bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revitalizing the Retail: A Case of the Coca-Cola Company
Authors: Khan Tauseef Iqbal , Raza Syed Ali
Published: July 2023

In April 2017, a senior delegation of the Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) visited Pakistan to reconsider the beverage industry of the country predominated by its strong competitor PepsiCo. Followed by the visit, TCCC planned to revitalize its retail practices and join hands with retailers more aggressively. TCCC claims to be the world’s largest non-alcoholic beverage producer; however, lacking distribution intensity in the country. The company operates majorly in four trade channels based on volumetric divisions. The company began its operation in 1953 with a basic cola drink and later introduced its subsequent products in different flavours with two major categories sugar-contained and sugar-free. With an expansion of the industry and increased demand for bottled water and healthy conscious sugar-less nectar, the company expanded its product category and coverage to the deeper parts of the country.

Because of substantial investment and legacy, Coca-Cola is the second-largest beverage company in a highly competitive soft drink market. However, TCCC is still lagging in leading, so the company decided to gear up all efforts in retail development followed by an intensive distribution strategy.
Addressing the Visible and Invisible Gaps and Challenges in the Diagnosis and Management of Intellectual Disability
Authors: Arun Priti , Mahajan Smriti
Published: July 2023

Intellectual disability (ID) can be caused by various environmental and genetic factors and can lead to significant disability. There are numerous challenges in the field in terms of diagnosis and management. In this article, we have reviewed the literature in this field. A dependable estimate of the prevalence in India still remains to be made. Preventive measures and screening play an important role. The country could greatly benefit from a national newborn screening program, presence of more trained professionals, and public awareness measures. Drug treatments spanning beyond the usual drug classes have not yet found a breakthrough. Persons with ID face many challenges in the field of education, disability certification, access to government schemes, job placements, and living arrangements. We must take cognizance of these challenges at the earliest and work toward rectifying them.
A Pilot Study on Testing Real Life Delivery Room Experience by Direct Observation and Supervised “Hands-on” Component in Imparting Neonatal Resuscitation Skill to Intern Doctor
Authors: Bhatt Shwetal M. , Parmar Priyanka , Patel Parvati
Published: July 2023

Background

Intern doctors are often incompetent to perform neonatal resuscitation, which is an essential skill and core competency area of pediatric curriculum.

Methods

We aimed to analyze the impact of direct observation and supervised “hands-on” component along with standard basic neonatal resuscitation training for intern doctors. An educational interventional study was conducted among interns after being approved by ethics committee. Mannequin based Basic neonatal resuscitation training of intern doctors was demonstrated. After that one week observership for real-life experience in NICU was given, where they observed minimum 5 delivery calls under the supervision of senior resident/faculty. Learning gain of the interns was analyzed by comparing the pre- and post-training test score. Knowledge based questions and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) stations were used for the assessment. The OSCE was used to check the skills acquisition among intern doctors. Interns post workshop and post observership feedback in the form of reflection were analyzed. Faculty’s feedback in the form of reflection was analyzed.

Results

A total of 8 interns completed both pre and post training test for the level 2 evaluation-learning gain. Mean test scores of knowledge based questions and OSCE increased significantly from 85% to 97.5% and 33.33% to 100%, respectively. Pre- and post-workshop OSCE revealed 100% achievement of clinical skill of neonatal resuscitation. Intern doctors perceive that NRP training program improved their confidence levels and decreased the fear to perform neonatal resuscitation during first golden hour of life to save life of newborn. BNRP program is one of the core components to impart a clinical skill as an integral part of learning during internships.

Conclusion

Direct observation and supervised “hands-on” component as an additional teaching-learning method was well perceived and competency of interns for neonatal resuscitation was significantly enhanced. BNRCP competent IMG/intern being the first contact physician will be able to survive the newborn and contribute in decreasing neonatal mortality rate.
How Workplace Gossip Shapes Interpersonal Relationships: A Qualitative Study from the Gossip Recipient’s Perspective
Authors: Greenslade-Yeats James , Cooper-Thomas Helena , Morrison Rachel , Corner Patricia D.
Published: July 2023

Although preliminary research implies a tantalizing association between workplace gossip and interpersonal relationships, little is known about how gossip shapes relationships at work. Given that relationships are integral to employee wellbeing and to the development of social capital, it appears vital to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the psychological processes linking gossip and workplace relationships. To this end, we induce theory from qualitative evidence regarding the processes whereby workplace gossip shapes relationships in the workplace. Taking the under-researched perspective of the gossip recipient, our study draws on multi-source data to explore how recipients’ experiences of gossip incidents affect their dyadic relationships with gossipers and gossip targets. We find that recipients’ interpretations of gossipers’ intentions—prosocial, self-serving, or genuine—initiate three distinct processes that engender a range of relational outcomes, from decreased trust to the development of close interpersonal connections. In describing these nuanced processes and their associated relational outcomes, we provide insights that extend and enrich theory and challenge conventional assumptions about workplace gossip.
Computational analysis of thermoelastic vibrations of functionally graded nonlocal nanobeam excited by thermal shock
Authors: Abouelregal Ahmed E , Tiwari Rakhi
Published: July 2023

