bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carlos Trillo, um quadrinista que sempre soube ser contemporâneo
Authors: Gago Sebastian Horacio
Published: November 2023

Expõe uma proposta teórica e metodológica para pesquisar a produção, crítica e recepção de histórias em quadrinhos. Em certas situações históricas onde há condições de relativa autonomia com respeito ao sistema económico-empresarial capitalista, autores e editores podem promover modificações dentro do âmbito cultural onde atuam. A nossa pesquisa concentra-se em um dos mais importantes roteiristas das décadas de 1970 e 1980 que teve importancia no âmbito da historieta argentina contemporânea: Carlos Trillo (Buenos Aires, 1943 – Londres, 2011). Foi precisamente nos anos 1970 que Carlos Trillo marcou uma nova era no campo dos quadrinhos riopratenses, e será nosso objetivo compreender de que forma o autor fez isso.
Feasibility of Coronary Access Following Redo-TAVR for Evolut Failure: A Computed Tomography Simulation Study
Authors: Tang Gilbert H.L. , Spencer Julianne , Rogers Toby , Grubb Kendra J. , Gleason Patrick , Gada Hemal , Mahoney Paul , Dauerman Harold L. , Forrest John K. , Reardon Michael J. , Blanke Philipp , Leipsic Jonathon A. , Abdel-Wahab Mohamed , Attizzani Guilherme F. , Puri Rishi , Caskey Michael , Chung Christine J. , Chen Ying-Hwa , Dudek Dariusz , Allen Keith B. , Chhatriwalla Adnan K. , Htun Wah Wah , Blackman Daniel J. , Tarantini Giuseppe , Zhingre Sanchez Jorge , Schwartz Greta , Popma Jeffrey J. , Sathananthan Janarthanan
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

Coronary accessibility following redo–transcatheter aortic valve replacement (redo-TAVR) is increasingly important, particularly in younger low-risk patients. This study aimed to predict coronary accessibility after simulated Sapien-3 balloon-expandable valve implantation within an Evolut supra-annular, self-expanding valve using pre-TAVR computed tomography (CT) imaging.

METHODS:

A total of 219 pre-TAVR CT scans from the Evolut Low-Risk CT substudy were analyzed. Virtual Evolut and Sapien-3 valves were sized using CT-based diameters. Two initial Evolut implant depths were analyzed, 3 and 5 mm. Coronary accessibility was evaluated for 2 Sapien-3 in Evolut implant positions: Sapien-3 outflow at Evolut node 4 and Evolut node 5.

RESULTS:

With a 3-mm initial Evolut implant depth, suitable coronary access was predicted in 84% of patients with the Sapien-3 outflow at Evolut node 4, and in 31% of cases with the Sapien-3 outflow at Evolut node 5 (
P
<0.001). Coronary accessibility improved with a 5-mm Evolut implant depth: 97% at node 4 and 65% at node 5 (
P
<0.001). When comparing 3- to 5-mm Evolut implant depth, sinus sequestration was the lowest with Sapien-3 outflow at Evolut node 4 (13% versus 2%;
P
<0.001), and the highest at Evolut node 5 (61% versus 32%;
P
<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Coronary accessibility after Sapien-3 in Evolut redo-TAVR relates to the initial Evolut implant depth, the Sapien-3 outflow position within the Evolut, and the native annular anatomy. This CT-based quantitative analysis may provide useful information to inform and refine individualized preprocedural CT planning of the initial TAVR and guide lifetime management for future coronary access after redo-TAVR.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02701283.
Redo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in the Lotus Mechanically Expanded Transcatheter Heart Valve: Bench-Top Analysis, Clinical Experience, and Procedural Guidance
Authors: Alfadhel Mesfer , Frawley Chris , Sathananthan Janarthanan , de Backer Ole , Abdel-Wahab Mohamed , Abdelhafez Ahmed , Van Mieghem Nicolas M. , van den Dorpel Mark , Arunothayaraj Sandeep , Hildick-Smith David , Blackman Daniel J.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

Redo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is increasing as patients outlive their transcatheter heart valves (THVs) and present with bioprosthetic valve failure. The Lotus mechanically expanded THV has unique design characteristics, which have specific implications for Redo TAVI.

METHODS:

The design features of the Lotus valve and their relevance to Redo TAVI were reviewed. Bench-top analysis of Redo TAVI was performed using different contemporary THVs. Procedural and outcome data were obtained from 10 patients who had undergone Redo TAVI for Lotus bioprosthetic valve failure in 5 centers. Recommendations for performing Redo TAVI in Lotus are made, based on these findings.

