bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic properties of sodium trititanate (Na2Ti3O7) at high temperature (298.15‐1403 K)
Authors: Yang Lilian , Hou Youling , Pei Guishang , Xin Yuntao , Lv Xuewei
Published: March 2021

Sodium‐ion batteries (NaIBs) have attracted extraordinary attentions as a promising scalable energy storage alternative to current lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), owing to their natural abundance and low costs. Sodium trititanate (Na2Ti3O7) is a promising material as the material of NaIBs with low potential and high theoretical capacitance. In order to better understand their service performance when utilized in rechargeable NaIBs, studies on thermodynamic properties of Na2Ti3O7 are indispensable. However, an extensive literature review revealed that the heat capacity of Na2Ti3O7 is established with divergences, especially for high‐temperature region. Therefore, the 99.5% purity of Na2Ti3O7 powder was first Synthesized through solid‐state reaction with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) as raw materials. The as‐prepared samples were used to measure the heat capacity from 573 to 1323 K which was carried out with multihigh temperature calorimeter (MHTC) 96 line. The temperature dependence of heat capacity was modeled as a function: Cp =255.51073 + 0.06059 T − 3.86912 × 106 T−2 (J mol−1 K−1) (298.15 ‐ 1403 K), and then used for computing changes in enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy. Heat capacity of Na2Ti3O7 from 0 to 1403 K was given for future application of Na2Ti3O7 in rechargeable batteries.
Service user involvement in a secure setting before and after the implementation of recovery‐oriented practice: A quasi‐experimental study
Authors: Hauso Grethe Elly Ytreland , Alsaker Kjersti , Senneseth Mette
Published: March 2021

Aim

To measure change in service user involvement in secure mental health units, before and after the implementation of recovery‐oriented practice.

Design

Quasi‐experimental study pretest–posttest design with non‐equivalent comparison groups.

Methods

Data were collected from May 2018 to December 2019 in four medium‐/high‐security units in Norway. Two intervention units that implemented recovery‐oriented practice were compared with two comparison units that did not. Data were obtained using anonymous questionnaires at baseline and at 6‐month follow‐up. For intervention units, data were also obtained at a 12‐month follow‐up to measure sustainability of improvements over time. Twenty inpatients (‘patients’; intervention group: 10, comparison group: 10) and 141 members of frontline staff (‘service providers’; intervention group: 92, comparison group: 49) participated at baseline. Mann–Whitney U‐tests and independent sample t‐tests were applied at the group‐level to analyse changes in mean scores in groups.

Results

Among patients in the intervention units, findings indicated no improvements after 6 months, but significant improvements after 12 months in terms of patients’ opportunities to participate in formulating their individual care plans, to influence decision‐making about therapy and to receive information about complaint procedures. Opportunities to participate in discussions about medication and treatment regimens did not improve. After 6 months, service providers in the intervention units reported an increase in democratic patient involvement, patient collaboration and management support, but not in carer involvement and assisted patient involvement. The improvements in democratic patient involvement and management support were sustained over time. No changes were found in the comparison groups.

Conclusion

The patients and the service providers reported a higher degree of service user involvement after implementing recovery‐oriented practice. Specific work is needed to ensure patients’ involvement in all domains.

Impact

The findings are encouraging with respect to the potential to increase empowerment in a restricted setting through the implementation of recovery‐oriented practice.
Revealing serum lipidomic characteristics and potential lipid biomarkers in patients with POEMS syndrome
Authors: Zhao Hao , Gao Xue‐min , Cao Xin‐xin , Zhang Lu , Zhou Dao‐bin , Li Jian
Published: March 2021

POEMS syndrome is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia with distinct lipid metabolism abnormalities at disease onset. However, the serum lipidomic characteristics in patients with POEMS syndrome were not investigated. The study performed an untargeted lipidome screening by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LS‐MS/MS) in the pre‐ and post‐treatment serum of 24 patients with POEMS syndrome, together with the serum of 24 paired healthy controls. Patients with POEMS syndrome had a distinct serum lipid composition compared with healthy controls, and a 3‐lipid model had a predictive accuracy of 93.5% in distinguishing patients and healthy controls consisting of fatty acyl 17‐oxo‐20Z‐hexacosenoic acid, phosphatidylcholine(16:0/18:1(9Z)) and sterol lipid 5b‐pregnanediol. Four lipids including 17‐oxo‐20Z‐hexacosenoic acid (r = 0.423, P = .040) were correlated with risk stratification, and 2 lipids including Cer(d18:0/13:0) were inversely related to serum vascular endothelial growth factor level (r=−0.465, P = .022). Eleven lipids were related to disease activity, including arachidonic acid which was inversely related and lysoPC(20:4) which was positively related. The study indicated a distinct lipid characteristic profile of patients with POEMS syndrome different from healthy controls and identified several lipids that may serve as potential diagnostic markers and monitors of therapeutic efficacy, as well as indicating potential metabolism pathways involved in the pathological process.
Competency‐based training in the supervision of relational telemental supervision
Authors: Springer Paul R. , Bischoff Richard J. , Taylor Nathan C. , Neuhaus Vanessa , Leow Cassandra
Published: March 2021