Functionally graded materials are widely used in the aerospace, nuclear, and aviation industries because of their exceptional properties. The progressive and continuous variation in elastic and thermal characteristics across its surfaces reduces thermal stress within the material and increases its endurance. To study how functionally gradient thermoelastic nanobeams interact with abrupt heat in the context of nonclassical thermoelasticity with phase delays, this study introduces a new mathematical model incorporating memory-dependent derivatives. A heat transfer equation based on memory-dependent derivatives with two delay times can be formulated by combining Eringen’s assumptions, the Hamiltonian principle, and Euler–Bernoulli’s theory. The analytical solutions for the domains of the system were obtained in the field of the Laplace transform. The distributions of physical fields such as temperature, displacement, deflection, and flexural moment were found numerically using an approximation algorithm. Through the discussion of the computational results and the graphical figures, the effects of effective parameters such as kernel functions, time delay, and nonlocal quantum were indicated. Moreover, a comparison of the current thermal conductivity model with existing classical and nonclassical thermal conductivity models was established to confirm the proposed model.
Development of a Communication Tool for Handoffs Involving Patients Cared for by Sitters: An Evidence-Based Practice Project
Authors: Hawley Paige , Holst Rachel , Bredlow Jennifer , Nichols Tara
Published: July 2023

Problem

Communication has been found to be central to patient safety and colleague engagement. Poor communication was identified in a Level III trauma hospital in the midwestern US between “sitters” (staff members assigned to monitor patients identified as having safety concerns) and the nurses assigned to care for those patients, including lack of a formal handoff process.

Approach

A Patient/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) statement guided an evidence-based project and identification of an intervention to improve the handoff process. Using the evidence-based format of Situation/Background/Assessment/Recommendation (SBAR), a Patient Safety Attendant Handoff Form was developed and implemented.

Results

Initially, Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), or Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) were used as sitters, taking them away from other responsibilities. A formal position, Patient Safety Attendant (PSA), was created to perform the sitter role. The Patient Safety Attendant Handoff tool was made an official hospital form and implemented as a new standard of practice. Analysis of data from completed forms identified the top reasons for assigning a sitter were mental health and behavioral concerns. In a six-month post-implementation survey, most PSAs reported receiving adequate information about the patients during handoffs using the new form.

Conclusion

Using SBAR for the Patient Safety Attendant Handoff Form improved communication between RNs and PSAs and also enhanced communication between PSAs. A key safety feature of the form is the Recommendation section which includes “triggers to avoid,” de-escalation techniques, and things the patient enjoys. Developing a structural model from the aggregated data on the completed forms helped in analyzing the information.
Connecting Contemporary Trauma Care to Florence Nightingale's Visionary Work
Authors: Nichols Lynn Stover , Hyde Michael T. , Mosley Michael , Hallman Melanie Gibbons
Published: July 2023

The impact of Florence Nightingale's visionary work continues to influence the delivery of nursing care in the contemporary emergency department (ED). Her foundational work in the Crimean War resulted in data-based recommendations for using the environment to promote healing and wellness among sick and wounded British soldiers. She advocated for attention to environmental details, including ventilation, air, warmth, drainage, cleanliness, natural light, and low noise levels. These important environmental concepts play a significant role in the nursing management of trauma patients in today's ED. This article features an application of Nightingale's environmental concepts to a trauma patient case exemplar and demonstrates the enduring impact of her work for trauma patients who receive care in the ED.
Perioperative and Anesthetic Considerations in Pediatric Valvar and Subvalvar Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Ross Faith , Everhart Kelly , Latham Greg , Joffe Denise
Published: July 2023

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common form of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) in children with congenital heart disease. This review specifically considers the perioperative features of valvar (VAS) and subvalvar AS (subAS) in the pediatric patient. Although VAS and subAS share some clinical features and diagnostic approaches, they are distinct clinical entities with separate therapeutic options, which range from transcatheter intervention to surgical repair. We detail the pathophysiology of AS and highlight the range of treatment strategies with a focus on anesthetic considerations for the care of these patients before, during, and after intervention.
The Interactive Influence of Frontline Employee Motivational Orientation and Service Climate/Strength Upon Employee Need Satisfaction and Performance
Authors: Jung Jin Ho , Yoo Jaewon , Arnold Todd J. , Ryu Seongmin
Published: July 2023

