bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of miRNAs in Hepatoblastoma: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Bin , Zhen Kaikai , Guo Lixia , Sun Chao
Published: May 2022

Background and aim: Increasing evidence has revealed the valuable diagnostic and prognostic applications of dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in hepatoblastoma (HB), the most common hepatic malignancy during childhood. However, these results are inconsistent and remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to systematically compile up-to-date information regarding the clinical value of miRNAs in HB. Methods: Articles concerning the diagnostic and prognostic value of single miRNAs for HB were searched from databases. The sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), area under the curve (AUC), and hazard ratios (HRs) were separately pooled to explore the diagnostic and prognostic performance of miRNA. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were further carried out only in the event of heterogeneity. Results: In all, 20 studies, involving 264 HB patients and 206 healthy individuals, met the inclusion criteria in the 6 included literature articles. For the diagnostic analysis of miRNAs in HB, the pooled SEN and SPE were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.72-0.80) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.70-0.80), respectively. Moreover, the pooled PLR was 2.79 (95% CI: 2.12-3.66), NLR was 0.34 (95% CI: 0.26-0.45), DOR was 10.24 (95% CI: 6.55-16.00), and AUC was 0.83, indicating that miRNAs had moderate diagnostic value in HB. For the prognostic analysis of miRNAs in HB, the abnormal expressions of miR-21, miR-34a, miR-34b, miR-34c, miR-492, miR-193, miR-222, and miR-224 in patients were confirmed to be associated with a worse prognosis. The pooled HR was 1.74 (95% CI: 1.20-2.29) for overall survival and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.31-2.18) for event-free survival, suggesting its potential as a prognostic indicator for HB. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis that examines the diagnostic and prognostic role of dysregulated miRNAs in HB patients. The combined meta-analysis results supported the previous individual finds that miRNAs might provide a new, noninvasive method for the diagnostic and prognostic analyses of HB.
A certificateless aggregate signature scheme for security and privacy protection in VANET
Authors: Cahyadi Eko Fajar , Su Tzu-Wei , Yang Chou-Chen , Hwang Min-Shiang
Published: May 2022

In the vehicular ad hoc network, moving vehicles can keep communicating with each other by entering or leaving the network at any time to establish a new connection. However, since many users transmit a substantial number of messages, it may cause reception delays and affect the entire system. A certificateless aggregate signature scheme can provide a signature compression that keeps the verification cost low. Therefore, it is beneficial for environments constrained by time, bandwidth, and storage, such as vehicular ad hoc network. In recent years, several certificateless aggregate signature schemes have been proposed. Unfortunately, some of them still have some security and privacy issues under specific existing attacks. This article offers an authentication scheme that can improve security, privacy, and efficiency. First, we apply the certificateless aggregate signature method to prevent the onboard unit devices from leaking sensitive information when sending messages. The scheme is proven to be secure against the Type-1 [Formula: see text] and Type-2 [Formula: see text] adversaries in the random oracle model under the computational Diffie–Hellman problem assumption. Then, the performance evaluation demonstrates that our proposed scheme is more suitable for deployment in vehicular ad hoc network environments.
Assessment of Trust in Automation in the “Real World”: Requirements for New Trust in Automation Measurement Techniques for Use by Practitioners
Authors: Tenhundfeld Nathan , Demir Mustafa , de Visser Ewart
Published: May 2022

Trust in automation is a foundational principle in Human Factors Engineering. An understanding of trust can help predict and alter much of human-machine interaction (HMI). However, despite the utility of assessing trust in automation in applied settings, there are inherent and unique challenges in trust assessment for those who seek to do so outside of the confines of the sterile lab environment. Because of these challenges, new approaches for trust in automation assessment need to be developed to best suit the unique demands of trust assessment in the real world. This paper lays out six requirements for these future measures: they should (1) be short, unobtrusive, and interaction-based, (2) be context-specific and adaptable, (3) be dynamic, (4) account for autonomy versus automation dependency, (5) account for task dependency, and (6) account for levels of risk. For the benefits of trust assessment to be realized in the “real world,” future research needs to leverage the existing body of literature on trust in automation while looking toward the needs of the practitioner.
Persuasion with Precision: Using Natural Language Processing to Improve Instrument Fidelity for Risk Communication Experimental Treatments
Authors: Reinhold Ann Marie , Raile Eric D. , Izurieta Clemente , McEvoy Jamie , King Henry W. , Poole Geoffrey C. , Ready Richard C. , Bergmann Nicolas T. , Shanahan Elizabeth A.
Published: May 2022

