bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Programa em Práticas Educativas Positivas para Educadores Sociais de Instituições de Acolhimento: Estudo Quase Experimental
Authors: Wendt Bruna , Dell'Aglio Débora Dalbosco
Published: June 2024

Este estudo avaliou os efeitos e impactos de um programa em práticas educativas positivas em educadores sociais de instituições de acolhimento de crianças e adolescentes, denominado Programa Cuida. Utilizou-se delineamento longitudinal, quase experimental, com avaliações em linha de base e ao final da intervenção. A intervenção consistiu em oito encontros grupais, com frequência semanal, de duas horas cada, e enfocou temáticas como regulação emocional, comunicação assertiva, estratégias de resolução de conflitos e autoestima/autoeficácia. Participaram 69 educadores sociais do sul do Brasil (F=54; M=15), com idades entre 23-65 anos (M=44,86; DP=9,90), sendo 47 participantes alocados no grupo experimental (GE) e 22 no grupo controle (GC). Os instrumentos utilizados foram: questionário sociodemográfico e a Escala de Competências Educativas, Emocionais e Sociais do Educador Social (ECEES). As análises estatísticas indicaram que não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos após a intervenção e nem diferenças entre pré e pós-intervenção dentro de cada grupo (p>0,05). Entretanto, foi observada tendência de aumento (p=0,084) nos escores de Regulação Emocional (RE) entre pré e pós-intervenção para o GE. Limitações do estudo são discutidas e destaca-se a utilidade e aplicabilidade deste modelo de intervenção para auxiliar em políticas de capacitação de profissionais que atuam nesta área.
Magnetic resonance imaging scanning susceptibility weighted imaging sequences in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
Authors: Zhao Hui , Wang Hai-Tao
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning with susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) sequences plays a significant role in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

AIM

To observe the role of MRI multi-parameter quantitative indexes in the diagnosis of neonatal HIE.

METHODS

The imaging data from 23 cases of neonatal HIE admitted to the Imaging Department of Ganyu District People's Hospital of Lianyungang City and 23 neonates without HIE admitted during the same period were analyzed retrospectively from August, 2021 to December, 2023. The results of clinical judgment were compared with the results of computed tomography (CT) and MRI examinations.

RESULTS

The degree of cerebral edema (more than moderate), the number of damaged brain regions (> 2), the number of cerebral hemorrhages (> 2), and the percentage of small venous dilatation detected were higher in MRI than in CT examination, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The total area of the largest region of cerebral damage and of cerebral hemorrhage observed by MRI examination were significantly larger than those of CT examination (P < 0.01). Multiparametric quantitative MRI combined with diffusion weighted imaging and SWI had higher sensitivity and accuracy than CT diagnosis, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The difference in the specificity of the two modes of diagnosis was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The use of MRI multi-parameter quantitative indexes can accurately diagnose and evaluate neonatal HIE.
Efficacy of acupoint injection in the treatment of chronic eczema and its influence on peripheral blood T cells
Authors: Gan Hui-Hui , Yang Gao , Shen Ting-Ting
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Chronic eczema significantly impacts daily life, social interactions, and quality of life; however, no curative treatment has been identified.

AIM

To determine the clinical efficacy of acupoint injection for chronic eczema and its influence on peripheral blood T cells.

METHODS

Eighty patients with chronic eczema treated at our hospital between June 2022 and March 2023 were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 40), which received conventional Western medicine treatment, or an observation group (n = 40), which received routine Western medicine treatment plus acupoint injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Response and adverse reaction rates, as well as differences in the levels of serum cytokines IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 before and after treatment were investigated.

RESULTS

No difference in overall response rates were found between the observation and control groups (100% vs 90%, respectively; P > 0.05); however, the observation group had a higher marked response rate than the control group (87.5% vs 52.5%; P < 0.05). Both groups had decreased Eczema Area and Severity Index scores and increased pruritus after treatment (P < 0.05), particularly in the observation group (P < 0.05). The observation group had an adverse reaction rate of 2.5% (1/40), which did not differ significantly from that of the control group (P > 0.05). The observation group exhibited higher post-treatment INF-γ and IL-2 but lower IL-4 levels than the control group (P < 0.05); however, no significant inter-group difference was observed in post-treatment IL-10 levels (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Acupoint injection of triamcinolone acetonide is safe and effective in treating chronic eczema. Its therapeutic mechanism is related to the regulation of peripheral blood T cell levels, inhibition of inflammatory reactions, and mitigation of immune imbalance.
Effects of Tongluo Jiedu prescription on immune function and oxidative stress in patients with oral cancer
Authors: Yin Yue , Yao Yuan , Li Yi-Jie , Zhao Li-Li , Zhang Qiang
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Oral cancer, which is caused by mucous membrane variation, represents a prevalent malignant tumor in the oral and maxillofacial region, posing a significant threat to patients’ lives and safety. While surgical intervention stands as a cornerstone treatment for oral cancer patients, it carries the risk of incomplete treatment or high rates of postoperative recurrence. Hence, a multifaceted approach incorporating diverse treatment modalities is essential to enhance patient prognosis.

