bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The IMPED Model: Detecting Low-Quality Information in Social Media
Authors: Bastos Marco , Walker Shawn , Simeone Michael
Published: January 2021

This article introduces a model for detecting low-quality information we refer to as the Index of Measured-diversity, Partisan-certainty, Ephemerality, and Domain (IMPED). The model purports that low-quality information is characterized by ephemerality, as opposed to quality content that is designed for permanence. The IMPED model leverages linguistic and temporal patterns in the content of social media messages and linked webpages to estimate a parametric survival model and the likelihood the content will be removed from the internet. We review the limitations of current approaches for the detection of problematic content, including misinformation and false news, which are largely based on fact checking and machine learning, and detail the requirements for a successful implementation of the IMPED model. The article concludes with a review of examples taken from the 2018 election cycle and the performance of the model in identifying low-quality information as a proxy for problematic content.
A Review of “Options in Management of Trauma to the Esophagus” (1982) “Submitted for the Literary Festschrift in Honor of J. David Richardson, MD”
Authors: Cheadle Gerald A , Cheadle William G
Published: January 2021

This article is an update of a paper which Dave Richardson and I published in 1982, and serves as both an update of management of esophageal injuries and as a lasting tribute to my mentor and hero J. David Richardson.
Portal Vein Thrombosis Following Splenectomy in Children: Is There a Higher Rate When Using Single-Incision Laparoscopy?
Authors: Esparaz Joseph R. , Onwubiko Chinwendu , Mortellaro Vincent E.
Published: January 2021

Background

Portal vein thrombosis can be a life-threatening complication associated with a splenectomy. Laparoscopic splenectomy has been suggested to cause an increased rate of portal vein thrombosis. Our study evaluated the rate of portal vein thrombosis in pediatric patients who underwent a splenectomy via single-site laparoscopy.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy from November 2012 to July 2019. Demographic data, operative details, postoperative imaging, and patient outcomes were obtained for analysis. Patients were contacted to determine if they had any complications for which they sought medical care elsewhere.

Results

There were 78 pediatric patients who underwent laparoscopic splenectomy over the 7-year period. The most common indication was sickle cell disease (70.5%). Single-incision laparoscopy was performed in 61.5% of the cases. Eight were converted to open. Eleven patients (14.1%) had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed during the same operation. The overall complication rate was 8.9%. A quarter of our patients had imaging within 1 year of surgery; no portal vein thrombosis was identified. In addition, over half of the patients were recontacted for follow-up questioning. None of the patients surveyed sought medical care elsewhere for a surgery-related complication or sequela of a portal vein thrombus.

Discussion

Single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy is a safe approach in children. Using the single-site platform allows the flexibility to perform additional operations, such as cholecystectomy, without the placement of additional ports. This analysis shows that patients undergoing single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy do not have a higher rate for portal vein thrombosis.
Appendectomy Does Not Increase the Risk of Future Emergence of Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Ishizuka Mitsuru , Shibuya Norisuke , Takagi Kazutoshi , Hachiya Hiroyuki , Tago Kazuma , Suda Kotaro , Aoki Taku , Kubota Keiichi
Published: January 2021

Objective

To explore the impact of appendectomy history on emergence of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background

Although there are several studies to investigate the relationship between appendectomy history and emergence of PD, the results are still controversial.

Methods

We performed a comprehensive electronic search of the literature (the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and the Web of Science) up to April 2020 to identify studies that had employed databases allowing comparison of emergence of PD between patients with and those without appendectomy history. To integrate the impact of appendectomy history on emergence of PD, a meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models to calculate the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the selected studies, and heterogeneity was analyzed using I2 statistics.

Results

Four studies involving a total of 6 080 710 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Among 1 470 613 patients with appendectomy history, 1845 (.13%) had emergences of PD during the observation period, whereas among 4 610 097 patients without appendectomy history, 6743 (.15%) had emergences of PD during the observation period. These results revealed that patients with appendectomy history and without appendectomy had almost the same emergence of PD (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, .87-1.20; P = .83; I2 = 87%).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis has demonstrated that there was no significant difference in emergence of PD between patients with and those without appendectomy history.
Presenting Symptomatology of Mediastinal Masses and Its Effect on Surgical Outcomes
Authors: Napolitano Michael A , Werba Gregor , Desai Sonia A , Sparks Andrew D , Mortman Keith D
Published: January 2021

Objective

Mediastinal masses are commonly encountered by the thoracic surgeon. Few studies have reported on the frequency and characteristics of symptoms at presentation. The primary objective of this study is to determine how often patients present with symptoms from a mediastinal mass. The secondary objective is to determine if the presence of symptoms has an effect on outcomes after surgery.

