bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation Between Quantitative Value of Endolymphatic Hydrops and Hearing Threshold Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Zhang Weidong , Xie Jiapei , Li Songbai , Zhang Bo
Published: November 2022

Objectives:

This study investigated the relationship between quantitative value of endolymphatic hydrops in the affected ear and the hearing threshold in patients with unilateral Meniere’s disease.

Study Design:

Prospective study.

Methods:

Forty patients with unilateral definite Meniere’s disease were diagnosed in outpatient clinic. We recorded their clinical symptoms (duration of vertigo and tinnitus and duration of vertigo attacks), and obtained the hearing thresholds of high, middle, and low by pure tone audiometry. A 3D-FLAIR MRI revealed endolymphatic hydrops and assessed quantitative values of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops. We assessed the correlation between hearing thresholds and quantitative values of endolymphatic hydrops.

Results:

All patients showed varying degrees of endolymphatic hydrops in the affected ear. With the duration of vertigo, tinnitus and vertigo attacks as control variables, partial correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficients between quantitative value of cochlear hydrops and hearing thresholds of low, middle, and high tone in the affected ear were 0.581, 0.610, and 0.125, respectively. The correlation coefficients between quantitative value of vestibular hydrops and hearing thresholds of low, middle, and high tone in the affected ear were 0.727, 0.569, and 0.201, respectively.

Conclusions:

The degree of endolymphatic hydrops in Meniere’s disease can be revealed and assessed by 3D-FLAIR MRI after intravenous administration of double doses of gadoterate meglumine. Clinical evaluation of endolymphatic hydrops in Meniere’s disease can be assisted by low- and middle-tone hearing thresholds, thereby providing anatomical support for the clinical symptoms of Meniere’s disease.
Effect of albumin measurement methods on the albumin–bilirubin grade
Authors: Tanaka Makito , Tanaka Shingo , Suzuki Ema , Kobayashi Ryo , Takahashi Satoshi
Published: November 2022

Background

Albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) grade is an index of liver function based on total bilirubin (T-BIL) and albumin levels, and its usefulness has been widely reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different methods of measuring T-BIL and albumin levels on the ALBI grade in patients with liver disease.

Methods

In total, 170 patients from our hospital were included in this study. Correlations between T-BIL levels measured using the vanadate oxidation and enzymatic methods were analysed. Similarly, a correlation analysis of albumin levels between the bromocresol green (BCG) and modified bromocresol purple (BCP) methods was performed. Additionally, the ALBI grade was calculated for patients with liver disease, and the differences between each method of albumin measurement were compared.

Results

No differences were observed in the measured T-BIL values between the two methods. Contrastingly, the albumin levels of 100 random samples and 70 liver disease patients obtained using the modified BCP method were significantly lower than those measured using the BCG method. The rate of change in the modified ALBI grade between the BCG and BCP methods was 25.7%.

Conclusions

Caution should be taken when comparing ALBI grades with those measured by other facilities because the method of albumin measurement can affect the ALBI grade. Standardization of albumin measurement is needed worldwide.
Pathways to post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress following the Canterbury earthquakes in a cohort of 40-year-olds
Authors: Beaglehole Ben , Bell Caroline , Mulder Roger , Boden Joseph
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To report on post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress following the Canterbury earthquakes and to quantify the relationships between exposure to the earthquakes, post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress.

Method:

The Christchurch Health and Development Study is a longitudinal birth cohort study of New Zealanders aged 40 years at the time of latest assessment in 2017. A total of 455 participants were exposed to the Canterbury earthquakes and assessed in 2012 and 2017. Post-traumatic growth was measured in 2017 using the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory. Earthquake-related post-traumatic stress was measured in 2012 using post-traumatic stress disorder items from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress were modelled using measures of earthquake impact and subjective measures of earthquake consequences (peri-traumatic stress and disruption distress).

Results:

There was an indirect relationship between earthquake impact and post-traumatic growth. This was mediated via disruption distress. There was also an indirect relationship between earthquake impact and post-traumatic stress. This was mediated via peri-traumatic stress and disruption distress. Post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress were not significantly related.

Conclusions:

Measurement of post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress is required for a holistic understanding of disaster consequences. Subjective assessment of distress following disasters is required to predict their psychological effects.
Pandemic Loneliness in Healthcare Workers. Does It Predict Later Psychological Distress?
Authors: Stubbs Joanne M. , Achat Helen M.
Published: November 2022

