bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How trust is lost: the Food Systems Summit 2021 and the delegitimation of UN food governance
Authors: Anderl Felix , Hißen Michael
Published: May 2023

Social movements see participation formats of international organizations (IOs) with suspicion. They increasingly retreat from cooperation to contest IOs from the outside, because they fear co-optation without real policy impact. However, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) was an exception to this trend because its opening up was seen as long-term dialogue facilitating discussions about the nature of food production, and because it created credible institutional mechanisms that were trusted by activists to give influence to farmers and peasant movements. Therefore, the food sovereignty movement participated within the FAO framework in a remarkably institutionalized way throughout the 2010s. But in 2019, when the United Nations (UN) announced to hold a food systems summit (United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS)), this changed dramatically. The food sovereignty movement, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and eventually scientists, decided to boycott the summit, instead organizing an alternative Peoples’ Summit, and withdrawing from long-held institutional roles in the FAO. How can this be explained? This article traces the process from the announcement of the UNFSS to its implementation, stressing how institutional trust was damaged by several decisions in the process that undermined the good faith of activists. As we show in detail, the circumvention of established institutional mechanisms, and the feeling of betrayal on the side of the movement, was decisive for losing institutional trust. Importantly, a mixture of substantive and institutional changes in the context of UNFSS not only undermined the movement’s trust into the integrity and ability of the summit organizers, but thereby also provoked movement efforts to delegitimize UN food governance at large.
Virtual hospitals: The future of the healthcare system? An expert consensus
Authors: Bidoli Chiara , Pegoraro Veronica , Dal Mas Francesca , Bagnoli Carlo , Bert Fabrizio , Bonin Mauro , Butturini Giovanni , Cobianchi Lorenzo , Cordiano Claudio , Minto Giulio , Pilerci Claudio , Stocco Paolo , Zantedeschi Maristella , Campostrini Stefano
Published: May 2023

Today, social and healthcare systems at a global level are facing constant challenges dictated by an increasing mismatch between the demand for care services and the supply of human and economic resources. Such a situation has been exacerbated in the past two years by the Covid-19 pandemic. This has led to an increase in the leverage of digitalisation, which has proved to be a crucial tool for the development and application of new organisational models at both hospital and territorial levels, thus addressing the various criticalities already present in the system. In this sense, the Virtual Hospital has emerged as a potential model for increasing effectiveness and efficiency in delivering sociomedical services. Starting from these premises, an EFTE ( estimate, feedback, talk, estimate) approach was used to acquire an expert consensus within a multidisciplinary panel of academics and healthcare managers of the Veneto Region in Italy. This article reports the expert opinion on the possible application of the Virtual Hospital model in the national context, starting from the existing international evidence and good practices, highlighting the potential advantages and barriers to its implementation. Furthermore, the article analyses the most relevant areas of investment for the development of intangible assets and the acquisition of tangible assets necessary for its implementation.
Translating sophisticated data analytic strategies regarding school attendance and absenteeism into targeted educational policy
Authors: Kearney Christopher A. , Childs Joshua
Published: May 2023

School attendance and absenteeism are critical targets of educational policies and practices that often depend heavily on aggregated attendance/absenteeism data. School attendance/absenteeism data in aggregated form, in addition to having suspect quality and utility, minimizes individual student variation, distorts detailed and multilevel modeling, and obscures underlying causes and disparities of absenteeism. Recent advances in data analytics/mining and modeling may assist researchers and other stakeholders by evaluating large-scale data sets in more targeted ways to identify key root causes and patterns of school absenteeism in a particular community, school, or group of students. This would allow for more accurate educational policies tailored to unique local conditions and student/family circumstances. This article provides a summary of recent algorithm- and model-based efforts in this regard. Algorithm-based efforts include classification and regression tree analysis, ensemble analysis, support vector machines, receiver operating characteristic analysis, and random forests. Model-based efforts include multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, latent class analysis, and meta-analytic modeling. We then illustrate how these efforts can enhance a full and nuanced understanding of the root, interconnected causes of absenteeism, improve early warning systems, and assist multi-tiered systems of support interventions for absenteeism.
Trends in prevalence, treatment and control of hypertension in 38,825 adults over 36 years in Tromsø prospective study
Authors: Desai Trishna , Clarke Robert , Ross Stephanie , Grimsgaard Sameline , Njølstad Inger , Lewington Sarah
Published: May 2023

Aims/Background:

Serial blood pressure surveys in cohort studies can inform public health policies to control blood pressure for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Methods:

Mean levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP) were collected in six sequential surveys, involving 38,825 individuals aged 30–79 years (51% female), between 1979 and 2015 in the Tromsø Study in Norway. Mean levels of SBP, prevalence of hypertension and use of blood pressure-lowering treatment were estimated by age, sex and calendar year of survey.