Methods

A retrospective review of an institutional database was performed. All patients who underwent surgical resection of a mediastinal mass from 2013 to 2019 were included in the analysis. Medical records were reviewed for the presence or absence of symptoms preoperatively, and these cohorts were compared. Multivariable analysis was performed, adjusting for clinical variables to assess for differences between these cohorts.

Results

70 patients underwent surgery for a mediastinal mass. The average age was 49.2 years, and 46 patients (65.7%) presented with symptoms. There were no significant differences in demographics between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. The most common symptom was dyspnea in 18 patients (22%), followed by chest pain (15 patients, 19%) and dysphagia (8 patients, 10%). When comparing symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients had a larger tumor size (5.8 cm vs 3.8 cm, P = .04) and a longer length of stay (2.0 days vs 1.2 days, P = .02).

Conclusions

The majority of patients with mediastinal masses present with symptoms, with the most common symptom being dyspnea. Symptomatic patients are more likely to have a larger tumor and tend to have a longer length of hospital stay postoperatively compared to asymptomatic patients.
Postoperative Opioid Utilization and Patient Satisfaction in General Surgery Procedures: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Linnaus Maria E. , Neville Matthew R. , Habermann Elizabeth B. , Gray Richard J.
Published: January 2021

Background

Wide variation of opioid prescribing persists despite attempts to quantify number of opioids utilized postoperatively. We aim to prospectively determine number of opioids used after common surgery procedures to guide future prescribing.

Methods

A prospective observational trial was performed of opioids prescribed and used postoperatively. Patients filled out pre- and postoperative surveys, and number of opioids utilized was captured at postoperative visit.

Results

One-hundred-and-thirteen patients met inclusion. Median opioids prescribed exceeded number of opioids taken for all procedures. Median number of opioids taken postoperatively was fewer than 10 for all categories of procedures: simple skin/soft tissue 2 (IQR 1-4), complex skin/soft tissue 1.5 (IQR 0-14), simple laparoscopy 1 (IQR 0-20) and complex laparoscopy 4 (IQR 0-20), laparotomy 0 (IQR 0-26), and open inguinal hernia 2 (IQR 0-2). Nearly 80% of patients had leftover opioids, and 31% planned to keep them. There was little difference between preoperative and postoperative level of satisfaction with a pain control regimen.

Discussion

Postoperatively, patients utilize opioids less frequently than prescribed and often keep leftover pills. Patient pain control satisfaction is unrelated to number of opioids prescribed and taken postoperatively.
Studies of Element Concentration in the Lymphocytes, Erythrocytes, and Plasma of Healthy Human Donors Using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence
Authors: Kubala-Kukuś Aldona , Banaś Dariusz , Braziewicz Janusz , Stabrawa Ilona , Góźdź Stanisław
Published: January 2021

In this article, the total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis was used for determination of element concentrations in three isolated peripheral blood components: lymphocytes, erythrocytes, and plasma, collected from 36 healthy donors (15 men and 21 women) from eastern Poland. The studied blood components were isolated from whole peripheral blood using Histopaque-1077 density gradient centrifugation. In the lymphocytes, the following elements were measured: P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Br, Sr, and Pb. In the erythrocytes: P, S, Cl, K, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Rb, and Pb, while in the plasma samples: P, S, Cl, K, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Se, Sr, and Pb. The descriptive statistics parameters of concentration such as: mean value, standard deviation, median, first and third quartiles, 10th and 90th percentiles were calculated for all samples of the studied blood components, as well as separately for male and female groups. The measured element concentrations and calculated parameters can be used as the reference values. Element concentration distributions for male and female groups were statistically compared using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney test and statistical significance differences (α = 0.05) were found for: P (in lymphocytes), Se and Rb (in erythrocytes), and V (in plasma). The multigroup statistical comparison of element concentration distribution for different blood components was also done (Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests). The statistical tests show that the concentration levels are usually different, except in the following cases: Zn, Fe (lymphocytes and plasma, Fe only for female group), Cr (erythrocytes and plasma). The obtained concentration ranges were compared with literature-based data available for element concentration in lymphocytes, erythrocytes, and plasma. In this work, the application of the TXRF method allowed additionally for the simultaneous determination of the concentrations of such elements as: P, S, Cl, Br, Sr and Pb in lymphocytes, S, Cl and Br in erythrocytes, and P, S, Cl, K, Ti, Br and Pb in plasma. From an analytical point of view, the article describes in detail the measurement procedure including the isolation of blood components and samples preparation for TXRF measurements, and later the detection limit of the method is discussed.
Deconstructing social anthropology discourses in their support of surrogacy: The case of France
Authors: Segalen Martine T
Published: January 2021