RESULTS:

The Lotus leaflets extend from the frame inflow, with a Neoskirt of only 13 mm, hence a low risk of coronary obstruction during Redo TAVI. The Lotus frame posts prevent full apposition of the Redo prosthesis in the upper part of the frame, while implantation of the Redo THV above the Lotus inflow leads to inadequate apposition of the Lotus leaflets. Inflow-to-inflow positioning is therefore recommended for effective sealing and leaflet pinning. The Lotus locking mechanism prevents overexpansion of the frame, limiting Redo THV oversizing. Redo TAVI was favorable with SAPIEN 3, Evolut, and Navitor THVs on bench-top analysis but not with ACURATE Neo 2 due to the upper crowns and short stent preventing inflow-to-inflow deployment. Case review demonstrated satisfactory outcomes in 10 patients treated with Evolut (n=6), SAPIEN 3 (n=3), and Portico (n=1) valves, with no mortality, major morbidity, or coronary obstruction. Three patients had residual mean gradient ≥20 mm Hg, including 2 of 3 SAPIEN cases. Guidance on procedural planning, valve choice, sizing, and positioning is provided.

CONCLUSIONS:

Redo TAVI in Lotus requires an understanding of unique design characteristics, and adherence to key procedural recommendations, but can be safely and effectively performed with most contemporary valve types.
Patent Foramen Ovale Management for Secondary Stroke Prevention: State-of-the-Art Appraisal of Current Evidence
Authors: Sposato Luciano A. , Albin Catherine S.W. , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Kamel Hooman , Saver Jeffrey L. , Goldstein Larry B. , Das Alvin S. , Gokcal Elif , Merino Jose G. , Broderick Joseph , Bushnell Cheryl , Ovbiagele Bruce , Neisen Karah B. , Ziegler Paul D. , Gurol M. Edip , Selim Magdy H. , Savitz Sean I. , Morgan John R.
Published: November 2023

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is frequently identified in young patients with ischemic stroke. Randomized controlled trials provide robust evidence supporting PFO closure in selected patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke; however, several questions remain unanswered. This report summarizes current knowledge on the epidemiology of PFO-associated stroke, the role of PFO as a cause of stroke, and anatomic high-risk features. We also comment on breakthrough developments in patient selection algorithms for PFO closure in relation to the PFO-associated stroke causal likelihood risk stratification system. We further highlight areas for future research in PFO-associated stroke including the efficacy and safety of PFO closure in the elderly population, incidence, and long-term consequences of atrial fibrillation post-PFO closure, generalizability of the results of clinical trials in the real world, and the need for assessing the effect of neurocardiology teams on adherence to international recommendations. Other important knowledge gaps such as sex, race/ethnicity, and regional disparities in access to diagnostic technologies, PFO closure devices, and clinical outcomes in the real world are also discussed as priority research topics.
The Missing Piece: A Population Health Perspective to Address the
U.S. Mental Health Crisis
Authors: Sampson Laura , Kubzansky Laura D. , Koenen Karestan C.
Published: November 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced our focus on mental health. Concerns about the high levels of mental disorders in the United States are not new, with rising trends-particularly among youth-observed prior to the pandemic. However, the pandemic may have exacerbated and accelerated these trends. The silver lining is that we can leverage this moment to reevaluate and reimagine not only how we treat mental health problems, but also how we promote emotional well-being throughout the life course. We argue that scholars, policymakers, and practitioners should broaden their view of mental health, and consider it as a full spectrum ranging from serious mental illness to robust emotional well-being. This perspective recognizes the importance of treatment access and quality, but also elevates the value of prevention, particularly at the population level. Greater attention to preventing problems before they occur will not only reduce manifest disorders but also encourage higher rates of psychological resilience and, ultimately, better physical health.
The Protest Psychosis & the Future of Equity &
Diversity Efforts in American Psychiatry
Authors: Metzl Jonathan M.
Published: November 2023

This essay chronicles the history of medical associations between schizophrenia and Blackness that emerged during the tumultuous decades of the 1960s and 1970s, when American psychiatrists overdiagnosed schizophrenia in Black men in ways that undermined brain science of the era. I provide data to show how racially disparate diagnostic outcomes resulted not solely from the attitudes or biases of clinicians, but from a series of larger political and social determinants, most notably changing frameworks surrounding mental illness and political protest. I conclude by highlighting how training clinicians to examine their own cultural biases also needs to include training in how structures and institutions produce symptoms and diseases, and how we can only build better structures to support health if we can individually and then communally imagine them.
Democracy Therapy: Lessons from ThriveNYC
Authors: Belkin Gary
Published: November 2023

Despite massive unmet needs, U.S. mental health care systems and policy continue to aim too low. Laments about brittle foundations-including inadequate funding, fragmentation, stigma, lack of parity, ineffectiveness, unavailability, overmedicalization, and coercion-all share the same source. The mental health system is not working because it has been chasing the wrong goal: to treat illness, rather than to enable people to do nurturing things together. A focus on community nurturing and caring changes everything. It yields better treatment approaches while also engaging with the mutually reinforcing and desperately needed work of social cohesion, emotional well-being, participatory action, and communal learning and connection. In fact, the nurtured emotional health of individuals is fundamental to humane and resilient societies and to democracy itself. And in the face of environmental collapse and the related unraveling of core institutions, the stakes have never been higher. This essay makes the case for a paradigm shift in care and explores a recent effort to implement it at scale: ThriveNYC. The successes and especially the failures of ThriveNYC point to the possibilities and challenges of this essential mission.
Indigenous Historical Trauma: Alter-Native Explanations for Mental
Health Inequities
Authors: Gone Joseph P.
Published: November 2023