Results:

Age-specific mean levels of SBP in each decade of age increased by 20–25 mmHg in men and 30–35 mmHg in women and the prevalence of hypertension increased from 25% to 75% among adults aged 30–79 years. Among successive cohorts of adults aged 40–49 years at the time of the six surveys between 1979 and 2015, the mean levels of SBP declined by about 10 mmHg and the prevalence of hypertension declined from 46% to 25% in men and from 30% to 14% in women. The proportion of individuals with hypertension who were treated increased sixfold (from 7% to 42%) between 1979 and 2015, and the proportion of adults with hypertension that were successfully controlled also increased sixfold from 10% to 60% between 1979 and 2015.

Conclusions:

Although this study demonstrated a halving in the age-specific prevalence of hypertension in men and women and a sixfold increase in treatment and control of hypertension, the burden of hypertension remains high among older people in Norway.
Do adverse experiences predict unemployment and need of psychiatric help after treatment for drug use disorders?
Authors: Karsberg Sidsel H , del Palacio-Gonzalez Adriana , Pedersen Michael M , Frederiksen Kirsten S , Pedersen Mads U
Published: May 2023

Background: This study prospectively examined the association between adverse experiences (physical abuse, sexual abuse and parental substance use problems [SUPs]), not being employed, in education or training (NEET) and being in need of acute psychiatric help among patients receiving treatment for substance use disorders. Methods: A total of 580 adolescents and early adults aged 15–25 years enrolled in treatment for drug use disorders were included in the analyses. Treatment data were linked to participants’ register data on employment, education and acute contact to psychiatric services for the following two years. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations between the three adverse experiences, NEET and need of acute psychiatric help, adjusting for confounders such as age, gender, ethnicity, treatment response and treatment condition. Results: More than half of the participants were NEET two years after treatment enrolment. After controlling for demographics and treatment conditions, NEET was predicted by parental substance use problems (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31– 2.70), exposure to physical abuse (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.03–2.13) and non-abstinence (abstinence was negatively associated with NEET, OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.37–0.76). Being exposed to two (OR = 3.17, 95% CI 1.93–5.21) and three types of adverse experiences (OR = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.47–6.70) predicted NEET more strongly than exposure to one type. One out of 10 participants sought acute care from psychiatric services at least once within two years after treatment. Only sex and ethnic minority status were associated with contacting psychiatric services acutely. Conclusion: The present study suggests that adverse experiences, such as being exposed to parental problematic substance use and physical abuse, may be important predictors for NEET after treatment for SUDs.
Performance prediction and parameter optimization of alumina-titanium carbide ceramic micro-EDM hole machining process based on XGBoost
Authors: Chen Yujin , Wu Yaoguang , Cheng Mengmeng , Zhu Jihong , Meng Yanmei , Mu Xiele
Published: May 2023

Aiming at the difficulties in setting process parameters and the low accuracy of process performance prediction in electrical discharge machining (EDM) hole machining of alumina ceramics, a novel EDM process performance prediction method based on eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) is proposed in this study. The independent variables selected include processing polarity (P), interelectrode voltage (V), peak current (I), pulse frequency (F), pulse width (T), and tool electrode and workpiece electrode gap (W), while the dependent variables are tool electrode length loss (ELW), tool electrode volume loss (EVW), and material removal rate (MRR). An L18 (21  ×  35) orthogonal test is designed to obtain training samples for model development. The accuracy of the prediction results for ELW, EVW, and MRR by the XGBoost model is found to be 1.7%, 2.5%, and 9.4%, respectively. These results show a significant improvement compared to the linear regression model, with an improvement of 41.7%, 62.5%, and 19.4%, respectively. Furthermore, when compared to the support vector regression (SVR) model, the XGBoost model also shows improvement of 23.6%, 5.9%, and 12.0% for ELW, EVW, and MRR prediction accuracy, respectively. These findings suggest that the proposed XGBoost-based method is effective and accurate in predicting the performance of alumina ceramic EDM processes. In addition, the third generation nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-III) is utilized to optimize the process parameters with both single objective and multi-objective approaches. The optimal parameters for ELW, EVW, and MRR, including the selection of machining polarity, interelectrode voltage, peak current, pulse frequency, pulse width, and tool electrode and workpiece electrode gap are obtained through the Pareto frontier of the three comprehensive optima. The average relative errors between the experimental results and the optimized results are found to be 6.46%, 10.45%, and 9.58% for ELW, EVW, and MRR, respectively, indicating the accuracy and effectiveness of the optimized results.
Performances and pollutant emissions of spark ignition engine using direct injection for blends of ethanol/ammonia and pure ammonia
Authors: Pelé Ronan , Brequigny Pierre , Bellettre Jérôme , Mounaïm-Rousselle Christine
Published: May 2023