AIM

To analyze the application effect of Tongluo Jiedu prescription as adjuvant therapy and its influence on patient prognosis in patients with oral cancer.

METHODS

Eighty oral cancer patients in our hospital were selected and divided into the observation group and control group by a random number table. The control group was treated with continuous arterial infusion chemotherapy of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. The observation group was additionally given Tongluo Jiadu prescription. The inflammatory stress level, peripheral blood T-cell subsets, and immune function of the two groups were subsequently observed. SPSS 21.0 was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The observation group demonstrated lower levels of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein, and a higher level of tumor necrosis factor in comparison to the control group. After treatment, the immune function in the observation group was significantly better than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Tongluo Jiedu prescription can improve the immune function and oxidative stress level of patients with oral cancer and accelerate the recovery process.
Rare etiology of colonic intussusception involving an adult with emphysematous cystic enteropathy: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Bergeron Eric , Pichette Maude , Boisvert Geneviève , Manière Thibaut , Désilets Étienne
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI), characterized by a collection of gas-filled cysts in the intestinal wall, is an uncommon but well-known condition in gastroenterology. Abdominal pain is the most frequent symptom associated with PCI. Intussusception represents a potential cause of recurrent abdominal pain or emergency presentation. However, the occurrence of colonic intussusception secondary to PCI is very unusual in adulthood.

CASE SUMMARY

A 52-year-old male, known with idiopathic PCI, presented seventeen months after initial diagnosis with a new right upper quadrant pain. A computed tomography-scan demonstrated a colonic intussusception at the hepatic flexure. PCI did not progress compared with initial investigation. The patient underwent an emergency right hemicolectomy.

CONCLUSION

Resection was recommended in this case because PCI proved to be persisting with no identified curable cause. Surgery allowed to address the underlying pathology, the potential relapse of intussusception, and the likely cause of recurrent abdominal pain, either invagination or PCI itself.
Plasmacytosis mimicking multiple myeloma in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Lin Chia-Ching , Lee Hsu-Lin , Chuo Hsin-Yi , Chen Tuo-An , Liu Ming-Yueh , Chen Li-Mien
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a common subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Approximately half of patients with AITL may concurrently present with hypergammaglobulinemia. Increased numbers of plasma cells in the bone marrow are commonly observed at diagnosis. These tumors mimic plasma cell myelomas, hindering a conundrum of clinical diagnoses and potentially delaying appropriate treatment.

CASE SUMMARY

A 78-year-old woman experienced poor appetite, weight loss of 5 kg, fatigue 2 months before presentation, and shortness of breath 2 d before presentation, but no fever or night sweats. Physical examination revealed splenomegaly and many palpable masses over the bilateral axillary regions, approximately > 2 cm in size, with rubbery consistency and no tenderness. Blood tests revealed anemia and thrombocytopenia, lactate dehydrogenase level of 153 U/L, total protein level of 10.9 g/dL, albumin to globulin ratio of 0.2, and immunoglobulin G level more than the upper limit of 3000 mg/dL. The free kappa and lambda light chain concentrations were 451 and 614 mg/L, respectively. A pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of AITL. The initial treatment was the cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone regimen. Following this treatment, pleural effusion was controlled, and the patient was discharged in a stable condition and followed up in our outpatient department.

CONCLUSION

This report highlights the importance of differentiating reactive plasmacytosis from plasma cell myeloma in patients with hypergammaglobulinemia. A precise diagnosis of AITL requires a comprehensive evaluation, involving clinical, immunophenotypic, and histological findings conducted by a multidisciplinary team to ensure appropriate treatment.
Prostate cancer with elevated free prostate-specific antigen density: A case report
Authors: Huang Deng-Hui , Hu Yun-Xi , Guo Shuang , Yang Wen-Jiang
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is often used in clinical practice to screen for prostate cancer. Normal total PSA (tPSA) level initially excludes prostate cancer. Here, we report a case of prostate cancer with elevated free PSA density (fPSAD).

CASE SUMMARY

A patient diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent prostatectomy, and the postoperative pathological results showed acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The patient is currently undergoing endocrine chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

We provide a clinical reference for diagnosis and treatment of patients with normal tPSA but elevated fPSAD.
THE SURVIVAL OF TOTAL ANKLE ARTHROPLASTIES: A DATA LINKAGE STUDY FROM THE NATIONAL JOINT REGISTRY
Authors: Jennison T. , Goldberg A. , Sharpe I.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Despite the increasing numbers of ankle replacements that are being performed there are still limited studies on the survival of ankle replacements and comparisons between different implants. The primary aim of this study is to link NJR data with NHS digital data to determine the true failure rates of ankle replacements. Secondary outcomes include analysis risk factors for failure, patient demographics and outcomes of individual prosthesis.

