bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rayleigh step-selection functions and connections to continuous-time mechanistic movement models
Authors: Eisaguirre Joseph M. , Williams Perry J. , Hooten Mevin B.
Published: February 2024

Background

The process known as ecological diffusion emerges from a first principles view of animal movement, but ecological diffusion and other partial differential equation models can be difficult to fit to data. Step-selection functions (SSFs), on the other hand, have emerged as powerful practical tools for ecologists studying the movement and habitat selection of animals.

Methods

SSFs typically involve comparing resources between a set of used and available points at each step in a sequence of observed positions. We use change of variables to show that ecological diffusion implies certain distributions for available steps that are more flexible than others commonly used. We then demonstrate advantages of these distributions with SSF models fit to data collected for a mountain lion in Colorado, USA.

Results

We show that connections between ecological diffusion and SSFs imply a Rayleigh step-length distribution and uniform turning angle distribution, which can accommodate data collected at irregular time intervals. The results of fitting an SSF model with these distributions compared to a set of commonly used distributions revealed how precision and inference can vary between the two approaches.

Conclusions

Our new continuous-time step-length distribution can be integrated into various forms of SSFs, making them applicable to data sets with irregular time intervals between successive animal locations.
Polymeric DNase-I nanozymes targeting neutrophil extracellular traps for the treatment of bowel inflammation
Authors: Wang Chi-Pin James , Ko Ga Ryang , Lee Yun Young , Park Juwon , Park Wooram , Park Tae-Eun , Jin Yoonhee , Kim Se-Na , Lee Jung Seung , Park Chun Gwon
Published: February 2024

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a family of chronic disorders along the gastrointestinal tract. Because of its idiopathic nature, IBD does not have a fundamental cure; current available therapies for IBD are limited to prolonged doses of immunomodulatory agents. While these treatments may reduce inflammation, limited therapeutic efficacy, inconsistency across patients, and adverse side effects from aggressive medications remain as major drawbacks. Recently, excessive production and accumulation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) also known as NETosis have been identified to exacerbate inflammatory responses and induce further tissue damage in IBD. Such discovery invited many researchers to investigate NETs as a potential therapeutic target. DNase-I is a natural agent that can effectively destroy NETs and, therefore, potentially reduce NETs-induced inflammations even without the use of aggressive drugs. However, low stability and rapid clearance of DNase-I remain as major limitations for further therapeutic applications. In this research, polymeric nanozymes were fabricated to increase the delivery and therapeutic efficacy of DNase-I. DNase-I was immobilized on the surface of polymeric nanoparticles to maintain its enzymatic properties while extending its activity in the colon. Delivery of DNase-I using this platform allowed enhanced stability and prolonged activity of DNase-I with minimal toxicity. When administered to animal models of IBD, DNase-I nanozymes successfully alleviated various pathophysiological symptoms of IBD. More importantly, DNase-I nanozyme administration successfully attenuated neutrophil infiltration and NETosis in the colon compared to free DNase-I or mesalamine.
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of myoarthropatic symptoms in patients with craniomandibular dysfunction – a protocol for a randomized and controlled pilot trial
Authors: Prott Lea S. , Spitznagel Frank A. , Hugger Alfons , Langner Robert , Gierthmühlen Petra C. , Gierthmühlen Mortimer
Published: February 2024

Background

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a collective term for pain and dysfunction of the masticatory muscles and the temporomandibular joints. The most common types of TMD are pain-related, which may impact the psychological behavior and quality of life. Currently, the most popular methods for the treatment of TMD patients are occlusal splint therapy, often in combination with physical- and/or pharmacotherapy. However, due to the complexity of etiology, the treatment of chronic TMD remains a challenge. Recently, CE-certified systems for non-invasive VNS (transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, taVNS) have become available and show positive effects in the treatment of chronic pain conditions, like migraine or fibromyalgia, with which TMD shares similarities. Therefore, it is the main purpose of the study to evaluate the feasibility of daily taVNS against chronic TMD and to assess whether there is an improvement in pain severity, quality of life, and kinetic parameters.

Methods

This study is designed as a single-blinded, double-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a 1:1 allocation ratio. Twenty adult patients with chronical TMD symptoms will be enrolled and randomized to stimulation or sham group. In the stimulation group, taVNS is performed on the left tragus (25 Hz, pulse width 250 µs, 28 s on/32 s off, 4 h/day). The sham group will receive no stimulation via a non-functional identical-looking electrode. Validated questionnaire data and clinical parameters will be collected at the beginning of the study and after 4 and 8 weeks. The compliance of a daily taVNS of patients with chronical TMD will be evaluated via a smartphone app recording daily stimulation time and average intensity. Additionally, the treatment impact on pain severity and quality of life will be assessed with different questionnaires, and the effect on the mandibular mobility and muscle activity will be analyzed.

Discussion

This is the first clinical trial to assess the feasibility of taVNS in patients with chronic TMD symptoms. If taVNS improves the symptoms of TMD, it will be a significant gain in quality of life for these chronic pain patients. The results of this pilot study will help to determine the feasibility of a large-scale RCT.

