bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research and analysis on computed tomography signs and clinical characteristics of chronic duodenal papilla mucositis and duodenal papillary carcinoma
Authors: Wei Wenyan , Mo Weixing , Wang Ning , Li Qinghai
Published: February 2023

Objective: To investigate the computed tomography (CT) findings of chronic duodenal papilla mucositis and duodenal papillary carcinoma, and provide more imaging information for early diagnosis of duodenal malignant diseases.

Methods: CT findings and clinical data of 40 patients with chronic duodenal papilla mucositis and 46 patients with duodenal papillary carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. Observation and measuring of direct duodenal papilla signs (including size, shape, density, enhancement uniformity, etc.), indirect duodenal papilla signs (including pancreaticobiliary dilatation) and clinical indicators (including tumor markers CA19-9, CA125, CEA, blood routine white blood cell count, bilirubin, age, gender, etc.) were carried out according to CT as well as statistical analysis.

Results: There were significant differences in duodenal papilla regular morphology, age and CA19-9 ( p < .05), and significant differences in duodenal papilla maximum transverse diameter, diameter of common bile duct, diameter of pancreatic duct, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and jaundice in duodenal papillary carcinoma group ( p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in duodenal papilla enhancement uniformity, plain CT value, arterial CT value, portal CT value, enhancement uniformity, presence or not of calculus at the lower end, gender, CEA, CA125, white blood cell count, and abdominal pain with fever (all p > .05).

Conclusion: CT is helpful for the diagnosis of duodenal papilla disease, but the CT findings of patients with duodenal papillary carcinoma tend to be similar to findings of chronic duodenal papilla mucositis, which is easy to lead to misdiagnosis, so comprehensive diagnosis should be made according to the direct and indirect CT signs as well as laboratory and clinical manifestations of duodenal papilla, so as to improve the diagnosis of duodenal papillary carcinoma, and reduce missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.
Beyond deterrence: Uncertain stability in the nuclear era
Authors: Kang Kyungkook , Kugler Jacek
Published: February 2023

This paper identifies profound contradictions within and across nuclear deterrence strategies that evolved in response to the proliferation and modernization of nuclear weapons. To reconcile theory with practice, we summarize the theoretical assumptions and implications of nuclear strategy. Informed by these discussions, we develop a decision-theoretic model of deterrence based on power transition theory. We explore conditions for the stability of deterrence and link outcomes to policy decisions. The conditions for conflict emerge when a dissatisfied nuclear nation is threatened with conventional loss, when conventional and nuclear parity is achieved and if dissatisfied non-state actors acquire even minimal nuclear capabilities.
Introduction to the Special Issue–School psychology and Indigenous Peoples: Critical Perspectives and Indigenous-led Approaches
Authors: Schroeder Meadow , Lacerda-Vandenborn Elisa , Nelson Melanie , Wendt Dennis C.
Published: February 2023

This issue of the Canadian Journal of School Psychology is the first of two parts of a special issue devoted to the intersection of school psychology and Indigenous Peoples within the Canadian context. Given the limited existing literature that is squarely focused on this intersection, the articles in these two issues are collectively a substantive academic contribution to school psychology educators, practitioners, researchers, and students. These articles challenge mainstream practice, training, ethics, and intervention approaches within school psychology, while also describing exemplary collaborations with Indigenous communities and advancements in Indigenizing and decolonizing school psychology training and practice.
Sustainable wheat gluten foams with self-expansion and water/blood-triggered shape recovery
Authors: Chen Tuying , Tang Yingzi , Zhao Huijing , Zhang Keqin , Meng Kai
Published: February 2023

A cheap and easily obtainable wheat gluten (WG) was used to fabricate bio-foams via a simple method of stirring, heating, and lyophilization. The foam possesses a 3D layered porous structure with interconnected channels, and the biofoam has excellent mechanical properties through glycerol plasticization and glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linking. The water absorption and volume expansion rate can reach 793.67 ∼ 918.45% and 201.47 ∼ 239.53% respectively. In dry state, the foams had good compression resilience, and can basically recover its original shape after withstanding 60% compression strain for about 7 h. In wet state, they can withstand 10 cycles of compression test, and had good compressive resilience and durability; they also had fast liquid-triggered shape recovery performance, of which the foams can reabsorb liquid, expand, and recover its original shape within 40 seconds after withstanding 80% compression strain. In addition, The hemolysis rates of red blood cells treated with 1, 3, and 5 mg/mL of 14WG-20g-5GA foam suspension were 0.53 ± 0.12%, 2.12 ± 0.34%, and 3.97 ± 0.21%, respectively, all of which were below the permissible range for biological materials (<5%). The above-mentioned advantages made the sustainable foams be potentially useful for medical dressings, especially for the treatment of non-compressible haemorrhaging, which offered a new field of application for WG protein and its added value was also increased obviously.
“Help Me Realize What I’m Becoming”: Men’s Views on Digital Interventions as a Way to Promote Early Help-Seeking for Use of Violence in Relationships
Authors: Tarzia Laura , McKenzie Mandy , Addison Matthew J. , Hameed Mohajer A. , Hegarty Kelsey
Published: February 2023

