bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Order and Old Institutions: South Africa and the institutional work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Authors: Seremani Tapiwa , Farias Carine , Clegg Stewart
Published: March 2021

The paper contributes to literatures on settlements and institutional maintenance work. It does so by unpacking post-settlement legitimation efforts required to maintain contentious institutions between previously conflicting actors. Settlements often necessitate the maintenance of institutions from the past whose legitimacy is dubious for the new regime. We study the role played by South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in re-legitimating and maintaining the institution of the armed forces in the transition from apartheid to democracy. Maintaining this legitimacy required collaboration between the incoming government as well as the apartheid era armed forces. We term these unexpected collaborative efforts ‘reluctant accommodation work’. Our findings show that the lines of allegiance may be more fluid than currently depicted in the literature. Actors that previously conflicted need to find an interest in collaborating in their efforts to shape central institutions. Second, we show that for settlements to shape the field, they need to agree on the terms of collaboration, what we term ‘passage points’, as well as engage in public ceremonies to broadly legitimate the settlement and the institution it seeks to preserve.
Cultures and Institutions: Dispositional and contextual explanations for country-of-origin effects in MNC ‘ethnocentric’ staffing practices
Authors: Lee Hyun-Jung , Yoshikawa Katsuhiko , Harzing Anne-Wil
Published: March 2021

Although the country-of-origin effect on staffing practices of multinational corporations (MNCs) is well-known, its underlying mechanisms are under-theorized. Drawing on the cross-cultural management and comparative institutionalism literatures, we propose an overarching, theory-based framework with two mechanisms, dispositional and contextual, that might explain country-of-origin effects in MNCs’ use of parent-country nationals (PCNs) in their foreign subsidiaries’ top management teams. The tendency of MNCs from some home countries to staff these positions with PCNs is typically labelled as ‘ethnocentric’, a word imbued with negative intentions referring mainly to the dispositional rationale behind this staffing choice. However, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of staffing practices of MNCs from ten home countries shows that both mechanisms – dispositional and contextual – have considerable explanatory power. Our methodological approach enables us to analyse conceptually distinct, yet empirically intertwined, societal-level explanations as a pattern, and thus offers a viable solution to integrate different perspectives in international and comparative research.
Preserving spontaneous order: A normative reflection of community building in post-reform China
Authors: Liu Chunrong
Published: March 2021

How and to what extent can community be imaged as a spontaneous order? Is the spontaneous social order dichotomous or oppositional to state power? Despite vigorous scholarship and policy debate, the theorization of the community has not attended adequately to the ways in which interactional order emerges in various sociopolitical contexts. Reflecting the experience of community building in post-reform urban China, I present an organic statist vision of community, in which community is found to be the concomitant outgrowth of both state intervention and the spontaneous process of place-based identity mobilization. An expanded conception of community as embedded spontaneous order as well as its implication is also discussed.
Building counter-archives: Oral history programmes of the Sinomlando Centre and Memory Work in Africa and the South African History Archive
Authors: Bhebhe Sindiso , Ngoepe Mpho
Published: March 2021

Counter-archives, including those aligned to universities, have grown and developed as alternatives to the conventional and traditional mainstream archives. The purpose of this paper is to look into how such counter-archives are building and using their holdings. The study is based on two purposively selected counter-archives, which are the Sinomlando Centre and Memory Work in Africa and South African History Archive. The data were collected through interviews and document analysis, especially of the respective websites. One of the conclusions drawn from the paper is that counter-archives are here to stay as the general public is losing confidence in established traditional institutions.
Effects of tailored lateral wedge insoles on medial knee osteoarthritis based on biomechanical analysis: 12-week randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ferreira Vitor , Machado Leandro , Vilaça Adélio , Xará-Leite Francisco , Roriz Paulo
Published: March 2021

Background:

Lateral wedge insoles adjusted by biomechanical analysis may improve the condition of patients with medial knee osteoarthritis.

Design:

This is a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial.

Setting:

The study was conducted in a biomechanics laboratory.

Subjects:

A total of 38 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis were allocated to either an experimental group (lateral wedge insoles) or a control group (neutral insoles).

Interventions:

Experimental group ( n = 20) received an adjusted lateral wedge insole of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 degrees, after previous biomechanical analysis. Control group ( n = 18) received a neutral insole (0 degrees). All patients used the insoles for 12 weeks.

Main measures:

Visual analogue scale, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score questionnaire, biomechanical parameters: first and second peak of the external knee adduction moment and knee adduction angular impulse, and physical performance tests: 30-second sit-to-stand test, the 40-m fast-paced walk test, and the 12-step stair-climb test.

Results:

After 12 weeks, between-group differences did not differ significantly for pain intensity (−12.5 mm, (95% CI −29.4–4.4)), biomechanical parameters ( p = 0.05), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and physical performance tests, except on the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscale other symptoms ( p = 0.002; 13.8 points, (95% CI 5.6–22.0)).