Instrument fidelity in message testing research hinges upon how precisely messages operationalize treatment conditions. However, numerous message testing studies have unmitigated threats to validity and reliability because no established procedures exist to guide construction of message treatments. Their construction typically occurs in a black box, resulting in suspect inferential conclusions about treatment effects. Because a mixed methods approach is needed to enhance instrument fidelity in message testing research, this article contributes to the field of mixed methods research by presenting an integrated multistage procedure for constructing precise message treatments using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. This work harnesses the power of integration through crossover analysis to improve instrument fidelity in message testing research through the use of natural language processing (NLP).
Eco-friendly bio-dyeing of bio-treated nylon fabric using Esfand (P. harmala) based yellow natural colorant
Authors: Adeel Shahid , Hasan Mahmood ul , Batool Fatima , Ozomay Meral , Hosseinnezhad Mozhgan , Amin Nimra , Hussaan Muhammad
Published: May 2022

The ongoing age is the time of sustainability, where in the current pandemic scenario, which is getting worse, needs treatment with nature rather than chemical-based products. In this study, microwaves (M.W. rays) treatments as extraction mode for Esfand ( P. harmala) have been revived for polyamide (nylon) dyeing. The water solubilized and acid solubilized filtrates and polyamide (nylon fabrics) were treated M.W. rays up to 10 min with an interval of 2 min. Mordanting with chemicals and plant extracts before and after dyeing was done at 60°C–80°C. It has been found the application of M.W. ray treatment for 4 min., to 30 mL of extract of 8 pH containing 4 g/100 mL of Table salt as leveling agent has given desired results when employed at 55°C for 55 min. Statistical analysis of dyeing variables through R.S.M., and two way-Anova shows that the effect of these variables has been observed highly significant. Experimentally it has been observed that the application of extract for dyeing of polyamide (nylon fabric) has given good results when chemical or bio-mordanted at selected conditions. Practically, Esfand seeds has ability for bio-coloration of surface modified polyamide fabric (nylon fabric), and utilization of pomegranate extract as bio-mordant and tannic acid as sustainable chemical mordant has furnished colorfast shades.
Biochemical Investigation of Inhibitory Activities of Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds Against Carbohydrate and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Metabolizing Enzymes
Authors: Khalid Muhammad Fiaz , Rehman Kanwal , Irshad Kanwal , Chohan Tahir Ali , Akash Muhammad Sajid Hamid
Published: May 2022

The aim of current study was to investigate the inhibitory activities of resveratrol and taxifolin against α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and DPP-IV enzymes via in vitro analysis which was further validated by in silico studies. The analysis of molecular docking was also done to determine the binding capabilities of resveratrol and taxifolin with α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and DPP-IV enzymes. Resveratrol and taxifolin having IC50 values, 47.93 ± 5.21 [Formula: see text] and 45.86 ± 3.78 [Formula: see text], respectively, showed weaker effect than acarbose (4.6 ± 1.26 [Formula: see text]) on α-amylase but showed significant effect to inhibit α-glucosidase (32.23 ± .556 [Formula: see text] and 31.26 ± .556 [Formula: see text], respectively). IC50 value of resveratrol and taxifolin (5.638 ± .0016 [Formula: see text] and 6.691 ± .004 [Formula: see text]) in comparison to diprotin A (IC50: 7.21 ± .021 [Formula: see text]) showed that they have significant inhibitory effect on DPP-IV enzyme. Our results illustrated that resveratrol and taxifolin have potential to prevent the metabolism of carbohydrates via inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, and prolongs metabolic function of incretin by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of DPP-IV. The results of molecular docking have also revealed that resveratrol and taxifolin have significant affinity to bind with α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and DPP-IV in comparison with standard drugs such as acarbose, miglitol, and diprotin.
A permutation procedure to detect heterogeneous treatment effects in randomized clinical trials while controlling the type I error rate
Authors: Wolf Jack M , Koopmeiners Joseph S , Vock David M
Published: May 2022

Background/Aims

Secondary analyses of randomized clinical trials often seek to identify subgroups with differential treatment effects. These discoveries can help guide individual treatment decisions based on patient characteristics and identify populations for which additional treatments are needed. Traditional analyses require researchers to pre-specify potential subgroups to reduce the risk of reporting spurious results. There is a need for methods that can detect such subgroups without a priori specification while allowing researchers to control the probability of falsely detecting heterogeneous subgroups when treatment effects are uniform across the study population.

Methods

We propose a permutation procedure for tuning parameter selection that allows for type I error control when testing for heterogeneous treatment effects framed within the Virtual Twins procedure for subgroup identification. We verify that the type I error rate can be controlled at the nominal rate and investigate the power for detecting heterogeneous effects when present through extensive simulation studies. We apply our method to a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial of very low nicotine content cigarettes.