Increased loneliness associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely reported, with healthcare workers at increased risk compared to the general population. Pre-pandemic research indicates that loneliness has long-term detrimental effects on mental well-being, but the effect of loneliness in the context of COVID-19 is not clear. We conducted an online survey of healthcare workers (HCWs) at a large teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia after the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. Over one-third experienced loneliness at the peak of the first wave. An observed association with high psychological distress in subsequent months was attenuated after adjusting for status of mental well-being during the peak and before the pandemic. Mental well-being during the peak of the pandemic and, to a lesser extent, mental well-being before the pandemic were the strongest predictors of later distress. Increased conflict at home was also predictive of later distress. The mental health of HCWs is an important consideration at any time and is especially so in the face of crises such as the current global pandemic. Strategies to enhance baseline mental well-being and bolster well-being during crisis situations should assist HCWs cope with unexpected stressors and reduce the associated detrimental psychological consequences.
A Comparison of Caffeine Intake and Physical Activity According to Fatigue Severity in University Students
Authors: Güneş Musa , Demirer Büşra
Published: November 2022

This study aims to compare caffeine intake and physical activity levels in university students with severe and ineffective fatigue and examine the relationship between them. A total of 647 (F:527; M:120) university students were included in this cross-sectional study. Individuals' socio-demographic information, severity of fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)), amount of caffeine intake and physical activity level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)) were evaluated. It was determined that 56.5% of the university students (age: 21.21 ± 2.57) participating in the study had severe fatigue. Caffeine intake and physical activity level of students with severe fatigue were statistically significantly lower than those with ineffective fatigue ( p < 0.05). In addition, there was a weak negative correlation between fatigue and caffeine intake (r = −0.157; p < 0.001) and physical activity level (r = −0.096; p < 0.017). There was a significant positive correlation between caffeine intake and physical activity (r = 0.143; p < 0.001). This study showed that a significant portion of university students have severe fatigue. In addition, individuals with severe fatigue have decreased caffeine intake and lower physical activity levels. To reduce fatigue, caffeine intake in safe doses should be encouraged in accordance with the individual’s metabolic and physiological parameters. In addition, physical activity counseling should be given to encourage physical activity.
The role of alpha-1-antitrypsin in the etiopathogenesis of chronic venous disease: A prospective clinical trial
Authors: Limandal Hüsnü Kamil , Kayğın Mehmet Ali , Özkaya Alev Lazoğlu , Özkara Taha , Diler Mevriye Serpil , Çüçen Hatice Işıl , Yıldız Ziya , Ergün Servet , Dağ Özgür
Published: November 2022

Objective

The study aimed to examine whether alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), an inhibitor of leukocyte esterase(LE), which damages the venous vessel wall, has a protective effect against chronic venous disease(CVD), and to examine the relationship between AAT levels and disease severity.

Methods

Patients admitted with varicose vein disease and having reflux flow lasting longer than 0.5 s as determined by Doppler ultrasound were included. The informed consents were taken, and blood samples were obtained for complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and AAT level following anamnesis and physical examination. Clinical Etiologic Anatomic Pathologic (CEAP) classification was used to assess disease severity, and patients were divided into CEAP 1–5 groups accordingly.

Results

A total of 87 patients were included in the study. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in body weight, red blood cell counts, platelet counts, or neutrophil counts ( p = 0.117, p = 0.932, p = 0.177, and p = 0.177, respectively).CRP and AAT levels were higher in patients with a CEAP clinical score of 5 compared to the other groups ( p = 0.018, and p = 0.020, respectively). AAT levels were similar in the CEAP 1–3 group and decreased in the CEAP-4 group but increased again in the CEAP-5 group. The AAT level was 1.62 ± 0.3 g/L in the CEAP-1 group, 1.61 ± 0.21 g/L in the CEAP-2 group, 1.61 ± 0.27 g/L in the CEAP-3 group, 1.48 ± 0.28 g/L in the CEAP-4 group, and 1.94 ± 0.39 g/L in the CEAP-5 group. CRP levels and platelet counts were observed to affect AAT levels ( p = 0.10, p = 0.017, respectively).

Conclusion

We believe that our hypothesis that low AAT levels play a role in the etiopathogenesis of CVD has been partially validated, at least in the CEAP-4 group. However, we believe that increased AAT levels in the CEAP-5 group may be a reactive increase in increased LE levels due to higher CRP levels of this group.
Living experiences of people with advance cancer with low socioeconomic status: A systematic review of qualitative evidence
Authors: Meng Xianmei , An Zifen , Xu Yuying , Du Jiayi , Tan Lanhui , Yu Huidan , Yu Liping
Published: November 2022

Background:

The number of patients with advanced cancer is rapidly increasing, and the subgroup of this population with low socioeconomic status has suffered more disease burden than others. However, there is no recent qualitative synthesis of primary research studies into advanced cancer patients with low socioeconomic status.

Objective:

To synthesise qualitative research findings into advanced cancer patients’ experiences with low socioeconomic status, and then to help provide targeted and effective strategies to improve their quality of life.

Design:

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence (PROSPERO: CRD42021250423).

Data sources:

PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection (ISI Web of Science), Cochrane Library, Embase, OVID LWW, CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO) and MEDLINE (ISI Web of Science), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WangFang, and Vip databases were systematically searched from their original dates to July 2022. Qualitative data were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) qualitative assessment.

Findings:

The findings were synthesised into the following three analytical themes: (1) multi-dimensional disease distresses; (2) barriers in coping with disease distresses; and (3) strategies for dealing with disease distresses.

