bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biomarker insights into a methane-enriched Holocene peat-setting from “Doggerland” (central North Sea)
Authors: Blumenberg Martin , Schlömer Stefan , Reinhardt Lutz , Scheeder Georg , Pape Thomas , Römer Miriam
Published: July 2022

Peats formed widespread early after the Last Glacial Maximum around the coast of the Dogger Bank, the central high of the now flooded “Doggerland” (central North Sea). Here we present biomarker and gas geochemical insights into near-surface peat cored at 43 m water depth. Based on their probable age of ~10 ka before present (BP), the peats are likely part of the so-called basal Holocene peats. Pore waters in the samples document slight methane enrichments in peat layers (up to 250 nM methane vs 60 nM above the peat layer) and δ13C-values of methane ranging between ca. −46‰ and −60‰ PDB. Ethane, propane, and n-butane were also found and may either document upward migration of thermogenic hydrocarbons in the past or, more likely, peat-specific gases, which is indicated by accompanying abundant unsaturated analogs (i.e. ethene and propene). High concentrations of elemental sulfur (up to 19 wt.%) and sulfur-specific transformation products of plant triterpenoids (Des-A-triterpenoids) point to microbial generation during and/or slightly after peat-formation as hydrocarbon source. Biomarkers indicated that peats were formed in a variable environment with high contributions from higher plant wax material. However, a C20 highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) likely records abundant diatoms typical of an oligotrophic lake environment. In addition, all samples contained a suite of bacterial hopenes and fernenes (hop-17(21)-ene, diploptene, fern-7(8)-ene). A strongly fluctuating methane-flux and/or -turnover during peat formation is recorded in partially high 13C-depletions of <−60‰ PDB of these biomarkers. This underlines the importance of peat layers for methane generation and consumption on “Doggerland” during the Holocene.
The immunization of children in family break-down: Questionable evidence and conceptual shortcomings in A.P. v L.K.
Authors: Harmon Shawn HE
Published: July 2022

The Canadian case of A.P. v L.K. began as a garden-variety family arbitration, which turned on the arbitrator’s articulation and application of the ‘best interests of the child’, but is relevant to responsible practice at the nexus of family and medical law, and is significant to the practice of arbitration – specifically the certification of expert medical witnesses – and to the realization of individual (child) and public health. This case involved an ‘expert’ witness whose evidence contributed to an award directing that the children of the marriage need not be vaccinated. In addition to relying on an inappropriately woolly and narrow conception of ‘best interests of the child’ (a matter of concern to both family and health lawyers), the arbitrator provided a legitimizing platform for, and accepted the questionable evidence of, a politically motivated expert (a matter of concern to lawyers interested in natural justice and the integrity of adjudicative processes). The case is, therefore, a stark example of how (public) health can be undermined and family law warped to a political end, and it, therefore, deserves our close attention, not least for its seemingly unexamined acceptance of unfounded claims and pseudo-science. After briefly reciting the various demands in the case, this article outlines the disposition of the case, and then examines in detail the handling of the vaccination dispute, which, it is argued, was unsupported and unreasonable, offering suggestions about how to avoid similar outcomes in the future.
Postgraduate nursing students’ experiences of practicing ethical communication
Authors: Grönlund Catarina Fischer , Brännström Margareta
Published: July 2022

Background

Ethics communication has been described as a pedagogical form, promoting development of ethical competence among nursing students. The ‘one to five method’ was developed by this research group as a tool for facilitating ethical communication in groups among healthcare professionals but has not yet been evaluated.

Aim

To explore post-graduate nursing students’ experiences of practicing ethical communication in groups

Research design

The study design is qualitative.

Participants and research context

The study comprised 12 nursing students on a post-graduate course for Registered Nurses focusing on palliative care. After education the students engaged as participants and facilitators in ethics communication in groups, with support from the ‘one to five method’. Data were derived from the students written reflections and subjected to thematic analysis.

Ethical considerations

The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards in the 2013 Helsinki Declaration and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty at Umeå University

Results

An overall theme was identified, ‘being supported to achieve a democratic dialogue concerning ethical problems’ and five themes, related to each step of the ‘one to five method’. The themes concerned: putting the experience of an ethical dilemma into words; being confirmed by shared emotions; defining the value conflict using ethical principles; expressing virtues of empathy and raised awareness; jointly finding various action approaches.

Discussion

Regular ethics communication in groups encourages nursing students to actively seek understanding and clarification of ethically difficult situations.

