bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breaking Through? The Divergent Consequences of CEO Political Ideology on Firm Inventiveness
Authors: Kiss Andreea N. , Yu Qianqian , Neville François , Ward Andrew
Published: December 2024

We draw on upper-echelons literature recognizing the important role of CEOs in firm strategy, including innovation, and research on CEO political ideology and executive discretion to explore the relationship between CEO political ideology and firm breakthrough inventions. We suggest that CEO liberalism is a double-edged sword and is positively associated with firm breakthrough inventions but also less-useful inventions. We suggest that these relationships are shaped by three different sources of executive discretion: CEO-TMT pay gap, institutional investors, and existing product-market competition. We find support for our hypotheses on a sample of 581 public firms using firms’ patenting and citation activities to capture inventions. We infuse a values, contingency-based perspective to work on CEO characteristics and firm breakthrough inventions, provide a more comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of managerial discretion in setting or deviating firms on/from certain technological trajectories, and extend work on political ideology by showing the relevance of political ideology for explaining not just variations in firm internal resource allocation decisions, corporate activism, and entrepreneurship but also in the level and nature of inventions it produces.
Spatial Explanations for Deferred Teacher Compensation: Unions and Competition for Teachers
Authors: Bruno Paul
Published: December 2024

Teacher compensation is often deferred until late in teachers’ careers. Concerns about teacher shortages have raised concerns that backloading compensation in this way is inefficient. However, existing theoretical and empirical work does not clearly explain why these compensation structures often persist. Using detailed longitudinal teacher compensation data and spatial autoregressive models, I test two of the most common explanations for deferred teacher compensation. I find little evidence that school districts strategically frontload compensation to compete for teachers. However, I find evidence consistent with deferred compensation resulting at least in part from the influence of teachers’ unions.
Characterization of Pulmonary Pathology in the Golden Syrian Hamster Model of COVID-19 Using Micro-Computed Tomography
Authors: Ramirez Julita A , Dunlap Micah D , Prosnitz Reyna , Watson Anderson , Montgomery Mary K , Gutman Matthew , Coskran Timothy M , Levinson Samantha L , Yang Katharine , Kanevsky Isis , Choudhary Shambhunath
Published: December 2024

The Golden Syrian hamster is a well-characterized rodent model for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated pneumonia. We sought to characterize the pulmonary disease course during SARS-CoV-2 infection (strain USA-WA1/2020) in the hamster model using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and compare radiologic observations with histopathologic findings. We observed a range of radiologic abnormalities, including ground glass opacities (GGOs), consolidations, air bronchograms, and pneumomediastinum. The appearance, distribution, and progression of these abnormalities in hamsters were similar to those observed in the lungs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients by clinical CT and chest X-rays, and correlated with clinical signs and weight loss during the course of disease. Histopathological analysis of infected hamsters revealed lung pathology characteristic of COVID-19 pneumonia, and we observed a strong association between CT and histopathologic scorings. We also analyzed accumulation of air in the thoracic cavity by both manual and automated threshold-based segmentation and found that automated analysis significantly decreases the time needed for data analysis. Data presented here demonstrate that micro-CT imaging can be a major tool in preclinical investigative studies using animal models by providing early and detailed assessment of disease severity and outcomes.
Volumetric Mediation of the Subterranean Mine: Geologic Intimacy in a Taiwan Coal Village
Authors: Teng Tim Shao-Hung
Published: December 2024

This article intersects human geography with media studies to offer a materialist account of the subterranean coal mine. I draw on geographers’ recent turn to volume to reimagine the mine as a volatile space filled with lithic masses, lethal gases, and airborne dusts. I then illustrate that volumetric thinking stands to benefit from media studies, whose sensitivity to the process of mediation unmoors volume from its anchoring in space, and turns it into volumization, a concept that underscores the temporal dimension of volumetric changes including saturation, permeation, and infiltration. Volumization finds instantiation in the subterranean mine, where heat and humidity saturate miners’ bodies while pernicious gases spread imperceptibly; in miners’ lungs, where silica dust accumulates, eventually failing miners’ breathing mechanism; and in the movie theater, where miners’ arduous breaths are technologically channeled as audio volumes resonating in the theatrical space. This last aspect affirms the power of media technology to transmit volume as a shared sensory experience specific to extractive modernity. Mobilizing a variety of materials including film and photography, media theory and feminist geophilosophy, as well as ethnography and oral history with miners in a historical coal town in Taiwan, I conceptualize the mine as a space of volumetric mediation that foregrounds the transcorporeal intimacy between miners and the mine.
A panoramic view of probation: Can undercover journalism keep us safe?
Authors: Collett Stephen
Published: December 2024

