bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensitive and specific detection of micrometastasis of hepatic carcinoma in peripheral blood by immunomagnetic nanobeads polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Dong Linping , Wang Lantian , Fang Heqing
Published: October 2021

This study aims to determine the value of miR-133a-3p in diagnosing micrometastasis of hepatic carcinoma (HCC) from peripheral blood (PB) samples and dissecting the molecular mechanism (MM) of micrometastasis. We selected 70 patients with micrometastasis of HCC from our hospital between
August 2014 to August 2020 for the research (Res) group and enrolled 55 patients with HCC but without micrometastasis in the control (Con) group. We collected PB samples from each participant and quantified miR-133a-3p in each sample using immunomagnetic nanobeads (IMNBs)-based PCR and RT-PCR.
In contrast to the Con group, the Res group presented a significant down-regulation of miR-133a-3p in PB. The IMNBs and RT-PCR showed that miR-133a-3p exhibited the area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.882 and 0.845, specificities of 81.82% and 74.55%, and sensitivities of 85.71% and 88.57%,
respectively. Due to its higher specificity and sensitivity, IMNBs were utilized. IMNBs were then used to quantify miR-133a-3p in HCC cells. Additionally, we explored the association of miR-133a-3p with PAF; miR-133a-3p was inversely correlated with AFP (r =−0.614; P <0.001).
miR-133a-3p’s targeting association with MMP15 and the corresponding MM was verified and analyzed. The up-regulation of miR-133a-3p levels inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells, while its down-regulation yielded the opposite effect. Moreover, miR-133a-3p negatively regulated
the protein level of MMP15, the migration and invasion capacity of HCC cells was greatly impacted. In short, miR-133a-3p decreased in HCC micrometastasis. The detection of miR-133a-3p by IMNBs is both specific and sensitive in diagnosing the micrometastasis. miR-133a-3p is of enormous value
in diagnosing HCC micrometastasis from PB samples, and its up-regulation can inhibit MMP15 and hinder HCC metastasis.
The Amplification of Madden–Julian Oscillation Boosted by Temperature Feedback
Authors: Chen Guosen
Published: October 2021

Due to a small Coriolis force in tropics, the theoretical study of Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) often assumes weak temperature gradient balance, which neglects the temperature feedback (manifested in the temperature tendency term). In this study, the effect of the temperature feedback on the MJO is investigated by using the MJO trio-interaction model, which can capture the essential large-scale features of the MJO. The scale analysis indicates that the rotation effect is strong for the MJO scales, so that the temperature feedback is as important as the moisture feedback (manifested in the moisture tendency term); the latter is often considered to be critical for MJO. The experiments with the theoretical model show that the temperature feedback has significant impact on the MJO’s maintenance. When the temperature feedback is turned off, the simulated MJO cannot be maintained over the warm pool. This is because the temperature feedback could boost the energy generation. Without the temperature feedback, only the latent heat can be generated. With the temperature feedback, not only the latent heat but also the enthalpy (and therefore the available potential energy) can be generated. Therefore, the total energy generation is more efficient with the temperature feedback, favoring the self-maintenance of the MJO. Further investigation shows that this effect of the temperature feedback on MJO amplification can be inferred from observations. The findings here indicate that the temperature feedback could have nonnegligible impacts on the MJO and have implications in the simulation of MJO.
Calibration Technique for Suppressing Residual Etalon Artifacts in Slit-Averaged Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Massie Christine , Chen Keren , Berger Andrew J.
Published: October 2021

Back-illuminated charged-coupled device (BI-CCD) arrays increase quantum efficiency but also amplify etaloning, a multiplicative, wavelength-dependent fixed-pattern effect. When spectral data from hundreds of BI-CCD rows are combined, the averaged spectrum will generally appear etalon-free. This can mask substantial etaloning at the row level, even if the BI-CCD has been treated to suppress the effect. This paper compares two methods of etalon correction, one with simple averaging and one with row-by-row calibration using a fluorescence standard. Two BI-CCD arrays, both roughened by the supplier to reduce etaloning, were used to acquire Raman spectra of murine bone specimens. For one array, etaloning was the dominant source of noise under the exposure conditions chosen, even for the averaged spectrum across all rows; near-infrared-excited Raman peaks were noticeably affected. In this case, row-by-row calibration improved the spectral quality of the average spectrum. The other CCD’s performance was shot-noise limited and therefore received no benefit from the extra calibration. The different results highlight the importance of checking for and correcting row-level fixed pattern when measuring weak Raman signals in the presence of a large fluorescence background.
The Impact of Training on Human–Autonomy Team Communications and Trust Calibration
Authors: Johnson Craig J. , Demir Mustafa , McNeese Nathan J. , Gorman Jamie C. , Wolff Alexandra T. , Cooke Nancy J.
Published: October 2021

Objective

This work examines two human–autonomy team (HAT) training approaches that target communication and trust calibration to improve team effectiveness under degraded conditions.