Conclusions

The results indicate that ethics communication in groups could be a way of developing virtues during education. Interventions using the ‘one to five method’ need to be further studied among student groups from other healthcare contexts.
If I Feel It, I Desire It…: Harnessing Visual-induced Tactile Imagery for Enhancing Purchase Intention
Authors: Bhatia Rachna , Garg Ruchi , Chhikara Ritu , Singh Ramendra
Published: July 2022

How can marketers create an illusion of touch through expanding the roles of the visual sense to better present products on online shopping platforms? This study is a conceptual attempt to apply cross-modal mental imagery in the context of generating illusions of tactile sense through stimulating visual sense by the use of sensory-aided descriptions (SAD). We establish that these perceptual illusions can enhance the purchase intention of online shoppers when they are making purchases. Furthermore, we introduce that this linkage is moderated by the unique imaginative capability of the customer. The proposed model in this paper provides thoughtful insights for marketing managers to consider during the process of designing online product presentations. Theoretically, it contributes by establishing that cross-modal mental imagery, when applied over SAD, can serve as effective stimuli in the generation of tactile mental imagery.
“Life Turned Upside Down”: State of Mind and Mental Health During COVID-19
Authors: Singh Shanta Balgobind
Published: July 2022

On the February 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave the name of COVID-19 to a new coronavirus that had not been previously identified in humans. Although the virus began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, within weeks it spread worldwide to almost every continent. This virus is part of an ongoing pandemic that causes severe acute respiratory symptoms. Many countries went into complete lockdown in order to contain the proliferation of this virus. This lockdown due to the widespread pandemic experienced for the first time in a century worldwide, triggered concern, fear, anxiety and stress, all of which are expected and normal reactions to the altering and uncertain state that people found themselves undergoing. Some of the main concerns facing many was how to manage and react to the stressful situation of coronavirus, how to remain confined at home, and how to handle the unfolding narrative so rapidly unfolding in the lives within communities-lives that had been “turned upside down” in a matter of a few weeks. This research looks at the state of mind of citizens in four continents: Africa, Australia, Europe, and India, of the world during lockdown. It also explores whether a novel illness such as COVID-19 can cause mental health issues, widespread fear, and anxiety, among people and the manner in which they deal with this. As the world deals with the physical health, financial, and social consequences of the pandemic, which has claimed many lives, the mental health impact and implications cannot to be ignored.
Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging measurement of muscle atrophy and fatty degeneration after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
Authors: Kim Jung Youn , Zhong Zhuan , Lee Ho Won , Lee Geun Woo , Noh Kyu-Cheol
Published: July 2022

Background

It is unclear whether muscle atrophy (MA) and fatty degeneration (FD) have improved after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). Therefore, the objective of this study was to perform quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurement to evaluate MA and FD before and after surgery. Correlations of clinical outcome with changes in MA and FD were also analyzed.

Materials and Methods

From March 2013 to March 2017, 40 patients who had no re-tear up to 1 year after ARCR were enrolled. MA and FD of supraspinatus muscle before surgery, at 3 days after surgery, and at 1 year after surgery were measured quantitatively in conventional Y-view and supraspinatus origin-view (SOV). Measurement items were muscle area (mm2), occupation ratio (%), fatty infiltration (FI, %), and fatty degenerative area (mm2). Postoperative clinical outcomes were measured at 1 year after ARCR. Correlation between measure values and outcome scores were analyzed.

Results

Inter-measurement reliability was high (ICC = 0.933, Cronbach-α = 0.963). There was no significant change in MA in conventional Y-view at 1 year after surgery (Occupation ratio, p = 0.2770; MA, p = 0.3049) or in SOV (MA, p = 0.5953). FI and fat area measured with the conventional method on Y-view and showed significant differences ( p = 0.0001). However, FI and fat area measured with the modified method on Y-view and SOV showed no significant difference (all p > 0.05). Postoperative clinical outcomes showed significant improvement compared to preoperative ones ( p = 0.0001). However, there was no significant correlation between FD and FA ( p = 0.653).

Conclusion

Quantitative MRI measurement was shown to be a reliable and valid method. MA and FD do not improve after ARCR considering postoperative anatomical changes of supraspinatus at 1-year follow-up. FD of the supraspinatus in conventional Y-view, but not in SOV, showed a significant change at 1 year postoperatively. MA showed no significant improvement. There was no correlation between improvement in clinical scores and changes in FD and MA.
Estimation of heat transfer model parameters by using recursive least square (RLS) method for a shape memory alloy wire
Authors: Önder Eray Teoman , Sümer Bilsay , Başlamışlı Selahattin Çağlar
Published: July 2022

