bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and application of a STEAM program using classroom wall gardens
Authors: Kwack Hye Ran , Jang Eu Jean
Published: September 2021

Background and objective This study aims to develop and apply programs in agriculture and life sciences for promoting divergent thinking in STEAM using classroom wall gardens. The process of the STEAM program such as presentation of the situation, creative design, and success experience is proposed to utilize STEAM education as a distinguished program. Methods Four types of classroom wall gardens were used in this program, such as the ‘plaster pot wall garden’, ‘attachable LED wall garden’. ‘coffee pack wall garden’, and ‘hanging wall garden’ for each classroom. For this purpose, official letters were sent to relevant institutions (elementary schools) specified by the research institute, and classes were conducted on the selected elementary school students. Results A satisfaction survey and effect analysis were conducted on the students participating in the program. The program was designed to take a total of 11 hours, comprised of teaching plans including the topics, purpose of production, subject outlines, learning goals, and elements of STEAM subjects and stages. Conclusion According to the survey on student satisfaction and understanding, it was found that students participating in the program have a high level of understanding and participation, as well as increased interest in science. Also, the program helped the students to connect with other subject areas. The level of student satisfaction was especially high in the upper grades. It is believed that the results of this research contribute to the development of STEAM education programs in agriculture and life sciences as well as other subject areas.
Physiological and psychological effects of forest healing focused on plant fragrance therapy for maladjusted soldiers
Authors: Kim Jihye , Sin Changseob , Park Jong-ok , Lee Hyunchae , Kim Jihye , Kim Dohyeong , Kim Sanghee
Published: September 2021

Background and objective This study verified the physiological and psychological effects of plant fragrance therapy to analyze whether the therapy has a forest healing effect on maladjusted soldiers. Methods This study was conducted from March 14 to May 31, 2020 according to the Green Camp curriculum for 2 weeks per recruit class. Thus, plant fragrance therapy was implemented twice each for three recruit classes. Each session of the program was carried out for 4 hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The venue was the garden within the camp and the forest nearby. Forest healing activities using plant fragrances were led by 1 forest education specialist and 1 assistant. The effects of plant fragrance therapy for maladjusted soldiers were analzed analyzed by quantifying physiological and psychological changes through measuring brain waves and stress levels before and after the therapy. Results As a result of analyzing BRQ and SQ to determine the physiological and psychological healing effect of plant fragrance therapy, both the left and right brain showed higher BRQ and SQ after the therapy with statistical significance. This indicates that plant fragrance therapy on maladjusted soldiers helped positively stabilize their negative psychological and behavioral dispositions, and stabilization of brain waves lowered physical and mental stress and improved self-regulation and immunity. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in ATO. This is the result of analyzing the stress-coping mechanism. Troubleshooting (t = −2.702, df = 61, p = .009), emotional remission (t = −2.173, df = 61, p = .034), pursuit of help (t = −3.286), df = 61, p = .002), and wishful thinking (t = −3.714, df = 61, p < .001) showed statistically significant results. Conclusion Applying plant fragrance therapy to maladjusted soldiers positively stabilized their negative psychological and behavioral dispositions and helped their self-regulation. Thus, plant fragrance therapy has psychological and physical forest healing effect on maladjusted soldiers.
Effects of conspecific density on tadpole risk assessment and defensive behaviour
Authors: Gazzola Andrea , Balestrieri Alessandro , Brazzale Giulia , Pellitteri-Rosa Daniele
Published: September 2021

Prey species assess predation risk by using either direct and indirect cues and both may contribute to a proper evaluation of the actual risk. As postulated by the risk assessment hypothesis, conspecific density may also provide useful information for tuning defensive responses. We tested this hypothesis using a combination of five density levels (1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 individuals) of Italian agile frog Rana latastei tadpoles and three treatments (control, predatory cues of common backswimmer Notonecta glauca and a waterjet of tap water as mechanical disturbance). Tadpole activity decreased in response to all stimuli but, as expected, backswimmer cues induced a stronger and lasting response. However, tadpole activity level did not vary with group size, thus providing no support for the risk assessment hypothesis and confirming that conspecific density might have less consistent effects on short-term behavioural responses than morphological and life history traits.
A new species and palinotaxonomy of Besleria (Gesneriaceae) from the cloud forest of Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Authors: CORTÉS-CEBALLOS OLGA LORENA , GIRALDO-RODRÍGUEZ ANDRÉS , TORRES-GONZÁLEZ ALBA MARINA , MORENO J. ENRIQUE , GASPARINO EDUARDO CUSTÓDIO
Published: September 2021

