bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Rx or Not: Mainstreaming Informal Providers
Authors: Shajahan Althaf , Mukherji Arnab
Published: December 2022

On a hot summer afternoon, there is a huge commotion around the Jawnpore District Hospital. There is passionate sloganeering by the ruling party supporters competing with protests by the opposition party activists against the alleged lack of personnel and infrastructure in the district hospital. Not far away from this hullabaloo, Grameen Arogya, a non-governmental organization, stages a satyagraha to silently protest against the official silence on dysentery deaths in the region. A motorcade of government cars enters the hospital grounds. The local leaders of the ruling party and the District Hospital Superintendent are waiting to welcome and garland Shri Jagatprakash Goel, Union Health Minister, visiting the hospital. Goel ji joins the doctors in their regular ward rounds and inspects the hospital. Then he addresses the public and the medical community including a few office bearers of the medical association (the association of registered doctors). The moment Goel ji concludes the address, Mr Das from Grameen Arogya, rushes to the podium and hands a memorandum to Goel ji. He grabs the microphone and makes an emotional account of the deplorable healthcare situation in Jawnpore. He discusses the difficulties arising due to a lack of registered doctors and rampant absenteeism in the public hospital, particularly when there is no private provider of healthcare. He proposes that the only practical way to alleviate these difficulties in providing rural healthcare is to ‘mainstream the quacks’ and cites a 2006 multi-national survey-based research study ( Chaudhury et al., 2006 ). He appeals to Shri Jagatprakash Goel, the minister, to make provision for special training of informal providers (Ips), to fill the need for medical practitioners in rural areas. Supporters of the ruling party and members of the medical community run to the dais to stop Mr Das from speaking further. But the minister asks the crowd to calm down and handles the situation. He assures Grameen Arogya that he will investigate the issue.
Consumption of fish balls “tsumire” may help prevent liver function deterioration in aged rats
Authors: Kadokura Kazunari , Tomita Tsuyoshi , Suruga Kohei
Published: December 2022

Background: Possible health benefits of fish balls tsumire consumption on human health have been deduced based on the results of our earlier study investigating tsumire consumption by young (6-weeks-old) Sprague-Dawley rats. Aim: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of tsumire intake on aged rats by feeding them a diet containing 5% dried tsumire. Methods: Biomarker levels and organ weight of 80-weeks-old Sprague-Dawley rats that were fed with tsumire were examined for potential health benefits. Results: Following 84 days of administering tsumire-containing diet, we found a decrease in some liver function parameters, such as the levels of AST, ALT, ALP and LAP, in the tsumire-fed rats compared to control rats provided with normal diet. In particular, significantly reduced LDH levels were observed in the experimental group. Conclusions: The results can be extrapolated to possible beneficial effects of consumption of tsumire on human health.
Neurotransmitter transporter occupancy following administration of centanafadine sustained-release tablets: A phase 1 study in healthy male adults
Authors: Matuskey David , Gallezot Jean-Dominique , Nabulsi Nabeel , Henry Shannan , Torres Kristen , Dias Mark , Angarita Gustavo A , Huang Yiyun , Shoaf Susan E , Carson Richard E , Mehrotra Shailly
Published: December 2022

Background:

Centanafadine is an inhibitor of reuptake transporters for norepinephrine (NET), dopamine (DAT) and serotonin (SERT).

Aims:

This phase 1, adaptive-design positron emission tomography study investigated the occupancy time course of NET, DAT, and SERT and the relationship to centanafadine plasma concentrations.

Methods:

Healthy adult males received centanafadine sustained-release 400 mg/day for 4 days ( N = 6) or 800 mg in a single day ( N = 4). Assessments included safety monitoring; time course of occupancy of NET, DAT, and SERT; and centanafadine plasma concentrations.