Supervision has long been considered essential to developing effective mental health practice, especially among COAMFTE accredited training programs. But with telemental health rapidly being accepted as a standard treatment medium for couple and family therapy, there is little guidance about how to supervise clinicians who are engaged in telemental health practice. This paper presents an important step toward increasing the effectiveness of the supervision of therapists who are delivering relational therapies online through the identification of relational competencies unique to this delivery medium. These competencies have been adopted and integrated into a COAMFTE accredited master's degree program that has been providing training in telemental health since 2008. The competencies are described, and supervision strategies that can be utilized and developmentally assessed throughout the program will be detailed.
Illness perceptions of Israeli hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Ganz Freda DeKeyser , Raanan Ofra , Shafir Gennady , Levy Dassy , Klempfner Robert , Beigel Roy , Iakobishvili Zaza
Published: March 2021

Background

Illness perceptions (IPs) can affect cardiac health behaviours and outcomes.

Aims and objectives

To investigate IPs among patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Design

Longitudinal survey.

Methods

The ACS Israel Study is a national, biennial registry, enrolling all patients with ACS admitted to cardiac intensive care or cardiology wards in Israel within a 2‐month period. Data includes demographics, medical history, and treatment for ACS using an electronic database. In 2018, a nursing component was added, including the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a two‐stage cluster analysis.

Results

A total of 990 subjects were surveyed. Mean age was 62.8 (SD = 12.5) and most respondents were male and married. Mean IP scores ranged from 3.28 to 6.06. Three clusters were found; one only of women and two only of men (one cluster with lower IPs and little previous medical history and cardiac risk factors and the second with higher IPs, greater medical history, and cardiac risk factors. Those with higher education scored lower on several IPs.

Conclusions

Subjects were moderately cognitively and emotionally impacted by their illness. Men tended to perceive their illness as having either a relatively strong or a relatively weak emotional and cognitive impact on their lives, where women were somewhere in‐between. Participants with an academic education perceived less of an impact of the illness while those with a previous history of chronic disease reported the opposite. It is recommended that educational interventions and in‐depth qualitative studies be designed that investigate the development of IPs during hospitalization to potentially improve cardiac health behaviours, especially among those without a previous medical history and cardiac risk factors.

Relevance to clinical practice

Those without a history of chronic disease or a lower level of education are less likely to absorb the full impact of a cardiac event while hospitalized and should, therefore, be monitored more closely and coached with greater intensity than other groups while still in‐hospital.
Emergency percutaneous coronary intervention and stent implantation: Patients' lived experiences
Authors: Simeone Silvio , Vellone Ercole , Pucciarelli Gianluca , Alvaro Rosaria
Published: March 2021

Background

Given that emergency procedures must be performed immediately and without the possibility of sufficiently informing and preparing a patient, the lived experiences of patients who undergo emergency procedures and those who undergo elective procedures may well differ. Elucidating the lived experiences of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation in an emergency situation is crucial because such knowledge might prove helpful in tailoring post‐procedure interventions intended to improve the lives of PCI patients.

Aim

To describe the experiences of patients 1 month after they underwent emergency PCI with coronary stent implantation.

Methods

Cohen's phenomenology was applied in this study. This method combines the characteristics of descriptive (Husserlian) phenomenology with those of interpretative (Gadmerian) phenomenology, and it is by nature an inductive approach. The participants were enrolled 1 month after undergoing PCI with coronary stent implantation. They were interviewed using open‐ended questions to provide them full freedom of expression. They were asked to describe their experiences of the PCI and stent implementation they have gone through. This study followed the recommendations of the Standard for Reporting Qualitative Research.

Results

Our sample consisted of 15 participants. Data analysis revealed three main themes: (1) catheter lab and pain, (2) anxiety and feeling uncertain about the future, and (3) lifestyle changes. The anxiety theme encompassed two subthemes: (a) anxiety related to the procedure and (b) anxiety related to the continuation of life.

Conclusion

Our study is one of the first works to explicitly investigate the lived experiences of patients who underwent emergency PCI. Understanding the experiences of these patients is key in understanding their realistic needs and concerns.

Relevance to clinical practice

Knowledge of the lived experiences of patients who underwent emergency PCI with coronary stent implantation is fundamental in identifying aspects that warrant tailored interventions.
Abiotic stress through time
Authors: Markham Kathleen K. , Greenham Kathleen
Published: March 2021

Throughout plant evolution the circadian clock has expanded into a complex signaling network, coordinating physiological and metabolic processes with the environment. Early land plants faced new environmental pressures that required energy‐demanding stress responses. Integrating abiotic stress response into the circadian system provides control over daily energy expenditure. Here, we describe the evolution of the circadian clock in plants and the limited, yet compelling, evidence for conserved regulation of abiotic stress. The need to introduce abiotic stress tolerance into current crops has expanded research into wild accessions and revealed extensive variation in circadian clock parameters across monocot and eudicot species. We argue that research into the ancestral links between the clock and abiotic stress will benefit crop improvement efforts.
Physiological response of Populus nigra ‘Italica’ to galling aphids feeding
Authors: Kmieć K. , Kot I.
Published: March 2021

Although gall‐inducing aphids, namely Pemphigus bursarius (L.) and P. phenax Börner et Blunck, are widely known as serious pests for their secondary hosts (lettuce and carrot, respectively), the physiological mechanism of their gall induction on Populus L. trees still requires a better understanding.