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major global issue with huge impacts on individuals, families, and communities. It is also a gendered problem, with the vast majority of IPV perpetrated by men. To date, interventions have primarily focused on victim/survivors; however, it is increasingly recognized that men’s use of violence must also be addressed. Despite this, there remain limited options for doing this in practice. In most high-income countries, men’s behavior change programs (MBCPs) or their equivalent are the typical referral pathway, with men often mandated to attend by the criminal justice system. Yet, these programs have limited evidence for their effectiveness and recidivism and dropouts are major challenges. Moreover, an entire subset of men—those uninvolved with criminal justice settings—remain under-serviced. It is clear that a critical gap remains around early engagement with men using violence in relationships. This study explores the potential for digital interventions (websites or apps) to fill this gap through qualitative analysis of data from focus groups with 21 men attending MBCPs in Victoria, Australia. Overall, we interpreted men’s perceptions of digital interventions as being able to facilitate connection with the “better man inside,” with four sub-themes: (a) Don’t jump down my throat straight away; (b) Help me realize what I’m becoming; (c) Seeing a change in my future; and (d) Make it simple and accessible. The findings of this study suggest that there is strong potential for digital interventions to engage early with men using IPV, but also some key challenges. Websites or apps can provide a safe, private space for men to reflect on their behavior and its consequences; however, the lack of interpersonal interaction can make it challenging to balance non-judgmental engagement with accountability. These issues should be considered when designing digital interventions for men using violence in relationships.
Special Education and Meritocratic Inclusion
Authors: Stanczak Arnaud , Jury Mickaël , Aelenei Cristina , Pironom Julie , Toczek-Capelle Marie-Christine , Rohmer Odile
Published: February 2023

In this theoretical article we present our hypothesis on the incompatibility of the inclusive education policy toward students with special educational needs with the meritocratic principle of education. If considering and recognizing the needs of these students is necessary to achieve a successful inclusive environment, we propose that this goal cannot be achieved within current educational systems driven by a meritocratic ideology. We base our rationale on social psychology theories such as system justification and backlash to argue that such incompatibility is particularly visible during the evaluation process. Finally, if we provide some incentives toward greater inclusion while considering the diverse contradictions such inclusivity generates, we also invite researchers to further empirically examine these contradictions in order to guide policy makers within their choices.
Scheduling optimization of AGVs in workshop based on cost-efficiency-emission competition mechanism
Authors: Chen Ye , Jing Xuwen , Lu Xiang , Zhou Honggen , Li Haipeng , Kang Chao , Liu Jinfeng , Li Jun
Published: February 2023

The untimely material transportation induced by the backward logistics scheduling method in the ship panel block construction workshop is a complex engineering issue with multi-parameter coupling. To overcome the problem, the cost-efficiency-carbon emission competition model is proposed to solve the scheduling optimization for the AGVs in ship panel block construction workshop. Firstly, the logistics path plan of the panel block construction workshop is obtained by establishing the path-planning node map of panel block construction workplace. Secondly, a scheduling model for AGVs is constructed based on the competition mechanism of the lowest transportation cost, maximum transportation efficiency, and lowest carbon emission. Then, the optimized schedule is achieved by a novel hybrid method of the genetic and population migration algorithm considering the competition mechanism. Finally, the case validation indicates that the solving ability of the proposed hybrid method is improved by 52.4% compared with Genetic Algorithm under competitive mechanism. Besides, the results demonstrate material transportation time can be reduced by 17.5%.
An experimental study of NOx emissions from a Helmholtz resonator
Authors: Ibrahim Said M A , Taha Mohamed R , Elqammash Mahmoud N
Published: February 2023

A detailed experimental investigation of NOx emissions was conducted in order to get more precise combustion data for a Helmholtz resonator valveless pulse combustor. A laboratory-scale model of the combustor was designed and operated with a non-premixed input of air and propane. The effects of fuel flow rate, temperature, and pressure amplitude on NOx emissions through a variety of experimental tests were studied. The tests were carried out for three tailpipe lengths, two inlet pipe lengths, and two combustion chamber volumes. The results revealed that the variations in operational and design parameters have a significant impact on NOx emissions. NOx emissions reach a maximum value near the stoichiometric condition as temperature and pressure, which are related to the fuel flow rate, reach their maximum values. Experiments show inverse relationships between CO and NOx emissions. Furthermore, the findings show that NOx reduction increases with increasing tailpipe and inlet pipe lengths, as well as small volume combustion chambers.
An experimental study on the determination of a hermetic reciprocating compressor’s discharge and suction losses
Authors: Bacak Aykut , Pınarbaşı Ali , Dalkılıç Ahmet Selim
Published: February 2023

