bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Culture of care in animal research – Expanding the 3Rs to include people
Authors: Ferrara Fabienne , Hiebl Bernhard , Kunzmann Peter , Hutter Florian , Afkham Freni , LaFollette Megan , Gruber Christian
Published: June 2022

Research on animals is essential for science and medical progress. While it is still necessary to conduct this research, it is essential to apply the highest standards in animal welfare, including animal husbandry and care. Furthermore, it is important to recognize the special relationship between research animals and the people who care for them. Caring for research animals can be extremely fulfilling and meaningful, but it also comes with challenges, particularly when caring for animals experiencing pain or distress. These challenges can lead to work-related mental stress. To get more insight into the challenges of working in animal research, we organized a panel discussion at the GV-SOLAS (German Society for Laboratory Animal Science) and IGTP (Interest Group Animal Caretakers) conference 2021 about work wellbeing. This discussion was the first of its kind in Germany. The active panel contributions included the view of an ethical philosopher, a scientist, a lecturer for laboratory animal science, an animal facility manager and an animal caretaker. They gave insights from their perspective into key factors that can affect human wellbeing in animal research. Keys ideas included stigmatization of work, tension between research aims and animal wellbeing, and the importance of supportive culture to overcome work-related strains, as well as lack of education and supportive environments to cope with emotional stress in the workplace. Overall, the discussion has shown that we must also promote human wellbeing when promoting culture of care in animal research, because there is strong relationship between culture of care and individual performance.
Tooth root resorption: A review
Authors: Heboyan Artak , Avetisyan Anna , Karobari Mohmed Isaqali , Marya Anand , Khurshid Zohaib , Rokaya Dinesh , Zafar Muhammad Sohail , Fernandes Gustavo Vicentis de Oliveira
Published: June 2022

Tooth root resorption is multifactorial, leading to progressive destruction and eventual loss of tooth root dentin and cement. There are internal and external types of root resorption, each having its variety. The etiology and pathogenesis of tooth root resorption are poorly understood, and the most significant etiological factors are trauma, pulpal infection, tooth bleaching, and orthodontic treatment. Tooth root resorption is primarily asymptomatic; thus, it is revealed accidentally by radiographic examination. Progressive clinical manifestations are pain, tooth discoloration, tooth mobility, and other conditions. Awareness of the causes and risk factors allowing tooth root resorption, and regular radiographic examination, in case of necessity, make it possible to reveal resorption at an early stage and to prevent its further development. Thus, the aim of this study is to present etiopathogenesis, a clinical course, and diagnostic peculiarities of internal and external types of tooth root resorption, enabling practicing dentists to timely diagnose root resorption and take appropriate measures to avoid further complications. Within the limitation of this review, even though the etiopathogenesis of tooth root resorption is yet not fully understood, it is suggested that the etiological factors fall into two groups (endogenic and exogenic) to enhance further understanding of the possible causes and mechanisms of root resorption and allow practitioners to monitor high-risk patients and make timely diagnoses. Moreover, radiographic examination and CBCT are indispensable for the diagnosis of root resorption.
Saving capitalism from empire: uses of colonial history in new institutional economics
Authors: Ince Onur Ulas
Published: June 2022

This article contributes to theorising colonialism and capitalism within the same analytic frame through a critical engagement with the uses of colonial history in new institutional economics (NIE). The ‘colonial turn’ in NIE holds significant diagnostic value because although it incorporates colonialism into its account of the ‘great divergence’, it maintains a liberal conception of capitalism predicated on private property, competitive markets, and the rule of law. It is argued that NIE achieves this effect by admitting colonialism into its history of capitalism while excluding it from its theory of capitalism. By filtering colonialism through the dichotomy between ‘inclusive’ and ‘extractive’ institutions, NIE upholds the categorical association of capitalist growth with inclusive institutions. Drawing on critical theories of political economy, the article shows the limits of the NIE framework by identifying forms of colonial capitalism that do not resolve into a stylised opposition between inclusion and extraction. Colonial slavery, commercial imperialism, and settler colonialism strain the inclusive/extractive binary by highlighting (1) the interdependence of inclusive and extractive institutions in imperial networks accumulation, and (2) the violent expropriations at the origins of inclusive institutions, above all private property. Proposing to view NIE’s critique of colonialism as a ‘liberal critique of capitalist unevenness’, the article concludes on broader questions about inclusion and exclusion under ‘actually existing capitalism’.
Students Viewing of Feedback: An Exploration of Technology-Mediated Learning
Authors: Woods David
Published: June 2022

Providing feedback on student work is a key part of the teaching process. Ideally, students use the provided feedback to learn and improve future work. In the age of technology-mediated learning, it is essential to study how technology affects the feedback process. This work uses data captured by a Learning Management System (LMS) to measure whether students view the feedback provided by an instructor. Unfortunately, the data show that only a limited number of students actually viewed the provided feedback. A technology-focused review of the feedback process is used to identify how technology may contribute to students’ limited use of feedback. Suggestions are offered for how instructors, pedagogy researchers, and developers of technology used in learning can collaborate to ensure that technology supports the best pedagogical practices identified by research and also provides the tools and data needed to support ongoing pedagogical research.
When Does It (Not) Pay to Be Good? Interplay Between Stakeholder and Competitive Strategies
Authors: He Ye , Chittoor Raveendra
Published: June 2022