Results

In the absence of type I error control, the observed type I error rate for Virtual Twins was between 99% and 100%. In contrast, models tuned via the proposed permutation were able to control the type I error rate and detect heterogeneous effects when present. An application of our approach to a recently completed trial of very low nicotine content cigarettes identified several variables with potentially heterogeneous treatment effects.

Conclusions

The proposed permutation procedure allows researchers to engage in secondary analyses of clinical trials for treatment effect heterogeneity while maintaining the type I error rate without pre-specifying subgroups.
Antenatal detection of a thyrocervical teratoma in the third trimester – A case report
Authors: Holloway Sally
Published: May 2022

Introduction:

Congenital teratomas are rare with less than 10% found in the cervical region. When they do occur in the neck, they are usually identified during the third trimester and, due to their location, they are associated with polyhydramnios.

Case report:

Cervical teratoma was identified at 32 weeks gestation during a routine scan of a 33-year-old female expecting dichorionic diamniotic twins. Only one twin was affected and referral to a specialist hospital allowed a care plan to be arranged to ensure safe delivery followed by immediate treatment and surgery. To date, both twins are thriving.

Discussion:

Cervical teratomas usually occur in the third trimester and are not always detected prenatally. Although usually benign, their size and location may cause polyhydramnios as well as increasing the risk of neonatal asphyxiation and death. It is therefore essential to assess the foetal neck when polyhydramnios is noted at any third trimester scan, to maximise detection and ensure appropriate multidisciplinary healthcare can be organised to optimise postnatal survival.

Conclusion:

Antenatal detection of a rare cervical teratoma was pivotal in the management and survival of this infant. Ultrasound practitioners must consider the possibility of a neck teratoma in the presence of third trimester polyhydramnios and therefore evaluate carefully foetal head, neck and chest anatomy as part of their examination.
Comparison of financial education and knowledge in the United States and Germany: Curriculum and assessment
Authors: Kraitzek Andreas , Förster Manuel , Walstad William B.
Published: May 2022

Changes in the economy and society lead to a growing necessity of financial education. In this context, we investigate the approaches to financial education in secondary schools in the United States and Germany. We seek to answer the question if and how the implementation of financial education is similar and different between the two countries. We address this question for financial education by comparing the educational conditions, coursework structures, content standards, instructional resources, and assessment within each country. Additionally, we focus on differences in cognitive structure of financial knowledge and understanding among students within each country. For this exploratory analysis, we used data from the Test of Financial Literacy that was administered to students in the United States and Germany ( n = 2326). The empirical results reveal differences in knowledge structures in specific content areas among students in the two countries. Possible reasons for such differences and other implications are discussed.
The association between training load and physical development in professional male youth soccer players: a systematic review
Authors: Rice Joshua , Brownlee Thomas E , McRobert Allistair P , Ade Jack , Drust Barry , Malone James J.
Published: May 2022

Objectives

1) To evaluate current physical performance tests used within professional male youth soccer; 2) to understand the relationship of these tests performance in relation to specific measures of external and internal training load (TL) to conclude if there is a subsequent change in test performance.

Methods

Relevant literature was searched using five electronic databases (PubMed Medline, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, CINAHL and Scopus), with additional articles identified by the authors. Articles relating to TL and physical development assessment within professional male youth soccer players were evaluated.

Results

Database searches yielded 5683 articles following removal of duplicates. After screening the titles, abstracts and full texts, 28 articles were identified. Both external TL (total distance, high speed distance, duration) and internal TL (rating of perceived exertion, training impulse) measures were found to be associated with improvements in physical test performance across both pre-season and in-season phases. Field-based testing was found to be sensitive to changes in physical performance for aerobic capacity, lower body power/strength and sprint performance. However, limited sensitivity to change was found when assessing player agility performance.

Conclusion

Future research in this area should look to enhance our understanding of the dose-response of TL with changes in fitness across different age groups in professional male youth soccer.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of ferric carboxymaltose versus iron sucrose for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Spain
Authors: Argüelles-Arias Federico , Bermejo Fernando , Borrás-Blasco Joaquín , Domènech Eugeni , Sicilia Beatriz , Huguet José M. , de Arellano Antonio Ramirez , Valentine William J. , Hunt Barnaby
Published: May 2022

Background:

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and can result in reduced quality of life and increased healthcare costs. IDA is treated with iron supplementation, commonly with intravenous iron formulations, such as ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), and iron sucrose (IS).

