bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homeowners Saying “Yes, In My Back Yard”: Evidence from Israel
Authors: Alster Tal
Published: June 2022

The role of homeowners in curbing housing development, leading to shortages and lack of affordability, is a dominant explanation for tightened regulation and limited housing supply in high-demand areas. This paper shows that homeowners can also play the opposite role, as pro-development stakeholders. Original research based on permitting data, a survey of owners and analysis of planning objections from Israel shows that the self-interest of owners does not necessarily lead them to oppose development. Indeed, when owners stand to directly reap the gains of densification they are very likely to embrace landowner preferences, demanding redevelopment and further upzoning of their buildings. The paper makes two contributions. One is theoretical: elaborating conditions that shape homeowners’ interests and the politics of planning. The other is policy-relevant: highlighting a politically feasible path for densifying high-demand neighborhoods and regions.
Understanding COVID-19 Situation in Nepal and Implications for SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Management
Authors: Dawadi Prabin , Syangtan Gopiram , Lama Bhupendra , Kanel Sushil R. , Raj Joshi Dev , Pokhrel Lok R. , Adhikari Rameshwar , Joshi Hem R. , Pavel Ioana
Published: June 2022

Background:

The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), one of the most infectious diseases in the modern history, is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has had a profound health and economic toll, globally. This paper identifies the overall health status associated with COVID-19 pandemic in all 7 provinces of Nepal, a developing country in South Asia, analyzing data from January 2020 to February 2022. It focuses on the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, transmission through wastewater and other routes, diagnostics, treatment options, and alternative medicines, thereby offering key perspectives for its management.

Materials and Methods:

Studies regarding coronavirus spanning the 2017 to 2022 period were searched on the web, Nepalese database, and Web of Science. Refined criteria included SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater of Nepal or worldwide. Demographic data (sex, age-group, and geographic location) were also obtained from websites and relevant reports of the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) of Nepal, ranging from January 2020 to February 2022. Moreover, trends concerning lockdown, business, and border activities in Nepal between February 2020 and October 2020 were evaluated. The viral dissemination pathways, diagnosis, and available treatment options, including the Ayurvedic medicine, were also examined.

Results:

Aerosols generated during the hospital, industrial, recreational, and household activities were found to contribute to the propagation of SARS-CoV-2 into environmental wastewater, thereby putting the surrounding communities at risk of infection. When lockdown ended and businesses opened in October 2020, the number of active cases of COVID-19 increased exponentially. Bagmati Province had the highest number of cases (53.84%), while the remaining 6 provinces tallied 46.16%. Kathmandu district had the highest number of COVID-19 cases (138, 319 cases), while Manang district had the smallest number of infections (81 cases). The male population was found to be predominantly infected (58.7%). The most affected age groups were the 31 to 40 years old males (25.92%) and the 21 to 30 years old females (26.85%).

Conclusion:

The pandemic impacted the public health and economic growth in our study duration. SARS-CoV-2 was prevalent in the wastewater of Nepal. The Terai districts and the megacities were mostly affected by SARS-CoV-2 infections. Working-age groups and males were identified as the highest risk groups. More investigations on the therapeutic and alternative cures are recommended. These findings may guide the researchers and professionals with handling the COVID-19 challenges in developing countries such as Nepal and better prepare for future pandemics.
Use of Computed Tomography-Guided Percutaneous Biopsy of Invasive Non-Mucinous Lung Adenocarcinoma to Predict the Degree of Histological Differentiation
Authors: Liu Dehao , Chen Lichun , Wang Xiaoping , Lin Yikai , Gu Jianwei
Published: June 2022

Background:

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) published a grading system for invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma that is closely associated with prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy specimen grading and surgery-guided grading systems for detecting invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma and to determine whether CT-guided biopsy can predict the degree of histological differentiation.

Methods:

In total, 130 patients with invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma who underwent CT-guided biopsy before surgical excision were retrospectively studied. Biopsy and surgical specimen pathologies were compared. Grading was performed according to different subtypes proposed by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV/NPV), and accuracy were calculated for each subtype and grade.

Results:

The concordance rates of biopsy and surgical pathology subtypes and grades were 73.1% and 72.3%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of grade 3 were 54.8%, 100%, 100%, 87.6%, and 89.2%, respectively. Pathology grades were primarily discrepant with respect to two aspects of biopsy and surgical samples in the same patient. First, the biopsy and surgical specimen pathology findings indicated lepidic and acinar subtypes as the main subtypes in the same patient, respectively. Second, biopsy specimen histology did not find solid types; however, >20% of solid subtypes were identified in surgical pathology samples in the same patient.