Undercover: Can Probation keep us safe? – the Panorama programme which was shown on BBC television in May 2024 employed an undercover journalist to investigate the quality of supervision provided within an approved premises. Over the past three decades, public debates that often follow apparent failures to protect the public from individuals under probation supervision do not necessarily illuminate the complexities of public protection but, it is argued, the particular approach adopted by the Panorama programme was counter-productive to the wider public understanding of the work of the probation service. The approach, content and ideological positioning of Can Probation keep us safe? obscured rather than enlightened the debate about probation's role in rehabilitation and the assessment and management of risk in protecting the public.
What are the Building Blocks of Nightmare Proneness? Examining Potential Etiological Factors
Authors: Kelly William E.
Published: December 2024

Nightmare proneness, a trait-like tendency to experience nightmares frequently, has been found to predict nightmares independent of maladjustment markers and involve vulnerability, psychical dysregulation, and a concretizing defensive style. However, research has not investigated possible etiological factors of nightmare proneness itself. The current study examined some hypothesized etiological factors of nightmare proneness. Measures of nightmare proneness, nightmare frequency, behavioral activating system, behavioral inhibition system, arousability, executive functioning, anxious and avoidant attachment, trauma, and psychic structure were completed by a sample of 110 university students. Findings supported that nightmare proneness might be influenced by activation of the behavioral inhibition system, avoidant attachment, and trauma symptoms after adjusting for age, gender, mental health concerns, and complex trauma sequelae. Psychic structure did not appear essential for development of nightmare proneness but influenced the relationship between nightmare proneness and nightmare frequency. The results and possible adjustments to a previous model of nightmare proneness are discussed.
Effect of depressions on the three-dimensional propagation of longitudinal surface crack in continuous casting strands of hypo-peritectic steel
Authors: Peng Zhiqiang , Hou Zibing , Cen Xu , Li Hao , Tang Ping
Published: December 2024

Surface depressions are common defects in the continuous casting process of hypo-peritectic steel, categorised into transverse and longitudinal depressions. While the formation processes of these depressions are well understood, their influence on the propagation of longitudinal surface cracks remains unclear. This study developed a new method for large-area surface depth measurement of the strand based on optical focusing. Utilising this method, we investigated the impact of surface depressions on the three-dimensional propagation of longitudinal surface crack in terms of width, depth and casting direction through macrostructure characteristics and finite element static analysis. The results indicated that transverse and longitudinal depressions affect crack propagation differently. Specifically, the depth of longitudinal depressions increases crack width, while transverse depressions can inhibit it to some extent. Macrostructure analysis of the cross-section revealed a continuous segregation line at the bottom of the depression, closely related to heat transfer, thermal stress, and the flow of solute-enriched liquid steel. Statistical analysis indicated that the depth of longitudinal depressions significantly affects the length of the segregation line, which in turn influences crack depth. However, no surface cracks were found at the bottom of transverse depressions adjacent to longitudinal depressions. This may be due to the banded grains at the bottom of transverse depressions resisting tensile thermal stress parallel to the strand's width direction. Along the casting direction, crack propagation primarily occurs along the bottom of longitudinal depressions due to continuous thermal disturbances at the meniscus. Meanwhile, the transverse depression can restrict the propagation of the existing crack while promoting the formation of the new crack at the other site. Finally, the study proposed mechanisms by which depressions influence the propagation of the longitudinal surface crack. This research further elucidates the impact patterns of surface depressions on macrostructure and stress distribution and how these factors subsequently influence crack propagation in three dimensions. It underscores the importance of controlling surface depressions to mitigate the longitudinal surface crack.
Molecular dynamics study on the effect of ferrite structure on the mechanical characteristics of pearlite
Authors: Zhang Haichao , Chen Yinli , Sun Yanhui
Published: December 2024

Cold-drawn pearlitic steel wire has a wide range of applications in engineering due to its excellent mechanical properties. However, to date, there is limited understanding of how the internal ferrite phase structure of pearlitic steel wire affects its mechanical properties. The effect of the ferrite phase structure on the deformation mechanism and mechanical properties of pearlite was studied using molecular dynamics methods. The study considered three types of ferrite structures: (1) single-crystal structure, (2) nanocrystalline structure and (3) twinned crystal structure. The study showed that the ferrite structure could alter the deformation mechanism of pearlite during tensile loading by affecting the plastic deformation behaviour of ferrite. When the ferrite is a single-crystal structure, the pearlite undergoes elastic deformation followed by direct fracture failure; when the ferrite is a nanocrystalline structure, the pearlite experiences elastic deformation, elastic-plastic deformation, plastic deformation and then fracture failure in sequence; when the ferrite is a twin structure, the pearlite undergoes elastic deformation, plastic deformation and then fracture failure in sequence. Due to the influence of the deformation mechanism, the mechanical properties of pearlite with different ferrite structures showed a significant difference. Compared to single-crystal ferrite, when the ferrite structure is nanocrystalline, the strength of pearlite decreases significantly, but the ductility is significantly increased. Moreover, the ductility increases as the size of the nanocrystals decreases. Compared to single-crystal ferrite, when the ferrite has a twinned structure, the strength of the pearlite remains unchanged, but the ductility significantly increases. In addition, the ductility increases as the thickness of the twin layers decreases. The research results provide a new approach for further improving the mechanical properties of cold-drawn pearlitic steel wire.
On the importance and application of the extended Galerkin's method to distributed systems
Authors: Gürgöze M , Zeren S
Published: December 2024