The well-being of American Indian and other Indigenous communities has long been compromised by ruthless processes of European colonial dispossession and subjugation. As a result, contemporary Indigenous communities contend with sometimes overwhelming degrees of demoralization, distress, and disability. The concept of Indigenous historical trauma has arisen during the past thirty years as an alternative mental health discourse that critically contests prevailing categories of psychological disability, psychiatric distress, and mental disorders (including addiction, trauma, and suicide). Indigenous adoption and promotion of historical trauma affords an explanatory account for community mental health inequities that designates the historical legacies of colonization as central for understanding contemporary Indigenous suffering. In so doing, Indigenous advocates of historical trauma creatively recast these problems as postcolonial pathologies, and ardently call for overdue advances in reconciliation, redress, and repair with respect to Indigenous Peoples. Ideally, such advances will be evidenced by societal transformations, structural reforms, and social justice that can enhance and ensure Indigenous futurity and well-being.
The Biology of Mental Disorders: Progress at Last
Authors: Hyman Steven E.
Published: November 2023

Mental disorders are common, complex, highly morbid conditions for which basic underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Despite the utility of many existing treatments, there remains vast unmet need for more effective and safer therapeutics. Most current medicines for mental disorders are based on chemical modifications of serendipitously discovered mid-twentieth-century prototypes, and widely used diagnostic manuals remain phenomenological and conceptually confused. After decades of stasis, research on mental disorders has reached an inflection point. Unbiased large-scale genetics provides information that, if interpreted circumspectly and integrated with neurobiology, provides “finding tools” for causal biological mechanisms that can advance discovery of biomarkers, preventive interventions, and better treatments. However, uncritically applied predictive genomic technologies can produce fatalism and exacerbate stigma. Moreover, polygenic risk scores for cognitive ability and risk of mental illness are already being offered commercially for embryo selection with in vitro fertilization, a worrisome resurgence of eugenics hiding in liberal (noncoercive) guise.
Can Mental Health Care Become More Human by Becoming More
Digital?
Authors: Galatzer-Levy Isaac R. , Aranovich Gabriel J. , Insel Thomas R.
Published: November 2023

Over the past two decades, advances in digital technologies have begun to transform three aspects of mental health care. The use of sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) have provided new, objective measures of how we think, feel, and behave. The ease of connecting and communicating remotely has transformed the brick-and-mortar practice of mental health care into a telehealth service, increasing access and convenience for both patients and providers. And the advent of digital therapeutics, from virtual reality for treating phobias to conversational agents for delivering structured therapies, promises to alter how treatments will be delivered in the future. These digital transformations can help to solve many of the key challenges facing mental health care, including access, quality, and accountability. But digital technology introduces a new set of challenges around trust, privacy, and equity. Despite high levels of investment and promotion, there remain profound questions about efficacy and safety of digital mental health technologies. We share our experiences from the front lines creating digital innovations for mental health, with a focus on what a digital transformation of care could deliver for millions with a serious mental illness.
Empowering the (Extra)Ordinary
Authors: Patel Vikram , Rahman Atif
Published: November 2023

Psychological treatments are among the most effective interventions for a wide range of mental health conditions but remain inaccessible to most people who could benefit from them, including in many high-income countries. We describe two case studies from South Asia that demonstrate innovatively designed psychological treatments addressing many of the barriers that limit their scalability. The treatments are brief, less complex, and delivered by frontline providers, such as peer counselors in community settings. These case studies, alongside a large and growing literature from around the world, provide the foundation for a paradigm shift in mental health care by rejecting the nihilistic notion that communities do not have enough resources to address mental health problems or that these problems are too complex to address. Central to this notion is the recognition that mental health problems can be addressed effectively with resources that every community possesses: people who care for others in their communities.
Morphological and genetic diversification of Old-World marbled newts, with the description of a new and ‘not-at-all-cryptic’ subspecies from the Iberian Peninsula (Triturus, Salamandridae)
Authors: Arntzen Jan W.
Published: November 2023

Morphological and genetic variation of organisms is generally lower in northern than in southern regions of the Palearctic. This ubiquitous geographical pattern has been associated with extinction and recolonization processes in the north versus persistence in the Mediterranean area, as governed by climate change in the Pleistocene. One area of differentiation and complexity is the Iberian Peninsula where two distinct sister-species of marbled newts possess adjoining and geographically sharply delimited ranges over the north (Triturus marmoratus) and the south of the peninsula (T. pygmaeus). Within the latter species two forms are here documented, with different colouration patterns and non-overlapping ranges. The southern form is striped, much as in T. marmoratus, and occurs to the south of the Guadalquivir River. The northern form, here described as a new subspecies, has a reticulated dorsal colouration. It occurs only north of the Guadalquivir and is thus sandwiched in between two striped marbled newt taxa. Both T. pygmaeus subspecies engage inside the Doñana National Park in a ca. 2,500 m narrow contact zone. Although an inferred substantial selection against hybrids goes a long way to support species status, a reanalysis of published genetic data is required to solve this issue, along with the wider investigation of the same type of (microsatelite) data for the southern, nominotypical subspecies.
The Jeffersonian Republicans and the Democratic Movement
Authors: Dingeldey Philip
Published: November 2023