Methods

A data linkage study combined National Joint Registry Data and NHS Digital data. The primary outcome of failure is defined as the removal or exchange of any components of the implanted device inserted during ankle replacement surgery. Life tables and Kaplan Meier survival charts demonstrated survivorship. Cox proportional hazards regression models with the Breslow method used for ties were fitted to compare failure rates.

Results

5,562 primary ankle replacement were recorded on the NJR. The 1-year survivorship was 98.8% (95% CI 98.4%–99.0%), 5-year survival in 2725 patients was 90.2% (95% CI 89.2%–91.1%), and 10-year survival in 199 patients was 86.2% (95% CI 84.6%–87.6%).

When using a Cox regression model for all implants with over 100 implantations using the Infinity as the reference, only the Star (Hazard ratio 1.60 95% CI 0.87–2.96) and Inbone (HR 0.38 95% CI 0.05–2.84) did not produce significantly worse survivorship.

Conclusion

Ankle replacements have increased in numbers over the past decade, and the currently used implants have lower failure rates than older prosthesis. It is expected that in the future the outcomes of ankle replacements will continue to improve.
IS THE DIAGNOSIS OF FIFTH METATARSAL FRACTURE SUBTYPE CONSISTENT? AN INTEROBSERVER RELIABILITY STUDY
Authors: Chapman J. , Choudhary Z. , Gupta S. , Airey G. , Mason L.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Treatment pathways of 5th metatarsal fractures are commonly directed based on fracture classification, with Jones types for example, requiring closer observation and possibly more aggressive management.

Primary objective

To investigate the reliability of assessment of subtypes of 5th metatarsal fractures by different observers.

Methods

Patients were identified from our prospectively collected database. We included all patient referred to our virtual fracture clinic with a suspected or confirmed 5th metatarsal fracture. Plain AP radiographs were reviewed by two observers, who were initially trained on the 5th metatarsal classification identification. Zones were defined as Zone 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2, 3, diaphyseal shaft (DS), distal metaphysis (DM) and head. An inter-observer reliability analysis using Cohen's Kappa coefficient was carried out, and degree of observer agreement described using Landis & Koch's description. All data was analysed using IBM SPSS v.27.

Results

878 patients were identified. The two observers had moderate agreement when identifying fractures in all zones, apart from metatarsal head fractures, which scored substantial agreement (K=.614). Zones 1.1 (K=.582), 2 (K=.536), 3 (K=.601) and DS (K=.544) all tended towards but did not achieve substantial agreement. Whilst DS fractures achieved moderate agreement, there was an apparent difficulty with distal DS, resulting in a lot of cross over with DM (DS 210 vs 109; DM 76 vs 161). Slight agreement with the next highest adjacent zone was found when injuries were thought to be in zones 1.2, 1.3 and 2 (K=0.17, 0.115 and 0.152 respectively).

Conclusions

Reliability of sub-categorising 5th metatarsal fractures using standardised instructions conveys moderate to substantial agreement in most cases. If the region of the fracture is going to be used in an algorithm to guide a management plan and clinical follow up during a virtual clinic review, defining fractures of zones 1–3 needs careful consideration.
HOW DOES CARTIVA INTERPOSITIONAL ARTHROPLASTY COMPARE TO ARTHRODESIS IN THE TREATMENT OF HALLUX RIGIDUS? A RETROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP
Authors: Trowbridge S. , Lewis T. , Shehata R. , Lau B. , Lyle S. , Ray R.
Published: June 2024

Background

Hallux rigidus is a common condition characterised by first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) degeneration, pain and limited range of motion (ROM). The gold standard surgical treatment is arthrodesis, providing good pain relief but sacrifices ROM. Recently the Cartiva synthetic cartilage implant (SCI) has been utilised as an interpositional arthroplasty, aiming to reduce pain whilst preserving range of motion. Current evidence for Cartiva SCI is largely based on a single cohort with mixed outcomes. We sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes of Cartiva SCI compared to arthrodesis undertaken in our centre.

Methods

Retrospective review of patients undergoing Cartiva SCI or arthrodesis for treating hallux rigidus was conducted. Preoperative arthritis was radiographically graded using the Vanore classification. Patient reported outcomes (PROMs) were assessed using EuroQol 5-dimension score (EQ-5D-5L) and Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ).

Results

Between 2017 and 2020 there were 33 cases (17 Cartiva, 16 arthrodesis, mean age 59.0±9.9 years) with a mean follow up of 2.3 years. For the first MTPJ arthrodesis cohort, the MOXFQ domain scores were: Index 3.9±5.8, Walking/Standing 5.1±7.6, Pain 3.2±5.0, and Social Interaction 2.6±4.0. EQ-5D-5L Index score was 0.828±0.270 and the EQ-VAS was 72.5±23.3. For the Cartiva cohort, the MOXFQ domain scores were: Index 7.7±6.0, Walking/Standing 8.9±7.9, Pain 7.1±5.0, and Social Interaction 6.4±5.4. EQ-5D-5L Index score was 0.631±0.234 and the EQ-VAS was 74.8±20.8. There was no statistically significant difference between any MOXFQ domain or EQ-5D-5L scores. However, a negative trend in MOXFQ domains was identified for the Cartiva group, as well as a reoperation rate of 23.5%.