The most popular approach to determine compressor losses is to generate compressor pressure-volume indication diagrams. The pressure-volume indication diagram of a novel hermetic reciprocating compressor for household refrigerators operating with R600a was experimentally obtained under American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (54.4°C/−23.3°C) and additional specific working conditions of (40°C/−25°C), (25°C/−20°C) and (35°C/−15°C). Apart from most studies, experiments have been performed using a calorimeter. The alteration of suction and discharge pressures with crank angle of the investigated compressor was presented as both graphical and numerical information during condensation and evaporation, separately. As a result of the analyses, total compressor losses increased with decreasing the condensation pressure. These losses were 10%, 8.7%, 5.7% and 4.6% of the total work and they were observed at the same speed of 1300 rotation per minute (rpm) as the lowest one under all operating conditions. Besides, the suction line losses having the largest losses in the compressor were calculated as 50.1%, 50.9%, 64.9% and 67.9% of the total one, and it has been determined that they increased with increasing the condensation pressure. Due to the more complex design of the equipment in the suction line, the losses in this region were found to be higher than those in the discharge line, as expected.
Experimental investigation on the pre-holed screw-drilling riveting process for joining dissimilar lightweight sheets
Authors: Li Zhiyong , Wang Zhiyong , Li Yong , Han Shanling
Published: February 2023

The use of lightweight sheets such as carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRP), magnesium alloys, and aluminum alloys is of great significance to realize the lightweight of automobiles. However, the differences between the sheets make the joining processes of dissimilar sheets a great challenge. A pre-holed screw-drilling riveting (PH-SDR) process is proposed based on a study of existing joining processes, the rivet with threads is riveted into the sheets by rotating, and the effective joining between the sheets is achieved by embedding the sheets into the rivet threads. The joint strength of the PH-SDR and self-piercing riveting (SPR) was compared through the lap-shear test. It was found that in the case of 1 mm Al6061-T6 + 2 mm AZ31B, the strength of the PH-SDR joint was 3.09 kN, which is 30.9% higher than the SPR of 2.36 kN. In the case of 2 mm CFRP + 2 mm Al6061-T6, when the spindle speed was 600 rpm, the strength of 5.43 kN and the energy absorption of 20.3 J were obtained for the PH-SDR joint, which is 51.2% and 89.7% higher than the optimal SPR joint. The results show that the proposed PH-SDR process provides a feasible solution for the joining of dissimilar lightweight sheets.
Probing the environmental impacts of structural transition and demographic mobility in Africa: Does technological innovation matter?
Authors: Zou Xinzhong , Yang Shiheng , Ibrahim Ridwan Lanre , Al-Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh
Published: February 2023

Although available statistics reveal Africa as an insignificant contributor to the devastating global climate condition, the succeeding impacts seem to hit the region harder than others. Efforts to address the environmental issues have seen the transition from carbon-intensive to carbon-abating sectors. Hence, this study makes the first empirical attempt to probe the ecological effects of structural transition and demographic mobility amidst the presence of technological innovation, foreign direct investment, and renewable energy. The empirical evidence focuses on the five highest emitters in Africa from 1990 to 2019 using advanced estimators, including cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL), augmented mean group (AMG), common correlated effect mean group (CCEMG), and method of moment quantile regression (MMQR). For easy tracking of emanating effects, structural transition is captured by agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors’ value added, whereas demographic mobility vectors rural and urban population. The results reveal agriculture sector, manufacturing sector, rural population, and urban population as amplifiers of CO2 emissions. Conversely, the moderating roles of technological innovation amidst service sector, foreign direct investment, and renewable energy are confirmed. Besides, Granger causality uncovers unidirectional and bidirectional causality in the model. Promoting developments in research and development and adopting carbon tax policies are among the emanating policies on the findings.
Epistemological Allyship
Authors: Oppong Seth
Published: February 2023

Discussions about decolonising psychology now abound. A key perspective from which these commentaries have been written relates to a confrontation of the gatekeepers in global psychology. While this approach is valuable to end epistemological violence and other forms of injustice, it also ends up alienating influential scholars in hegemonic psychology who can magnify the impact of the decolonisation effort. In this article, I borrow from the anti-racism literature the concept of allyship to put forward a new concept of epistemological allyship (EA). I position EA to invite, but not to demand, support from and to provide guidance to gatekeepers who truly wish to support the decolonisation efforts. However, unlike the past experiences with ending slavery in which Black people were portrayed to or required to beg for freedom, this concept of EA is not to be understood in this light. Rather it should be understood to imply that while academics from the majority of the world (AMWs) are fighting their own epistemological battles, any helpful support is and should be welcome.
Estimating Skill Mismatch in the Indian Labour Market: A Regional Dimension
Authors: Gooptu Sayoree , Bros Catherine , Chowdhury Sahana Roy
Published: February 2023