Background

Human–autonomy teaming presents challenges to teamwork, some of which may be addressed through training. Factors vital to HAT performance include communication and calibrated trust.

Method

Thirty teams of three, including one confederate acting as an autonomous agent, received either entrainment-based coordination training, trust calibration training, or control training before executing a series of missions operating a simulated remotely piloted aircraft. Automation and autonomy failures simulating degraded conditions were injected during missions, and measures of team communication, trust, and task efficiency were collected.

Results

Teams receiving coordination training had higher communication anticipation ratios, took photos of targets faster, and overcame more autonomy failures. Although autonomy failures were introduced in all conditions, teams receiving the calibration training reported that their overall trust in the agent was more robust over time. However, they did not perform better than the control condition.

Conclusions

Training based on entrainment of communications, wherein introduction of timely information exchange through one team member has lasting effects throughout the team, was positively associated with improvements in HAT communications and performance under degraded conditions. Training that emphasized the shortcomings of the autonomous agent appeared to calibrate expectations and maintain trust.

Applications

Team training that includes an autonomous agent that models effective information exchange may positively impact team communication and coordination. Training that emphasizes the limitations of an autonomous agent may help calibrate trust.
Relationship Between Spirituality and Distress in Ascetics
Authors: Bhandari Rudra B. , Chaudhry Nidhi , Devi Sarita
Published: October 2021

The relation between spirituality and health has been argued for decades. The study aimed to ascertain the extent and nature of the relationship between spirituality quantified in terms of Spiritual Intelligence (SI) and distress in ascetics. Sixty-three Hindu ascetics aged 31.3 ± 6.6 years were sampled from Patanjali Yogpeeth, India. Participants’ distress and spiritual levels were measured by using the Cornell Medical Index Health Questionnaires (CMHIQs) and Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory-24 (SISRI-24), respectively. Multiple regression analyses showed an insignificant negative relationship between SI and distress implying SI as a predictor of psychosomatic health.
Spatialising urban health vulnerability: An analysis of NYC’s critical infrastructure during COVID-19
Authors: Kawlra Gayatri , Sakamoto Kazuki
Published: October 2021

This paper examines how fragmentation of critical infrastructure impacts the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in New York City at the neighbourhood level. The location of transportation hubs, grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals and parks plays an important role in shaping spatial disparities in virus spread. Using supervised machine learning and spatial regression modelling we examine how the geography of COVID-19 case rates is influenced by the spatial arrangement of four critical sectors of the built environment during the public health emergency in New York City: health care facilities, mobility networks, food and nutrition and open space. Our models suggest that an analysis of urban health vulnerability is incomplete without the inclusion of critical infrastructure metrics in dense urban geographies. Our findings show that COVID-19 risk at the zip code level is influenced by (1) socio-demographic vulnerability, (2) epidemiological risk, and (3) availability and access to critical infrastructure.
Spatial Strategies Used by Students With Visual Impairments to Solve Questions of Spatial Visualization
Authors: Arslan Ayşenur , Kayhan Altay Mesture
Published: October 2021

Introduction: This study examines the spatial abilities of middle school students with visual impairments (i.e., blindness and low vision) in the context of spatial visualization. The study also aims to examine the strategies used by such students in solving questions requiring spatial ability. Methods: Participants comprised eight students with visual impairments attending the 8th grade of a school in Ankara, Turkey, which teaches students with visual impairments. The data collection tool is composed of eight questions under the guidance of the definition for spatial visualization. Question types belonging to the spatial visualization subcomponent were organized in four topics: 2D rotation, 3D rotation, paper folding, and cube folding. Results: It was observed that students with visual impairments used mental rotation and key feature strategies for 2D rotation questions. They used the key feature strategy for 3D rotation questions and the mental manipulation strategy for cube folding and paper folding questions. Discussion: In this study, it was identified that strategies used by students with visual impairments show similarities with spatial strategies defined in the literature as used by students without visual impairments. Of all the other types of questions, the most successful question of students with visual impairments is the paper folding question. Implications for practitioners: The results of this article can help teachers become aware of the kind of difficulties that students with visual impairments encounter when they try to solve questions that require spatial ability.
The Psychometric Properties for the Test of Perceived Physical Competence for Youths with Visual Impairments
Authors: Brian Ali , Starrett Angela , Ross Robbie , Pennell Adam , Gilbert Emily , Miedema Sally Taunton , Casner Chandler , Lieberman Lauren J.
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Limited inquiries exist for perceptions of physical competence for people with visual impairments, since there are no specific, psychometrically tested scales. The purpose of this study was to establish the psychometric properties of the Test of Perceived Physical Competence (TPPC) for individuals with visual impairments aged 9–19 years. Methods: Experts ( N = 12) provided feedback for content and face validity. Then, after assessing 179 individuals with visual impairments, McDonald’s Omega, and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were used to evaluate the internal consistency and structure. Finally, results of the TPPC were compared with the Self-Perception Profiles for Children/Adolescents for divergent validity. Results: The standardized root mean square residual result of 0.053 and the Comparative Fit Index result of 0.95 indicated acceptable fit. The percent of variation in each item explained by the factor varied from 44% (item 3) to 63% (item 6). McDonald’s Omega for the one-factor scale is 0.987, and the perceived physical competence subscale of the Self-Perception Profiles for Children and TPPC have a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.469 (95% confidence interval = 0.269–0.630). Discussion: Having a psychometrically strong scale to measure perceived physical competence of individuals with visual impairments is the first step in being able to replicate current, seminal research among this unique population. This adaptation of Harter’s perceived physical competence subscale uniquely assesses the child’s perceptions of physical competence among peers with visual impairments. This measure, coupled with the power to examine its predictive abilities, is important for children and adolescents with visual impairments, since they possess great tendencies for obesity and sedentary behavior. Implications for practitioners: If practitioners would like to change tendencies for obesity and sedentary behavior, then, they must include perceptions of physical competence as a latent construct. Now, practitioners can feel confident to do so for this highly vulnerable population.
Characteristics of repeated recidivism in surgical cases of cholesteatoma requiring canal wall reconstruction
Authors: Yazama Hiroaki , Kunimoto Yasuomi , Hasegawa Kensaku , Watanabe Tasuku , Fujiwara Kazunori
Published: October 2021