Trial registration

This study has been registered in the DRKS database (DRKS00029724).
Understanding exposomes and its relation with cancer risk in Malaysia based on epidemiological evidence: a narrative review
Authors: Sharif Razinah , Ooi Theng Choon
Published: February 2024

The prevalence of cancer is increasing globally, and Malaysia is no exception. The exposome represents a paradigm shift in cancer research, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach that considers the cumulative effect of diverse exposures encountered throughout life. The exposures include dietary factors, air and water pollutants, occupational hazards, lifestyle choices, infectious agents and social determinants of health. The exposome concept acknowledges that each individual’s cancer risk is shaped by not only their genetic makeup but also their unique life experiences and environmental interactions. This comprehensive review was conducted by systematically searching scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, by using the keywords “exposomes (environmental exposures AND/OR physical exposures AND/OR chemical exposures) AND cancer risk AND Malaysia”, for relevant articles published between 2010 and 2023. Articles addressing the relationship between exposomes and cancer risk in the Malaysian population were critically evaluated and summarized. This review aims to provide an update on the epidemiological evidence linking exposomes with cancer risk in Malaysia. This review will provide an update for current findings and research in Malaysia related to identified exposomes-omics interaction and gap in research area related to the subject matter. Understanding the interplay between complex exposomes and carcinogenesis holds the potential to unveil novel preventive strategies that may be beneficial for public health.
Terasi, exploring the Indonesian ethnic fermented shrimp paste
Authors: Herlina Vika Tresnadiana , Setiarto R. Haryo Bimo
Published: February 2024

Terasi is an Indonesian traditional fermented shrimp paste commonly used as a condiment to enhance flavor in Indonesian cuisines. This product has distinctive sensory characteristics and is known by various names in Asian countries. The primary reaction that occurs during terasi fermentation is proteolysis by endogenous enzymes generated by microorganisms to produce taste and aroma compounds. This review elaborates on various aspects of terasi, including history, microbiology, fermentation process, nutritional properties, bioactivities, potential hazards, and the future, challenges, and prospects of terasi. Apart from limiting its nutritional value, the long-duration process and high salt content of terasi appear to prevent the formation of toxic biogenic amines. Therefore, this review article also discussed innovative bioprocesses such as low-salt fermentation and the use of novel starter cultures to speed up fermentation and produce terasi with better quality and safety for human consumption.
A novel Cosine-Cosine chaotic map-based video encryption scheme
Authors: Kumari Sweta , Dua Mohit , Dua Shelza , Dhingra Deepti
Published: February 2024

The surge in online activities has led to the increasing popularity of sharing video data across diverse applications, including online education tutorials, social networking, video calling, and OTT platforms. Encryption prevents unauthorized access to the transmitted data over unreliable channels. The well-known features of chaos theory such as random behaviour, unpredictability, and initial parameters dependency facilitate its use in cryptography. Many security issues are faced by chaos-based cryptosystems because of their less complexity. Hence, a new Cosine-Cosine chaotic map characterized by intricate chaotic behaviour is designed in the current study. Additionally, we formulate an original video encryption scheme employing this Cosine-Cosine chaotic map. The encryption process involves five steps, beginning with the segmentation of the original video into frames based on its frame rate. In the second phase, a 384 bits pseudorandom key is generated that is further divided into three subkeys of 128 bits each. The novel Cosine-Cosine chaotic map-based sequence is generated. In the fourth step, red, green, and blue components are encrypted using the pseudorandom key and the chaotic sequence. In the last step, we combine encrypted frames to get cipher video. The security analysis validates that the proposed encryption protects against eavesdropping.
Optimizing Outpatient Radiation Oncology Consult Workflow by Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing: Efficiency and Financial Impacts
Authors: Weng Julius , Mesko Shane , Chronowski Gregory , Lee Percy , Choi Seungtaek , Das Prajnan , Koong Albert C. , French Katy , Aloia Thomas , Ehlers Richie , Elrod-Joplin Dorothy , Kerr Ashley , Smith Regina , Martinez Wendi , Bloom Elizabeth , Shah Shalin J. , Ning Matthew S. , Liao Zhongxing , Herman Joseph , Moningi Shalini , Moreno Amy C. , Nguyen Quynh-Nhu
Published: February 2024

PURPOSE

Clinical efficiency is a key component of value-based health care. Our objective here was to identify workflow inefficiencies by using time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) and evaluate the implementation of a new clinical workflow in high-volume outpatient radiation oncology clinics.

METHODS

Our quality improvement study was conducted with the Departments of GI, Genitourinary (GU), and Thoracic Radiation Oncology at a large academic cancer center and four community network sites. TDABC was used to create process maps and optimize workflow for outpatient consults. Patient encounter metrics were captured with a real-time status function in the electronic medical record. Time metrics were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests.

RESULTS

Individual patient encounter data for 1,328 consults before the intervention and 1,234 afterward across all sections were included. The median overall cycle time was reduced by 21% in GI (19 minutes), 18% in GU (16 minutes), and 12% at the community sites (9 minutes). The median financial savings per consult were $52 in US dollars (USD) for the GI, $33 USD for GU, $30 USD for thoracic, and $42 USD for the community sites. Patient satisfaction surveys (from 127 of 228 patients) showed that 99% of patients reported that their providers spent adequate time with them and 91% reported being seen by a care provider in a timely manner.