Conclusions

The Cartiva SCI demonstrated no advantage over arthrodesis in PROMs, despite the presumed benefit of preserved ROM. A significant reoperation rate was also observed. Surgeons should be cautious in the use of this novel implant.
PSSFSS—An Open-source Code for Analysis of Polarization and Frequency Selective Surfaces
Authors: Simon Peter S.
Published: June 2024

The open-source code PSSFSS for analysis and design of polarization selective surfaces (PSSs), and frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) is presented, beginning with an introduction to the Julia programming language in which the code is written. Analysis methods and algorithms used in PSSFSS are described, highlighting features of Julia that make it attractive for developing this type of application. Usage examples illustrate the code’s ease of use, speed, and accuracy.
Analysis of EM Properties of High-speed Moving Cone-sphere Target Coated with Plasma Sheath based on Lorentz-FDTD Method
Authors: Guo Xian-Min , Li Hai-Yan , Bo Yong , Chen Wei , Yang Li-Xia , Huang Zhi-Xiang , Wang An-Qi
Published: June 2024

The study of the interaction between moving plasma-coated objects and electromagnetic (EM) waves is the essential factor for the EM problems of high-speed targets. In this paper, the physical model of a moving dispersive medium is developed based on the principle of special relativity to study the EM properties of high-speed moving targets coated with plasma sheath. First, the Lorentz transform is used to introduce the incident plane wave into moving frame. Second, based on the proposed EM model, the EM problems are solved in moving frame by the shift-operator (SO) FDTD numerical algorithm. Finally, the EM results are further converted back into the laboratory frame to analyze the scattered properties of high-speed plasma coated objects. The validity of the proposed algorithm is verified by comparison with the reference solution. On this basis, the influence of relativistic effects produced by the motion of the object and the EM properties of the plasma on the scattering fields of high-speed targets are investigated. This work expands the applicability of the FDTD method and provides a theoretical foundation for solving the scattering properties of high-speed plasma-coated complex shape objects through numerical methods.
Anomalous Magnetization Spikes in the Locally Corrected Nyström Discretization of Static Volume Integral Equation using Tetrahedral Cells
Authors: Young John C. , Adams Robert J. , Gedney Stephen D.
Published: June 2024

A locally corrected Nyström (LCN) discretization of a magnetostatic volume integral equation is presented. Anomalous magnetization spikes can occur when the underlying mesh uses tetrahedral cells regardless of discretization order. The mechanism for the anomalous magnetization spikes is discussed, and mitigation of the spikes through use of an LCN-to-Moment Method conversion is investigated. Results are presented validating that the LCN-to-Moment Method suppresses the anomalous spikes.
"We Died Here, Obedient to Her Laws": The Reception of Sparta in the Lost Cause and Confederate Memorialization
Authors: Sutton Jase D. L.
Published: June 2024