Objective

Few reports discuss the characteristics of repeated recidivism of cholesteatoma. We describe the clinical characteristics of patients with cholesteatoma who experienced at least two recidivism episodes after initial surgery for cholesteatoma requiring canal wall reconstruction.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of 11 patients who underwent surgery for cholesteatoma with canal wall reconstruction at our department between April 2008 and March 2018 and subsequently experienced two relapses that necessitated revision surgery involving tympanomastoidectomy with canal reconstruction. Patient age at the time of the first surgery ranged from 6 to 56 (mean, 25.7) years. Seven (63.6%) of the 11 patients were male. These 11 patients were classified according to the type of recidivism, and their characteristics (pathology, operation date, operation method, pattern of relapse, and position of recurrence) were investigated.

Results

Four cases involved secondary residual cholesteatoma, with the mean interval between the first revision surgery and the second revision surgery being 23.8 (range, 11–39) months. Secondary residual sites included the anterior tympanic cavity, tympanic sinus, and anterior end of the reconstructed cartilage of the canal wall. The other seven cases involved secondary recurrence, with the mean interval between the first and the second revision surgery being 26.1 (range, 12–57) months. The sites of recurrence were at the edges of the reconstructed cartilage. One notable case involved the cartilage junction, leading us to hypothesize that retraction of the temporal muscle flap and the patulous Eustachian tube was the underlying cause.

Conclusion

For residual cholesteatoma, strict measures are necessary to maintain the operation under clear view, and more careful follow-up is necessary in patients who have had previous surgery at another hospital. For recurrent cholesteatoma, it was recognized that Eustachian tube function must be ascertained in advance, and careful observation of the reconstructed cartilage edge is necessary.
The Divergent Mental Health Effects of Dashed Expectations and Unfulfilled Aspirations: Evidence from American Lawyers’ Careers
Authors: Sendroiu Ioana , Upenieks Laura , Schafer Markus H.
Published: October 2021

Considerable work has shown that optimistic future orientations can be a resource for resilience across individuals’ lives. At the same time, research has shown little downside to “shooting for the stars” and failing. Here, we bring these competing insights to the study of lawyers’ careers, investigating the relationship between mental health and failure in achieving desired career advancement. To do this, we differentiate between expectations and aspirations for the future, a conceptual distinction that has been much theorized but little tested. Using longitudinal data, we show that dashed expectations of making partner are associated with depreciated mental health outcomes, whereas a similar relationship does not exist for unfulfilled aspirations. We conclude that inasmuch as expectations are more deeply rooted in an individual’s realistic sense of their future self, failing to achieve what is expected is more psychologically damaging than failing to achieve what is simply aspired. Our findings contrast with studies of younger people that demonstrate fewer consequences for unfulfilled future orientations, and so we highlight the importance of specifying how particular future-oriented beliefs fit into distinct career and life course trajectories, for better or for worse. In the process, we contribute to the academic literatures on future orientations, work, and mental health.
Clinical monitoring of activated clotting time during cardiothoracic surgery: comparing the Hemochron® Response and Hemochron® Signature Elite
Authors: Hoffmann Roland F , Horsten Sandra , Mariani Massimo A , de Vries Adrianus J
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

The Activated Clotting Time (ACT) is commonly used to manage anticoagulation during cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the older manually operated Hemochron® Response and the automated Hemochron® Signature Elite.