Conclusions:

Patients with advanced cancer with low socioeconomic status experienced complicated and interactional distresses, unique life barriers, and a wide range of adaptation strategies. These findings will provide a comprehensive perspective to promote individual-centred health care systems and services to help these vulnerable people deal with the challenges of disease and improve their quality of life.
Gray matter hypoperfusion is a late pathological event in the course of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Ahmadi Khazar , Pereira Joana B , Berron David , Vogel Jacob , Ingala Silvia , Strandberg Olof T , Janelidze Shorena , Barkhof Frederik , Pfeuffer Josef , Knutsson Linda , van Westen Danielle , Palmqvist Sebastian , Mutsaerts Henk JMM , Hansson Oskar
Published: November 2022

Several studies have shown decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the role of hypoperfusion in the disease pathogenesis remains unclear. Combining arterial spin labeling MRI, PET, and CSF biomarkers, we investigated the associations between gray matter (GM)-CBF and the key mechanisms in AD including amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau pathology, synaptic and axonal degeneration. Further, we applied a disease progression modeling to characterize the temporal sequence of different AD biomarkers. Lower perfusion was observed in temporo-occipito-parietal cortex in the Aβ-positive cognitively impaired compared to both Aβ-negative and Aβ-positive cognitively unimpaired individuals. In participants along the AD spectrum, GM-CBF was associated with tau, synaptic and axonal dysfunction, but not Aβ in similar cortical regions. Axonal degeneration was further associated with hypoperfusion in cognitively unimpaired individuals. Disease progression modeling revealed that GM-CBF disruption Followed the abnormality of biomarkers of Aβ, tau and brain atrophy. These findings indicate that tau tangles and neurodegeneration are more closely connected with GM-CBF changes than Aβ pathology. Although subjected to the sensitivity of the employed neuroimaging techniques and the modeling approach, these findings suggest that hypoperfusion might not be an early event associated with the build-up of Aβ in preclinical phase of AD.
Comparison of severity and complication rates of acute cholecystitis during pandemic and pre-pandemic periods?
Authors: Ongen Gokhan , Nas Omer Fatih , Aksoy Fuat , Candan Selman , Dundar Halit Ziya , Ozpar Rifat , Inecikli Mehmet Fatih , Gursel Basak Erdemli , Tasar Pinar , Savci Gursel
Published: November 2022

Background

Cancellations of surgeries for elective cases and late admissions of symptomatic cases during the pandemic period might have increased the number of cases of acute cholecystitis and its complications.

Purpose

To compare the severity of acute cholecystitis and complication rates during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods.

Material and Methods

We evaluated the computed tomography (CT) findings observed for the diagnosis of complications for both acute simple and acute complicated cholecystitis during both the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Patients admitted to the hospital between March 2020 and December 2020 made up the study group and the corresponding appropriate patients from one year earlier were studied as the control group. In addition to the CT findings, clinical and laboratory findings, co-morbidities such as diabetes, as well as the admission time to hospital from the onset of the initial symptoms to hospital admission were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 88 patients were evaluated (54 in the study group, 34 in the control group; mean age = 64.3 ± 16.3 years). The male-to-female ratio was 51/37. The number of patients diagnosed with complicated cholecystitis were significantly higher in the study group ( P = 0.03). Murphy finding and diabetes status were similar between the two groups ( P = 0.086 and P = 0.308, respectively). Admission time to the hospital was significantly different for study and control groups in simple cholecystitis patients ( P = 0.045); with no significant difference in cases of complicated cholecystitis ( P = 0.499).

Conclusion

Our study reveals the course of acute cholecystitis during the pandemic period was much more serious with higher complications.
Engineering the middle classes: State institutions and the aspirations of citizenship
Authors: Bolt Maxim , Schubert Jon
Published: November 2022

The ‘middle class’ has become the subject of euphoric narratives of growth and improving standards of living around the globe, and the object of government interventions and social engineering. Government interventions may be ineffective, have unintended outcomes, or be left barely articulated. Yet the place of the middle classes as embodying national success, stability and modernity has taken on the power of common sense. Modern states have long made middle classes, and in turn been legitimated by them. Indeed, ‘state’ and ‘middle class’ are sharply normative concepts – bound up with ideals as much as ideas. They represent interrelated, morally loaded projects of demarcation, distinction and recognition. This special issue examines how state institutions make middle classes through such normative commitments, and how they are made by them in turn.
‘New’ but ‘Squeezed’: Middle Class and Mortgaged Homeownership in Croatia
Authors: Mikuš Marek
Published: November 2022