Conclusions:

The preoperative CT-guided biopsy specimen grading system showed relatively high accuracy and could predict the prognosis of invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma.
Timber hollow-box floors: Sound insulation measurement results and analysis
Authors: Homb Anders , Conta Simone
Published: June 2022

We performed measurements of the sound reduction index and impact sound pressure level for a range of lightweight floating floors installed on a hollow-box timber floor. The measurements were performed in the laboratory according to the relevant standards. We tested different configurations, varying the cavity filling of the bare floor and the assembly of the lightweight floating floor. We tested floating floors with a continuous elastic layer with high and low dynamic stiffness, floating floors on elastic load-bearing units and a basic vinyl covering of the bare floor. The results show that a wide range of sound insulation can be achieved, making the hollow-box floor elements suitable for different purposes. Best performance is achieved with elastic load-bearing units installed on the bare floor with gravel in the cavity. Detailed analysis of the achievable sound insulation improvement is also given. This shows that reasonably reliable predictions can be made using well-known equations from the literature. Key parameters are the resonance frequency of the system, determined by the mass per unit area of the bare floor and of the floating floor as well as the dynamic stiffness of the resilient layer, and the configuration of the elastic layer. The results and the highlighted prediction equation offer a solid basis to help develop solutions to meet different sound insulation requirements and make the hollow-box floor elements suitable for urban buildings with several purposes, ranging from office/commercial to educational and residential.
Sound insulation prediction method for single and spot laminated multilayer panels
Authors: Mansilla Joaquín , Bender Laurence , Pepino Leonardo , Brito María Sol
Published: June 2022

Single-leaf panels made from homogeneous and isotropic materials are commonly used in buildings. However, it is often necessary to add various layers of the same or different materials in order to increase the acoustic insulation. This article presents a prediction method for the calculation of the sound reduction index that comprises single panels and multilayer panels joined together using spot techniques, such as by screws. The method is based on previous single-leaf panel models extended to multilayer structures. The predicted values are compared with panel measurements obtained according to ISO 140-3. The sound reduction index R in third octave bands, the weighted sound reduction index Rw, and the spectral adaptation terms ( C, Ctr) are examined. In addition, predictions from two commercial software tools are evaluated and compared. Statistically, the results show that the proposed method gives values that agree well with the measurements, both for single and multilayer panels.
Assessment of the burden of disease for patients with peripheral artery disease undergoing revascularization in England
Authors: Portas Laura , Bauersachs Rupert , Bowrin Kevin , Briere Jean-Baptiste , Cohen Alexander , Huelsebeck Maria , Jones Schuyler , Quint Jennifer K
Published: June 2022

Background: Symptoms, severity, and acuteness of peripheral artery disease (PAD) are major determinants of severe limb symptoms, subsequent risk of cardiovascular events, and mortality. Lower-extremity revascularization (LER) is a key option to relieve symptoms and to prevent limb loss in symptomatic patients with PAD. This study aimed to quantify the burden of disease among patients with PAD-LER in England. Methods: A retrospective population-based study of linked primary and secondary care electronic health records, included 13,869 adult patients (aged ⩾ 18 years) with PAD-LER from 2003 to 2018. The incidence of first ever PAD-LER was estimated both overall and by type of procedure (endovascular/surgical). Health resource utilization associated with PAD-related complications and treatment patterns were assessed. Results: A high annual incidence of lower-limb revascularization (41.2 per 1000 person years) and a nearly double incidence of endovascular first revascularization compared with open surgery were observed. More than 70% of patients with PAD-LER had a history of hyperlipidemia and hypertension and roughly one-third were diabetic and had a history of coronary artery disease. Cardiovascular mortality accounted for one-third (34.1 per 1000 person years) of all-cause mortality. Over 93% of patients were hospitalized for any reason and the commonest reasons for hospitalization were cardiovascular diseases and PAD with about one-third hospitalized for revascularization reoccurrence. Conclusion: There is a significant burden of PAD-LER to the individual and society with ongoing healthcare resource utilization, treatment, and increasing mortality.
The role of anxiety and callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between externalizing behaviors and sleep problems in clinic-referred youth
Authors: Lamoureux Virginia A , Glenn Andrea L , Ling Shichun , Raine Adrian , Ang Rebecca P , Fung Daniel
Published: June 2022

In a growing body of literature, poor sleep quality has been associated with externalizing problems. In adults, anxiety was found to mediate the relationship, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits were found to moderate it. We sought to examine these relationships in a child population. We examined these relationships in 239 clinic-referred youth (age 6–17) in Singapore with externalizing behavior problems. Parent- but not child-rated sleep problems were associated with increased parent-rated externalizing problems. This association was partially mediated by anxiety. Unlike in adults, CU traits did not moderate the relationship. Sleep problems were associated with externalizing problems regardless of the level of CU traits. It is possible externalizing behaviors may lead children to internalize experiences, leading to anxiety about their behaviors. Another possibility is externalizing behaviors may lead to more stressful life experiences due to negative reactions children with externalizing behaviors receive from parents, teachers, or peers. Regardless, the partial mediation found indicates anxiety may be an important factor to consider in future interventions focused on improving sleep as a means to reduce externalizing problems.
Disparities in the prevalence of ADHD diagnoses, suspicion, and medication use between Flanders and Québec from the lens of the medicalization process
Authors: Brault Marie-Christine , Degroote Emma , Van Houtte Mieke
Published: June 2022

The prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses and medication use has increased over time around the world, but significant regional differences remain. This paper aims to determine and explain disparities in ADHD prevalence and medication use among school-aged children in two distinct school systems, in Flanders (Belgium) and Québec (Canada). We present detailed descriptive and comparative analyses of data from 35 schools, 114 teachers, and 1046 parents (children) that were collected as part of a comparative international project. The data concern teacher and parent suspicions, teachers’ ratings of ADHD-related behaviors in children, teachers’ views of medication use, and teachers’ beliefs about ADHD. The results show that, compared with Flanders, Québec had significantly more children diagnosed with ADHD and more frequent suspicions of ADHD in children by teachers and parents. We refer to the conceptual, institutional, and interactional levels of medicalization to interpret our findings and conclude that social and cultural readings of children’s behaviors differ greatly between regions. Medicalization of children’s behaviors is more common in Québec than in Flanders.
Imperatives of health or happiness: Narrative constructions of long-term smoking after undergoing lung screening
Authors: Olson Rebecca E , Wen Ek, Xuan , Staines Zoe , Goh Felicia , Marshall Henry M
Published: June 2022

Tobacco control policies reinforce a health imperative that positions citizens as duty-bound to manage their health by abstaining from or quitting smoking. Limited attention is paid to the repercussions – especially for lung screening – of anti-smoking rhetoric emphasising individual responsibility. Drawing on interviews with 27 long-term smokers involved in an international lung screening trial, this study analysed Australian smokers’ narratives of smoking. By attending to stigma and the use of public health rhetoric within personal narratives, we show how narratives underscoring individual responsibility for quitting were layered with conflicting explanations of biological responsibility and normative expectations. Ironically, narratives of individual responsibility potentially undermine smoking cessation. In positioning smokers as responsible for their own healthy choices, such rhetoric also positions smokers as responsible for managing their emotional health, which some did through smoking. Thus, anti-smoking campaigns pit the neoliberal imperative of health against the happiness imperative. These findings have implications for the design and delivery of lung screening campaigns. They also support calls to move beyond health messaging emphasising individual choice, towards acknowledging the moral power of structures and public health campaigns to discipline citizens in unintended ways.
Introduction to special issue: The study of populism in international relations
Authors: Löfflmann Georg
Published: June 2022

The rise of nationalist populism, its challenge to representative democracy and the populist impact on the liberal international order have emerged as one of the most significant phenomena in international politics in recent years. This special issue brings together a group of researchers from a wide range of theoretical, disciplinary and epistemological backgrounds, including political science, populism studies, foreign policy analysis and critical security studies, to examine the international dimension of populism and the practical impact of populism on foreign policy and international security. Empirically and conceptually, it presents audiences in political science, international relations and related disciplines with a timely review of the scope of research on populism in international relations. Our specific aim is to explore and evaluate what challenges a populist mobilisation of anti-elitism and anti-globalism presents to both the contemporary study of international politics, and the structure of the international system and key actors within it.
Iterative reweighted atomic norm minimization based two-dimensional multiple-snapshot grid-free compressive beamforming with planar microphone array
Authors: Yang Yang , Chu Zhigang , Wu Guijiao
Published: June 2022

Compressive beamforming with a planar microphone array can effectively estimate the two-dimensional directions-of-arrival and quantify the strengths of acoustic sources. Due to the superiorities of overcoming the basis mismatch issue of the conventional grid-based method and improving the performance of the single-snapshot grid-free method, the multiple-snapshot grid-free method has become the current research focus. Its existing atomic norm minimization (ANM) based strategy blocks high resolution because it cannot work well for sources with a small separation. This paper commits itself to remedying this drawback. After revealing the cause for this drawback, we present an iterative reweighted ANM (IRANM) approach. Both simulations and experiments demonstrate that compared with the ANM-based two-dimensional multiple-snapshot grid-free compressive beamforming, the IRANM-based one enjoys not only the enhanced resolution but also the stronger denoising ability and the higher identification accuracy.
Humour and Comedy in Digital Game Live Streaming
Authors: Johnson Mark R
Published: June 2022