In this study, we compared physiological parameters, i.e. H2O2, electrolyte leakage (EL), MDA, APX and GPOD. Changes in physiological parameters were analysed in foliar tissues with galls and in the gall tissues themselves and compared to leaves without galls.

Significantly higher H2O2 levels were observed in P. phenax galls when compared to leaves with galls. In turn, the highest EL of cells and MDA content was in P. bursarius galls. Other samples had lower or similar oxidative stress marker levels to leaves without galls. APX and GPOD had similar activity profiles in galls of both aphid species. Their activity decreased significantly in gall tissues, where it was even ten‐fold lower than in leaves without galls.

Data generated in this study indicate that patterns of the physiological features, e.g. ROS accumulation and cell membrane integrity, of Populus leaves with galls and galls alone depends on the gall‐inducing aphid species. Where decreased APX and GPOD activity, especially in gall tissues, indicated a reduction in the antioxidant potential of these neoformed structures.
Genetic improvement technologies to support the sustainable growth of UK aquaculture
Authors: Regan Tim , Bean Tim P. , Ellis Tim , Davie Andrew , Carboni Stefano , Migaud Herve , Houston Ross D.
Published: March 2021

While the UK is the fourth largest aquaculture producer in Europe by volume, it is the second largest by value with an annual first sale value of around £1 billion. Over 90% of this value is from Atlantic salmon farmed in Scotland, but other finfish and shellfish aquaculture species are important to several UK regions. In this review, we describe the state of the art in UK aquaculture breeding and stock supply, and how innovation in genetics technologies can help achieve the Scottish Government’s ambitious target of doubling its aquaculture industry by 2030. Particular attention is given to the four most important UK aquaculture species: Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, blue mussel and Pacific oyster, and we contrast the highly variable level of selective breeding and genomics technologies used in these sectors. A major factor in the success of Atlantic salmon farming has been large‐scale investment in modern breeding programmes, including family selection programmes and genomic selection. This has proven cost‐effective at scale, leading to improved production efficiency and reduction of some infectious diseases. We discuss the feasibility of applying similar technologies to the UK shellfish sectors, to ensure consistent and robust spat supply and begin trait selection. Furthermore, we discuss species‐specific application of modern breeding technologies in a global context, and the future potential of genomics and genome editing technologies to improve commercially desirable traits. Increased adoption of modern breeding technologies will assist UK aquaculture industries to meet the challenges for sustainable expansion, and remain competitive in a global market.
Correlates of perceived caring behaviour of formal caregivers in long‐term care facilities: A cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Hwang Huei‐Lih , Tu Chin‐Tang , Kuo Tian‐Yuan
Published: March 2021

Background

Researchers have identified several factors that correlate with the caring behaviours of formal caregivers in long‐term care facilities (LTCFs). However, a limited range of socio‐demographic factors has been discussed, and no studies have discussed the combined effects of the institutional characteristics of the LTCF and the personal characteristics (i.e. bio‐psycho‐socio‐spiritual attributes) of the formal caregiver on the caring behaviour.

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine caring behaviours of formal caregivers for older residents of LTCFs and to explore factors that explain and predict the caring behaviours of them.

Methods

A valid sample of 224 formal caregivers (nurses and nurse aids) employed at 56 LTCFs (21 nursing homes and 35 assisted living facilities) was analysed. Hierarchical regression analysis with two‐tailed significance test was used to investigate whether the caring behaviours of the caregivers were independently associated with the characteristics of the caregivers or the institutions.

Findings

Caring behaviours of the formal caregivers had significant positive associations with their job satisfaction (β = 0.152, p < 0.05) and with their perceived satisfaction of LTCF residents (β  = 0.214, p < 0.001).The organisational‐level analysis revealed that caring behaviours had positive associations with accreditation level (β = 0.163, p < 0.01) and with nurse‐aid staffing level (β = 0.126, p < 0.05). Additionally, the caring behaviour had positive associations with their attitude towards older adults (β  = 0.193, p < 0.01) and with their self‐transcendence (β  = 0.184, p < 0.01). These two factors explained 42.2% of the variance in the caring behaviours of caregivers.

Conclusion and implications

Caring behaviours were related to both personal characteristics (attributes, mindset) and organisational characteristics. By clarifying factors in the caring behaviours of caregivers, this study provides information that LTCFs can use to develop strategies for managing their caregivers and that policymakers can use to establish and implement healthcare policies for older populations.
Caesarean section rate in Nigeria between 2013 and 2018 by obstetric risk and socio‐economic status
Authors: Berglundh Sofia , Benova Lenka , Olisaekee Gladys , Hanson Claudia
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Caesarean section (CS) can be life‐saving for both mother and child, but in Nigeria the CS rate remains low, at 2.7% of births. We aimed to estimate the rate of CS and early neonatal mortality in Nigeria according to obstetric risk and socio‐economic background and to identify factors associated with CS.