Combustion and emissions characteristics of a spark-ignition engine using direct injection of ethanol blended with ammonia and also pure ammonia were investigated in this study. The experiments were conducted using five different fuel compositions of ethanol/ammonia (C2H5OH/NH3): 100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, and 0/100. Two strategies of injection were conducted to reach homogenous or stratified conditions with three different intake pressures, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 bar corresponding to 2.8, 7.9, and 12 bar of IMEP. The performances and the pollutants emissions are compared as a function of fuel compositions at identical IMEP. High stability is observed for all blends and even for pure ammonia. However, operating conditions are more restrictive for pure ammonia: the injection must be executed during the intake phase to be in a fully premixed mode to guarantee engine stability. Delaying the injection time for pure ammonia is not possible and requires the split of injections with 50% of the ammonia amount injected during the intake. The thermal efficiency is improved by adding 25% of NH3 in ethanol but NOx emissions increase. The stratified strategy for blends improves the combustion durations and the addition of ammonia decreases the NOx emission compared to the homogeneous strategy. On the contrary, CO emissions roughly increase for blends. The presence of NH3 in the fuel composition clearly influences the change of formation of NOx and CO between both strategies.
Trust in interpersonal care relations between care providers and people diagnosed with dementia: An ethnographic study from a Danish welfare context
Authors: Thorsen Mille K , Nielsen Marianne L
Published: May 2023

This article examines how trust is built and maintained in interpersonal care relations between people diagnosed with dementia and their vocationally trained care assistants in a Danish welfare context. The issue of trust is singled out as being particularly relevant, as people diagnosed with dementia often possess different cognitive abilities than those most commonly mentioned within existing social theory and research as prerequisites for building and maintaining trust in interpersonal care relations. The article is based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in various locations in Denmark, primarily during the summer and fall of 2021. It argues that in order for care assistants to build trustful relations with people diagnosed with dementia, they need to acquire the ability to set the “tone” or the “mood” of the care interactions, as that makes it possible to step into the world of people diagnosed with dementia in ways that acknowledge fundamental human affectedness as captured in Heidegger’s notion of “being-in-the-world.” Put differently, the social aspects of caregiving should not be separated from the specific nursing tasks that need to be performed. Rather, they should be considered prerequisites for providing those tasks in the first place.
‘Now we have gym, now we have to perform’: Norwegian students’ perceptions of assessment and grading in physical education
Authors: Røset Linda , Green Ken , Sigurjonsson Thorsteinn , Tjomsland Hege Eikeland , Cale Lorraine , Thurston Miranda
Published: May 2023

Assessment has become a routine feature of school life, internationally. Little is known, however, about the consequences for young people of assessment and grading in physical education (PE) – a subject often associated with physical recreation. This paper explores young Norwegian’s perceptions of assessment and grading in PE from a sociological perspective. In doing so, it contemplates the penetration of neo-liberal discourses as part of wider processes of globalization and Europeanization in school PE in Norway. The study utilizes data generated by 31 focus groups involving 148 youngsters from the 10th grade (15–16-year-olds) in eight purposively sampled secondary schools in Norway. Norwegian PE teachers continue to use tests in order to set grades in PE. The upshot is that students’ enjoyment of and engagement in PE, as well as their self-identities and self-esteem, can be compromised by apprehension towards assessment and grading. These processes seem likely to undermine or even erode the potential sociopsychological benefits of PE for some young people by reinforcing the impression that the subject is fast becoming just one more outcome-oriented subject on an academic treadmill. In this regard, the ascendancy of neo-liberalism – associated with the twin challenges of globalization and European integration – appears to merely reinforce the hegemony of competitive individualism within PE in Norway, as elsewhere.
Connectivity Disturbances in Self-Limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes: A Partial Directed Coherence Analysis of Electroencephalogram
Authors: Chiang Ching-Tai , Yang Rei-Cheng , Kao Yu-Chia , Wu Rong-Ching , Ouyang Chen-Sen , Lin Lung-Chang
Published: May 2023

Although the remission of self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS) usually occurs by adolescence, deficits in cognition and behavior are not uncommon. Several functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have revealed connectivity disturbances in patients with SeLECTS associated with cognitive impairment. However, the disadvantages of fMRI are expensive, time-consuming, and motion sensitive. In the current study, we used a partial directed coherence (PDC) method to analyze electroencephalogram (EEG) for exploring brain connectivity in patients with SeLECTS. This study enrolled 38 participants (19 patients with SeLECTS and 19 healthy controls) for PDC analysis. Our results demonstrated that the controls had significantly higher PDC inflow connectivity in the F7, T3, FP1, and F8 channels than patients with SeLECTS. By contrast, the patients with SeLECTS demonstrated significantly higher PDC inflow connectivity than did the controls in the T5, Pz, and P4 channels. We also compared the PDC connectivity in different Brodmann areas between the patients with SeLECTS and the controls. The results revealed that the inflow connectivity in the BA9_46_L area was significantly higher in the controls than in the patients with SeLECTS, whereas the inflow connectivity in the MIF_L area 4 was significantly higher in the patients with SeLECTS than in the controls. Our proposed approach of combining EEG with PDC provides a convenient and useful tool for investigating functional connectivity in patients with SeLECTS. This approach is time-saving and inexpensive compared with fMRI, but it achieves similar results to fMRI.
Conditions of Confinement and Incarcerated Women’s Mental Health
Authors: Edgemon Timothy G. , Clay-Warner Jody
Published: May 2023