Conclusion:

Tailored wedge insoles were no more effective at improving biomechanical or clinically meaningful outcomes than neutral insoles, except on symptoms. More participants from the experimental group reported they felt some improvement. However, these effects were minimal and without clinical significance.
Pedestrian Traffic Signal Data Accurately Estimates Pedestrian Crossing Volumes
Authors: Singleton Patrick A. , Runa Ferdousy
Published: March 2021

Existing methods of pedestrian travel monitoring are generally inefficient for collecting pedestrian data in many locations over long time periods. In this study, we demonstrate the validity of using a novel and relatively ubiquitous big data source—pedestrian data from high-resolution traffic signal controller logs—as a way of estimating pedestrian crossing volumes. Every time a person presses a pedestrian push button or a pedestrian call is registered at a signal, this information can be logged and archived. To validate these pedestrian signal data against observed pedestrian counts, we recorded over 10,000 h of video at 90 signalized intersections in Utah, and counted around 175,000 people walking. For each hour and crossing, we compared these observed counts to measures of pedestrian activity calculated from traffic signal data, using a set of five simple piecewise linear and quadratic regression models. Overall, our results show that traffic signal data can be successfully used to estimate pedestrian crossing volumes with good accuracy: model-predicted volumes were strongly correlated (0.84) with observed volumes and had a low mean absolute error (3.0). We also demonstrate how our models can be used to estimate annual average daily pedestrian volumes at signalized intersections and identify high pedestrian volume locations. Transportation agencies can use pedestrian signal data to help improve pedestrian travel monitoring, multimodal transportation planning, traffic safety analyses, and health impact assessments.
Interpersonal Violence Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Youth: Descriptive Findings From the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
Authors: Levine Ethan C. , Button Deeanna M.
Published: March 2021

Interpersonal violence is pervasive among youth in the United States. Sexual minority youth are disproportionately impacted. Utilizing data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS, N = 12,868), this study describes the disparities in victimization among heterosexual and sexual minority youth. Sexual minority status was operationalized to include nonheterosexual identity (e.g., bisexual) and/or behavior (e.g., reporting same- and different-sex partners). Other predictors included sex (male/female), a sexuality*sex interaction term, age, and race/ethnicity. Outcomes included lifetime forced sexual intercourse and 12-month incidence of sexual violence, physical violence in relationships, sexual violence in relationships, in-school bullying, and cyberbullying. Approximately 15% ( n = 1,974) of participants were classified as sexual minority youth and 48% ( n = 6,213) self-identified as female. More than half (56%, n = 7,190) identified as racial and/or ethnic minorities. In bivariate logistic regression, sexual minority youth were significantly more likely to report all outcomes ( p < .001). In multivariable logistic regression, sexual minority and female youth were significantly more likely to report all outcomes ( p < .001). With the exception of physical violence in dating, sexuality*sex interaction terms were significant predictors for all outcomes ( p < .001), indicating that the risks associated with sexual minority status are heightened for male youth. This study concludes with a call for more attention toward violence among and against sexual minority youth. Although some prevention and response efforts address the unique needs and experiences of these youth, particularly antibullying initiatives, efforts to address sexual and dating violence often emphasize heterosexual contexts and communities.
Effects of Time-Varying Parent Input on Children’s Language Outcomes Differ for Vocabulary and Syntax
Authors: Silvey Catriona , Demir-Lira Özlem Ece , Goldin-Meadow Susan , Raudenbush Stephen W.
Published: March 2021

Early linguistic input is a powerful predictor of children’s language outcomes. We investigated two novel questions about this relationship: Does the impact of language input vary over time, and does the impact of time-varying language input on child outcomes differ for vocabulary and for syntax? Using methods from epidemiology to account for baseline and time-varying confounding, we predicted 64 children’s outcomes on standardized tests of vocabulary and syntax in kindergarten from their parents’ vocabulary and syntax input when the children were 14 and 30 months old. For vocabulary, children whose parents provided diverse input earlier as well as later in development were predicted to have the highest outcomes. For syntax, children whose parents’ input substantially increased in syntactic complexity over time were predicted to have the highest outcomes. The optimal sequence of parents’ linguistic input for supporting children’s language acquisition thus varies for vocabulary and for syntax.
Duty versus distributive justice during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Shaibu Sheila , Kimani Rachel Wangari , Shumba Constance , Maina Rose , Ndirangu Eunice , Kambo Isabel
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in inadequately prioritized healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya. In this prolonged pandemic, nurses and midwives working at the frontline face multiple ethical problems, including their obligation to care for their patients and the risk for infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Despite the frequency of emergencies in Africa, there is a paucity of literature on ethical issues during epidemics. Furthermore, nursing regulatory bodies in African countries such as Kenya have primarily adopted a Western code of ethics that may not reflect the realities of the healthcare systems and cultural context in which nurses and midwives care for patients. In this article, we discuss the tension between nurses’ and midwives’ duty of care and resource allocation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to clarify nurses’ and midwives’ rights and responsibilities, especially in the current political setting, limited resources, and ambiguous professional codes of ethics that guide their practice.
Ten Common Misses in PBIS Implementation
Authors: Tyre Ashli D. , Feuerborn Laura L.
Published: March 2021