CONCLUSION

TDABC can effectively identify opportunities to improve clinical efficiency. Implementing workflow changes on the basis of our findings led to substantial reductions in overall encounter cycle times across several departments, as well as high patient satisfaction and significant financial savings.
Machine Learning Identifies Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Nabrdalik Katarzyna , Kwiendacz Hanna , Irlik Krzysztof , Hendel Mirela , Drożdż Karolina , Wijata Agata M , Nalepa Jakub , Janota Oliwia , Wójcik Wiktoria , Gumprecht Janusz , Lip Gregory Y H
Published: February 2024

Context

The presence of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, but is often underdiagnosed.

Objective

To develop machine learning (ML) models for risk assessment of MASLD occurrence in patients with DM.

Methods

Feature selection determined the discriminative parameters, utilized to classify DM patients as those with and without MASLD. The performance of the multiple logistic regression model was quantified by sensitivity, specificity, and percentage of correctly classified patients, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Decision curve analysis (DCA) assessed the model's net benefit for alternative treatments.

Results

We studied 2000 patients with DM (mean age 58.85 ± 17.37 years; 48% women). Eight parameters: age, body mass index, type of DM, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, platelet count, hyperuricaemia, and treatment with metformin were identified as discriminative. The experiments for 1735 patients show that 744/991 (75.08%) and 586/744 (78.76%) patients with/without MASLD were correctly identified (sensitivity/specificity: 0.75/0.79). The area under ROC (AUC) was 0.84 (95% CI, 0.82-0.86), while DCA showed a higher clinical utility of the model, ranging from 30% to 84% threshold probability. Results for 265 test patients confirm the model's generalizability (sensitivity/specificity: 0.80/0.74; AUC: 0.81 [95% CI, 0.76-0.87]), whereas unsupervised clustering identified high-risk patients.

Conclusion

A ML approach demonstrated high performance in identifying MASLD in patients with DM. This approach may facilitate better risk stratification and cardiovascular risk prevention strategies for high-risk patients with DM at risk of MASLD.
Skilled Immigrants, Firms, and the Global Geography of Innovation
Authors: Glennon Britta
Published: February 2024

This article begins with an overview of the policy environment in the United States and abroad for skilled immigration, with a particular focus on “supply-driven” versus “demand-driven” systems. The overview emphasizes that firms play a central role in the skilled immigration process in most countries. I then survey the ample evidence that skilled immigrants have a strong positive effect on firm outcomes, followed by a discussion of the many margins of adjustment that firms have when their access to skilled immigrants is affected by national immigration policy. Finally, given such margins of adjustment and the importance of skilled immigrants to firms, I consider how the policies that affect skilled migration shape the global geography and quality of innovation. I conclude by discussing policy implications and open questions. In particular, I emphasize that evaluations of the impact of skilled immigration should not be constrained within borders: immigration flows and national immigration policies affect the global geography of innovation and investment.
How Can Lower-Income Countries Collect More Taxes? The Role of Technology, Tax Agents, and Politics
Authors: Okunogbe Oyebola , Tourek Gabriel
Published: February 2024

Increasing tax revenues is a major policy goal in many low- and lower-middle-income countries. While economic growth is an important determinant of taxation, available evidence indicates that it does not automatically increase taxation. Rather, countries must make targeted investments in their tax capacity. In this paper, we examine the rapidly growing body of evidence on different interventions to improve tax capacity and increase tax revenues in lower income countries, with a focus on two key inputs: information technology and tax officials. We examine the role and limitations of digitization for identifying taxable entities, verifying tax liabilities, and ensuring collection of tax owed. We also consider how the deployment and incentives of tax officials shape their performance, and the interplay between them and technology tools. Lastly, we emphasize the importance of political incentives and consider the conditions under which governments choose to invest in tax capacity and expand tax collection.
Ποιότητα στην Υγεία: Η Περίπτωση της Μονάδας Εντατικής Θεραπείας (Μ.Ε.Θ.)
Authors: Δούκη Σταματίνα , Κελέση-Σταυροπούλου Μάρθα
Published: February 2024

H ποιότητα στην υγεία επιτυγχάνεται με την αύξηση της παροχής των επιθυμητών αποτελεσμάτων στα άτομα και στις πληθυσμιακές ομάδες, σύμφωνα με τις σύγχρονες επαγγελματικές γνώσεις. Η Μονάδα Εντατικής Θεραπείας (ΜΕΘ) αποτελεί ένα ειδικά εξοπλισμένο και στελεχωμένο τμήμα του νοσοκομείου. Η βελτίωση της ποιότητας των παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών στη Μ.Ε.Θ. αξιολογείται με δείκτες ποιότητας, που εκτιμούν το σύνολο των παρεμβάσεων, άμεσων και έμμεσων, προς τον ασθενή. Η παρούσα ερευνητική μελέτη στοχεύει στη διερεύνηση και στην παρουσίαση της βελτίωσης της ποιότητας στη Μ.Ε.Θ. Η μεθοδολογία που ακολουθήθηκε περιλαμβάνει την ανασκόπηση σύγχρονων μελετών και άρθρων στις βάσεις δεδομένων PubΜed και Google Scholar από το 2003 μέχρι σήμερα. Από την ενδελεχή μελέτη της διεθνούς και ελληνικής βιβλιογραφίας, φαίνεται ότι η ποιότητα στις παρεχόμενες υπηρεσίες στη Μ.ΕΘ. επιτυγχάνεται όταν εστιάζεται στην επιβίωση και στην ασφάλεια των ασθενών, στην ικανοποίηση αυτών και των οικογενειών τους, στην αποτελεσματικότητα, στην ισότητα, στην επικαιροποίηση και στην αποδοτικότητα. Οι δείκτες ποιότητας που αξιολογούν την ποιότητα στη Μ.Ε.Θ. στοχεύουν στην τεκμηρίωση και στην υποστήριξη της ποιότητας στην παρεχόμενη φροντίδα, στη σύγκριση των νοσοκομείων, στη θέσπιση προτεραιοτήτων και στη δυνατότητα των ασθενών να επιλέξουν δομή υγείας προκειμένου να βοηθηθούν αποτελεσματικά. Η μελέτη της διεθνούς βιβλιογραφίας, καθιστά ξεκάθαρο ότι η βελτίωση της ποιότητας στη Μ.Ε.Θ. συνεπάγεται παροχή αποτελεσματικότερης περίθαλψης, καθώς και διασφάλιση ορθολογικής κατανομής των διαθέσιμων πόρων.
European Health Data Space: A New Era in EU Health
Authors: Kotsareli Kalliopi , Tsachouridis Petros
Published: February 2024