Methods:

This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of FCM compared with IS, in terms of additional cost per additional responder in patients with IDA subsequent to IBD in the Spanish setting. An economic model was developed to assess the additional cost per additional responder, defined as normalization or an increase of ⩾2 g/dl in hemoglobin levels, for FCM versus IS from a Spanish healthcare payer perspective. Efficacy inputs were taken from a randomized controlled trial comparing the two interventions (FERGIcor). Costs of treatment were calculated in 2021 Euros (EUR) using a microcosting approach and included the costs of intravenous iron, healthcare professional time, and consumables. Cost-effectiveness was assessed over one cycle of treatment, with a series of sensitivity analyses performed to test the robustness of the results.

Results:

FCM was more effective than IS, with 84% of patients achieving a response compared with 76%. When expressed as number needed to treat, 13 patients would need to switch treatment from IS to FCM in order to achieve one additional responder. Costs of treatment were EUR 323 with FCM compared with EUR 470 with IS, a cost saving of EUR 147 with FCM. Cost savings with FCM were driven by the reduced number of infusions required, resulting in a reduced requirement for healthcare professional time and use of consumables compared with the IS arm.

Conclusion:

The present analysis suggests that FCM is less costly and more effective than IS for the treatment of IDA subsequent to IBD in Spain and therefore was considered dominant.
The role of bacterial translocation in sepsis: a new target for therapy
Authors: Potruch Assaf , Schwartz Asaf , Ilan Yaron
Published: May 2022

Sepsis is a leading cause of death in critically ill patients, primarily due to multiple organ failures. It is associated with a systemic inflammatory response that plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Intestinal barrier dysfunction and bacterial translocation (BT) play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of sepsis and associated organ failure. In this review, we describe recent advances in understanding the mechanisms by which the gut microbiome and BT contribute to the pathogenesis of sepsis. We also discuss several potential treatment modalities that target the microbiome as therapeutic tools for patients with sepsis.
Current status and advances of immunotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Xu Jian-Ying , Wei Xiao-Li , Wang Yi-Qin , Wang Feng-Hua
Published: May 2022

The general immune landscape of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) renders immunotherapy suitable for patients with NPC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) based on programmed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) blockade have made a breakthrough with the approval of PD-1 inhibitor for refractory recurrence and/or metastatic (R/M NPC) and the approval of PD-1 inhibitor in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin as first line for R/M NPC in 2021 in China. The incorporation of ICIs into the treatment paradigms of NPC has become a clinical hot spot and many prospective clinical studies are ongoing. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the rationale for immunotherapy in NPC and current status, advances and challenges of immunotherapy in NPC based on published clinical data, and ongoing trials. We focus on the clinical application and advances of PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy and its combination with chemotherapy and summarize the clinical explorations of other immunotherapy approaches, for example, combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with antiangiogenic inhibitor with molecular targeted agents, cancer vaccines, adaptive immunotherapy, and new ICI agents beyond PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in R/M NPC. We also describe the clinical studies’ status and challenges of ICIs-based immunomodulatory strategies in local advanced NPC and pay attention to the biomarker application for personalized immunotherapy of NPC in the hope to provide insights for clinical practice and future clinical studies.
Evaluation of the corpus callosum using magnetic resonance imaging histogram analysis in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Eroğlu Yeşim , Baykara Murat , Perçinel Yazici İpek , Utku Yazici Kemal , Kürşad Poyraz Ahmet
Published: May 2022

Background

Histogram analysis is a texture analysis method that can be used in medical images. Quantitative values of the intensity of images can be obtained with histogram analysis. It aimed to evaluate corpus callosum in magnetic resonance images (MRIs) using histogram analysis of pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to compare them with healthy controls.

Methods

This study included 29 children with ASD and 29 healthy children with normal brain MRI. High-resolution three-dimensional turbo field echo images were obtained with a 1.5 T scanner device for brain magnetic resonance imaging. On the corpus callosum in the sagittal T1-weighted images obtained, mean gray level density (mean), the standard deviation, median, minimum, maximum, entropy, variance, skewness, kurtosis, uniformity, size % L, size % M, size % U, and percentile parameters were measured.

Results

In ASD patients, mean, standard deviation, maximum, median, variance, entropy, 25%, 75%, 90%, 97%, and 99% values were found to be lower than the control group, and size % U value was higher. In addition, the corpus callosum area was significantly lower in the ASD compared to the controls.