The method known as Galerkin's method, developed in the early twentieth Century for problems in elasticity is still used today, especially for the approximate solution of boundary value problems. In order to apply this method, which is more general and powerful than the Rayleigh-Ritz method, the trial functions used must satisfy all geometric and dynamic boundary conditions accompanying the differential equation. This could be considered a disadvantage of the method. This led with the contributions of H. Leipholz, to the development of the “extended Galerkin's method”. This modification generalized the method to problems where the trial functions do not satisfy some of the conditions, especially dynamic boundary conditions. While the classical Galerkin's method is widely described in the textbooks, the extended Galerkin's method is unfortunately found less frequently. Moreover, with the exception of two reference works, the book of Leipholz and partly an another book of Wunderlich and Pilkey, only the expression is given in all of them. The aim of this paper is two-fold. Firstly, to draw the reader's attention to the extended Galerkin's method, an important and very useful method, in the opinion of the authors of this paper. Secondly, they wish to discuss some important issues, including a critique of the literature. The derivation of the method, its application and related general information will be described with reference to the example of a longitudinally vibrating elastic rod carrying a mass at its free end.
The predictive value of miR-29b-2-5p on the prognosis of cervical cancer and its inhibitory effect on cervical cancer progression
Authors: Liu Qinghan , Chen Xi , Zhang Wenhui , Shang Wei , Cao Jinwei , Zhao Huijuan , Jian Feng
Published: December 2024

Objective

The poor prognosis of cervical cancer patients leads to an annual increase in mortality, while microRNAs are involved in various cancers, including cervical cancer. This study aimed to investigate the clinical value and possible effect of miR-29b-2-5p on the progression of cervical cancer.

Methods

The expression level of miR-29b-2-5p in cervical cancer tissues and cells was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. The Kaplan–Meier curve was used to evaluate the role of miR-29b-2-5p in cervical cancer prognosis. The independent prognostic factors of cervical cancer were explored by the multivariate Cox regression analysis. The effect of miR-29b-2-5p on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells was determined by in vitro cell experiments.

Results

A significantly downregulated miR-29b-2-5p expression was observed in cervical cancer tumor tissues and cervical cancer cells compared with the adjacent tumor tissues (tissues of the negative surgical margin) and H8 cells, respectively. Higher miR-29b-2-5p expression correlated with a better 5-year progression-free survival of cervical cancer. MiR-29b-2-5p was also associated with the indicators (tumor size, tumor differentiation, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage, and invasion depth) of the progression of cervical cancer tumors. And miR-29b-2-5p, along with tumor size, tumor differentiation, FIGO stage, histology type, and invasion depth, were independent prognostic factors for poor cervical cancer prognosis. MiR-29b-2-5p showed a suppressive effect on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells.

Conclusions

MiR-29b-2-5p was downregulated in cervical cancer tumor tissues and could serve as an independent prognostic factor for cervical cancer. The overexpressed miR-29b-2-5p could be considered a tumor suppressor to inhibit the progression of cervical cancer.
Impact of Stress on the Endocannabinoid System: A [11C]-CURB Positron Emission Tomography Study in Early Psychosis: Les effets du stress sur le système endocannabinoïde : étude par tomographie par émission de positons avec l’indicateur radioactif [11C-CURB] dans la psychose précoce
Authors: Weidenauer Ana , Garani Ranjini , Campos Oller Paula , Belén Blasco Maira , Rusjan Pablo M. , Mizrahi Romina
Published: December 2024

Background

Stress and traumatic experiences are well-established risk factors for psychiatric disorders. Stressful events can induce symptoms of anxiety and depression and may lead to overt psychosis, especially when there is an innate biological vulnerability. This study explores the role of the stress-regulating endocannabinoid system, specifically the activity of the enzyme fatty acid amid hydrolase (FAAH), a key regulatory enzyme for endocannabinoids, in association with stress by analysing data from healthy individuals and patients with psychosis.

Methods

We performed a post-hoc exploratory analysis on 65 positron emission tomography scans using the selective FAAH radioligand [11C]CURB, encompassing 30 patients with psychosis (6 female) and 35 healthy controls (19 female). The study aimed to examine the association between FAAH activity and stressful life events, assessed through the Recent Life Events, Survey of Life Experiences, and Hassles and Uplifts Scale.