Some recent anthropological accounts of middle classes centred on their indebted home-ownership. They stressed its two contrastive logics fitting a wider binary – exposing ‘squeezed’ middle classes in the global North to increasing risks, and supporting the ascent of their ‘new’ counterparts in the South. The genealogy of middle-class housing debt in Croatia presented in this article reveals another, post-socialist trajectory where mundane and opaque institutional practices regulating access to housing finance, such as bank credit scoring and the allocation of state housing benefits, were key in steering a middle class inherited from socialism towards mortgaged home-ownership. The latter was articulated as a middle-class experience only after the 2000s credit boom had come to an end and the consequences of rampant predatory lending became visible and subject to contestation. The resulting middle-class subjectivities are ambiguous and, as comparisons with other Eastern European cases suggest, accessible for a range of political projects.
Biomechanical Efficacy of Tape Cerclage as an Augment or Stand-alone for Coracoclavicular Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Wellington Ian J. , Hawthorne Benjamin C. , Ford Brian , Dorsey Caitlin G. , Quindlen Kevin J. , Propp Bennett E. , Obopilwe Elifho , Cagle Paul J. , Mazzocca Augustus D.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Loss of initial reduction of the acromioclavicular joint after coracoclavicular (CC) ligament reconstruction remains a challenge for various repair techniques. Previous studies using polydioxanone suture cerclage augments for CC ligament reconstruction demonstrated poor clinical and biomechanical outcomes. Tape-style sutures have recently gained popularity because of their added stiffness and strength relative to traditional sutures. These tape cerclage systems have yet to be biomechanically studied in CC ligament reconstruction.

Purpose:

To determine the efficacy of a tape cerclage system as an augment to CC ligament reconstruction.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 24 human cadaveric shoulders were utilized. These were divided into 4 repair groups: anatomic CC ligament reconstruction (ACCR), ACCR with a tape cerclage augment (ACCR + C), tendon graft sling with a cerclage augment (TGS + C), or tape cerclage sling alone (CS). The repairs underwent superior/inferior cyclic loading to evaluate for displacement. Specimens were visually inspected for cortical erosion by the tape cerclage after cyclic loading. Finally, the constructs underwent superior plane load-to-failure testing.

Results:

Less displacement after cyclic loading was observed in the ACCR + C (mean ± SD, 0.42 ± 0.32 mm), TGS + C (0.92 ± 0.42 mm), and CS (0.93 ± 0.39 mm) groups as compared with the ACCR group (4.42 ± 3.40 mm; P = .002). ACCR + C (813.3 ± 257.5 N), TGS + C (558.0 ± 120.7 N), and CS (759.5 ± 173.7 N) demonstrated significantly greater load at failure relative to ACCR (329.2 ± 118.2 N) ( P < .001). ACCR + C (60.88 ± 17.3 N/mm), TGS + C (44.97 ± 9.15 N/mm), and CS (54.52 ± 14.24 N/mm) conferred greater stiffness than ACCR (27.43 ± 6.94 N/mm) ( P = .001). No cortical erosion was demonstrated in any specimen after cyclic loading.

Conclusion:

In a cadaveric model at time zero, repairs utilizing a tape cerclage system confer significantly greater load to failure and stiffness, as well as decreased displacement with cyclic loading, when compared with traditional ACCR repair.

Clinical Relevance:

Tape cerclage augmentation may provide a useful augment for CC ligament reconstruction.
The Clinical Application of Machine Learning Models for Risk Analysis of Ramp Lesions in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
Authors: Park Yong-Beom , Kim Hyojoon , Lee Han-Jun , Baek Suk-Ho , Kwak Il-Youp , Kim Seong Hwan
Published: November 2022

Background:

Peripheral tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus, known as “ramp lesions,” are commonly found in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)–deficient knees but are frequently missed on routine evaluation.

Purpose:

To predict the presence of ramp lesions in ACL-deficient knees using machine learning methods with associated risk factors.

Study Design:

Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

This study included 362 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction between June 2010 and March 2019. The exclusion criteria were combined fractures and multiple ligament injuries, except for medial collateral ligament injuries. Patients were grouped according to the presence of ramp lesions on arthroscopic surgery. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors including age, sex, body mass index, time from injury to surgery (≥3 or <3 months), mechanism of injury (contact or noncontact), side-to-side laxity, pivot-shift grade, medial and lateral tibial/meniscal slope, location of bone contusion, mechanical axis angle, and lateral femoral condyle (LFC) ratio. The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve were also evaluated.

Results:

Ramp lesions were identified in 112 patients (30.9%). The risk for ramp lesions increased with steeper medial tibial and meniscal slopes, higher knee laxity, and an increased LFC ratio. Comparing the final performance of all models, the random forest model yielded the best performance (area under the curve: 0.944), although there were no significant differences among the models ( P > .05). The cut-off values for the presence of ramp lesions on receiver operating characteristic analysis were as follows: medial tibial slope >5.5° ( P < .001), medial meniscal slope >5.0° ( P < .001), and LFC ratio >71.3% ( P = .033).