Research on incarceration and mental health from a deprivation perspective has focused primarily on incarcerated men, rendering the links between prison deprivations and women’s mental health largely unknown. Previous research indicates, however, that women experience prison differently than do men, making it important to examine how prison conditions impact women’s mental health. Here, we use national data on 1490 women incarcerated in the United States and the 60 state prisons in which they reside to examine the links between prison conditions and symptoms of mental health conditions, net of individual-level factors. Hierarchal negative binomial regression models indicate that the punitiveness of the prison environment, the recent occurrence of a suicide in the prison, and fewer prison programs are all associated with symptom count. These results have important implications for understanding the mechanisms through which prison deprivations are linked to women’s mental health.
Do Pregnant Women Perceive Being Counseled About Nutrition by Healthcare Providers? A Cross-Sectional Study of the Recall and Satisfaction of Nutrition Counseling of Patients Throughout the Course of Their Pregnancy
Authors: Jackson Hayn , Stickler Erin , Biddle Sara , Trilk Jennifer L.
Published: May 2023

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics identifies a balanced diet and appropriate weight gain as two important components of a healthy pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the recall of pregnant women about nutrition counseling provided by their healthcare provider during their pregnancy. We conducted an anonymous, voluntary survey using online software for women who had recently given birth and were less than 2 weeks postpartum. Discrete variables were analyzed using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Analyses were carried out using R statistical software. Differences were considered statistically significant at P < .05. Of 201 postpartum women surveyed, 100 (49.8%) recall receiving nutrition counseling during pregnancy, while 101 (50.2%) did not recall receiving nutrition counseling. Notably, 73% of women who were counseled about nutrition during pregnancy changed their behavior based on provider advice. These findings suggest that approximately half of women polled recall receiving nutrition counseling during the pregnancy, and that there are crucial opportunities for providers to influence positive behavior change in their patients. Additional research is needed to determine perceptions of providers’ counseling and potential needs in providers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward nutrition counseling, particularly across different demographic groups and social determinants of health.
Teachers’ responses to students’ informal political dialogue: Charting the grey areas in school
Authors: Jayusi Wurud , Erlich Ron Rakefet , Gindi Shahar
Published: May 2023

Recess, the bus ride home, the school corridor and other grey areas are ambiguous for both teachers and students and fall under less institutional regulation. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways teachers would react when they encounter students’ informal political comments in the grey areas. We presented vignettes to 71 Palestinian teachers and 64 Jewish teachers in Israel and asked them what they would have done in a similar situation in their classroom. Teachers’ reactions were on a continuum ranging from avoidance and passivity to engaging in multidimensional mediation. Differences between Jewish and Palestinian teachers were found, and they reflect power relations between the Jewish majority and the Palestinian minority, which involve Palestinian teachers being more reluctant to engage in controversial public issues due to their minority status.
Coach and player rating of perceived challenge (RPC) as a skill monitoring tool in Rugby union
Authors: Bam Jenna , Watson Neil , Parker Naasier , Lambert Mike , Jones Ben , Weston Matthew , Hendricks Sharief
Published: May 2023

Objective

To determine the relationship between player and coach rating of perceived challenge (RPC) for different training sessions over a competitive rugby union season. A secondary aim was to explore the relationship between player RPC and player session rating of perceived exertion (RPE).

Methods

We used an observational longitudinal study design to monitor 51 male highly-trained under 21 rugby union players and four coaches over an 11-week competitive rugby season (a total of 1798 training session observations). Player RPC (0 to 10 arbitrary units (AU)) and RPE ratings (0 to 10 AU) were collected after team sessions (a technical and tactical field-based session with all players training together), split sessions (a technical and tactical field-based session where players trained separately according to their positional grouping (forward and backs)) and gym sessions (non-field-based session with all players training together). Coach RPC ratings were only collected after team sessions and split sessions.