Against those who argue that the term democracy only became a broadly positive term in the 19th century, this article shows that it already had become a positive political term in the 1790s in the USA. With the Jeffersonian revolution, groups that used democracy positively triumphed over the anti-democratic Federalists. By transforming the connotation of the word democracy, however, Democratic Republicans also transformed the concept/theory associated with it – from radical direct democracy to a representative system.
Coffee Leaf Traits, Bean Quality and Biochemistry across Elevation and Shade Gradients in Ethiopia
Authors: Getachew Merkebu
Published: November 2023

According to model projections, coffee cultivation areas will need to move to higher elevations as suitability moves upslope to compensate for increased temperatures. However, shifting coffee-growing areas upslope may bring conflicts with land use and crops other than coffee and induce adverse socio-economic and environmental impacts associated with deforestation for new coffee cultivation. Moreover, model projections are largely limited to ex-situ experiments based on downscaled global climate models, and thus empirical data are still needed to assess climate change impacts on coffee production in Ethiopia in the future. Furthermore, conditions such as shade tree canopy closure, soil fertility and elevation may either ameliorate or exacerbate climate change impacts. In the absence of significant interventions, this could result in considerable land use change, increased vulnerability of coffee-dependent livelihoods and a potential shortage of coffee supply. Hence, to generate trustworthy and accurate information for climate-resilient Ethiopian coffee production, more field-based experiments are needed. In this PhD thesis, I used coffee plants growing at contrasting elevations using a space-for-time substitution approach for warming in south-west Ethiopia. The coffee plants were superimposed under various shade tree species with multi-strata canopy architecture. The potential of increasing canopy closure in modulating responses to increasing temperature, and the associated effect on coffee plant traits, green bean quality and biochemistry, were thoroughly explored. Based on my findings, I was able to identify potential limiting factors, to close the coffee quality gap by providing improved management recommendations tailored to the local ecological conditions while acknowledging the dynamic drivers (mainly resource availability and climatic variability) for the long-term sustainability of the coffee industry.
The New Life of the Yurt
Authors: Lamazhaa Chimiza K.
Published: November 2023

The yurt has always been a crucial element of Tuvan culture and the economy of cattle herding, especially for those who keep up the herding tradition. However, their number is small, with most Tuvans living in villages or towns and working in other industries. But the yurt has never been forgotten even by settled Tuvans. The article examines the presence of the yurt (Tuvan ög), the traditional dwelling of nomadic cattle herders in the various spheres of the socio-cultural life in the Republic of Tuva. It is an anthropological study of nostalgic nomadism, a contemporary aspect of nomadism when descendants of original nomads remember the past of their ancestor, feel nostalgic about and accept its elements as their own contemporary cultural values. The study is based on observations made in Tuva from 2014 to 2021 and interviews with Tuvans of different generations in 2021–22.
Data Collaboration: the Aftermath of Operation Sirli
Authors: Hanon Jean Paul , Bigo Didier
Published: November 2023

This article analyses the collaboration between the French external services and the Egyptian government of President Sissi. In a first part, it recounts the revelations of the Disclose journalists in 2021 and their interview with an anonymous source, as well as the follow-up investigation in 2023 by the European Consortium of Independent Journalists. In the second part, the two authors comment on the relationship between data cooperation and counter-terrorism activities, the way in which the sale of arms and spying tools undermines the legitimacy of cooperation, and the way in which the French government has used the argument of defence of secrecy to prevent investigative journalists from investigating the issue.
Climate Change Litigation before International Human Rights Bodies: Insights from Daniel Billy et al. v. Australia (Torres Strait Islanders Case)
Authors: Luporini Riccardo
Published: November 2023

The article examines Daniel Billy et al. v. Australia, also known as the Torres Strait Islanders case, decided by the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The case stands out as the first instance in which an international (quasi-) judicial body has found human rights violations in the context of an individual complaint concerning climate change. The article sets out three main considerations arising from the case. First, it delves into the specificities of the case in relation to some of the common constraints to climate complaints before international human rights bodies. Second, it outlines the distinctive aspects of human rights arguments when applied to climate change adaptation, as opposed to mitigation. Third, it underscores the need to further investigate the multidimensional impact of climate change litigation before international human rights bodies.
The Contribution of itlos to Fight Climate Change: Prospects and Challenges of the cosis Request for an Advisory Opinion
Authors: Mingozzi Pierre Clément
Published: November 2023