Methods

We used the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, encompassing 33 924 live births within the last 5 years, to estimate the CS rate and early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR) by obstetric risk group, informed by the Robson classification. The CS rate and ENMR were assessed within each Robson group and stratified by socio‐economic background. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore determinants of CS.

Results

Almost three‐quarters (72.4%) of all births were to multiparous women, with a singleton baby of normal birthweight, thus a low‐risk group similar to Robson 3, and with a CS rate of 1.0%. CS rates in the two high‐risk groups (multiple pregnancy and preterm/low birthweight) were low, 7.1% (95% CI: 5.2–9.7) and 1.8 % (95% CI: 1.4–2.4), respectively. The ENMR was particularly high for multiple pregnancy (175 per 1000 live births; 95% CI: 131–230). Greater number of antenatal visits, unwanted pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, household wealth, maternal education, Christians/Others versus Muslims and referral during childbirth were positively associated with CS.

Conclusion

Inequitable access to CS is not limited to socio‐economic determinants, but also related to obstetric risk factors, calling for increased efforts to improve access to CS for high‐risk pregnancies.
The impact of temporary deferrals on future blood donation behavior across the donor life cycle
Authors: Clement Michel , Shehu Edlira , Chandler Torsten
Published: March 2021

Background

Donor retention is essential for blood banks because acquiring new donors is more expensive than retaining existing ones. Previous studies show that the temporary deferral of donors negatively impacts future donation likelihood. In this study, we analyze the impact of temporary deferrals on future donation behavior while correcting for potential endogeneity, depending on the level of donor experience and number of previous deferrals.

Study Design and Method

We use data from more than 123,000 whole blood donors of the Austrian Red Cross over a period of 5.5 years. We estimate logit models to analyze how a deferral affects future donation behavior while controlling for potential selection biases because donors are not deferred randomly. We control for gender, blood type, years since first donation, and number of previous donations and deferrals. We analyze the direct deferral effect, its interaction with donor experience, and the number of previous deferrals.

Results

Our results confirm that temporary deferrals hurt future donation behavior. This effect varies with donor experience and the number of previous deferrals. The effect is weaker with a higher number of previous donations and is stronger with a higher number of previous deferrals. The results suggest that donors learn to cope with deferrals the more they donate. However, the negative effect of deferrals amplifies over time, and each additional deferral decreases donation likelihood.

Conclusion

Blood banks that seek to overcome the negative effect of deferrals should be aware that this effect varies with donor experience and with the number of previous deferrals. Our results suggest that blood banks should focus on early‐stage donors who are deferred because the negative deferral effect is stronger for more experienced donors. At the same time, blood banks should be careful with donor groups who have experienced deferrals in the past because every additional deferral demotivates future donation behavior. Overall, researchers should be careful to correct for endogeneity because our results suggest that ignoring these effects could lead to substantial underestimation of the negative deferral effect.
Evaluation and classification of water quality of glacier‐fed channels using supervised learning and water quality index
Authors: Ahmed Muhammad Farooq , Waqas Umer , Khan Muhammad Saleem , Rashid Hafiz Muhammad Awais , Saqib Shahab
Published: March 2021

In this study, a series of laboratory tests were performed on 25 water samples obtained from the high‐altitude glacier‐fed water resources of Gilgit‐Baltistan Pakistan. The variations in the measured physico‐chemical parameters were found as follows: conductivity 62–989 (µS/cm), turbidity 0.94–10.86 (NTU), pH 6–8.4, TDS 40–830 (mg/L), hardness 30–305 (mg/L), Ca2+ 35–135 (mg/L), K+ 2–12.2 (mg/L), Mg2+ 0–17.9 (mg/L), Na+ 2–27.6 (mg/L), Zn2+ 0–3.5 (mg/L), Cu2+ 0.27–3.51 (mg/L), Cl− 25–162 (mg/L), SO42− 0–83 (mg/L), NO3− 0–0.94 (mg/L), and HCO3− 15–327 (mg/L). The ion charge balance error was found within the range of ±10% with a mean value of 5.36%. The Gibbs plot and ionic ratios showed that the rock‐weathering, especially carbonate dissolution, was the major hydrogeochemical process that influenced water chemistry. The water samples were classified as excellent (56%), good (40%), and medium (4%) quality based on the entropy water quality index (EWQI). The specificity and sensitivity of the discriminant model were found 100% and 90% respectively with a model‐hit‐ratio of 95.8% which satisfied this analysis.
Salmonella spp. prevalence and antimicrobial resistance in broiler chicken and turkey flocks in Canada from 2013 to 2018
Authors: Caffrey Niamh , Agunos Agnes , Gow Sheryl , Liljebjelke Karen , Mainali Chunu , Checkley Sylvia L.
Published: March 2021