This article considers the nature and functions of humour in digital game live streaming on Twitch. Most streamers and viewers seem uncomfortable with ‘serious’ in-game narrative content, resulting in weighty or emotional moments in games becoming sources of comedy and humour. Many also subvert the platform’s power dynamics by mocking community standards or the possibility of being banned, while some go even further and treat streamers themselves as fair game for mockery. This article thus examines how the humour of play, games and the Internet combine and evolve in an emerging and distinctive ‘stream-humour’, which can be sometimes playful and supportive yet sometimes shade into antagonism, rule-bending and hostility. Examining these dynamics on Twitch, in turn, provides a valuable window into how platform infrastructures and cultures generate norms and cultures of humour and amusement, and strengthens our understanding of online communities and platform power in this and similar contexts.
Networked Islamic counterpublic in China: Digital media and Chinese Muslims during global pandemic of COVID-19
Authors: Wang Jing
Published: June 2022

How do Chinese Muslims have their own voices heard under China’s tightening online censorship amid a global health crisis like COVID-19? Based on 13-month ethnographic fieldwork, this article examines the active participation and creative use of digital media by Chinese Muslims during the pandemic. This study uses multi-sited ethnography (MSE) and digital ethnography to identify major features of networked Islamic counterpublic in China. It shows how Chinese Muslims creatively blend Islamic discourses of hygiene, scientific discourse, official regulations, and global discourses of public health through digital media. It also examines how Chinese Muslims selectively use digital platforms to cultivate Islamic ethics and strengthening global connections to Muslim world both online and offline. Furthermore, this study shows how resilient the networked Islamic counterpublic in China has been in terms of strategically voicing dissent in the shadows of anti-Muslim sentiments and state policies during a major global pandemic of our time.
Trust-oriented affordances: A five-country study of news trustworthiness and its socio-technical articulations
Authors: Aharoni Tali , Tenenboim-Weinblatt Keren , Kligler-Vilenchik Neta , Boczkowski Pablo , Hayashi Kaori , Mitchelstein Eugenia , Villi Mikko
Published: June 2022

Research on trust has come to the forefront of communication studies. Beyond the dominant focus on informational trust and its country-specific articulations, trustworthiness evaluations can relate to the materiality of news and its global manifestations. Especially in digital algorithmic environments, understanding news trustworthiness requires a holistic approach, which combines informational and socio-technical aspects while addressing both institutional and interpersonal trust. Drawing on 488 in-depth interviews with media consumers in Argentina, Finland, Israel, Japan, and the United States, this article investigates news (dis)trust from the lens of socio-materiality. The six trust-oriented affordances we identified—selectivity, interactivity, customization, searchability, information abundance, and immediacy—reveal important socio-technical commonalities that underlie news trust across countries. These affordances, moreover, point to an interplay of trust and self-agency. Taken together, the findings illuminate the lived experience of news trust as manifested across cultures and offer a broader understanding of trustworthiness within current media ecology.
Individual and collective coping with racial discrimination: What drives social media activism among Asian Americans during the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Tao Weiting , Li Jo-Yun , Lee Yeunjae , He Mu
Published: June 2022

What drives racial minorities to partake in social media activism for racial justice? Answers to this question are vital and urgent, particularly in view of growing anti-Asian hate crimes amid the current pandemic. Motivated to address this question, we draw insights from the transactional model of stress and coping, the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS), and social media activism literature. We propose an integrative model that delineates the psychological antecedents and processes leading Asian Americans to cope with racial discrimination and engage in social media activism. Results of an online survey among 400 Asian Americans supported the proposed model, highlighting a perception-motivation-coping-activism effect chain. Our study advances the three bodies of literature—coping, STOPS, and social media activism—in the context of racial discrimination concerning an understudied minority group: Asian Americans. It also renders meaningful insights to organizations, groups, and governments that seek to support this community.
Exergo-economic analysis and optimization of cooled CGAM cycle: A gas turbine based co-generation cycle
Authors: Sahu Mithilesh Kumar , Mishra Shivam , Choudhary Tushar , Sanjay
Published: June 2022

CGAM cycle (A cycle named on contributing researchers C. Frangopoulos, G. Tsatsaronis, A. Valero and M. R. Von Spakovsky) is a well-known thermodynamic cycle in the area of exergoeconomic investigation. The cycle has been investigated by various researchers using different exergo-economic methodologies and optimization techniques. In this work, the CGAM cycle has been modified by incorporating turbine blade cooling. The cycle has been exergo-economically investigated with the help of the ‘Average Cost Theory’ method. The cycle has also been optimized for the minimum total cost with the help of the ‘Generate and Test’ optimization technique. As CGAM cycle has been investigated many times using different methodologies and optimization techniques and all arrived at the same result. In this work, different sets of decision variables have been presented for optimum results, which is the novelty of this work and likely to be of great scientific significance. A 30 MW power plant has been simulated for exergoeconomic investigation and has been optimized for a minimum total cost rate. The results shows that for optimized total cost rate of 0.3542 $/s the optimum operating parameters are rpc = 13.73, T3 = 874.75 K, T4 = 1506.10 K, [Formula: see text] = 85.98% and [Formula: see text] = 87.47% respectively.
Using Journey Mapping to support staff, family members and allies of people with dementia to think and act differently during a care transition: The benefits and limits of care imagination
Authors: Smith Louisa , Phillipson Lyn
Published: June 2022