On 12 December 2022, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (itlos) received a request from the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (cosis) to render an advisory opinion in order to clarify the obligations of States under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (unclos) to protect and preserve the marine environment in relation to climate change, including ocean warming, sea level rise, and ocean acidification. Although itlos has dealt with environment-related issues in the past, it has not yet specifically dealt with climate change and its (in)direct impacts. This contribution, drawing on the first opinion delivered by the Tribunal in 2015, aims to scrutinize some critical legal questions that the request will inevitably face, engaging particularly with its main procedural and substantive aspects. Since it is unlikely that itlos will encounter any unsurmountable obstacles to render the opinion, it would be expected that the Tribunal will take this opportunity to shed light on the implications of climate change for the legal regime of the sea, but also on the role of the Tribunal itself, to definitively clarify its advisory function.
The itlos Jurisprudence Regarding the Procedural Obligation to Conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment and Its Significance for Deep Seabed Mining
Authors: Tilloy Julio Alberto
Published: November 2023

The present work deals with the contribution of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to the interpretation of the obligation to conduct an environmental impact assessment. Against this backdrop, the article pursues a twofold objective. On the one hand, it reinforces the idea that the case law of the Tribunal influenced ongoing regulating initiatives in the legal regime governing marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. On the other hand, considering the possible commencement of deep seabed mining activities in the Area, the article aims to demonstrate that the Tribunal could further clarify the legal basis of the eia obligation for exploitation purposes by building on its jurisprudence. This topic becomes particularly relevant in light of the “two-year rule” housed in Section 1(15) of the Annex to the 1994 Implementation Agreement and the absence of comprehensive and robust regulations.
A new species of Phragmataecia Newman, 1850 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from Bangladesh
Authors: RAYHAN MD JAHIR , JAHAN SAYEMA , HULSBOSCH RAMON
Published: November 2023

Herein, we describe Phragmataecia ishuqii Rayhan, Jahan, & Hulsbosch sp. nov., a new species of carpenter moth belonging to the genus Phragmataecia Newman, 1850 from Chittagong, Bangladesh. This species is distinct from its closely allied congeners in external morphology as well as male genitalia characteristics. Comparative diagnostic characteristics are provided along with illustrations of the imago and genitalia of this new species.
Evaluation of Soil Moisture in the Canadian Seasonal to Interannual Prediction System, Version 2.1 (CanSIPSv2.1)
Authors: Sospedra-Alfonso Reinel , Merryfield William J. , Kharin Viatsheslav V. , Lee Woo-Sung , Lin Hai , Diro Gulilat T. , Muncaster Ryan
Published: November 2023

We evaluate the soil moisture hindcasts and the reconstruction runs giving the hindcasts initial conditions in version 2.1 of the Canadian Seasonal to Interannual Prediction System (CanSIPSv2.1). Different strategies are used to initialize the hindcasts for the two CanSIPSv2.1 models, CanCM4i and the coupled Global Environmental Multiscale, version 5.1, (GEM5)–NEMO model (GEM5-NEMO), with contrasting impacts on the soil moisture initial conditions and forecast performance. Forecast correlation skill is decomposed into contributions from persistence of the initial anomalies and contributions not linked to persistence, with performance largely driven by the accuracy of the initial conditions in regions of strong persistence. Seasonal soil moisture correlation skill is significant for several months into the hindcasts depending on initial and target months, with contributions not linked to persistence becoming more notable at longer lead times. For the first 2–4 months, the quality of CanSIPSv2.1 ensemble mean forecasts tends to be higher on average during summer and fall and is comparable to that of the best performing model, whereas CanSIPSv2.1 outperforms the single models during spring and winter. For longer lead times, remote climate influences from the Pacific Ocean are notable and contribute to predictable soil moisture variability in teleconnected regions.
Masculinity, Morality, and the State in Northern Kenya: The Case of Baringo County's Il Chamus
Authors: Kovač Uroš , Schulz Dorothea E.
Published: November 2023

Since the early 2000s, armed attacks and inter-ethnic violence have increased in parts of northern Kenya's Baringo County. This article examines how the Maa-speaking Il Chamus men respond to the growing insecurity as they draw on long-standing notions of morality and on the Kenyan state. In contrast to tropes of (agro)pastoralist northern Kenya being plagued by inter-ethnic animosity, lawlessness, and absence of governance, Il Chamus men situate inter-ethnic violence and gun ownership in notions of peace, prosperity, and security and engage the Kenyan state in an effort to achieve these values. Analyses of men in precarious conditions as experiencing “waithood” and turning to violence “in search of respect” need to be complemented by attention to emic notions of morality, masculinity, and intergenerational hierarchy, albeit not as simple remnants of “culture” but as points of debate in contemporary contexts of political and ecological insecurity.
Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiation Following a Math Curriculum Implementation Study
Authors: Hayden Stacy M. , Gubbins E. Jean , Cody Rachael A. , Boldt Gregory T.
Published: November 2023