Results

A weak positive relationship (rho = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.09–0.42; p < .001) was found for split sessions (player RPC: 4.40; 95% CI: 3.87–4.87 AU; coach RPC: 4.25; 95% CI: 3.92–4.60 AU), while a moderate positive relationship (rho = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.31–0.43; p < .001) was found between player RPC (4.29; 95% CI: 4.00–4.55) and coach RPC (4.96; 95% CI: 4.89–5.05) for team sessions. Forwards had a higher RPC (5.33; 95% CI: 4.50–5.65) compared to backs (3.45; 95% CI: 2.88–4.00) for split ( p < .001) and team sessions (forward's RPC: 4.66; 95% CI: 4.37–4.94; back's RPC: 3.84; 95% CI: 3.38–4.26; p < .001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, using a rating to quantify the perceived challenge of training, we found coaches may be overestimating how challenging their training sessions are. Forwards-rated field sessions more challenging than backs, which likely represents their additional technical and tactical demands from training scrums, line-outs and mauls. While the RPC has strong theoretical justification as a rating tool to potentially fulfil the gap of quantifying the perceived challenge of training, thoughtful validity studies are yet to be conducted on the scale, which are the required next steps if the RPC is going form part of a coach's and practitioner's toolbox to optimise skill training.
Psychological contract on employee consequences among collegiate head coaches: The moderating role of procedural justice
Authors: Won Doyeon , Chiu Weisheng , Bravo Gonzalo A
Published: May 2023

The current study investigated the relationship between the psychological contract (PC), trust, perceived organizational support (POS), organizational commitment, and turnover intention among collegiate head coaches. In addition, this study explored the moderating effect of procedural justice on the relationship between these variables. Data were collected from 283 full-time head coaches in the NCAA and were primarily analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results indicated that relational PC (R-PC), compared to transactional PC (T-PC), was more influential in affecting coaches’ POS, trust, and commitment, while T-PC influenced POS only, but not trust and commitment. In addition, both trust and POS were positively associated with coaches’ affective commitment, while affective commitment, POS, and trust, in this order, were negatively related to their turnover intentions. Coaches’ perceived procedural justice moderated the relationship between T-PC and employee consequences, indicating that T-PC was more meaningful in high justice situations.
Optimal condition based maintenance using attribute Bayesian control chart
Authors: Rasay Hasan , Hadian Seyed Mohammad , Naderkhani Farnoosh , Azizi Fariba
Published: May 2023

Condition-based maintenance (CBM) has been emerged as a relatively new trend in maintenance management. Instead of conducting preventive maintenance actions in specified time intervals, the CBM program collects information through condition monitoring, then recommends maintenance actions based on the observed data. On the other hand, Bayesian control charts use the posterior probability of being the system in an unhealthy state as the chart statistic. An attribute Bayesian control chart is employed in this study to monitor a deteriorating system and plan CBM actions based on a continuous-time homogeneous Markov chain. The system consists of three states: healthy, unhealthy, and failure states. A partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) is developed, which optimally determines the sample size, sampling interval, and warning limit to minimize the long-term expected cost per time unit. Numerical examples and sensitivity analyses are conducted to clarify the performance of the proposed attribute control chart. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the applications of attribute Bayesian control charts in condition-based maintenance.
Quantifying athlete wellness: Investigating the predictive potential of subjective wellness reports through a player monitoring system
Authors: Alexandersen Andreas , Pettersen Susann Dahl , Johansen Dag
Published: May 2023

This study investigated the potential of self-reported wellness data from a player monitoring system and its predictive power of individual match performance among a female professional football player cohort. Using longitudinal data collected from the Pm Reporter Pro mobile application and corresponding individual performance scores (InStat Index), the study investigated if pre-match perceived wellness could predict individual match performance. The results show no significant evidence for a correlation between the two. This result may suggest that other factors might have a larger impact on performance, that the data quality captured by the current version of the player monitoring system is not sufficient, or that the impact of personally perceived wellness on performance is minimal. The limitations of bias in self-reported data and relatively small sample size might have affected the results. Despite these findings, the study provides valuable insights into the use of data-driven analytics with a concrete and widely used player monitoring system and suggests recommendations for future research.
Comparing Glucose Outcomes Following Face-to-Face and Remote Initiation of Flash Glucose Monitoring in People Living With Diabetes
Authors: Kingsnorth Andrew P. , Wilson Caroline , Choudhary Pratik , Griffin Tomás P.
Published: May 2023

Background:

When launched, FreeStyle Libre (FSL; a flash glucose monitor) onboarding was mainly conducted face-to-face. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a change to online starts with patients directed to online videos such as Diabetes Technology Network UK for education. We conducted an audit to evaluate glycemic outcomes in people who were onboarded face-to-face versus those who were onboarded remotely and to determine the impact of ethnicity and deprivation on those outcomes.