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union (EU) put in action the plan to create a European Health Union, the structural pillar of which is the creation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). In 2022, the European Commission presented the proposal for a regulation for its creation. Its purpose is to enable European citizens to control their health data and to strengthen health research and innovation in the EU. The EHDS is a key step in the transition to digital health in the EU.  Digital health is the means to enhance the resilience of healthcare systems in the EU as it will strengthen healthcare. For this reason, the "MyHealth@EU" platform is being created, which will contribute both to the transfer of primary data and to checking the validity of digital health documents. On the research and innovation side, the “HealthData@EU” platform is being developed, which will bring together a plethora of health data. The EHDS Board will play a coordinating role in the EHDS project. The policy brief concludes with the need for an immediate adoption of the proposed EHDS Regulation, which will contribute to improving healthcare provision while completing the single internal market and achieving the free circulation of health data.
Re-Approaching EU’s Energy Policy: The Vital Role of Nuclear Power
Authors: Korda Eirini
Published: February 2024

The energy cut-down that followed the Russo-Ukrainian war is the main cause of the recent skyrocketing gas prices, which are jeopardizing the stability of the EU’s internal energy market. Hence, the diversification of energy sources has become a major priority. In this context, nuclear power must be reconsidered as a reliable alternative energy source which can lead to the partial independence of the EU. The upper goal of energy security can only be achieved if the EU relies on an energy source, such as nuclear, that ensures availability, reliability, affordability, and sustainability – all, at once. This policy brief outlines the importance of nuclear energy as a key factor for the EU’s energy future and proposes measures that can be implemented to achieve a nuclear and green transition.
The impact of climate change on plant distribution and niche dynamics over the past 250 years in Switzerland
Authors: Wang Jessica , Fischer Markus , Eggenberg Stefan , Rembold Katja
Published: February 2024

Herbarium specimens provide an irreplaceable source of historical plant distribution data, enabling analysis of changes in plant distribution spanning centuries. Most studies on plant distribution shifts focus on recent decades and rare species, especially along elevational gradients. We examined about 2000 historical herbarium specimens from the Botanical Garden of the University of Bern, representing 30 plant species from five Swiss lowland habitats (six species per habitat) dating back to 1768 and covering all Swiss cantons. All historical data were transcribed, georeferenced and then combined with current data resulting in about 170 000 plant records over 250 years. Combined with climatic data from the same period, we found that all habitats increased their potential distribution area with a significant gain in the semi-arid grasslands (+8.15 %, p-value = 0.031). On species level, 75 % of the selected species expanded their distribution, while 25 % of the species retracted. Despite these shifts, 90–99.6 % niche stability was observed between historical and current climatic niches across all species. Shifts in co-occurring species were specific to the species, not to the habitat. The consistent overlap in historical and current climatic niches suggest that distribution expansion is due to the growth of areas with suitable climates, pointing to climate change as a driving factor for plant distribution changes over the past 250 years.
The genomic uses of a 200 year-old herbarium – Pitfalls and potentials
Authors: Christe Camille , Boluda Carlos G. , Randriarisoa Aina , Kiedaisch Tina , Toprak Zeynep , Stauffer Fred , Naciri Yamama , Perret Mathieu
Published: February 2024

Major herbaria, such as the one hosted by the botanical garden of Geneva (G) have played a central role in the development of plant systematics over the last 200 years. Today, advances in high throughput sequencing technologies (HTS) together with the development of targeted capture, where DNA extracts are enriched for preselected loci using hybridization probes prior to sequencing, have considerably improved the use of herbaria as a source of genetic data, opening new avenues in the study of plant biodiversity.
Using herbarium specimens to test for effects of climate change on the time of flowering
Authors: Kull Thea , Langerpaur Kätlin , Kull Tiiu
Published: February 2024

Temperature change in different seasons has various impacts on phenological events. In recent times herbarium material has become more relevant in studying ecological consequences of climate change. Digitalized historical herbarium provides useful material in addition to observational data. This study is the first to use Estonian herbarium material to test the usefulness of herbarium material for studying phenological changes due to climate change.
Looking into 16th-century botanical history to understand the complex taxonomy of Tulipa sylvestris in Europe
Authors: Stefanaki Aastasia , Walter Tilmann , Van Andel Tinde
Published: February 2024