The success of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) frameworks relies upon educators supporting and implementing PBIS plans. However, common staff-level perceptions exist that may interfere with successful implementation, which we refer to as misses. In this article, three types of misses representing common sets of staff concerns for PBIS implementation are discussed: misunderstandings, misapplications, and misalignments of educator philosophies. We discuss common misses, unpack them from the perspective of implementers, and provide suggestions for supporting staff. Common misses in PBIS can be prevented and successfully addressed when they occur through staff engagement, professional development, and implementation support.
Straddling Differences: Celebrating Contradictions and Confusion at the Frontera
Authors: Espinosa-Dulanto Miryam , Lewis Karin A. , Viren Vejoya
Published: March 2021

A yearlong collective auto-ethnographic stories of three colleagues at a Hispanic Serving Institution at the U.S.–Mexican frontera culminated in the realization that our disparate experiences, the multiple voices used in articulating these, and the diverse ways these manifested in classroom practices and interactions had crafted the only academic space where we-three felt to belong.
Psychopathological Factors Associated With Burnout in Intensive Care Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yıldız Erman
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND:

Although previous studies have separately revealed that parameters such as anxiety, depression, and secondary traumatic stress (STS) are associated with burnout, there is still a limited understanding of the relationship between anxiety, depression, and STS and burnout in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.

AIMS:

To investigate the relationship between levels of burnout, anxiety, depression, and STS in ICU nurses.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional study was conducted with ICU nurses ( N = 164) from a university hospital in eastern Turkey. The participants completed the anxiety, depression, STS, and burnout scales along with the descriptive characteristics form. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS:

The mean scores for STS, anxiety, depression, and burnout were 40.60 ± 13.77, 17.14 ± 12.90, 13.28 ± 9.75 and 41.39 ± 14.87, respectively. The results showed that, in the ICU nurses, anxiety, depression, and STS components explained 61% of emotional exhaustion, 38% of depersonalization, and 13% of personal accomplishment.

CONCLUSIONS:

While the present findings supported the paradigm that burnout in ICU nurses is associated with STS, anxiety, and depression, they also revealed some details about the psychopathological factors associated with burnout. These details were as follows: (1) individuals who resorted to avoidance as a component of STS on a high level were more likely to experience emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, (2) individuals with severe depressive symptoms were more likely to experience a decrease in their personal accomplishment, and (3) individuals with anxiety symptoms were more likely to experience both emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment.
Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava—When a Left-Sided Central Line Does Not Make the Turn: A Case Report
Authors: Trostler Michael S. , Planinsic Raymond M.
Published: March 2021

A 59-year-old male presenting for a living nonrelated kidney transplant has an intraoperative left internal jugular central venous catheter placed for operative access and monitoring. Post-anesthesia care unit postoperative chest X-ray shows possible aortic placement as read by radiology. The catheter is confirmed venous on insertion, with monitoring during the operation, and with repeat transduction and venous blood gas results postoperatively. A follow-up computed tomography scan shows findings consistent with persistent left superior vena cava. This can be associated with other cardiac abnormalities and an increased risk of complications, both mechanical and physiological. Care should be taken in patients identified with persistent left superior vena cava to prevent complications in future procedures.
Feline cardiopulmonary resuscitation: Getting the most out of all nine lives
Authors: Ward Melody J , Blong April E , Walton Rebecca A
Published: March 2021

Practical relevance:

Cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) can occur in any veterinary or animal care setting and is a particular risk in scenarios involving ill, injured or anesthetized patients. Education of all staff on the prevention and recognition of CPA, as well as the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), is vital to influencing outcome.

Evidence base:

While there is a plethora of information regarding CPA and CPR in human medicine, there are comparably few studies in the veterinary literature. Many of the current veterinary guidelines are extrapolated from human medicine or studies based on animal models. Ongoing work is needed to tailor guidelines and recommendations to our domestic feline (and canine) patients in a clinical setting.

Aim:

The aim of this article, which is intended for veterinarians in all areas of small animal practice, is to provide an evidence-based review of CPA and CPR in feline patients. The authors have drawn heavily on detailed recommendations published by the Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) initiative – one of the few resources specific to the veterinary clinical setting – as well as reviewing the available peer-reviewed literature studies, in constructing this article. Among the topics discussed are recognizing and preventing CPA, staff training and clinic preparedness, basic life support and advanced life support interventions, and appropriate post-cardiac arrest care.
Coincidental ocular findings during retinopathy of prematurity telescreening of 9105 neonates
Authors: Ranjan Ratnesh , Das Abhishek , Prema Subramaniam , Shah Parag K , Venkatapathy Narendran
Published: March 2021

Purpose:

To describe the magnitude and spectrum of abnormal ocular findings other than retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) detected during an ROP telescreening programme.