Methods:

People living with diabetes who started using FSL between January 2019 and April 2022, had their mode of onboarding recorded and had at least 90 days of data in LibreView with >70% data completion were included in the audit. Glucose metrics (percent time in ranges) and engagement statistics (previous 90-day averages) were obtained from LibreView. Differences between glucose variables and onboarding methods were compared using linear models, adjusting for ethnicity, deprivation, sex, age, percent active (where appropriate), and duration of FSL use.

Results:

In total, 935 participants (face-to-face 44% [n = 413]; online 56% [n = 522]) were included. There were no significant differences in glycemic or engagement indices between onboarding methods and ethnicities, but the most deprived quintile had significantly lower percent active time (b = −9.20, P = .002) than the least deprived quintile.

Conclusions:

Online videos as an onboarding method can be used without significant differences in glucose and engagement metrics. The most deprived group within the audit population had lower engagement metrics, but this did not translate into differences in glucose metrics.
Languages of din: Place, history, and paths
Authors: Hammond Timur
Published: May 2023

In this commentary, I engage with James Sidaway's recent article, ‘Beyond the Decolonial: Critical Muslim Geographies’. I respond to its contributions and provocations by asking two linked questions. First, what is the place of language in these critical Muslim geographies? I suggest that geographers should situate their engagement with key terms in their contexts, a project that complicates how terms like din are taken to be a core part of Muslim geographies. Second, I ask how we are to understand the ‘Muslim’ of Muslim geographies. Our answer to that question has consequences for how we understand our categories of practice and analysis.
Critical geography, Islam, and the possibility of engaging the more-than-critical
Authors: Anshary Farhan
Published: May 2023

In this commentary, I pose a question regarding how critical geographers will position themselves toward Islam as a different mode of decolonising (or something beyond it) that is fundamentally different from mainstream critical geography. To build this argument, I first expand on Sidaway's account of how one should understand Islam and its consequences. I then argue that critical geography is an extension of a secularisation project whose presuppositions negate the Islamic worldview. To conclude, I reflect on my engagement with critical geography as a Muslim and lay out some questions to be considered by critical geographers.
Integrating design thinking and agile approaches in analytics development: The case of Aginic
Authors: Brea Edgar , Someh Ida , Freya Emma , Thebault Brett , Sadiq Shazia
Published: May 2023

Drawing on the story of Aginic and its educational analytics platform edPortal, this teaching case study examines how applying agile methods and design thinking to analytics has helped unlock significant value for Aginic, its clients and the education sector overall. It describes key factors driving the successful integration of agile values and design approaches, allowing students to gain a deep understanding on how such integration can facilitate the development of innovative data analytics products.
Successful autologous transfusion from the subcutaneous space in a domestic shorthair cat with suspected anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity
Authors: Nash Katherine J , Yeo Amanda , Munce Katherine
Published: May 2023

Case summary

A 6-month-old female entire domestic shorthair cat was presented with a 4-day history of progressive swelling over the dorsal cranium. Subsequent diagnostics revealed a large haematoma, a secondary haemostatic defect and a moderate anaemia. The owner disclosed access to multiple brodifacoum bait stations. The anaemia and haematoma progressed despite treatment with fresh frozen plasma and phytonadione and the cat developed signs of haemorrhagic shock. Allogenic transfusion was declined due to cost and 18 ml of blood was aspirated from the haematoma and transfused. The cat stabilised quickly and was discharged the next day with oral phytonadione.

Relevance and novel information

Autologous transfusion from the subcutaneous space has not been previously reported. It was well tolerated and life-saving in this case.
The role of accelerator programmes in supporting the adoption of digital health technologies: A qualitative study of the perspectives of small- and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Njoku Chidi , Green Hofer Stuart , Sathyamoorthy Ganesh , Patel Neelam , Potts Henry WW
Published: May 2023

Objective

Evidence-based digital health technologies are increasingly important in delivering care to an ageing population with constrained resources. In the United Kingdom, accelerator programmes (APs) have been developed to support the adoption of digital health technologies within the National Health Service. This study aims to explore the perspectives of stakeholders using APs.

Methods

Stakeholders representing nine small -and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that were engaged with three different APs ( n = 9). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants between April and September 2018. Framework analysis of the data was performed to explore their perspectives on APs.

Results

Four key themes were generated. Informants reported the need to generate evidence before and during the programme, appreciating different types of evidence and their importance. Informants identified several key factors that were a catalyst for success, including involvement in the programme and access to individuals and organisations that were crucial for support. However, several barriers were identified at the programme and system levels. Finally, informants identified key supporting processes that enhanced the adoption of their innovations.