Using the instrumental stakeholder theory lens, we examine how generic competitive strategies influence the link between stakeholder management (SM) and firm financial performance. We develop a framework that highlights the synergistic effects of a differentiation strategy on SM but also the trade-offs between a cost leadership strategy and SM in their consequences for financial performance. We test our theoretical mechanism further by distinguishing between primary and secondary stakeholders, who differ in their degree of firm specificity and instrumentality. We propose that for firms pursuing a low-cost competitive advantage, secondary SM intensifies the trade-offs between SM and financial performance when compared with primary SM, whereas both primary and secondary SM are likely to improve financial performance for differentiators. Empirical analyses using a panel data set of S&P 500 firms over a 15-year period (2005–2019) and a series of robustness tests support our predictions. Our findings highlight important boundary conditions for SM's impact on firms’ financial performance and highlight not only “when SM pays” but also “when SM may not pay.”
How Best to Imagine: Comparing the Effectiveness of Physical Activity Imagery, Possible Self and Combined Interventions on Physical Activity and Related Outcomes
Authors: Deck Sarah , Semenchuk Brittany , Hall Craig , Duncan Lindsay , Kullman Sasha , Strachan Shaelyn
Published: June 2022

Mental imagery and possible-selves interventions can help to improve physical activity (PA) in a variety of populations. Currently, no study has combined these two interventions to test the efficacy or possible synergistic effect. This study investigated the efficacy of a one-time exposure to one of three parallel interventions: imagery, possible selves, and combined, on exercise and self-efficacy, compared to a control group who were given nutritional information as an intervention. One hundred and twelve participants were randomized and provided data at three time points – eligibility screening, post-intervention, and 4-week follow-up. There were no significant group by time interactions or group differences. Main effects for time and exercise showed all participants increased in exercise suggesting that there are no advantages of the interventions. We discuss reasons why this may have occurred and suggest several areas for future researchers to expand upon, including replication with more exposure to interventions.
Threats to the dignity of COVID-19 patients: A qualitative study
Authors: Namadi Farideh , Alilu Leyla , Hemmati Maslakpak Masumeh , Yadegar Tirandaz Shima
Published: June 2022

Background: Dignity is a fundamental concept that has been threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several factors threaten the dignity of COVID-19 patients, whether in palliative care departments, medical or surgery wards, intensive care units, or long-term care facilities. This threat is exacerbated by the increasing number of affected patients, the high transmission of the virus and problems such as limited resources, shortage of workforce, and ineffective communication. Recognizing the threats and challenges that currently affect the patients’ dignity and managing them can help maintain the patients’ dignity and increase their satisfaction. Research objective: This study seeks to explain the threats to the dignity of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Research design: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 21 COVID-19 patients with maximum variation. Data were analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman’s conventional content analysis and encoded with MAXQDA-10 software. The participants had already recovered from COVID-19 when the interviews were held. Ethical considerations: The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of medical universities in northwestern Iran (IR.UMSU.REC.1399.345). Ethical principles were observed during the study. Findings: The analysis of the interviews revealed three main categories and 11 subcategories for the threats to the dignity of COVID-19 patients. The main categories included facing imposed conditions (five subcategories), facing unprofessional performance (four subcategories), and ineffective communication (two subcategories). Conclusion: The findings of the present study can help health officials and policymakers in taking positive steps to maintain patients’ dignity by designing and implementing beneficial programs.
‘Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted’: Searching for the value of metrics and altmetrics in sociology of sport journals
Authors: Olive Rebecca , Townsend Stephen , Phillips Murray G.
Published: June 2022

Metrics, and increasingly altmetrics, are a pervasive aspect of academic life. A proliferation of digital tools available have seen greater emphasis on the quantification of the ‘performance’ of individual journals. Although metrics and altmetrics are justified in terms of increased accountability and transparency, there are significant inequities in the ways they are deployed. Key among these is the unsuitability of many popular metrics for assessing publications in the humanities and social sciences, as the data, algorithms and systems which support them cater to authorship and citation practices of the various science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. These issues are amplified for journals in the sociology of sport, which publish research by humanities and social science scholars whose work is quantified according to the standards of the health science departments in which they frequently work. In this discussion, we critically examine how common forms of metrics and altmetrics, including those produced by Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Altmetric.com, are applied to available sociology of sport journals. We analyse and critique how different metric algorithms produce variable measures of performance for each of the journals in the field and reveal how other information available on these databases can augment our understanding of the sociology of sport publishing ecology. Far from advocating the value of metrics and altmetrics, our analysis is intended to arm scholars and journals with the information required to critically navigate the entanglement of metrics and altmetrics with neoliberalism, audit culture and digital technologies in universities.
Reflections on COVID-19 and internal evaluation in a humanitarian non-profit
Authors: Kelly Leanne M
Published: June 2022