In France, surrogacy – known as ‘Gestation Pour Autrui’ (GPA) – is forbidden by law. The most ardent supporters of this practice are social anthropologists and some sociologists, many of them endorsing the political programme of activist groups and pushing forward new regulations to authorize surrogacy. The aim of this article is three-fold: (1) to analyse the place social anthropology has taken in the development of a discourse in favour of the practice; (2) to challenge the usefulness of comparisons with exotic societies; and (3) to deconstruct the semantic universe developed to hide the commoditization aspects of this practice.
Evaluating patient education resources for supporting treatment decisions in latent tuberculosis infection
Authors: Clarke Amy L , Sowemimo Tamilore , Jones Annie SK , Rangaka Molebogeng X , Horne Rob
Published: January 2021

Objective:

People with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are required to make complex treatment decisions, which require an understanding of personal risk and associated benefits. However, many people with LTBI in the United Kingdom are at risk of low health literacy and can also experience language barriers, which can affect decision making. Patient education resources can support understanding but must meet the needs of the target population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accessibility, readability and content of LTBI patient education resources.

Design:

Review and descriptive analysis of online LTBI patient education resources.

Setting:

UK-based online patient education resources.

Method:

We searched UK public health and charitable organisations for online LTBI patient education resources. Resources were evaluated in terms of accessibility (availability of translated versions); readability (Flesch–Kincaid Reading Ease [FKE], Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level [FKG] and Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook [SMOG]), theoretical content (Extended Common-Sense Model) and principles of shared decision making.

Results:

Seventeen out of 60 articles identified in the search met the prespecified criteria for inclusion. Translated materials were available for 7 of them. The overall mean ±  SD readability scores and corresponding reading ages were FKE 63.51 ± 8.81 (13–15 years), FKG 9.14 ± 8.95 (13–15 years) and SMOG 8.27 ± 1.51 (13–14 years). No resources met Health Education England recommended readability levels for health-related information. Dimensions of cognitive representations of illness and treatment most commonly addressed included treatment control, cause and identity (symptom and label); no resources addressed emotional identity.

Conclusion:

Current and future LTBI patient education resources would benefit from greater consideration of the needs of non-English language speakers, readability and theoretical content to improve patient illness experience and support informed treatment decision making.
Who Has Trouble Hiring? Evidence from a National IT Survey
Authors: Weaver Andrew
Published: January 2021

Understanding hiring difficulties and the nature of hiring frictions that employers face is important for the promotion of economic growth and the individual success of both firms and workers. This study sheds light on this issue by presenting evidence from an original, nationally representative survey of information technology (IT) helpdesks that contains detailed measurements of skill requirements, organizational characteristics, and market structure. The results indicate that the incidence of persistent hiring difficulties is modest, and that measures of technology and technical skill demands are not associated with greater hiring problems. Organizational attributes and market structure are generally more predictive of hiring frictions than are skill requirements. Human resource practices, management strategy, and labor-market monopsony power all play key roles. These results cast doubt on simple stories about technology-driven hiring problems and point to the importance of examining a broader range of organizational and market factors when addressing workforce challenges.
The Social Organization of Ideas in Employment Relations
Authors: Morgan Glenn , Hauptmeier Marco
Published: January 2021

This article compares how the United States and Germany deregulated labor markets between the 1980s and 2010s in response to the rise of neoliberalism. Building on literature with a focus on ideas and national knowledge regimes, the authors argue that the trajectories of labor market deregulation across the two countries are explained by the distinct social organization of ideas. The latter refers to the actors and institutions involved in the production and dissemination of ideas (including think tanks and public research institutes), their access and ways of communicating to political elites and electorates, levels of shared academic standards across the political divide, and related degrees of competition or cooperation in the production of new knowledge and policy ideas. Moving beyond previous employment relations literature with a focus on institutions and power, the article breaks new theoretical ground by demonstrating how the social organization of ideas is a key intermediary in explaining employment relations change and continuity.
Limiting the executive power after the Second World War: the invention of administrative science
Authors: Mavrot Céline
Published: January 2021

This article analyses the emergence of administrative science in France in the wake of the Second World War. The birth of this discipline is examined through the history of its founders, a group of comparatist aiming at developing universal administrative principles. The post-war context prompted the creation of checks and balances against administrative power (through oversight of the legality of administrative action) and against the powers of nation states (through human rights and international organizations). Administrative science and comparative law were meant to rebuild international relations. The history of this discipline highlights a legal project to redefine the role and limits of executive power at the dawn of the construction of a new world order.