Conclusion:

Steep medial tibial and meniscal slopes, an increased LFC ratio, and higher knee rotatory laxity were observed risk factors for ramp lesions in patients with an ACL injury. The prediction model of this study could be used as a supplementary diagnostic tool for ramp lesions in ACL-injured knees. In general, care should be taken in patients with ramp lesions and its risk factors during ACL reconstruction.
Neurocognition and Depressive Symptoms have Unique Pathways to Predicting Different Domains of Functioning in Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Wood-Ross Chelsea , Tran Tanya , Milanovic Melissa , Jokic Ruzica , Milev Roumen , Bowie Christopher R.
Published: November 2022

Background

Research has established the independent relationships between depressive symptoms to cognition and functioning in depression; however, little is known about the role of mediators in this relationship. We explored the role of neurocognitive abilities, depressive symptom severity, dysfunctional attitudes, and functional capacity in predicting two dimensions of daily functioning in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

One hundred and twenty-four participants (mean age  =  46.26, SD  =  12.27; 56% female) with a diagnosis of MDD were assessed on a standard neurocognitive battery, self-reported depressive symptoms, dysfunctional attitudes, and clinician-rated functional impairment. They completed a performance-based assessment of functional competence.

Results

Confirmatory path analyses were used to model the independent and mediated effects of variables on two domains of functioning: social (relationships and social engagement) and productive (household and community activities). Cognition and depressive symptoms both predicted productive functioning, and dysfunctional attitudes mediated each of these relationships. Functional competence was a significant mediator in the relationship between neurocognition and productive functioning. Depressive symptoms and cognition were direct predictors of social functioning with no significant mediators.

Conclusions

There are divergent pathways to different dimensions of daily functioning in MDD. Measurement implications include the consideration of multiple levels of predicting productive activities and more direct relationships with social outcomes. Treatments that directly target depressive symptoms and cognition might not generalize to improvements in everyday functioning if additional pathways to functioning are not addressed.
Women's Mental Health up to Eight Years after Childbirth and Associated Risk Factors: Longitudinal Findings from the All Our Families Cohort in Canada
Authors: Adhikari Kamala , Racine Nicole , Hetherington Erin , McDonald Sheila , Tough Suzanne
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study examined the prevalence of elevated maternal anxiety and/or depression symptoms up to eight years after childbirth and the association between role and relationship strains during parenting and mental health challenges from three to eight years after childbirth.

Methods

This study used data from the All Our Families longitudinal pregnancy cohort. Role and relationship strain factors and anxiety and depression symptoms were measured at repeated time points from four months to eight years after childbirth. The proportion of women with elevated anxiety and/or depression was calculated at each available time point. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the association between role and relationship strain factors and anxiety and/or depression from three to eight years after childbirth. Predicted probability of having anxiety and/or depression was estimated across those with and without challenges with roles and relationships. The models were adjusted for known risk factors such as maternal income and perinatal anxiety and/or depression.

Results

The prevalence of elevated anxiety and/or depression ranged from 18.8% (at four months) to 26.2% (at eight years). The adjusted odds ratio of anxiety and/or depression was 3.5 (95% CI = 2.9, 4.3) for those juggling family responsibilities and 2.4 (95% CI = 2.0, 3.0) for those with stressful partner relationship compared to their counterparts. Similarly, experiencing financial crunch and poor partner relationship were associated with increased mental health difficulties. Women without challenges in roles or relationships had a 23% lower predicted probability of anxiety and/or depression than those with the challenges.

Conclusions

Monitoring mothers for anxiety and depression beyond the postpartum period and strategies that address role and relationship challenges may be valuable to women at risk of anxiety and depression.
The Effect of COVID-19 on Police Activities: Traffic Stops, Arrests, and Use of Force
Authors: Demir Mustafa , Cassino Peter P.
Published: November 2022

COVID-19 may affect police activities (i.e., traffic stops, arrests, and use of force) due to public compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, changes in individuals’ daily activities, and health threats posed by COVID-19. The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of COVID-19 on police activities and the trends in these activities in Burlington, Vermont. The data that measured arrests, traffic stops, and use of force were obtained from the Burlington Police Department website and covered the period from December 10, 2018 through June 14, 2021. Then, the daily time-series data for arrest rate, use of force rate, and traffic stop rate were created (N = 918; 459 days pre-COVID-19 and 459 days during COVID-19). The results showed that COVID-19 statistically significantly decreased traffic stops and arrests, but not use of force on the day immediately following the implementation of the COVID-19 restrictions and then remained stable over time. However, no significant change was detected in the trends of arrests, traffic stops, and use of force before and during the COVID-19 period. COVID-19 had a significant immediate and lasting effect on traffic stops and arrests, but not use of force.
Is There Evidence of P-Hacking in Imaging Research?
Authors: Rooprai Paul , Islam Nayaar , Salameh Jean-Paul , Ebrahimzadeh Sanam , Kazi Abrar , Frank Robert , Ramsay Tim , Mathur Maya B. , Absi Marissa , Khalil Ahmed , Kazi Sakib , Dawit Haben , Lam Eric , Fabiano Nicholas , McInnes Matthew D. F.
Published: November 2022

Background

P-hacking, the tendency to run selective analyses until they become significant, is prevalent in many scientific disciplines.