Results:

Transporter occupancy was numerically higher for NET versus DAT or SERT. For NET, estimated (mean ± standard error [SE]) maximal observable target occupancy (TOmax) and concentration at half maximal occupancy (IC50) were 64 ± 7% and 132 ± 65 ng/mL, respectively, for all regions and 82 ± 13% and 135 ± 97 ng/mL after excluding the thalamus, which showed high nonspecific binding. For DAT and SERT, TOmax could not be established and was assumed to be 100%; estimated IC50 (mean ± SE) values were 1580 ± 186 ng/mL and 1,760 ± 309 ng/mL, respectively. For centanafadine, the estimated in vivo affinity ratio was 11.9 ± 6.0 (mean ± SE) for NET/DAT, 13.3 ± 7.0 for NET/SERT, and 1.1 ± 0.2 for DAT/SERT. DAT and SERT occupancies at a plasma concentration of 1400 ng/mL were estimated to be 47 and 44%, respectively.

Conclusions:

High occupancy at NET and moderate occupancy at DAT and SERT was observed at peak concentrations achieved following 400 mg total daily doses of centanafadine.
Estimating the Global Prevalence of Mass Public Shootings
Authors: Duwe Grant , Sanders Nathan E. , Rocque Michael , Alan Fox James
Published: December 2022

Previous studies have yielded widely divergent conclusions about the percentage of all mass public shootings globally that take place in the US, ranging from a low of 3% to a high of 36%. Because of documented underreporting of lower-severity attacks involving fewer than 10 victim fatalities in US cases in these studies, it is reasonable to assume that this underreporting issue also applies to their measurement of mass public shootings outside the US. To estimate the total number of mass public shootings worldwide, we use multiple assumptions and modeling approaches, including a hierarchical Bayesian model. Our estimates show the US accounted for anywhere between 16% and 26% of the world’s mass public shootings during the 1976 to 2012 period. These estimates suggest the US share of the total is between four and six times higher than its 4% share of the world’s population.
Comparing the Cost per Mile of Electric Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles in Ghana
Authors: Ayetor Godwin Kafui , Dzebre Denis Kwame Edem , Mensah Lena Dzifa , Boahen Samuel , Amoabeng Kofi Owura , Tay Godwin Fabiola Kwaku
Published: December 2022

Reducing ambient air pollution could potentially prevent 1790 deaths a year in Accra alone. Vehicular emissions are a major source of air pollution, especially (PM)2.5, and a transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is considered a solution to this. This paper estimates the cost per mile of electric vehicles compared with internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) based on the retail price, fuel/energy, depreciation, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and charging infrastructure in Ghana for 10 years. The 10-year costs per mile of the BEV are less than those of the ICEV by 9.4%–24%. The advantage is only after the seventh year, while before this the BEVs were more expensive to own. Total import tax contributes up to 20% of the BEV cost per mile. It costs 83% less to charge a BEV for a mile compared to fueling an ICEV. A significant rise in electricity tariffs is very likely to negatively affect the transition to e-mobility. We found the electricity tariff to be the most sensitive to the cost per mile of the BEV because, for every US$1 price increase in the cost per kWh, the cost per mile of the BEV increased by US$ 0.315. The results also showed that a transition to e-mobility could reduce CO2 emissions from transportation by 72%, NO x emissions by 79%, volatile organic compounds by 99%, and particulate matter by 56%. Future policy should target the removal of import tax on BEVs and their parts, especially high-voltage batteries.
Intersections and Commonalities: Using Matching to Decompose Wage Gaps by Gender and Nativity in Germany
Authors: Sprengholz Maximilian , Hamjediers Maik
Published: December 2022

We investigate intersecting wage gaps by gender and nativity by comparing the wages between immigrant women, immigrant men, native women, and native men based on Western German survey data. Adding to the analytical diversity of the field, we do a full comparison of group wages to emphasize the relationality of privilege and disadvantage, and we use a nonparametric matching decomposition that is well suited to address unique group-specific experiences. We find that wage (dis)advantages associated with the dimensions of gender and nativity are nonadditive and result in distinct decomposition patterns for each pairwise comparison. After accounting for substantial group differences in work attachment, individual resources, and occupational segregation, unexplained wage gaps are generally small for comparisons between immigrant women, immigrant men, and native women, but large when either group is compared to native men. This finding suggests that the often presumed “double disadvantage” of immigrant women is rather a “double advantage” of native men.
A Qualitative Analysis of the Optimal Discharge Summary: Effective Communication of Medication Changes for Older Patients
Authors: Komenan Ked , Bouveret Perrine , Delecluse Céline , Robinet Pierre , Puisieux François , Visade Fabien
Published: December 2022

