bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Backlash Against Women and Support for Men? On the Perception of Men and Women Researchers in Gender Stereotype-Inconsistent Domains
Authors: Heyder Anke , Kortzak Olivia
Published: March 2024

Even in academic fields dominated by women students (e.g., educational research), academic careers are characterized by vertical gender segregation in favor of men. This clashes with the public understanding of educational research as a women's domain that is more strongly associated with warmth (a stereotypically feminine trait) than competence (a stereotypically masculine trait), as revealed in our first study. We thus conducted an experimental vignette study of 189 adults from the general public to explore how women versus men researchers working in educational research versus physics (as a contrasting domain clearly dominated by men) were perceived on several dimensions of competence and warmth. Whereas the female researcher in physics was rated as more competent than the female researcher in educational research, the woman in physics was penalized for her gender stereotype-incongruent domain choice by being perceived as less warm. However, the male researcher in educational research was perceived as both warmer and more competent than his man counterpart in physics, and as smarter than the female researcher in educational research. These findings suggest rewards instead of penalties for men pursuing academic careers in initially women-dominated domains, likely contributing to the increasing gender gap in academic careers in these domains.
La curiosité du consommateur : synthèse bibliométrique et bibliographique
Authors: BECK Marie
Published: March 2024

Résumé

La curiosité est un concept particulièrement étudié en psychologie. Elle est aujourd’hui utilisée en marketing pour soutenir une stratégie d’attraction, de motivation ou de captation de l’attention par les praticiens. Cet article propose une synthèse multidisciplinaire sur ce concept à travers une analyse bibliométrique et une analyse bibliographique. Un cadre conceptuel est proposé pour les chercheurs en marketing s’intéressant à la curiosité en proposant une nouvelle définition du concept, de ses antécédents et de ses effets. Un agenda de recherche priorisé par les praticiens peut servir de base à de futurs travaux.
Validating Responsivity Assessments for Correctional Populations: Evaluating the Association With Program Participation, Dosage, and Completion
Authors: Duwe Grant , Clark Valerie
Published: March 2024

While specific responsivity factors are believed to either inhibit or facilitate successful involvement in programming, relatively little attention has been given to the validation of responsivity assessments used for correctional populations. Based on a sample of nearly 2,100 individuals confined in Minnesota prisons, this study examines the relationship between a needs and responsivity assessment system and multiple measures of program participation, dosage, and completion. The responsivity domains—childhood trauma, mental health, religiosity, motivation and learning style—were significantly associated with at least one measure of programming. All but two of the needs domains also had a significant association with programming involvement. We discuss the implications of the findings for correctional research and practice.
Poly(lactic acid)/poly(ε-caprolactone) blends: Separate effects of nanocalcium carbonate and glycidyl methacrylate on interfacial characteristics
Authors: Negaresh Mohammadmahdi , Javadi Azizeh , Garmabi Hamid
Published: March 2024

To expand the potential applications of polylactic acid (PLA), it is essential to incorporate a highly flexible polymer into the blend. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is an ideal choice due to its ductility and biodegradability. However, blending PLA with PCL resulted in weak mechanical properties. To address this issue, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and nano calcium carbonate (NCC) were introduced to enhance the adhesion at the interface between PLA and PCL. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images provided clear visual evidence of the impact of GMA and NCC on the morphology of the blend. Both components were effective in reducing the size of the dispersed PCL phase, shrinking it to approximately half the size of the original blend. Spectroscopic analysis revealed that GMA caused a reaction between its epoxy group and the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of PLA and PCL. This reaction led to the formation of strong peaks in the 6.5 to 7.5 range in 1H NMR, as well as peaks at 76 and 139 ppm in 13C NMR. These findings were further corroborated by FT-IR, which demonstrated that NCC, despite its surface coating, did not create any new bonds. Rheological studies further demonstrated the positive effects of GMA and NCC. Both the storage modulus (G′) and complex viscosity (η*) of the blends increased, showing improved post-processing performance. Investigation into the shear-thinning behavior of the uncompatibilized blends revealed that NCC caused a significant decrease in complex viscosity at higher frequencies, indicating the disruption of the nanoparticle network. The power-law slope was measured to be 0.62. In contrast, the blend containing the compatibilizer demonstrated a moderate decrease in viscosity, with a power-law slope of 0.36. To analyze the behavior of the PLA/PCL blends in the presence of compatibilizers and nanoparticles at intermediate frequencies, the Palirene model was utilized. The superior integrity of the compatibilized blend was effectively demonstrated by the model, which showed enhanced stress transfer and phase relaxation.
The Determinants of Internal Migration in an Emerging Market: Evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Vo Duc Hong
Published: March 2024