We describe and illustrate a new species of Besleria (Gesneriaceae) from the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. This new species is morphologically similar to B. florida, B. microphylla, B. silverstoneana, and B. solanoides. We include a morphological key to distinguish B. brevisepala from similar species. We also studied pollen morphology to provide support for taxonomic differences among Besleria species from the Andean forest of Colombia. We investigated the pollen characteristics of the genus and assessed their use for taxonomic differentiation in this group through light and electron microscopy. Pollen grains were subjected to acetolysis, measured, photographed, and described qualitatively. We analyzed qualitative and quantitative data using descriptive and multivariate statistics. The pollen grains of Besleria were monad, isopolar, small, with circular amb; oblate to suboblate, 3-porate, with circular to oval pores, without annulus, operculate, and with vestibulum. The exine was tectate, perforate, and microreticulate with narrow muri and small lumina of slightly different shape and dimension. Our results confirm that Besleria is a eurypalynous genus, which allowed the identification of pollen morphological characteristics that are important for species differentiation.
A new replacement name for Gentianella scopulorum Glenny (Gentianaceae)
Authors: DESHMUKH UMAKANT BHOOPATI , KOTTAIMUTHU RAMALINGAM
Published: September 2021

N/A
Changes in Tornado Climatology Accompanying the Enhanced Fujita Scale
Authors: Edwards Roger , Brooks Harold E. , Cohn Hannah
Published: September 2021

United States tornado records form the basis for a variety of meteorological, climatological and disaster-risk analyses, but how reliable are they in light of changing standards for rating, as with the 2007 transition of Fujita (F) to Enhanced Fujita (EF) damage scales? To what extent are recorded tornado metrics subject to such influences that may be nonmeteorological in nature? While addressing these questions with utmost thoroughness is too large of a task for any one study, and may not be possible given the many variables and uncertainties involved, some variables that are recorded in large samples are ripe for new examination. We assess basic tornado-path characteristics—damage rating, length, width, and occurrence time, as well as some combined and derived measures—for a 24-yr period of constant path-width recording standard that also coincides with National Weather Service modernization and the WSR-88D deployment era. The middle of that period (in both time and approximate tornado counts) crosses the official switch from F to EF. At least minor shifts in all assessed path variables are associated directly with that change, contrary to the intent of EF implementation. Major and essentially stepwise expansion of tornadic path widths occurred immediately upon EF usage, and widths have expanded still further within the EF era. We also document lesser increases in path lengths, and in tornadoes rated at least EF1 compared to EF0. These apparently secular changes in the tornado data can impact research dependent on bulk tornado-path characteristics and damage-assessment results.
Numerical impacts on tracer transport: Diagnosing the influence of dynamical core formulation and resolution on stratospheric transport
Authors: Gupta Aman , Gerber Edwin P. , Plumb R. Alan , Lauritzen Peter H.
Published: September 2021

Accurate representation of stratospheric trace gas transport is important for ozone modeling and climate projection. Intermodel spread can arise from differences in the representation of transport by the diabatic (overturning) circulation vs. comparatively faster adiabatic mixing by breaking waves, or through numerical errors, primarily diffusion. This study investigates the impact of these processes on transport using an idealised tracer, the age-of-air. Transport is assessed in two state-of-the-art dynamical cores based on fundamentally different numerical formulations: finite volume and spectral element. Integrating the models in free-running and nudged tropical wind configurations reveals the crucial impact of tropical dynamics on stratospheric transport. Using age-budget theory, vertical and horizontal gradients of age allow comparison of the roles of the diabatic circulation, adiabatic mixing, and the numerical diffusive flux. Their respective contribution is quantified by connecting the full 3-d model to the tropical leaky pipe framework of Neu and Plumb (1999). Transport by the two cores varies significantly in the free-running integrations, with the age in the middle stratosphere differing by about 2 years primarily due to differences in adiabatic mixing. When winds in the tropics are constrained, the difference in age drops to about 0.5 years; in this configuration, more than half the difference is due to the representation of the diabatic circulation. Numerical diffusion is very sensitive to the resolution of the core, but does not play a significant role in differences between the cores when they are run at comparable resolution. It is concluded that fundamental differences rooted in dynamical core formulation can account for a substantial fraction of transport bias between climate models.
A Place of Hope and Healing: Culturally Relevant Teacher Education at a Tribal College
Authors: Ginsberg Alice C. , Gasman Marybeth , Samayoa Andrés C.
Published: September 2021

This article draws upon original research about a teacher education program at a Tribal College located in rural Montana that integrates culturally relevant pedagogy across its coursework and clinical experiences while calling attention to widespread trauma in Native communities based on a history of forced assimilation. We end with recommendations for how all teacher education programs can better prepare candidates to work in Native American schools and communities.
A Policy Mapping Analysis of the U.S. Congressional Approach to Medical Aid-in-Dying
Authors: Kusmaul Nancy , Cheon Ji Hyang , Gibson Allison
Published: September 2021