Background: The importance of the discharge summary (DS) is well recognized. The format to be used is also important, but this aspect has not yet been studied in the literature. The purpose of this work was to establish a DS format for older patients that ensures effective communication with general practitioners (GPs). Methods: This study was based on the grounded theory approach to qualitative analysis. Data was collected from GPs during semi-structured and directive interviews. Results: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 GPs and directive interviews with 39 GPs. A consensus was reached on one DS version providing selected information items such as trends in laboratory results (rising/falling) and information about planned drug withdrawals or specialist consultations. Conclusion: This work led to a consensus on the most appropriate format for the DS for older patients returning home. Its use in routine practice is needed to confirm its reception by GPs.
A Brief Review of Artificial Intelligence in Genitourinary Oncological Imaging
Authors: Yilmaz Enis C. , Belue Mason J. , Turkbey Baris , Reinhold Caroline , Choyke Peter L.
Published: December 2022

Genitourinary (GU) system is among the most commonly involved malignancy sites in the human body. Imaging plays a crucial role not only in diagnosis of cancer but also in disease management and its prognosis. However, interpretation of conventional imaging methods such as CT or MR imaging (MRI) usually demonstrates variability across different readers and institutions. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising technology that could improve the patient care by providing helpful input to human readers through lesion detection algorithms and lesion classification systems. Moreover, the robustness of these models may be valuable in automating time-consuming tasks such as organ and lesion segmentations. Herein, we review the current state of imaging and existing challenges in GU malignancies, particularly for cancers of prostate, kidney and bladder; and briefly summarize the recent AI-based solutions to these challenges.
Applied Regional Economic Research Can Improve Development Strategies and Drive Better Outcomes
Authors: Poole Kenneth E. , Forbes Allison , Williams Nichelle
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about an unimagined level of federal investment in regional economic development and much greater political attention to its priorities. Economic development researchers have an opportunity to contribute to an array of federally funded and pandemic-inspired regional experiments, many of which reflect shifting concerns about economic development and what constitutes success. Among these include the importance of addressing historical racial, ethnic, and gender inequalities; the value of research and development as a solution to major human problems; the severity of impending workforce shortages in key sectors; the fragility of many highly efficient global supply chains; and the inadequacy of our underinvested economic data infrastructure to help understand these issues. Researchers have a unique opportunity to examine the regional impacts of national issues by improving public investment logic models, advocating for an improved data infrastructure, and providing evidence to address the long-standing tension between growth and equity as competing economic development priorities.
Study on alternative cycles for high-pressure low-temperature helium compressor performance experiments based on flow similarity
Authors: Liu Zhiyuan , Song Juanjuan , Zhao Ben , Wang Peng , Yang Ce
Published: December 2022

A low-temperature high-pressure helium compressor is one of the key components in a hypersonic air-breath engine cycle. Its aerodynamic performance is the basis of engine cycle design and control. The low-temperature and high-pressure conditions make it difficult in a laboratory environment to conduct a compressor performance experiment, thus constraining the engine cycle design. An alternative method is to test the compressor with other gas at a reference operation condition and then calculate the helium compressor performance according to the test results using transformation laws. This paper investigates the transformation method based on the dynamic similarity principle and derives transformation equations. CFD simulations performed on the compressors validate the equations. Eventually, the study analyzes the alternative experimental cycles.
Investigation of electropolishing performance on surface residual stress and morphology of electrical discharge machined maraging steel
Authors: Kumar Abhinav , Mahanti Ranajit , Das Manas
Published: December 2022