Abstract: Although scholars have explored many aspects of the Lost Cause, few have focused on the presence of classical analogies in its many iterations. Citing Confederate monuments, memorial speeches, and other sources, this essay explores previously under-analyzed classical reception in Confederate memorialization. It argues that white Southerners invoked the ancient Spartans frequently to reinforce specific elements of the Lost Cause mythology. Comparing Confederate soldiers to Spartans, especially in the context of the Battle of Thermopylae, upheld a key Lost Cause belief in the superiority of the Confederate soldier while also deflecting blame for the Confederacy's military loss solely onto the factor of overwhelming US numbers and arms. Former Confederates also identified Confederate women as Spartan to emphasize their loyalty and sacrifice to the South during the war—another major aspect of the Lost Cause. By referencing the classical world in such a manner, postwar white Southerners continued a rich antebellum tradition of citing antiquity to defend conservative Southern values.
The Partisan Psychiatrist
Authors: Alaigh Arvin
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: Frantz Fanon's stature swelled in the late 1950s as he crisscrossed the nascent Third World, winning support for the Algerian nationalist cause. As a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN), the party fighting a war of independence against Algeria's French colonial rulers, Fanon held a dizzying number of responsibilities: he provided psychiatric treatment to FLN fighters; he helped produce the party's official newspaper; he delivered lectures on philosophy and history to soldiers at the front; and he traveled across the African continent as a formal ambassador for the provisional Algerian government-in-exile, raising political and financial capital for the revolutionary movement.
The Labor Intellectuals
Authors: Lichtenstein Nelson
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: After visiting the United Auto Workers convention in Atlantic City in 1947, C. Wright Mills wrote that the most impressive thing about the union was "the spectacle it affords of ideas in live contact with power." While he considered union president Walter Reuther a dynamic leader, Mills was more impressed with the team of young men around him, the labor intellectuals who translated the radicalism and democratic enthusiasms of a boisterous rank and file into a set of concrete programs.
Raymond Williams's Resources for Hope
Authors: Britton-Purdy Jedediah
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: All sorts of people had come to the Welsh countryside to spend the day talking about the history of labor radicalism: miners, organizers, researchers, politicians. But the star attraction was missing. Raymond Williams, the Cambridge scholar and socialist beacon, had agreed by letter to speak; rumor was that he would be arriving in a big car. Then, as a runner returned from the parking area to report the distressing news that no big car had arrived, a tall, craggy-featured man rose from the audience and made his way to the stage. He had been there all day, listening, watching, content among his people, not making a point of himself. There was no need to make a point; everyone in that world knew his name. It was not a merely local fame. Zadie Smith recalls that when she was an undergraduate at Cambridge in the 1990s, Williams sat beside Michel Foucault and Roland Barthes in the pantheon of social and literary theorists. He was Stuart Hall's friend and collaborator, E.P. Thompson's ally and sparring partner, Terry Eagleton's teacher, and often worked side by side with Perry Anderson. When he died in 1988, Robin Blackburn wrote in the New Left Review that Williams was the "most authoritative, consistent, and radical voice" of the British left.
A Left That Can Do Both
Authors: Shenk Timothy
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: The most important point to make at the start of a feature on the global left is that there is no such thing as "the global left"—but we should still talk about it anyway. Workers of the world have not united, and neither has anyone else, which means that the global left remains an abstraction. But it's a useful abstraction to keep in mind. A global campaign for equality, freedom, and dignity is an ideal worth striving for, and a yardstick to measure ourselves against. Asking how movements within a particular nation—which, for most of the people reading this, means the American left—fit into a global narrative is also one of the best ways to think through questions of strategy. Which problems are unique to one country? Which are part of international trends? What are the limits constricting our room for maneuver? And where are the opportunities to push for more?
The French Left's Delicate Unity
Authors: Stangler Cole
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: In many respects, the French left is one of the strongest in Europe. Its loose coalition of parties—the New Ecological and Social Popular Union (NUPES)—makes up the biggest opposition bloc in the National Assembly, counting dozens more seats than the far-right National Rally.
Fair Chances: World's Fairs and American Woman Suffrage
Authors: Boisseau Tracey Jean
Published: June 2024

Abstract: For over sixty years, American pro-suffrage women consistently viewed world's fairs as the single most important and indispensable of cultural venues for their suffrage work. Despite being actively excluded from fair administrations, their unsanctioned interventions at expositions permitted suffragists to attach women's right to the franchise to the nationalist celebrations of modernity and democracy that lay at the ideological center of every world's fair. Equally significant, with few other opportunities to travel to meet with one another, activist women used expositions as crucial sites and occasions for building their movement's national and international infrastructure. Starting with the first American world's fair in New York in 1853 and ending with the last fairs held prior to the US entry into World War I, no other cultural format provided suffragists with a bigger megaphone, more relevance and legitimacy, or more regular opportunities to coordinate their efforts than world's fairs.
Instrumental Femininity: The Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School and the Shaping of Social and Gender Hierarchies in Modern Japan
Authors: Choi Jamyung
Published: June 2024

Abstract: How can we assess the impact of the ideology of female domesticity on women's higher education and professional opportunities? This article examines this question through the lens of Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School, Japan's first tertiary educational institution for women. Graduates of this school established for the propagation of gender ideology joined a respectable profession, that of teaching. They used this ideology to justify the upgrade of their alma mater to the rank of university. However, this ideology supported women who chose to specialize in teaching but not in other specialties such as engineering, posing an additional challenge for female aspirants in those fields who sought to enter and excel in traditionally male institutions. By looking at these challenges implied in the institutional evolution of this school, I examine the ways in which this gender ideology allowed the rise of female professionals while limiting women's life choices and professional opportunities.
The Falkners and the Methodist Church in Oxford, Mississippi
Authors: Walton Gerald W.
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: This article examines church affiliations and membership of William Faulkner and the extended Falkner family. Faulkner joined the Oxford Methodist Church of Oxford, Mississippi, at age twelve. He attended Sunday school there and his name appeared on Methodist church membership rolls, on different dates, as both "Falkner" and "Faulkner." Although Faulkner and his wife were married in a Presbyterian church, and his wife was Episcopalian, Faulkner was not a regular churchgoer as an adult. His name remained on the Methodist Church membership rolls as late as the 1930s. Most of the living members of Faulkner's family are Episcopalian. Data for this article were collected from the archives of Oxford–University United Methodist Church of Oxford, Mississippi, interviews, and published reports.
Mie-resonant metaphotonics
Authors: Babicheva Viktoriia E. , Evlyukhin Andrey B.
Published: June 2024