Conclusion

According to our study, corpus callosum of patients with ASD showed differences compared to healthy controls by histogram analysis, even though they were seen as normal in brain MRI. We think that histogram analysis can be used to evaluate possibly affected areas of brain in ASD patients.
Investigation of early night sleep effects on subsequent fear extinction learning and recall
Authors: Friesen Edith , Sopp M. Roxanne , Brueckner Alexandra H. , Ferreira de Sá Diana , Michael Tanja
Published: May 2022

Extinction learning is considered an important underlying process of successful treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, sleep disturbances may impede this learning process: Current accounts postulate that sleep facilitates encoding by promoting neural plasticity during slow wave sleep (SWS). Based on this hypothesis, we tested whether early night sleep, with high amounts of SWS, facilitates subsequent extinction learning and recall. Sixty-three participants took part in a trauma-adapted fear conditioning experiment. One group received a three-hour sleep opportunity in the early night half, whereas the other group stayed awake. Thereafter, both groups underwent extinction training and a return-of-fear test. Retention was assessed after another sleep opportunity in both groups. Linear mixed-effects models and Bayesian inference did not support the hypothesis of strengthened fear extinction by prior early night sleep. Subsequent exploratory analyses, in contrast, point to a role of rapid eye movement sleep in promoting successful fear extinction learning. Further confirmatory research should re-investigate these effects and their implications for the treatment of PTSD.
Surgical treatment of a circumferential oesophagogastric mass associated with a peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia in a Maine Coon cat
Authors: Derré Maxime G , Findji Laurent , McLauchlan Gerard , Guilherme Sérgio
Published: May 2022

Case summary

A 7-month-old intact female Maine Coon presented with a 2-week history of vomiting. A peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH) and a mass arising from the cardia, protruding into the gastric lumen, were diagnosed using a combination of ultrasound and CT. An exploratory gastrotomy revealed a circumferential, irregular, ulcerated mass involving the submucosal layer of the cardia. This mass was excised by partial-thickness resection of the gastro-oesophageal wall. The PPDH was corrected and a gastrostomy feeding tube was placed under the same anaesthetic. Histopathologically, the most characteristic feature of this mass was a submucosal fibroplasia associated with marked ulceration and granulation tissue. No infectious or neoplastic cells were identified. The affected region of the gastric wall appeared narrowly excised. Resolution of clinical signs was achieved until the cat was lost to follow-up 12 months postoperatively.

Relevance and novel information

This is the first report of the surgical management of an oesophagogastric mass in a cat with a concurrent PPDH and no other underlying disease. A benign fibrous mass should be considered as a differential diagnosis of an oesophagogastric mass in feline patients with PPDH. While medical and surgical options are debated for the management of PPDH, symptomatic patients with a concurrent oesophagogastric mass are legitimate candidates for surgical herniorrhaphy to prevent further complications. Based on this case, prognosis can be considered good if surgical resection is complete.
API Governance: The Case of Facebook’s Evolution
Authors: van der Vlist Fernando N. , Helmond Anne , Burkhardt Marcus , Seitz Tatjana
Published: May 2022

Researchers, policymakers, and competition and regulation authorities worldwide recognize the utility of application programming interfaces (APIs) in powering the digital economy and driving datafication and platformization processes. However, it remains unclear how the APIs of leading social media relate to platform governance and how this relationship evolved. This article traces the evolution of Facebook’s APIs, which evolved from a relatively simple programming interface for data access into a complex layered and interconnected governance arrangement. The study draws on a large corpus of (archived) developer pages and API reference documentation to examine the history of Facebook’s API governance; that is, the governance of and by Facebook through its APIs. This historical analysis emphasizes the technical dimensions and dynamics of what, how, and whom powerful platforms seek to govern, thus highlighting the technicity of platform governance and how it evolved. Because APIs facilitate and govern the material conditions of app development and the social and economic processes they sustain, powerful platforms influence the evolution of their larger ecosystems. As such, the technicity of Facebook’s API governance represents a major source of the platform’s “infrastructural power.”
COVID-19 Is Associated With a 4 Fold Increase in 30-day Mortality Risk in Hip Fracture Patients in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Mastan Saleem , Hodhody Ghazal , Sajid Mohammed , Malik Rayaz , Charalambous Charalambos Panayiotou
Published: May 2022

Background

Hip fracture in elderly patients is associated with a significant mortality which may be worsened by COVID-19 infection.

Objective

To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the effect of COVID-19 infection and mortality rates in hip fracture patients in the United Kingdom (UK) during the first surge of the pandemic.

Design

A systematic literature search of 9 online databases was undertaken independently by 2 reviewers using the Cochrane methodology for systematic reviews. Eligibility criteria were any study of an adult population with a hip fracture that assessed the relationship between COVID-19 infection and 30-day mortality in the UK. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model.