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)-machined maraging steel components are promising in the application field of aerospace and production tools. However, the unavoidable adverse effects of recast/white layer formation, high tensile residual stress, and micro-crack on the machined surface necessitate post-treatment techniques. The current study proposed Electropolishing (EP) as a post-treatment process to eliminate EDM’s adverse effects. The performance of EP on surface residual stress and morphology of ED machined surface was evaluated for an optimum combination of parameters, including applied voltage, polishing time, agitation, and temperature. Residual stress has been analyzed using the “sin2 ψ method” of X-ray Diffraction (XRD). After EDM, the generated surface residual stress was 407.17 MPa which had been relaxed to 35.27 MPa after EP. The surface morphology of maraging steel surfaces after EDM and EP were compared using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). It is observed that micro-cracks, globules, voids, and thermal pitting marks were entirely eradicated following EP. It can also be seen that the EP has successfully removed the formed recast layer during EDM after 6 mins of polishing time. An average of 7.94 µm layer has been removed from the surface, removing all the surface defects. The optical profilometer analyzed the surface roughness profiles, and a 78% improvement in surface roughness was observed after EP.
FLS-based AHOSM control for driverless vehicle steering system with parameter uncertainty
Authors: Li Hongjuan , Zhang Tianliang , Tie Ming , Wang Yongfu
Published: December 2022

This paper aims to address the tracking control problem for the steer-by-wire (SbW) system with uncertain nonlinearity and parameter uncertainty. First, the adaptive fuzzy logic system (FLS) is constructed to realize the intelligent modeling of the SbW system. In addition, an adaptive higher-order sliding mode (AHOSM) control with dynamic gain is designed to overcome the lumped uncertainties including inaccurate model-parameter and fuzzy logic system approximation error, and has the advantage of eliminating the gain-overestimation phenomenon effectively without the prior knowledge about the bounds of approximation error and parameter uncertainty. Furthermore, theoretical analysis based on Lyapunov stability theory is provided to verify that the real sliding mode can be established. Finally, simulations and vehicle experiments are given to evaluate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed methods.
A learning-based evaluation for lane departure warning system considering driving characteristics
Authors: Jin Xianjian , Wang Qikang , Yan Zeyuan , Yang Hang , Wang Jinxiang , Yin Guodong
Published: December 2022

Misunderstanding the driver behavior in the next short time is the primary reason of the false warning for the lane departure warning system. This paper proposes a learning-based evaluation to predict whether the driver notices the deviation of the vehicle and takes corrective actions. First, statistical Gaussian model and K-means clustering method are utilized to classify driving style of drivers and determine warning areas based on key driving parameters extracted in driving scenarios. Then, according to the vehicle trajectory in the warning area and the time of lane crossing (TLC) value of the two warning area boundaries, an advanced horizontal dual-area warning (HDAW) model that is trained by bi-direction long short-term memory (BiLSTM) originated from recurrent neural network (RNN) is applied to predict the lane departure and corrective behavior of driver. The personalized warning strategy is finally developed by considering driver characteristics, which allows the warning system to adapt to different driving styles of drivers. Natural driving data from 57 drivers in the experimental driving simulator are collected to train personalized prediction and verify proposed evaluation method. The recent directional sequence of piecewise lateral slopes (DSPLS) and traditional TLC are also researched and compared. Experimental results show that the proposed approach has as low as false alarm rate of 3.97% and can improve prediction accuracy approximately 41.39% over DSPLS method.
Experimental investigation and estimation of compressive residual stress of ball burnished rare earth based magnesium alloy
Authors: Jagadeesh Gogineni Venkata , Gangi Setti Srinivasu
Published: December 2022

The present study focuses on the experimental investigation and optimization of compressive residual stress on ball burnished Mg Ze41A alloy. The optimum compressive residual stress value of −182 MPa is obtained at burnishing force of 50 N, speed of 1200 r/min, feed of 150 mm/min and 4 number of passes. Burnishing force and speed are found to be the most sensitive parameters in affecting the compressive residual stress, followed by number of passes and burnishing feed. The demarcation lines in residual stress-burnishing maps of Mg Ze41A alloy are non-parallel and non-uniform, indicating significant interactions among burnishing parameters. Ball burnishing process imparted desired amount of work hardening, which resulted in homogenized ( σx1 =  σx2) and isotropic stress ( σ1 =  σ2) state. Additionally, the fuzzy logic model has been deployed to estimate the compressive residual stress values at different burnishing conditions. Fuzzy logic model estimated the results with an error of 6.11%. The results demonstrate that ball burnishing process is an effective method in inducing compressive residual stresses on Mg alloy. The outcome of this study can be of great help in enhancing the fatigue performance of small size products.
A CGE-ML Approach to Analysing India’s Free Trade Agreements
Authors: Mandharachalam Sindhu Bharathi , Murugesan Ramasamy , Chakravarthy Sumathi
Published: December 2022