Results

There was a significant difference regarding the number of recent stressors with higher levels in patients compared to healthy subjects (Survey of Life Experiences: t = 4.88, p < 0.001, hassles: t = 3.14, p = 0.003), however there was no significant relationship of brain FAAH activity and stressful life events in any of the applied scales across groups (Recent Life Events: F1,57 = 0.07, p = 0.80; Survey of Life Experiences: F1,57 = 1.75, p = 0.19; hassles: F1,56 = 1.06, p = 0.31). Linear mixed models performed separately for each group revealed that there was a positive association between FAAH activity and Recent Life Events in patients with psychosis only ( F1,25 = 8.07, p = 0.009).

Conclusions

Our data reveal a significant disparity in recent stressors between the two groups, and a correlation between brain FAAH activity and stressful life events in patients with psychosis only. This suggests a complex interplay between stress and the endocannabinoid system.
Factors Influencing Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Engaging with Advance Care Planning: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Chinese Diaspora
Authors: Li Zhuangshuang , McIlfatrick Sonja , Hasson Felicity , Beck Esther-Ruth
Published: December 2024

Objective

Advance care planning (ACP) is increasingly recognized as a public health priority globally, with cultural aspects influencing people's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours toward ACP. Despite being one of the largest diaspora groups, the Chinese community remains under-researched in this area. This study aims to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and health behaviours related to ACP among Chinese diaspora within a region in the United Kingdom.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour was conducted with 284 Chinese adults recruited from four social and voluntary organisations in the United Kingdom.

Results

The study found low awareness (15%) and knowledge (mean score: 2.26 ± 1.78) of ACP, with less than 5% of the participants engaging with ACP. This contrasted with participants’ attitudes (17.24 ± 2.57) and behavioural intention (14.93 ± 3.26) toward ACP, which were generally positive. Behavioural intention was the strongest predictor of engaging with ACP (OR 3.29, 95% CI: 1.35-8.02, p = 0.01). Participants with previous end-of-life care experience had a better understanding of ACP; older age and higher knowledge of ACP were associated with more positive attitudes. Cultural beliefs associated with the level of family involvement, legal aspects, and the availability of information in one's first language was significant influences on engagement with ACP.

Conclusions

Despite low awareness and engagement with ACP among the Chinese diaspora, positive attitudes and behavioural intention suggest potential for increased engagement. This could be achieved through culturally tailored interventions that address cultural influences and complexity surrounding legal requirements. Further research is needed to develop and test such interventions.
Ultrarare Cause of Childhood Chorea: Celiac Disease
Authors: Ozbudak Pinar
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Chorea, a movement disorder that commonly affects children, may be caused by various diseases with metabolic, structural, pharmacologic, or autoimmune origins. Celiac disease is an autoimmune enteropathy that may rarely cause neurologic symptoms in children, primarily ataxia and peripheral neuropathy, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Case Report

A 9-year-old male patient diagnosed with Sydenham chorea was admitted to our clinic because of valproic acid resistance. He had involuntary, brief, random, and irregular movements in his arms over the past 2 weeks. A low-dose, high-potency dopamine-2 receptor–blocking agent was added to the patient's treatment regimen. After 2 weeks, he had maculopapular rashes on their hands and arms, as well as arthritis in his left hand. Oral prednisone was prescribed, and the patient's arthritis and rashes were completely resolved. Although movement disorder symptoms persisted in the distal left upper extremity, the chorea in the right upper extremity was recovered. Extensive investigations were conducted to rule out possible metabolic, autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious, and paraneoplastic diseases, all of which yielded normal results. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results were normal, and genetic analysis results for chorea were negative. The patient's tissue glutaminase IgG levels exceeded 200 U/mL (normal range: 0-10 U/mL) and IgA levels at 24 U/mL (normal range: 0--10 U/mL), leading to a diagnosis of celiac disease. His duodenal biopsies showed changes consistent with gluten-sensitive enteropathy. After the diagnosis of celiac disease, the patient began a gluten-free diet and remained free of chorea at the 6-month follow-up.

Discussion

Chorea is a rare neurologic celiac disease manifestation that can be reversible. The celiac disease should be considered in the diagnostic workup of chorea for all ages, particularly in the treatment-resistant population, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. This report presents the first known case of chorea caused by celiac disease in a pediatric patient.
Investigating the layer-wise arc and melt-pool characteristics of near-substrate wire arc-directed energy deposited NiCrMo-3 alloy using image processing
Authors: Banerjee Abhinandan , Tiwari Yoshit , Dutta Samik , Mukherjee Manidipto , Das Santanu
Published: December 2024