Methods:

In this observational study the clinically relevant differences of both devices were investigated simultaneously, using duplicate measurements, in 29 patients who underwent a Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) or Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) in order to determine reliability, bias, and to detect which method has the lowest variation. Blood samples were obtained from the arterial line prior to surgery, after administration of 300 IU/kg heparin, 5 minutes after initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass and successively every 30 minutes, and after protamine administration.

Results:

A total of 202 measurements were performed. Of these 10 measurements were out of range in the Response and 9 in the Elite. About 27 single unstable magnet errors were seen in the Response versus no measurement errors in the Elite. No statistically significant differences between the Response (p = 0.22, Wilcoxon rank) and Elite (p = 0.064) duplicates were observed. The Response values were consistently higher during heparinization than the Elite measurements (p = 0.002, repeated measurements) with an average positive bias of around 56 seconds during heparinization (Bland-Altman). Overall, the coefficient of variation (CoV) increased during heparinization.

Conclusion:

The Elite was more reliable, but the variation was higher for the Elite than the Response. The observed positive bias in the Response compared to the Elite could affect heparin administration during surgery making the two systems not interchangeable.
An online international comparison of palliative care identification in primary care using the Surprise Question
Authors: White Nicola , Oostendorp Linda JM , Vickerstaff Victoria , Gerlach Christina , Engels Yvonne , Maessen Maud , Tomlinson Christopher , Wens Johan , Leysen Bert , Biasco Guido , Zambrano Sofia , Eychmüller Steffen , Avgerinou Christina , Chattat Rabih , Ottoboni Giovanni , Veldhoven Carel , Stone Patrick
Published: October 2021

Background:

The Surprise Question (‘Would I be surprised if this patient died within 12 months?’) identifies patients in the last year of life. It is unclear if ‘surprised’ means the same for each clinician, and whether their responses are internally consistent.

Aim:

To determine the consistency with which the Surprise Question is used.

Design:

A cross-sectional online study of participants located in Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland and UK. Participants completed 20 hypothetical patient summaries (‘vignettes’). Primary outcome measure: continuous estimate of probability of death within 12 months (0% [certain survival]–100% [certain death]). A threshold (probability estimate above which Surprise Question responses were consistently ‘no’) and an inconsistency range (range of probability estimates where respondents vacillated between responses) were calculated. Univariable and multivariable linear regression explored differences in consistency. Trial registration: NCT03697213.

Setting/participants:

Registered General Practitioners (GPs). Of the 307 GPs who started the study, 250 completed 15 or more vignettes.

Results:

Participants had a consistency threshold of 49.8% (SD 22.7) and inconsistency range of 17% (SD 22.4). Italy had a significantly higher threshold than other countries ( p = 0.002). There was also a difference in threshold levels depending on age of clinician, for every yearly increase, participants had a higher threshold. There was no difference in inconsistency between countries ( p = 0.53).

Conclusions:

There is variation between clinicians regarding the use of the Surprise Question. Over half of GPs were not internally consistent in their responses to the Surprise Question. Future research with standardised terms and real patients is warranted.
In Support of a Renewable Energy and Materials Economy: A Global Green New Deal That Includes Arctic Sea Ice Triage and Carbon Cycle Restoration
Authors: Baiman Ron
Published: October 2021

A Global Green New Deal (GGND)—that includes Arctic sea ice climate triage and carbon cycle climate restoration, and that, following Eisenberger (2020), would move us toward a renewable energy and materials economy (REME)—is necessary to turn our current civilization and species-threatening climate crises into an opportunity to stabilize our planet’s climate and advance to a new, more equitable and prosperous stage of human development. Imminent, potentially catastrophic, global climate impacts of Arctic sea ice loss, the first global climate “tipping point,” are reviewed, and practical and efficient potential climate triage methods for avoiding this are summarized. Longer-term carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and carbon capture, sequestration, and use (CCSU) methods, that would move us toward long-term carbon cycle climate restoration, are presented. A general reframing of climate policy and specific GGND policy proposals—that include Arctic sea ice climate triage and carbon cycle climate restoration that would rapidly move us toward a REME and avoid increasingly catastrophic climate impacts—are proposed.