Mie-resonant metaphotonics is a rapidly developing field that employs
the physics of Mie resonances to control light at the nanoscale. Mie
resonances are excited in high-refractive-index transparent
nanoparticles and voids created in dielectric media, and they can be
used to achieve a wide range of optical effects, including enhanced
light–matter interaction, nonlinear optical effects, and topological
photonics. Here, we review the recent advances in Mie-resonant
metaphotonics, with a focus on the physics of Mie resonances and their
applications in metaphotonics and metasurfaces. Through a
comprehensive multipolar analysis, we demonstrate the complex
interplay of electric and magnetic multipoles that govern their
interaction with light. Recent advances have unveiled a diverse
spectrum of scattering phenomena that can be achieved within precisely
engineered structures. Within this framework, we review the underlying
mechanics of the first and second Kerker conditions and describe the
intricate mechanisms guiding these nanostructures’ light-scattering
properties. Moreover, we cover intriguing phenomena such as the
anapole and bound or quasi-bound states in the continuum. Of profound
interest are the numerous practical applications that result from
these revelations. Ultrafast processes, the emergence of nanolasers,
and advancements in magneto-optic devices represent just a fraction of
the transformative applications.
Generation of polygonal non-diffracting beams via angular spectral phases
Authors: Hu Juntao , Wei Wenjun , Li Xinzhong , Qian Yixian
Published: June 2024

In this study, an effective approach for generating polygonal non-diffracting beams (PNDBs) is demonstrated using optical caustics and cross-phases. The resulting structured light beams display a polygonal transverse structure and exhibit a significant intensity gradient and phase gradient. Diverse PNDBs can be generated by flexibly controlling the exponent factor of the cross-phases. The experimental results show that this beam has excellent non-diffracting properties and could stably capture and manipulate particles to move along polygonal trajectories. Furthermore, by adjusting the conversion rate parameter of the cross-phase, PNDBs can manipulate the motion state of the trapped particles, such as start and stop. These various PNDBs may be useful for potential applications as optical tweezers and in micromachining.
A systematic screen identifies Saf5 as a link between splicing and transcription in fission yeast
Authors: Borao Sonia , Vega Montserrat , Boronat Susanna , Hidalgo Elena , Hümmer Stefan , Ayté José
Published: June 2024

Splicing is an important step of gene expression regulation in eukaryotes, as there are many mRNA precursors that can be alternatively spliced in different tissues, at different cell cycle phases or under different external stimuli. We have developed several integrated fluorescence-based in vivo splicing reporter constructs that allow the quantification of fission yeast splicing in vivo on intact cells, and we have compared their splicing efficiency in a wild type strain and in a prp2-1 (U2AF65) genetic background, showing a clear dependency between Prp2 and a consensus signal at 5’ splicing site (5’SS). To isolate novel genes involved in regulated splicing, we have crossed the reporter showing more intron retention with the Schizosaccharomyces pombe knock out collection. Among the candidate genes involved in the regulation of splicing, we have detected strong splicing defects in two of the mutants -Δcwf12, a member of the NineTeen Complex (NTC) and Δsaf5, a methylosome subunit that acts together with the survival motor neuron (SMN) complex in small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP) biogenesis. We have identified that strains with mutations in cwf12 have inefficient splicing, mainly when the 5’SS differs from the consensus. However, although Δsaf5 cells also have some dependency on 5’SS sequence, we noticed that when one intron of a given pre-mRNA was affected, the rest of the introns of the same pre-mRNA had high probabilities of being also affected. This observation points Saf5 as a link between transcription rate and splicing.
Self-construal and attentional biases in cognitive processing: Insights from Chinese college students for mental health contexts
Authors: Li Jing , Liu Sijia , Peng Hongsheng , Tang Liwu , Yuan Lin
Published: June 2024

This study integrates Markus and Kitayama’s self-construal theory with the Biopsychosocial Model to examine the effects of self-construal on cognitive biases and their implications for mental health among Chinese college students. It investigates how independent (IndSC) and interdependent (InterSC) self-construals influence cognitive biases towards positive and negative stimuli, emphasizing the mediating roles of attentional control, self-esteem, cognitive reappraisal, and the need to belong. The research utilizes a hybrid sampling strategy, engaging 748 undergraduate students from diverse majors and universities in Chongqing, China. Participants completed assessments measuring self-construal, attentional control, self-esteem, cognitive reappraisal, need to belong, and cognitive biases. Employing structural equation modeling, the study uncovers that IndSC is positively associated with cognitive biases, favoring positive over negative information, with attentional control and self-esteem serving as significant mediators. InterSC, however, promotes a balanced attention to both positive and negative information, with cognitive reappraisal and the need to belong acting as mediators. These findings underscore the significant role of self-construal within the broader biopsychosocial framework in shaping cognitive processes and highlight the importance of considering these factors in mental health interventions. By leveraging a comprehensive sampling approach, the study ensures a representative sample, enhancing the generalizability of its findings to the broader Chinese college student population. This research not only contributes to the understanding of the complex interplay between cultural psychology and mental health but also suggests the need for mental health interventions that are culturally and individually tailored. Future research should extend to other cultural settings and employ longitudinal designs to further explore the dynamic interactions between self-construal, cognitive biases, and mental health from a biopsychosocial perspective.
Does a specialized assessment improve vocational outcomes for people on sick leave with a suspected common mental disorder? Results from the Mental Health Assessment Study (MeHAS)
Authors: Hoff Andreas , Bojesen Anders Bo , Fisker Jonas , Mandrup Poulsen Rie , Hjorthøj Carsten , Nordentoft Merete , Eplov Lene Falgaard
Published: June 2024