This article uses an in situ image processing technique to investigate the intricate relationship between various process parameters and the number of layers deposited in the context of arc and melt-pool characteristics. Through a systematic analysis, the study uncovers the significance of travel speed (TS), mean current ( Im), and layer numbers (LN) in shaping these characteristics. The results reveal that while higher TS corresponds to increased arc length ( LA) at lower Im, this correlation diminishes with rising LN. Conversely, lower TS leads to an opposite trend, where LA rises with LN at lower Im. The arc deflection angle ( AD) consistently increases with LN, influenced by both Im and TS. Notably, higher molten pool penetration ( DM) is achieved with higher TS and lower Im, and DM gradually decreases as LN increases. The interplay between LA, heat input ( HI), and LM displays a nuanced pattern, with HI influencing LA and LM differently. The study introduces ratios such as LA/ DM and LA/ LM, indicating their dependency on TS, Im, and LN. A significant insight arises from successfully implementing quadratic polynomial models, demonstrating strong predictive capabilities for various characteristics. These models exhibit exceptional accuracy when validated against empirical measurements, showcasing their effectiveness in forecasting arc and melt-pool behaviors, thereby emphasizing the intricate nature of the deposition process.
Postcolonial frames in Michael Haneke's Caché
Authors: Lüleci Nuri Batuhan
Published: December 2024

This article argues that in Caché, politics, aesthetics and life collapse into one another by setting a dystopic simulacrum from which the spectator becomes emancipated. Caché critiques colonial-racist discourses within the France–Algeria context alongside the society of the spectacle, subverting binary categorisations such as form/content, ethics/aesthetics and diegetic/extradiegetic through staged hyperrealism, self-reflexivity and manipulations. It forces the anaesthetised spectator to confront the postcolonial uncanny in its naked truth. This article presents an original contribution to existing scholarship by linking Caché to the genesis and ongoing legacy of anti-colonial dissent and resistance in the history of Francophone cinema.
Climate change and energy dynamics: Evidence from BRICS and G7 countries
Authors: Gbadegesin Tosin Kolajo
Published: December 2024

This study examines the impact of climate change on electricity generation and energy consumption in BRICS and G7 countries and explores how renewable energy adoption can mitigate these impacts. Utilizing energy transition theory, the study provides a robust framework for understanding the shift from fossil fuel-based to renewable energy systems. The paper utilizes the MG ARDL, AUG MG ARDL, and PMG ARDL models to capture the heterogeneous long-run relationships while addressing cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity. The results indicate that for the G7 countries, higher GHG emissions are associated with an increase in electricity generation and primary energy consumption. In contrast, for BRICS nations, only the PMG ARDL model identifies a positive relationship between rising GHG emissions and electricity generation, while all models indicate that higher emissions are linked to increased energy consumption. Additionally, the results for the G7 demonstrate that a higher share of renewables significantly reduces GHG emissions, a trend not observed in BRICS. The findings highlight the critical role of renewables in mitigating climate impacts and underscore the importance of tailored policy approaches to foster sustainable energy transitions.
Contrasting versions of Medical Police, the forerunner of Public Health, in Edinburgh in the early 19th century
Authors: Donaldson Ken
Published: December 2024

Andrew Duncan Senior and John Roberton were medical figures who wrote about Medical Police, the forerunner of Public Health, at the turn of the 18th century in Edinburgh. Duncan was an establishment figure, already a Professor at Edinburgh University Medical School when he began a series of lectures on the legal context of medicine, the first of its kind in the UK. Roberton was a less conventional person whose medical qualifications were dubious but who wrote a textbook on Medial Police, the first in the English language. Both were influenced by the German Johann Frank, but developed very different models of Medical Police. Duncan's form depended on education and reflected social attitudes in post-enlightenment Scotland while Roberton was a committed miasmatist and championed an interventional, sanitarian approach. This approach was imaginative, employing an army of medical officers to enforce the policy funded by extra taxes, but this proved too interventional for 19th century Scotland, Roberton left Edinburgh and went to London and never again published on the topic of Medical Police or lectured on the topic. By contrast, Duncan's influence continued through the Chair of Medical Police and Medical Jurisprudence at the University of Edinburgh that he initiated and championed.
A Stratified Cross Section of Resilience in Older Taiwanese Men and Women
Authors: Fergus Deleon N. , Chen Yi-Hua , Chuang Ying-Chih , Ma Ai-hsuan Sandra , Chuang Kun-Yang
Published: December 2024

To determine if gender impacts associations between social relationships, socioeconomic, health, and behavioral factors with resilience among older Taiwanese adults. The data were obtained from a National Mental Health Survey conducted in Taiwan. The sample was created using multistage proportional probability. A questionnaire was used to interview participants at their homes. Study participants were ≥65 years. Predictor variables and the outcome, resilience, were clearly defined followed by statistical analysis. High- and low-resilience outcomes of older adults were determined based on the median value of the Friborg’s Resilience Scale. An independent-sample t test, χ2, and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine predictors for resilience which were then stratified by gender. Older women were less likely to be resilient than older men. Social relationships, socioeconomic, health, and behavioral factors had both similar and differential impacts on resilience when stratified for gender. The relationships between gender, socioeconomics, health, and social and behavioral factors with resilience provide unique insights into how culture shapes trends in data.
A qualitative investigation to identify return to sports criteria after shoulder stabilization surgery used by professional team physicians
Authors: Szlufcik Mike , Pasurka Mario , Theodoropoulos John , Betsch Marcel
Published: December 2024

Purpose: Purpose of this study is to explore currently utilized readiness to return to sports (RTS) criteria after shoulder stabilization surgery used in elite athletes to gain novel insights into the RTS decision making process of professional team physicians.