Salmonella infections are a major human health concern. In the elderly and immunocompromised, infections can be life‐threatening and may require antibiotic therapy. Where antibiotic therapy is required, antimicrobials of choice include fluoroquinolones and extended‐spectrum cephalosporins (ESC). The aim of this study is to utilize data from the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) to compare the prevalence of Salmonella serovars between broiler chicken and turkey flocks across Canada, and to gain an understanding of the prevalence of resistance to antimicrobials categorized as important to human health. There were 1,596 Salmonella isolates obtained from 514 broiler chicken flocks, and 659 Salmonella isolates obtained from 217 turkey flocks (2013–2018). All isolates were obtained from pooled faecal samples. Among broiler chicken flocks, the top three serovars were Kentucky (n = 573, 36%), Enteritidis (n = 314, 20%) and Heidelberg (n = 127, 8%). Resistance to ceftriaxone among Salmonella ser. Kentucky decreased from 27% in 2013 to 22% in 2018. There was no resistance among Salmonella ser. Enteritidis reported until 2018 when one isolate from British Columbia was resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphisoxazole and tetracycline. Salmonella ser. Heidelberg resistance to ceftriaxone decreased from 19% in 2013 to 14% in 2018. Among turkey flocks the top three serovars were Uganda (n = 109, 16.5%), Hadar (n = 85, 12%) and Muenchen (n = 66, 10%). No isolates of Salmonella ser. Uganda or Salmonella ser. Muenchen were resistant to any β‐lactams. Salmonella ser. Hadar (34/81, 42%) exhibited resistance to ampicillin. There was no resistance to quinolones among turkey isolates. Emerging resistance among Salmonella ser. Enteritidis, and resistance to β‐lactams and fluoroquinolones among Salmonella ser. Kentucky from broilers are cause for concern as these classes of antimicrobials are important for treatment of salmonellosis.
An Examination of Intragroup Process in Service-Learning Teams
Authors: Fall Randy , Dickerson Mark , Helm-Stevens Roxanne
Published: March 2021

Small group work performed in the context of university service-learning projects has been seen as a vehicle well-suited to teaching students about group dynamics and how to work on real world problems as members of a team. Little research, however, has focused on the intragroup processes involved in service-learning. The present study was conducted in the context of a service-learning project in which twenty groups of four to five university business school students taught continuation high school students a series of lessons regarding life skills such as goal setting and career readiness. The lesson planning sessions of the university students were video recorded and the videos were then analyzed for patterns of utterances by group participants (questions; instructions; suggestions; etc.) that occurred during the sessions. An iterative process of coding and recoding was employed to capture each behavior for further study. The results suggest that the groups engaged in a surprising level of meaningful collaboration, with leadership shared among group members, and little evidence of individual dominance of groups, or conflict between students.
Electronic structure and field emission characteristics of a new kind of BeO nanotubes: A first-principles study
Authors: Xu Shunfu , Liu Weihui , Zhu Ziliang , Li Chun , Yuan Guang
Published: March 2021

First-principles calculations are used to investigate electronic and field emission characteristics of (5, 5) capped BeO nanotubes (BeONTs), which indicate that their emission currents under external electric fields are close to those of carbon nanotubes, and decagons on their apexes are the most probable positions for electron emission. In addition, work functions of the (5, 5) BeONTs decrease linearly with applied electric fields. The remarkable influence of lithium adsorption on their field emission characteristics is also investigated. Their work functions decline distinctly after lithium adsorption, while the emission currents have been improved by more than one order of magnitude. Moreover, there is a polynomial relationship between the total currents and the external fields.
Determining the field enhancement factors of various field electron emitters with high numerical accuracy
Authors: Dall’Agnol Fernando F. , Filippov Sergey V. , Popov Eugeni O. , Kolosko Anatoly G. , de Assis Thiago A.
Published: March 2021

Theoretical analysis of field electron emission must consider many parameters, one of the most critical being the field enhancement factor (FEF). In a single tip form, the FEF can vary several orders of magnitude and depends only on the system geometry, when the gap length between the emitter and counter-electrode is much greater than the height of the emitter. In this work, we determine very accurate analytical expressions for the FEF of five emitters with various shapes, which are often considered in the literature: Ellipsoidal, Hemisphere-on-Cylindrical post, Hemisphere-on-Orthogonal cone, Paraboloidal, and Hyperboloidal. We map the FEF as a function of the aspect ratio with an error smaller than 2% to serve as a quick reference database. Additionally, we calculate the electric field distribution over the emitters, which can give an insight into the effective notional emission area and the influence of the emitter’s base.
My Foray Into Sport Management
Authors: Chelladurai Packianathan
Published: March 2021

As the title of this article suggests, I describe in this essay how my career has been shaped by specific events, such as not knowing the rules of the game I loved and played extensively, and significant mentors, such as the venerable Dr. Earl Zeigler and Dr. Garth Paton. I also explain how I been involved in the birth and growth of the field of sport management. More importantly, I show how the field has shaped my career and has opened up opportunities for me to travel the world in propagating the field around the globe.
Acute presentation of a proximal fibular stress fracture after a total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Robati Shibby , Kazzam Muattaz , McIntyre Daniel , Wood David G
Published: March 2021