This study examines the goals of medical aid-in-dying (MAID) legislation introduced to the US Congress from 1994–2020 using a policy mapping analysis approach. Using congress.gov, we identified 98 bills, 23 bills were analyzed in this study. Most of the bills aimed to restrict the use of federal funds, to regulate the drugs commonly used for MAID, to prohibit the development of policies or practices supporting MAID, and to regulate practitioners’ roles in MAID. In practice, these bills would limit patient access to MAID by restricting drugs, funds, health care services, legal assistance, policy, and research. These findings suggest there lacks congressional support for MAID, even though polls of the public are divided yet favorable. Policymakers who support MAID should consider affirmative policies that 1) prevent MAID policies from discriminating against vulnerable groups, 2) support funding to study the use of MAID, and 3) build avenues to allow all qualified people to access MAID in places where it is legal.
Effect of blending ratio on the hollow coffee carbon polyester/cotton blended yarn
Authors: Zhang Chentian , Zhao Lianying , Gu Xuefeng
Published: September 2021

The effect of blending ratio on the performance of hollow coffee carbon polyester/cotton blended compact siro-spun yarn was investigated. Five blend ratios of hollow coffee carbon polyester/cotton fiber (i.e. 20/80, 35/65, 50/50, 65/35, and 80/20) and polyester/cotton fiber 35/65 were designed, and six groups of 14.6 tex yarn were spun by compact siro. Indices for the performance of the yarn (surface morphology, evenness, hairiness, tensile property, and hydroscopicity) were tested and analyzed. The regression analysis showed the excellent linear relationship between the content of hollow coffee carbon polyester and each performance index was obtained. Cubic curve models were built to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the yarn. The blending effect in these yarns was evaluated using the Hamilton transfer index. The tests results show that with the increase of the content of hollow coffee carbon polyester in the blended yarn, the evenness and tensile properties of the hollow coffee carbon polyester/cotton blended yarn continue to increase, whereas the hairiness index and moisture regain of the yarn gradually decrease. With the change of blending ratio, the transfer index of each fiber in hollow coffee carbon polyester/cotton blended yarn will change. When the content of hollow coffee carbon polyester is more than or equal to 50%, it has the tendency to preferentially distribute inward, whereas the cotton fiber has the tendency to preferentially distribute outward. When the content of hollow coffee carbon polyester is less than 50%, the reverse is true. The comprehensive evaluation value of the yarn performance decreased first and then increased with the increase in the content of hollow coffee carbon polyester.
Assessment of the possibility of surgical masks re-use after a sterilization process in the pandemic condition of COVID-19
Authors: Zimniewska Malgorzata , Witmanowski Henryk , Kicinska-Jakubowska Anna , Jundzill Arkadiusz , Kwiatkowska Edyta , Romanowska Barbara , Malinowski Lukasz B
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to explore the possibility to re-use disposable masks in order to prevent excessive waste generation during the pandemic period.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused rapidly increasing waste production resulting from the necessity of common usage of disposable personal protective equipment. This research covers the evaluation of the structure of surgical masks subjected to a threefold steam, gas or plasma sterilization process in order to verify the possibility of their re-use.

The results of the study showed that gas sterilization even after three cycles did not cause significant changes in mask structure or air permeability. Hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization caused significant changes in the structure of layer A after the third cycle of sterilization; nonetheless, it did not influence the air permeability of the mask. A significant reduction in the cover ratio of layers composing surgical masks causes an increase of air permeability in the case of steam sterilization, leading to a reduction of the mechanical ability to prevent the penetration of microorganisms. The reduction in cover ratio limits the filtration efficiency.

Surgical masks subjected to threefold gas sterilization can be recommended for re-use. This allows one to use the mask thrice, ensuring safety for users and limiting the mask-waste production to one-third of the volume compared with when the mask is used once.

The volume of mask-waste can be reduced with the application of the sterilization process for used masks during the pandemic period. Currently, it is not possible to sterilize all one-use masks, but implementation of this method in hospitals and medical centers is a step in the pro-environmental direction.
Is Presence Always Complicity? An Analysis of Presence, Its Moral Objects, and Scandal in Proximity to Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
Authors: Fleming Daniel
Published: September 2021

Catholic chaplains and clinicians who exercise their vocations in contexts wherein physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS-E) are legal may need to confront the difficult question of whether or not their presence in proximity to these acts and the processes that govern them is consistent with Catholic ethics. Debate on this question to date has focused on complicit presence and scandal. Drawing on Catholic theological ethics and the vision for end-of-life care espoused in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s recent letter, Samaritanus Bonus, I argue that some forms of presence in proximity to PAS-E are ethically justifiable. Core to this argument are the three elements of moral action: intention, object, and circumstance, alongside efforts to mitigate the risk of scandal informed by the teaching of Aquinas.
Internal migration industries: Shaping the housing options for refugees at the local level
Authors: Bernt Matthias , Hamann Ulrike , El-Kayed Nihad , Keskinkilic Leoni
Published: September 2021