Research methods are not just for data collection, but can also be engaged in to promote more immediate benefits for participants and to create social change. This paper reports on how journey mapping was used with staff and family members of people with dementia in a residential aged care facility in regional NSW, Australia. The study was conducted in the context of a care transition, where residents, including people with dementia moved from an existing site to another new facility. Care transitions are frequent yet difficult for people with dementia to negotiate, so it was important to predict their nature and understand what might make the move easier. We used an innovative visual method known as ‘journey mapping’ to engage 45 staff and 18 family members to inform supports for 30 people with dementia, who had been identified as needing additional support during the planned transition. The journey mapping process was useful for fostering the caring imagination and encouraging active and creative planning around change for the people with dementia. It also highlighted the entrenched inequalities in the aged care sector, where poorly paid staff wanted to enact broad ranging supports but felt unsupported to do so. In other words, to improving and re-imagining transitional care for people with dementia requires structural and systemic change rather than just localised re-imaginings. [245]
Embedding patient and public involvement in dementia research: Reflections from experiences during the ‘Journeying through Dementia’ randomised controlled trial
Authors: Beresford-Dent Jules , Sprange Kirsty , Mountain Gail , Mason Clare , Wright Jessica , Craig Claire , Birt Linda
Published: June 2022

Background

The involvement of people with a diagnosis of dementia in patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in research is an emerging field in the delivery of studies. Researchers need to understand and use the learning derived from various projects so that this growing body of knowledge can be applied in future research.

Objective

To embed PPIE throughout a randomised controlled trial of a psychosocial intervention called Journeying through Dementia. We identify and discuss the approaches to involvement that worked well and those where improvements were indicated.

Design

The Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public Short Form (GRIPP2-SF) is used to describe and critically appraise the approaches taken and the impact of PPIE involvement upon study processes, the study team and those people with dementia and their supporters who acted as advisors.

Findings

The involvement of people with a diagnosis of dementia and supporters as study advisors improved the accessibility and relevance of the research for people living with dementia. It also highlighted issues that researchers may have otherwise overlooked. Successful engagement of people with dementia and their supporters in the study was associated with staff skills and particularly use of techniques to scaffold meaningful involvement, as well as participants’ memory and cognitive capacity. However, embedding robust and meaningful involvement processes required significant time and resources.

Discussion

We propose that certain research processes need to be adapted to be accessible and appropriate for people living with dementia. Recruitment of PPIE advisors needs to reflect population diversity. There also needs to be greater parity of voice between people with lived experience of dementia and researchers. These steps will increase the impact of PPIE in research and improve the experience for those who volunteer to be PPIE advisors.
Challenges and Opportunities to Recruiting and Engaging with Gay Male Latino Sexual Assault Survivors
Authors: López Daniel Jacobson , García Antonio , Engel Rafael , Jackson John L.
Published: June 2022

There is a paucity of empirical literature examining the experiences of gay Latino sexual assault survivors in the United States, due in part because there is little research focused on how to effectively recruit and engage Latino sexual assault survivors as participants in the research process. While researchers have utilized various recruitment methods to engage with gay Latino men, they have not focused specifically on sexual assault survivors. To address this gap, this study examined effective strategies for recruiting and engaging with gay Latino sexual assault survivors. Various recruitment methods were used, and social media-based recruitment methods proved to be the most effective. Researchers need to develop rapport and trust during the screening interview and avoid the risk of re-traumatization.
Melatonin Reduces Apoptosis Resistance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Inhibiting BMAL1
Authors: Wang Anqi , Zhou Bei , Zhu Yue , Tan Chaisheng , Xu Jing , Cui Jie , Zhang Li , Sun Guoping
Published: June 2022

Purpose:

This study aimed to explore the role and molecular mechanism of brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the effect of melatonin on BMAL1 expression and apoptosis of HCC cells.

Methods:

We mainly used immunohistochemistry, western blot, cck-8 assays, flow cytometry, wound-healing assay, transwell assay, and RT-qPCR for this research.

Results:

The expression of BMAL1 protein was frequently up-regulated in the tissues and cell lines of HCC patients. Its high expression was significantly associated with tumor size, tumor differentiation degree, and shorter survival. In addition, cell functional experiments showed that BMAL1 could promote proliferation and migration, and inhibit apoptosis in HCC cell lines. Furthermore, the expression of BMAL1 was related to the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) level. Knockdown of BMAL1 could inhibit the expression of ERS-related protein, while overexpression of BMAL1 led to the increase of ERS-related protein’s level. Low concentration of ERS led to the increase of BMAL1, and a certain degree of ERS in turn inhibited the expression of BMAL1. Melatonin promoted apoptosis of hepatoma cells by inhibiting the expression of BMAL1.