Internal migration has been a challenging issue for Vietnam in the past three decades, with swift industrialization and urbanization at the two ends of the country—the capital city, Hanoi, in the north and the largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, in the south. This study identifies the determinants of internal migration with a focus on the characteristics of Vietnamese households and the household heads, together with their living conditions. A logit model is used in our analysis in three scenarios: (a) the entire sample of 8,567 households, (b) a sub-sample of households in the rural regions and (c) a sub-sample of households in the urban regions using the latest 2020 Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey. Our empirical results indicate that migration decisions are strongly associated with the characteristics of the households and the household heads, including household income, size, age of the household heads and educational attainment. We also find that living conditions such as radiation and rainfall are inversely related to the decisions for internal migration in Vietnam, meaning that people living in locations with unfavourable rainfall are more likely to migrate to destinations with more favourable rainfall conditions.
Is it Time to ‘Send in the Clowns’? What Happens to the ‘Rest of the News’ in Social Media during Extreme Crises
Authors: Maniou Theodora A. , Papadopoulou Lambrini
Published: March 2024

Based on a qualitative analysis of news posts on traditional media Facebook pages, this work seeks to explore the way(s) in which established news organisations in the United Kingdom use their social media accounts in times of extreme crisis. Specifically, we seek to assess what (other) types of news are publicised through social media beyond those related to the crisis itself. Findings show that well-respected international news organisations choose to post news items that aim to (a) distract from a bleak reality, (b) suggest ways to cope with new challenges and (c) create a community to alleviate the sense of loneliness. We argue that social media posts about the ‘rest of the news’ in times of crisis do much more than emphasise the ‘softer’ aspects of the crisis; they attempt to deliver another kind of message that there are ways to cope with adversity and that, eventually, things will work out.
Expression of Calretinin in the Cecal Muscularis Interna: Observation and Hypothetical Relevance to Appendicitis
Authors: Kapur Raj P.
Published: March 2024

Background:

The unexpected observation of calretinin immunoreactivity in smooth muscle cells in the muscularis propria of the cecum led to a more detailed examination of calretinin expression and its possible relationship to propulsive contractile activity around the vermiform appendix.

Methods:

Immunohistochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization were performed to analyze calretinin expression in intestinal samples from 33 patients at ages ranging from mid-gestation fetuses to adults, as well as in some potentially relevant animal models. Dual immunolabeling was done to compare calretinin localization with markers of smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal.

Results:

Calretinin expression was observed consistently in the innermost smooth muscle layers of the muscularis interna in the human cecum, appendiceal base, and proximal ascending colon, but not elsewhere in the intestinal tract. Calretinin-positive smooth muscle cells did not co-express markers located in adjacent interstitial cells of Cajal. Muscular calretinin immunoreactivity was not detected in the ceca of mice or macaques, species which lack appendices, nor in the rabbit cecum or appendix.

Conclusions:

Localized expression of calretinin in cecal smooth muscle cells may reduce the likelihood of retrograde, calcium-mediated propulsive contractions from the proximal colon and suppress pro-inflammatory fecal stasis in the appendix.
The wor(l)d is out -You are not alone: Toward a healing organizational autoethnography in/through feminist reading and writing
Authors: Clavijo Nathalie , Mandalaki Emmanouela
Published: March 2024

This paper recounts herstories of domestic violence and separation, where by reading and writing of/through one another’s physical and emotional bruises, we create a healing autoethnographic space for connection. We argue that doing so allows us to acquire the feminist relational power necessary to resist when forms of patriarchal violence threaten to hit us again. Our embodied text converses with eclectic feminist works that empower us to write down our wor(l)ds, conceptualizing reading and writing as relational healing processes in this critical autoethnography. Engaging with a healing organizational autoethnography, we suggest, allows us to make sense of the violence and marginalization that masculine organizational norms enact on othered bodies; it leads to understanding knowledge creation more broadly as the relational labor of vulnerable bodies who care for each other. This autoethnographic exploration extends critical autoethnographic work and contributes to feminist debates on writing differently, underscoring the healing potential of reading in relation to writing to voice long-seated trauma in organizational research and experience. In this way, we also amplify the need to create organizational initiatives and spaces that make healing possible.
Prediction of disease activity and treatment failure in relapsing–remitting MS patients initiating daily oral DMTs
Authors: Pappolla Agustin , Auger Cristina , Sao-Aviles Augusto , Tur Carmen , Rodriguez-Barranco Marta , Cobo-Calvo Álvaro , Mongay-Ochoa Neus , Rodríguez-Acevedo Breogán , Zabalza Ana , Midaglia Luciana , Carbonell-Mirabent Pere , Carvajal Rene , Castilló-Justribó Joaquín , Braga Nathane , Bollo Luca , Vidal-Jordana Angela , Arrambide Georgina , Nos Carlos , Salerno Annalaura , Galán Ingrid , Comabella Manuel , Sastre-Garriga Jaume , Tintoré Mar , Rovira Alex , Montalban Xavier , Río Jordi
Published: March 2024

Background:

Limited data exist regarding treatment response prediction to oral disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objectives:

We assessed the capacity of available scoring systems to anticipate disease activity parameters in naïve relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) patients initiating daily oral DMTs, hypothesizing that they exhibit different predictive potentials.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study and applied the Rio Score (RS), modified Rio Score (mRS), and MAGNIMS Score 12 months after DMT initiation. At 36 months, we examined their ability to predict evidence of disease activity (EDA) components and treatment failure by logistic regression analysis.