In this article, we focus on ways in which ‘internal migration industries’ shape the housing location of refugees in cities. Based on empirical studies in Halle, Schwerin, Berlin, Stuttgart and Dresden, we bring two issues together. First, we show how a specific financialised accumulation model of renting out privatised public housing stock to disadvantaged parts of the population has emerged that increasingly targets migrant tenants. With the growing immigration of refugees to Germany since 2015, this model has intensified. Second, we discuss how access to housing is formed by informal agents. While housing is almost inaccessible for households on social welfare, the situation is even worse for refugees. This situation has given rise to a new ‘shadow economy’ for housing that offers services with dubious quality for excessive fees. Bringing these two issues together, we argue that housing provision to refugees has become a new business opportunity. This has given rise to a broad variety of ‘internal migration industries’ that provide the housing infrastructure, but also control access to housing. This not only results in new opportunities for profit extraction, but actively shapes new patterns of segregation and the concentration of refugees in particular types of disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Food and Nutrition Security in Rural Bihar: Dimensions and Determinants
Authors: Dutta Swati , Mishra Sunil Kumar
Published: September 2021

The level of food diversity in any household is an indicator of its healthy dietary habits. It depends on demographic and socio-economic conditions, geographic location, consumption habits and expenditure, cultural practices, income, food prices and the availability, access and utilisation of food. Against this backdrop, our study analyses the pattern of food consumption, dietary diversity, food frequency and the Recommended Dietary Allowance in 12 villages located in 6 districts of Bihar to understand the socio-economic determinants of a household’s food security. The results show that the diversity of food consumption is mainly dependent on the consumption of cereals across various socio-economic classes. Our analysis also emphasises the importance of schemes like the Public Distribution System which has a positive influence on food security outcomes of a household. The logistic regression results show that if the household belongs to the richest consumption class, with better education levels and more salaried members, then the probability of better food and nutrition security is high. In contrast, the low social status of a household, especially those from a Scheduled Caste background, will reveal reduced household food security.
Collaboration and the Criteria for Success: A Case Study and a Proposed Framework for Analysis
Authors: Rice Marian L. , McCool Daniel
Published: September 2021

There is a voluminous literature devoted to identifying factors that affect the success of collaborative processes. Our first research goal was to develop a list of 13 elements of effective collaborative procedural design, which could then be applied to a case study of an innovative water policy collaboration. The case study indicated that the design of that collaborative process embodied significant limitations, and those imperfections provided valuable insights into how to design a successful collaboration. Our second research goal was to utilize what we learned from the case study to propose a typology for designing a successful collaborative process.
The Diffusion of Participatory Planning Ideas and Practices: The Case of Socialist Yugoslavia, 1961-1982
Authors: Blagojevic Mina , Peric Ana
Published: September 2021

Although both praised and contested for its advanced conceptual elaboration and ineffective practical implementation, respectively, participatory planning has largely been considered a Yugoslav national legacy and a point of diversification compared with other similar contexts. However, there has been little research on the roots and features of public participation as observed through the lens of international influences on Yugoslav spatial and urban planning. By identifying the main channels (professional networks and events) and nodes (planning organizations and documents) in the diffusion of participatory planning ideas at both the international and national levels, we trace the evolution of citizen participation discourse in Yugoslavia. Based on archival research of the relevant documents (selected articles in professional journals, decrees, and plans), the paper examines the authenticity of the concept of citizen participation in Yugoslavia to, finally, elucidate the specificities of its implementation in the context of socialist self-management.
Indications of Superselective Neck Dissection in Patients With Lateral Node Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Song Yuntao , Xu Guohui , Wang Tianxiao , Zhang Yabing , Zhang Bin
Published: September 2021

Objective

The extent of neck dissection in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with lateral neck metastasis is controversial. This work aims to screen the patients suitable for superselective neck dissections including only levels III‐IV.

Study Design

Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting

The study was conducted in a high‐volume tertiary care setting.

Methods

A total of 134 consecutive previously untreated PTC patients with lateral neck metastases and subjected to 154 therapeutic lateral neck dissections (including levels II, III, IV, and VB) between June 2018 and March 2021 were enrolled. Fine‐needle aspiration was performed preoperatively at each suspicious neck level. Clinical predictors were analyzed for occult lymph node metastases at levels II and VB.