Tulipa sylvestris is a small yellow tulip that was introduced to northern Europe in the 16th century. Unlike the tulips that came from the Ottoman empire and gave birth to modern cultivars, T. sylvestris came from the Mediterranean and became a garden escapee that successfully naturalized across Europe. Its taxonomy is complex due to morphological diversity, polyploidy and naturalization of cultivated plants. Two subspecies are provisionally accepted in Europe: subsp. australis, a diploid native in the Mediterranean (up to Central Asia) that grows on mountainous rocky grasslands, on poor soils; and subsp. sylvestris a tetraploid that is naturalized across Europe and grows in rich soils at low altitudes, mainly at field margins, vineyards and gardens. Sometimes these two subspecies are regarded as distinct species, but their taxonomic delimitation is unclear.
Sentinel-2 water indexes application for the underground water level analyses in Ovidiopol area of Odessa region
Authors: Kadurin S. , Shatalin S. , Oprits G. , Fedoronchuk N. , Potapov A.
Published: February 2024

Studied area has a high level of agricultural development. There are different irrigation and drainage systems located there. Significant part of the supplied water losses from the irrigation network because of filtration and reaches the groundwater level, which begins to rise. Control and analyses of groundwater level changes with remote sensing methods for Ovidiopol area is the main goal of that work. The object of study is the groundwater level regime in the territory of Lower Dniester irrigation system in Ovidiopol district, Odessa region. The subject of research is water indexes application for analyses of groundwater level changes. The local system of groundwater observation includes 7 drillholes in Nadlimanskoe village and around. These drillholes located in different geomorphological, hydrogeological and technogenic conditions. The groundwater level was surveyed monthly in 2017.  Sentinel-2 2A images for each month from March 2017 to December 2017 were used for studied area. All satellite images has atmospheric correction. Three water indexes NDWI, MNDWI, NDPI were calculated for drillhole points for each month in 2017 year. Significant correlation coefficients obtained in comparison between groundwater level changes and water indexes in some drillholes points. The highest numbers of correlation connected with free of construction areas and for drillholes, which are located outside of villages.
Juan Carlos I como Piloto de la Transición Española en la Serie "Cuéntame cómo Pasó".
Authors: del-Pino-Díaz David
Published: February 2024

La pregunta de investigación es el papel de las narrativas audiovisuales en la construcción de mitos para trascender acontecimientos históricos en el imaginario colectivo. El objetivo es estudiar el caso de la figura del Rey Juan Carlos I en la historia de la transición democrática en España (1975-1982) contada en la serie de televisión “Cuéntame cómo pasó”, emitida desde 2001 y con una audiencia de más de 7 millones de espectadores. La metodología cualitativa utilizada consiste en una revisión bibliográfica de trabajos científicos sobre “Cuéntame”, mitos, construcción de la memoria colectiva e historia reciente de España, y el visionado y análisis de las catorce primeras temporadas de Cuéntame (2001-2013 - 253 episodios) utilizando las categorías metodológicas del modelo actancial de semiótica de Julien Greimas. Los resultados muestran que en la primera temporada de la serie ya se establece la idea de que el rey guiará a los españoles hacia la democracia, pero es en la decimocuarta temporada cuando se cierra el círculo con su papel protagonista en la detención del intento de golpe de Estado militar
¿Se Habla o no se Habla? La Toma de Decisiones en el Reparto del Trabajo Doméstico.
Authors: Jurado-Serrano Jesús , Jiménez-Cabello José , Becerril-Ruiz Diego
Published: February 2024

Este trabajo se centra en analizar las diferencias y desigualdades de género que se producen en la toma de decisiones sobre el reparto del trabajo doméstico en una relación de pareja. El objetivo es examinar las diferentes formas en que las parejas toman las decisiones, y la relación que esto tiene con la distribución de las tareas. Metodológicamente, se aplican técnicas cuantitativas mediante análisis de frecuencias a una submuestra de población andaluza obtenida a través de la Encuesta Social General de España (3201 de 2018). Los resultados muestran que la desigualdad de género es más acusada entre las parejas en las que la toma de decisiones sobre el reparto de tareas en el hogar se produce de forma implícita. Las principales conclusiones del estudio muestran que las parejas que hablan sobre el reparto y llegan a un acuerdo presentan los porcentajes más altos de corresponsabilidad.
Political Influence, Bank Capital, and Credit Allocation
Authors: Huang Sheng , Thakor Anjan V.
Published: February 2024

Political influence on bank credit allocation is often viewed as being necessary to address social problems like income inequality. We hypothesize that such influence elicits bank capital responses. Our hypothesis yields three testable predictions for which we find supporting evidence. First, when banks observe election outcomes that suggest greater impending political credit-allocation influence, they reduce capital to increase fragility and deter political influence. Second, banks subject to greater political influence nonetheless increase lending that politicians favor, and household consumption consequently increases. Third, these banks exhibit poorer post-lending performance. Our study has implications for the interaction between politics, household consumption, and bank risk through a specific channel—the interplay between credit-allocation regulation and bank capital structure.