JEL Classification: Q53, Q54, Q55, Q56, Q58
“Everybody Knows Everybody”: Adolescents’ Perceptions of What Helps Them Succeed in a Rural Title I School
Authors: West Erin M. , Zolkoski Staci M. , Lockhart Justin R. , Holm Jessica M. , Tremont Josh
Published: October 2021

The current study explored adolescents’ perceptions of what contributes to their experiences of success in a rural Title I school through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Participants included adolescents who were enrolled at a rural Title I Middle/High School in the southern United States. The single campus school district serves approximately 185 students from Prekindergarten to grade 12. Approximately, 73% of the students are identified as At-Risk, 88% of the students are economically disadvantaged, and 100% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Ten students from this school, with assent and parental consent, participated in the current study. Participants’ ages ranged from 13 to 18, and the students represented different genders (seven males, three females) and various racial and ethnic backgrounds (three Black/African American, four Latinx, two White, and one Biracial). Results from the current study suggest low-income adolescents in a rural Title I school perceived (a) school size, (b) family support, and (c) their own internal drive to succeed as contributing to their success at school. These themes, their corresponding subthemes, and representative participant statements are included. Implications for school administrators, teachers, and counselors along with directions for future research are discussed.
Time-varying mesh stiffness calculation for gear pairs with misalignment errors in multiple degrees of freedom based on an analytical method
Authors: Wen Qi , Chen Qi , Du Qungui , Yang Yong
Published: October 2021

Misalignment errors (MEs) in multiple degrees of freedom (multi-DOFs) at the mesh position will lead to a change in the time-varying mesh stiffness (TVMS) and then affect the dynamic behaviour of gear pairs. Therefore, a new, more rapid, three-dimensional analytical model for TVMS calculation for gear pairs with three rotational and three translational MEs is established in this paper, and a new solution method based on potential energy theory is presented. In addition, the correctness of the new model is verified by the finite element method (FEM). Moreover, the effective contact line, uneven distribution of mesh force on the contact line, and mesh position change are taken into account. Finally, the TVMS under different ME conditions is calculated with the new analytical model. The results showed that the different MEs have dissimilar effects on the TVMS, and the relationship between the ME and TVMS is nonlinear. In addition, the region of single-pair and double-pair teeth in contact would also change with ME.
Analysis about enhancement in thermal characteristics of viscous fluid flow with induction of ferrite particles by using Cattaneo Christov theory
Authors: Tahir Wajiha , Bilal S , Kousar Nabeela , Shah Imtiaz Ali , Alqahtani Ali S
Published: October 2021

The elevated convective heat transfer process plays vital role in performance of electronic and engineering equipment’s. Over the years various attempts have been executed in this regards, including the insertion of nano elements in poorly conducting liquids. Initially, improvement in thermophysical characteristics of ordinary fluids was observed but with advancement in nanoparticles structuring new classifications in nano elements are found. Among these discoveries experimentations have explored highly fascinating and intrinsically featured class of nanomaterials renowned as ferromagnetic nano constituents. So, the motivation regarding this investigation is execution about change in thermal features of base liquid with insertion of different ferrite particles. Here, water is considered as based liquid and Nickel Zinc Ferrite (NiZnFe2O4) and magnetite ferrite (Fe2O4) as solid particles are inserted. Impact of magnetic dipole is also envisioned to produce optimized effectiveness of ferrite particles. Energy transmission in flow domain is depicted by incorporation of Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model. Mathematical formulation containing thermo mechanical features of ferrite particles are attained in complexly structured partial differential system and afterwards similarity transformations are implemented for transmutation into ODES. Constructed problem is simulated by implementing numerical approaches. Influence of involved variables on associated distributions are displayed through graphs and tables. It is demonstrated that momentum as well as heat transfer of base fluid augments with inclusion of Nickel Zinc ferrite as compared magnetite ferrite. It is inferred that velocity shows declining behavior against Curie temperature whereas reverse behavior is seen for temperature profile. It is divulged that viscous dissipation imparts diminishing impact on momentum whereas contrary behavior is depicted in case of temperature profile. In addition, increment in wall drag magnitude and thermal flux is manipulated by incorporation of (NiZnFe2O4) rather than (Fe2O4).
Power in psychiatry. Soviet peer and lay hierarchies in the context of political abuse of psychiatry
Authors: Schacht Anastassiya
Published: October 2021

Soviet political abuse of psychiatry in the Brezhnevite era offers a rich case study of entanglement between various layers, impact spaces, and actors of power. This article discusses two types of discursive power in Soviet psychiatry. One sprang from the madness-affirmative cultural canon, in which dissidents sought their self-legitimation. More prominently, there was the power of psychiatrists within their own hierarchic system. I analyse how the action scopes for psychiatric power varied, depending on whether the recipient was a patient or fellow professional. Here, the inherent hierarchy structured and regulated the peer community and secured the stability of medical practices – and of the political entanglement of these practices and actors with the state-owned places of power.
“Will You Still Feel Beautiful When You Find Out You Are Different?”: Parents’ Experiences, Reflections, and Appearance-Focused Conversations About Their Child’s Visible Difference
Authors: Feragen Kristin J. Billaud , Myhre Anita , Stock Nicola Marie
Published: October 2021