By utilizing targeted professional learning and predifferentiated, tiered, and enriched mathematics curriculum, teachers gained an understanding of differentiation of content and the value of differentiating content for their students. They also reported a stronger understanding of how to differentiate content in the classroom. However, several barriers to differentiation were also reported, which may provide educational researchers and professional learning coordinators further information about what hinders teachers’ application of differentiated strategies, despite increased understanding and existing positive perceptions.
Hyperlactatemia in patients undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest: Risk factors and its effects on the outcome
Authors: Fang Ying-hui , Zhang Ya-jun , Zhen Ya-nan , Liu Xiao-peng , Sun Guang , Han Yong-xin
Published: November 2023

Introduction

To determine the risk factors of hyperlactatemia in pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery and assess whether elevated blood lactate levels are associated with adverse outcomes.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, a total of 111 consecutive patients who underwent PEA for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension at the XXX Hospital between December 2016 and January 2022 were included. We retrospectively evaluated arterial blood samples analyzed intraoperatively. The pre- and intraoperative risk factors for hyperlactatemia and the postoperative outcomes were recorded.

Results

Lactate levels gradually increased during surgery. The optimal cut-off lactate level for major postoperative complications, calculated using receiver operating characteristic analysis, was 7.0 mmol/L. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) duration, nadir hematocrit, and preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance were risk factors for lactate levels >7 mmol/L. Moreover, the intraoperative peak lactate level during PEA under DHCA was found to be a statistically significant predictor of major complications being associated with longer mechanical ventilation time ( r = 0.294; p = .003) and intensive care unit length of stay ( r = 0.327; p = .001).

Conclusions

Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest duration, nadir hematocrit, and preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance were associated with hyperlactatemia. Increased lactate levels were independent predictors of longer mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit length of stay, and major complications.
Factors Affecting the Seeking of Orthodontic Treatment of Turkish Adults
Authors: Uslu Arzu Uçar , Buyuk Suleyman Kutalmıs
Published: November 2023

Objective

The aim of this study is to determine the factors that are effective in seeking orthodontic treatment of Turkish adult individuals and to evaluate the effects of demographic characteristics such as gender, age, marital status, and educational status of the participants on these factors comparatively.

Methods

A questionnaire-based study was applied to participants who want to receive orthodontic treatment. In the first part, the participants were asked about demographic information such as gender, age, marital status, occupation, and educational status. A total of 542 people (330 female and 212 male) were included in our study. The age of participants included in the study ranged between 18 and 45. Questions about oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups and the factors that affect in seeking orthodontic treatment were asked in the second part of the questionnaire.

Results

Young adults and females were found to have a higher rate of seeking orthodontic treatment. When the participants were asked what led them to orthodontic treatment, 72.1% of the participants stated that they thought it as a necessity such that they should receive orthodontic treatment. Material selection in orthodontic treatment shows statistical significance according to demographic characteristics ( p < 0.05). While 48% of the participants in the 18ȓ24 age group preferred metal orthodontic brackets, 37.9% of the participants in the 25–45 age group preferred clear aligner. Moreover, 40.4% of the married participants preferred clear aligner, while 45.1% of the single participants preferred metal orthodontic brackets.

Conclusion

The factors in seeking orthodontic treatment of individuals vary according to demographic characteristics and social environment of individuals.
Financial Constraints, Investment Climate and Firm Productivity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in India
Authors: Gupta Ruchi , Singh Bhanu Pratap
Published: November 2023

The study’s major aim is to explore the effects of financial constraints and the investment climate conditions on resource misallocation and productivity of Indian Small and Medium Enterprises on a larger sample of 6,932 firms using data from the World Bank Enterprises Survey, 2014. The current study employs Hsieh and Klenow model (2009) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis to measure the distortion in input misallocation and firm productivity, respectively. The study’s major findings suggest a distortion of resources in capital and labour, but the extent of misallocation is more significant in the case of capital. Financial constraint significantly affects the marginal productivity of capital and labour and firms’ total factor productivity. Investment climate conditions such as red tape and harmful competition are critical to achieving the productivity gap of capital. Further, red tape in the system adversely affects the efficiency and productivity of firms. Hence, in addition to access to finance, focus on investment climate conditions such as red tape and harmful competition should be given while framing policies to support Small and Medium Enterprises in India.
Vibration reduction performance for the novel grounded inerter-based dynamic vibration absorber controlling a primary structure under random excitation
Authors: Baduidana Marcial , Kenfack-Jiotsa Aurelien
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates the control performance of a novel grounded inerter-based dynamic vibration absorber (GI-DVA) for random vibration reduction. First, the dynamics equations of the coupled system are written and the transfer function is obtained based on the Laplace transform. Then, assuming that the primary structure is under random white noise excitation, the displacement variance of the primary structure is calculated based on the exact definition of the H2 norm, by solving the Lyapunov equation. By imposing that the partial derivatives of the response variance of the primary structure with respect to the system parameters are simultaneously equal to zero, the optimum design values of the H2 optimized GI-DVA were derived numerically for given different mass ratio. It can be found that the optimal design parameters as the inerter-to-mass ratio, the stiffness ratio and the damping ratio increase, while the frequency ratio decreases with the increase in the mass ratio. Under the optimal conditions, the response analysis showed that the primary structure response controlled by the H2 optimized GI-DVA can decrease with the increase in the mass ratio, but is less sensitive to large mass ratios, and can be robust to the mistuning on the optimum design parameters. Then, the control performance evaluation is first performed in the frequency domain, which reveal that the dynamic response reduction capacity of the H2 optimized GI-DVA are significantly 62% and 48% superior to the H2 optimized classic DVA (CDVA) and high-performance passive nontraditional inerter-based DVA (NIDVA-C4), respectively. Furthermore, for the root mean square response evaluation ( H2 performance), the H2 optimized GI-DVA can provide significantly H2 performance 58% and 50% than the H2 optimized CDVA and NIDVA-C4, respectively. To obtain more realistic results, the time domain simulation is performed, which showed that the GI-DVA can provide significantly performance for random vibration reduction.
In Vitro Evaluation of Vancomycin-Induced Toxicity in Human Primary Knee Chondrocytes
Authors: Hall Susan , Grayson Jane , Grant Gary , Vertullo Christopher , Anoopkumar-Dukie Shailendra
Published: November 2023