This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.04056 .
Sovereign Borders The Militarisation of Asylum Seeker Discourses in Australian Television News Media
Authors: Stewart Leicha
Published: February 2024

While the democratic paradigm of governance and its constituent political processes are well established in Australia, consistently negative media representations of people seeking asylum may be viewed as justification for institutional decisions allowing continued punitive treatment of people seeking asylum on Australian shores. Historically, notions of Australian sovereignty exist as a changing discourse with reference to land claims and the Australian Indigenous population (O’Dowd 2011; Due 2008). However, in terms of contemporary political claims about Australia’s need to enforce border protection policies, notions of sovereignty are consistently framed through the themes, images and language of military discourses. Media scholar, John Street suggests that although there is disagreement about whether specific political outcomes can be attributed to press influence, the role of television in politics has been more comprehensively established as shaping broader world views in regards to ideas, values and practices that are considered ‘common-sense’ (Street 2011; Craig 2013). This paper argues that the increasing role of the military in the treatment and processing of people seeking asylum may be justified, through repetitive negative media representations of asylum seekers which secures public support for such practices, thereby undermining the very principles of the democratic paradigm, and indeed the role of the media or ‘fourth estate’(Schultz 1998) in a functioning democracy.
Glocal Nollywood: The Politics of Culture, Identity, and Migration in African Films Set on American Shores
Authors: Arthur T. Omega
Published: February 2024

Since its inception in 1992, Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, has grown into a transnational cinema and the second largest film industry in the world thanks in large part to the popularity of the highly affective and dramatic narrative conventions the industry has perfected. In the last decade, Nollywood filmmakers have produced films that depict the African immigrant lived experience in American cities like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. These films are glocal in nature; while set in the United States and featuring African characters, the films combine both local and global settings, cultural attitudes, identity politics, and the protean nature of everyday life in America. By examining the films Anchor Baby and Baby Oku in America, this article analyses how Nollywood filmmakers employ the industry’s affective and melodramatic narrative practices to show African immigrant characters’ complex emotional, epistemological, and phenomenological responses to both the urban spaces they inhabit and the African spaces they left behind.
Discussing Cultural Authenticity The “Patachitra” of West Bengal between Globalization and Modern Consumer Society
Authors: Matera Vincenzo
Published: February 2024

The dream of authenticity, the savage sensibility, the idea that “modernity” – however meant – was a theme of very limited interest for anthropologists is a mark of the Western history of cultural analysis throughout a good part of the last century. Still today it remains in some not always marginal lines of western ideology with regard to other people and other places (exotic places, ethnic objects, strange rituals), as well as in a certain persistent conception of cultural anthropology such as a search for authentic cultural richness. In this paper, I concisely present the main lines of the authenticity debate and argue for a hybrid (and oxymoronic) notion of cultural authenticity focusing on an ethnographic case.
Impact of haemoglobin A1c on wound infection in patients with diabetes with implanted synthetic graft
Authors: Matić Predrag , Atanasijević Igor , Stojković Vera Maravić , Soldatović Ivan , Tanasković Slobodan , Babić Srđan , Gajin Predrag , Lozuk Branko , Vučurević Goran , Đoković Aleksandra , Živić Rastko , Đulejić Vuk , Nešković Mihailo , Babić Aleksandar , Ilijevski Nenad
Published: February 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values and operative wound infection

Method:

During the period from 2013–2016, consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes were prospectively evaluated. Data were retrospectively analysed. All included patients were admitted for an elective surgical procedure, requiring the use of prosthetic graft in a groin wound. The patients were divided into two groups according to their preoperative HbA1c values. The main outcome was groin wound infection. The association between preoperative long-term glycoregulation and wound infection was evaluated, as well as the impact of postoperative glycaemic values, regardless of the level of HbA1c.

Results:

Of the 93 participating patients, wound infection occurred in 20 (21.5%). Wound infection occurred in 28.2% of patients with uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c >7%) and 16.7% of patients with controlled diabetes (HbA1c <7%); however, the difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.181). In regression modelling, operative time (p=0.042) was a significant predictor of wound infection, while patients' age (p=0.056) was on the borderline of statistical significance. Females had a higher probability for wound infection (odds ratio (OR): 1.739; 95% confidence interval (CI):0.483–6.265), but there was no statistical significance (p=0.397). Patients with elevated levels of HbA1c had a higher chance of wound infection compared with patients with controlled diabetes (OR: 2.243; 95% CI: 0.749–6.716), nevertheless, this was not statistically significant (p=0.149).

Conclusion:

We found no statistically significant correlation between elevated values of preoperative HbA1c and postoperative groin wound infection.
TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY OR HIP HEMIARTHROPLASTY: WHAT IS THE CORRECT CHOICE IN ALCOHOLICS AGED 40 TO 65 YEARS?
Authors: Gunia D. M. , Pethers D. , Mackenzie N. , Stark A. , Jones B.
Published: February 2024

NICE Guidelines suggest patients should be offered a Total Hip Replacement (THR) rather than Hemiarthroplasty for a displaced intracapsular hip fracture. We investigated outcomes of patients aged 40–65 who received a THR or Hemiarthroplasty following a traumatic intracapsular hip fracture and had either high-risk (Group 1) or low-risk (Group 2) alcohol consumption (>14 or <14 units/week respectively).