Results:

Notably, 218 patients (62.4% females) initiating dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, and fingolimod were included. At 36 months, the RS high-risk group predicted evidence of clinical activity (odds ratio (OR) 10 [2.7–36.9]) and treatment failure (OR 10.6 [3.4–32.5]) but did not predict radiological activity (OR 1.9 [0.7–5]). The mRS non-responders group did not predict EDA and treatment failure. RS, mRS, and MAGNIMS 0 categories showed significantly lower EDA and treatment failure than the remainder.

Conclusion:

Scoring systems present different predictive abilities for disease activity parameters at 36 months in MS patients initiating daily oral therapies, warranting further adjustments (i.e. introduction of fluid biomarkers) to depict disease activity status fully.
Family language policy in tension: Conflicting language ideologies and translanguaging practices in multilingual families
Authors: Reichmuth Heather L.
Published: March 2024

Aims and objectives:

This paper highlights the conflicting language ideologies and translanguaging practices of a transcultural (Korean/Canadian) Korean/English-speaking family residing in South Korea through the lens of family language policy.

Methodology:

This paper draws on qualitative case study methods. Data collected consisted of interview data, language portraits, audio and video recorded family discussion of the language portraits, familial meals, and board/card game playing, as well as participant journal entries. The data from this paper comes from a larger project.

Data and analysis:

Data were gathered from four members of a multilingual family residing in South Korea. Data were coded and analyzed iteratively using thematic analysis.

Findings:

Findings from this paper suggest that language ideologies among multilingual family members vary due to the influence of local language ideologies and individual language experiences; this can lead to a disconnect between language practices and language ideologies and a multilingual identity in children.

Originality:

To my knowledge, this paper is the first study to use a family language policy lens in a transcultural multilingual family in South Korea. In addition, the study utilized unique data collection activities such as the video-recorded discussion of family member language portraits.

Significance:

This paper argues for parents in multilingual families to take a translanguaging stance when considering their language policies in the home to support their children’s multilingual identities. This is the first paper to take this stance by involving all family members, and by using multiple sources of data, including language practices. Furthermore, this paper takes a critical approach to the lens of family language policy.
Psychological wellbeing among parents of a child living with a serious chronic illness: A cross-sectional survey study
Authors: Robertson Eden G , Kelada Lauren , Ilin Robert , Palmer Elizabeth Emma , Bye Ann , Jaffe Adam , Kennedy Sean E , Ooi Chee Y , Drew Donna , Wakefield Claire E
Published: March 2024

Parents of a child with a chronic illness can experience greater distress than the average population, yet little is understood about differences between illness groups. This cross-sectional survey study aimed to compare parents’ psychological distress and perceived wellbeing across five chronic illnesses. Parents from one Australian pediatric hospital completed the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and seven purpose-designed items about their wellbeing. Data from 106 parents (cancer = 48, cystic fibrosis [CF] = 27, kidney disease = 12, gastrointestinal condition/disorder = 9, developmental and epileptic encephalopathy [DEE] = 10) was analysed using bivariate Pearson’s Correlation and linear mixed-effects models. Parents’ distress scores differed between groups ( F(4,80) = 2.50, p = .049), with the DEE group reporting higher distress than the CF group ( mean difference = 6.76, 95% CI [0.11, 13.42]). Distress scores were moderately correlated to parents’ perceptions of their child’s health and their own wellbeing. Parents’ self-reported coping with their child’s condition/treatments differed ( F(4,81) = 3.24, p = .016), with the DEE group rating their coping as poorer than the CF group ( mean difference = −25.32, 95% CI [−46.52, 4.11]). Across all groups, parents reported unmet needs, particularly for psychosocial support and practical/financial assistance. Support interventions may be most effective if tailored to the child’s illness, with greater support potentially needed for parents who have a child with DEE and/or severe comorbidities.
Interference effects on two rectangular tall buildings with coupling bridge in close proximity
Authors: Sadhukhan Souvick , Das Arghyadip , Bhattacharya Satadru , Dalui Sujit Kumar
Published: March 2024

The study is on the variation of pressure in different faces of rectangular plan-shaped tall buildings with interference conditions due to the presence of another building with the same shape and dimension connected through a multipurpose bridge. The analysis is done on computational fluid dynamics (namely ANSYS CFX) for 0° to 90° wind incidence angle (WIA). The buildings are spaced 60 m from each other. Different cases have been taken and analyzed based on the different positions of the bridge (i.e., 0.33H, 0.5H, and 0.67H) and compared with the isolated case (i.e., buildings without the bridge). A comparison study has been done in the form of interference factor (IF), so we can clearly understand the effect of the bridge at different heights of the building and isolated conditions on rectangular plan-shaped buildings. The study shows that when the bridge is at 0.5H and 0.33H, the force coefficient along X and Y produces similar results to an isolated condition for WIA of 60° and 30°, respectively.
Disclosure of perpetrator origin in crime news: Changing practices in journalism after populist accusations?
Authors: Klimmt Christoph , Dittrich Anja , Leuppert Robin
Published: March 2024