The article provides an overview of the very pertinent skill mismatch issue in the Indian labour market. It specifically looks into the state-wise overeducation rates, a type of vertical skill mismatch where the education level of the worker exceeds the job requirements. The article tries to provide a regional dimension to the estimates of overeducation and addresses the problem by linking it to the incidence of vocational training among employees. Given that vocational training plays an important role in imparting industry-relevant skills, the article recommends its expansion as a necessary factor for curbing overeducation in states lagging in the industrial sector. Using the recent Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data, the article unveils trends in recent years where, though the propensity to take vocational training has increased, it is not sufficient to meet the industry’s demands. Also, the stunted proportion of individuals with government-sponsored vocational training signals either inferior quality or low access. The later fact is reinstated when we look at the bias towards higher income households in undertaking such training. Apart from the need to address the supply side of skilled labour, by making training programmes more inclusive, there is also a need to address the demand side to ensure proper alignment between the skills derived from training programmes and those required by the industry. Besides, given the huge informal labour market, there is an urgent need for proper certification and recognition of skills derived from training programmes to ensure their productive employment. The article shows a severe imbalance between the demand and supply sides and calls for active participation of different stakeholders, including the private sector, to address the problem. In this regard, the article shows instances of successful implementation of vocational training facilities in other countries, which can form a basis for rolling out well-defined and coherent programmes.
Relationship Between Premature Birth and Acquired Heart Disease in Adulthood: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Mongkonsritragoon Wimwipa , Tokavanich Nithi , Prasitlumkum Narut , Chokesuwattanaskul Ronpichai , Cheungpasitporn Wisit , Chiengthong Kanhatai
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Premature birth has a causal relationship with hypertension and diabetes, which are significant risk factors for major cardiovascular disease. Nonetheless, little is known whether premature birth portends future risks of acquired heart diseases, for example, ischemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF), and valvular heart disease (VHD).

Methods

We comprehensively searched the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane database from inception to December 2021. Studies with prospective and retrospective cohort designs that reported the association between premature birth and acquired heart disease, including IHD, HF, and VHD, were included. Data from each study were combined with a random-effects model. The results were reported in the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

The selected studies were comprised of 7 studies, with 5 studies involving premature birth and the development of IHD in adulthood and 2 studies involving premature birth and HF. No studies reporting the relationship between premature birth and VHD met our initial inclusion criteria. Our study did not find any association between premature birth and IHD in the adulthood (HR 1.14 95% CI 0.91-1.19, P = .16, I2 = 51%). We found the association between premature birth and acquired HF (HR 1.53 95% CI 1.08-2.16, P = .01, I2 = 0)

Conclusion

Premature birth was not statistically associated with IHD in adulthood, but there was a significant association between preterm and HF.
Investigating Supervision and Leadership Practices to Strengthen EBP Implementation in the Child Welfare System: A Case Study Analysis
Authors: Singh Ryan R. , Dolcini M. Margaret , Catania Joseph A. , Saldana Lisa
Published: February 2023

Effective delivery of evidence-based practices (EBPs) depends on strong supervision and leadership. This case study analysis examined how supervisors contended with barriers and facilitators of implementation of R3, a supervisor-focused strategy to improve caseworker interactions with families in the child welfare system. A stratified random sample of supervisors, those with higher scores on the Implementation Leadership Scale ( n = 10) versus those with lower scores ( n = 10), who participated in multiple interviews, allowed for analysis over the course of implementation. Findings demonstrate the importance of strong supervisor leadership, high-quality supervision, and coaching engagement to overcoming implementation barriers. Strong supervisor leadership may facilitate an efficient transition of support from external coaches to supervision practices.
Research Skills as the Student Learning Achievement
Authors: Bapanova Gulzhan K. , Orekhova Natalya V. , Kadirsizova Shynar B. , Kasbayeva Gulnaz S. , Sholpankulova Gulnar K.
Published: February 2023

This article focuses on the theoretical underpinning of the effectiveness of the conditions for research skills development in primary school students. The study used the following methods: theoretical analysis, survey, teaching observation, analysis of educational and teaching products, pedagogical experiment, and statistical method. The authors substantiated the hypothesis that effective research skill development requires technology development and the creation of necessary pedagogical conditions. As a result, the following distinguish research skills typical of primary students were identified: ability to organize own activities, work with information, conduct educational and research work, prepare and present the results of the study, analyze, and evaluate the research activity. To date, the criteria and levels of research skill development in primary students are not sufficiently developed, which complicates the diagnostics of research skills of primary students. This problem remains relevant and underdeveloped, it should be given more attention in the next phase of this research.
Comparing Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare Prices for Hospital Outpatient Services With Hospital Price Transparency Data
Authors: Xu Jianhui , Polsky Daniel
Published: February 2023