Methods:

Retrospective review of the records of all premature babies screened for ROP from August 2015 to December 2019.

Results:

A total 9105 babies were screened during the study period with total 17,075 imaging sessions. Non-ROP ocular abnormalities were seen in 566 eyes of 383 babies (4.2%) including 207 male (54%) and 176 female babies (46%). Posterior segment abnormalities were seen in 88.2% babies (338/383) with haemorrhage being the most common (77%, 295/383). Anterior segment pathologies were seen in 12% babies (46/383) with congenital cataract being the most common pathology requiring surgical intervention. Other findings included globe abnormalities in 0.8% babies (3/383), adnexal disorders in 0.5% babies (2/383) and squint in 0.3% babies (1/383). Rare life-threatening conditions such as retinoblastoma and lipaemia retinalis were also detected. Eighty-seven babies (22.7%) were diagnosed with referral-warranted non-ROP pathologies, with an overall prevalence of 1% (87/9105). Prompt surgical intervention was advised for 7.3% babies (28/383), 3.4% babies (13/383) were treated medically and 4.2% babies (16/383) needed visual rehabilitation for non-amenable pathologies.

Conclusion:

This is the largest study describing the magnitude and spectrum of neonatal ocular pathologies other than ROP in a cohort of premature babies. Digital imaging has a significant impact on early detection and timely intervention for various vision as well as life-threatening non-ROP pathologies, which would have been missed or delayed otherwise.
A comparison of 2 cementing techniques in hip resurfacing using human femoral heads
Authors: Shiels Sarah J , Williams Martin , Bannister Gordon C , Baker Richard P
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Hip resurfacing remains a valid option in young male patients. The creation of the optimum cement mantle aids fixation of the femoral component. If the cement mantle is too thick the prosthesis can remain proud leading to early failure or if it penetrates too far into the femoral head, it may cause osteonecrosis.

Method:

18 of 96 femoral heads collected from patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty were matched for their surface porosity. They were randomly allocated into 2 different cementing groups. Group 1 had the traditional bolus of cement technique, while group 2 had a modified cementing technique (swirl) where the inside of the femoral component was lined with an even layer of low viscosity cement.

Results:

The traditional bolus technique had significantly greater cement mantle thickness in 3 of 4 zones of penetration ( p = 0.002), greater and larger air bubble formation (6 of 9 in bolus technique vs. 1 in 9 in swirl technique, p = 0.05) and more incomplete cement mantles compared with the swirl technique. There was no relationship to femoral head porosity.

Conclusion:

The swirl technique should be used to cement the femoral component in hip resurfacing. Long-term clinical studies would conform if this translates into increased survivorship of the femoral component.
Ionizing radiation exposure from dialysis tunneled catheters procedures: European directive and legal implications
Authors: De Mauri Andreana , Matheoud Roberta , Guzzardi Giuseppe , Vaccarone Valentina , David Paola , Brambilla Marco , Chiarinotti Doriana
Published: March 2021

Background:

Advances in medical imaging and interventional procedures have been associated with increased exposure to ionizing radiation. Thus, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) established uniform safety standards to protect the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiations. In Europe, the ICRP standards are listed in the European Directive 2013/59/EURATOM, which should be transposed into national legislation by member states. They require that the administered dose must be part of the radiological report and identify the practitioners’ responsibilities in justifying and optimizing the dose and correctly informing the patient. Despite these indications, the literature lacks information about the dose from fluoroscopically inserted dialysis tunneled central venous catheters (td-CVC). This study aimed to quantify the effective dose and organ dose to relevant organs in td-CVC to comply with the EU statements.

Methods:

We revised fluoroscopically-guided procedures of td-CVC insertion, considering dose per area product, fluoroscopic time, effective dose, organ dose, and anatomical district. We also compared these parameters with those of fluoroscopically inserted oncological central venous devices (Port-a-cath).

Results:

The dose-area product, fluoroscopic time, and organ dose for td-CVC were 13 ± 22.2 Gy*cm2, 81 ± 129 s, and 1.9 ± 3.3 mSv. The radiological parameters for the left internal jugular, subclavian and femoral veins were similar but higher than for the right internal jugular vein. The radiological parameters were significantly higher for td-CVC than for Port-a-cath.