A 67-year-old woman underwent a routine and uneventful elective total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis at our centre. No intraoperative nor immediate postoperative complications were noted clinically nor radiologically. At 5 weeks postoperative, she began to notice some new discomfort in her upper calf area, with no preceding history of trauma. A Doppler ultrasound scan ruled out a deep vein thrombus. Only on further re-imaging of her knee with X-rays and CT was there shown to be a fibular fracture of the proximal third with evidence of callus formation. The pain arising from her stress fracture delayed her rehabilitation slightly, going on to require a successful manipulation under anaesthetic (0°–95°). She went on to have excellent function in her knee and the pain from the stress fracture had settled by 5 months.
Delayed renal transplant failure secondary to renal vein thrombosis in a patient with a permanent IVC filter
Authors: Lewis Kristyn L , Patel Payal , Wadei Hani M , Guru Pramod K
Published: March 2021

Renal vein thrombosis is a rare, but potentially serious complication in patients with renal transplantation as it can lead to non-reversible graft injury and failure. Often this clinical entity is found in the early transplantation period, and the available management strategies are associated with favourable patient outcomes. The incidence, pathophysiology and outcomes for the delayed occurrence of renal vein thrombosis are unknown. The case here describes a unique situation with an excellent clinical outcome related to early diagnosis and appropriate care.
Uterine didelphys: diagnosis, management and pregnancy outcome
Authors: Crowley Clare Margaret , Botros Karim , Hegazy Ibrahim Fawzy , O'Donnell Edward
Published: March 2021

This report addresses and discusses two cases of uterine didelphys in pregnancy. The first case describes the diagnosis, management and subsequent pregnancies in a 28-year-old woman, para 2, with known didelphys uterus, left-obstructed hemi-vagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. This uterine anomaly was diagnosed at 13 years of age, after pelvic imaging identified a haematocolpos and two uteri. To drain this haematocolpos, a hymenectomy was performed. In the second case, an incidental finding of uterine didelphys and vaginal septum in a 28-year-old primigravida is described. Both patients delivered healthy male infants at term via emergency and planned lower segment caesarean sections, indicating women with major uterine anomalies can have successful obstetric outcomes.
AF-React study: atrial fibrillation management strategies in clinical practice—retrospective longitudinal study from real-world data in Northern Portugal
Authors: Silva Pinto Susana , Teixeira Andreia , Henriques Teresa S , Monteiro Hugo , Martins Carlos
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and to assess how these patients are being cared for: what anticoagulants are being prescribed and are they being prescribed as recommended?

Design

Retrospective longitudinal study.

Setting

This study was conducted in the Regional Health Administration of Northern Portugal.

Participants

This study used a database that included 63526 patients with code K78 of the International Classification of Primary Care between January 2016 and December 2018.

Results

The prevalence of AF among adults over 40 years in the northern region of Portugal was 2.3% in 2016, 2.8% in 2017 and 3% in 2018. From a total of 63 526 patients, 95.8% had an indication to receive anticoagulation therapy. Of these, 44 326 (72.9%) are being treated with anticoagulants: 17 936 (40.5%) were prescribed vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and 26 390 (59.5%) were prescribed non-VKA anticoagulants. On the other hand, 2688 patients of the total (4.2%) had no indication to receive anticoagulation therapy. Of these 2688 patients, 1100 (40.9%) were receiving anticoagulants.

Conclusions

The prevalence of AF is 3%. Here, we report evidence of both undertreatment and overtreatment. Although having an indication, a considerable proportion of patients (27.1%) are not anticoagulated, and among patients with AF without an indication to receive anticoagulation therapy, a considerable proportion (40.9%) are receiving anticoagulants. The AF-React study brings extremely relevant conclusions to Portugal and follows real-world studies in patients with AF in Europe, presenting some data not yet studied.
Additional value of volumetric and texture analysis on FDG PET assessment in paediatric Hodgkin lymphoma: an Italian multicentric study protocol
Authors: Lopci Egesta , Burnelli Roberta , Elia Caterina , Piccardo Arnoldo , Castello Angelo , Borsatti Eugenio , Zucchetta Pietro , Cistaro Angelina , Mascarin Maurizio
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Assessment of response to therapy in paediatric patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT has become a powerful tool for the discrimination of responders from non-responders. The addition of volumetric and texture analyses can be regarded as a valuable help for disease prognostication and biological characterisation. Based on these premises, the Hodgkin Lymphoma Study Group of the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP) has designed a prospective evaluation of volumetric and texture analysis in the Italian cohort of patients enrolled in the EuroNet-PHL-C2.

Methods and analysis

The primary objective is to compare volumetric assessment in patiens with HL at baseline and during the course of therapy with standard visual and semiquantitative analyses. The secondary objective is to identify the impact of volumetric and texture analysis on bulky masses. The tertiary objective is to determine the additional value of multiparametric assessment in patients having a partial response on morphological imaging.