As Medicare Advantage (MA) plans enroll an increasingly large share of Medicare beneficiaries, how much providers charge MA plans relative to Traditional Medicare (TM) has important policy implications. We used new price transparency data from hospitals—which contain the most up-to-date negotiated prices—to evaluate whether and how MA prices differed from TM for hospital outpatient services. We found that among the 1,135 hospitals in our sample, MA prices were close to TM at about half of them, but the other half reported MA prices that deviated considerably from TM, predominantly in the direction of higher rather than lower, and rural hospitals were more likely than urban ones to charge high MA markups. Our findings also suggest that hospital price transparency data hold promise for promoting price shopping among MA beneficiaries. But greater hospital compliance and more standardized reporting are necessary for the data to be a more useful tool.
Vitiligo-like lesions associated with ribociclib in a woman with metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Türkel Alper , Karaçin Cengiz , Öner İrem , Şeyran Erdoğan , Öksüzoğlu Berna
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors are new generation drugs that have recently been used in patients with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negativenegative metastatic breast cancer. Recent studies have shown that the use of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors significantly improves the outcomes of these patients. The most common side effects of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors are hematological toxicity, gastrointestinal side effects, and fatigue. We aimed to present a case of metastatic breast cancer who was treated with ribociclib and developed vitiligo-like lesions after treatment.

Case report

A 56-year-old female patient was diagnosed with locally advanced hormone receptor (+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (−) breast cancer in May 2000. She was followed up with hormonal therapy after adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The patient progressed with lung metastases in 2012. Ribociclib, anastrozole, and leuprolide acetate were started in November 2021 after multiple-line chemotherapy. After six cycles of ribociclib, vitiligo-like lesions that developed in the last 1 month were detected on the upper extremities, both hands, neck, chest, and upper back.

Management and outcome

The patient was referred to dermatology. Topical immunosuppressive therapy and oral corticosteroids were recommended. At the first and third-month follow-up examinations, vitiligo-like lesions were observed to persist.

Discussion

Vitiligo-like lesions are not a life-threatening side effect. However, it significantly affects the quality of life and disrupts the patient's compliance with treatment. Cyclin-dependent kinase  4/6 inhibitors can inhibit cell division or cause premature cell death by acting on the melanocyte cell cycle.
Real-world evidence of nivolumab for non-small-cell lung cancer in a developing country
Authors: Luján Mauricio , Lema Mauricio , Preciado Beatriz , Lema Camila , Egurrola Jorge , Cardona Andrés , González Diego , Mantilla William , Pino Luis , Rojas Gustavo , Gómez Diego , Munevar Isabel , Manneh Raimundo , Manneh Ray , Lobatón José , Calle Esteban , Borras Mariana , Triana Iván , Londoño Paula , Aruachán Sandra , Pineda Mateo , Morán Diego
Published: February 2023

Nivolumab is a human programmed death receptor-1 blocking antibody, used as treatment option in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We assessed the nivolumab efficacy in terms of survival and response to treatment as second-line (2L) or third-line (3L) therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. This is a multicentric observational study. Data of patients with advanced NSCLC who received nivolumab as 2L or 3L treatment were analyzed retrospectively. Information regarding patient demographics and clinical backgrounds, treatment patterns from diagnosis to post-nivolumab treatment, effectiveness, and safety of nivolumab treatment were collected. The outcomes evaluated were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) to treatment. OS and PFS were estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method and the differences were evaluated through the log-rank test. Data of 178 patients were included. The median follow-up was 26.8 months (interquartile range (IQR): 20.3–40.4). Nivolumab was commonly used as a 2L treatment (77.5%). The outcomes in this setting (2L) were as follows: ORR was 21.0%, and the median PFS and OS were 5.5 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.5–6.5) and 12.4 months (95% CI: 10.8–14.0), respectively. In 3L, the ORR with nivolumab was 15.0%, the median PFS and OS were 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.1–5.1) and 10.1 months (95% CI: 9.4–10.6), respectively. Three patients (1.7%) required discontinuation due to toxicity. Nivolumab effectiveness and safety in this scenario was consistent with that reported by previous trials and other real-world data.
Rethinking Consumer Agency in Tourism Research
Authors: Yang I-Chieh Michelle , Kirillova Ksenia
Published: February 2023

In the age of global pandemics, increasing geopolitical conflicts, and subsequent restrictions on human mobilities (including tourism), the question of consumer agency in tourism is particularly pressing. Previous scholarship has largely assumed that tourists are free agents in the pursuit of authenticity through increasing mobility. This conceptual research problematizes the lack of conceptualization of agency in tourism. Based on various streams of tourism literature that demonstrated—although did not explicitly discuss—tourist agency in action, we theorize tourist agency as a product of intersectional and institutional forces, accentuated by spatiality and temporality. We further built a parsimonious typology of tourist agency consisting of Unconstrained, Stigmatized, Constrained, and Negotiated agencies. We hope that this conceptual paper fuels further research and acknowledgment of agency.
Factors affecting eye conservation and metastasis in posterior uveal melanomas
Authors: Nalcı Baytaroğlu Hilal , Gündüz Ahmet Kaan , Mirzayev Ibadulla , Özalp Ateş Funda Seher
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To determine the effect of patient and tumor features and different treatments on eye removal (enucleation or exenteration) and metastasis in posterior uveal melanoma (PUM).