Background

In Denmark, 50% of those on long-term sick leave are affected by common mental disorders (CMDs), and it has been argued that detection in primary care has been insufficient. The Mental Health Assessment Study (MeHAS) assesses if specialized mental health assessments can enhance return to work for this group. This study aimed to estimate the effect of a specialized mental health assessment for people on sick leave with a mental health disorder, on return to work and mental health care utilization.

Methods and findings

In this experimental study, sickness absentees were referred from a sick leave benefit management agency. Before intervention allocation, they had already received a standard health assessment in general practice. The intervention group received an additional specialized mental health assessment, while the control group did not. We compared the groups on several vocational outcome measures, the primary being proportion in work after one year. Other outcomes were weeks in work, time to return to work (RTW) and different measures of service utilization. We included 717 in the intervention group and 756 in the control group. On the primary outcome, proportion in work, we observed no differences between the groups at 12 months (53.9% vs. 58.7% in the control group, p = 0.133). Moreover, after one year, the control group showed faster RTW at 12-month follow-up (HR 0.79, p<0.001) and 3.1 more weeks in work (p<0.001). In the intervention group, participants received more hospital-based outpatient mental healthcare.

Conclusion

Providing a specialized mental health assessment was associated with fewer weeks in work and longer sick leave duration (secondary outcomes), but the proportion in work at 12-month follow-up (primary outcome) did not differ between the groups. The intervention was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving specialized mental healthcare services, perhaps because more needs were met. Given the substantial risk of selection bias, results should be treated with caution.
Campylobacter occurrence and antimicrobial resistance profile in under five-year-old diarrheal children, backyard farm animals, and companion pets
Authors: Mulu Wondemagegn , Joossens Marie , Kibret Mulugeta , Van den Abeele Anne-Marie , Houf Kurt
Published: June 2024

Campylobacteriosis disproportionately affects children under five in low-income countries. However, epidemiological and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) information at the children-animal interface is lacking. We hypothesized that Campylobacter is a major cause of enteritis in children in Ethiopia, and contact with animals is a potential source of transmission. The objective of the study was to determine Campylobacter occurrence and its AMR in children under five with diarrhea, backyard farm animals, and companion pets. Stool from 303 children and feces from 711 animals were sampled. Campylobacter was isolated through membrane filtration on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar plates under microaerobic incubation, and the technique showed to be feasible for use in regions lacking organized laboratories. Typical isolates were characterized with MALDI-TOF MS and multiplex PCR. Of 303 children, 20% (n = 59) were infected, with a higher proportion in the 6 to 11-month age group. Campylobacter occurred in 64% (n = 14) of dogs and 44% (n = 112) of poultry. Campylobacter jejuni was present in both a child and animal species in 15% (n = 23) of 149 households positive for Campylobacter. MICs using the gradient strip diffusion test of 128 isolates displayed resistance rates of 20% to ciprofloxacin and 11% to doxycycline. MICs of ciprofloxacin and doxycycline varied between C. coli and C. jejuni, with higher resistance in C. coli and poultry isolates. Campylobacter infection in children and its prevalent excretion from backyard poultry and dogs is a understudied concern. The co-occurrence of C. jejuni in animals and children suggest household-level transmission As resistance to ciprofloxacin and doxycycline was observed, therapy of severe campylobacteriosis should consider susceptibility testing. Findings from this study can support evidence-based diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment, and further investigations on the spread of AMR mechanisms for informed One Health intervention.
Effects of an indole derivative on cell proliferation, transfection, and alternative splicing in production of lentiviral vectors by transient co-transfection
Authors: Mier Nataly Carolina , Roper Donald Keith
Published: June 2024