This article uses reflective practice and social interdependence theory to unpack the ways in which our practice as internal evaluators was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, using the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework as a case study. The reflections are separated into six stages: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. Initial reflections on the impact of COVID-19 drew out the negative effects of the pandemic and associated restrictions, which limited our ability to build rapport and stretched our capacity to balance work and home commitments. Deeper investigation revealed that the disaster pushed us to develop new ways of working that will augment and improve our future efforts. We foresee that these learnings will enable a future with greater ability to offer hybrid online/face-to-face collaborative opportunities that will enhance inclusion and active participation, thereby promoting monitoring and evaluation with greater collective ownership and relevance to a wider audience.
Psychological Experiences and Reactions of Physicians with COVID-19: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Asayesh Mohammad Hassan , Bahonar Fahimeh , Mohsen-alhosseini Seyed Masoud
Published: June 2022

Doctors are the first to fight COVID-19 and their mental health is at risk. This article aimed to investigate the psychological experiences of physicians recovered from COVID-19 disease. Phenomenological method was carried out to analyze the obtained data. Participants were 16 physicians recovered from COVID-19 disease in Yazd City from January 20th to March 1st, 2020. Samples were selected via purposive sampling and the subjects participated in-depth semi-structured interviews. Twelve main themes and 48 sub-themes were extracted, including 1- Adaptive emotional reactions, 2- Adaptive cognitive reactions, 3- Adaptive behavioral reactions, 4- Adaptive communicative reactions, 5- Adaptive spiritual reactions, 6- Adaptive copings, 7- Maladaptive Emotional reactions, 8- Maladaptive Cognitive reactions, 9- Maladaptive Behavioral reactions, 10- Maladaptive Communicative reactions, 11- Maladaptive spiritual reactions, and 12- Maladaptive Copings. According to the findings, adaptive psychological reactions and maladaptive psychological reactions can affect the psychological well-being of physicians.
What Collaborating Teachers Got to Do With It? Understanding the Importance of Pre- and In-Service Teacher Collaborations for Enacting Culturally Responsive Mathematics Teaching Through Critical Examinations of Collaborating Teachers’ Experiences
Authors: Ramsay-Jordan Natasha
Published: June 2022

Extant literature suggests that pre-service teachers’ enactment of culturally responsive mathematics practices is often impacted by the duality of what is learned in preparation programs and the reality faced at school sites. For many preservice teachers, this reality typically rests within the capacities of their assigned collaborating teacher's own experiences with enacting culturally responsive practices. Through a synthesis of the reviewed literature, the author examines collaborating teachers’ experiences with enacting culturally responsive mathematics practices and argues that such experiences are both significant and central to bridging the gap between theory and practice. Afterwards, the reconceptualization of a new approach is shared.
Ambient Temperature in Online Service Environments
Authors: Orth Ulrich R. , Spielmann Nathalie , Meyer Caroline
Published: June 2022

Ambient Temperature in Online Service environments (ATOS) is a sensory cue not directly accessible in current online servicescape technology, but inferred from secondary cues, particularly visual ones. This study integrates research on cross-modal inferences with a situated cognitions framework and the stereotype content model to show that ATOS enhances judgment of service provider warmth, in turn influencing important service outcomes. A pilot study explores the linkages between consumer online and offline experiences, providing evidence for online service environments’ capacity (especially ATOS) to shape customer judgment and behavior. Study 1 examines a tropical island holiday resort to show that online representations of the environment evoke situated cognitions and preferences consistent with high ambient temperature. Study 2 uses virtual tours of cafés to demonstrate that ATOS, through judgment of service provider warmth, positively influences purchase intention and other managerially important service outcomes. Study 3 employs 12 service contexts to replicate ATOS effects, mediated through warmth, and to show that effects are stronger in contexts where service provision is directed more at objects (vs. people). Given that ambient temperature is ubiquitous in all types of service settings and easily adjusted by practitioners, managerial implications outline how service marketers can more effectively employ ATOS.
Service Robots in Long-Term Care: A Consumer-Centric View
Authors: Kipnis Eva , McLeay Fraser , Grimes Anthony , de Saille Stevienna , Potter Stephen
Published: June 2022