Methods: 19 qualitative semi-structured interviews with professional team physicians were conducted by a single trained interviewer. The interviews were used to identify team physician concepts and themes regarding the criteria used to determine RTS after shoulder stabilization surgery. General inductive analysis and a coding process were used to identify themes and sub-themes arising from the data. A hierarchical approach in coding helped to link themes.

Results: We were able to identify five key themes that participating physicians focused on to determine RTS decision making: external influence, objective and subjective criteria, time elapsed since surgery and type of sport. The most important RTS criteria included: range of motion and muscle strength followed by clinical joint stability, time since surgery, ability of sporting movement, psychological readiness, functional testing, absence of pain and allied team support.

Conclusion: This study identified several main themes and subordinate minor themes as having the most influence on RTS decision after shoulder surgery. We showed that even among specialized professional team physicians, the main criteria to RTS in these categories were inconsistent necessitating the future development of specific RTS guidelines.
Community-Based Group Psychoeducation for Informal Caregivers of Individuals with Mental Illness: A Single-Arm Pilot Study of Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness
Authors: Jensen Rikke Amalie Agergaard , Ovesen Jeanne Holm , Stenager Elsebeth
Published: December 2024

Purpose: This single-arm, pre–post pilot study assessed the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of community-based group psychoeducation for informal caregivers (18+) of individuals with a range of mental illnesses in Denmark. The intervention was delivered by social work and healthcare professionals and aimed to improve well-being and prevent burnout. Keeping within the medical research council's framework for evaluating complex interventions, we focused on identifying key uncertainties. Method: Of 150 participants enrolled in the intervention, 84 and 56 completed pre- and postintervention questionnaires on demographics, acceptability, well-being, burnout, and coping. A convergent mixed methods design was applied, with quantitative and qualitative findings integrated at the reporting level. Results: The intervention demonstrated preliminary effectiveness in improving well-being but faced challenges in feasibility regarding participation rates and reach. Participants valued group processes, though some reported adverse effects. Conclusion: Future studies should address participation challenges and explore group dynamics before a full-scale evaluation.
The effect of ergonomic interventions on fatigue and musculoskeletal symptoms of university students during combined information and communication technologies tasks
Authors: Depreli Özde , Topcu Zehra Güçhan , Angın Ender , Değer Ünal , Karaman Ayşen
Published: December 2024

Background

As part of developments in educational systems, university students use combined information and communication technologies (ICT) tasks that may impact musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the acute effect of ergonomic interventions applied during combined ICT tasks, which include reading electronic documents on a laptop and creating handwritten summaries after prolonged sitting in the lecture, on fatigue, discomfort, and musculoskeletal pain in university students.

Methods

Fatigue severity was measured with the Modified Borg Scale, and pain, discomfort, and satisfaction with an ergonomic intervention were measured with the Visual Analogue Scale. Postural awareness was measured with the Postural Habits and Awareness Scale. The ergonomic intervention consisted of ergonomics education and in-class exercises. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and T-Test were used to compare the posttest–pretest changes within the group.

Results

A total of 44 university students, whose mean age was 22 ± 2 years, were included in this study. The ergonomic intervention was found to have a moderate effect on discomfort (r = .376) and a large effect on musculoskeletal pain (r = .570) and postural awareness (r = .608). Additionally, this intervention changed MSK pain by 32.5%, discomfort by 14.1%, and postural awareness by 60.8%.

Conclusions

Ergonomic approaches positively affected musculoskeletal pain, discomfort, and postural awareness of students exposed to an intensive lecture with combined ICT tasks, whereas no effect was seen in the levels of fatigue and headache. Further research with a control group is needed.
“Man vs. Machine: 3D Milling of Auricular Frameworks”
Authors: Yom Jina , Palacios Jose F. , Neuwirth Allison , Atamian Elisa K. , Goldstein Todd , Bastidas Nicholas
Published: December 2024

Objective

Autologous rib harvest with manual framework production is the current gold standard for microtia reconstruction. Recent clinical success with implantation of cadaveric costal cartilage grafts opens the possibility of point of care auricular framework production. This paper assesses the feasibility and efficiency of 3D milling of cadaveric costal cartilage for auricular framework production.

Design

A Nagata/Firmin style auricular framework was manually carved en bloc out of soap and 3D scanned to design a milling toolpath on a desktop 3-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine. An en bloc framework was then milled from cadaveric costal cartilage. Time to mill a complete framework was recorded. The dimensional/volumetric analyses were performed.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The main outcome measures were total time to mill a complete auricular framework out of cadaveric cartilage and dimensional/volumetric comparisons to the model ear.