This was a retrospective study (April 2008 – December 2018) evaluating patients who underwent THR or Hemiarthroplasty in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Atraumatic injuries, acetabular fractures, patients with previous procedures on the affected side and those lost to follow up were excluded. Analysis of length of admission, dislocation risk, periprosthetic fractures, infection risk, and mortality was conducted between both cohorts.

Survival time post-operatively of Group 1 patients with a THR (61.9 months) and Hemiarthroplasty (42.3 months) were comparable to Group 2 patients with a THR (59 months) and Hemiarthroplasty(42.4 months). Group 1 patients with THR had increased risk of dislocation (12.9%; p=0.04) compared to those that received Hemiarthroplasty (2.5%). Group 1 Hemiarthroplasty patients had increased wound infection risk (11.6%) compared to Group 2 (3.7%).

In conclusion, we found that amongst our population the life expectancy of a post-operative patient was short irrespective of whether they had high or low-risk alcohol consumption. A hip fracture may represent increased frailty in our study population. The Group 1 THR cohort presented a higher risk of hip dislocation and periprosthetic fracture. With this in mind, Hemiarthroplasty is a more cost-effective and shorter operation which produces similar results.
MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOMES FOLLOWING STEMLESS ANATOMIC TOTAL SHOULDER ARTHROPLASTY: CLINICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL FINDINGS (MINIMUM FIVE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP)
Authors: Dixon J. E. , Rankin I. A. , Sciberras N. , Khan L. A. K. , Barker S. L. , Cairns D. A. , Kumar K.
Published: February 2024

In recent years, use of anatomic stemless total shoulder arthroplasty (AsTSA) has increased. Despite evidence to suggest good mid-term results at 2-year follow-up there is a paucity of evidence for longer term follow-up. This study aimed to investigate outcomes at a minimum of 5 years post-operatively following primary AsTSA.

This study is a retrospective case series of all patients who underwent a Mathys Affinis AsTSA from July 2010 (first case) to August 2018 (to allow minimum 5-year follow-up). Clinical outcomes included revision rate, range of motion and patient reported outcomes (Oxford Shoulder Score and Numerical Satisfaction Score). Radiological outcome was assessment of radiolucent lines for Lazarus grading.

A total of 105 stemless TSAs were implanted. Five patients underwent revision (4.8%). Seventy-five AsTSA's were included in the final study for analysis of 5-year outcomes. Median follow-up time was 6.1 years. Median age was 69 years old and 81% were female. Oxford shoulder score showed a range of 18 to 48, with a median score of 47. Satisfied or very Satisfied was selected in 94.37%. Median range of motion assessments showed forward elevation 160°, abduction 150°, external rotation 40°, and mode internal rotation was to the lumbar spine. No glenoid lucency was present in 79.7%. There were 9.5% with Lazarus Grade 1 lucency, 5.4% with Lazarus Grade 2, and 5.4% Lazarus Grade 3. No humeral lucency was observed.

This cohort study demonstrates promising clinical and radiological outcomes for the Mathys Affinis Stemless TSA at minimum 5 years post-operatively.
A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF OPERATIVE VERSUS NONOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF FRACTURES OF THE HUMERAL DIAPHYSIS: THE HUMERAL SHAFT FRACTURE FIXATION (HU-FIX) STUDY
Authors: Oliver W. M. , Bell K. R. , Carter T. H. , White T. O. , Clement N. D. , Duckworth A. D. , Molyneux S. G.
Published: February 2024

This single-centre prospective randomised trial aimed to assess the superiority of operative fixation compared with non-operative management for adults with an isolated, closed humeral shaft fracture.

70 patients were randomly allocated to either open reduction and internal fixation (51%, n=36/70) or functional bracing (49%, n=34/70). 7 patients did not receive their assigned treatment (operative n=5/32, non-operative n=2/32); results were analysed based upon intention-to-treat. The primary outcome measure was the DASH score at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included treatment complications, union/nonunion, shoulder/elbow range of motion, pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

At 3 months, 66 patients (94%) were available for follow-up; the mean DASH favoured surgery (operative 24.5, non-operative 39.4; p=0.006) and the difference (14.9 points) exceeded the MCID. Surgery was also associated with a superior DASH at 6wks (operative 38.4, non-operative 53.1; p=0.005) but not at 6 months or 1yr. Brace-related dermatitis affected 7 patients (operative 3%, non-operative 18%; OR 7.8, p=0.049) but there were no differences in other complications. 8 patients (11%) developed a nonunion (operative 6%, non-operative 18%; OR 3.8, p=0.140). Surgery was associated with superior early shoulder/elbow range of motion, and pain, EuroQol and SF-12 Mental Component Summary scores. There were no other differences in outcomes between groups.

Surgery confers early advantages over bracing, in terms of upper limb function, shoulder/elbow range of motion, pain and HRQoL. However, these benefits should be considered in the context of potential operative risks and the absence of any difference in patient-reported outcomes at 1yr.
CEPHALOMEDULLARY NAILING FOR SUBTROCHANTERIC FEMORAL SHAFT FRACTURES: A COMPARISON OF SINGLE LAG SCREW WITH A DUAL LAG SCREW DEVICE
Authors: Ablett A. D. , McCann C. , Feng T. , Macaskill V. , Oliver W. M. , Keating J. F.
Published: February 2024

This study compares outcomes of fixation of subtrochanteric femoral fractures using a single lag screw (Gamma3 nail, GN) with a dual lag screw device (InterTAN nail, IN). The primary outcome was mechanical failure, defined as lag screw cut-out, back-out, nail breakage or peri-implant fracture. Technical factors associated with mechanical failure were also identified.