Results

Out of 309 identified articles, 10 studies reporting on 2448 hip fracture patients met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that the estimated mortality rate in patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection was 32.5% (95% CI= 28.3 to 37.0) compared to 8.6% (95% CI= 6.3 to 11.6) in COVID-19 negative patients. Meta-analysis of 9 comparative studies showed a significantly higher mortality in patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection as compared to patients without (RR=3.937, 95% CI= 2.867 to 5.406, P<.001). Similar findings were obtained when comparing mortality in COVID-19 laboratory confirmed or clinically suspected infected vs non-infected patients (RR=4.576, 95% CI = 3.589 to 5.835, P <.001).

Conclusions

COVID-19 infection is associated with a 4-fold increase in mortality risk in hip fracture patients. Every effort should be made to avoid COVID-19 infection and nosocomial exposure in this highly vulnerable patient group.
Impact of Psychological Resources on Employee Engagement: The Mediating Role of Positive Affect and Ego-Resilience
Authors: Khan Rahman , Neveu Jean-Pierre , Murtaza Ghulam , Khan Kashif Ullah
Published: May 2022

The main purpose of this research is to examine the role of psychological resources in predicting the engagement of night shift employees. Specifically, it tests how resources like supportive organizational climate, family support, and self-efficacy could help employees stay engaged during night shift work. Additionally, this study explores the mediating role of positive affect and ego-resilience. The cross-sectional data collected from night shift employees ( n = 208) working full-time in Canada, the UK, and the US were collected over a period of 3 months. Results of the statistical analysis confirm the significant direct role of self-efficacy and supportive organizational climate in predicting employee engagement. Furthermore, the indirect role of such resources through the mediation of positive affect and ego-resilience was also found. The impact of family support on employee engagement appears significant only through mediators. The current study extends the existing understanding about the role of psychological resources in determining the engagement of night shift employees. It further adds to the literature by explaining mechanisms using positive affect and ego-resilience as mediators.
Mediatization and Self-Organized Leisure Sports: A Finnish Perspective
Authors: Ehrlén Veera
Published: May 2022

Participation in leisure sports is undergoing a transformation that is guided by societal and cultural changes as well as recent developments in, and the use of, digital sports media and technologies. This paper discusses how changes in leisure sports participation can be understood using mediatization as a theoretical framework. This theoretically informed analysis of change is contextualized within Finnish climbing and trail running subcultures. The paper proposes that mediatization contributes to the diversification of the sporting landscape, enables fluidity in sports communities, and strengthens commercialization of leisure sports. Additionally, the paper outlines how the dynamics of de- and reinstitutionalization of leisure sports are connected to the rise of digital media and communication.
Exploring Relationships Between Grit, Belonging, Institutional Compassion, Pandemic Stress, and Goal Progress Among Emerging Adult Post-Secondary Students
Authors: Schmahl Cynthia A. M. , Nguyen Jacqueline
Published: May 2022

Grit and belonging are consistently important factors in emerging adult academic outcomes (Morrow & Ackermann, 2012). This study examines the role of grit (i.e., goal perseverance, consistency of interest, and adaptability), belonging (i.e., sense of fitting in and feeling valued), and perceived institutional compassion (i.e., care/support and resources for students in pandemic-related responses) in emerging adults’ academic goal pursuits amid COVID-19 challenges. Emerging adult participants (age 18–24; N = 258) representing a diverse sample of traditional, full-time, undergraduate students across the United States (60% women; 47.31% White, 18.46% Black/African American, 17.31% Asian, 10.77% Hispanic/Latino/a/x), completed an online survey assessing pandemic-related stress, grit, belonging, goal pursuits, and the newly developed Institutional Compassion Scale (Schmahl, 2021). Unexpectedly, pandemic-related stress was unrelated to student assessments of their progress toward academic short- and long-term goals. But grit and belonging were associated with pandemic-related stress: high stress is associated with a weaker sense of belonging and with lower grit. Institutional compassion was associated with all three major study variables: grit, sense of belonging, and stress. Higher institutional compassion was associated with a greater sense of belonging and less pandemic-related stress. The importance of grit, belonging, and particularly institutional compassion are discussed as they pertain to emerging adults’ perceptions of themselves as progressing toward their goals during stressful periods such as the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Return to Sport for Professional and Subelite Ice Hockey Players After Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome
Authors: Lindman Ida , Löfskog Martin , Öhlin Axel , Abrahamsson Josefin , Hamrin Senorski Eric , Karlsson Jon , Ayeni Olufemi R. , Sansone Mikael
Published: May 2022

Background:

Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common cause of hip pain, which can prevent ice hockey players from sports participation. Hip arthroscopy is often performed to relieve pain and enable the player to return to sport (RTS) and return to performance (RTP).

