese siblings diagnosed with WS at ages 20 and 24 years, respectively. DNA sequencing of the WFS1 gene which encodes for Wolframin ER Transmembrane Glycoprotein identified a heterozygous nonsense variant NM_006005.3: c.1999C>T p.(Gln667*) and a heterozygous missense variant c.2170C>T p.(Pro724Ser) in exon 8 of the gene for both siblings. There is no curative treatment for WS and management of this debilitating disease is aimed at treating individual clinical manifestations, slowing disease progression, and improving quality of life. Treatment with liraglutide, a glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonist, and tauroursodeoxycholic acid was started for the younger sibling, the proband. There was reduction in insulin requirements and improvement in glycemic control. The other sibling was not offered liraglutide due to her complex treatment regimen for end-organ failure. Genetic testing is a valuable tool to detect WS early to allow precise and prompt diagnosis, thereby facilitating the coordinated care from a multidisciplinary team of clinicians.