Lentiviral vectors derived from human immunodeficiency virus type I are widely used to deliver functional gene copies to mammalian cells for research and gene therapies. Post-transcriptional splicing of lentiviral vector transgene in transduced host and transfected producer cells presents barriers to widespread application of lentiviral vector-based therapies. The present study examined effects of indole derivative compound IDC16 on splicing of lentiviral vector transcripts in producer cells and corresponding yield of infectious lentiviral vectors. Indole IDC16 was shown previously to modify alternative splicing in human immunodeficiency virus type I. Human embryonic kidney 293T cells were transiently transfected by 3rd generation backbone and packaging plasmids using polyethyleneimine. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the fraction of unspliced genomes in human embryonic kidney 293T cells increased up to 31% upon the indole’s treatment at 2.5 uM. Corresponding yield of infectious lentiviral vectors decreased up to 4.5-fold in a cell transduction assay. Adjusting timing and duration of IDC16 treatment indicated that the indole’s disruption of early stages of transfection and cell cycle had a greater effect on exponential time course of lentiviral vector production than its reduction of post-transcriptional splicing. Decrease in transfected human embryonic kidney 293T proliferation by IDC16 became significant at 10 uM. These findings indicated contributions by early-stage transfection, cell proliferation, and post-transcriptional splicing in transient transfection of human embryonic kidney 293T cells for lentiviral vector production.
Investigation of geographic disparities of diabetes-related hospitalizations in Florida using flexible spatial scan statistics: An ecological study
Authors: Lord Jennifer , Odoi Agricola
Published: June 2024

Background

Hospitalizations due to diabetes complications are potentially preventable with effective management of the condition in the outpatient setting. Diabetes-related hospitalization (DRH) rates can provide valuable information about access, utilization, and efficacy of healthcare services. However, little is known about the local geographic distribution of DRH rates in Florida. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the geographic distribution of DRH rates at the ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) level in Florida, identify significant local clusters of high hospitalization rates, and describe characteristics of ZCTAs within the observed spatial clusters.

Methods

Hospital discharge data from 2016 to 2019 were obtained from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration through a Data Use Agreement with the Florida Department of Health. Raw and spatial empirical Bayes smoothed DRH rates were computed at the ZCTA level. High-rate DRH clusters were identified using Tango’s flexible spatial scan statistic. Choropleth maps were used to display smoothed DRH rates and significant high-rate spatial clusters. Demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare-related characteristics of cluster and non-cluster ZCTAs were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous variables and Chi-square test for categorical variables.

Results

There was a total of 554,133 diabetes-related hospitalizations during the study period. The statewide DRH rate was 8.5 per 1,000 person-years, but smoothed rates at the ZCTA level ranged from 0 to 101.9. A total of 24 significant high-rate spatial clusters were identified. High-rate clusters had a higher percentage of rural ZCTAs (60.9%) than non-cluster ZCTAs (41.8%). The median percent of non-Hispanic Black residents was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in cluster ZCTAs than in non-cluster ZCTAs. Populations of cluster ZCTAs also had significantly (p < 0.0001) lower median income and educational attainment, and higher levels of unemployment and poverty compared to the rest of the state. In addition, median percent of the population with health insurance coverage and number of primary care physicians per capita were significantly (p < 0.0001) lower in cluster ZCTAs than in non-cluster ZCTAs.

Conclusions

This study identified geographic disparities of DRH rates at the ZCTA level in Florida. The identification of high-rate DRH clusters provides useful information to guide resource allocation such that communities with the highest burdens are prioritized to reduce the observed disparities. Future research will investigate determinants of hospitalization rates to inform public health planning, resource allocation and interventions.
Process evaluation of a data-driven quality improvement program within a cluster randomised controlled trial to improve coronary heart disease management in Australian primary care
Authors: Hafiz Nashid , Hyun Karice , Tu Qiang , Knight Andrew , Hespe Charlotte , Chow Clara K. , Briffa Tom , Gallagher Robyn , Reid Christopher M. , Hare David L. , Zwar Nicholas , Woodward Mark , Jan Stephen , Atkins Emily R. , Laba Tracey-Lea , Halcomb Elizabeth , Johnson Tracey , Manandi Deborah , Usherwood Tim , Redfern Julie
Published: June 2024

Background

This study evaluates primary care practices’ engagement with various features of a quality improvement (QI) intervention for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in four Australian states.

Methods

Twenty-seven practices participated in the QI intervention from November 2019 –November 2020. A combination of surveys, semi-structured interviews and other materials within the QUality improvement in primary care to prevent hospitalisations and improve Effectiveness and efficiency of care for people Living with heart disease (QUEL) study were used in the process evaluation. Data were summarised using descriptive statistical and thematic analyses for 26 practices.

Results

Sixty-four practice team members and Primary Health Networks staff provided feedback, and nine of the 63 participants participated in the interviews. Seventy-eight percent (40/54) were either general practitioners or practice managers. Although 69% of the practices self-reported improvement in their management of heart disease, engagement with the intervention varied. Forty-two percent (11/26) of the practices attended five or more learning workshops, 69% (18/26) used Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, and the median (Interquartile intervals) visits per practice to the online SharePoint site were 170 (146–252) visits. Qualitative data identified learning workshops and monthly feedback reports as the key features of the intervention.

Conclusion

Practice engagement in a multi-featured data-driven QI intervention was common, with learning workshops and monthly feedback reports identified as the most useful features. A better understanding of these features will help influence future implementation of similar interventions.

Trial registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12619001790134.