Purpose:

To determine the RTS and RTP rates for ice hockey players at the professional and subelite levels after hip arthroscopy for FAIS.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

High-level ice hockey players who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS between 2011 and 2019 were identified using a local hip arthroscopy registry. The player’s level was confirmed with ice hockey–specific web pages and was stratified as subelite or professional. Data on the players’ careers were extracted from these web pages. Player position was divided into goalkeepers, defensemen, and forwards. Data on participation in games included the season before onset of symptoms, the season before surgery, and the first and second seasons after surgery. RTS was defined as returning to ice hockey after surgery, and RTP was considered as returning to the same league at a comparable level to before symptoms.

Results:

A total of 80 ice hockey players were included. Comparing presymptom performance with the first season after surgery, the RTS rate was 72%, of which 94% of the players returned to the same or higher level of play. Comparing the presurgery season with the first season after surgery, the RTS rate was 78%. At the second season after surgery, 64% of players still played ice hockey, with a significantly higher return rate among professional players compared with subelite players (96% vs 69%; P = .014). Overall, 85% goalkeepers, 74% forwards, and 60% defensemen returned to sport. Only 28% played at least the same number of games during the first season after surgery as they did during the presymptom season.

Conclusion:

High-level ice hockey players who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS had a high RTS rate, in which the majority returned to the same league. However, only 28% played the same number of games the first season after surgery as they did at the presymptom level. Professional ice hockey players returned more frequently than players on the subelite level.
COVID-19 Effects on Income and Dental Visits: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Koyama S. , Aida J. , Mori Y. , Okawa S. , Odani S. , Miyashiro I.
Published: May 2022

Objectives:

In April 2020, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency owing to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which resulted in reduced workforce and job losses. Furthermore, income is one of the most consistent predictors of dental visits. Therefore, this study examined the association between income changes and dental clinic visits during the COVID-19 state of emergency in Japan.

Methods:

An online, self-reported cross-sectional survey about health activities including dental visits during the first COVID-19 state of emergency was conducted in Osaka, Japan (June 23 to July 12, 2020). Among participants with toothaches, the assessment for the association between “refrained from visiting a dentist despite wanting treatment for toothache during the state of emergency (refrained treatment)” and income changes before and after the state of emergency using a multivariate Poisson regression model adjusted for sex, age, self-rated health, frequency of regular dental visits, and employment status.

Results:

Among 27,575 participants, 3,895 (14.1%) had toothaches, and 1,906 (6.9%) reported refrained treatment. Among people with decreased income (n = 8,152, 29.6% of overall participants), the proportions of the refrained treatment group were 8.0% (income decreased by 1%–49%), 9.9% (50%–99% decreased), and 9.1% (100% decreased). Among participants with toothache, after adjusting for all variables, compared with participants with no income change, we observed significantly higher prevalence ratios (PRs) for refrained treatment in those who experienced a decreased income owing to COVID-19 (1%–49% decrease: PR = 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.005–1.17; 50%–99% decrease: PR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06–1.32; 100% decrease: PR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04–1.33).

Conclusion:

Decreased income was associated with refrained dental treatment during the COVID-19 state of emergency in Osaka, Japan. The economic damage related to the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to oral health inequalities.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

Our study found that individuals with decreased income owing to COVID-19 before and after the state of emergency showed significantly higher prevalence ratios for refraining from visiting a dentist despite wanting treatment for toothache. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution because it provides novel, basic data that economic damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic might expand to oral health inequalities.
Infrastructure in times of exception: Unravelling the discourses, governance reforms and politics in ‘Building Back Better’ from COVID-19
Authors: White Iain , Legacy Crystal , Haughton Graham
Published: May 2022

In seeking to counter adverse economic impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments quickly announced major infrastructure stimulus packages alongside a series of governance reforms to speed delivery. Despite significant differences between political, institutional and policy contexts of countries, clear trends emerged, most notably discourses of promise promoting the possibilities of state-led infrastructure allied to reforms to expedite delivery. Using case studies of Australia, Aotearoa-New Zealand and the UK, we draw upon theories of postpolitics and states of exception to explain how these approaches comprise a form of infrastructuralism that both elevates the criticality of infrastructure at the same time as depoliticising infrastructure planning. We argue that the promises of Building Back Better did not constitute the radical rupture from earlier practices initially promised and that in future crises we need to resist the closure of political space that typically accompanies emergency measures and ask ‘what infrastructure, for whom and where?’
The geography of public transport competitiveness in thirteen medium sized cities
Authors: Lunke Erik B , Fearnley Nils , Aarhaug Jørgen
Published: May 2022