If news reports on crime disclose the ethnic or national origin of suspects or perpetrators, severe consequences for audience stereotypes and public policy may arise. Thus, many professional codices advise journalists to limit origin disclosure to rare exceptions. Right-wing populists have, however, accused news media of obfuscating the ‘true dimension’ of immigrant crime. Conducting a content analysis of N = 10,943 crime reports released between 2013 and 2021 by 10 German newspapers, we investigated how journalists reacted to such attempted political influence. Findings show a massively increased frequency of news reports that included explicit or implicit cues to suspects’ or perpetrators’ origin, with a peak in 2018 and a subsequent decline in 2021. We interpret the results as a time-dependent effect of populist anti-media agitation that emerged after a large immigration wave to Germany in 2015 and 2016 but lost much of its impact a few years later, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for journalism theory and ethics are discussed.
Drama during story time supports preschoolers’ understanding of story character feeling states
Authors: van Huisstede Lauren , Marley Scott C , Bernstein Katie A , Pierce-Rivera Melissa , Schmidt Annette , Millinger Jenny , Kelley Michael F , Restrepo Maria Adelaida , Vargas Cesario Cristal
Published: March 2024

Inference generation, an emerging skill in preschool-aged children, is critical for story comprehension and often requires instruction and practice to develop. Drama-based instruction (DBI) is a promising strategy for supporting preschool students’ inferencing skills, emotion understanding, and overall story comprehension. The current study examined the effects of a DBI story time intervention on preschool students’ recall of story character feeling states. As part of the larger intervention, 196 students (ages 3-5) were randomly assigned by classroom to participate in DBI or traditional story time. After story time, students completed a brief story retelling task (free and prompted recall of the story). Recordings of students’ story retellings were coded for embodied behavior (i.e., gesture, facial expression, vocal change, and body movement) specific to character feelings. Embodied behaviors supported student recall of story character feelings and emotion words. DBI intervention students used more embodiment, specifically gesture, when recalling story character feelings compared to their control group peers. Finally, hearing a DBI story supported students’ emotion word recall, particularly for 3- and 4-year-old students. The findings from this study offer evidence for incorporating drama-based teaching strategies into story time to promote students’ inferencing skills regarding story character internal states and subsequent story comprehension.
(Re)framing built heritage through the machinic gaze
Authors: Arora Vanicka , Magee Liam , Munn Luke
Published: March 2024

Built heritage has been both subject and product of a gaze that has been sustained through moments of colonial fixation on ruins and monuments, technocratic examination and representation, and fetishisation by a global tourist industry. We argue that the recent proliferation of machine learning and vision technologies create new scopic regimes for heritage: storing and retrieving existing images from vast digital archives, and further imparting their own distortions upon this gaze. We introduce the term ‘ machinic gaze’ to conceptualise the reconfiguration of heritage representation via artificial intelligence (AI) models. To explore how this gaze reframes heritage, we deploy an image-text-image pipeline that reads, interprets, and resynthesizes images of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Employing two concepts from media studies— heteroscopia and anamorphosis—we describe the reoriented perspective that machine vision systems introduce. We propose that the machinic gaze highlights the artifice of the human gaze and its underlying assumptions and practices that combine to form established notions of heritage.
Leaking in Intimate Partner Homicide: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rumpf Tanita , Horn Stefanie , Vogt Catharina , Göbel Kristin , Görgen Thomas , Zibulski Kim Marie , Uttenweiler Vanessa , Bondü Rebecca
Published: March 2024

Intimate partner homicides (IPH) are serious offenses by a heterogeneous group of offenders with diverse risk factors that are too unspecific for the successful prediction of an offense. Recent research suggested several warning signs that may precede IPH and enhance its prevention, but little is still known about “leaking.” Leaking comprises all offense-related statements, behaviors, or actions that express the perpetrator’s thoughts, fantasies, ideas, interests, feelings, intentions, plans, or positive evaluations of an own violent act or previous similar offenses prior to the own attack. This review aims to identify the forms, recipients, and media of leaking as well as potential subgroup differences in cases of IPH. We identified 47 relevant publications via a systematic search of eight databases and additional methods. We included publications that did not explicitly use the term, but described behaviors that could be interpreted as leaking. Up to now, leaking has not been systematically researched in cases of IPH. Nevertheless, publications described several behaviors that are in line with our definition of leaking and were categorized into five broader categories: (a) homicide announcements, (b) previous severe acts of violence, (c) suicidal behavior, (d) planning activities, and (e) interest in similar offenses/offenders. Information on recipients and media as well as subgroup differences was sparse. Leaking is relevant in IPH, but more systematic research is needed to understand its potential role in future risk analyses procedures and prevention of IPH.
A Rapid Evidence Assessment on The Effectiveness of Interventions for Autistic Adolescents with Harmful Sexual Behaviors
Authors: Trew Sebastian , Russell Douglas Hugh
Published: March 2024