Conclusion:

BMAL1 plays a key role in HCC patients’ survival and tumor growth, which may be related to its interaction with ERS-related pathways. Melatonin can regulate ERS-related apoptosis resistance by inhibiting BMAL1 expression, promoting apoptosis of HCC cells.
Process analysis and outlook for the development of a new weft yarn inlay system for warp knitting
Authors: Mutschler Thomas , Weber Marcus O , Bueno Marie-Ange
Published: June 2022

The technology of warp knitting is one of the more recently developed processes in knitting technology. Complex machine technology and highly productive machines characterize the process. This principle allows obtaining fabrics with various characteristics and for various applications. It is possible to insert straight weft yarns in the textile structure. The weft yarn can be inserted either over the entire width of the textile surface, that is, full wefts, or only over a specific area of the textile, that is, partial wefts. However, weft insertion is the limiting factor in respect of process speed, even if different methods for traversing yarn positioning in the textile industry with the potential to increase the weft insertion speed had been introduced. This paper aims to analyze the inlay yarn condition in respect of yarn tension and yarn speed during the cyclical process of the state-of-the-magazine inlay yarn insertion system and, based on these findings to propose a solution to increase the laying velocity by developing a new method. The approach used is to reduce the vibration induced by the reciprocating movement of the guide bar during inlay operation by using a continuous movement of the mobile elements. This will allow in the future increasing the production velocity, to reduce the stress on the inlay yarn due to acceleration and deceleration.
Acute Thumb Reconstruction With Medial Femoral Condyle and Radial Forearm Free Flaps: A Case Report
Authors: Golin Andrew P. , Zhang Zach , Ratanshi Imran , McInnes Colin W.
Published: June 2022

Traumatic thumb injuries often result in significant functional disability. With segmental bone loss, reconstructive options include antibiotic cement with delayed bone graft, revision amputation with webspace deepening, metacarpal distraction osteogenesis, index pollicization, bone flap, and free toe transfer. We present a case of a subtotal thumb amputation just distal to the metacarpal phalangeal joint resulting in loss of both soft tissue and a segmental bone defect of the proximal and distal phalanx. Reconstruction was initially performed with a chimeric bone free flap from the medial femoral condyle with a vastus medialis muscle cuff to provide soft tissue coverage. A revision soft tissue coverage procedure was required and a radial forearm free flap was utilized. His reconstruction restored his missing bone and soft tissue, and provided stability with sufficient grip strength and metacarpophalangeal function resulting in a satisfactory functional outcome.
Medicare Reimbursement in Hand and Upper Extremity Procedures: A 20-Year Analysis
Authors: Weiss Samantha N. , Gilbert Grace V. , Gentile Pietro , Gaughan John P. , Miskiel Sandra , Pagliaro Andre , Ramirez Rey , Fuller David A.
Published: June 2022

Purpose:

Concern exists that Medicare physician fees for procedures have decreased over the past 20 years. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is set to re-evaluate these physician fees in the near future for concern that these procedures are overvalued. Our study sought to analyze trends in Medicare reimbursement rates from 2000 to 2019 for the top 20 most billed hand and upper extremity surgical procedures at our institution.

Methods:

The financial database of a single academic tertiary care center was queried to identify the Current Procedural Terminology codes most frequently utilized in orthopedic hand and upper extremity procedures in 2019. The Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool from the CMS was queried for annual physician fee data. Monetary data were adjusted for inflation using the consumer price index of Urban Research Series (CPI-U-RS) and expressed in 2019 constant US dollars (USD). The average annual and total percent change in reimbursement were calculated via linear regression for all procedures ( P < .05).

Results:

Accounting for inflation, the total average physician reimbursement decreased by 20.9% from 2000 to 2019, with 12 of 20 codes decreasing by more than 20%. The greatest decrease pertained to arthrodesis of the wrist at 33.9%. Upon linear regression, all procedures were found to decrease annually, with arthrodesis of the wrist decreasing by an average of 2.3% annually over this period.