Results

As a result, 44.8% and 5.8% of neck specimens exhibited metastatic lymph nodes at levels II and VB. In addition, univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the primary tumor in the ipsilateral thyroid upper lobe (P =. 016, odds ratio = 3.528) and clinically multiple metastatic lymph nodes in level III‐IV (P =. 005, odds ratio = 6.414) were independent predictive factors for occult level II metastases. All 3 (1.9%) occult metastases at level VB were found in necks with preoperative multiple lymph node metastases.

Conclusions

A superselective lateral neck dissection including levels III to IV may be considered in patients with PTC when the preoperative evaluation identifies a single lymph node metastasis located at levels III to IV and the primary tumor is not in the upper lobe of the ipsilateral thyroid.
Reflecting on the COVID‐19 Surgical Literature Surge: A Scoping Review of Pandemic Otolaryngology Publications
Authors: von Sneidern Manuela , Lehmann Ashton E. , Jafari Aria , Vlasakov Iliyan K. , Shen Sarek A. , Goss Deborah , Bleier Benjamin S.
Published: September 2021

Objective

To assess the high‐volume 2020 COVID‐19‐related surgical literature, with special attention to otolaryngology articles in regard to content, level of evidence, citations, and public attention.

Study Design

A scoping literature review was performed with PubMed and Web of Science, including articles pertaining to COVID‐19 and surgical specialties (March 20–May 19, 2020) or otolaryngologic subspecialties (March 20–December 31, 2020).

Setting

Scoping literature review.

Methods

Otolaryngology‐specific COVID‐19‐related articles were reviewed for publication date, county of origin, subspecialty, content, level of evidence, and Altmetric Attention Score (a weighted approximation of online attention received). Data were analyzed with Pearson correlation coefficients, analysis of variance, independent t tests, and univariable and logistic regressions.

Results

This review included 773 early COVID‐19 surgical articles and 907 otolaryngology‐specific COVID‐19‐related articles from 2020. Otolaryngology was the most represented surgical specialty within the early COVID‐19‐related surgical literature (30.4%). The otolaryngology‐specific COVID‐19 surgical literature responsively reflects the unique concerns within each otolaryngologic subspecialty. Although this literature was largely based on expert opinion (64.5%), articles with stronger levels of evidence received significantly more citations (on Web of Science and Google Scholar, P <. 001 for both) and public attention (according to Altmetric Attention Scores, P <. 001).

Conclusion

Despite concerns of a surge in underrefereed publications during the COVID‐19 pandemic, our review of the surgical literature offers some degree of reassurance. Specifically, the COVID‐19 otolaryngology literature responsively reflects the unique concerns and needs of the field, and more scholarly citations and greater online attention have been given to articles offering stronger levels of scientific evidence.
Fatal blow: Urbicidal geographies, pax colonial and black sovereignty in the Colombian city
Authors: Alves Jaime Amparo
Published: September 2021

This article gives ethnographic form to Fanon’s warning that in the colonial world, “zombies are more terrifying than settlers,” by analyzing how racial mythologies produce spatial classifications of Black urban communities as unruly places and how Black individuals challenge their wretched condition by embracing a “program of complete disorder.” To do so, the article analyzes the short(ened) life of Paco, a young Black man under house arrest whose retaliatory violence against, and territorial dispute with, the police is an entry point for exploring resistance to urban coloniality in Santiago de Cali/Colombia. The article engages with the field of Black geography to propose a Fanonian reading of contemporary cityscapes as colonial spaces. Such colonial spatialities, it is argued, are not defined merely by subjugation to death but also, as Paco’s refusal to be killed may reveal, by an insurgent spatial praxis that might reposition the Black subject in relation to the city and the regime of Law.
Diagnostic performance of mammography and magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating mammographically visible breast masses
Authors: Zhu Xueli , Cao Yi , Li Ruidie , Zhu Mingxia , Chen Xin
Published: September 2021

Objective

We compared the diagnostic values of mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluating breast masses.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed mammography, MRI, and histopathological data for 377 patients with breast masses on mammography, including 73 benign and 304 malignant masses.

Results

The sensitivities and negative predictive values (NPVs) were significantly higher for MRI compared with mammography for detecting breast cancer (98.4% vs. 89.8% and 87.8% vs. 46.6%, respectively). The specificity and positive predictive values (PPV) were similar for both techniques. Compared with mammography alone, mammography plus MRI improved the specificity (67.1% vs. 37.0%) and PPV (91.8% vs. 85.6%), but there was no significant difference in sensitivity or NPV. Compared with MRI alone, the combination significantly improved the specificity (67.1% vs. 49.3%), but the sensitivity (88.5% vs. 98.4%) and NPV (58.3% vs. 87.8%) were reduced, and the PPV was similar in both groups. There was no significant difference between mammography and MRI in terms of sensitivity or specificity among 81 patients with breast masses with calcification.