Points for practitioners

Looking at long-term developments in the science of administration helps to inform administrative practice by providing a historical and reflective perspective. This article shows how a new understanding of the administrative reality emerged after the fall of the totalitarian regimes of the first half of the 20th century. It highlights the different ways in which administrative power was controlled after the Second World War through greater oversight over administrative legality, the establishment of universal administrative principles and the proclamation of human rights. Questions of administrative legitimacy and the limitation of administrative power are still very much part of the daily practice of executive power, and represent a central aspect of administrative thinking.
Intersections of Adolescent Well-Being: School, Work, and Weight Status in Brazil
Authors: Marteleto Letícia J. , Dondero Molly , Van Hook Jennifer , Gama Luiz C. D. , Donnelly Rachel
Published: January 2021

Socioeconomic and health disadvantages can emerge early in the life course, making adolescence a key period to examine the association between socioeconomic status and health. Past research on obesity in adolescence has focused on family measures of socioeconomic status, overlooking the role of individual-level nascent indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage. Using measured height and weight from nationally representative data from Brazil, we estimate sibling fixed effects models to examine the independent effects of nascent socioeconomic characteristics—school enrollment and work status—on adolescent overweight and obesity, accounting for unobserved genetic and environmental factors shared by siblings. Results show that school enrollment is associated with lower odds of overweight and obesity. Working is not significantly associated with overweight/obesity risk. However, adolescents not enrolled but working face the highest risk of overweight/obesity. Findings suggest that adolescents face added layers of disadvantage from being out of school, with important implications for the accumulation of health disadvantages.
Word Segmentation Cues in German Child-Directed Speech: A Corpus Analysis
Authors: Stärk Katja , Kidd Evan , Frost Rebecca L. A.
Published: January 2021

To acquire language, infants must learn to segment words from running speech. A significant body of experimental research shows that infants use multiple cues to do so; however, little research has comprehensively examined the distribution of such cues in naturalistic speech. We conducted a comprehensive corpus analysis of German child-directed speech (CDS) using data from the Child Language Data Exchange System (CHILDES) database, investigating the availability of word stress, transitional probabilities (TPs), and lexical and sublexical frequencies as potential cues for word segmentation. Seven hours of data (~15,000 words) were coded, representing around an average day of speech to infants. The analysis revealed that for 97% of words, primary stress was carried by the initial syllable, implicating stress as a reliable cue to word onset in German CDS. Word identity was also marked by TPs between syllables, which were higher within than between words, and higher for backwards than forwards transitions. Words followed a Zipfian-like frequency distribution, and over two-thirds of words (78%) were monosyllabic. Of the 50 most frequent words, 82% were function words, which accounted for 47% of word tokens in the entire corpus. Finally, 15% of all utterances comprised single words. These results give rich novel insights into the availability of segmentation cues in German CDS, and support the possibility that infants draw on multiple converging cues to segment their input. The data, which we make openly available to the research community, will help guide future experimental investigations on this topic.
Ultrasound diagnosis of dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysms: procedure with a handheld device and a video-illustrated case
Authors: Iserson Kenneth V , Devi Jagjit Sri , Doodnauth Balram
Published: January 2021

Acute thoracic aortic dissection is an uncommon, although not rare, life-threatening condition. With protean signs and symptoms that often suggest more common cardiac or pulmonary conditions, it can be difficult to diagnose. Ultrasound has proven useful in making the correct diagnosis. This case demonstrates that training gained using standard ultrasound machines can be easily and successfully adapted to newer handheld ultrasound devices. The examination technique using the handheld device is illustrated with photos and a video.
The Word Ekklēsia in Matthew and Its Implication for Social Justice
Authors: Chia Philip Suciadi
Published: January 2021

The purposes of this research are to argue that the Gospel of Matthew uses the term ekklēsia with spiritual and physical meanings and that this term is based on God’s invitation through Jesus to all people to come into this assembly. The implication is that this ekklēsia will be filled with all people with different ethnicities, nations, languages, sexes, level of piousness and educations. I will employ word studies, historical background studies, and the literary structure of Matthew as my methodology to reach these goals.
Democratic backsliding and the media: the convergence of news narratives in Turkey
Authors: Över Defne
Published: January 2021

This article presents how the rise of Justice and Development Party (AKP) to political power in Turkey transformed journalists’ professional practices as to lead to a decline in the plurality of opinions presented in the media. After AKP’s second electoral victory in 2007, political trials, property transfers, and dismissals wrapped in a discourse of punishment and purge of the “nation’s enemies” destabilized long established power hierarchies of secularists, religious-conservatives, Kurds, and leftists in Turkey. The destabilization was caused by the state’s changing attitude toward these identity groups, and in the media it lead to shifts in journalists’ status positions and emotions. Varying professional responses triggered by these shifts explain the convergence to a dominant singular political narrative in the media. This argument builds on narrative evidence collected between 2012 and 2014 via in-depth interviews, newspaper articles, and journalists’ memoires. With a from-below account, the article presents the effects of destabilized hierarchies on journalistic practice. In the example of media, it invites scholars to rethink contemporary democratic backsliding in terms of the links between state actors and non-state actors, on the one hand, and social actors’ power positions, political identities, and professional practices, on the other.
Detection of conspiracy propagators using psycho-linguistic characteristics
Authors: Giachanou Anastasia , Ghanem Bilal , Rosso Paolo
Published: January 2021