Methods

Retrospective analysis. Patient age (≤60 vs >60 years), sex (female vs male), visual acuity (VA, ≤20/40 vs >20/40), largest tumor basal diameter (LTBD), tumor thickness, tumor stage according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition, ciliary body involvement, distance to optic disc (OD)/fovea (≤3 mm vs >3 mm), OD involvement, and histopathology were evaluated. Primary treatment options were transpupillary thermotherapy, plaque radiotherapy, Cyberknife radiosurgery, exoresection, and eye removal. Risk factors for primary eye removal were determined using logistic regression test and those for secondary eye removal and metastasis with Cox regression analysis.

Results

Of 387 cases, 153 (39.5%) underwent primary eye removal. Multivariable risk factors for primary eye removal included AJCC tumor stage (p = 0.001, OR:4.586; p < 0.001, OR:34.545; p < 0.001, OR:103.468 for stages T2, T3, and T4 vs stage T1, respectively), and VA≤20/40 (p = 0.014, OR:2.597). Multivariable risk factors for secondary eye removal were VA≤20/40 (p = 0.019, RR:2.817) and AJCC stage T3 vs T1 (p = 0.021, RR:2.666). Eye preservation rates in patients undergoing eye-conserving treatments were 80.3%, 69.6%, and 51.5% at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Metastasis-free survival rates were 81.0%, 73.0%, and 56.7% at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Multivariable risk factors for metastasis included eye removal as primary treatment (p = 0.005, RR:2.828) and mixed type histopathology (p < 0.001, RR:4.804).

Discussion

Early diagnosis is crucial for both eye preservation and survival in PUM. Increasing AJCC tumor stage and lower VA were risk factors for eye removal in this study. Mixed type histopathology and primary eye removal were risk factors for metastasis.
A comparison of high risk pathological features between primary and secondary enucleation for retinoblastoma
Authors: Mohammad Mona , Shehada Reham , Al-Nawaiseh Ibrahim , Mehyar Mustafa , AlHussaini Maysa , Jaradat Imad , Sultan Iyad , Halalsheh Hadeel , Khzouz Jakub , Yousef Yacoub A
Published: February 2023

Aim

To compare the risk and pattern of High-Risk Pathologic Features (HRPF) in retinoblastoma between primary and secondary enucleation.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 121 eyes from 118 patients who underwent enucleation at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) Amman, Jordan, between November 2009 and January 2020. Demographic information, tumor stage, time from diagnosis–to-enucleation, results of pathology, metastasis, and mortality were retrieved.

Results

Patients in the secondary group (49/121 eyes, 40%) were considerably younger at diagnosis (p = 0.0014), had bilateral disease (p = 0.0001), and had less-progressed disease at presentation (p = 0.016) compared to the primary enucleation. Primarily enucleated eyes were more-likely to have massive choroidal invasion (p = 0.0315) and post-laminar optic nerve invasion (p = 0.027), in spite of the finding that the overall prevalence of HRPF was similar between the two groups (35.5 percent vs. 37.5 percent; p = 0.585). The likelihood of anterior chamber invasion, was considerably higher in secondary enucleated eyes (p = 0.013). We evaluated primary and secondary enucleation for each subgroup (D and E) of the International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification (IIRC) and found the prevalence of HRPF was comparable (p = 0.58, 1.0, respectively). The difference in time between diagnosis-to-enucleation in secondary enucleation did not predict HRPF (p = 0.50). There was no discernible difference between primary and secondary enucleated eyes in terms of metastasis or survival (p = 0.156 and 0.44, respectively).

Conclusion

Systemic chemotherapy has the ability to reduce the extent of tumor expansion that has been pathologically identified. Primary and secondary enucleated eyes are comparable in low metastatic risk only when strict examination and management guidelines are followed.
Challenges of Management of Ruptured Second Trimester Ovarian Pregnancy in Low-and Middle-Income Settings: A Case Report
Authors: Eleje George Uchenna , Udigwe Gerald Okanandu , Njoku Tobechi Kingsley , Okoro Chukwuemeka Chukwubuikem , Onyejiaka Chukwudubem Chinagorom , Ihekwoaba Eric Chukwudi , Ndukwe Chinedu Onwuka , Anaedu Onyedika Promise , Chiemeka Michael Emeka , Okafor Chigozie Geoffrey , Ekwebene Onyeka Chukwudalu , Offor Confidence Chinaza , Okoye Odili Aloysius , Okolie Perpetua Chinedu , Malachy Divinefavour Echezona , Maduagwu Chimdindu Ifunanya , Mmuotoo Jane-Rita Ifeoma , Nwankwo Ekeuda Uchenna , Duru Chimezuru Ogechi , Igbodike Emeka Philip , Obiegbu Nnaedozie Paul , Agbo Joy Chisom , Okeke Nwabueze Chidozie , Ezenwafor Ogonna Onyeka , Nneji Henry Chinedu , Dimgba Ogechi Odinakachukwu , Okonkwo James Egwuatu
Published: February 2023