Conclusion

Breast MRI improved the sensitivity and NPV for breast cancer detection. Combining MRI and mammography improved the specificity and PPV, but MRI offered no advantage in patients with breast masses with calcification.
Caregivers’ Considerations of Remorse and Responsibility Among Youth Who Sexually Offend
Authors: Gervais Christine L. M. , Johnston Matthew S.
Published: September 2021

When a youth sexually offends, most of the reactions and repercussions that follow are understandably negative. However, there is limited research about mixed reactions involving remorse and responsibility on the part of the adolescent who offended and their relatives. Based on qualitative interviews with 16 caregivers among 10 families in Canada, this article presents the parents’ perspectives on the various processes, benefits, challenges, and outcomes related to expressions of remorse and experiences of responsibility among youth who sexually offended, their victims, and their parents. This study sheds particular light on how adolescent perpetrators of sexual harm and especially their caregivers do feel deeply remorseful and responsible for the impacts of sexual offending behavior, which is contrary to public scrutiny that negatively projects responsibility onto youth offenders and their parents. Thus, our findings emphasize the constructive and considerate ways in which remorse is felt and responsibility is assumed; and by extension, they point to the importance of restorative practices in efforts toward reconciliation and accountability.
The Mark Sheldon Remote Mental Health Team: an evaluation of patient demographics, diagnoses and clinical management in very remote Central Australia
Authors: Brightman Louise , O’Neill Samantha , Gorey Phyllis , Mitchell David , Tabart Marcus
Published: September 2021

Objective:

The Mark Sheldon Remote Mental Health Team provides psychiatric services to 29 communities in very remote Central Australia. This study evaluated Mark Sheldon Remote Mental Health Team patient demographics, diagnoses and clinical management.

Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional review was performed for January 2020. Variables included age, sex, Indigenous status, diagnosis, legal status, medication class and route of administration.

Results:

A total of 180 patients were identified (85.6% Indigenous, 53.3% male). Schizophrenia and delusional disorders were most common (41.1%). A small proportion of patients (2.8%) were involuntary. Psychotropic medication was commonly prescribed (77.4%) with a low threshold for anti-psychotic depot use (51.5%). Oral medication rates varied according to class.

Conclusions:

This study provided insights into the demographic and clinical profile of a unique population. The findings will help to optimise patient management in very remote Central Australia and serve as a foundation for similar evaluations and comparisons with other remote psychiatric services.
Adherence to a Socio-Educational Family Prevention Program at Primary and Secondary Schools
Authors: Valero de Vicente María , Gomila Grau Maria Antònia , Ballester Brage Lluís
Published: September 2021

This study analyzes adherence to a universal family prevention program used in schools, the Universal Family Competence Program 11-14. It reports on the family members’ retention rates, attendance and quality of participation in the sessions, as well as family satisfaction with the trainers and the program itself. The study, based on a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest measures and experimental and control groups, evaluated fidelity and the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to control the program conditions. The results point to the need for the inclusion of methodological strategies aimed at facilitating assessments of the multiple dimensions of adherence and at guaranteeing optimal family participation rates.
Walking as Political Utterance: The Walking Subjects and the Production of Space
Authors: Martinez César Augusto Ferrari , Gois Gabriela Rodrigues
Published: September 2021

In this work, we challenge supposedly neutral imaginaries of what walking methodologies consist of, unveiling social and political dimensions and addressing the production of embodied spaces involved in the act of walking. We adopt the concept of intersectionality to construct an analysis that considers the effects of the colonial, racist, and sexist historical scheme on the production of knowledge. We understand that the current globalization project produces a global subject that is not racialized, and therefore White. And it is marked by gender norms, and therefore, masculine and heterosexual. These characteristics give the person the privilege of moving “naturally,” without the need to justify physical, social, and political corporealities. In the walking research carried out by subjects who deviate from such global parameters, we identified the interruption of walking as an epistemological event that displaces them from the space they are producing. We also analyzed the idea of risk produced to the researchers when they are identified as someone who “does not belong” to that space. We argue that the interaction among gender, race, and place imposes a local condition to the knowledge produced by Afro-Latin American walking researchers. Finally, we defend the walking methodologies as a political statute in the occupation of simultaneously physical and epistemological spaces because the subject’s position and the power relations that are addressed in the act of walking require consideration.
Electrochemical and biological behaviour of near β Titanium alloy for biomedical implant applications
Authors: Gnanavel S. , Ponnusamy S. , Sivakumar Kirthana , Priyadarshini D.
Published: September 2021

Pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD) is one of the methods to coat hydroxyapatite on near beta titanium alloys (Ti-13Nb-13Zr) implants which are used in orthopaedics and dentistry applications. In this study, Hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics in the form of calcium phosphate (Cap) were deposited on nearβ Titanium alloys (Ti-13Nb-13Zr) by the pulsed laser deposition method. The coated thin film was characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic microscopy (AFM). The corrosion studies were carried out coated and uncoated samples using potentiodynamic polarisation studies in simulated body fluid (Hanks’ solution). The bioactivity of the Hap-coated samples on nearβ Titanium alloys was evaluated by immersing them in simulated body fluid (SBF) for nine days. XRD and EDS analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyapatite. The corrosion studies showed that the treated samples have better corrosion resistance compared to uncoated substrates. The formation of apatite on treated samples revealed the bioactivity of the Hap-coated substrates. HA-coated nearβ Titanium alloys provide higher corrosion protection than substrates, which can be used for biomedical implant applications.
Experimental modal analysis for the plate structures with roving inertial shaker method approach
Authors: Gülbahçe Erdi , Çelik Mehmet
Published: September 2021

In this article, a new roving inertial shaker method approach, using an inertial shaker, is presented to obtain a steel plate’s modal parameters with bolt connections on four sides. It aimed to emphasize the superiority of the proposed roving shaker approach over the classical, traditional hammer method on the plate-like structures. The frequency response functions (FRF), obtained from both methods, are investigated using the stabilization diagram, and the superiority of the roving shaker method is presented based on high stabilization and detecting more modes. The accelerometer’s position effect on experimental modal analysis (EMA) is investigated in the roving shaker method, which is performed using accelerometers in two different places, and obtained modal parameters are compared with experimental modal analysis validation methods. Accordingly, the results for the two separate locations are very close to each other. Finally, the experimental and numerical results are investigated according to the TEST/FEA correlation for the traditional roving hammer method and the roving shaker method. As a result, the roving shaker approach gives a better result according to the TEST/FEA correlation success than the roving hammer test. In conclusion, the high stabilization, high TEST/FEA correlation rate, and the number of modes show the roving shaker approach’s superiority.
Social media and orthodontics: Are our patients scrolling?
Authors: Siddiqui Nausheen , Chia Matthew , Sharif Mohammad Owaise
Published: September 2021

Objective:

To assess patients’ awareness of the availability of information related to orthodontics on social media, and to explore patients’ willingness to engage with social media to aid with orthodontic treatment.

Design:

Prospective cross-sectional survey.

Setting:

This survey was conducted at Croydon University Hospital orthodontic department.

Participants:

A total of 125 orthodontic patients, both new and in treatment. There were no exclusion criteria.

Methods:

All participants completed a questionnaire designed to explore their awareness, access to and utilisation of social media as well as their willingness to engage with social media to support orthodontic treatment. There were no age restrictions or exclusion criteria.

Results:

Of the patients, 99% had access to social media. Of these patients, 64% were aware that social media platforms were available to help with orthodontic treatment, 30% had utilised social media related to orthodontics, with the most popular platforms being Instagram (n = 17) and Snapchat (n = 12). Of the patients, 73% stated that they would be willing to use social media in the future to support orthodontic treatment.

Conclusion:

Social media can be engaging, accessible and versatile, and has been shown to be effective at improving patients’ knowledge regarding orthodontic treatment. As such, it may be used as a valuable tool for information provision to engage orthodontic patients. Awareness of the availability of orthodontics content on social media is increasing; however, only one-third of participants had previously used it to aid with orthodontic treatment. Given the availability of information on social media targeted at orthodontic patients there is a need to assess the quality of this information and if appropriate navigate patients towards high-quality, effective resources.
Development of the Subjective Cognitive Decline Scale for Mandarin-Speaking Population
Authors: Tsai Hsing-Fang , Wu Chi-Hsun , Hsu Chih-Cheng , Liu Chien-Liang , Hsu Yen-Hsuan
Published: September 2021

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has been considered a high-risk group preceding mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, methods to quantify and track the complaints have not been well-established. The present study aimed to develop a questionnaire tailored for Mandarin-speaking individuals with SCD. A total of 175 adults aged above 55 years completed a comprehensive set of items evaluating cognitive problems and neuropsychological examinations. After item reduction, internal consistency, construct, and concurrent validity were examined. The 14-item Subjective Cognitive Decline Scale (SCDS) has acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .93) and construct validity with a three-factor structure. Individuals with SCD and MCI scored higher than the control group. The SCDS demonstrated significant but small correlations with multiple cognitive tests and emotional variables. The SCDS provides an alternative approach to measure cognitive complaints, while an influence of emotional status shall be taken into consideration when interpreting the results.
Transapical Antegrade Ascending Aorta Stent-Grafting: Going Through the Front Door
Authors: D’Onofrio Augusto , Cibin Giorgia , Antonello Michele , Caraffa Raphael , Grego Franco , Gerosa Gino
Published: September 2021

Objective

Ascending aorta stent-grafting (AASG) is a new option that has shown initial promising results. In selected cases, when neither conventional surgery nor transfemoral retrograde approach are feasible, antegrade transapical (TA) access can be performed. The aim of this single-center retrospective study was to evaluate outcomes of patients undergoing AASG through a TA approach.