The rise of social media has offered a fast and easy way for the propagation of conspiracy theories and other types of disinformation. Despite the research attention that has received, fake news detection remains an open problem and users keep sharing articles that contain false statements but which they consider real. In this article, we focus on the role of users in the propagation of conspiracy theories that is a specific type of disinformation. First, we compare profile and psycho-linguistic patterns of online users that tend to propagate posts that support conspiracy theories and of those who propagate posts that refute them. To this end, we perform a comparative analysis over various profile, psychological and linguistic characteristics using social media texts of users that share posts about conspiracy theories. Then, we compare the effectiveness of those characteristics for predicting whether a user is a conspiracy propagator or not. In addition, we propose ConspiDetector, a model that is based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) and which combines word embeddings with psycho-linguistic characteristics extracted from the tweets of users to detect conspiracy propagators. The results show that ConspiDetector can improve the performance in detecting conspiracy propagators by 8.82% compared with the CNN baseline with regard to F1-metric.
Caregivers’ Loss of the Dyadic Experience after Their Care Partners’ Death
Authors: Buck Harleah G. , Lyons Karen , Barrison Philip , Cairns Paula , Mason Tina , Tofthagen Cindy , Kip Kevin
Published: January 2021

Little is known about the experience of family caregivers when their care partner dies and their dyadic relationship comes to an end. This study qualitatively examined and characterized the loss of the dyadic experience for the caregiver after the death of their care partner. Data was accrued as part of a randomized clinical trial in 29 older hospice caregivers. Iterative thematic analysis focused on dyadic processes before, during and post death. Using two relational parameters from Relational Turbulence Theory resulted in a preliminary characterization of a new concept—dyadic dissolution as a cognitive and affective process whereby a remaining member of a dyad experiences relational uncertainty and partner interference while adapting (or not) to the death of their care partner. Findings suggest that asking several open-ended questions about the dyadic relationship will enable assessment for any continuing impact of relational uncertainty and partner interference on bereaved caregivers.
The geographical impact of the Covid-19 crisis on precautionary savings, firm survival and jobs: Evidence from the United Kingdom’s 100 largest towns and cities
Authors: Brown Ross , Cowling Marc
Published: January 2021

In this commentary, we trace the economic and spatial consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of potential business failure and the associated job losses across the 100 largest cities and towns in the United Kingdom (UK). The article draws on UK survey data of 1500 firms of different size classes examining levels of firm-level precautionary savings. On business failure risk, we find a clear and unequal impact on poorer northern and peripheral urban areas of the UK, indicative of weak levels of regional resilience, but a more random distribution in terms of job losses. Micro firms and the largest firms are the greatest drivers of aggregate job losses. We argue that spatially blind enterprise policies are insufficient to tackle the crisis and better targeted regional policies will be paramount in the future to help mitigate the scarring effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of firm failures and the attendant job losses. We conclude that Covid-19 has made the stated intention of the current government’s ambition to ‘level up’ the forgotten and left-behind towns and cities of the UK an even more distant policy objective than prior to the crisis.
Pandemic Pedagogy for the New Normal: Fostering Perceived Control During COVID-19
Authors: Rippé Cindy B. , Weisfeld-Spolter Suri , Yurova Yuliya , Kemp April
Published: January 2021

Before the pandemic, loneliness was already a burden affecting the health and well-being of students. The COVID-19 pandemic, with mandated isolations and closures of campuses, amplifies feelings of isolation and loneliness. Previous work shows that isolated and lonely individuals experience a lack of perceived control, but educators have little understanding of the type of pedagogy that can help students deal with these emotions. Two studies demonstrate that instructors can foster perceived control in their students and provide guidance on best practices for teaching during a pandemic. Given the desire to discover the new normal for teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, this research has important implications for educational practices and instructional techniques to help students manage the loneliness, isolation, and lack of perceived control during these unprecedented times.
Coordination of lateral body bending and leg movements for sprawled posture quadrupedal locomotion
Authors: Chong Baxi , Aydin Yasemin Ozkan , Gong Chaohui , Sartoretti Guillaume , Wu Yunjin , Rieser Jennifer M , Xing Haosen , Schiebel Perrin E , Rankin Jeffery W. , Michel Krijn B , Nicieza Alfredo , Hutchinson John R , Goldman Daniel I , Choset Howie
Published: January 2021