The thermal model of shape memory alloy (SMA) wires is improved by identifying the convectional heat transfer model (htm) parameters. Recursive Least Square (RLS) Method is used to estimate heat transfer coefficient, specific heat and latent heat coefficient. The parameters are estimated altogether with the surface area, volume and density of the wire. Also, after measuring the resistance by using multimeter, the value of each parameter was separately determined. Heat transfer coefficient is ambient dependent and dominant in the heat transfer model. The estimation of heat transfer coefficient is important and this is shown in this study. The proposed method builds an improved heat transfer model for SMA wire by using a single set of experimental data. Performance of the estimation with RLS is validated by using the measured data. It is shown that heat convection coefficient can be estimated with high accuracy. Thus, it is revealed that addition of the latent heat term during phase transformation into the model resulted in a more accurate model. The accuracy of the model can be enhanced by 28% by the addition of latent heat term.
Mainshock-aftershock effect on the seismic performance of multi-story CBFs equipped with SMA-friction damping braces
Authors: Qiu Canxing , Jiang Tianyuan , Du Xiuli
Published: July 2022

This paper aims to understand the effect of mainshock-aftershock earthquake sequences on the seismic performance of multi-story concentrically braced frames (CBFs) equipped with shape memory alloy (SMA) friction damping braces (SMAFDBs), based on a comparison with those equipped with buckling-restrained braces (BRBs). The SMAFDB is a serial connection of SMA damper and friction damper. The friction damper starts to slip and serves as the “fuse” element to protect the SMA damper under destructive earthquake events. Ten ground motion records corresponding to the maximum considered earthquake (MCE) hazard level are defined as the mainshock input, and the aftershock input is generated by appropriately scaling the mainshock input to four seismic hazard levels. To achieve a fair comparison, the considered CBFs are first designed to exhibit identical mean height-wise peak interstory drift ratios under the design-basis earthquake (DBE) ground motions. Then, these two frames are subjected to four suites of mainshock-aftershock earthquake sequences and their seismic responses are compared against each other. It indicates that both the peak and residual interstory drift ratios of the SMAFDB frame (SMAFDBF) are smaller than that of the BRB frame (BRBF) on average during the aftershock earthquakes, which is found primarily attributed to the fact that the former suffers from smaller post-mainshock residual deformation. The higher seismic capacity of the SMAFDBF over the BRBF is also confirmed by conducting fragility analysis. Finally, the recentering capacity under aftershock earthquakes are analyzed for both frames, based on the maximum residual interstory drift ratios.
Assessing the Fidelity of an Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Group Intervention
Authors: Craig Shelley L. , Pascoe Rachael V. , Iacono Gio , Pang Nelson , Pearson Ali
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Support implementation fidelity in intervention research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) populations, this study explores the systematic development of a fidelity process for AFFIRM, an evidence-based, affirmative cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention for LGBTQ+ youth and adults.

Method

As part of a clinical trial, the AFFIRM fidelity checklist was designed to assess clinician adherence. A total of 151 audio-recorded group sessions were coded by four trained raters.

Results

Adherence was high with a mean fidelity score of 84.13 ( SD = 12.50). Inter-rater reliability was 81%, suggesting substantial agreement. Qualitative thematic analysis of low-rated sessions identified deviations from the manual and difficulties in group facilitation, while high-rated sessions specified affirmative and effective clinical responses.

Discussion

Findings were integrated into clinical training and coaching. The fidelity process provides insights into the challenges of implementing social work interventions effectively with LGBTQ+ populations in community settings.
Beyond Patient-Provider Relationships: Expanding the Roles and Boundaries of Families during Patient End-of-Life
Authors: Thompson Amber , Utz Rebecca
Published: July 2022

Role conflict and strain occur when healthcare providers are required to cross boundaries, either voluntarily or involuntarily, to meet the needs of their dying patients. This research is an unobtrusive digital ethnography of a publicly accessible online forum for healthcare providers ( N = 242 posts); it explores the boundaries set by families and healthcare providers, and identifies how healthcare providers navigate and which circumstances require them to sometimes cross these professional boundaries. Results indicate that patient-and-family-centered care may not be fully achieved due to the ambiguity in the expected roles played by both families and healthcare providers during patient death and dying. Grounded in data, an expanded model of the therapeutic alliance, which includes the family, is suggested.
Masks/Virus/Human Entanglements: Response to Denzin’s Scenes From Masked and Anonymous
Authors: Davies Bronwyn
Published: July 2022

If the “I” of new materialism is, in Bennett’s words, “Absorbent. . . continually ingressed, ensnared, and informed by an outside,” what happens to that absorbent “I” when faces are hidden behind masks, as Denzin writes: anonymous, “hiding the truth of our presence,” fearful of the Trickster, Covid-19, lurking everywhere? What sense can we make of the entanglement of masks/virus/humans? What are we, what have we become, what are we becoming behind our masks? We seek to protect ourselves and others from the virulent airborne particles and lose our humanity, and we leave our bare faces hanging out, and embrace the “outside.”
2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat
Authors: Taylor Samantha , Chan Daniel L , Villaverde Cecilia , Ryan Linda , Peron Franck , Quimby Jessica , O’Brien Carolyn , Chalhoub Serge
Published: July 2022

Practical relevance:

Inappetence may have many origins and, as a presenting sign or observation in the hospitalised patient, is common in feline practice. Nutritional assessment of every patient is encouraged, to identify the need for, and appropriate type of, intervention indicated. The impact of malnutrition may be significant on the feline patient, perpetuating illness, delaying recovery, slowing wound healing and negatively impacting gut health and immunity. Delayed intervention may result in the cat’s deterioration; hence prompt control of contributing factors such as the underlying illness, pain, nausea, ileus and stress is vital to optimise voluntary food intake. Management is multimodal, comprising reduction of stress, medications and assisted nutrition in the form of tube feeding or parenteral nutrition. Use of antiemetic, analgesic, prokinetic and appetite stimulant medications may restore appetite, but placement of feeding tubes should not be delayed. Feeding tubes are generally well tolerated and allow provision of food, water and medication with minimal stress, although clinicians must be aware of complications such as stoma site infections and refeeding syndrome.

Clinical challenges:

Cats are vulnerable to malnutrition owing to their unique metabolism and specific nutritional requirements. Moreover, their nature as a species means they are susceptible to stress in the hospital environment, which may result in reduced food intake; previous negative experiences may compound the problem. In particular, an inappropriate clinic environment and/or handling may cause or exacerbate inappetence in hospitalised patients, with negative impacts on recovery. Postponing interventions such as feeding tube placement to await improvement, owing to clinician or caregiver apprehension, may hinder recovery and worsen nutritional deficits.

Evidence base:

The 2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat have been created by a panel of experts brought together by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM). Information is based on the available literature, expert opinion and the panel members’ experience.
Feline Comorbidities: Clinical perspective on diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis
Authors: Xenoulis Panagiotis G , Fracassi Federico
Published: July 2022

Practical relevance:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common feline endocrine disorders. It has been shown by several studies that DM in cats frequently coexists with pancreatitis.

Clinical challenges:

It has not been definitively established what the exact pathogenetic association between DM and pancreatitis is in the cat. However, the association between these two conditions is most likely bidirectional, with DM predisposing cats to pancreatitis and vice versa. Diagnosis of pancreatitis in cats with DM is crucial because concurrent pancreatitis commonly leads to difficulties in the management of DM. When pancreatitis is associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), therapeutic management is even more challenging.

Aims:

This review focuses on the concurrent presence of DM or DKA and pancreatitis in cats, mainly focusing on their clinical management.

Evidence base:

Information provided in this review is based on feline-specific clinical research when available. In addition, comparative and human research, as well as clinical experience, has been used to enrich knowledge in areas where feline-specific research is not yet available.
Visual and surgical outcomes of limbal dermoid excision at a tertiary care eye hospital
Authors: AlGhadeer Huda , Kirat Omar , Vargas José , AlBadr Lujain , Khandekar Rajiv
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the presenting complaints, surgical management, surgical outcomes, complications, and postoperative visual acuity following limbal dermoid excision.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Medical records of patients with limbal dermoid presenting between January 2012 and December 2020 were retrieved to extract data regarding demographics, presenting profiles including the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), symptoms, anterior segment examination, and refraction. The outcomes included cosmesis, complications, graft transparency, and BCVA at the last follow-up.

Results

Fifty-one eyes from 50 patients (27 males) were evaluated. The median age at the time of surgery was 11.5 years (interquartile range, IQR: 0.0–45.7). The median follow-up time was 5 years (IQR: 4–6). Goldenhar syndrome was noted in 5 patients (10%). The indications for surgery were cosmetic concerns (n  =  20, 39%), anisometropia (n  =  3, 6%), decreased vision (n  =  4, 8%), and growth or Dellen formation (n  =  2, 4%). Forty-eight were operated upon, opting for simple excision (n  =  12, 23.5%), amniotic membrane transplantation (n  =  16, 31.4%), lamellar keratoplasty (n  =  15, 29.4%), and penetrating keratoplasty (n  =  5, 9.8%). The most common complications were corneal scarring (n  =  19, 37.2%), corneal vascularization (n  =  2, 3.9%), and infection (n  =  1, 2%). Astigmatism > 1 D was observed in 34 (66.7%) eyes after dermoid management ( p < 0.001). There were no complications in 14 eyes (27%), BCVA was > 20/60 in 43 eyes (84.3%), and only two eyes had BCVA < 20/400.

Conclusion

Surgical management of limbal dermoids offers promising functional and anatomic outcomes. However, postoperative astigmatism may require further follow-up and management.
Effect of a thin-tipped short bevel needle for peripheral intravenous access on the compressive deformation and displacement of the vein: A preclinical study
Authors: Tanabe Hidenori , Oosawa Kousuke , Miura Manabu , Mizuno Shinichi , Yokota Takayuki , Ueda Takehiko , Zushi Yasunobu , Nagata Misako , Murayama Ryoko , Abe-Doi Mari , Sanada Hiromi
Published: July 2022

Background:

Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion often fails on the first attempt. Risk factors include small vein size and dehydration, causing vein deformation and displacement due to puncture resistance of the vessel. The authors developed a short, thin-tipped bevel needle and compared its puncture performance with needles of four available PIVCs using an ex vivo model.