All adult patients (>18yrs) with a subtrochanteric femoral fracture treated in a single centre were retrospectively identified using electronic records. Included patients underwent surgical fixation using either a long GN (2010–2017) or IN (2017–2022). Cox regression analysis was used to determine the risk of mechanical failure and technical predictors of failure.

The study included 587 patients, 336 in the GN group (median age 82yrs, 73% female) and 251 in the IN group (median age 82yrs, 71% female). The IN group exhibited a higher prevalence of osteoporosis (p=0.002) and CKD□3 (p=0.007). There were no other baseline differences between groups. The risk of any mechanical failure was increased two-fold in the GN group (HR 2.51, p=0.020). Mechanical failure comprising screw cut-out (p=0.040), back-out (p=0.040) and nail breakage (p=0.51) was only observed in the GN group. The risk of peri-implant fracture was similar between the groups (HR 1.10, p=0.84). Technical predictors of mechanical included varus >5° for cut-out (HR 15.61, p=0.016), TAD>25mm for back-out (HR 9.41, p=0.020) and shortening >1cm for peri-implant fracture (HR 6.50, p=<0.001).

Dual lag screw designs may reduce the risk of mechanical complications for patients with subtrochanteric femoral fractures.
A NATIONWIDE MULTICENTRE STUDY EVALUATING THE PREVALENCE, CASEMIX, AND MANAGEMENT OF PERIPROSTHETIC FEMUR FRACTURES: THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL AUDIT OF PERIPROSTHETIC FEMUR FRACTURES (SNAP FEMUR) INITIAL REPORT
Authors: Hall A. J. , Clement N. D. , Farrow L. , Kennedy J. W. , Harding T. , Duckworth A. D. , Maclullich A. M. J. , Walmsley P.
Published: February 2024

Periprosthetic femur fracture (PPF) are heterogeneous, complex, and thought to be increasingly prevalent. The aims were to evaluate PPF prevalence, casemix, management, and outcomes.

This nationwide study included all PPF patients aged >50 years from 16 Scottish hospitals in 2019. Variables included: demographics; implant and fracture factors; management factors, and outcomes.

There were 332 patients, mean age 79.5 years, and 220/332 (66.3%) were female. One-third (37.3%) were ASA1-2 and two-thirds (62.3%) were ASA3+, 91.0% were from home/sheltered housing, and median Clinical Frailty Score was 4.0 (IQR 3.0). Acute medical issues featured in 87/332 (26.2%) and 19/332 (5.7%) had associated injuries. There were 251/332 (75.6%) associated with a proximal femoral implant, of which 232/251 (92.4%) were arthroplasty devices (194/251 [77.3%] total hip, 35/251 [13.9%] hemiarthroplasty, 3/251 [1.2%] resurfacing). There were 81/332 (24.4%) associated with a distal femoral implant (76/81 [93.8%] were total knee arthroplasties). In 38/332 (11.4%) there were implants proximally and distally. Most patients (268/332; 80.7%) were treated surgically, with 174/268 (64.9%) requiring fixation only and 104/268 (38.8%) requiring an arthroplasty or combined solution. Median time to theatre was longer for arthroplasty versus fixation procedures (120 vs 46 hours), and those requiring inter-hospital transfer waited longer (94 vs 48 hours).

Barriers to investigating PPF include varied classification, coding challenges, and limitations of existing registries. This is the first study to examine a national PPF cohort and presents important data to guide service design and research. Additional findings relating to fracture patterns, implant types, surgeon skill-mix, and outcomes are reported herein.
Segmentation of anatomical layers and imaging artifacts in intravascular polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography using attending physician and boundary cardinality losses
Authors: Haft-Javaherian Mohammad , Villiger Martin , Otsuka Kenichiro , Daemen Joost , Libby Peter , Golland Polina , Bouma Brett E.
Published: February 2024

Intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography are widely available for assessing coronary stenoses and provide critical information to optimize percutaneous coronary intervention. Intravascular polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) measures the polarization state of the light scattered by the vessel wall in addition to conventional cross-sectional images of subsurface microstructure. This affords reconstruction of tissue polarization properties and reveals improved contrast between the layers of the vessel wall along with insight into collagen and smooth muscle content. Here, we propose a convolutional neural network model, optimized using two new loss terms (Boundary Cardinality and Attending Physician), that takes advantage of the additional polarization contrast and classifies the lumen, intima, and media layers in addition to guidewire and plaque shadows. Our model segments the media boundaries through fibrotic plaques and continues to estimate the outer media boundary behind shadows of lipid-rich plaques. We demonstrate that our multi-class classification model outperforms existing methods that exclusively use conventional OCT data, predominantly segment the lumen, and consider subsurface layers at most in regions of minimal disease. Segmentation of all anatomical layers throughout diseased vessels may facilitate stent sizing and will enable automated characterization of plaque polarization properties for investigation of the natural history and significance of coronary atheromas.