Many animals generate propulsive forces by coordinating legs, which contact and push against the surroundings, with bending of the body, which can only indirectly influence these forces. Such body–leg coordination is not commonly employed in quadrupedal robotic systems. To elucidate the role of back bending during quadrupedal locomotion, we study a model system: the salamander, a sprawled-posture quadruped that uses lateral bending of the elongate back in conjunction with stepping of the limbs during locomotion. We develop a geometric approach that yields a low-dimensional representation of the body and limb contributions to the locomotor performance quantified by stride displacement. For systems where the damping forces dominate inertial forces, our approach offers insight into appropriate coordination patterns, and improves the computational efficiency of optimization techniques. In particular, we demonstrate effect of the lateral undulation coordinated with leg movement in the forward, rotational, and lateral directions of the robot motion. We validate the theoretical results using numerical simulations, and then successfully test these approaches using robophysical experiments on granular media, a model deformable, frictional substrate. Although our focus lies primarily on robotics, we also demonstrate that our tools can accurately predict optimal body bending of a living salamander Salamandra salamandra.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in a young child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report and literature review
Authors: Liu Jingwei , Yang Chunfeng , Zhang Zhen , Li Yumei
Published: January 2021

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a hematological malignancy. There are many risk factors for thrombus development in patients with ALL, and thrombi may develop in different parts of the body. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare complication of ALL that usually appears during treatment. We present a patient who developed CVST twice, once before diagnosis and once after treatment for ALL. We also reviewed the literature describing ALL and CVST.
Sources of climate change information used by newspaper journalists in Tanzania
Authors: Siyao Peter Onauphoo , Sife Alfred Said
Published: January 2021

This article assesses the information sources used by Tanzanian newspaper journalists to collect climate change information. The main sources of climate change information consulted by newspaper journalists in Tanzania are climate change experts and daily events, such as community meetings and other relevant social gatherings. These sources are interactive – enabling journalists to obtain climate change information – and easily accessible, and use and provide instant responses. It was also found that deficient use of other potential sources of information, such as libraries, printed materials and Internet websites, coupled with overarching challenges that limit newspaper journalists from seeking, covering and reporting information on climate change, may affect the quality and quantity of climate change information published in Tanzanian newspapers. All the stakeholders involved in the fight against climate change and journalism colleges should collaborate and devise strategies aimed at building the capacity of newspaper journalists, editors and reporters in their daily activities.
Patient-Reported Outcomes and Knee Mechanics Correlate With Patellofemoral Deep Cartilage UTE-T2* 2 Years After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Williams Ashley A. , Erhart-Hledik Jennifer C. , Asay Jessica L. , Mahtani Gordhan B. , Titchenal Matthew R. , Lutz Amelie M. , Andriacchi Thomas P. , Chu Constance R.
Published: January 2021

Background:

Patellofemoral joint degeneration and dysfunction after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are increasingly recognized as contributors to poor clinical outcomes.

Purpose:

To determine if greater deep cartilage matrix disruption at 2 years after ACLR, as assessed by elevated patellofemoral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ultrashort echo time–enhanced T2* (UTE-T2*), is correlated with (1) worse patient-reported knee function and pain and (2) gait metrics related to patellofemoral tracking and loading, such as greater external rotation of the tibia at heel strike, reduced knee flexion moment (as a surrogate of quadriceps function), and greater knee flexion angle at heel strike.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

MRI UTE-T2* relaxation times in patellar and trochlear deep cartilage were compared with patient-reported outcomes and ambulatory gait metrics in 60 patients with ACLR at 2 years after reconstruction. ACLR gait metrics were compared with those of 60 uninjured reference patients matched by age, body mass index, and sex. ACLR UTE-T2* values were compared with those of 20 uninjured reference patients.

Results:

Higher trochlear UTE-T2* values were associated with worse Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS) Sport/Recreation subscale scores (rho = −0.32; P = .015), and showed a trend for association with worse KOOS Pain subscale scores (rho = −0.26; P = .045). At 2 years after ACLR, greater external rotation of the tibia at heel strike was associated with higher patellar UTE-T2* values ( R = 0.40; P = .002); greater knee flexion angle at heel strike was associated with higher trochlear UTE-T2* values (rho = 0.39; P = .002); and greater knee flexion moment showed a trend for association with higher trochlear UTE-T2* values (rho = 0.30; P = .019). Patellar cartilage UTE-T2* values, knee flexion angle at heel strike, and external rotation of the tibia at heel strike were all elevated in ACLR knees as compared with reference knees ( P = .029, .001, and .044, respectively).

Conclusion:

Patellofemoral deep cartilage matrix disruption, as assessed by MRI UTE-T2*, was associated with reduced sports and recreational function and with gait metrics reflective of altered patellofemoral loading. As such, the findings provide new mechanistic information important to improving clinical outcomes related to patellofemoral dysfunction after ACLR.
Enhanced Tendon-to-Bone Healing via IKKβ Inhibition in a Rat Rotator Cuff Model
Authors: Golman Mikhail , Li Xiaoning , Skouteris Dimitrios , Abraham Adam A. , Song Lee , Abu-Amer Yousef , Thomopoulos Stavros
Published: January 2021

Background:

More than 450,000 rotator cuff repairs are performed annually, yet healing of tendon to bone often fails. This failure is rooted in the fibrovascular healing response, which does not regenerate the native attachment site. Better healing outcomes may be achieved by targeting inflammation during the early period after repair. Rather than broad inhibition of inflammation, which may impair healing, the current study utilized a molecularly targeted approach to suppress IKKβ, shutting down only the inflammatory arm of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway.