Results

Total milling time for the cartilage framework was approximately 7 min. Finalizing steps took an extra 20 min. Total time to produce a final framework ready for implantation was approximately 27 min, compared to the traditional 1-2 h by manual carving. All dimensional comparisons were within 2 mm to the manually carved model. Volumetric analysis showed 71% similarity.

Conclusions

En bloc cadaveric costal cartilage framework milling is both feasible and efficient. 3D milling significantly reduces framework production time and allows for accurate reconstruction of the complex ear geometry, which can translate to cost savings, optimized patient safety, and potential for patient-specific reconstruction. The next step toward achieving clinical application is ensuring framework sterility.
Development and Feasibility of a Conversation Tool to Garner Mental Health and Intimate Partner Violence History from Patients Seeking Pelvic Healthcare: A Trauma-Informed Approach
Authors: Snyder Kailey , Jelacic Madeline , Bridgeman Michelle , Bargstadt-Wilson Kari , Peterson Julie , Richards Tara
Published: December 2024

A conversation tool was developed by a clinician/researcher partnership to garner mental health and intimate partner violence histories from patients seeking pelvic healthcare. A 3-stage mixed measures approach with healthcare providers ( n = 22) and victim service experts ( n = 8) was utilized to meet study aims. The finalized conversation tool was found to have satisfactory face and content validity as well as to be feasible to implement in clinical settings based on constructs related to acceptability, practicality, demand, and implementation. The next steps will focus on pilot testing the developed tool with health professional students and identifying tool dissemination strategies.
Real world comparison of immune-related adverse events with nivolumab-relatlimab versus ipilimumab-nivolumab in patients with advanced cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Kielkowski Brooke , Mansour Diana , Ebbert Brooke , Seago Kelsea , Wen Sijin , Li Hang , Barrett Christine
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Frontline therapy for patients with advanced cutaneous melanoma often includes immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Although these agents have increased response rates, many patients will experience immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The difference in safety profiles of the current combinations available are not well established. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the incidence of severe irAEs of patients receiving ipilimumab-nivolumab versus nivolumab-relatlimab in a real-world setting.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients who underwent treatment with either combination ICI for advanced cutaneous melanoma.

Results

A total of 47 patients who received either one or more doses of either combination ICI were included for analysis. Of these patients, 37 (78.2%) had at least one irAE of any grade. The baseline characteristics among the patients who received nivolumab-relatlimab and those who received ipilimumab-nivolumab were not significantly different. The severity of the 73 irAEs that occurred ranged from grade 1 to grade 3, with 16 (21.9%) irAEs occurring in the nivolumab-relatlimab, 3 (18.8%) of which were grade 3–4. Meanwhile, those receiving ipilimumab-nivolumab developed 57 (78.1%) irAEs, with 14 (24.6%) being grade 3–4. This study's findings show that nivolumab-relatlimab had a lower incidence of developing severe irAEs in comparison to ipilimumab-nivolumab.

Conclusions

Treatment with nivolumab-relatlimab could be preferred as a combination ICI given the lower incidence of severe irAEs, delayed onset of irAEs, and lower rate of treatment discontinuation.
Productivity and aseptic process evaluation during batch production simulation of intravenous medications using a semi-automated compounding device
Authors: Riestra Ana C , Grisaleña Jaione , Telleria Naiara , Cajaraville Gerardo
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Intravenous (IV) medications can be prepared using compounding devices to increase productivity, and reduce risks associated with aseptic compounding. This study evaluated the productivity and quality outcomes of the aseptic process for simulated batches of IV medications used in clinical practice produced using a semi-automated compounding device (Gri-fill; Grifols).

Methods

Simulated batches from 50 to 600 preparations were completed representing hazardous and non-hazardous drugs, including one-step single component (atropine sulfate, cisplatin) and multistep, multiple component (mitomycin C, piperacillin/tazobactam, trastuzumab, 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine). Productivity, device autonomy, quality of the aseptic process (media-fill test) and sterility of the preparations were evaluated.

Results

A total of 2024 final preparations and 460 intermediate products were compounded during 78 working hours. For low and high complexity level preparations, median (minimum-maximum) production speed was 1.3 (0.6–1.7) and 3.7 (2.6–4.3) min per preparation, respectively. The longest process (36.2 min/bag) was the preparation of a simulated gemcitabine 3 L bulk solution bag, which included reconstitution of vials and filling the bulk bag. All operational errors (0.6%) were resolved autonomously by the user. None of the 883 media fill preparations showed microbiological growth and all 114 analyzed preparations passed the sterility test.