Methods:

The PIVC with the thin-tipped short bevel needle was compared to four available PIVCs using an ex vivo model which simulated the cephalic vein of the human forearm. The ex vivo model consisted of a porcine shoulder and porcine internal jugular vein, and was used for evaluation of the rate of vein deformation and vessel displacement during needle insertion.

Results:

An ex vivo model was created with a vessel diameter of 2.7–3.7 mm and a depth of 2–5 mm. The thin-tipped short bevel PIVC needle was associated with a significantly lower compressive deformation rate and venous displacement compared to the needles of the other four PIVCs.

Conclusion:

The thin-tipped short bevel needle induced lower compressive deformation and displacement of the vein than the conventional needles. This needle has the potential to improve the first-attempt success rate of peripheral intravenous catheterization in patients with difficult venous access.
Virtual sedation as a substitute to pharmacological sedation during PICC placement in pediatric patients: A feasibility study
Authors: Sanna Gianuario , Camporesi Anna , Diotto Veronica , Abbiati Giacomo , Torri Adriano , Gemma Marco
Published: July 2022

Introduction:

In pediatric patients, PICC insertion is often performed under sedation to reduce pain and anxiety, which is associated with risks such as laryngospasm, apnea, and hypoxia. Furthermore, it requires a pediatric anesthesiologist. The aim of our study was to evaluate the VR as an alternative to pharmacological sedation to reduce those risks and the overall cost.

Methods:

We tested a VR immersive experience for ten children requiring a PICC. To achieve this, we ran a software, specifically designed for the pediatric healthcare setting, on a commercially available VR headset. In order to evaluate this new practice, we recorded the following data: Patient’s anxiety before and after the procedure, recorded through a modified numeric rating scale from 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (worst anxiety imaginable). Patient’s pain before (e.g., because of preexisting medical conditions) and after the procedure through a Wong-Baker scale. Caregiver’s satisfaction. No active or passive restraint was enforced during the whole procedure, patients had to keep their arms still all by themselves.

Result:

Out of the 10 patients only in a single case, we had to interrupt the attempt with the VR technique and let the anesthesiologist perform a sedation. From the immediate beginning said patient had trouble adapting to the virtual environment and tried to remove the headset. In all other cases, we noticed a drop in the anxiety level of the patient and the pain never increased. Globally, caregivers were pleased with the experience and reported an average satisfaction rate of 9.3 out of 10.

Conclusion:

Virtual reality seems a valid alternative to traditional sedation in pediatric patients undergoing a PICC placement procedure. Additional studies, with adequate sample size, of patients are necessary to assess the benefit from this new approach, as well as its impact on the overall procedure length.
Long-term results of autologous scaffold-free tissue-engineered vascular graft for hemodialysis access
Authors: Wystrychowski Wojciech , Garrido Sergio A , Marini Alicia , Dusserre Nathalie , Radochonski Sam , Zagalski Krzysztof , Antonelli Jorge , Canalis Manuel , Sammartino Andrea , Darocha Zbigniew , Baczyński Ryszard , Cierniak Tomasz , Regele Heinz , de la Fuente Luis M , Cierpka Lech , McAllister Todd N , L’Heureux Nicolas
Published: July 2022

Background:

The growing size of the end stage renal disease (ESRD) population highlights the need for effective dialysis access. Exhausted native vascular access options have led to increased use of catheters and prosthetic shunts, which are both associated with high risks of access failure and infection. Emerging alternatives include tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVG). Here we present the endpoint results for 10 ESRD patients with the scaffold-free tissue-engineered vascular access produced from sheets of extracellular matrix produced in vitro by human cells in culture.

Methods:

Grafts were implanted as arteriovenous shunts in 10 ESRD patients with a complex history of access failure. Follow-up included ultrasound control of graft morphology and function, dialysis efficiency, access failure, intervention rate, as well as immunohistochemical analysis of graft structure.

Results:

One patient died of unrelated causes and three shunts failed to become useable access grafts during the 3-month maturation phase. The 12-month primary and secondary patency for the other six shunts was 86%. Survival of six shunts functioning as the vascular access was 22 ± 12 months with longest primary patency of 38.6 months. The dialysis event rate of 3.34 per patient-year decreased significantly with the use of this TEVG to 0.67.