The management and treatment of harmful sexual behaviors (HSBs) in autistic adolescents is a complex area of research and clinical practice. Autistic adolescents face unique challenges in understanding social and sexual interactions, putting them at a higher risk of engaging in HSBs. Existing research on interventions for HSBs among autistic adults is growing, but evidence for adolescents is not well understood. Thus, understanding the effectiveness of interventions targeting HSBs in autistic adolescents is crucial. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment to review peer-reviewed research on the effectiveness of interventions for autistic adolescents at risk of or engaging in HSBs. In all, 12 studies met the criteria for review. Inclusion criteria required articles to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, be related to HSB prevention and intervention in adolescents aged 12 to 18 with autism spectrum disorder, be written in English, and include original data. Six databases were used, and we screened the titles and abstracts of 34 studies. The reviewed studies described cognitive-behavioral therapy, pharmacological interventions, family involvement, and multidisciplinary team approaches in addressing HSBs. However, the literature has significant limitations and we suggest that the literature is not robust enough to indicate a promising evidence-based approach for interventions for autistic adolescents who are at risk of or who display and engage in HSBs, and the findings are not transferable to practice. Additional research is required to better prepare healthcare professionals for addressing HSBs in autistic adolescents.
The Production of Locality During the Pandemic: Feel the Rhythm of Korea and “Dynamite”
Authors: Kim Ju Oak
Published: March 2024

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the social construction of locality? To examine the impact of the ruptures between physical mobility and digital fluidity on the media representation of locality, I analyzed two cases (the Korea Tourism Organization’s Feel the Rhythm of Korea project and BTS’ media performances for “Dynamite”) produced during the pandemic. Based on a textual analysis of the chosen video projects, I identified three social techniques in shaping locality: a mixture of the past and present, the territorialization of cultural references and performed bodies, and the rhetorical dichotomization of cultural space. I thus claim that locality is molded through a social practice of subjectivity that theatricalizes place attachment and spatial imagination, both influenced by border closures and digital adoption during the global crisis.
Crash Landing on the Philippines: Transnational Korean Drama and Internet Infrastructural Desires
Authors: Pan Weixian
Published: March 2024

In 2020, the Philippines’ largest mobile network provider Smart Communications launched a year-long campaign with South Korean actor Hyun Bin, who gained high popularity among Filipino audiences through the Korean TV drama Crash Landing on You (TvN 2019-2020) aired through Netflix. This article analyzes media texts, government plans, corporate narratives, and infrastructure data to examines two ways that transnational media, such as K-dramas, function as cultural interfaces to disseminate and operationalize the infrastructural desires in the Philippines. First, Philippine internet service providers (ISPs) co-opt Netflix’s language of internet speed as a criterion of infrastructural quality, trying to secure the country’s public and economic recognition in Southeast Asia. Second, through the collaboration, local ISPs successfully translate K-drama’s cultural power into a public campaign presenting high-speed internet as not merely desirable, but a predestined future for digital consumers and the developing nation.
Misfits Meet Art and Technology: Cripping Transmethodologies
Authors: Rice Carla , Chandler Eliza , Shanouda Fady , Temple Jones Chelsea , Mündel Ingrid
Published: March 2024

This article thinks with disability theory and artistic praxis to explore how disabled artists repurpose and invent technologies in artistic processes designed to enact care and access, extend embodiment, satiate the senses, and create crip culture. Drawing on four examples, we claim that disabled artists are creative technologists whose non-normative culture-making practices approach accessibility as a transmethodological process that requires and generates new forms of interconnected technology and artfulness. Disabled artists, as “creative users,” change the uses and outcomes of technology, dis-using technologies in ways that lead to a more dynamic understanding of access and with it, of crip cultures as processual, artful, and political.
A Longitudinal Dose-Response Curve Between Leisure-Time Physical Activity and the Prevalence of Diabetes Based on the Different Levels of Cognitive Function Among Older Adults
Authors: Lee Jungjoo , Kim Junhyoung , Ju Hyo Jin , An Sang Joon , Woo Bomi
Published: March 2024

This study investigated a dose-response relationship between Leisure-Time Physical Activity participation (LTPA) and the risk of diabetes and a comparison of the risk across different cognitive function groups among older adults. The Health and Retirement Study data were used from 2012 to 2020 (n = 18 746). This study conducted a Cox Proportional Hazard Regression to investigate the Dose-Response Curve between the prevalence of diabetes and the covariates following a level of LTPA participation. The result presented that the Odds Ratio continuously decreased as the level of LTPA participation increased. Among the three cognitive function groups, the high group (OR = .43, P < .05) and the mid group (OR = .71, P < .05) had a larger negative slope coefficient than the low group. This study found that LTPA participation reduces the risk of diabetes and gives evidence for the importance of cognitive function in reducing the prevalence of diabetes.
Challenges in conducting efficacy trials for new COVID-19 vaccines in developed countries
Authors: Dal-Ré Rafael , Bottieau Emmanuel , Launay Odile , Rosendaal Frits R. , Schwarzer-Daum Brigitte
Published: March 2024