Septic arthritis as a complication of orthopaedic joint surgery can have catastrophic outcomes for patients. To minimise infection risk associated with elective orthopaedics, topical vancomycin during surgery has become increasingly common. Evidence suggests that high concentrations of vancomycin, following direct application of the drug to the joint, are toxic towards various local cell types in the joint, including chondrocytes. However, the mechanism of this vancomycin tissue toxicity is yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of vancomycin on chondrocytes and the mechanisms of cell death involved. Human primary knee chondrocytes were exposed to vancomycin (1.25–10 mg/mL) for 24 h and their viability assessed using the resazurin reduction assay in vitro. Specific cell death mechanisms and their contributors, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis, were measured. This study showed that high concentrations of vancomycin (5 and 10 mg/mL) were toxic towards human primary knee chondrocyte cells, while lower concentrations (1.25 and 2.5 mg/mL) were not. Cell death studies found that this occurred through an apoptotic pathway. This study provides additional support that vancomycin in high doses is toxic towards chondrocytes and preliminary evidence that this toxicity occurs via apoptotic cell death mechanisms.
The size effect of molybdenum disulphide additives on friction and wear performance of lithium-thickened palm olein grease
Authors: Abdullah Nadiah Aqilahwati , Mohd Yusof Nurul Farhana , Mohd Ripin Zaidi
Published: November 2023

Concern over commercial mineral-based grease’s impact on the environment and its unrenewable resources requires a more sustainable alternative in lubrication. In this research, a palm olein-based grease was developed, and the effect of particle size of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) additives on the grease performance was experimentally evaluated. Molybdenum disulphide additive of 0.5 wt.% concentration that varied in size was added to the palm olein grease. The friction reduction and wear characteristics of the developed lubricants were evaluated using a four-ball tribometer. The wear surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and infinite focus microscope. It was discovered that MoS2 improved the grease performance, and a nano size of 90 nm exhibited the best performance in reducing friction coefficient, wear parameters and surface roughness. This study suggests the potential of palm olein-based grease with MoS2 additive to be used as a lubricant.
A comparison of 3-D CT and 2-D plain radiograph measurements of the wrist in extra-articular malunited fractures of the distal radius
Authors: Smees Camiel J. , van Es Eline M. , Tuijthof Gabriëlle J. M. , Colaris Joost W. , de Graaff Feike , Vochteloo Anne J. H.
Published: November 2023

Two-dimensional (2-D) plain radiographs may be insufficient for the evaluation of distal radial malunion, as it is a three-dimensional (3-D) deformity. This study introduced a 3-D measuring method that outputs radial inclination, ulnar variance, palmar tilt and axial rotation. To this end, a standardized and clearly defined coordinate system was constructed that allowed 3-D measurements closely resembling the conventional 2-D method in 35 patients. Mean differences between 3-D and 2-D measurements in affected wrists were 1.8° for radial inclination, 0.8 mm for ulnar variance and 3.7° for palmar tilt. In addition, inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of all 3-D and 2-D measurements were good or excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.75), with 3-D reproducibility always better than 2-D. Axial rotation was present in all patients with a mean of 7.9° (SD 6.9). Although the differences between 2-D and 3-D measurements were small, 3-D evaluation enables the assessment of axial rotation and brings us closer to a routine 3-D evaluation of malunion.