Conclusions:

This living autologous tissue-engineered vascular graft seems to be an alternative to synthetic vascular access options, exhibiting advantages of native arteriovenous fistula.
Determination of Tetracycline Residues in Kidney and Muscle of Beef Cattle Slaughtered in Dire Dawa and Harar Municipal Abattoirs, Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Mohammed Nuredin , Adare Mengistu Dechasa , Abdurehman Abdallahi , Belina Dinaol , Mengistu Shimelis
Published: July 2022

Background:

Antibiotics are among the most widely used drugs in farm animals for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. However, the antibiotic residues in meat are a serious public health concern due to their harmful effects on consumer health. Besides this problem, there is limited information on the level of the antibiotic residues, including tetracycline residues. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the tetracycline residues in the kidney and muscle samples of beef cattle in Harar town and Dire Dawa city.

Methods:

A study was conducted on 500 randomly selected carcass (250 kidney and 250 muscle samples) slaughtered at Dire Dawa and Harar municipal slaughterhouses between December 2018 and December 2019. The samples were collected aseptically and screened for tetracycline residues by thin layer chromatography. Then, presumptive positive samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography to get a quantitative outcome. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency, mean, or standard deviation to determine the summary values and distribution of the outcomes. Finally, the data was analyzed using SPSS version 21 software.

Results:

Out of 500 samples, oxytetracycline residues were detected in 84% of the samples. However, tetracycline and doxycycline were not detected in all samples. Among the kidney and muscle samples collected from Dire Dawa and Harar abattoirs, 109 (87.2%) and 101 (80.8%) were positive for oxytetracycline, respectively. Oxytetracycline residue levels in Dire Dawa ranged from 57 to 607 µg/kg for the kidney and 10.14 to 435 µg/kg for muscle samples. Among the samples collected from Harar, the concentration of oxytetracycline residues ranged from 16 to 433 µg/kg and 6 to 435 µg/kg for kidney and muscle samples, respectively, at Harar slaughterhouses. About 22.0% of muscle samples collected from Dire Dawa and 17.8% from Harar town had oxytetracycline residues above maximum residue limits.

Conclusions:

In general, the study revealed that oxytetracycline residues were prevalent among tetracycline residues analyzed from kidney and muscle samples in the study areas. Thus, there is a risk of consumer exposure to these antibiotic residues that may have human health effects. Therefore, awareness creation and strict regulation is needed by the regulatory authorities for the use of antimicrobial drugs in the livestock industry.
Electronic Vapor Product Use and Levels of Physical Activity Among High School Students in Georgia
Authors: Rajbhandari-Thapa Janani , Thapa Kiran , Li Yan , Ingels Justin B. , Shi Lu , Zhang Donglan , Shen Ye , Chiang Kathryn
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Using a cross-sectional population-based survey, electronic vapor product (EVP) use was evaluated in relation to physical activity levels among high school students in Georgia.

Methods

We used self-reported EVP and cigarette use from the Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0 data from 2018 (N =362 933) and used multi-level multinomial logistic regression models to estimate relative risks of the type of product use relative to no-use by levels of physical activity.

Results

Nearly 7% of the students were EVP-only users. The relative risks of being an EVP-only user were 11% and 23% higher for those who were physically active 2-3 days/week and 4-5 days/week, respectively, compared to those who were physically active <=1 day/week.

Conclusions

Being physically active was positively associated with EVP use among adolescents. Health promotion education and health policies should be developed as a means of reducing EVP use among adolescents.
Implementing Virtual Care in Neurology - Challenges and Pitfalls
Authors: Faheem Filzah , Zafar Zaitoon , Razzak Aisha , Kalia Junaid Siddiq
Published: July 2022

Virtual care is here to stay. The explosive expansion of telehealth caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is more than a necessary measure of protection. The key drivers of this transition in healthcare delivery to a virtual setting are changes in patient behavior and expectations and societal attitudes, and prevailing technologies that are impossible to ignore. The younger population - Generation Z - is increasingly connected and mobile-first. We are heading to a world where we expect to see healthcare in general and neurology, in particular, delivered virtually. The medical community should prepare for this overhaul; proper implementation of virtual care from the ground up is the need of the hour. In an era of virtualization, it is up to the medical community to ensure a well-informed patient population, overcome cultural differences and build digital infrastructure with enhanced access and equity in care delivery, especially for the aging neurological patient population, which is not technologically savvy. Virtual care is a continuum of care that needs deeper integration at systematic levels. The design principles of a patient’s journey need to be incorporated while simultaneously placing physician satisfaction with a better user experience at the center of implementation. In this paper, we discuss common challenges and pitfalls of virtual care implementation in neurology - logistical, technical, medicolegal, and those faced in incorporating health and medical education into virtual care - intending to provide solutions and strategies.
This too in moderation: Evaluating the effect of delegate dissatisfaction on ambitious party group switching in the European Parliament
Authors: Martin Aaron R
Published: July 2022