To investigate parents’ reflections and experiences of having a child born with an appearance-altering condition, interviews with 33 parents of children born with rare craniofacial conditions were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: “Managing emotions: A dynamic process,” “Through another lens: External reminders of difference,” and “Awareness of difference: Approaching the child.” Findings suggest that although parents learned to accept and love their child’s visible difference, external factors such as appearance-altering surgery and other people’s reactions activated difficult emotions in parents. Parents struggled to decipher whether and when to raise appearance-related issues with their child, and how this could be done without distressing the child. Anticipatory guidance that facilitates positive appearance-focused conversations both within and outside the home seems to be needed. Parenting skills could also be strengthened by preparing parents for social reactions to the child’s visible difference, and their child’s changed appearance following surgery.
Critiquing the Critique: Resisting Commonplace Criticisms of Antidepressants in Online Platforms
Authors: Sthamann Erin , McMullen Linda M.
Published: October 2021

Critiques of antidepressants in public spaces such as print media, blogs, social media, websites, and radio and television programs are now commonplace. Such critiques typically center on issues such as the side effects and risks of antidepressants, overblown claims of effectiveness, the fallacy of the chemical imbalance hypothesis, overprescribing, and the availability of equally or more effective nonmedication interventions for depression. In this article, we employ a discursive analysis to show how online commenters fashion a particular counter-argument to these critiques. Prominent in this counter-argument is that only “real” depression benefits from antidepressants, and that a “one-size-does-not-fit-all” understanding of these medications is needed. We argue that, while this nuanced counter-critique contains features that make it difficult to undermine, it simultaneously embeds many unanswered questions.
The Effect of Psychoeducation Based on Motivational Interview Techniques on Medication Adherence, Hope, and Psychological Well-Being in Schizophrenia Patients
Authors: Harmanci Pınar , Budak Funda Kavak
Published: October 2021

This study was conducted to determine the effect of psychoeducation based on motivational interview techniques on medication adherence, hope, and psychological well-being in schizophrenia patients. There are many studies using Motivational Interviewing for individuals with schizophrenia. However, there are no studies on whether the concept of “adherence to treatment,” which is clearly shown to be corrected with 6 to 8 weeks of motivational interviewing, will positively affect concepts such as “hope and well-being,” which require longer interventions, in a shorter time. In this context, there are not enough studies in which motivational interviewing techniques are integrated into psychoeducational interventions that can be organized with more individuals. The study was conducted with a pretest-posttest control group design. The sample size of the study was determined as 150 schizophrenia patients including 75 in the experimental group and 75 in the control group based on power analysis. The researcher provided the patients in the experimental group with a six-session psychoeducation program based on motivational interview techniques. A “Descriptive Characteristics Form,” the “Herth Hope Index,” the “Morisky Medication Adherence Scale,” and the “Psychological Well-Being Scale” were used to collect the data. In the study, psychoeducation based on motivational interview techniques created a statistically significant difference in the medication adherence, hope and psychological well-being levels of the patients in the experimental and control groups ( p < .05). Psychoeducation based on motivational interview techniques provided for schizophrenia patients was found to be effective in enhancing their medication adherence, hope, and psychological well-being levels.
Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding on Treatment With Statin Alone or With Concomitant Administration of Warfarin: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 5.3 Million Participants
Authors: Bhagavathula Akshaya Srikanth , Vidyasaga Kota , Gebreyohannes Eyob Alemayehu , Tesfaye Wubshet
Published: October 2021

Objective:

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) with statin monotherapy or with concomitant warfarin use.

Data Sources:

PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE (via Scopus) were searched for observational studies that reported the risk of GIB in adults on statin therapy or with concomitant warfarin use until August 28, 2021.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Observational studies evaluating the risk of GIB in adults (age >18 years) on statin medication or concomitant use with warfarin were included.

Data Synthesis:

In all, 14 studies with a total of 5 235 123 participants, reporting 48 677 GIB events (43 734 from statin users and 4943 from users of statin combined with warfarin), were included in the analyses. The pooled analysis revealed no difference in the risk of GIB with statin monotherapy (relative risk [RR]: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.42-1.02) or concomitant statin + warfarin use (RR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.91-1.02). Prior use of statin was not associated with GIB risk (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.63-1.22), whereas a shorter duration of statin use (<5 years) was associated with a lower risk of GIB (RR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18-0.97).

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice:

This analysis provides strong evidence on the association between statin use (with/without warfarin) and risk of GIB.