Service robots with advanced intelligence capabilities can potentially transform servicescapes. However, limited attention has been given to how consumers experiencing vulnerabilities, particularly those with disabilities, envisage the characteristics of robots’ prospective integration into emotionally intense servicescapes, such as long-term care (LTC). We take an interdisciplinary approach conducting three exploratory studies with consumers with disabilities involving Community Philosophy, LEGO ® Serious Play ®, and Design Thinking methods. Addressing a lack of consumer-centric research, we offer a three-fold contribution by 1) developing a conceptualization of consumer-conceived value of robots in LTC, which are envisaged as a supporting resource offering consumers opportunities to realize value; 2) empirically evidencing pathogenic vulnerabilities as a potential value-destruction factor to underscore the importance of integrating service robots research with a service inclusion paradigm; and 3) providing a theoretical extension and clarification of prior characterizations of robots’ empathetic and emotion-related AI capabilities. Consumers with disabilities conceive robots able to stimulate and regulate emotions by mimicking cognitive and behavioral empathy, but unable to express affective and moral empathy, which is central to care experience. While providing support for care practices, for the foreseeable future, service robots will not, in themselves, actualize the experience of “being cared for.”
Air Pollution and Cardiorespiratory Changes in Older Adults Living in a Polluted Area in Central Chile
Authors: Cortés Sandra , Leiva Cinthya , Ojeda María José , Bustamante-Ara Natalia , Wambaa Wanjiku , Dominguez Alan , Pasten Salvo Carlos , Rodriguez Peralta Camila , Rojas Arenas Bárbara , Vargas Mesa Diego , Ahumada-Padilla Ericka
Published: June 2022

One recognized cause of cardiorespiratory diseases is air pollution. Older adults (OA) are one of the most vulnerable groups that suffer from its adverse effects. The objective of the study was to analyze the association between exposure to air pollution and changes in cardiorespiratory variables in OA. Observational prospective cohort study. Health questionnaires, blood pressure (BP) measurements, lung functions, respiratory symptoms, physical activity levels, and physical fitness in high and low exposure to air pollution were all methods used in evaluating OAs in communes with high contamination rates. Linear and logistic models were created to adjust for variables of interest. A total of 92 OA participated in this study. 73.9% of the subjects were women with 72.3 ± 5.6 years. 46.7% were obese, while 12.1% consumed tobacco. The most prevalent diseases found were hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Adjusted linear models maintained an increase for systolic BP of 6.77 mmHg (95% CI: 1.04-12.51), and diastolic of 3.51 mmHg (95% CI: 0.72-6.29), during the period of high exposure to air pollution. The adjusted logistic regression model indicated that, during the period of high exposure to air pollution increase the respiratory symptoms 4 times more (OR: 4.43, 95% CI: 2.07-10.04) in the OA. The results are consistent with an adverse effect on cardiorespiratory variables in periods of high exposure to air pollution in the OA population.
Extraction and expression of deformation features for wear images from four-ball friction test: For classification purpose
Authors: Xiao Mei , Liu Yu , Zhang Lei , Jia Wenjian , Dong Shi
Published: June 2022

The shape characteristics of wear spot in the four-ball wear test are often qualitatively identified by human testers based on experience, which are subjective, unquantifiable and biased. This paper proposes an automated method for extracting and expressing the shape features, which is effective for the deformed classification of the wear images. First, the wear spot is segmented from the background, and the geometric parameters of the wear spot are extracted. Based on this, the optimal standard wear spot which match the segmented (or actual) wear spot best is constructed. The established feature variables (i.e. abnormality rate and eccentricity rate) are used to quantitatively assess the deformation degree of segmented wear spot, by comparing the segmented wear spot with the constructed standard wear spot. Finally, Kmeans clustering algorithm is used to verify the validity of deformation features in the classification application. Simulation test results show that feature variables are valuable for identifying the deformation of wear images, and three effect evaluation indicators (CH/SI/DB) shows that the classification effect of the wear images is better.
Sequential models of intergroup contact and social categorization: An experimental field test of integrated models
Authors: Vezzali Loris , Trifiletti Elena , Wölfer Ralf , Di Bernardo Gian Antonio , Stathi Sofia , Cocco Veronica Margherita , Cadamuro Alessia , Shamloo Soraya Elizabeth , Hewstone Miles
Published: June 2022

Research has proposed different models of how contact situations should be structured to maximize contact effects, focusing in particular on the role of categorization during contact. We conducted two experimental field interventions ( Ns = 247 and 247) to test models that integrate different levels of categorization. Each of the tested models was contrasted against a no-intervention control condition. In both studies, we assessed effects shortly after the intervention (1 week later; i.e., posttest) and then after approximately 6 months (i.e., follow-up). In the first study, results generally supported the model where categorization precedes decategorization, showing effects on major dependent measures highlighted in research on intergroup contact: quantity and quality of contact, cross-group friendships, intergroup anxiety (marginal effect at follow-up), outgroup attitudes (only at follow-up). Evidence for follow-up effects for this model was, however, weaker in Study 2, where the delayed effects of the intervention emerged only indirectly, via changes in contact quality, outgroup attitudes, and approach behavioral intentions at posttest. Comparisons of the other two models (decategorization then categorization; and simultaneous categorization and decategorization) with the control condition (only in Study 1) provided weaker and inconsistent results.
Never-married single adults’ experiences with online dating websites and mobile applications: A qualitative content analysis
Authors: Adamczyk Katarzyna , Janowicz Kamil , Mrozowicz-Wrońska Marta
Published: June 2022