The protection from COVID-19 vaccination wanes a few months post-administration of the primary vaccination series or booster doses. New COVID-19 vaccine candidates aiming to help control COVID-19 should show long-term efficacy, allowing a possible annual administration. Until correlates of protection are strongly associated with long-term protection, it has been suggested that any new COVID-19 vaccine candidate must demonstrate at least 75% efficacy (although a 40%–60% efficacy would be sufficient) at 12 months in preventing illness in all age groups within a large randomized controlled efficacy trial. This article discusses four of the many scientific, ethical, and operational challenges that these trials will face in developed countries, focusing on a pivotal trial in adults. These challenges are (1) the comparator and trial population; (2) how to enroll sufficient numbers of adult participants of all age groups considering that countries will recommend COVID-19 booster doses to different populations; (3) whether having access to a comparator booster for the trial is actually feasible; and (4) the changing epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 across countries involved in the trial. It is desirable that regulatory agencies publish guidance on the requirements that a trial like the one discussed should comply with to be acceptable from a regulatory standpoint. Ideally, this should happen even before there is a vaccine candidate that could fulfill the requirements mentioned above, as it would allow an open discussion among all stakeholders on its appropriateness and feasibility.
“Together, We Achieve the China Dream”: Constructing Affective Chinese Nationalities in the Film My People, My Country
Authors: Huang Haiyan , Lams Lutgard
Published: March 2024

National blockbusters, such as My People, My Country (MPMC; 我和我的祖国, wo he wode zuguo), have gained a prominent position in contemporary Chinese nationalist propaganda. Based on a multi-modal discourse analysis approach, this paper will examine how narratives of “my country” and “my people” are affectively constructed through multi-modal resources in the MPMC to shape a unified Chinese national identity while consolidating the Chinese Communist Party's ruling legitimacy in the face of increasingly diverse challenges. Findings show three discursive strategies, involving interrelated affects: (1) selective and pride-based mythmaking of the glorious past; (2) conveying happiness through appropriation of (sub)popular culture; and (3) mobilising nostalgia by invoking cultural memories. To grasp possible effects of these affective strategies, we circulated questionnaires to twenty-five Chinese diasporas. Their answers suggest that, although these strategies evoke nationalist emotions, questions are also raised concerning conflicting interests between the collective and the individual, as well as the potential risks of affective nationalism.
The white-collar sign after Neuroform Atlas stent-assisted coil embolization of unruptured intracranial aneurysms
Authors: Tachi Rintaro , Fuga Michiyasu , Tanaka Toshihide , Teshigawara Akihiko , Kajiwara Ikki , Irie Koreaki , Ishibashi Toshihiro , Hasegawa Yuzuru , Murayama Yuichi
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Although stent-assisted technique is expected to help provide a scaffold for neointima formation at the orifice of the aneurysm, not all aneurysms treated with stent-assisted technique develop complete neointima formation. The white-collar sign (WCS) indicates neointimal tissue formation at the aneurysm neck that prevents aneurysm recanalization. The aim of this study was to explore factors related to WCS appearance after stent-assisted coil embolization of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs).

Methods

A total of 59 UIAs treated with a Neuroform Atlas stent were retrospectively analyzed. The WCS was identified on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) 1 year after coil embolization. The cohort was divided into WCS-positive and WCS-negative groups, and possible predictors of the WCS were explored using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The WCS appeared in 20 aneurysms (33.9%). In the WCS-positive group, neck size was significantly smaller (4.2 (interquartile range (IQR): 3.8–4.6) versus 5.4 (IQR: 4.2–6.8) mm, p = .006), the VER was significantly higher (31.8% (IQR: 28.6%–38.4%) versus 27.6% (IQR: 23.6%–33.8%), p = .02), and the rate of RROC class 1 immediately after treatment was significantly higher (70% vs 20.5%, p < .001) than in the WCS-negative group. On multivariate analysis, neck size (odds ratio (OR): 0.542, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.308–0.954; p = .03) and RROC class 1 immediately after treatment (OR: 6.99, 95% CI: 1.769–27.55; p = .006) were independent predictors of WCS appearance.

Conclusions

Smaller neck size and complete occlusion immediately after treatment were significant factors related to WCS appearance in stent-assisted coil embolization for UIAs using the Neuroform Atlas stent.
Impact of cytomegalovirus on outcomes in acute severe ulcerative colitis: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Huang Dazhong , Rennie Michael , Krasovec Alicia , Nagubandi Shyam , Liu Sichang , Ge Edward , Khehra Barinder , Au Michael , Sivagnanam Shobini , Kwan Vu , Rogge Claudia , Mitrev Nikola , Kariyawasam Viraj
Published: March 2024

Background:

Concomitant cytomegalovirus (CMV) is highly prevalent in acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) but data for outcomes of CMV positivity in ASUC and the benefit of antiviral therapy remain unclear.