India has set an ambitious export target of US$0.5 trillion by 2025 and US$1 trillion by 2030 from US$291 billion in 2021 as part of its Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. Since India opened up its economy in 1991, India has concluded several bilateral and regional free trade agreements. India signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates in February 2022 and Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) with Australia in April 2022. India is in the process of concluding trade agreements with the UK, the European Union, Canada, Israel and GCC countries. This article estimates the impact of all the above mentioned FTAs on India’s GDP and its components with an increased emphasis on its exports using a computable general equilibrium framework and machine learning techniques. The analysis estimates that the FTAs will boost India’s GDP by 4.10% to add US$109.096 billion in 2030 and the exports increase by 16.73% or US$46.08 billion. The exports from India to UAE, Australia, UK, European Union, Canada, Israel and GCC countries are estimated to increase by US$67.312 billion by 2030. This increase is relatively higher than the increase in aggregate exports of India suggesting a trade diversion from countries that are not part of the FTAs toward the seven countries with which India is anticipated to sign an FTA.
Primary Pulmonary Hyalinizing Clear Cell Carcinoma: Case Series With Review of Literature
Authors: Thakur Shilpi , Nambirajan Aruna , Larsen Brandon T. , Butt Yasmeen M. , Roden Anja C. , Kumar Sunil , Jain Deepali
Published: December 2022

Background: Hyalinizing clear cell carcinomas of tracheobronchial origin are very rare salivary gland type tumors accounting for less than 1% of lung tumors with only 13 cases reported to date. Their radiological features, morphological spectrum, and molecular features are not well described. Aim: To perform a clinicopathological analysis of primary pulmonary hyalinizing clear cell carcinomas. Method: A retrospective search of primary pulmonary hyalinizing clear cell carcinomas was conducted from authors’ institutions and the clinicopathological features including details of molecular testing were analyzed. Results: Five primary pulmonary hyalinizing clear cell carcinomas were identified. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 48.2 years (range: 33-64 years). Three patients were women. All patients were nonsmokers and 3 were symptomatic; 2 were detected incidentally during health screening. The tumors were located in the main lobar bronchi ranging from 1.3 to 4.9 cm in maximum dimension. Microscopy showed cords and nests of at least, focally clear tumor cells. Mucin cysts lacking goblet cells were seen. All tumors were uniformly positive for p40, p63, AE1/AE3, keratin 7, and epithelial membrane antigen but negative for TTF1, KIT, neuroendocrine markers, and other myoepithelial markers. All cases showed Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 ( EWSR1) gene rearrangement. Perineural invasion and lymph node metastases were detected in patient 5. Two patients with available follow-up data were recurrence-free until 4 years (patient 1) and 9 months (patient 5) after resection. Conclusion: The present series adds to the scant available literature on primary pulmonary hyalinizing clear cell carcinomas highlighting the characteristic histomorphology, immunoprofiles, and benign outcomes of these rare tumors.
Understanding Intimate Partner Violence Service Delivery for Latinx Survivors in Rural Areas
Authors: Kim Jeongsuk , Rizo Cynthia Fraga , Wretman Christopher J. , Alzuru Carolina , Fulton Deena , Lotz Lisi Martinez , Chesworth Brittney R. , Givens Ashley D. , Macy Rebecca J.
Published: December 2022

Using a statewide survey, this exploratory, cross-sectional study examined 78 domestic violence (DV) service organizations’ service delivery practices and perceived challenges to serving Latinx survivors in the context of rurality. Findings showed that DV organizations in rural areas perceived more challenges to delivering culturally appropriate services for Latinx survivors compared to those in other geographic settings even after accounting for client characteristics, service provision characteristics, and community resources. The study finding offers critical insights to ensure and enhance the provision of linguistically and culturally accessible services for rural Latinx survivors of intimate partner violence.
Cyclophosphamide exposure via sweat of patients receiving CHOP therapy
Authors: Miyazawa Maho , Yamashita Rina , Ichinohe Yui , Kohzai Yasuji , Kishimoto Keiko
Published: December 2022

Introduction

“Secondary exposure to anticancer drugs” refers to exposure to anticancer drugs after chemotherapy via the patient's urine and other excretions. The necessity of countermeasures against secondary exposure to anticancer drugs has been recently highlighted. Although anticancer drugs are also excreted through sweat, few studies have reported exposure to drug residues via this route. We investigated the amount of cyclophosphamide (CPA) excreted in the sweat of patients receiving CHOP therapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone).