The current article presents the results of interviews with 30 Polish never-married singles (14 women and 16 men) aged 20–43 years. Four themes were identified: (1) ambiguous perception of the usefulness of dating services as a means to search for a romantic partner, (2) acquiring skills in using dating services, (3) personal difficulties and failures in using dating services, and (4) online dating as self-obligation. The participants positioned themselves with regard to dating technology through ambiguous opinions and beliefs about the usefulness of dating services. They perceived using dating services to be a task that requires skills in self-commodification and self-branding and a good opportunity to gain practice in dating; they experienced various difficulties related to using dating platforms, and sometimes they reported a feeling of self-obligation to use such services. Single adults related to dating technology in various modes in the context of their singlehood and relationship desires.
Future perfect: From the pandemic to the Paris climate agreement
Authors: Kirsch Stuart
Published: June 2022

Fifteen years ago, Jane Guyer (2007) argued that the near future had largely disappeared from collective imaginaries, replaced by longer-term horizons associated with evangelical Christianity and free market capitalism. While not seeking to repudiate Guyer, this article argues that recent developments have radically altered relationships to the future. It points to a previously unrecognized connection between two of the most significant challenges facing humanity today: the experience of living through a global pandemic and international efforts to limit the harmful consequences of climate change. Responses to both phenomena invoke the grammatical structure of the future perfect tense. During the pandemic, people began to imagine themselves living at a future moment in time when they have already resumed participating in those activities they have been prevented from undertaking, an example of the future perfect. The Paris Climate Agreement, which encourages states and other parties to take action in the present so that in the future they will already have saved the planet, also relies on the future perfect. In reaction to the pandemic and climate change, the near future has reemerged as a focal point of temporal attention. This article examines how the future appears in the present and the contribution of the future perfect tense to the creation of alternative futures.
Mask wearing affects emotion perception
Authors: Levitan Carmel A. , Rusk Isabelle , Jonas-Delson Danielle , Lou Hanyun , Kuzniar Lennon , Davidson Gray , Sherman Aleksandra
Published: June 2022

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, mask wearing has become ubiquitous in much of the world. We studied the extent to which masks impair emotion recognition and dampen the perceived intensity of facial expressions by naturalistically inducing positive, neutral, and negative emotions in individuals while they were masked and unmasked. Two groups of online participants rated the emotional intensity of each presented image. One group rated full faces (N=104); the other (N=102) rated cropped images where only the upper face was visible. We found that masks impaired the recognition of and rated intensity of positive emotions. This happened even when the faces were cropped and the lower part of the face was not visible. Masks may thus reduce positive emotion and/or expressivity of positive emotion. However, perception of negativity was unaffected by masking, perhaps because unlike positive emotions like happiness which are signaled more in the mouth, negative emotions like anger rely more on the upper face.
Interpregnancy interval after a miscarriage and obstetric outcomes in the subsequent pregnancy in a low-income setting, Nigeria: A cohort study
Authors: Lawani Lucky Osaheni , Enebe Joseph Tochukwu , Eze Paul , Igboke Francis Nwabueze , Ukaegbe Chukwuemeka Ikeji , Ugwu Monica Omosivie , Agu Ujunwa Justina , Onyinye Enebe Nympha , Iyoke Chukwuemeka Anthony
Published: June 2022

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of pregnant women with interpregnancy interval of < and ⩾6 months (short and normal interpregnancy interval, respectively) following a spontaneous miscarriage in their last pregnancies.

Methods:

This was a cohort study that involved pregnant women with a spontaneous pregnancy loss in their last pregnancies. They were recruited at a gestational age of 13–15 weeks and followed up to determine the obstetric and foetal outcomes of their pregnancies at four tertiary hospitals in Nigeria from July 2018 to September 2019. Data collected were analysed using SPSS version 26.0. A Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis were done, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was assumed to be statistically significant.

Results:

A total of 705 participants were studied, out of which 448 (63.5%) and 257 (36.5%) of the participants had short and normal interpregnancy interval after a spontaneous miscarriage. Over 80% of the participants had first-trimester pregnancy losses and were managed with manual vacuum aspiration in 73.3% of the cases. The majority, 87.5% for the normal interpregnancy interval cohort and 86.4% for the short interpregnancy interval cohort, had live births, while 8.5% and 10.1% of the women in the normal and short interpregnancy interval cohorts, respectively, had repeat miscarriages. There was no statistical difference in the occurrence of live births and repeat miscarriages between both cohorts (p > 0.05). There was no increased risk of occurrence of adverse foetomaternal outcomes in both groups (p > 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in the occurrence adverse foetomaternal outcomes between the studied cohorts (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