Purpose

This study aims to assess if p-hacking exists in imaging research.

Methods

Protocol, data, and code available here https://osf.io/xz9ku/?view_only=a9f7c2d841684cb7a3616f567db273fa . We searched imaging journals Ovid MEDLINE from 1972 to 2021. Text mining using Python script was used to collect metadata: journal, publication year, title, abstract, and P-values from abstracts. One P-value was randomly sampled per abstract. We assessed for evidence of p-hacking using a p-curve, by evaluating for a concentration of P-values just below .05. We conducted a one-tailed binomial test (α = .05 level of significance) to assess whether there were more P-values falling in the upper range (e.g., .045 < P < .05) than in the lower range (e.g., .04 < P < .045). To assess variation in results introduced by our random sampling of a single P-value per abstract, we repeated the random sampling process 1000 times and pooled results across the samples. Analysis was done (divided into 10-year periods) to determine if p-hacking practices evolved over time.

Results

Our search of 136 journals identified 967,981 abstracts. Text mining identified 293,687 P-values, and a total of 4105 randomly sampled P-values were included in the p-hacking analysis. The number of journals and abstracts that were included in the analysis as a fraction and percentage of the total number was, respectively, 108/136 (80%) and 4105/967,981 (.4%). P-values did not concentrate just under .05; in fact, there were more P-values falling in the lower range (e.g., .04 < P < .045) than falling just below .05 (e.g., .045 < P < .05), indicating lack of evidence for p-hacking. Time trend analysis did not identify p-hacking in any of the five 10-year periods.

Conclusion

We did not identify evidence of p-hacking in abstracts published in over 100 imaging journals since 1972. These analyses cannot detect all forms of p-hacking, and other forms of bias may exist in imaging research such as publication bias and selective outcome reporting.
Platelet-derived growth factor AA-modified electrospun fibers promote tendon healing
Authors: Wang Linyou , Yang Tiejun , Ding Li , Ye Xiao , Wu Liang
Published: November 2022

Platelet-derived growth factor AA (PDGF-AA) is an important promoter of tissue injury repair and might be a candidate for improving the mechanical properties of repaired tendons. Here, we designed a PDGF-AA-modified poly(lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) electrospun fibers to promote tendon rehabilitation after injury. In the present study, we grafted PDGF-AA on the surface of PLGA. In structural experiments, we found that the hydrophilicity of PLGA containing PDGF-AA (PLGA-PDGF-AA) increased, but the strength of the material did not change significantly. Moreover, no significant changes in tendon cell proliferation and viability were observed in the PLGA-PDGF-AA treatment compared with the control group. The mouse tendon injury model ( n = 9) experiment illustrated that PLGA-PDGF-AA effectively promoted tendon healing, and we confirmed that PLGA-PDGF-AA promoted collagen synthesis and deposition by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Moreover, the mechanical strength of PLGA-PDGF-AA-treated mouse ( n = 9) tendon tissue was also higher than that of the PLGA-treated group alone. In conclusion, PLGA-PDGF-AA promoted regeneration after tendon injury and serves as a potential adjuvant material for surgical tendon injury repair.
Caregiver Experiences Navigating the Diagnostic Journey in a Rapidly Progressing Dementia
Authors: Sideman Alissa Bernstein , Gilissen Joni , Harrison Krista L , Garrett Sarah B , Terranova Michael J , Ritchie Christine S , Geschwind Michael D
Published: November 2022

Introduction

People with suspected Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their families experience a burdensome process while seeking a diagnosis. These challenges are problematic in the most common dementia syndromes, but they can be even more distressing in rarer, atypical syndromes such as rapidly progressive dementias (RPDs), which can be fatal within months from onset. This study is an examination of the diagnostic journey experience from the perspective of caregivers of people who died from the prototypic RPD, sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (sCJD).

Methods

eIn this mixed-methods study, qualitative data were drawn from interviews with former caregivers of 12 people who died from sCJD. Chart review data were drawn from research and clinical chart data about the person with sCJD. Data were analyzed by a multidisciplinary research team using qualitative and descriptive statistical analysis.

Results

We identified 4 overarching themes that characterized the experience of the diagnostic journey in sCJD: clinician knowledge, clinician communication, experiences of uncertainty, and the caregiver as advocate. We also identified 4 phases along the diagnostic journey: recognition, the diagnostic workup, diagnosis, and post-diagnosis. Sub-themes within each phase include struggles to recognize what is wrong, complex processes of testing and referrals, delay and disclosure of diagnosis, and access to resources post-diagnosis.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that more work is needed to improve clinician diagnostic knowledge and communication practices. Furthermore, caregivers need better support during the diagnostic journey. What we learn from studying sCJD and other RPDs is likely applicable to other more common dementias.
Enhanced mechanical and electrical properties of ECR-glass reinforced polyimide composites with incorporation of TiO2 for insulation applications
Authors: Ogbonna Victor E , Popoola Abimbola Patricia I , Popoola Olawale M , Adeosun Samson O
Published: November 2022