Methods

The study population included eight patients with malignant lymphoma who received CHOP therapy between May and December 2021. The amount of CPA in their underwear (namely, cotton short-sleeved shirts) worn from the start of the CHOP therapy until 24 h after the end of CPA administration was measured, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results

CPA was detected in the underwear of all the patients, with levels ranging between 7.38 and 160.77 ng/cm2. No subjective changes were observed in the sweating status of any patients during the study period.

Conclusions

These results suggested that patients’ sweat, as well as urine, is a potential route for exposure to anticancer drugs. Whether visibly contaminated or not, the clothing and linen worn directly by patients should be handled as a source of sweat-mediated exposure to anticancer drugs both in medical facilities and at home.
Representations of ICT use in young children’s television content broadcast in Israel
Authors: Eyal Keren , Aharoni Matan , Te’eni-Harari Tali
Published: December 2022

Very young children increasingly use information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their home and educational environments. The study examined representations of ICT use in children’s television content, which is a central socialization agent for this audience. Based on cultivation theory, an in-depth qualitative content analysis of television series for young children aired in Israel was conducted. Findings indicate that ICTs are depicted in this content as largely positive, promoting community connectedness and problem resolution, and as effective innovations for the dissemination of information. At the same time, these portrayals ignore common ICTs in children’s lives (e.g. social media) as well as social and emotional aspects associated with ICTs in the real world (e.g. entertainment use). Promising themes in the representations—such as the promotion of free, intuitive, and successful use of ICTS—are coupled with findings that question the realism and relevance of these representations for young audiences.
Stated professional orientation, identity, and technical proficiency of journalists as predictors of the success of journalism crowdfunding campaigns
Authors: Mor Niv , Davidson Roei , Tsfati Yariv
Published: December 2022

In the journalism community’s constant search for alternative funding sources, Crowdfunding emerged as a promising mechanism that possibly allows new voices and approaches to secure funding for journalism. In this study, we content analyzed 627 journalistic crowdfunding pitches as a form of metajournalistic discourse and the funding public’s reaction to them as expressed in their funding decisions. Drawing on the journalism studies literature, we consider whether the stated journalistic orientation of the proposed project, the occupational and demographic identity of the campaign creator, and the technical proficiency of the crowdfunding pitch can predict funding success. We find that although technical aspects related to how the pitch was crafted and promoted are the strongest predictors of success, certain journalistic orientations, such as promising to conduct investigative journalism, can contribute somewhat to a project’s success. Data show that while self-identification as journalists, nonprofits, and the location of the proposed projects were strongly associated with crowdfunding success, creators’ gender and ethnic identity were not associated with success.
Hybrid ethnography: Access, positioning, and data assembly
Authors: Liu Ruo-Fan
Published: December 2022

This research suggests three ways in which hybrid ethnography can be used to overcome the shortcomings of single-realm ethnography, in particular, ethnographies that situate solely in the offline or online worlds. I focus on how researchers adapt the ethnographic toolkit to an environment where digital and physical landscapes touch, overlap, and blend. I name these tools multi-access, multi-positionality, and online-offline data assembly. Multi-access refers to researchers using alternative access points to renegotiate blocked access. Multi-positionality refers to researchers leveraging online and offline self-portrayals to reestablish relationships with multiple participants. Online-offline data assembly refers to researchers analyzing multi-faceted data generated by researchers and participants to validate analyses. Taken together, researchers combine, separate, and mix three tools as toolkits to flexibly transition online and offline in the post-pandemic era.
Learning self-compassion through social connection at work: The experiences of healthcare professionals in a 6-week intervention
Authors: Franco Phoebe Long , Knox Marissa C , Gulbas Lauren E , Gregory Krista
Published: December 2022