There was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes in the cohorts of mothers with short and normal interpregnancy interval following miscarriages in their last previous pregnancies.
Evaluation of Subtalar Joint’s Compensatory Function in Varus Ankle Osteoarthritis Using Globally Optimal Iterative Closest Points (Go-ICP)
Authors: Kurokawa Hiroaki , Kosugi Shinichi , Fujinuma Takuya , Oishi Yuya , Miyamoto Takuma , Taniguchi Akira , Takemura Hiroshi , Tanaka Yasuhito
Published: June 2022

Background:

A previous study on 2-dimensional evaluation of the subtalar joint functioning in varus ankle osteoarthritis concluded that varus deformity was compensated for by the subtalar joint during early stages but not in the advanced stages. Although compensatory function is expected both along the axial and coronal planes, compensatory function in all 3 dimensions (3D) remains unevaluated. This study evaluated the 3D-compensatory function of a varus subtalar joint using Globally Optimal Iterative Closest Points (Go-ICP), a 3D-shape registration algorithm, after 3D-bone shape reconstruction using computed tomography.

Methods:

This study included 22 ankles: 4 stage 2 ankles, 5 stage 3a ankles, 6 stage 3b ankles, and 4 stage 4 ankles, categorized according to the Takakura-Tanaka classification. As the control group, 3 ankles without prior ankle injuries and disorders and 4 stage 2 ankles were included. One control ankle was used as a reference. Relative values compared with the reference ankle were evaluated in each group using Go-ICP. Each axis was set so that dorsiflexion, valgus, and abduction were positive on the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis, respectively.

Results:

Rotation angles of the talus (Rotation T) and calcaneus (Rotation C) on the Y axis in the control and stage 3b were −7.6, −28, −2.1, and −13 degrees, respectively, indicating significant differences. Value of Rotation T-Rotation C (Rotation T-C) represents compensatory function of the subtalar joint. In all ankles, there was a correlation between Rotation T and Rotation T-C on the Y axis and Z axis ( P < .01, r = 0.84; P < .01, r = −0.84, respectively). There was a correlation between Rotation T values on the on Y and Z axes ( P = .01, r = 0.53).

Conclusion:

In varus ankle osteoarthritis, the talus had varus deformity with adduction. Compensatory function in the coronal plane persisted, even in the advanced stages; however, it was not sufficiently maintained in stage 3b. Furthermore, compensatory function in the axial plane was relatively sustained.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Resonant relations: eco-lalia, political ec(h)ology and autistic ways of worlding
Authors: Mitchell Audra
Published: June 2022

Echolalia – the repetition of words and phrases gleaned from one's environment – is often treated as a key behavioural marker of autism. Along with other perceived ‘stereotypies’, it is dismissed by Western biomedical and political discourses as disruptive, ‘meaningless repetition’ and targeted for individual and collective elimination in the context of a global ‘war on autism’. However, as this article shows, echoing is also a crucial element of Autistic ways of worlding. That is, it can be integral to forming and maintaining co-constitutive relations and ethical intimacy with other beings through distinctively resonant political-ec(h)ological relations. At the same time, echoing is a political act that can disrupt interwoven neurotypical (NT), colonial, racial and capitalist rhythms of sociality, communication and space. This insight challenges negative stereotypes about the perceived ‘lack’ or ‘impairment’ of Autistic people in the areas of relationality, intentionality and meaning-making. At the same time, it opens up a wider discussion of how Autistic ways of worlding can contribute to the creation of alternative eco-political futures. To flesh out these arguments, I draw on auto-ethnographic research based on my experience as an Autistic and Dyspraxic global political ecologist. In particular, I share elements of my experimental practice of ‘eco-lalia' – a reclamation of echoing as a form of echo-political praxis, expressed here in the form of poetry. In so doing, I argue that ec(h)olalia and other Autistic ways of worlding can contribute to nurturing robust more-than-human relations, confronting violence and creating solidarities across communities marginalized by dominant global norms of ‘humanity’.
Morphological and Ancillary Features of Uterine Leiomyosarcoma: Case Report
Authors: Boșoteanu Mădălina , Vodă Raluca Ioana , Așchie Mariana , Bosoteanu Luana-Andreea , Bălțătescu Gabriela Izabela
Published: June 2022

We report a rare case of giant uterine leiomyosarcoma in a postmenopausal woman, whose diagnosis was initially suspected at the evaluation of the abdominal efusion, and confirmed after the pathological examination of the uterus in association with the ancillary tests. The evaluation of the abdominal fluid showed single or clusters of malignant, round or spindle-shaped cells. On microscopic examination of the surgical specimen, a dense cell proliferation of spindle cells, with moderate to severe nuclear pleomorphism and significant mitotic activity was observed. Immunohistochemical evaluation demonstrated the loss of myocytic differentiation by focal, weakly positive expression of smooth muscle actin and desmin. The data presented in this case emphasize the relevance of the cytological examination, although the latter has only indicative value, especially since it is an aggressive tumor, frequently associated with mutant expression of p53. In our case, the first indication of the presence of uterine sarcoma was given by the presence of atypical cells in the peritoneal fluid.
A Rare Report of Heavy-Metal-Associated Hemodialysis-Dependent Chronic Kidney Disease Secondary to Ayurvedic Medication
Authors: Mahapatra Himansu Sekhar , Bhattacharyya Sutanay , Batra Vineeta V.
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Heavy metals are a component of many traditional medications. However, they continue to be used for trivial causes. Chronic heavy metal exposure is an important but under-recognized cause of renal damage. We report to our knowledge the first case of a heavy-metal-associated chronic kidney disease secondary to Ayurvedic medication.