This paper presents the mechanical behaviour of novel class composites consisting of ECR-glass type reinforced polyimide (PI) composite loaded with TiO2 nanoparticles. ECR glass reinforced PI composites were fabricated by adding TiO2 particles at three different concentrations namely; 2, 4, and 6 wt% using 3D-Turbula dispersion and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) method. The morphologies, crystallinity, mechanical, and electrical properties of the produced composites were evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer, nanoindentation test, and LCR meter device. The SEM results revealed that the TiO2 nanoparticles were homogenously dispersed into the PI composites. The mechanical properties, such as hardness, stiffness, and elastic modulus of the pure PI and ECR glass reinforced PI composite was improved by the incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles. Maximum hardness and elastic modulus values of 2.19 GPa and 13.99 GP, respectively, was observed in ECR reinforced PI composited loaded with 6 wt% TiO2 nanoparticles. In addition, ECR glass reinforced PI composites with 6 wt% TiO2 nanoparticles depicted the lowest dielectric constant (1.18), dielectric loss (1.14) and electrical conductivity (3.16 × 10−6 S/cm). Finally, the findings suggest the easy processability of PI nanocomposites and their potential for mechanical and electrical insulation applications.
Analyzing Factors Influencing College Athletes’ Career Actions Using Social Cognitive Career Self-Management Model
Authors: Chan Chun-Chen
Published: November 2022

This study examines the career actions of college athletes and factors influencing the process by integrating the concept of goal setting in a social cognitive career self-management model. The author used a questionnaire survey to collect data. In total, 675 valid questionnaires were returned. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that our career action model for college athletes has an acceptable fit with the sample data. The results reveal that career self-efficacy, outcome expectations, career goals, career barriers, and goal adjustment are keys in college athletes’ career actions. The findings can serve as a reference to develop career counseling strategies for college athletes. This study not only expands the scope of research on career development counseling for athletes, but also increases the applicability and explanatory power of CSM theory.
Municipal performance management during the covid pandemic
Authors: Pasha Obed , Jacobson Willow
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a major shift in governmental operations, including decision-making processes. In the midst of an unprecedented crisis, public managers had to make rapid decisions within an uncertain landscape and ambiguous timeline. This exploratory study aims to understand how the pandemic impacted public managers’ behavior as they attempted to better cope with the crisis. In particular, we focus on the impact of the pandemic on performance management practices in municipal governments, examining a range of components, including data analysis and use. Our cross-sectional analysis of 103 line managers from North Carolina municipal departments finds that local government managers increased their use of performance management practices during the pandemic compared to the previous (non-pandemic) year. The increased use was amplified when existing performance information practices were established before the pandemic. These exploratory findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of performance information in decision-making during a crisis and to performance management scholarship more broadly.
Electro-hydraulic braking dynamics for pressure demand control of brake-by-wire system
Authors: Jiang Ligao , Shi Qin , Wei Yujiang , He Yunfeng , He Zejia , He Lin
Published: November 2022

Brake-by-wire system for self-driving vehicles requires hydraulic pressure response of the master cylinder to be quick in the braking process, making its long-term precision paramount. This is particularly challenging for braking in response to the command of virtual driver instead of the real driver, for which the hydraulic pressure is nonlinear with the electric motor’s torque. While much of the research on brake-by-wire has focused on improving energy regeneration and vehicle stability, comparatively little is known about the braking pressure control of self-driving vehicles. Therefore, we develop a novel architecture of the electro-hydraulic brake-by-wire adopting ball screw for the self-driving, in which there is a quadratic-polynomial relationship between the position of the electric motor and the brake pressure of the master cylinder. The brake-by-wire dynamics model is built by the speed of the electric motor and the brake pressure of the master cylinder, and a sliding mode control law is designed based on the pressure demand of the master cylinder. Here we discuss a series of studies on electro-hydraulic braking dynamics that, collectively, design a pressure demand control approach of how the sliding mode controller operates the master cylinder pressure by the electric motor torque. Testing and analyzing the designed approach embedded into the braking control unit is applied to a vehicle test bench brake-by-wire to fully realize the accurate pressure tracking of the electro-hydraulic brake-by-wire system.
Investigation of the turbine performances in the case of dual usage of Savonius wind turbines
Authors: Deda Altan Burcin , Gungor Afsin
Published: November 2022