Background:

Ovarian ectopic pregnancy is a rare form of non-tubal ectopic pregnancy. It can rupture before the end of the first trimester, causing hemoperitoneum, and present with signs and symptoms similar to other commoner abdominal emergencies or the pregnancy can continue intraperitoneally. Therefore, they are not often diagnosed preoperatively. Ultrasound can assist in diagnosis of ovarian ectopic pregnancy but the findings could be ambiguous or inconclusive. We present a case of ruptured ovarian ectopic pregnancy at the second trimester causing massive hemoperitoneum that was suspected as an intrabdominal malignancy co-existing with intrabdominal pregnancy.

Case presentation:

She was a 34 year-old Nigerian unbooked G4P3+0, (3 alive), who presented to the labor ward on 21st January, 2021 with a complaint of a 6-week history of abdominal pain and swelling. Pain was insidious in onset, generalized, non-colicky, non-radiating, constant, no known aggravating or relieving factor, but it was of moderate intensity. She had amenorrhea with a positive serum pregnancy test without prior early ultrasound. At presentation, initial abdominopelvic ultrasound revealed intra-uterine viable pregnancy but repeat ultrasound done showed a left adnexal ectopic gestation and an echo-rich intraperitoneal fluid collection. Laparotomy was done and ovarian pregnancy was accurately diagnosed intra-operatively. Tissue samples from the ovary confirmed normal products of conception, namely chorionic villi, trophoblastic cells and ovarian stroma at histology.

Conclusion:

Despite advances in imaging techniques, the diagnosis of ovarian ectopic gestation is still very difficult. When premenopausal women present with amenorrhea, generalized non-colicky abdominal pain and swelling in combination with ambiguous findings of pregnancy on ultrasound in the absence of trauma, differential diagnoses should include ruptured ovarian pregnancy. Obstetricians should maintain a high index of suspicion to forestall delayed diagnosis and the potential maternal morbidity and mortality. However, the need for high-index of suspicion should be for any ectopic, not just ovarian pregnancy.
A biomechanical perspective on walking in patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Bapat Ganesh M , Bashir Ayisha Z , Malcolm Philippe , Johanning Jason M , Pipinos Iraklis I , Myers Sara A
Published: February 2023

The most common symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is intermittent claudication, which consists of debilitating leg pain during walking. In clinical settings, the presence of PAD is often noninvasively evaluated using the ankle–brachial index and imaging of the arterial supply. Furthermore, various questionnaires and functional tests are commonly used to measure the severity and negative effect of PAD on quality of life. However, these evaluations only provide information on vascular insufficiency and severity of the disease, but not regarding the complex mechanisms underlying walking impairments in patients with PAD. Biomechanical analyses using motion capture and ground reaction force measurements can provide insight into the underlying mechanisms to walking impairments in PAD. This review analyzes the application of biomechanics tools to identify gait impairments and their clinical implications on rehabilitation of patients with PAD. A total of 18 published journal articles focused on gait biomechanics in patients with PAD were studied. This narriative review shows that the gait of patients with PAD is impaired from the first steps that a patient takes and deteriorates further after the onset of claudication leg pain. These results point toward impaired muscle function across the ankle, knee, and hip joints during walking. Gait analysis helps understand the mechanisms operating in PAD and could also facilitate earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and slower progression of PAD.
Native and non-native teachers in a minority language: An analysis of stakeholders’ opinions
Authors: Colmenero Kebir , Lasagabaster David
Published: February 2023

Objectives:

The purpose of this article is to explore students’, parents’, and teachers’ attitudes and opinions towards native and non-native teachers of Basque, to examine whether the widespread ideology native speakerism is present in this minority language.

Methodology:

Data were gathered from 473 secondary and high-school students, parents, and teachers using questionnaires and focus groups, where education stakeholders were enquired about their teacher preferences in four categories: assessment and support, attitudes and motivation, culture, and perceived linguistic abilities.

Data and analysis:

The quantitative data were statistically analysed using independent-samples t-tests and analyses of variance (ANOVAs). The qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis, an instrument that allows a systematic study of patterns of meaning within qualitative data sets.