Conclusions:

Fluoroscopically inserted td-CVC are associated with a relatively low dose of ionizing radiation, with considerable variability due to the anatomical puncture site and previous accesses’ history. In light of the European Directive, it is a concern for nephrologists to be aware of the administered ionizing dose to comply with their legal responsibilities.
Childhood trauma, depression, resilience and suicide risk in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Tripp Dean A , Jones Krista , Mihajlovic Valentina , Westcott Sandra , MacQueen Glenda
Published: March 2021

Despite the prevalence of suicide risk in inflammatory bowel disease populations, research has yet to examine associations between childhood trauma, resilience, depression and suicide risk. In the present online study, 172 participants responded to measures of childhood trauma, resilience, depression and suicide risk. A moderated mediation revealed that resilience does not moderate the associations between childhood trauma, depressive symptoms and suicide risk. However, a serial mediation revealed that childhood trauma is associated with decreased resilience, which is related to higher depressive symptoms, and ultimately higher suicide risk, thus suggesting resilience and depression as significant intervention targets.
National Institute of Nursing Research Grant Funding Recipients: Hispanic and Nurses of Color Are Lagging
Authors: Kippenbrock Thomas , Emory Jan
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

National Institute of Health (NIH) stated in their strategic plan that a diverse research workforce is an important goal for the advancement of health care science; however, there is little evidence to show funding goes to National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) minority nurse scientists. The study’s aim was to determine NINR grant recipients’ race/ethnicity, gender, and licensed nurse status.

Methods:

A descriptive research design was used with NIH providing NINR award recipients’ names and employing organizations. An online survey with questions about their gender, race, ethnicity, and being a licensed nurse was sent to 619 award recipients.

Results:

Survey responses were collected from 135 NINR recipients receiving awards. Almost 50% NINR grant recipients were non-nurses. With licensed nurse recipients, White female was the dominate race and gender. Hispanic licensed nurses were 6.8% of the NINR grant recipients over the 3-year period. In addition, Asians and Blacks were the lowest race categories at 4.1% award percentage over the 3-year period.

Conclusions:

NIH strategic plan is for a diverse research workforce in order to advance health care science. NINR must lead the efforts to grow a diverse nursing workforce including Hispanic and underrepresented nurses in order to successfully compete in NINR grants and funding.
Malpractice Litigation in Hand Surgery: A Comprehensive Nationwide Analysis
Authors: Umpierrez Erica , Ohliger Erin , Scollan Joseph P. , Styron Joseph F.
Published: March 2021

Background:

The circumstances surrounding claims against hand surgeons have not been elucidated in the literature. The purpose of this study was to analyze trends in malpractice litigation regarding hand surgery through a nationwide legal database.

Methods:

The Westlaw legal research database was queried for verdicts and settlements between 1985 and 2017 for hand surgery–related malpractice cases. Cases were included if the hand surgeon was sued for malpractice. Procedure type and complications and/or adverse events that resulted in litigation were recorded. Patient characteristics, state, date of case, case outcomes, and indemnity payment were also noted. All dollar amounts were adjusted to 2017 values using the Consumer Price Index.

Results:

In all, 171 cases (35 states) were included. The most frequently litigated surgeries were carpal tunnel releases followed by fracture treatment. Nerve injury was the predominant cause of litigation. The median nerve was predominantly injured, followed by the ulnar and radial nerves. In fracture surgery, malunion was the predominant cause, followed by weakness, nerve injury, and infection. In total, 72.5% of cases yielded verdicts in favor of the defense, 21.6% favored the plaintiff, and 5.9% were settled. Indemnity varied between $7800 and $8.99 million, averaging $570,397 for cases when the jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. Settled cases averaged $1,140,527.

Conclusions:

Malpractice litigation has substantial financial implications on surgeons and the health care system. Litigation arises most commonly from routine procedures (carpal tunnel release and fracture fixation) rather than complex surgical cases, potentially due to the high variability in operating surgeon subspecialization, with discrepant training.
Moscatilin Suppresses the Breast Cancer Both In Vitro and In Vivo by Inhibiting HDAC3
Authors: Su Wenjie , Zeng Lianfu , Chen Weida
Published: March 2021

Moscatilin, a natural compound isolated from the orchid Dendrobium moscatum, has multiple pharmacological actions. The present study investigated the anti-tumor role of moscatilin in breast cancer and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Cell proliferation, viability, and apoptosis of moscatilin treated MDA-MB-231 cells were determined by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) expression levels and global acetylated status of breast cancer cells were detected by Western blot and qPCR. Mouse xenograft model was established to evaluate the anti-cancer effects of moscatilin. Moscatilin treatment dose dependently suppressed proliferation and increased apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Moreover, moscatilin administration dramatically repressed tumor growth and extended survival time of mouse model. Mechanistically, moscatilin down-regulated HDAC3 expression, and then enhanced the global acetylated status of histone H3 (H3K9Ac) and H4 (H4K16Ac). Our findings indicate that moscatilin can inhibit the proliferation and promote apoptosis of breast cancer in vitro and in vivo, which suggests that moscatilin can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer.
Well-balanced finite volume multi-resolution schemes for solving the Ripa models
Authors: Rehman Asad , Ali Ishtiaq , Zia Saqib , Qamar Shamsul
Published: March 2021