In this study, the turbine performances of Savonius wind turbines were investigated in the case of dual usage. While implementing the dual use of the Savonius wind turbine, a flat plate deflector was placed in front of the turbines to increase the turbine performance. The effects of design parameters such as the geometric dimensions of this flat plate placed in front of the turbines and the geometrical placement position on the turbine performance were investigated. In this direction, the flat plate prevented the negative torque that occurs during the operation of the turbines. Hence, the plate guided the wind to the turbine blade, which generated positive torque. The numerical analyses made in this study were confirmed by the previous literature study. The performance values of single, dual, and flat plate dual Savonius wind turbines were analyzed using the numerical analysis method, the accuracy of which was proven by the experimental data. It was determined that the similarity between the experimental result and the numerical result was approximately 0.3%, especially in the maximum power coefficient values. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program ANSYS Fluent was used for turbine performance analysis. With this design study, the maximum power coefficient ( Cp) was obtained around 0.17 with a single Savonius wind turbine, while the maximum power coefficient ( Cp) was obtained around 0.24 with a flat plate dual Savonius wind turbine. As a result, the power coefficient obtained with a single Savonius wind turbine increased by 42% in the flat plate dual Savonius turbine system when compared to the power coefficient of the single Savonius wind turbine. Thus, it was determined that the power coefficient obtained with a single Savonius wind turbine in the flat plate dual Savonius turbine system increased by 42% compared to the power coefficient of the single Savonius wind turbine.
Risk management of e-waste disposal in China: A life cycle perspective
Authors: Yang Haichao , Zhang Sheng
Published: November 2022

In the wave of global e-waste migration, the problem of e-waste management in developing countries and underdeveloped areas has become the focus of academic attention. In the developing countries represented by China, there are still a large number of electronic waste flowing into the extensive manual dismantling workshops. These informal recycling and disposal have a huge adverse impact on the environment of the surrounding areas, and there are huge health and ecological risks. How to effectively deal with the risks generated in the process of e-waste disposal is of great significance to global e-waste management. At present, risk assessment and management have not been included in China's existing e-waste management system. This article analyzes the health, ecological, and regional risks of e-waste in the four links of recycling, dismantling, resource utilization, and final disposal. At the same time, a list of e-waste risk assessment processes is formulated, and a risk management framework for e-waste in China is proposed. It enriches the theoretical and empirical research on e-waste management and provides Chinese practices for the future construction of an industrial 4.0 sustainable ecosystem.
Exploring the early manifestation of information poverty in young children
Authors: Breslin Davda Frances , Buchanan Steven
Published: November 2022

Information poverty is widely recognised as having a negative impact upon peoples’ health and wellbeing, and socioeconomic prosperity; however, whilst an issue of significant societal concern evidenced across a wide variety of adult groups and socioeconomic contexts, no studies have been previously undertaken with children. This appears a significant oversight given that many children across the globe are considered multi-dimensionally poor. This study thus sought to explore the possibility of information poverty amongst children. One hundred fifty-six children (aged 6–8) from five UK primary schools participated in a series of practical exercises exploring their information behaviours, and 34 parents and teachers were interviewed to provide further insights. Finding’s evidence self-protective information behaviours and unmet information needs amongst children aged 6–8; both characteristics of an impoverished information state. Whilst much can be explained in developmental terms (i.e. in relation to child age and emergent literacies), much can also be explained in information poverty terms encompassing issues of both information access and use. Notably, approximately half of our child participants considered themselves to be, in general, unsuccessful information seekers; and contrasts with the views of our adult participants who majority believed that children are, in general, successful information seekers. This paper provides the first evidence of information poverty in young children, and provides further insights into the role of parents in supporting their children’s information needs and shaping their developing information behaviours, with parental mediation of child media use appearing particularly problematic. Enduring inequalities in information access are also highlighted. Beyond call for further global research, a public communication campaign to increase awareness of child information poverty and contributory factors is recommended as an immediate priority.
Book review: Lexi Stadlen, Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Indian Village
Authors: Parvathy V. K. , Kumar Jyothi
Published: November 2022

Lexi Stadlen, Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Village. Penguin Random House, 2022, 300 pp., ₹493. ISBN: 9781473584549
Academic Stress and Emotional Adjustment: A Gender-Based Post-COVID Study
Authors: Singh Garima , Sharma Shivali , Sharma Vibha , Zaidi S. Z. H.
Published: November 2022

Background:

The worldwide spread of COVID-19 infection and its preventive measures has resulted in global disruption of overall functioning of the individuals. In the post-COVID period, several stressors associated with the pandemic have exacerbated adjustment problems in students and impacted their mental health.

Purpose:

The study aims to assess the Academic Stress and Emotional Adjustment of male and female secondary school students in Uttar Pradesh, post-COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Methods:

A sample of 500 students from various schools in Uttar Pradesh pursuing high school were included in the study. A purposive sampling technique was employed for data collection based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Scale for Assessing Academic Stress and the Adolescents Emotional Adjustment Inventory were used to assess the academic stress and emotional adjustment of secondary school students post-COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Results:

The results of the study revealed that there was a significant difference in academic stress and emotional adjustment between male and female secondary school students. A significant positive relationship between academic stress and emotional adjustment was found, which indicates a high level of academic stress perpetuates emotional maladjustment. Furthermore, it was found that the level of academic stress and emotional adjustment were higher among females as compared to males.

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that the extended impact of COVID-19 has led to a surfeited level of distress propounding that females are more predisposed to academic stress and tend to have poor emotional adjustment than their male counterparts.