Conclusion

SMEs that develop digital health technologies report that, while APs are useful in supporting the adoption of these technologies, some issues remain. These relate to the emphasis on traditional research evidence that remains a challenge for SMEs to generate. Also, several system-level barriers to innovation in healthcare persist. As APs and SMEs continue to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem, there is increased potential for the development of supporting processes and infrastructure to accelerate the efficient and timely adoption of new digital health technologies.
A study to explore the usefulness of a mobile health application to support people with mild cognitive and/or communication impairment due to dementia and their carers
Authors: Cheraghi-Sohi Sudeh , Davies Karen , Gordon Lorenzo , Jones Huw , Sanders Caroline , Ong Bie Nio
Published: May 2023

Background

Mobile apps for health (mHealth) have the potential to support people living with dementia. However, dementia is a complex and progressive condition that imposes specific constraints on the introduction/use of mhealth. Few studies have explored mHealth adoption and use within the complexity of everyday domestic settings. This study used an existing App co-designed with people living with mild cognitive and communication impairment (PWMCCI) due to learning disabilities and examined the usefulness for PWMICCI due to dementia and their carers.

Methods

A qualitative study of people with dementia and their carers. Data were collected in a phased approach to identify the potential need for, as well as the usability and utility of the app. Analysis employed the Domestication of Technology Model (DTM) to explore, in a novel way mHealth, in this user group(s).

Results

Most participants did not adopt the mHealth during the study period but some ( n  =  2) did routinely as it fulfilled a unique, unmet need. The use of DTM highlighted the complexities of dementia, pressure on carers and duplication of effort created barriers to app adoption and use in the long term.

Conclusions

The ability of mHealth to support PWMCCI due to dementia and/or their carers may have potential. Users were motivated to try the technology but for any potential to be fully realised, the interplay between complexity of the condition including its progressive nature, demand on carers and nature of the technology needs to be more fully understood. Such issues place unique constraints around the size and window of opportunities for mHealth in this user group.
Smartphone addiction, gender and interpersonal attachment: A cross-sectional analytical survey in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Yi-Ying , Chou Wen-Huei
Published: May 2023

Overview

Smartphone use has dramatically increased worldwide, contributing to a profound change in interpersonal interactions. They have become the primary medium of human interaction, and smartphone addiction, consequently, has become a modern-day reality. Recent research on smartphone addiction has provided diverse explanations regarding the correlation between gender and addiction. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the correlation and variance among smartphone addiction, gender and interpersonal attachment.

Methods

The participants included Taiwanese citizens and the questionnaires were randomly distributed; 1190 valid questionnaires (534 males, 656 females) were collected. Descriptive statistics were computed to observe the average value and standard deviation between interpersonal attachment and gender. Next, Spearman's ρ was conducted to interpret the correlation among smartphone addiction, gender and interpersonal attachment. Finally, the participants were divided into three groups based on their pre-determined level of smartphone addiction: high, moderate and low addictions. The Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed based on interpersonal attachment as the independent variable to determine any statistically significant difference among the three levels.

Results

There are four patterns of interpersonal attachment: secure, avoidant, dismissing and anxious attachments. The correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between interpersonal attachment and smartphone addiction ( p > 0.000), while revealing no relationship between gender and smartphone addiction or gender and interpersonal attachment. Additionally, the ANOVA indicated the difference was statistically significant in the groups of high and moderate addictions; no statistical significance was identified in the group of low addiction ( p  < 0.204).

Conclusion

This study revealed that there was no correlation between gender and smartphone addiction, but rather, a positive correlation between smartphone addiction and interpersonal attachment. This positive correlation suggests both high and moderate addiction groups display insecurity in their interpersonal attachment. Therefore, to lower the prevalence of unhealthy smartphone addiction, maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships is suggested.
Common Cause Versus Dynamic Mutualism: An Empirical Comparison of Two Theories of Psychopathology in Two Large Longitudinal Cohorts
Authors: Aristodemou Michael E. , Kievit Rogier A. , Murray Aja L. , Eisner Manuel , Ribeaud Denis , Fried Eiko I.
Published: May 2023

Mental disorders are among the leading causes of global disease burden. To respond effectively, a strong understanding of the structure of psychopathology is critical. We empirically compared two competing frameworks, dynamic-mutualism theory and common-cause theory, that vie to explain the development of psychopathology. We formalized these theories in statistical models and applied them to explain change in the general factor of psychopathology (p factor) from early to late adolescence ( N = 1,482) and major depression in middle adulthood and old age ( N = 6,443). Change in the p factor was better explained by mutualism according to model-fit indices. However, a core prediction of mutualism was not supported (i.e., predominantly positive causal interactions among distinct domains). The evidence for change in depression was more ambiguous. Our results support a multicausal approach to understanding psychopathology and showcase the value of translating theories into testable statistical models for understanding developmental processes in clinical sciences.
How Indian Pharma Industry Performed in the Last Decade? Impact of a Non-macroeconomic Variable and Financial Distress
Authors: Singh Pooja , Chakraborty Anindita
Published: May 2023