A frontline employee’s motivational orientation toward the role s/he plays in an organization is an important determinant of the level of service that is ultimately provided to a customer. In this study, we propose and demonstrate that frontline employees possess two different forms of motivational orientation to frame their work in both positive (i.e., approach) and negative (i.e., avoidance) ways. We demonstrate that need satisfaction, or an employee’s fulfilling needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, mediates the positive relationship between approach orientation and service performance, as well as the negative relationship between avoidance orientation and service performance. Further, such effects are influenced by both service climate and service climate strength. Our investigation relies on a mixed-method design that develops and uses measures for service climate and service climate strength at the team level (Study One), as well as within a scenario-based experiment to manipulate service climate and service climate strength (Study Two). Results of a meta-analysis are presented to highlight the gap in research related to understanding frontline employee motivational orientation and its influence upon service performance.
Book review: V. Vasudevan, N. Gross, P. Nagarajan and K. Clonan-Roy (Eds.), Care-based Methodologies: Reimagining Qualitative Research with Youth in US Schools
Authors: Sorsa Santeri
Published: July 2023

V. Vasudevan, N. Gross, P. Nagarajan and K. Clonan-Roy (Eds.), Care-based Methodologies: Reimagining Qualitative Research with Youth in US Schools. Bloomsbury Academic, 2022, 280 pp., $128.00 (Hardback); $108 (Ebook). ISBN: 9781350215597.
Validation of Esaso Classification of Diabetic Maculopathy
Authors: Panozzo Giacomo , Franzolin Elia , Giannarelli Diana , Dalla Mura Giulia , Longo Rosa , Cicinelli Maria Vittoria , Angelini Edoardo , Airaghi Pietro , Avitabile Teresio , Bandello Francesco , Beccastrini Andrea , Benedetti Giorgia , Bertuzzi Federico , Bonfiglio Vincenza Maria Elena , Boscia Francesco , Carnevali Adriano , Carosielli Marianna , Cereda Matteo Giuseppe , Contardi Cecilia , Coppola Michele , Costagliola Ciro , Cristofolini Riccardo , Cucciniello Pasquale , D’Aloisio Rossella , De Bernardo Maddalena , De Filippis Alessandro , Dell’Omo Roberto , Di Paola Ilenia , Dell’Acqua Matteo , Franco Alessio , Grassi Maria Oliva , Gregori Giulia , Gusson Elena , Lattanzio Rosangela , Lanzetta Paolo , Longo Antonio , Marchini Giorgio , Marolo Paola , Mastropasqua Rodolfo , Bertoldo Giuliana Mele , Monteleone Giuseppina , Ortisi Elina , Parisi Guglielmo , Parrulli Salvatore , Pucci Porzia , Pastore Marco Rocco , Reibaldi Michele , Rizzo Stanislao , Romano Francesco , Rosa Nicola , Sarao Valentina , Scarpa Giuseppe , Scorcia Vincenzo , Scupola Andrea , Staurenghi Giovanni , Sunseri Trapani Valentina , Tognetto Daniele , Trabucchi Giuseppe , Vaccaro Sabrina , Vadalà Maria , Veritti Daniele , Vinciguerra Alex Lucia , Zanzottera Emma Clara
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To test reliability and reproducibility of ESASO morphologic OCT-based classification of diabetic maculopathy (DM).

Methods

This is a multi-center cross-sectional study including a coordination center (CC) and 18 participating centers (PCs). After instruction on the correct use of ESASO Classification, the validation process was carried out in two consecutive stages. In the first retrospective phase, we evaluated the concordance between PCs and CC in the staging of OCT images collected during PCs’ daily activity (608 images). In a second prospective phase, we analyzed the inter-observer agreement of staging assigned by each PCs to OCT images selected by the CC (22 images).

Results

The overall concordance achieved in the retrospective phase was 89.8% (Kappa = 0.83 (95% CI: 0.78–0.87); p<0.0001). In 99.5% of cases, concordance did not differ by more than one stage. In the prospective phase, PCs reached an inter-operator agreement of 93.0% (Krippendorff's Alpha = 0.953, 95% CI: 0.929–0.977, p<0.0001). Any discrepancy among the 22 images was within one stage.

Conclusion

The results achieved in this study confirm that ESASO OCT-based Classification can be considered as an easy and reproducible method to stage DM during clinical practice. A diffused use of a common and validated method to describe the progression of retinal damage in DM may offer several clinical and scientific advantages.
Quality of Municipal Long-Term Care in Different Models of Care: A Cross-Sectional Study From Norway
Authors: Rostad Hanne Marie , Burrell Lisa Victoria , Skinner Marianne Sundlisæter , Hellesø Ragnhild , Sogstad Maren Kristine Raknes
Published: July 2023