In this article, fifth order well-balanced finite volume multi-resolution weighted essentially non-oscillatory (FV MR-WENO) schemes are constructed for solving one-dimensional and two-dimensional Ripa models. The Ripa system generalizes the shallow water model by incorporating horizontal temperature gradients. The presence of temperature gradients and source terms in the Ripa models introduce difficulties in developing high order accurate numerical schemes which can preserve exactly the steady-state conditions. The proposed numerical methods are capable to exactly preserve the steady-state solutions and maintain non-oscillatory property near the shock transitions. Moreover, in the procedure of derivation of the FV MR-WENO schemes unequal central spatial stencils are used and linear weights can be chosen any positive numbers with only restriction that their total sum is one. Various numerical test problems are considered to check the validity and accuracy of the derived numerical schemes. Further, the results obtained from considered numerical schemes are compared with those of a high resolution central upwind scheme and available exact solutions of the Ripa model.
Russia, China, and the concept of Indo-Pacific
Authors: Denisov Igor , Paramonov Oleg , Arapova Ekaterina , Safranchuk Ivan
Published: March 2021

The newly minted concept of the “Indo-Pacific Region” (IPR) is generally seen as a response by the United States and its allies to China’s growing influence in strategically important areas of the Pacific and Indian oceans. However, the view of IPR as a single (U.S.-led) anti-Beijing front is simplistic and misleading, obscuring a variety of approaches by the region’s states. New Delhi has a strong tradition of non-alignment, whereas Tokyo is more interested in rules that restrict unilateral actions not only by China but also by other regional players, including the United States. Australian business is very cautious about frictions in trade relations with China. Beijing views the growing military activity of the United States off its shores, including in the South China Sea, as a threat to regional stability. According to the authoritative Chinese sources, the Indo-Pacific strategy of Donald Trump is part of broader efforts to prevent China from becoming a dominant regional and global power. At the same time, the development of Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) understanding of the Indo-Pacific region is less of a concern to Beijing, as the South-East Asian countries interested in balancing China and the United States are unlikely to fully join the fight against the “authoritarian threat.” As for Russia, it unequivocally rejects the military/power-based U.S. version of the IPR concept and is more amenable to flexible versions promoted by other players, such as Tokyo’s multilateral vision for the Indo-Pacific Region. In the end, the final response of Russia and China to IPR will thus be determined not only by U.S. actions but also by the behavior of other regional powers.
Disparities in Telemedicine Use for Subspecialty Diabetes Care During COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place Orders
Authors: Haynes Sarah C. , Kompala Tejaswi , Neinstein Aaron , Rosenthal Jennifer , Crossen Stephanie
Published: March 2021

Background:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine use rapidly and dramatically increased for management of diabetes mellitus. It is unknown whether access to telemedicine care has been equitable during this time. This study aimed to identify patient-level factors associated with adoption of telemedicine for subspecialty diabetes care during the pandemic.

Methods:

We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study using data from a single academic medical center. We used multivariate logistic regression to explore associations between telemedicine use and demographic factors for patients receiving subspecialty diabetes care between March 19 and June 30, 2020. We then surveyed a sample of patients who received in-person care to understand why these patients did not use telemedicine.

Results:

Among 1292 patients who received subspecialty diabetes care during the study period, those over age 65 were less likely to use telemedicine (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.22-0.52, P < .001), as were patients with a primary language other than English (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.31-0.91, P = .02), and patients with public insurance (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49-0.84, P = .001). Perceived quality of care and technological barriers were the most common reasons cited for choosing in-person care during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been disparities in telemedicine use by age, language, and insurance for patients with diabetes mellitus. We anticipate telemedicine will continue to be an important care modality for chronic conditions in the years ahead. Significant work must therefore be done to ensure that telemedicine services do not introduce or widen population health disparities.
N-Acetylcysteine Interference with a Glucose Dehydrogenase Linked Glucose Meter
Authors: Lyon Martha E. , Lyon Andrew W.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Our objective was to determine the effect of therapeutic concentrations of N-acetylcysteine, following intravenous infusion, on the measurement of blood glucose using a Roche Diagnostics glucose dehydrogenase-linked glucose meter compared to hospital laboratory methods.

Methods:

N-acetylcysteine was added to aliquots of blood, with glucose promptly measured by the glucose meter, blood gas analyzer (glucose oxidase comparative method) and following centrifugation, plasma glucose measured with a hexokinase spectrophotometric comparative method. Glucose results were evaluated with linear regression and Bland Altman plots.

Results:

In the presence of NAC, at concentrations greater than 5 mg/dL (0.31 mmol/L), positively biased glucose meter results were compared to the clinical laboratory results. Multivariate linear regression revealed that NAC-mediated meter results are influenced by NAC and glucose concentrations.