Case Report

A 24-year-old with history of chronic Ayurvedic medication for altered bowel habits presented with neuromuscular symptoms and bilateral lower limb swelling and was found to have hypocalcemia and renal dysfunction. He was initiated on dialysis and underwent an uncomplicated renal biopsy which was suggestive of chronic glomerulosclerosis. In view of significant exposure to Ayurvedic medication, he underwent heavy metal screening in blood, urine, and renal biopsy tissue along with the Ayurvedic medication he had. His blood tested positive for cadmium, copper, and mercury along with same positive results in Ayurvedic medication. He underwent chelation with dimercaprol 250 mg iv for 7 days with blood samples testing negative repeatedly for the same heavy metal that tested positive earlier. However, in view of significant chronicity, he became dialysis dependent and was initiated on twice weekly hemodialysis. His persistent gastrointestinal symptoms were attributed to nonspecific colitis following a computed tomography of the abdomen and colonoscopy with biopsy. He responded to rifaximin and probiotics.

Conclusion

Heavy metal exposure, secondary to chronic Ayurvedic medication intake, is an unrecognized cause of renal dysfunction. The use of such medications for trivial purposes is rampant, especially in developing countries like India. Delaying diagnosis can lead to permanent renal damage with patients eventually becoming dialysis dependent.
Ifosfamide-Induced Neurotoxicity in Children with Solid Tumors: A Seven Year Retrospective Analysis of Incidence and Risk Factors
Authors: Dalton Kristen L.
Published: June 2022

Background: Patients with cancer treated with the pro-drug ifosfamide may experience drug-induced neurotoxicity. Ifosfamide-induced neurotoxicity (IIN) is well described in the adult literature, but there is limited knowledge about this toxicity in pediatrics, especially in children with solid tumors. Methods: In this retrospective descriptive study, the author reviewed 7 years of clinical data regarding patients with solid tumors who received ifosfamide at a large, urban pediatric medical center. The author used descriptive statistics and logistic regression to describe the incidence of IIN and identify demographic and clinical factors most likely to be associated with the toxicity. Results: In a sample of 169 pediatric patients who received ifosfamide between 2011 and 2018, 13% developed symptoms of IIN. The author identified ifosfamide doses >2,000 mg/m2 to be a risk factor for IIN in the study sample (OR 17.82; 95 CI [2.17, 146.18]; p = .0073) and cited other variables as possible risk factors, though each could be linked to participants’ ifosfamide exposure. Discussion: This study is the largest to describe IIN specifically in the pediatric solid tumor population. The study findings suggest the pattern of toxicity observed in adult patients should not be assumed in children. The author identified one risk factor that may predispose children to develop IIN and recommends further attention be paid to this toxicity in the pediatric population.
Differential regulation of CTLA4 expression through BTK-dependent and independent mechanisms in CLL
Authors: Yano Max , Nunes Jessica , Mo Xiaokui , Rogers Kerry A. , Woyach Jennifer A. , Byrd John C. , Muthusamy Natarajan
Published: June 2022

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) is a major immune checkpoint and target for cancer immunotherapy. Although originally discovered and primarily studied on T cells, its role on other cell types has also been recognized in recent years. Here we describe an unexpected interaction between ibrutinib (a targeted inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase [BTK]) and CTLA4 expression on malignant chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Although BTK itself does play a role in CTLA4 expression in CLL, we demonstrate that ibrutinib’s main suppressive effect on CTLA4 protein expression and trafficking occurs through non-BTK targets influenced by this drug. This suppression is not seen in T cells, indicating a different mechanism of CTLA4 regulation in CLL vs T cells. Appreciating this distinct mechanism and the beneficial non-BTK effects of ibrutinib may contribute to understanding the immune benefits of ibrutinib treatment and lead to therapeutic approaches to improve immune function in patients with CLL by suppressing CTLA4 expression.
COVID-19 and venous thromboembolism risk in patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Singh Ashima , Brandow Amanda M. , Wun Ted , Shet Arun S.
Published: June 2022