Self-compassion has previously been shown to buffer healthcare professionals from burnout and other forms of mental distress, yet research is lacking on how self-compassion can be developed and integrated into the healthcare work environment. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the potential precursors, mechanisms, and outcomes of change regarding how healthcare professionals learned self-compassion from attending a 6-week Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) training. Social connections at work enhanced the trustworthiness of the program and helped participants learn to apply self-compassion within the healthcare context. Participants described practicing self-compassion with “small daily gifts” and by offering themselves “grace.” They felt their relationships with patients, coworkers, and family members had improved as a result of the emotion regulation and self-care skills they had gained. Findings suggest the SCHC program may address HCP burnout and empathy fatigue by providing tools that help individuals replenish their energy throughout the day and emotionally separate from others’ experiences of pain. Situating programs within healthcare settings may help to reinforce and contextualize self-compassion concepts and facilitate the implementation and benefits of these tools and skills.
Melt processing behaviour and structure development in recycled PP blends with recycled PET
Authors: Neve Himangi , Thorat Swapnil , Radhakrishnan Subramaniam
Published: December 2022

Commercially available recycled polypropylene (R-PP) and recycled bottle grade polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) were melt compounded in different proportions of R-PET in twin screw extruder at temperatures used typically for PP processing. The melt flow behaviour was investigated for these blends using capillary rheometer at different temperatures viz. 230, 250, 260°C. The crystallization and structure development was studied using DSC and XRD. The melt viscosity (η) of these blends followed the usual non-Newtonian behaviour with decrease of η with high shear rate (γ′) and saturation at low shear rate. Most noteworthy finding was that the low shear viscosity at melt temperatures of 230 and 250 showed a peak with increase of R-PET content while at 260°C there was uniform decrease in the viscosity with addition of R-PET. The high shear viscosity also showed similar trend but with less pronounced changes. This was attributed to the cross over of domain shape from spherical to ellipsoidal and finally fibrous shape according to Utracki model. At the melt compounding/processing temperature of 230°C, the R-PET phase was in semi solid state and hence it formed fibrous morphology in the PP melt which was confirmed by SEM analysis. The most interesting finding was that crystallization of both the component polymers was affected due to the presence of the other. R-PP showed nucleation effect in presence of R-PET with the shift in Tc from 118°C to higher temperature side (123°C). Even R-PET exhibited shift in the Tc from 178°C to 201°C in presence of R-PP. These results are discussed in terms of nucleation and slow heat dissipation for PET domain in PP melt together with shear induced crystallization. These structural modifications in the R-PP/R-PET blends led to improvement in properties at certain compositions processed under certain conditions.
Textile-based weft knit strain sensor: Experimental investigation of the effect of stretching on electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding
Authors: Palanisamy Sundaramoorthy , Tunakova Veronika , Tunak Maros , Militky Jiri
Published: December 2022

Recently, the research and development of textile-based sensors have attracted considerable attention. Changes in electrical conductivity (EC) and electromagnetic (EM) shielding effectiveness (SE) during external stimuli are the most frequently studied output. In this study, the EC and EM SE of an electro-conductive 1 × 1 rib knitted fabric made of metal-coated yarn were investigated during uniaxial and biaxial stretching. According to a theoretical survey, 2 main mechanisms are expected to influence the EC of the fabric under mechanical stress: the contact resistance at the junction of two yarns at low levels of applied force and the electrical resistance (ER) of yarn at high stress. Therefore, the electromechanical properties of single, single-loop, and multiloop yarns were also explored to explain the knitted fabric behavior during uniaxial and biaxial stretching. The SE of the knitted fabric varied from 63 to 47 dB based on the type and level of stretching. Using tests with yarns and crocheted chains, we confirmed that the effect of contact points and resistance on the entire ER textile unit prevails at low deformations. Further, the SE increased almost linearly with deformation during wale-wise stretching. The SE results correlate well with the ER values, which reflect the contact and longitudinal resistances of the knitted fabric. The higher the ER, the lower the SE. Notably, the porosity, which changes during stretching, needs to be considered in estimating SE. It was experimentally confirmed that the knit electro-conducite fabric could be used as a wireless strain sensors.
Determinants of anaemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study using secondary data from Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018
Authors: Ogbuabor Daniel Chukwuemeka , Ogbuabor Alphonsus Ogbonna , Ghasi Nwanneka
Published: December 2022

Background:

Anaemia disproportionately affects women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. Yet, community-based studies on the prevalence and determinants of anaemia among women of reproductive age are scarce in Nigeria.