Conclusions:

The addition of therapeutic concentrations of NAC to blood produces statistically significant positive biases when measured with the glucose dehydrogenase linked glucose meter device.
Fibrolipoma presenting as a posterior nasal septum mass: a report of a unique case and review of the literature
Authors: Aini Nor Rahimah , Mohamad Sakinah , Mohd Isa Seoparjoo Azmel , Abdullah Baharudin
Published: March 2021

Unilateral sinonasal mass presenting as nasal block is a common presentation but poses a diagnostic challenge. The differential diagnosis includes inflammatory polyps, benign and malignant sinonasal neoplasm. Fibrolipoma presenting in the sinonasal area is an uncommon pathology. As it is uncommon, there is potential for a misdiagnosis, unnecessary investigation and delay in the definitive treatment. We report a patient with a fibrolipoma originating from the posterior nasal septum. The diagnostic and surgical features of this unique case are discussed.
Organizational transformation with intelligent automation: Case Nokia Software
Authors: Rinta-Kahila Tapani , Penttinen Esko , Lyytinen Kalle
Published: March 2021

Nokia Software is spearheading the development of artificial intelligence solutions in the field of telecommunications. The company aims to seize the opportunities of 5G networks with its Telco AI: a powerful artificial intelligence tool for telecom operators that allows a simultaneous optimization of network services and the business behind it. As Nokia Software’s Mikko Laine is presenting the solution to a potential client, the latter one brings up potentially significant concerns with Telco AI that Laine has not fully thought through: how to execute an organizational transformation to fully exploit Telco AI’s capabilities, and how to prevent skill deterioration and losing control over the process to the intelligent automation.
Gallbladder adenoma in a domestic shorthair cat
Authors: Broadbridge Catherine , Taylor Samantha S , Renfrew Helen , Gemignani Francesco , Livet Veronique , Vicek Tom , Dobromylskyj Melanie
Published: March 2021

Case summary

A 13-year-old neutered female domestic shorthair rescue cat presented asymptomatically with raised hepatic enzymes following a routine pre-anaesthetic blood test. Cholangitis was suspected, and supportive treatment with 2 weeks of amoxicillin–clavulanic acid and 4 weeks of ursodeoxycholic acid and S-adenosylmethionine was trialled, with no improvement in biochemistry parameters. Clinicopathological investigations also revealed a markedly raised total bilirubin and abnormal bile acid stimulation test. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed pathological changes in the gallbladder, hepatomegaly with increased echogenicity and markedly thickened common bile duct walls. An exploratory laparotomy was performed revealing a grossly abnormal gallbladder with a small rupture at the dorsal fundus, which was managed via cholecystectomy. Pancreatic and hepatic biopsies were collected concurrently. Histopathology from the submitted samples revealed a gallbladder adenoma, chronic neutrophilic cholangitis and nodular hyperplasia of the pancreas. Culture of the gallbladder bile was negative but may be attributable to the initial treatment with antibiosis. At the time of writing, 5 months postoperatively, the cat had recovered well and remained asymptomatic and clinically healthy, but hepatic enzymes and bilirubin were only mildly reduced from the preoperative levels, despite the cat remaining clinically normal. Relevance and novel information To our knowledge, this is the first case of a gallbladder adenoma confirmed histopathologically in a feline patient. Our findings suggest that although gallbladder neoplasia is rare in cats, this benign tumour should be considered a differential diagnosis.
Tim-3 associated with apoptotic NK cells and disease activity in SLE
Authors: Zhao Di , Yang Xiao , Zhang Jie , Zhang Yi
Published: March 2021

T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3) has been found to play important roles in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), however, whether Tim-3 is involved in apoptosis of NK cells in SLE remains unknown. The proportion of CD3−CD56+ NK cells and the percentage of AnnexinV+ NK cells were analyzed by flow cytometry in SLE patients and healthy controls. Tim-3 expression on NK cells was also evaluated by flow cytometry. We firstly observed a decreased proportion of NK cells and an increased proportion of apoptotic NK cells in SLE patients. The proportion of apoptotic NK cells was positively correlated with anti-dsDNA and SLEDAI. Tim-3 expression on NK cells was up-regulated in SLE patients. Further analysis showed that Tim-3 expression on NK cells was negatively correlated with the proportion of apoptotic NK cells, anti-dsDNA and SLEDAI, while positively correlated with the proportion of NK cells. The present results suggest that Tim-3 might play roles in SLE by regulating the apoptosis of NK cells and Tim-3 might serve as a potential target for the treatment of SLE.
Oxidative stress in common variable immunodeficiency
Authors: Tanir Basaranoglu Sevgen , Cekic Sukru , Kirhan Emine , Dirican Melahat , Kilic Sara S.
Published: March 2021