Conclusion:

Statin alone or combined with warfarin was not significantly associated with either an increased or decreased risk of GIB. The GIB risk was significantly lower when statins were used for a short duration (<5 years). The putative relationship between statins and GIB in warfarin users warrant further investigation.
Contending with Carcerality: Discursive Resistance to Elite Appropriation of Antiviolence Activism in Indian Media
Authors: Packard Chiara C.
Published: October 2021

Research has revealed how antiviolence activism can become entangled with the state's punitive agenda, leading to what some have called “carceral feminism.” However, this scholarship focuses primarily on the U.S. context. Additionally, few studies examine the cultural battles about gender-based violence that emerge in television media, a site of cultural struggle and meaning making. This study conducts a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 46 Indian television panel broadcasts following a highly publicized rape in New Delhi in 2012. I find that elite state actors pursue punitive agendas, but feminists and other panelists engage in discursive resistance to this approach.
EXAGRAPH: Graph and combinatorial methods for enabling exascale applications
Authors: Acer Seher , Azad Ariful , Boman Erik G , Buluç Aydın , Devine Karen D. , Ferdous SM , Gawande Nitin , Ghosh Sayan , Halappanavar Mahantesh , Kalyanaraman Ananth , Khan Arif , Minutoli Marco , Pothen Alex , Rajamanickam Sivasankaran , Selvitopi Oguz , Tallent Nathan R , Tumeo Antonino
Published: October 2021

Combinatorial algorithms in general and graph algorithms in particular play a critical enabling role in numerous scientific applications. However, the irregular memory access nature of these algorithms makes them one of the hardest algorithmic kernels to implement on parallel systems. With tens of billions of hardware threads and deep memory hierarchies, the exascale computing systems in particular pose extreme challenges in scaling graph algorithms. The codesign center on combinatorial algorithms, ExaGraph, was established to design and develop methods and techniques for efficient implementation of key combinatorial (graph) algorithms chosen from a diverse set of exascale applications. Algebraic and combinatorial methods have a complementary role in the advancement of computational science and engineering, including playing an enabling role on each other. In this paper, we survey the algorithmic and software development activities performed under the auspices of ExaGraph from both a combinatorial and an algebraic perspective. In particular, we detail our recent efforts in porting the algorithms to manycore accelerator (GPU) architectures. We also provide a brief survey of the applications that have benefited from the scalable implementations of different combinatorial algorithms to enable scientific discovery at scale. We believe that several applications will benefit from the algorithmic and software tools developed by the ExaGraph team.
The Effects of Service Crises and Recovery Resources on Market Reactions: An Event Study Analysis on Data Breach Announcements
Authors: Rasoulian Shahin , Grégoire Yany , Legoux Renaud , Sénécal Sylvain
Published: October 2021

Building on the literatures on service failure and crisis seriousness, we develop a framework to understand the effects of a specific type of service crisis (i.e., data breaches) and organizational recovery resources on the reactions of the stock market. To do so, we conduct an event study analysis with a sample of 217 data breach announcements, as our empirical context. Our analyses reveal that a firm suffers from negative abnormal stock returns when either the outcome of the breach (e.g., the breach of financial data) or its causal process (e.g., hacker attack) indicates a high level of seriousness. Moreover, considering organizational recovery resources, we find that in the case of financial data breaches, age, size, profitability, liquidity, and brand familiarity are the primary resources that can help a firm’s recovery. For hacker attacks, these organizational recovery resources include size, profitability, and liquidity.
Long-term efficacy and safety of inebilizumab in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: Analysis of aquaporin-4–immunoglobulin G–seropositive participants taking inebilizumab for ⩾4 years in the N-MOmentum trial
Authors: Rensel Mary , Zabeti Aram , Mealy Maureen A , Cimbora Daniel , She Dewei , Drappa Jorn , Katz Eliezer
Published: October 2021

Background:

Efficacy and safety of inebilizumab for treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in adults seropositive for aquaporin-4 (AQP4)–immunoglobulin (Ig) G were demonstrated in the 28-week randomized controlled period of the N-MOmentum study.

Objective:

To assess efficacy and safety of long-term inebilizumab treatment.

Methods:

Post hoc analysis was performed in 75 AQP4–IgG–seropositive participants receiving inebilizumab for ⩾4 years in the randomized controlled period and open-label extension of the N-MOmentum study.

Results:

Eighteen attacks occurred in 13 participants during inebilizumab treatment (annualized attack rate, 0.052 attacks/person-year). Twelve attacks occurred during the first year of treatment, and two each occurred in years 2–4. Disability scores remained stable throughout ⩾4 years of treatment. Inebilizumab was well tolerated, with two (2.7%) serious treatment-emergent adverse events related to inebilizumab and no deaths. Immunoglobulin G levels decreased over time; however, correlation between severe infections and low IgG levels could not be determined because of their small numbers.