Purpose:

To evaluate the therapeutic potential of IKKβ inhibition in a clinically relevant model of rat rotator cuff repair.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

After validating the efficacy of the IKKβ inhibitor in vitro, it was administered orally once a day for 7 days after surgery in a rat rotator cuff repair model. The effect of treatment on reducing inflammation and improving repair quality was evaluated after 3 days and 2, 4, and 8 weeks of healing, using gene expression, biomechanics, bone morphometry, and histology.

Results:

Inhibition of IKKβ attenuated cytokine and chemokine production in vitro, demonstrating the potential for this inhibitor to reduce inflammation in vivo. Oral treatment with IKKβ inhibitor reduced NF-κB target gene expression by up to 80% compared with a nontreated group at day 3, with a subset of these genes suppressed through 14 days. Furthermore, the IKKβ inhibitor led to enhanced tenogenesis and extracellular matrix production, as demonstrated by gene expression and histological analyses. At 4 weeks, inhibitor treatment led to increased toughness, no effects on failure load and strength, and decreases in stiffness and modulus when compared with vehicle control. At 8 weeks, IKKβ inhibitor treatment led to increased toughness, failure load, and strength compared with control animals. IKKβ inhibitor treatment prevented the bone loss near the tendon attachment that occurred in repairs in control.

Conclusion:

Pharmacological inhibition of IKKβ successfully suppressed excessive inflammation and enhanced tendon-to-bone healing after rotator cuff repair in a rat model.

Clinical Relevance:

The NF-κB pathway is a promising target for enhancing outcomes after rotator cuff repair.
Connected Audiences in Social Performance
Authors: Malacarne Timothy
Published: January 2021

Previous accounts of social performance have examined the difficulties associated with multiple audiences, but few describe situations in which a performer’s audiences are not only multiple but are also connected in ways that mean the reaction of one audience will influence that of the other. I lay out the necessary conditions for audiences to be considered connected, the potential configurations of connected audiences, and the challenges for performative success that come with such configurations. I argue that some performance structures are increasingly central to civil engagement as groups become less likely to interact but more likely to virtually observe one another and that conceptualizing these performances is essential to understanding recent political events in pluralistic societies.
Patients’ Reactions to Being Offered Financial Incentives to Increase Colorectal Screening: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Shay L. Aubree , Kimbel Kilian J. , Dorsey Caitlin N. , Jauregui Leslie C. , Vernon Sally W. , Kullgren Jeffrey T. , Green Beverly B.
Published: January 2021

Purpose:

To explore financial incentives as an intervention to improve colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) adherence among traditionally disadvantaged patients who have never been screened or are overdue for screening.

Approach:

We used qualitative methods to describe patients’ attitudes toward the offer of incentives, plans for future screening, and additional barriers and facilitators to CRCS.

Setting:

Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA).

Participants:

KPWA patients who were due or overdue for CRCS.

Method:

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 37 patients who were randomized to 1 of 2 incentives (guaranteed $10 or a lottery for $50) to complete CRCS. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative content approach.

Results:

Patients generally had positive attitudes toward both types of incentives, however, half did not recall the incentive offer at the time of the interview. Among those who recalled the offer, 95% were screened compared to only 25% among those who did not remember the offer. Most screeners stated that staying healthy was their primary motivator for screening, but many suggested that the incentive helped them prioritize and complete screening.

Conclusions:

Incentives to complete CRCS may help motivate patients who would like to screen but have previously procrastinated. Future studies should ensure that the incentive offer is noticeable and shorten the deadline for completion of FIT screening.
“You Don’t Want to Feel Poor All the Time”: What SNAP Means to Low-Income Philadelphia Residents
Authors: Brown Keith R. , Hanlon Colette , Scola Becki
Published: January 2021

Through participant observation while grocery shopping, and 37 in-depth interviews with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, we describe the social meanings of SNAP dollars to low-income Philadelphia residents. We make three contributions to the study of food insecurity and SNAP. First, we confirm the literature showing that SNAP covers less than half of a monthly food budget. Second, we apply the “social meaning of money” theory to show that our respondents did not equate or spend SNAP dollars the same way they spent other forms of money. Spending SNAP dollars allowed for a temporary escape from the stresses of poverty. And third, we describe the cultural capital (habits and shared meanings) that is necessary to feed a family on a limited budget. In the SNAP market, the cultural capital accumulated through poverty is more valuable than the cultural capital obtained through wealth. Thus, we push for a more nuanced understanding of cultural capital among poverty scholars that keeps the focus on the contextual and interactional nature of this concept.
A visualization study on flat plate heat pipe (FPHP)
Authors: Yu Wan , Gao Dan , Wang Gang , Hu Tao , Gong Qichao , Wang Tian
Published: January 2021