The quality of care remains a critical concern for health systems around the globe, especially in an era of unprecedented financial challenges and rising demands. Previous research indicates large variation in several indicators of quality in the long-term care setting, highlighting the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to such disparities. As different ways of delivering long-term care services likely affect quality of care, the objectives of our study is to investigate (1) variation in structure, process and outcome quality between municipalities, and (2) to what extent variation in quality is associated with municipal models of care and structural characteristics. The study had a cross-sectional approach and we utilized data on the municipal level from 3 sources: (1) a survey for models of care (2) Statistics Norway for municipal structural characteristics and (3) the National Health Care Quality Indicator System. Descriptive statistics showed that the Norwegian long-term care sector performs better (measured as percentage or probability) on structure (85.53) and outcome (84.86) quality than process (37.85) quality. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that municipal structural characteristics and model of care had very limited effect on the quality of long-term care. A deeper understanding of variation in service quality may be found at the micro level in healthcare workers’ day-to-day practice.
The imperative of expertise: Why and how the professionalisation of policymaking transforms political parties?
Authors: Aula Ville , Koskimaa Vesa
Published: July 2023

This study analyses professional policy experts in political parties. While recent studies have described the characteristics of ‘unelected politicians’, the drivers for their emergence and impact on democracy have not yet been fully elaborated. We examine these aspects via Finnish party elite interviews (n=79). We challenge the traditional party professionalization narrative where parties’ increasing publicity management efforts diminish intra-party democracy (IPD) and parties’ political ambitions. We find that in addition to campaign, media, and democratic needs, political parties in Finland are concerned especially by their policymaking capacity that has shifted to experts of public administration and lobbyists, and which parties seek to strengthen with the recruitment of more political employees. This elevates the role of partisan policy professionals within political parties, a perspective that has been downplayed in party organisation literature. We call this the imperative of expertise and conclude that while it likely limits traditional IPD, it can improve representative democracy by enhancing parties’ policy control against the technocratic tendencies of contemporary democracy.
Designing and sharing travelogues on Chinese WeChat Moments: a social semiotic analysis of Nine Picture Limit
Authors: Zhu Hongqiang , Wu Xiaoping , Pan Pan
Published: July 2023

Sharing travel experiences through words, pictures and videos on social media has become a popular activity and means of presenting the self. In China, WeChat is the most widely used social media platform. It offers the Moments (朋友圈pinyin: péng yǒu quān, literally ‘Circle of Friends’) feature which provides a tool for users to post photos, short videos and accompanying texts. This study investigates how digital travelogues are technologically afforded and multimodally constructed on WeChat while exploring users’ self-presentation in their travelogues as presented on Moments. To this end, a total of 115 WeChat Moments screenshots are examined. Drawing on multimodal discourse analysis, this study examines these travelogues’ multimodal design, how social life is presented in them and how users display their identity. Specifically, the authors examine how the practice of the Nine Picture Limit (九宫格, pinyin: jiǔ gōng gé) of WeChat Moments is multimodally constructive for producing travelogues. They found that the multimodal strategies adopted in the Nine Picture Limit are not only a matter of designed aesthetics or style for narrating travel experiences, but also a purposeful process of working with images for self-presentation in the spatial narrative. Furthermore, the possibilities that a digital travelogue is viewed as a creative narrative genre in Moments is addressed. Finally, related exploratory research interests such as digital identities, authenticity of travel and mobility are also discussed.
The MINDSET Study: Co-Designing Training for Interpreters in Dementia and Cognitive Assessments
Authors: Gilbert Andrew S , Antoniades Josefine , Hwang Kerry , Gonzalez Erika , Hlavac Jim , Enticott Joanne , Lin Xiaoping , Woodward-Kron Robyn , Low Lee-Fay , LoGiudice Dina , White Jennifer , Cavuoto Marina G , Brijnath Bianca
Published: July 2023

There is a growing demand for interpreter-mediated cognitive assessments for dementia. However, most interpreters lack specialist knowledge of dementia and cognitive assessment tools. This can negatively affect the way instructions and responses are conveyed between clinicians and patients, undermining clinicians’ ability to accurately assess for cognitive impairment. This article reports on the co-design of an online dementia training package, MINDSET, which aims to address this gap. Two iterative online co-design workshops were conducted in October and November 2021, using a World Café approach. Sixteen clinicians, interpreters, and multilingual family carers of a person with dementia participated. Based on these workshops, training and assessment materials were developed and tested with 12 interpreters from April to June 2022. The training package comprises online modules: 1) Knowledge of Dementia and Australia’s Aged Care System, 2) Briefings and Introductions, 3) Interpreting Skills, 4) Interpreting Ethics, and 5) Cross-cultural Communication. The codesign process highlighted divergent perspectives between clinicians and interpreters on an interpreter’s role during a cognitive assessment, but it also facilitated negotiation and consensus building, which enriched the training content. The training is now developed and will be evaluated in a randomized control trial and subsequent implementation study.
Examining the Impact of a Third Culture Kid Upbringing: Wellbeing, Attachment and Ethnic Identity Strength in Adult Third Culture Kids
Authors: Doherty Lucy , Lieu Jenai , Aledeh Muhammad , Edwards Ann-Marie , Kotera Yasuhiro
Published: July 2023