Level of evidence: III
Thumb pronation efficacy of Camitz tendon transfer with insertion on the ulnar capsule of the metacarpophalangeal joint: a cadaver study
Authors: Takashima Kenichi , Iba Kousuke , Emori Makoto , Teramoto Atsushi , Aoki Mitsuhiro
Published: November 2023

Several studies have indicated that Camitz transfer for severe carpal tunnel does not adequately restore thumb opposition. The aim of this study was to determine whether modification of the distal insertion of the transferred palmaris longus tendon could provide more effective opposition. We used 12 fresh-frozen upper extremity specimens. For spatial analysis, we used a three-dimensional motion-tracking device. At 0 N and 5 N of traction force, the pronation angle was significantly larger for the modified procedure than for the conventional procedure. There was no significant difference in the palmar abduction angle between the two groups. The modified palmaris longus tendon insertion on the ulnar side of the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint provides more effective thumb pronation than conventional Camitz opponensplasty in a cadaver model.
Folk devils and moral vigilantes – The occupational branding of public affairs consultants and the management of stigma
Authors: Helgesson Elin
Published: November 2023

Public affairs is a rising field of practise; at the same time, it is reputationally complicated. In view of the widespread concern about the impact of its practise on democracy, this study explores how practitioners construct an occupational identity and present their occupation as meaningful to a wider audience. Using the concepts of occupational branding and stigma management communication, the study unpacks how practitioners manage and understand the stigma associated with their occupation and how the meaning of public affairs work is negotiated, described and framed. Drawing on interviews and free-text answers from a nationwide survey of public affairs consultants, the study illuminates how practitioners utilise a variety of strategies while engaging with and navigating the stigma, as well as the societal and historical discourses associated with their profession. Further, the findings show that practitioners are in no rush to reconfigure their image and instead have found productive ways to live with taint and tensions. These results open for debate not only the professionalisation project of public affairs but also the implications that keeping the status quo has on the development of democratic society.
Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy and Associated Factors Among Children Living With HIV in East Wallaga Zone Public Health Institutions, Ethiopia
Authors: Alemayehu Bezinash , Etana Belachew , Abebe Milkias
Published: November 2023

Background: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children is influenced by multiple factors that can be linked to carer and children. The study aimed to assess the level of adherence to ART and its associated factors among children attending ART in East Wallaga zone public health institutions, Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among ART attending children in East Wallaga public health facilities. Pretested and structured questionnaires were used to collect data. To determine the level of significance, bivariate and multiple logistic regressions and 95% confidence intervals were performed. Results: One hundred eighty-five (78.1%) of the 237 study participants’ caregiver stated that their children had adhered to ART in the month preceding the interview. The male children, children from urban, disclosure the human immunodeficiency virus status to the children, proximity to health facilities, good relationship of caregivers with healthcare providers, and children on first-line regimens were strongly linked with ART adherence. Conclusion: The adherence rate obtained in this study was less than 95%, which is an optimal level of adherence recommended by the World Health Organization. Therefore, much work has to be done to optimize adherence to ART.
From Surviving to Living (on): A Grounded Theory Study on Coping in People with Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Ristau Patrick , Oetting-Roß Claudia , Büscher Andreas
Published: November 2023

Little research has been conducted on the experience of pancreatic cancer from a patient's perspective. Several factors suggest that trajectory models of chronic illness or other cancers cannot be applied to pancreatic cancer. Within this grounded theory study, 26 problem-centred interviews were conducted with people with pancreatic cancer from Germany. A cancer-specific trajectory model was developed, depicting both curative and palliative courses. Two successive phases form the core: Immediately after diagnosis, there is an acute phase in which patients focus on mere survival, attempt to overcome the short-term consequences of pancreatic cancer and search for information. This initial phase is followed by a circular phase of living on with pancreatic cancer, characterized by adaptation to the long-term consequences of the disease and a repeated experience of fear of recurrence or progression and threat in the context of follow-up examinations. Understanding disease trajectories from a patient's perspective enables health professionals better to understand patients’ needs, concerns, and fears and better support them in coping. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00020251 , 13.01.2020.
Genome-wide identification and characteristic analysis of ETS gene family in blood clam Tegillarca granosa
Authors: Jin Hongyu , Zhang Weiwei , Liu Hongxing , Bao Yongbo
Published: November 2023

Background

ETS transcription factors, known as the E26 transformation-specific factors, assume a critical role in the regulation of various vital biological processes in animals, including cell differentiation, the cell cycle, and cell apoptosis. However, their characterization in mollusks is currently lacking.

Results

The current study focused on a comprehensive analysis of the ETS genes in blood clam Tegillarca granosa and other mollusk genomes. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed the absence of the SPI and ETV subfamilies in mollusks compared to humans. Additionally, several ETS genes in mollusks were found to lack the PNT domain, potentially resulting in a diminished ability of ETS proteins to bind target genes. Interestingly, the bivalve ETS1 genes exhibited significantly high expression levels during the multicellular proliferation stage and in gill tissues. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results showed that Tg-ETS-14 (ETS1) is upregulated in the high total hemocyte counts (THC) population of T. granosa, suggesting it plays a significant role in stimulating hemocyte proliferation.

Conclusion

Our study significantly contributes to the comprehension of the evolutionary aspects concerning the ETS gene family, while also providing valuable insights into its role in fostering hemocyte proliferation across mollusks.