Objectives:

We aim to determine the impact of CMV positivity, and antiviral therapy, on outcomes such as colectomy-free survival, length of hospital stay and readmission rate, among hospitalized patients with ASUC.

Design:

This is a retrospective, multicentre study of patients admitted with ASUC.

Methods:

CMV positivity was diagnosed from blood CMV DNA and inpatient colonic biopsies. Background demographics and disease characteristics, clinical characteristics and outcomes during admission and long-term outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records and compared according to the presence of CMV and the use of antiviral therapy.

Results:

CMV was detected in 40 (24%) of 167 ASUC admissions. Previous steroid exposure was the only clinical predictor of CMV positivity on multivariate analysis. Outcomes of greater requirement for rescue therapy (60% versus 33%), longer hospital stay (14.3 versus 9.9 days) and higher readmission rates at 3 and 12 months were associated with CMV positivity. No difference was found in the rate of colectomy or colectomy-free survival. Antiviral therapy was not associated with a lower risk of colectomy but did extend the time to colectomy (126 versus 36 days).

Conclusion:

CMV positivity was associated with worse outcomes of need for rescue therapy, hospital stay and readmissions. Antiviral therapy was not found to reduce the risk of colectomy but did extend the time to colectomy. Further prospective studies will be required to more clearly determine its benefit in patients with concomitant CMV and ASUC.
Lotus petal flap reconstruction of labia major and perineum after necrotizing fasciitis infection: A case report
Authors: Buja Zejnë
Published: March 2024

Necrotizing fasciitis is one of the most serious and deadly infections in surgery. The tissue defects that result after a severe infection with necrotizing fasciitis are often not easy to resolve surgically. The importance of this article is to show the reconstructive efficacy of the lotus petal flap based on two perforators. We present a 71-year-old female case with necrotizing fasciitis infection and defect of the region of the vulva (labia major) and perineum. We solved the reconstruction of the defect of the lower half of the labia major and the perineum, on the left side, by raising a fascio-cutaneous lotus petal flap along the gluteal fold, based on two perforators. Considering that the necrotizing fasciitis infection is very serious, it is also accompanied by large soft tissue defects. Raising the flap based on two perforators gives it greater vascular security and, at the same time, greater success in survival. We can conclude that the reconstruction of defects of the vulva and perineum with a lotus petal flap is a satisfactory solution and acceptable to the patient.
Audit of essential medicine listing and registration status of medicines on standard treatment guidelines in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda: Case study of malaria, tuberculosis, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Babatunde Deborah , Pollock Allyson M , Ocan Moses , Brhlikova Petra
Published: March 2024

Objectives

To determine alignment between national and World Health Organization (WHO) treatment recommendations, medicines prioritisation in country's essential medicines list (EML), and medicines availability in National drug register.

Design

An audit of medicines for malaria, tuberculosis, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus listed in the national standard treatment guidelines (STGs) of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as of March 2021, against WHO treatment guidelines, and respective country EML and National drug register.

Setting

Not applicable.

Participants

None.

Main outcome measures

Proportion of medicine in country's STGs that align with WHO treatment recommendations, country's EML and country's drug register.

Results

Some disease areas had two sets of treatment guidelines – national STGs and disease-specific treatment guidelines (DSGs) developed at different times with different recommended medicines. Both STGs and DSGs included medicines not recommended by the WHO or not listed on the country EML and drug register. Non-WHO-recommended medicines accounted for 17/68 (25%), 10/57 (18%) and 3/30 (10%) of all STG medicines in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, respectively. For tuberculosis, the numbers and proportion of STG medicines listed on the respective national EMLs were 2/6 (33%), 15/19 (79%) and 4/5 (80%) in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. All tuberculosis medicines included in Kenya's and Uganda's STGs were registered compared with only 12/19 (63%) tuberculosis medicines in Tanzania's STG.

Conclusions

Alignment between treatment guidelines, EMLs and drug registers is crucial for effective national pharmaceutical policy. Research is needed to understand the inclusion of medicines on STGs and DSGs which fall outside WHO treatment guidelines; the non-alignment of some STGs and DSGs, and STGs and DSGs including medicines which are not on country EML and drug register.
User experience testing of the mobile pulmonary rehabilitation (m-PR™) app in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Wootton Sally L , Dale Marita T , Tian Ye , King Meredith , Alison Jennifer A , Chan Andrew S L , Varnfield Marlien , Yang Ian A , McKeough Zoe J
Published: March 2024

Objective

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are emerging to support the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). This study aimed to explore the ease of use, satisfaction and acceptability of an Australian mobile pulmonary rehabilitation app (m-PR™) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

In this mixed methods observational study, participants with COPD were recruited following PR assessment. Participants were educated on m-PR™ which contained symptom monitoring, individualised exercise training with exercise videos, education videos, goal setting, health notifications and medication action plan. Participants used m-PR™ for 4–8 weeks. At baseline, participants were surveyed to assess level of technology engagement. At follow-up, participants completed the system usability survey (SUS), a satisfaction survey and a semi-structured interview.