Third Culture Kids (TCK) are generally considered to be children who spend a significant period living outside of their home country but reside only temporarily in one or more host country/ies. TCKs’ upbringing, it is argued, may lead to a number of negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety, and identity and attachment issues. This quantitative study based on a total of 489 participants compares the self-report responses of adults who had been TCKs with those of non-TCK adults, on the measures of ethnic identity, wellbeing, loneliness, attachment, resilience, and self-concept clarity. Results indicate that TCK adults had a weaker ethnic identity, greater resilience, and were less comfortable forming close relationships than non-TCK adults. Among TCK adults, having siblings was associated with reduced attachment anxiety and greater resilience, while practising a religion was related to increased ethnic identity. Findings indicate the need to raise awareness among parents, teachers, and counsellors about the difficulties that TCKs might face.
Robust multitask compressive sampling via deep generative models for crack detection in structural health monitoring
Authors: Zhang Haoyu , Wu Stephen , Huang Yong , Li Hui
Published: July 2023

In structural health monitoring (SHM), there is an increasing demand for real-time image-based damage detection. Such a technology is essential for minimizing hazard loss caused by delayed emergency response after earthquakes or other natural disasters, or service interruption during structural inspection. Compressive sampling (CS) is a promising solution to achieve such a goal by greatly reducing the power consumption on high-resolution image transmission when using wireless devices. However, conventional CS failed to achieve high enough compression ratios, while existing generative-model-based CS requires laboriously training a high-quality generator with many large-scale images. To overcome such a bottleneck that hinders the practical use of CS in SHM, we propose a multitask CS algorithm that only relies on existing generators trained by low-pixel crack images. By exploiting the new discovery that similar crack images share a similar sparsity pattern in their latent vectors mapped by the generator, our algorithm achieves higher crack detection accuracy and robustness within a much shorter time when using a high data compression ratio. We verify the effectiveness of the proposed CS algorithm using synthetic and real image data. The results demonstrate that this work has moved a step closer toward successful implementation of operational CS-based crack detection systems in real-time SHM.
Routine Presidential Activism by Going Public under Semi-Presidential and Parliamentary Regimes
Authors: Jastramskis Mažvydas , Pukelis Lukas
Published: July 2023

Presidential research commonly focuses on the most prominent cases of going public by presidents in semi-presidential regimes: such as expressing a lack of trust in the cabinet members. However, it is also important to understand the day-to-day functioning of semi-presidential republics and routine efforts by the presidents to insert themselves into government decisions. Moreover, presidents in parliamentary republics may also try to influence the government through the power of the public word. In this article, we conceptualize going public as an instance when a president weighs in on the performance of the cabinet and/or individual minister in the media. We analyze the focus and intensity of these instances in semi-presidential (Lithuania) and parliamentary (Latvia) regimes. Our main finding is that on average, presidents are more routinely active in public under semi-presidentialism. We also find that the intensity and focus of presidential attention on the cabinet are highly correlated to the media attention. Furthermore, presidents go public more often during the first year of their terms and pay more attention to foreign and defense policy than to other areas. Our results tend to support the presidency-centered arguments that emphasize the institutional prerogatives and political culture in the explanation of presidential activism.
Assistive feeding robot for upper limb impairment—Testing and validation
Authors: Mashrur Tanzim , Ghulam Zeyad , French Gregory , Abdullah Hussein A
Published: July 2023

A personal care robotic system has been developed that can provide feeding assistance to those suffering from upper limb impairment. The system introduces a novel approach for feeding that prioritizes two ideas: generalized functionality to encompass multiple feeding tasks and seamless user interaction. Additionally, the system leveraged novel computer vision ideas to incorporate functionality that was not reported in the literature. For the functional prototype, the system was comprised of an off-the-shelf six degrees of freedom robotic manipulator, two depth cameras, and an electric gripper. Furthermore, various tools used during the operation were designed and constructed using a 3D printer. The system’s software has three main operation phases: food identification, acquisition, and delivery. One of the novel features of this system is that instead of attempting to identify the food, the robot identifies the method required for acquiring the food. During testing and validation, it was found that the system had minimal identification errors, high success rates for acquisition and delivery, and a fast safety response time.
Endoscopic ultrasound drainage of pancreatic fluid collections: do we know enough about the best approach?
Authors: Seicean Andrada , Pojoga Cristina , Rednic Voicu , Hagiu Claudia , Seicean Radu
Published: July 2023