Conclusions

Using a semi-automated compounding device, preparation efficiency of IV medications ranged from 14 preparations/h for multicomponent preparations from vials requiring reconstitution, to 100 preparations/h for low complexity preparations using a bulk solution bag. The aseptic processes demonstrated the absence of microbial growth in all tested preparations.
The Progression of Inclusive Language that Enhances Belonging
Authors: Carter Brigit M. , Johnson Rolanda , McDaniel Vivienne Pierce , Rodgers Shielda Glover , Downing Christine , Barrier Kendra M.
Published: December 2024

Inclusive language has become a theoretical approach in attempts to ensure that language is not only clear but void of cultural nuances. Depending on the source or the discipline, the definition may vary, but the essence is similar. Inclusive language demonstrates a sense of respect and value for all people while simultaneously acknowledging the diverse culture in which we abide. Incorporating inclusive language should be a deliberate effort to avoid words and phrases that are synonymous with stereotypes and biases about any individual or group. Attention to inclusive language demonstrates that one is sensitive to and respectful of individual differences. Words send intentional or unintentional messages, either of which may have a powerful impact. Thus, it is paramount that the language we use is void of words or expressions that further exclude or denigrate individuals or groups of people based on their defining characteristics.
Helicobacter pylori Seroprevalence in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease
Authors: Oka Shomi , Higuchi Takashi , Furukawa Hiroshi , Shimada Kota , Okamoto Akira , Fujimori Misuzu , Hashimoto Atsushi , Komiya Akiko , Saisho Koichiro , Yoshikawa Norie , Katayama Masao , Matsui Toshihiro , Fukui Naoshi , Migita Kiyoshi , Tohma Shigeto
Published: December 2024

Background:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Gastroesophageal reflux disease is prevented by Helicobacter pylori infection and is a predisposing factor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infection in RA patients with ILD has not been sufficiently investigated.

Objective:

In this study, we analyzed anti- H. pylori antibodies in RA patients with ILD.

Design:

Case-control observational study

Methods:

Anti- H. pylori antibodies were analyzed in the sera of RA patients using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.

Results:

The positivity of anti- H. pylori antibodies in RA with ILD ( n = 30 [18.0%], P = .0227), usual interstitial pneumonia ( n = 10 [14.3%], P = .0212), and airway disease ( n = 30 [18.0%], P = .0227) was significantly lower than that of RA without chronic lung disease ( n = 78 [27.5%]). The positivity of anti- H. pylori antibodies was also lower in RA with chronic lung disease ( n = 68 [18.2%], P = .0059). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the presence of anti- H. pylori antibodies was independently and protectively associated with chronic lung disease in RA.

Conclusion:

The seroprevalence of H. pylori was lower in RA with ILD. H. pylori infection prevented ILD in patients with RA by protecting them from gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Influence of Technical and Biological Variations on De Novo Assembly of RNA-Seq Datasets
Authors: Sergio Alberto Gonzalez , Maximo Rivarola , Andres Ribone , Sergio Lew , Norma Paniego
Published: December 2024

De novo assembly of transcriptomes from species without reference genome remains a common problem in functional genomics. While methods and algorithms for transcriptome assembly are continually being developed and published, the quality of de novo assemblies using short reads depends on the complexity of the transcriptome and is limited by several types of errors. One problem to overcome is the research gap regarding the best method to use in each study to obtain high-quality de novo assembly. Currently, there are no established protocols for solving the assembly problem considering the transcriptome complexity. In addition, the accuracy of quality metrics used to evaluate assemblies remains unclear. In this study, we investigate and discuss how different variables accounting for the complexity of RNA-Seq data influence assembly results independently of the software used. For this purpose, we simulated transcriptomic short-read sequence datasets from high-quality full-length predicted transcript models with varying degrees of complexity. Subsequently, we conducted de novo assemblies using different assembly programs, and compared and classified the results using both reference-dependent and independent metrics. These metrics were assessed both individually and combined through multivariate analysis. The degree of alternative splicing and the fragment size of the paired-end reads were identified as the variables with the greatest influence on the assembly results. Moreover, read length and fragment size had different influences on the reconstruction of longer and shorter transcripts. These results underscore the importance of understanding the composition of the transcriptome under study, and making experimental design decisions related to the need to work with reads and fragments of different sizes. In addition, the choice of assembly software will positively impact the final assembly outcome. This selection will affect the completeness of represented genes and assembled isoforms, as well as contribute to error reduction.
The rotten core of In Search of Excellence: Reflections on the tainted legacy of the excellence project
Authors: Collins David
Published: December 2024

This article offers critical reflections on In Search of Excellence. Located within a discussion of ‘the historical turn’ and offered as a ‘counterhistory’, the article argues that the excellence project has had a profound and enduring impact on management education and on the manner in which we understand and elaborate the problems and processes of management. The article suggests however that the excellence project persists as a form of knowledge and prevails as a set of idealized practice because critics and educators have failed to engage meaningfully with the managerial practices of those organizations vaunted as ‘excellent’. Building upon newspaper archives and longer forms of journalism to provide a novel, critical analysis of the practices of those organizations vaunted as ‘exemplars of excellence’, the article offers tools for a critical pedagogy of business excellence.