Methods

We analyzed all patients undergoing AASG through a TA approach at our institution. Three different devices were used, including Relay Stent-Graft System (Terumo Aortic, UK), Gore Conformable Thoracic Aortic Graft (W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., USA), and Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft (Medtronic, Ireland). All patients underwent clinical and computed tomographic angiogram (CTA) evaluation before hospital discharge.

Results

From May 2010 to December 2019, 3 consecutive patients underwent AASG at our institution. Mean age was 69 years. Three different types of endografts were used in 1 patient each. All patients stayed in the intensive care unit for 24 hr and mean hospital stay was 12 days. We did not observe any major adverse event. One patient died of pneumonia 2 months after the procedure and the other 2 patients are alive and in good clinical conditions at a mean follow-up of 56 months. Predischarge CTA showed good anatomic results with no endoleaks in all cases.

Conclusions

This initial experience shows that AASG is feasible and provides encouraging clinical and anatomic results in selected high-risk patients.
Life Histories and Lifelines: A Methodological Symbiosis for the Study of Female Genital Mutilation
Authors: Gutiérrez-García Ana Isabel , Solano-Ruíz Carmen , Siles-González José , Perpiñá-Galvañ Juana
Published: September 2021

The use of qualitative methodologies together with visual methods is being incorporated into different lines of research to offer an alternative form of expression that can provide richer and more meaningful data. The objective of this study was to analyse the use of life histories and lifelines in the study of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the context of cross-cultural research in participants with language differences. We explored the strengths and challenges of the combined use of both the lifelines and life stories of women who have been subjected to FGM. The lifeline tool was employed during the second interview with our participants, and the results of this work are explored here by examining the lifelines of three of the participants. The use of two techniques strengthened the researchers' knowledge of women’s lives and facilitated reflection and critical thinking by the study participants, generating richer and more in-depth data on the study problem. The difficulties that some women had in the communication process are diminished by the visual and chronological representation of the events in the lifelines. The visualization of their lifelines and the realization of this activity for which they did not feel capable due to their lack of education, empowered them, generating a great personal satisfaction. The results of this study confirm the usefulness of combining visual and narrative methods in groups where communication difficulties are an obstacle to the collection of information. Exploring new forms of expression and data collection can give voice to underrepresented groups in qualitative research.
Balloon-backstop technique: Preserving physiologic venous drainage during transvenous coil embolization of sigmoid sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas
Authors: Duvvuri Madhavi , Caton Michael T , Narsinh Kazim , Amans Matthew R
Published: September 2021

Dural arteriovenous fistulas can lead to catastrophic intracranial hemorrhage if left untreated. Transvenous embolization can cure arteriovenous fistulas, but preserving normal venous structures can be challenging. Inadvertent embolization of a functioning vein can result in catastrophic venous infarction or hemorrhage. Here, we report a case using balloon-assistance to facilitate preservation of the superior petrosal sinus during transvenous embolization of a sigmoid sinus dural arteriovenous fistula.
CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy for treatment of primary CNS lymphoma
Authors: Siddiqi Tanya , Wang Xiuli , Blanchard M. Suzette , Wagner Jamie R. , Popplewell Leslie L. , Budde L. Elizabeth , Stiller Tracey L. , Clark Mary C. , Lim Laura , Vyas Vibhuti , Brown Christine E. , Forman Stephen J.
Published: September 2021

CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CD19CAR) T-cell therapy has been successful in treating several B-cell lineage malignancies, including B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This modality has not yet been extended to NHL manifesting in the central nervous system (CNS), primarily as a result of concerns for potential toxicity. CD19CAR T cells administered IV are detectable in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), suggesting that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells can migrate from the periphery into the CNS, where they can potentially mediate antilymphoma activity. Here, we report the outcome of a subset of patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL; n = 5) who were treated with CD19CAR T cells in our ongoing phase 1 clinical trial. All patients developed grade ≥ 1 cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity post-CAR T-cell infusion; toxicities were reversible and tolerable, and there were no treatment-related deaths. At initial disease response, 3 of 5 patients (60%; 90% confidence interval, 19-92%) seemed to achieve complete remission, as indicated by resolution of enhancing brain lesions; the remaining 2 patients had stable disease. Although the study cohort was small, we demonstrate that using CD19CAR T cells to treat PCNSL can be safe and feasible. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02153580.