Pancreatic fluid collection often occurs as a local complication of acute pancreatitis, and drainage is indicated in symptomatic patients. The drainage may be surgical, percutaneous, or endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided. In symptomatic collections older than 4 weeks and localized in the upper abdomen, EUS-guided drainage is the first choice of treatment. Lumen-apposing metal stents are useful in cases of walled-off necrosis, facilitating access to the cavity; however, they do not reduce the number of necrosectomy sessions required. In most pancreatic pseudocysts requiring drainage, plastic stents remain the first choice of treatment. This review aimed to summarize the principles and techniques of step-up therapy of pancreatic fluid collections, including preprocedural and postprocedural assessment and practical approaches of drainage and necrosectomy, making available evidence more accessible to endoscopists aiming to train for this procedure. Successful and safe EUS drainage connotes early recognition and treatment of complications and the presence of a multidisciplinary team for optimal patient management. However, the best time for necrosectomy, modality of drainage method (lumen-apposing metal stents or plastic stents), and duration of antibiotherapy are still under evaluation.
Towards Understanding Tajikistan’s Sociolinguistically Complex Language Ecology: Historical Development, Current Status, Issues, Research, Policy and Practice
Authors: Bahry Stephen A. , Olimnazarova Tojiniso
Published: July 2023

Tajikistan, at the heart of Central Eurasia, had a population of 7,563,687 in 2010, estimated recently to be almost 10,084,935. Named for its majority nationality, Tajikistan has many other nationalities, most with their own language. This article explores what is known about the historical, development and current status of multiple languages in Tajikistan’s linguistic tapestry. We provide a tentative overview of Tajikistan’s evolving language ecology from earliest times when a range of Eastern Iranian languages were dominant, to the reduced use of Eastern Iranian languages following the entry of Arabic and New Persian (a western Iranian language) into the ecology with the Arab conquest, and the subsequent entry of Turkic languages, and more recently the entry of Russian under the late Russian empire and its spread under the Soviet Union. Following independence in 1991, a shift in balance among domains of use of Tajik and Russian has been ongoing at the same time as international languages, especially English, have entered Tajikistan’s language ecology. We review the current state of knowledge about contemporary sociolinguistic dynamics, monolingualism and plurilingualism in society, where the titular language, Tajik/Persian, is in interaction with local, regional and global languages. Against the background of changing post-independence language and language-in-education policies, we discuss the prospects for monolingual, multilingual and plurilingual education in Tajikistan among efforts to promote the official language, Tajik, and to provide minority language education, while also developing proficiency in foreign languages in Tajikistan, through initiatives such as English-medium instruction.
Incidental finding of an aortic aneurysm in a paediatric patient with tuberous sclerosis - A case report with literature review
Authors: Kong Kar Yee Catrin , Ting Chun Yi , Merchant Khurshid , Lai Angeline Hwei Meeng , Chowdhury Sudipta Roy
Published: July 2023

Background: While common in the elderly population, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are rare in the paediatric population and reported to be more common in patients with connective tissue disorders or certain genetic conditions such as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Presenting symptoms of an AAA can be varied, and can range from being completely asymptomatic, to symptoms including a pulsatile abdominal mass, hypertension, back pain and even rupture. Aortic aneurysms in patients with TSC have been reported presenting at varying age groups.

Case description: We report a case of TSC associated with an incidental finding of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in a child. Ultrasound of the abdomen revealed a renal aortic abdominal aneurysm. Computed tomographic angiogram and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen confirmed this finding with wall thinning over its right lateral aspect. The child underwent surgical repair of her abdominal aortic aneurysm and recovered uneventfully.

Discussion: This case highlights the importance of monitoring patients with TS closely for signs and symptoms of aortic aneurysms and to proceed with screening scans for an early diagnosis. If left untreated, AAA carries a high-risk of morbidity and mortality in the event of a rupture.
When suppression is good and reappraisal is not: The boiling point of anger in a service encounter
Authors: González-Gómez Helena V , Hudson Sarah , Rychalski Aude
Published: July 2023

Research is still scarce regarding how cognitive appraisals of multiple service failure cues combine to generate customer anger in a service failure context, and the role of emotional regulation strategies (suppression and reappraisal) in mitigating this emotion. Using a vignette experimental method of a service failure situation with 971 participants, we show that appraisals of goal-blocking, other responsibility, and low control act jointly in an undifferentiated way to increase anger in a non-linear fashion and find that emotional suppression is beneficial for coping with anger in situations with multiple anger-evoking cues. Conversely, reappraisal is more effective when there are fewer anger-triggering cues. This result challenges the dominant view that reappraisal is preferable to suppression in coping with negative emotions.
Development and validation of a quality assessment tool to assess online nutrition information
Authors: Ellis Cassandra H , Moore J Bernadette , Ho Peter , Evans Charlotte EL
Published: July 2023

Setting

The internet is an important source of health information but is unregulated. Little research has focused on the assessment of digital information related to nutrition.

Aim

To develop and validate a novel online quality assessment tool (OQAT) for quality assessment of online nutrition information.