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a life-threatening complication observed among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and also among those with severe COVID-19 infection. Although prior studies show that patients with SCD are at risk of severe COVID-19 illness, it remains unclear if COVID-19 infection further increases VTE risk for this population. We hypothesized that patients with SCD hospitalized for COVID-19 would have higher VTE rates than those hospitalized for other causes. Using electronic health record data from a multisite research network, TriNetX, we identified 2 groups of patients with SCD hospitalized during 2020: (1) with COVID-19 and (2) without COVID-19. We compared VTE rates using risk ratios estimated based on adjusted Poisson regression model with log link and robust error variances. Of the 281 SCD patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 4873 SCD patients hospitalized without COVID-19 , 35 (12.46%) and 418 (8.58%) had incident VTE within 6 months of the index hospitalization respectively. After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics, no significant differences in VTE rates within 6 months were found between the 2 groups (adjusted relative risk, 1.06 [95% confidence interval, 0.79-1.41]). These data suggest that hospitalization with COVID-19 does not further increase VTE risk in patients with SCD.
ForAlexa, an online tool for the rapid development of artificial intelligence skills for the teaching of evolutionary biology using Amazon’s Alexa
Authors: Rabelo Luan Pinto , Sodré Davidson , dos Santos Marcelo Soares , Lima Caio César Silva , Ferrari Stephen F. , Sampaio Iracilda , Vallinoto Marcelo
Published: June 2022

Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPAs), such as Amazon’s Alexa, are now widely used for an ample variety of tasks, ranging from personal management to education. These tools have shown considerable promise for student-educator interactions, especially at a distance, a potential that has come to the forefront during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, this potential is still underexploited, even in the current scenario. Alexa’s apps are known as skills, which include all the different commands that Alexa is capable of executing. It is important to note, however, that the use of such technology is work-intensive and can be relatively complex. Given this, to facilitate the development of new skills in Alexa, we have developed an online tool that permits the creation of questions and answers, as well as honing the interaction between Alexa and the user. We have named this tool ForAlexa, which has two types of forms, Question-And-Answer (Q&A) and Random-Quote. Both these forms allow the user to build intents (an activity that is invoked by a spoken request from the user), but with slightly different functions. The Q&A form is used to compile answers that Alexa will offer in response to an utterance (question), while the Random-Quote extends the interaction between Alexa and the user, based on the questions asked in the first form. ForAlexa also has a help assistant, as well as a manual, which explains all the steps necessary for the design of an intent. This tool allows educators to develop apps quickly and easily for their classes and this type of app could be an alternative to be used for students with special needs, such as the visually-impaired.
Peripheral arterial disease progression and ankle brachial index: a cohort study with newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Felício João Soares , de Melo Franciane Trindade Cunha , Vieira Giovana Miranda , de Aquino Vitória Teixeira , de Souza Parente Fernanda , da Silva Wanderson Maia , Said Nivin Mazen , da Silva Emanuele Rocha , de Souza Ana Carolina Contente Braga , de Oliveira Maria Clara Neres Iunes , de Lemos Gabriela Nascimento , de Souza Ícaro José Araújo , de Alcântara Angélica Leite , de Moraes Lorena Vilhena , Abrahão Neto João Felício , de Queiroz Natércia Neves Marques , Mourão Neyla Arroyo Lara , Piani Pedro Paulo Freire , Oliveira dos Reis Melissa de Sá , Felício Karem Mileo
Published: June 2022

Background

Little is known about the evolution of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) since diagnosis and its association with glycemic and lipid control in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Objective

Evaluate the actual criteria to start screening PAD with ankle-brachial index (ABI) in T2DM patients and assess its progression and relationship with glycemic and lipid control since diagnosis.

Methods

We performed a 3-year prospective cohort study with two groups: group 1 (978 individuals with T2DM undergoing drug treatment) and group 2 [221 newly diagnosed drug-naive (< 3 months) patients with T2DM]. PAD diagnosis was by ABI ≤ 0.90, regardless any symptoms.

Results

As expected, abnormal ABI prevalence was higher in group 1 vs. Group 2 (87% vs. 60%, p < 0.001). However, abnormal ABI prevalence did not differ between patients over and under 50 years in both groups. Our drug-naive group stabilizes ABI (0.9 ± 0.1 vs 0.9 ± 0.1, p = NS) and improved glycemic and lipid control during follow-up [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) = 8.9 ± 2.1 vs 8.4 ± 2.3%, p < 0.05; LDL = 132 ± 45 vs 113 ± 38 mg/dL, p < 0.01, respectively]. When compared, patients who evolved with normalization or maintained normal ABI levels at the end [Group A, N = 60 (42%)] with those who decreased ABI to abnormal levels (ABI basal 1.0 ± 0.1 vs final 0.85 ± 0.1, p < 0.001) [Group B, N = 26 (18%)], an improvement in HbA1c (9 ± 2 vs 8 ± 2%, p < 0.05) and a correlation between the final HbA1c with ABI (r = − 0.3, p = 0.01) was found only in the first. In addition, a correlation was found between albuminuria variation and ABI solely in group A (r = − 0.3; p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that ABI should be measured at diagnosis in T2DM patients, indicating that current criteria to select patients to screen PAD with ABI must be simplified. An improvement in albuminuria and glycemic and lipid control could be related with ABI normalization in newly diagnosed T2DM drug-naive patients.