The literature on party group switching in the European Parliament claims that members who are ideological outliers have the highest odds of changing their group label, but is it true that the most incongruent legislators are also the most successful at switching groups? This article seeks to determine whether or not voicing dissatisfaction by casting votes against the party line is associated with an increased probability of party group switching. Using logistic regression with a penalized maximum likelihood estimator, the analysis of ambitious switching (1979–2009) uses loyalty and policy distance variables to show that moderate, not extreme, outliers have the highest odds of exiting their group. These findings revise what we know about the relationship between legislative voting behavior and party switching, and they have important implications for examining the effect of policy-seeking on party switching in national parliaments.
Deconstructing the stigma of ageing: The rise of the mature female influencers
Authors: Farinosi Manuela
Published: July 2022

This contribution investigates the phenomenon of mature female influencers, exploring how social media platforms have enabled so far marginalised social subjects not only to become produsers, but also to develop a leading role online, reshaping social representations and practices connected with the world of the older persons. The study addresses the following research questions: what kinds of content do mature influencers elaborate to produce and convey their messages? How do they change the structural relationship between women and fashion? We selected 18 mature influencers, and employed a qualitative approach based on online ethnography and analysis of social media content. The findings suggest that older influencers are challenging the conventional ways of imaging old age and reshaping the cultural meanings associated with ageing, thus contributing to innovation in the social representations and to the creation of alternative imagery of older women. In doing so, they are producing an important discourse for women, the older adults and the whole of society. However, initial attempts by fashion houses to colonise them are emerging.
Deep learning based techniques for flame identification in optical engines
Authors: Henrique Rufino Caio , Moraes Coraça Eduardo , Teixeira Lacava Pedro , Ferreira Janito Vaqueiro
Published: July 2022

The mandatory migration from fossil to renewable energy sources requires the characterization of new alternative fuels. One important step in fuel characterization is the test in optical engines, which allows the morphological characterization of flames. This analysis requires the post treatment of images by using segmentation. In many cases, an automatic threshold presents shortcomings as the flames may present different regions with variable luminosity, as also reflections from valves and cylinder liner. Consequently, a time-consuming manual image processing is required and, therefore, an automatic procedure would be welcome. The use of deep learning techniques for image segmentation is a promising alternative for such task, which has showed excellent results in several applications. In this study, two different models were trained to identify flames in images obtained from an optical engine operating at various conditions. The dataset used to train the models was generated by using images from tests with several types of fuels and combustion modes. The effects of image resolution and the generalization capabilities for different fuels and combustion operation were investigated. After analyzing the results, the use of deep learning methods to identify and characterize flames was validated as a mean for improving processing time.
Online synchronous focus group interviews: Practical considerations
Authors: Willemsen Romy F , Aardoom Jiska J , Chavannes Niels H , Versluis Anke
Published: July 2022

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a sudden shift was warranted from face-to-face to digital interviewing. This shift is in line with the existing trend of digitalization. However, limited literature is available on how to conduct focus group interviews online successfully. This research note provides practical guidelines, tips, and considerations for setting up and conducting online synchronous focus groups for eight relevant factors: preparation, the number of participants, the duration, a break, the usability of the online platform, the interaction between participants and researchers, support and roles of the research team, and privacy considerations. These guidelines were formulated based on the available literature and our own positive hands-on experiences. We consider online focus groups to be an excellent option when taking into account the considerations related to the eight factors.
Emotion visualization system based on physiological signals combined with the picture and scene
Authors: Lin Wenqian , Li Chao , Zhang Yunjian
Published: July 2022

In this paper, the system of emotion visualization and the system of emotion recognition and judgment are established. Twenty subjects were selected for the test on the above two systems, meanwhile the emotional trend changes given by emotion judgment system based on the set of optimal signal feature and based on conventional machine learning-based method are compared. The results show that the emotional trend changes given by emotion visualization based on picture and scene change are roughly consistent with those obtained by emotion judgment system. As to the real-time ability and interactivity of emotional judgment, the emotion visualization based on scene change is better than that based on picture change; the emotion judgment system based on the set of optimal signal feature is better than the system based on the conventional machine learning-based method. The test experience of subjects has an impact on the test results. Multi-dimensional interactive environment is easier to affect people’s emotional changes than single dimensional interactive environment.
Toward a critical posthuman geography
Authors: Falcon Joshua
Published: July 2022