Method

The OQAT was developed and validated in six distinct stages. After reviewing the literature, a framework and criteria were developed and formalised. Next, the quality assessment criteria were piloted on a subset of data and criteria refined. The established criteria were then validated against a previously validated assessment tool, and reliability was tested. Finally, the validated OQAT was used to assess the quality of articles from a 24-h collection period, 19 April 2021.

Results

The final OQAT consisted of 10 key questions. Twenty-six news articles were assessed independently by two raters. Comparison of scores found moderate internal consistency ( α = 0.382). Cohen's Kappa coefficient demonstrated high interrater agreement ( k = 0.653, p < 0.001). The OQAT was tested on 291 relevant Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), which were determined to be either poor 3% ( n = 9), satisfactory 49% ( n = 144), or high-quality 48% ( n = 139) articles. There was a statistically significant difference in OQAT scores between blogs, news articles, and press releases, χ2(2) = 23.22, p < 0.001, with a mean rank OQAT score of 138.2 for blogs, 216.6 for news articles, and 188.7 for press releases.

Conclusion

This novel tool provides a reliable and objective method for assessing the quality of nutrition content online. It could potentially be used by researchers to assess the quality of online information in different settings and by organisations to inform readers of the quality of information being accessed.
Enhanced electrocardiogram machine learning-based classification with emphasis on fusion and unknown heartbeat classes
Authors: Al-mousa Amjed , Baniissa Joud , Hashem Tala , Ibraheem Tala
Published: July 2023

Building an electrocardiogram (ECG) heartbeat classification model is essential for early arrhythmia detection. This research aims to build a reliable model that can classify heartbeats into five heartbeat types: normal beat (N), supraventricular ectopic beat (SVEB), ventricular ectopic beat (VEB), fusion beat (F), and unknown beat (Q), with a focus on enhancing the predictions of the uncommon Q and F heartbeats. The base dataset used is the MIT-BIH SupraVentricular Database, which was used to train and compare the performance of five machine learning models: logistic regression, Random Forest (RF), K-nearest neighbor, linear support vector machine, and linear discriminant analysis. In addition to using the synthetic minority oversampling technique, data extracted from multiple databases for the F and Q classes were combined with the original base dataset. These methods resulted in significant improvement in the recall for the rare F and Q classes when compared to the literature. The RF algorithm produced the best performance with an accuracy of 97% and recall values equal to 97%, 93%, 95%, 95%, and 30% for N, SVEB, VEB, F, and Q, respectively.
Association Between Financial Efficiency and Credit Risk of SMEs—A Study Using DEA and Altman Z-score
Authors: Bagade Sonali , Chitta Shyam Sunder , Jain Ravi Kumar , Padmavathi V. , Prasad K. D. V.
Published: July 2023

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have encountered several threats resulting in a high failure rate vis-à-vis unavailability of financial assistance from funding institutions. Financial assistance is triggered through financial efficiency of SMEs and an error-free credit risk assessment. This article attempts to evaluate SMEs’ financial efficiency and credit risk. Data from 2016 to 2020 are collected for 36 listed companies and analysed using the Altman Z-score to predict leeway of bankruptcy and data envelopment analysis to study the financial efficiency. Association between results of both the models shows that there does not exist a direct relation between credit risk and financial efficiency. SMEs can build a comprehensive financial portfolio using the findings of this study The study findings indicated that it lowers the asymmetry of information and leads to deciding on proper interest rates to reduce borrowers’ substantiated credit risk, as this would result in ease of funding to financially distressed SMEs.
Immunochemotherapy or chemotherapy alone in primary central nervous system lymphoma: a National Cancer Database analysis
Authors: Ollila Thomas A. , Taher Rashida , Moku Prashanth , Olszewski Adam J.
Published: July 2023

Debate remains over the role of rituximab, a large molecule with reduced central nervous system (CNS) penetration, in therapy for primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL). Since 2013, the National Cancer Database has distinguished between chemotherapy and immunotherapy for frontline treatment. In this setting, rituximab would be the only standard frontline immunotherapy. We examined factors associated with the receipt of immunotherapy using a multivariate regression model for relative risk, with a random intercept to account for the hospital-specific treatment selection process. Patients were matched using a 1:1 propensity score to limit possible confounders, and overall survival (OS) was compared in the matched cohort. We identified 4691 patients with PCNSL diagnosed between 2013 and 2018. The use of immunotherapy has increased from 45% in 2013 to 76% in 2018. Immunotherapy use was associated with sociodemographic variables and local (hospital level) preference rather than clinical factors. The main factors associated with reduced use of immunotherapy included male sex, Black race or Hispanic ethnicity (compared with White non-Hispanic), HIV+ status, treatment in a lower-volume hospital, and earlier year of diagnosis. We matched 2830 patients for the survival analysis. Receipt of immunotherapy was associated with a significantly better OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.83). There was heterogeneity according to age, because the advantage of immunotherapy was more pronounced for patients aged ≤75 years (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.63-0.80) than for those older than 75 years (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.70-1.08). Overall, our findings support the current trend toward rituximab use, although a nuanced approach should be adopted when treating older patients.
The role of CD180 in hematological malignancies and inflammatory disorders
Authors: Edwards Kurtis , Lydyard Peter M. , Kulikova Nino , Tsertsvadze Tamar , Volpi Emanuela V. , Chiorazzi Nicholas , Porakishvili Nino
Published: July 2023