Securing sufficient accessibility with public transport is essential for reducing private car commuting. While most studies of transport accessibility are based on travel times, other quality factors such as the perceived disadvantage of congestion and service frequency are also of importance for transport mode choice. In this study, we use generalized journey times to calculate accessibility and public transport competitiveness, allowing us to account for other characteristics of commute trips than just travel time. We use detailed trip data to calculate generalized journey times to typical employment areas in thirteen urban regions in Norway. The results show that public transport services compete better with the car in the largest cities. Specifically, public transport is competitive for access to central employment areas but less so for less central employment areas. In the smaller cities, the private car is the most competitive mode on most commute trips. With detailed travel data, the method developed in this study can be replicated in other contexts to provide a more holistic measure of accessibility than traditional methods.
Considerations for choosing an imputation method for addressing sparse measurement issues dictated by the study design - An illustration from per-protocol analysis in pragmatic trials
Authors: Karim Mohammad Ehsanul , Hossain Md Belal
Published: May 2022

Last Observation Carried Forward (LOCF) is an ad-hoc method, with known limitations. In recent years, several methods publications have used LOCF in estimating the per-protocol effect via inverse probability of adherence weighted (IPAW) model, when a time-varying factor is partially measured by the study design. We compare the statistical performances of LOCF and multiple imputation approaches for estimating the per-protocol effects via the IPAW model in the presence of incomplete treatment adherence. We used a validated pragmatic trial data generating simulation algorithm to generate datasets under 7 different simulation scenarios, where a post-randomization prognostic factor was measured after regular intervals. Unmeasured values of a partially observed factor were imputed using LOCF and multiple imputation approaches, and IPAW model was fitted on the imputed data to obtain the estimates, and statistical performances were assessed. When confounding exists, for higher variability of the time-varying factor, multiple imputation approach shows desirable statistical properties under MCAR assumption; otherwise, LOCF approach can be adequate. Both imputation methods performed well in terms of statistical properties, when there is no confounding or when all necessary confounders are adjusted. A case study from Coronary Primary Prevention Trial data was presented, which included some participants with incomplete treatment adherence.
Randomised evaluation of pre-notification of trial participants before self-report outcome data collection to improve retention: SWAT86
Authors: Sutton Christopher J , Cotterill Sarah , Forshaw Denise , Rhodes Sarah , Haig Alexandra , Hammond Alison
Published: May 2022

Background

Retention is considered the second highest trial methods priority in the UK after recruitment. There is limited evidence on whether notifying trial participants that a follow-up questionnaire will be sent soon (‘pre-notification’) affects retention.

Methods

This Study Within a Trial (SWAT) evaluated whether sending a pre-notification letter or email around 2 weeks before sending a self-report questionnaire increased retention, in terms of provision of the host trial primary outcome. The SWAT was a randomised, two-arm, parallel-design (1:1 allocation ratio) trial, controlled by ‘no pre-notification letter’. It was embedded within the WORKWELL host trial, which evaluated the impact of job retention vocational rehabilitation on work-related and health-related outcomes of employed people with inflammatory arthritis. The SWAT primary outcome was a valid response for the WORKWELL primary outcome.

Results

Two hundred forty-four trial participants took part in the SWAT. All were included in the analysis. Among those sent a pre-reminder, 100/121 (83%) provided a valid response for the WORKWELL primary outcome, compared to 97/123 (79%) of those not sent a pre-reminder. The estimated adjusted odds ratio was 1.28 (95% confidence interval 0.67–2.42), with a risk difference of 3.8% (95% CI -6.1 to 13.6%), favouring the prereminder. The estimated intervention cost per additional participant retained was £53.42, and the total cost per additional participant retained was £46.52.

Conclusion

Researchers may have a small improvement in trial retention by using pre-notification. The cost per additional participant retained is relatively low. However, further evaluations are merited.
Seismic risk assessment and mitigation analysis of large public school building portfolios in Metro Manila
Authors: Jeswani Kevin , Guo Jack , Christopoulos Constantin
Published: May 2022

This article presents an integrated framework for portfolio seismic risk assessment. The framework includes a systematic approach to the collection and categorization of exposed assets, and a robust method that combines vulnerabilities of different levels of resolution, including detailed vulnerabilities based on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) P-58 and REDi analyses, to produce efficient portfolio-level assessment. The vulnerability information encodes risk information that directly addresses the decision-support needs of stakeholders, including the benefits of seismic retrofit. The proposed framework is applied to a spatially distributed infrastructure portfolio composed of over 1000 public school buildings across Makati and Quezon City, in the Metro Manila region in Philippines, to demonstrate the value of portfolio-level seismic risk mitigation strategies. This study illustrates that the proposed regional seismic risk assessment approach can provide more reliable regional risk assessments in a computationally efficient manner and is able to quantify different risk contributors and identify cost-drivers that can be targeted for performance-based risk management of large portfolios.