The overall cohort of the study is expected to be round 400–500 patients, with approximately half presenting with bulky masses. All PET scans of the Italian cohort will be analysed for volumetric assessment, comprising metabolic tumour volume and total lesion glycolysis at baseline and during the course of therapy. A dedicated software will delineate semiautomatically contours using different threshold methods, and the impact of each segmentation techniques will be evaluated. Bulky will be defined on contiguous lymph node masses ≥200 mL on CT/MRI. All bulky masses will be outlined and analysed by the same software to provide textural features. Morphological assessment will be based on RECIL 2017 for response definition.

Ethics and dissemination

The current study has been ethically approved (AIFA/SC/P/27087 approved 09/03/2018; EudraCT 2012-004053-88, EM-04). The results of the different analyses performed during and after study completion the will be actively disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, social media, print media and internet.
Psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal pain among senior workers from nine occupational groups: Cross-sectional findings from the SeniorWorkingLife study
Authors: Vinstrup Jonas , Sundstrup Emil , Andersen Lars L
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Maintaining good health with advancing age is increasingly important as most European countries experience an increase in retirement age. In order to decrease the risk of premature departure from the workforce, identifying groups at increased risk of musculoskeletal pain and psychosocial stress is essential in designing workplace policies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between occupational groups differing in terms of physical demands and skill requirement, and the outcomes of stress and pain.

Methods

This cross-sectional study reports associations of nine different occupational groups with stress and pain among 11 474 senior workers; stratified by occupational group and based on the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). A large-scale questionnaire survey was dispatched to Danish workers; drawn as a probability sample and merged with national registers. Representative estimates were produced using logistic regression controlling for various confounders, combined with model-assisted weights.

Results

The prevalence of daily pain and high stress among occupational groups ranged between 20.0%–50.5% and 3.9%–10.0%, respectively. Compared with occupations characterised by being mostly sedentary (ISCO group 1–4), those with primarily physical demanding work (ISCO group 5–9) had higher odds of daily pain (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.70) and a tendency towards higher stress scores (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.46). Lastly, female workers experience increased odds of daily pain (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.35 to 1.66) and high stress (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.89) compared with male workers.

Conclusions

Occupational settings characterised by mainly physical work and low skill requirements are more likely to experience daily pain compared with those entailing mainly sedentary work. Likewise, in this sample of senior workers, women are more likely to experience pain and stress. These results highlights the need for improving occupation-specific and sex-specific guidelines in the prevention of musculoskeletal pain and psychological stress in workplaces.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials identifier:NCT03634410
Effectiveness of a medication adherence management intervention in a community pharmacy setting: a cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Torres-Robles Andrea , Benrimoj Shalom I , Gastelurrutia Miguel Angel , Martinez-Martinez Fernando , Peiro Tamara , Perez-Escamilla Beatriz , Rogers Kris , Valverde-Merino Isabel , Varas-Doval Raquel , Garcia-Cardenas Victoria
Published: March 2021

Background

Non-adherence to medications continues to be a burden worldwide, with significant negative consequences. Community pharmacist interventions seem to be effective at improving medication adherence. However, more evidence is needed regarding their impact on disease-specific outcomes. The aim was to evaluate the impact of a community pharmacist-led adherence management intervention on adherence and clinical outcomes in patients with hypertension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

A 6-month cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in Spanish community pharmacies. Patients suffering from hypertension, asthma and COPD were recruited. Patients in the intervention group received a medication adherence management intervention and the control group received usual care. The intervention was based on theoretical frameworks for changing patient behaviour. Medication adherence, disease-specific outcomes (Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores, Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) scores and blood pressure levels) and disease control were evaluated. A multilevel regression model was used to analyse the data.

Results

Ninety-eight pharmacies and 1186 patients were recruited, with 1038 patients completing the study. Patients receiving the intervention had an OR of 5.12 (95% CI 3.20 to 8.20, p<0.05) of being adherent after the 6 months. At the end of the study, patients in the intervention group had lower diastolic blood pressure levels (mean difference (MD) −2.88, 95% CI −5.33 to −0.43, p=0.02), lower CCQ scores (MD −0.50, 95% CI −0.82 to −0.18, p<0.05) and lower ACQ scores (MD −0.28, 95% CI −0.56 to 0.00, p<0.05) when compared with the control group.

Conclusions

A community pharmacist-led medication adherence intervention was effective at improving medication adherence and clinical outcomes in patients suffering from hypertension, asthma and COPD. Future research should explore the implementation of these interventions in routine practice.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12618000410257.
Dickkopf 1 impairs the tumor response to PD-1 blockade by inactivating CD8+ T cells in deficient mismatch repair colorectal cancer
Authors: Sui Qiaoqi , Liu Dingxin , Jiang Wu , Tang Jinghua , Kong Lingheng , Han Kai , Liao Leen , Li Yuan , Ou Qingjian , Xiao Binyi , Liu Guochen , Ling Yihong , Chen Jiewei , Liu Zexian , Zuo Zhixiang , Pan Zhizhong , Zhou Penghui , Zheng Jian , Ding Pei-Rong
Published: March 2021

Background

Dickkopf 1 (DKK1) is associated with tumor progression. However, whether DKK1 influences the tumor response to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade in colorectal cancers (CRCs) with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) or microsatellite instability (MSI) has never been clarified.