Toll-like receptors play a significant role in the innate immune system and are also involved in the pathophysiology of many different diseases. Over the past 35 years, there have been a growing number of publications exploring the role of the orphan toll-like receptor, CD180. We therefore set out to provide a narrative review of the current evidence surrounding CD180 in both health and disease. We first explore the evidence surrounding the role of CD180 in physiology including its expression, function and signaling in antigen presenting cells (APCs) (dendritic cells, monocytes, and B cells). We particularly focus on the role of CD180 as a modulator of other TLRs including TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9. We then discuss the role of CD180 in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, as well as in hematological malignancies of B cell origin, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Based on this evidence we produce a current model for CD180 in disease and explore the potential role for CD180 as both a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. Throughout, we highlight specific areas of research which should be addressed to further the understanding of CD180 biology and the translational potential of research into CD180 in various diseases.
Sex difference in the association between pyrethroids exposure and sleep problems among adolescents: NHANES 2007–2014
Authors: Zhou Long , Li Guangzhen , Chen Xia , Zuo Lei , Liu Mingliang , Jing Chunxia , Chen Li , Chen Haiyan , Peng Sihui , Hao Guang
Published: July 2023

Background

Pyrethroids have been widely used in the United States and worldwide. Few studies examined the effect of pyrethroids exposure on sleep problems among adolescents.

Objectives

This study investigated the associations between pyrethroids exposure and sleep problems in male and female adolescents.

Methods

The data were used from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2014. In this study, 3-Phenoxybenzoic Acid (3-PBA) was used as a validated biomarker for pyrethroids exposure. The association between urinary 3-PBA and sleep problems was analyzed using logistic regression models.

Results

A total of 805 adolescents aged 16–20 years old were included in this study. The proportion of sleep problems was higher in females than in males (10.18% vs.7.35%, P = 0.154). A significant interaction was found between sex and 3-PBA (P interaction = 0.021) in the risk of sleep problems. A positive association of 3-PBA exposure with sleep problems was observed in male adolescents after adjusting for all the other covariates (OR = 4.04, 95% CI 1.31, 12.42). No statistically significant association was observed in female adolescents.

Conclusions

A positive association was observed between pyrethroids exposure and sleep problems in male adolescents, but not in female adolescents. More studies are required to confirm our findings.
Impact of kinship matrices on genetic gain and inbreeding with optimum contribution selection in a genomic dairy cattle breeding program
Authors: Gautason Egill , Sahana Goutam , Guldbrandtsen Bernt , Berg Peer
Published: July 2023

Background

Genomic selection has increased genetic gain in dairy cattle, but in some cases it has resulted in higher inbreeding rates. Therefore, there is need for research on efficient management of inbreeding in genomically-selected dairy cattle populations, especially for local breeds with a small population size. Optimum contribution selection (OCS) minimizes the increase in average kinship while it maximizes genetic gain. However, there is no consensus on how to construct the kinship matrix used for OCS and whether it should be based on pedigree or genomic information. VanRaden’s method 1 (VR1) is a genomic relationship matrix in which centered genotype scores are scaled with the sum of 2p(1-p) where p is the reference allele frequency at each locus, and VanRaden’s method 2 (VR2) scales each locus with 2p(1-p), thereby giving greater weight to loci with a low minor allele frequency. We compared the effects of nine kinship matrices on genetic gain, kinship, inbreeding, genetic diversity, and minor allele frequency when applying OCS in a simulated small dairy cattle population. We used VR1 and VR2, each using base animals, all genotyped animals, and the current generation of animals to compute reference allele frequencies. We also set the reference allele frequencies to 0.5 for VR1 and the pedigree-based relationship matrix. We constrained OCS to select a fixed number of sires per generation for all scenarios. Efficiency of the different matrices were compared by calculating the rate of genetic gain for a given rate of increase in average kinship.

Results

We found that: (i) genomic relationships were more efficient than pedigree-based relationships at managing inbreeding, (ii) reference allele frequencies computed from base animals were more efficient compared to reference allele frequencies computed from recent animals, and (iii) VR1 was slightly more efficient than VR2, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Using genomic relationships for OCS realizes more genetic gain for a given amount of kinship and inbreeding than using pedigree relationships when the number of sires is fixed. For a small genomic dairy cattle breeding program, we recommend that the implementation of OCS uses VR1 with reference allele frequencies estimated either from base animals or old genotyped animals.