Geographical analyses of posthuman thought have called for the need to develop a critical form of posthumanism that neither rehashes the pitfalls of humanism, nor promulgates a universalized and ungrounded subject position. This article demonstrates how recent advances in critical posthumanism work to address the limitations of posthuman thought by offering a unified philosophical framework that situates knowledge claims and reimagines human subjectivity and human-nonhuman relations. Critical posthumanism not only synthesizes several of the political, methodological, and philosophical strands of posthuman thought that geographers and philosophers have drawn out, but it also foregrounds an affirmative ethico-political ethos toward a historical moment characterized by socioecological injustices, intersectional inequalities, and advanced capitalist economic systems. By separating itself from transhumanist and epochal forms of posthumanism, critical posthumanism offers cultural geographers concentrating on human-nature relations a more philosophically rigorous, socially accountable, and critical way of approaching the stakes involved in posthumanist discussions.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate ameliorates renal endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated inflammation in type 2 diabetic rats
Authors: Yang Rui , Chen Jinwu , Jia Qiang , Yang Xingxing , Mehmood Shomaila
Published: July 2022

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an essential polyphenolic constituent found in tea leaves, possesses various potent biological activities. This research was undertaken to investigate the impact of EGCG against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated inflammation and to clarify the underlying molecular mechanism in type 2 diabetic kidneys. The male rats were randomized into four groups: normal, diabetic, low-dose EGCG, and high-dose EGCG. In type 2 diabetic rats, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia noticeably caused renal structural damage and dysfunction and aggravated ER stress. Meanwhile, sustained ER stress activated the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and then upregulated the contents of inflammatory cytokines in the diabetic kidney. Following supplementation with 40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg EGCG, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and renal histopathological alterations and dysfunction were noticeably ameliorated; renal ER stress, NLRP3 inflammasome, and inflammatory response were markedly repressed in the EGCG treatment groups. In summary, the current study highlighted the renoprotective effects of EGCG in type 2 diabetes and its mechanisms are mainly associated with the repression of ER stress-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome overactivation.
uirt: A command for unidimensional IRT modeling
Authors: Kondratek Bartosz
Published: July 2022

In this article, I introduce the uirt command, which allows one to estimate parameters of a variety of unidimensional item response theory models (two-parameter logistic model, three-parameter logistic model, graded response model, partial credit model, and generalized partial credit model). uirt has extended item-fit analysis capabilities, features multigroup modeling, allows testing for differential item functioning, and provides tools for generating plausible values with a latent regression conditioning model. I provide examples to illustrate cases where uirt can be especially useful in conducting analyses within the item response theory approach.
Testing axioms of revealed preference in Stata
Authors: Demetry Marcos , Hjertstrand Per , Polisson Matthew
Published: July 2022

The revealed preference approach in economics is central to the empirical analysis of consumer behavior. In this article, we introduce the commands checkax, aei, and powerps as a bundle within the package rpaxioms. The first command allows a user to test whether consumer expenditure data satisfy several revealed preference axioms; the second command calculates measures of goodness of fit when the data violate these axioms; and the third command calculates power against uniformly random behavior as well as predictive success for each axiom. We illustrate the commands using individual-level experimental data and household-level aggregate consumption data.
Interactively building table reports with basetable
Authors: Bruun Niels Henrik
Published: July 2022

In statistical work, it is essential to have an overview of the data used. In, for example, biomedical articles, a standardized way of reporting summaries of continuous and categorical variables is “table 1”. This standardized way of reporting can be useful in most cases of statistical work. The basetable command is a flexible and straightforward way to build and format such table reports. The final reports are easy to style into Stata Markup and Control Language, commaseparated values, HyperText Markup Language, LATEX or TEX, or Markdown and, for example, save into a file specified by the using modifier. Also, it is possible to export the reports created by basetable into Excel worksheets. Because of the General Data Protection Regulation, it has become necessary to blur information on individuals when making reports; in basetable, there are options to blur both categorical and continuous data.
Speaking Stata: The largest five—A tale of tail values
Authors: Cox Nicholas J.
Published: July 2022

How do you work with the largest five, or smallest five, or any other fixed number of values in a tail of a distribution? In this column, I give examples of problems and code for basic calculations as a prelude to graphics, tables, and more detailed analysis. The main illustration is analysis of concentration among firms or companies, with wider discussion mentioning hydrology, climatology, cryptography, and ecology. The examples allow a tutorial covering sorting and ranking and using if and in to select observations, by: as a framework for groupwise calculations, indicator variables as a mode of selection, and egen as a Swiss Army knife with many handy functions.
Persuasive attack on President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin
Authors: Benoit William L
Published: July 2022

The U.S. House of Representatives impeached American President Donald Trump for a second time in 2021. Trump was accused of fomenting an insurrection against the democracy he was sworn to protect, one of the most serious accusations that could be made against a president. In 2022 President Joe Biden, and his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a speech attacking Russia for war crimes. As with Trump, commission of war crimes is one of the worst accusations that can be leveled against a military leader. This paper analyzes these three important texts as instances of persuasive attack. These attacks addressed the two essential components of an attack, discussing offensiveness of the actions and blame for these actions. This analysis reinforces the utility of the Theory of Persuasive Attack and helps illuminate important recent discourses employing attacks.