Results

Fifteen participants (mean age 70 [SD 10] years, 53% female) completed the study. Technology usage was high with 73% (n = 11) self-rating their technology competence as good or very good. The SUS score of 71 (SD 16) demonstrated above average perceived usability of m-PR™. The satisfaction survey indicated that 67% (n = 10) enjoyed m-PR™ and 33% (n = 5) were neutral. Most participants found the different m-PR™ components somewhat easy or very easy to use (range 69–100%) and somewhat helpful or very helpful (range 76–100%). Interview responses revealed that m-PR™ elicited divergent feelings among participants, who reported both positive and negative feelings towards the app's features, the effort required to use it and data security.

Conclusion

The majority of participants found m-PR™ enjoyable, easy to use and helpful in managing their COPD. Further research is warranted to understand the effectiveness of mHealth to deliver PR.
Application of machine learning algorithms in classifying postoperative success in metabolic bariatric surgery: Acomprehensive study
Authors: Benítez-Andrades José Alberto , Prada-García Camino , García-Fernández Rubén , Ballesteros-Pomar María D , González-Alonso María-Inmaculada , Serrano-García Antonio
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Metabolic bariatric surgery is a critical intervention for patients living with obesity and related health issues. Accurate classification and prediction of patient outcomes are vital for optimizing treatment strategies. This study presents a novel machine learning approach to classify patients in the context of metabolic bariatric surgery, providing insights into the efficacy of different models and variable types.

Methods

Various machine learning models, including Gaussian Naive Bayes, Complement Naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbour, Decision Tree, K-nearest neighbour with RandomOverSampler, and K-nearest neighbour with SMOTE, were applied to a dataset of 73 patients. The dataset, comprising psychometric, socioeconomic, and analytical variables, was analyzed to determine the most efficient predictive model. The study also explored the impact of different variable groupings and oversampling techniques.

Results

Experimental results indicate average accuracy values as high as 66.7% for the best model. Enhanced versions of K-nearest neighbour and Decision Tree, along with variations of K-nearest neighbour such as RandomOverSampler and SMOTE, yielded the best results.

Conclusions

The study unveils a promising avenue for classifying patients in the realm of metabolic bariatric surgery. The results underscore the importance of selecting appropriate variables and employing diverse approaches to achieve optimal performance. The developed system holds potential as a tool to assist healthcare professionals in decision-making, thereby enhancing metabolic bariatric surgery outcomes. These findings lay the groundwork for future collaboration between hospitals and healthcare entities to improve patient care through the utilization of machine learning algorithms. Moreover, the findings suggest room for improvement, potentially achievable with a larger dataset and careful parameter tuning.
Open notes in psychotherapy: An exploratory mixed methods survey of psychotherapy students in Switzerland
Authors: Kharko Anna , Buergler Sarah , Bärkås Annika , Hägglund Maria , Gaab Jens , Fagerlund Asbjørn Johansen , Locher Cosima , Blease Charlotte
Published: March 2024

Background

In a growing number of countries, patients are offered access to their full online clinical records, including the narrative reports written by clinicians (the latter, referred to as “open notes”). Even in countries with mature patient online record access, access to psychotherapy notes is not mandatory. To date, no research has explored the views of psychotherapy trainees about open notes.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the opinions of psychotherapy trainees in Switzerland about patients’ access to psychotherapists’ free-text summaries.

Methods

We administered a web-based mixed methods survey to 201 psychotherapy trainees to explore their familiarity with and opinions about the impact on patients and psychotherapy practice of offering patients online access to their psychotherapy notes. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the 42-item survey, and qualitative descriptive analysis was employed to examine written responses to four open-ended questions.

Results

Seventy-two (35.8%) trainees completed the survey. Quantitative results revealed mixed views about open notes. 75% agreed that, in general open notes were a good idea, and 94.1% agreed that education about open notes should be part of psychotherapy training. When considering impact on patients and psychotherapy, four themes emerged: (a) negative impact on therapy; (b) positive impact on therapy; (c) impact on patients; and (d) documentation. Students identified concerns related to increase in workload, harm to the psychotherapeutic relationship, and compromised quality of records. They also identified many potential benefits including better patient communication and informed consent processes. In describing impact on different therapy types, students believed that open notes might have differential impact depending on the psychotherapy approaches.

Conclusions

Sharing psychotherapy notes is not routine but is likely to expand. This mixed methods study provides timely insights into the views of psychotherapy trainees regarding the impact of open notes on patient care and psychotherapy practice.