Conclusion:

These results from the N-MOmentum study continue to support use of inebilizumab for treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the findings suggest that efficacy of inebilizumab may be enhanced after the first year of treatment, warranting additional long-term investigation.
Discrimination against mobile European Union citizens before and during the first COVID-19 lockdown: Evidence from a conjoint experiment in Germany
Authors: Fernández-i-Marín Xavier , Rapp Carolin H , Adam Christian , James Oliver , Manatschal Anita
Published: October 2021

One of the greatest achievements of the EU is the freedom of movement between member states offering citizens equal rights in EU member states. EU enlargement and the COVID-19 pandemic allow for a critical test of whether EU citizens are indeed treated equally in practice. We test preferential treatment of EU citizens in two hypothetical choice experiments in Germany at two different time points: in the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Theories of responses to threat suggest that the COVID-19 crisis should increase discrimination against mobile EU citizens. While our findings reveal sizeable discrimination based on nationality and language proficiency of mobile EU citizens, the findings also suggest that, contrary to expectations, discrimination did not increase in the initial COVID-19 crisis period.
The cultural influences of narrative content on consumers’ perceptions of helpfulness
Authors: Fu Ning
Published: October 2021

The rapid development of text analytics enables marketers to obtain the information extracted from the narrative content in user-generated content (UGC). Recent studies have also demonstrated that people with different cultural backgrounds may express their opinions about their purchase in diverse manners. This study focuses on the impact of the narrative content of consumers’ perception of helpfulness. It first identifies four contextual dimensions to propose a theoretical model, demonstrating that perceptions of helpfulness may differ in respect to the consumers’ varied cultural backgrounds (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism). By using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), the study empirically tests the hypotheses by analyzing 111,857 movie reviews collected for 167 American movies released both in the United States and in China from 2013 to 2016. The results reveal that individualist consumers perceive an online review that contains more self-description and future-focus content as helpful, whereas collectivist consumers rely more on online reviews containing social description and past-focus content.
The transgender patient in primary care
Authors: Holden Charles , Shrewsbury Duncan
Published: October 2021

The number of people who identify as transgender or non-binary in the UK is increasing. The RCGP has identified that many transgender patients’ experience of healthcare is poor, and that general practitioners may lack experience in the assessment, referral and management of patients with gender dysphoria. This article seeks to cover the key topics in the general practice training curriculum relating to the care of transgender and non-binary adults to allow trainees to practice confidently, safely and compassionately within this field.
Reduced physical activity and weight gain are associated with an increase of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. A general practitioners’ prospective observational study
Authors: Wernhart Simon , Weihe Eberhard , Rassaf Tienush
Published: October 2021

Objectives

We aimed to assess associations between depressive symptoms, lifestyle, and somatic symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

A prospective, observational study using a self-designed questionnaire.

Setting

Three general practitioners’ (GP) offices in rural Germany.

Participants

271 adult patients without manifest cardiovascular or pulmonary disease with (n = 82) and without (n = 189) hypertension reporting to our GP offices.

Main outcome measures

The reported increase of depressive symptoms (loneliness, sleeplessness, joylessness, listlessness) prior to the first documented case in Germany on 27.01.2020 (t0) as opposed to patients’ health perception during the Corona pandemic (t1) was the primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measures were changes in physical activity (PA), dyspnea and angina in the two groups.

Results

Out of 271 patients (50.8 ± 16.8 years, 55.1% females), 1.5% were tested positive for COVID-19. Overall, listlessness (8.5%, p = 0.001), sleeplessness (5.2%, p = 0.001) and joylessness (4.2%, p = 0.003) were increased. Dyspnea significantly increased (9.2%, p < 0.001) and employment status worsened (6.5%, p < 0.001). There were significant associations between the increase of depressive symptoms, weight increase (p = 0.017), and reduction in physical activity (p = 0.046). However, after adjusting for age, hypertensive patients did not show more depressive symptoms (p = 0.704), dyspnea (p = 0.063) or angina (p = 0.432), nor was there any difference in PA (p = 0.906) compared to healthy individuals.

Conclusions

We demonstrate an association between the deterioration of depressive symptoms, weight gain, and reduced physical activity during COVID-19, both in hypertensives and healthy controls. Hypertension is no driver of symptom deterioration during the pandemic. The trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00022157).
Patients who are admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine with a very low C-reactive protein concentration
Authors: Feigin Eugene , Levinson Tal , Berliner Shlomo , Zeltser David , Itzhak Shapira , Shenhar-Tsarfaty Shani , Egoz Eyal , Meilik Ahuva , Goldiner Ilana , Rogowski Ori , Wasserman Asaf
Published: October 2021

Introduction

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker commonly used in clinical practice as a reference for the inflammatory activity in vivo. Low levels are often associated with good health and lower risk for adverse outcomes.

Patients and methods

We examined medical records of the last 6 years, of all patients admitted for hospitalization in internal medicine wards who had the first CRP measurement below ≤ 0.03 mg/L (detection limit). Diagnosis criteria and 7 days’ survival were reviewed.

Results

Out of 61,590 total admissions to internal medicine wards, three hundred and thirteen patients had CRP equal to or lower than 0.03 mg/L (0.5%). Second CRP measurement revealed gradual increment up to 10.8 ± 35.4 mg/L. Four patients died within 7 days from admission.

Discussion

Presentation to the internal medicine department with a very low concentration of CRP is highly unusual, but it does not exclude the existence of significant acute morbidities. Clinicians should take additional CRP tests before any conclusion is considered regarding the presence or absence of an inflammatory response.