Findings:

Results suggest that although students, parents, and teachers support team-teaching approaches, there is an overall preference for native-speaking teachers, specially at advanced levels. Furthermore, participants reflect clear-cut trends in specific items and categories.

Originality:

The binary classification of speakers established by the assignment of the ‘native speaker’ and ‘non-native speaker’ labels has been thoroughly studied in the English language, analysing the positive and negative characteristics linked to each type of speaker, but the nativeness topic has only been researched in language survival terms in minority language contexts. To our knowledge, no previous study has examined attitudes towards native and non-native teachers in minority language teaching contexts.

Implications:

Education stakeholders’ preferences for Basque native-speaking teachers may entail negative effects on the legitimacy of non-native speakers and teachers, a group whose Basque use is paramount for the maintenance and survival of the minority language.
From London to Bali: Raymond Williams and communication as transport and social networks
Authors: Subijanto Rianne
Published: February 2023

This article unearths Raymond Williams’ approach to communication as transport and social networks. Existing literature argues that the field of communication’s withdrawal from the study of transport leads to at least two setbacks: media presentism and a narrowed meaning of communication and culture. This article excavates Williams’ concept of ‘communication as transport and social networks’ by first revisiting his larger method of cultural materialism that sees communication as a whole complex assemblage of different modes of communication to facilitate connection. This is then followed by a discussion on the use of this concept in his various works and, more intensively, in The Country and the City. To emphasize Williams’ relevance to contemporary contexts, the next part of the article deals with an analysis of how digital media and contemporary transport networks facilitate the reproduction of Bali as a paradise. This article calls for a more dialectical understanding of communication that includes the inextricable relations between mobility and sociality, the material and the symbolic, and the transmission and the ritual in shaping human lives.
From Indy to ubiquity: Minecraft as platform and infrastructure
Authors: Murphy David
Published: February 2023

This article is about digital games, their evolving connections with platforms and infrastructures, and the influence that a decade of Minecraft’s development is having on this process. It begins with a discussion of previously disparate but increasingly convergent methodologies and literatures, including platform studies, media archeology, game studies, and cultural anthropological approaches to the study of infrastructure. Then, it applies points of convergence within these literatures to a political economic analysis of Minecraft that attributes its decade of growth to the systemic and metaphoric merging of platforms and infrastructures. Finally, it provides an ethnographic analysis of computers, made in Minecraft, which show how the game is not only taking on characteristics of platforms and infrastructures, but also affording a means of programming, visualizing, and experiencing platforms as infrastructure.
Things that endure: Community gardens and the post-work imaginary
Authors: Schoneboom Abigail , Mallo Daniel , Tardiveau Armelle
Published: February 2023

Using Gorz’s writing on cities and time as a starting point, this sensory ethnographic study uses pinhole photography to explore how time feels for ‘unemployed’ volunteers at a community garden in the north-east of England. It upholds that the garden’s ability to fill time meaningfully is grounded in the food-growing and composting cycle but is also anchored to the mature trees, structures and artworks – made, grown or maintained by the volunteers themselves, that persist in the space for many years. We argue that urban community gardens offer their denizens an ‘elongated present’ that is fulfilling to the individual while also sustaining community and nature. Emphasising the need for enduring, rather than temporary or pop-up, growing spaces in helping us transition to a sustainable, post-work society, the study thus adds temporal insight to existing scholarship on the importance of community gardens.
Methodological Challenges in Energy Poverty Research
Authors: Dubois Ute , Sinea Anca
Published: February 2023

Energy poverty is an endemic phenomenon affecting millions of households around the world. An abundant literature, employing various single or combined methods, is dedicated to understanding its causes, symptoms, and the lived experiences of these households. This article explores the challenges raised when implementing qualitative research on energy poor households. We analyse a set of 33 research outputs - academic papers and reports - to identify methodological challenges raised by researchers and their possible resolves. By discussing the difficulties related to the operationalization of the concept of energy poverty, those linked to identifying and engaging energy poor households in research, or to the complex nature of their vulnerabilities, the study aims to develop a grounded theory articulated on the narrative of the findings and provide guidance for future qualitative work on energy poverty performed by researchers and stakeholders involved in alleviating it.
Living with a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Authors: Gray Suzanne , Shepherd Ashley , Robertson Jane
Published: February 2023

Frontotemporal dementia describes a spectrum of disorders which include behavioural changes, changes to affect, speech difficulties and physical issues. Although literature exists which identifies the need for the voices of people with dementia to be heard, there is a paucity of research which includes hearing the experiences of people diagnosed with FTD. The purpose of this research was to explore the lived experience of frontotemporal dementia from the persons’ perspective using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The themes that emerged in the analysis were: the rocky road through assessment; the changing self; in touch with reality; and keeping going. Two overarching themes emerged which were: the need to hear the voice of people with frontotemporal dementia; and for people with frontotemporal dementia to exercise some control over the decision making process throughout their journey. Recommendations are presented for future practice and research.