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogenous group of immunologic disorders of unknown etiology. Alterations of the normal cellular balance due to an increase in reactive oxygen species and/or decrease in antioxidant defense may lead to increased oxidative stress. We aimed to evaluate the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with CVID who had different presentations. We investigated the serum catalase (CAT), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), erythrocyte reduced glutathione as antioxidants and serum malondialdehyde levels as lipid peroxidation marker in patients with CVID in Uludag University Hospital Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology’s outpatient clinics. In the analysis, there were 21 patients and 27 matched healthy controls. The median levels of CAT in patients with CVID was significantly lower than in healthy controls ( p = 0.04). Among the patients with CVID, 19% had autoimmune disease, one had Sjögren’s syndrome, one had autoimmune alopecia, one had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and one had chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Patients with autoimmune complications had significantly lower CAT levels compared to the ones without autoimmune diseases ( p = 0.03). The patients without non-infectious complications (NICs) had lower SOD levels than the patients with NICs ( p = 0.05). The analysis of oxidative stress markers in the patients with CVID suggested a series of abnormalities in the anti-oxidant system. The clinical syndrome associations may be a useful tool for future studies to set prediction markers for the prognosis of patients with CVID.
The research on precise forming technology of “λ” type composite skin
Authors: Guo Qiang , He Kai , Xu Hengyuan , Wen Youyi
Published: March 2021

With the application of “ λ” type composite skin becoming more and more extensive and diversified, its precise forming technology is also widely concerned. This article mainly solves the quality problems of “ λ” type corner area, such as delamination dispersion and surface wrinkle, which exist in reality commonly in the manufacturing process. The prepreg is heated along the corner area of the tooling to solve the problem that prepreg is difficult to be compacted due to the large modulus of carbon fiber in “ λ” type corner area. Furthermore, two precompaction tests are creatively increased at 16 layers (middle layer) and 32 layers (last layer) for the thick structure, respectively, to ensure the compaction effect of the blank. In addition, combined with the characteristics of highly elastic rubber and carbon fiber-reinforced materials, a new type of soft mold structure with proper flexibility and good stiffness is proposed innovatively through the reasonable placement of carbon fiber-reinforced materials and the setting of exhaust holes according to the structure characteristics of “ λ” type root skin. Through further process verification, it is shown that the improved process has effectively solved the problems of wrinkles and internal delamination at the sharp corners of parts and realized zero-defect manufacturing of “ λ” type root skin for the first time.
Leg length discrepancy, overgrowth, and associated risk factors after a pediatric tibial shaft fracture
Authors: Choi Woo Young , Park Moon Seok , Lee Kyoung Min , Choi Kug Jin , Jung Hyon Soo , Sung Ki Hyuk
Published: March 2021

Background

This study was performed to investigate leg length discrepancy (LLD), overgrowth, and associated risk factors after pediatric tibial shaft fractures.

Materials and methods

This study included 103 patients younger than 14 years of age (mean age 7.1 years; 75 boys, 28 girls) with unilateral tibial shaft fracture and a minimum follow-up of 24 months. LLD was calculated as the difference between the lengths of the injured and uninjured limbs. Overgrowth was calculated by adding the fracture site shortening from the LLD. Risk factors were assessed in patients with LLD < 1 cm and ≥ 1 cm and overgrowth < 1 cm and ≥ 1 cm.

Results

Casting and titanium elastic nailing (TEN) were performed on 64 and 39 patients, respectively. The mean LLD and overgrowth were 5.6 and 6.4 mm, respectively. There were significant differences in sex (p = 0.018), age (p = 0.041), fibular involvement (p = 0.005), injury mechanism (p = 0.006), and treatment methods (p < 0.001) between patients with LLDs < 1 cm and ≥ 1 cm. There were significant differences in sex (p = 0.029), fibular involvement (p = 0.002), injury mechanism (p = 0.008), and treatment methods (p < 0.001) between patients with overgrowth < 1 cm and ≥ 1 cm. Sex and treatment methods were risk factors associated with LLD ≥ 1 cm and overgrowth ≥ 1 cm following pediatric tibial shaft fracture. The boys had a 7.4-fold higher risk of LLD ≥ 1 cm and 5.4-fold higher risk of overgrowth ≥ 1 cm than the girls. Patients who underwent TEN had a 4.3-fold higher risk of LLD ≥ 1 cm and 4.8-fold higher risk of overgrowth ≥ 1 cm than those treated by casting.

Conclusions

Patients undergoing TEN showed greater LLD and overgrowth than those undergoing casting, with boys showing greater LLD and overgrowth than girls. Surgeons should consider the possibility of LLD and overgrowth after pediatric tibial shaft fractures, especially when performing TEN for boys.

Level of evidence

Level III
Retraction Note: CDK4 and miR-15a comprise an abnormal automodulatory feedback loop stimulating the pathogenesis and inducing chemotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Liu Zhen , Cheng Chao , Luo Xiaojun , Xia Qiong , Zhang Yejie , Long Xiaobing , Jiang Qingping , Fang Weiyi
Published: March 2021

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-016-2277-2.