Methods

Tumor tissues from 80 patients with dMMR CRC were evaluated for DKK1 expression and immune status via immunohistochemistry. Serum DKK1 was measured in another set of 43 patients who received PD-1 blockade therapy. CT26 cells and dMMR CRC organoids were cocultured with T cells, and CT26-grafted BALB/c mice were also constructed. T-cell cytotoxicity was assessed by apoptosis assays and flow cytometry. The pathway through which DKK1 regulates CD8+ T cells was investigated using RNA sequencing, and chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to determine the downstream transcription factors of DKK1.

Results

Elevated DKK1 expression was associated with recurrence and decreased CD8+ T-cell infiltration in dMMR CRCs, and patients with high-serum DKK1 had a poor response to PD-1 blockade. RNA interference or neutralization of DKK1 in CRC cells enhanced CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity, while DKK1 decreased T-bet expression and activated GSK3β in CD8+ T cells. In addition, E2F1, a downstream transcription factor of GSK3β, directly upregulated T-bet expression. In organoid models, the proportion of apoptotic cells was elevated after individual neutralization of PD-1 or DKK1 and was further increased on combined neutralization of PD-1 and DKK1.

Conclusions

DKK1 suppressed the antitumor immune reaction through the GSK3β/E2F1/T-bet axis in CD8+ T cells. Elevated serum DKK1 predicted poor tumor response to PD-1 blockade in dMMR/MSI CRCs, and DKK1 neutralization may restore sensitivity to PD-1 blockade.
Asymptotic of the deuteron wave function in the coordinate representation and the charge deuteron form factor at large momentums
Authors: Zhaba V. I.
Published: March 2021

Numerical modeling of the deuteron wave function in the coordinate representation for the phenomenological nucleon–nucleon potential Argonne v18 has been performed. For this purpose, the asymptotic behavior of the radial wave function has been taken into account near the origin of coordinates and at infinity. The charge deuteron form factor [Formula: see text], depending on the transmitted momentums up to [Formula: see text], has been calculated employing five models for the deuteron wave function. A characteristic difference in calculations of [Formula: see text] is observed near the positions of the first and second zero. The difference between the obtained values for [Formula: see text] form factor has been analyzed using the values of the ratios and differences for the results. Obtained outcomes for charge deuteron form factor at large momentums may be a prediction for future experimental data.
Optical interpretation for plasmonic adjustment of nanostructured Ag-NiO thin films
Authors: Stamatelatos A. , Tsarmpopoulou M. , Chronis A. G. , Kanistras N. , Anyfantis D. I. , Violatzi E. , Geralis D. , Sigalas M. M. , Poulopoulos P. , Grammatikopoulos S.
Published: March 2021

Ultrathin Ag and Ni/NiO films are sequentially produced on Corning glass and silicon substrates by means of magnetron sputtering. Post annealing treatment in a furnace with air at [Formula: see text]C and [Formula: see text]C may lead to the formation of Ag nanostructures in NiO environment. Some of these samples present local surface plasmon resonances (SPRs). The sequence in which each layer is deposited, as well as, the state of the structure on which the layer is deposited, appears to play a pivotal role in the optical properties of these nanostructures, which are attributed to the growth properties of the nanocomposite thin films. Ultimately, rigorous theoretical calculations have been made for comparison and discussion with the experimental results.
Transmission State Prediction from MAC in Cognitive Radio via Optimized Deep Learning Architecture
Authors: More Kiran P , Patil Rajendrakumar A
Published: March 2021

Cognitive Radio (CR) is the hottest network paradigm, which permits the Secondary Users (SUs) like wireless devices/users for intelligent accessing of unallocated radio spectrum. Such accessing happens by enabling interference-free transmission of Primary Users (PUs), who are allotted with some deserved radio spectrum portions. This radio communication paradigm has effective usage in vehicular networks, where communication should be established from vehicles to static stations (vehicle-to-infrastructure) or within vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle), without allotting dedicated frequencies. Nevertheless, the major issue in designing CR is that it must be built to aid in efficient transmitting and sensing of data through the available radio spectrum channels. This paper proposes a Model Predictive Control (MPC)-based prediction model, via a Deep Learning approach. Here, a Deep Belief Network (DBN) allows in predicting the PU transmission state as idle or busy. Moreover, this paper comes out with a new optimization concept that achieves more accurate and precise prediction. The weight of DBN is optimally selected to pave way for effective performance. Further, a new hybrid algorithm named as Cuckoo Search-Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (CS-GOA) is proposed. The performance of the proposed model is compared over the other conventional models, in terms of channel utilization and back off, and proved for supremacy. The throughput of the proposed model, even at 50 SUs is better, when compared to other methods. CS-GOA achieved better channel utilization and backoff rate, as compared to ProMAC and NN, when the numbers of SUs and PUs in the architecture are varied with time.