With the aim to analyze the flow pattern and heat transfer characteristics of the working fluid in a flat plate heat pipe (FPHP) which was sealed by a transparent tempered glass plate, ethanol, acetone, and R141b were taken as the working medium, and visual experiments were performed at different heat flux when the inclination angle was 90°. The vapor-liquid distribution and the heat transfer characteristics of the FPHP were investigated at different liquid filling ratios. According to the experimental results and the recording of high-speed cameras, some important conclusions had been drawn as follows: (i) As the power increases, the vapor-liquid interface in the FPHP declines and the effects of dryout is significantly intnsified, leading to a sharp increase in temperature. The FPHP with a filling ratios of 25.7% owns better thermal performance than that with the filling ratios of 11.8% and 66% at different heating power; (ii) the bubble generation inside the FPHP became more intense with increasing heat flux, and various bubble movement patterns were found at different the liquid filling ratios; (iii) As the liquid film flowed downward, the thickness of the liquid film increased at first and then decreases. The condensation of steam was reduced due to the thickening of the liquid film on the wall. The liquid film became thinner when it was entrapped and evaporated in the downward flow.
A Bayesian dose–response meta-analysis model: A simulations study and application
Authors: Hamza Tasnim , Cipriani Andrea , Furukawa Toshi A , Egger Matthias , Orsini Nicola , Salanti Georgia
Published: January 2021

Dose–response models express the effect of different dose or exposure levels on a specific outcome. In meta-analysis, where aggregated-level data is available, dose–response evidence is synthesized using either one-stage or two-stage models in a frequentist setting. We propose a hierarchical dose–response model implemented in a Bayesian framework. We develop our model assuming normal or binomial likelihood and accounting for exposures grouped in clusters. To allow maximum flexibility, the dose–response association is modelled using restricted cubic splines. We implement these models in R using JAGS and we compare our approach to the one-stage dose–response meta-analysis model in a simulation study. We found that the Bayesian dose–response model with binomial likelihood has lower bias than the Bayesian model with normal likelihood and the frequentist one-stage model when studies have small sample size. When the true underlying shape is log–log or half-sigmoid, the performance of all models depends on choosing an appropriate location for the knots. In all other examined situations, all models perform very well and give practically identical results. We also re-analyze the data from 60 randomized controlled trials (15,984 participants) examining the efficacy (response) of various doses of serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant drugs. All models suggest that the dose–response curve increases between zero dose and 30–40 mg of fluoxetine-equivalent dose, and thereafter shows small decline. We draw the same conclusion when we take into account the fact that five different antidepressants have been studied in the included trials. We show that implementation of the hierarchical model in Bayesian framework has similar performance to, but overcomes some of the limitations of the frequentist approach and offers maximum flexibility to accommodate features of the data.
Inference under covariate-adaptive randomization: A simulation study
Authors: Callegaro Andrea , Harsha Shree B S , Karkada Naveen
Published: January 2021

In clinical trials, several covariate-adaptive designs have been proposed to balance treatment arms with respect to key covariates. Although some argue that conventional asymptotic tests are still appropriate when covariate-adaptive randomization is used, others think that re-randomization tests should be used. In this manuscript, we compare by simulation the performance of asymptotic and re-randomization tests under covariate-adaptive randomization. Our simulation study confirms results expected by the existing theory (e.g. asymptotic tests do not control type I error when the model is miss-specified). Furthermore, it shows that (i) re-randomization tests are as powerful as the asymptotic tests if the model is correct; (ii) re-randomization tests are more powerful when adjusting for covariates; (iii) minimization and permuted blocks provide similar results.
Book review: Harsh V. Pant (ed), China Ascendant: Its Rise and Implications
Authors: Godbole Avinash
Published: January 2021

Harsh V. Pant (ed), China Ascendant: Its Rise and Implications (New Delhi: Harper Collins, 2019), 358 pp. ₹699, (HB). ISBN 978-9-353-57063-7.
Integrated domestic violence services: A case study in police/NGO co-location
Authors: Mundy Trish , Seuffert Nan
Published: January 2021

Australia’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, launched in 2010, has emphasised the need for integrated responses across government agencies, specialist domestic and family violence services and the justice system. This article presents an evaluation of an integrated, community-based domestic and family violence response service that uses a rare model of co-location in a police station, and assesses its suitability as a model service for the future. The evaluation reveals that there are many positive aspects of such co-location and the authors argue that this model should be more widely trialled in Australia.