The pharmaceutical industry in India is a significant part of the country’s international commerce, providing appealing channels and prospects for investment. The non-macroeconomic variable, like the COVID-19 pandemic, had a significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry, as well as other industries. This study examines the financial situation of pharma firms and the overall pharma industry using the Altman Z-score before and during the COVID period. Hence, the study is undertaken in three window periods. The study further describes the pharma industry’s stock return to market return and finally, the impact of overall Z-score and its ratios impact on stock return by panel data modeling. The result depicted an improved financial situation in the pharma sector due to improved investors’ confidence and higher beta in pharma stocks compared to market movement during the COVID period. Lastly, it has been analysed that Working Capital to Total Assets (WC/TA) is the significant ratio in predicting the stock return.
Perception and Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Nurses in Jordan
Authors: Rezq Khulud Ahmad , AI_Zaghmouri Abeer Hesham
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a key factor in protecting vulnerable populations, reducing healthcare burdens, and mitigating the economic and social impacts of the pandemic.

Objective

This study aims to investigate Jordanian nurses’ perceptions, acceptance, and factors affecting their decisions toward the COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods

In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional design. Data have been investigated between July 1, 2021 and August 30, 2021. Nurses at three private hospitals in Jordan were surveyed online. The online survey, created using Google Forms, was distributed to nurses via email and social media sites (e.g., WhatsApp and Facebook). Participants were eligible if they were a RN nurse and/or nursing assistance, and had access to the internet via computer and/or smartphone.

Results

Out of 189 responses, 50.6% agreed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while 25.5% disagreed, and 23.9% were undecide to receive the vaccine. A large proportion (84.66%) of the respondents had a negative perception toward the vaccine, while only a small minority (15.34%) had a positive perception of it. The older nurses, those with more experience, and those with a higher level of education were more likely to accept the vaccine, with acceptance rates of 56.1%, 54.8%, and 63.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

Of the nurses surveyed, 84.66% had a negative perception of the COVID-19 vaccine, and only 50.6% reported that they would be willing to get vaccinated. It is crucial to address the concerns and reduce apprehension among nurses about the vaccine. Efforts to increase awareness about the importance of vaccination in controlling the disease through workshops and online meetings are needed.
Effect of silicone oil on retinal microcirculation after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment evaluated by OCT angiography: a literature review
Authors: Christou Evita Evangelia , Papaconstantinou Dimitrios , Droutsas Konstantinos , Stefaniotou Maria , Stavrakas Panagiotis , Kandarakis Stylianos , Petrou Petros , Georgalas Ilias
Published: May 2023

Silicone oil (SO) has been widely used as intravitreal tamponade agent for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and has been occasionally associated with incomplete retinal structural and functional recovery. The use of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) has recently attracted significant attention for detailed analysis of retinal capillary plexus and blood flow changes as predicting factors for postoperative outcomes. A detailed literature search was performed in PubMed database until October 2022. The following keywords were used: rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, silicone oil, optical coherence tomography angiography, macular microvasculature, peripapillary capillary plexus, vessel density, and foveal avascular zone. We identified and reviewed 19 studies referring to microcirculation alterations of the retinal capillary plexus as seen on OCT-A in eyes treated by vitrectomy with intravitreal SO for RRD. A comprehensive update revealed variability of microcirculation characteristics of the retinal capillary plexus including the macular and the peripapillary capillaries. Further studies are warranted to clarify the OCT-A values in an attempt to identify the potential effect of SO on retinal tissue in clinical practice. A review of the existing literature sheds light on the effect of SO on retinal capillary plexus and the potential impact on functional outcomes after vitrectomy for RRD. This article discusses important aspects of key publications on the topic, highlights the importance to identify distinct alterations of the microvasculature status, and proposes the need for further future research in this field.
Optimizing Physician Payment for a Single-Payer Healthcare System
Authors: Kemble Stephen B. , Kahn James G.
Published: May 2023

Current forms of payment of independent physicians in U.S. health care may incentivize more care (fee-for-service) or less care (capitation), be inequitable across specialties (resource-based relative value scale [RBRVS]), and distract from clinical care (value-based payments [VBP]). Alternative systems should be considered as part of health care financing reform. We propose a “Fee-for-Time” approach that would pay independent physicians using an hourly rate based on years of necessary training applied to time for service delivery and documentation. RBRVS overvalues procedures and undervalues cognitive services. VBP shifts insurance risk onto physicians, introducing incentives to game performance metrics and to avoid potentially expensive patients. The administrative requirements of current payment methods introduce large administrative costs and undermine physician motivation and morale. We describe a Fee-for-Time payment scenario. A combination of single-payer financing and payment of independent physicians using the Fee-for-Time proposal would be simpler, more objective, incentive-neutral, fairer, less easily gamed, and less expensive to administer than any system with physician payment based on fee-for-service using RBRVS and VBP.