Conclusions:

Over the past 2 decades, physician reimbursement for hand and upper extremity procedures has significantly decreased.
The Protective Effects and Mechanism of Doxepin on Radiation–Induced Lung Injury in Rats
Authors: Wan Xinlong , Shi Xuan , Li Mengke , Chen Qing , Xue Chang , Li Guanghui , Huang Yeke , Yang Jingwen , Chen Chan , Wang Zhiyi , Ma Shumei , Liu Xiaodong
Published: June 2022

Radiation-induced lung injuries (RILI) is one of the serious complications of radiotherapy posed by the damage of alveolar cells and inflammation over-reaction. We aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of doxepin on RILI (20 Gy total dose at 3 Gy/min of X-ray irradiation), as well as its underlying mechanism. For animal experiments, such parameters as Immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, WBC (white blood cell), CRP (C-reactive protein), Western blot, and q-PCR were detected. The results indicated that both survival status and weight increase of irradiated rats treated by doxepin (3 mg/kg/day, rat) were higher than those of treated with irradiation alone (Dosing started the day before irradiation). Further, histological examinations showed doxepin could tenuate the radiation injury, as indicated as alveolar inflammatory exudation and there was only mild interstitial inflammation infiltration. Western blotting and q-PCR showed that expression of NF-κβ in X group were higher than that in XMD group. For the first time, we reported doxepin functioned as a radioprotectant candidate, which provide a promising application of doxepin for protecting radiotherapy injuries.
Evaluation of the effect of using online database to enhance students’ learning of occupational therapy theories in occupational therapy education
Authors: Chien Chi-Wen , Mo Chloe , Lin Chung-Ying , Chan Wing Hei , Chan Cheuk Wing , Tang Wai Hin , Siu Chun Pong , Yip Hang Shuen
Published: June 2022

Background

Learning about occupational therapy theories is crucial to occupational therapy education, and an online database is developed to facilitate students’ learning of occupational therapy theories in this study.

Aim

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of this database on users’ experiences.

Methods

A mixed-method approach, including surveys and focus groups, was used. First- and third-year students who had studied occupational therapy theory at a university participated in this study.

Results

One-hundred-and-twenty students completed the surveys, and 11 students participated in the focus groups. The students demonstrated a significant increase in the number of theories they named and their perceived understanding of theories after the semester. They rated the content, utility and satisfaction with the database in facilitating their understanding/learning of theories as moderate-good. Based on qualitative data, it appeared that the database provided specific information about occupational therapy theories and facilitated students’ learning and level of interest in learning about them. However, the first-year students who accessed the database showed a significantly decreased level of interest in learning about theories, but such the decrease was not found in the third-year students.

Conclusion

The study findings suggest that the use of an online database may enhance students' learning about occupational therapy theories in educational settings.
My Voters Should See This! What News Items Are Shared by Politicians on Facebook?
Authors: Heidenreich Tobias , Eberl Jakob-Moritz , Tolochko Petro , Lind Fabienne , Boomgaarden Hajo G.
Published: June 2022

Political actors play an increasingly important role in the dissemination of political information on social media. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms why specific news items are shared with the support base instead of others. For a timespan between December 2017 and the end of 2018, we combine the analysis of Facebook content from 1,022 politicians associated with 20 political parties from Germany, Spain, and the UK, with an automated content analysis of media coverage from 22 major online news outlets, and survey data in a multilevel binomial regression approach. By comparing news items that have been shared by one or several political parties with news items that have not been shared by any of them, we overcome the selection biases of previous studies in the field of news dissemination. Findings show that a news item's likelihood to be shared by a politician increases (1) if that politician's party is mentioned in the news item, (2) the more salient their party's owned issues are in the news item, and (3) the more party supporters tend to read the news outlet in which the news item is published. We contextualize these findings in light of political actors’ multi-faceted motivations for news sharing on social media and discuss how this process potentially reinforces an information bias that may contribute to the polarization and fragmentation of audiences.
Exploring the barriers to pregnant women’s engagement in the childbirth process from Iranian midwives’ point of view: A qualitative study
Authors: Bayrami Roghieh , Baghaei Rahim
Published: June 2022

Purpose:

Pregnant women’s engagement in the childbirth process increases their satisfaction with childbirth, and in turn leads to a reduction in the frequency of cesarean sections and adverse pregnancy consequences. This study aimed to explore the barriers to pregnant women’s engagement in the childbirth process based on midwives' perspective.

Methods:

This qualitative study was conducted on 24 midwives working in Urmia hospitals in 2019. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth individual interviews with the midwives. The participants were selected through purposeful sampling. Data analysis was performed using conventional content analysis with MAXQDA 10.

Results:

Analysis of the data resulted in two main categories “weakness of pregnant women’s participatory culture” (negative attitude of healthcare staff towards pregnant women’s engagement, ineffective relationships, insufficient engagement in respectful care, lack of pregnant women’s awareness of their rights and low health literacy of the pregnant women, and “managerial factors” (neglect of physiological childbirth aspects and hospital rules).

Conclusion:

Pregnant women’s participation in childbirth can be enhanced by promoting pregnant women’s participatory culture by making mothers aware of their rights and providing in-service training for healthcare staff to observe the rights and dignity of pregnant women. Moreover, the promotion of physiological childbirth and the correction of hospital rules can promote pregnant women’s engagement in childbirth.
Fat-to-lean mass ratio as a new anthropometric indicator in predicting metabolic syndrome among Malay adolescents in Terengganu, Malaysia
Authors: Lim Jing Ying , Wee Bee Suan , Mohamad Marhazlina , Mhd Jalil Abbe Maleyki , Shahril Mohd Razif , Lua Pei Lin
Published: June 2022

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined as a cluster of risk factors for predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

Objectives

This cross-sectional study aimed to develop a cut-off value for fat versus lean mass ratio (FLMR) in predicting MetS and to investigate the association between this indicator with MetS and its components.

Methods

Subjects comprised 238 Malay adolescents (79% female) aged 18–19 years old. Anthropometric assessment comprised weight, height and waist circumference (WC). Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis techniques while blood pressure was measured using a blood pressure monitor. Fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol , triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were determined from an overnight fasting blood sample. MetS was determined based on International Diabetes Federation (2007) definition for adolescents aged 16-year-old and above.

Results

The prevalence of MetS was 2.1%. Receiver Operating Characteristics curve analysis revealed that the optimal cut-off value for FLMR was 0.441 with an Area Under the Curve of 0.874 (95% CI: 0.825, 0.913); with sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 71.0%. FLMR cut-off of 0.441 was associated with high WC ( p < .001), low HDL-c ( p < .001) and MetS ( p < .05). Binary Logistic Regression analysis revealed that adolescents with high WC, low HDL-c and MetS had higher odds of developing increased FLMR than the cut-off value with an odds ratio (OR) of 43.4 (95% CI: 9.7,193.9), 4.7 (95% CI: 2.3,9.8) and 13.3 (95% CI: 1.5,121.2), respectively.

Conclusion

FLMR possesses fair discriminatory ability in identifying MetS among adolescents and significant association exists between FLMR and MetS and some of its components.
Use of vasopressin in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn: A case series
Authors: Joshi Swosti , Quinones Cardona Vilmaris , Menkiti Ogechukwu R
Published: June 2022

Treatment of neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn includes optimization of ventilatory support, use of pulmonary vasodilators, and/or inotropic support. If refractory to this management, some may require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We describe a case series of 10 neonates with refractory persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn treated with vasopressin in a single tertiary center. Mean initiation time of vasopressin was at 30 h of life with a dose ranging from 10 to 85 milliunits/kg/h. Oxygenation index decreased after 12 h of vasopressin exposure (25 to 11) and mean arterial pressure improved after 1 h (45 to 58 mm Hg). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was averted in 50% of the cases with transient hyponatremia as the only notable side effect. Although our findings are exploratory and further research is needed to establish safety and efficacy, our experience suggests that vasopressin may have rescue properties in the management of refractory persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn.
Overcoming barriers for women entering the urology workforce in the United Kingdom
Authors: Khan-Ruf Sarah , Warren Hannah , DhaRocca Lizzie , Ahmed Kamran
Published: June 2022

Background:

Urology has considerable gender disparity with just 10.3% of UK consultant posts held by women and lower than the 13.2% average across all surgical specialties. Medicine is no longer a male-dominated vocation, with women making up the majority of medical graduates for almost 30 years. To recruit the highest calibre doctors, urology needs to appeal and be accessible to all talented individuals.

Objective:

In this paper we explore barriers to workforce diversity and propose solutions to the current problems.

Methods:

A literature review was conducted and authors’ opinions explored.

Results:

Reasons for women avoiding a career in urology include perceptions of urology as a ‘male’ specialty, lack of female role models, less mentoring and sponsorship of female medical students and trainees, and the use of derogatory and devaluing language. We suggest solutions to overcome these barriers for the benefit of profession.

Conclusions:

While there is a way to go to reach gender parity, there are reasons to be optimistic. We propose to see more women supported through mentoring programmes, more female representation on panels and in leadership positions to raise the profile of women in urology. We need to create a workplace culture and flexible working patterns that encourages all genders to excel.
Looking into Sarah's Eyes: The Meaning of מְצַחֵק in Genesis 21.9
Authors: Onwukwe Vincent Chukwuma
Published: June 2022

Ambiguity surrounds the use of the term מְצַחֵק in Gen 21.9, where it is traditionally rendered “playing,” “laughing,” or “mocking.” The verb is used in the piel participle form, without any direct or indirect object. Meanwhile, the LXX’s παίζοντα μετὰ Ισαακ suggests that Ishmael was playing with Isaac, a connotation which is not evident in the MT, but which many scholars endorse. The LXX’s widely accepted rendering obscures the point of the verse; it does not portray the wordplay on the term צחק which is central in Gen 17, 18, and 21. Against this background, through a linguistic analysis of important key terms like מְצַחֵק and וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה, my aim is to demonstrate that the best approach to the translation and interpretation of מְצַחֵק in Gen 21.9 is not to disambiguate the term, but to interpret it as a narrative device which the narrator used to express the motif of separation.