Design:

A cross-sectional community-based survey using a nationally representative sample.

Objectives:

This study described anaemia prevalence and its associated factors among women of reproductive age, pregnant women, and non-pregnant women in Nigeria.

Methods:

We analysed data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Pregnant women with a haemoglobin level less than 11 g/dL and non-pregnant women with a haemoglobin level less than 12 g/dL were considered anaemic. Anaemia was also categorized as mild, moderate, and severe. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between anaemia status and independent variables. All variables with ρ ⩽ 0.25 in bivariate analyses were further analysed using complex sample logistic regression.

Results:

Anaemia prevalence was 57.8%, 57.4%, and 61.1% for women of reproductive age, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women, respectively. The prevalence of severe anaemia was 1.6%, 1.5%, and 2.3% for overall women of reproductive age, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women, correspondingly. The southern regions, rural residence, low education, unemployment, low wealth index, and non-use of modern contraceptives significantly increased the likelihood of anaemia and severe anaemia among women of reproductive age and non-pregnant women. The likelihood of being anaemic was significantly increased by large family size among women of reproductive age and by being underweight among non-pregnant women. The South-East region, rural residence, low education, and unemployment were significantly associated with anaemia among pregnant women. The South-South region and unemployment increased the likelihood of severe anaemia among pregnant women. Short stature significantly reduced the odds of being anaemic and severely anaemic among pregnant women.

Conclusions:

Anaemia prevalence among all categories of women of reproductive age is high in Nigeria. Predictors of anaemia prevalence and severity should be considered in policies intended to reduce anaemia among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.
Achievement of more stringent disease control is associated with reduced burden on workplace and household productivity: results from long-term certolizumab pegol treatment in patients with psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Tillett William , Coates Laura C. , Kiri Sandeep , Taieb Vanessa , Willems Damon , Mease Philip J.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) impacts the physical health and functional ability of patients, leading to reduced productivity. High unemployment rates and absence due to sickness have been reported in patients with PsA.

Objectives:

This post hoc study investigated certolizumab pegol treatment impact on workplace and household productivity in patients with PsA, and assessed whether achievement of more stringent disease control was associated with greater improvements in productivity.

Design:

RAPID-PsA was a 216-week phase III trial.

Methods:

This post hoc study used a generalised estimating equations (GEE) model to examine the disease activity association, measured using American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Disease Activity in PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA), and workplace and household productivity, assessed using an arthritis-specific Work Productivity Survey (WPS). The GEE model estimated the mean cumulative number of days patients meeting different disease control criteria were affected by absenteeism or presenteeism in the workplace and household.

Results:

In all, 273 patients were randomised to certolizumab pegol and 183 (67.0%) completed Week 216. At baseline, 60.8% of patients were employed outside the home. Improved disease control, measured using ACR and DAPSA criteria, was associated with fewer cumulative days affected by workplace absenteeism through Week 216: ACR70: 4.1 days, ACR50 to <70: 7.7, ACR20 to <50: 20.9, <ACR20: 35.7; DAPSA remission (REM): 3.3, low disease activity (LDA): 9.8, moderate disease activity (MoDA): 22.4, high disease activity (HDA): 54.0. Improved disease control was also associated with fewer days affected by workplace presenteeism: ACR70: 5.6, ACR50 to <70: 19.3, ACR20 to <50: 71.2, < ACR20: 141.2; DAPSA REM: 5.7, LDA: 25.8, MoDA: 77.2, HDA: 223.6. Similar associations between greater disease control and improved productivity were observed for household absenteeism and presenteeism.

Conclusion:

This post hoc study demonstrates the cumulative workplace and household work productivity benefits for patients with PsA when achieving more stringent thresholds of disease control with certolizumab pegol treatment.
A post-phenomenological analysis of using menstruation tracking apps for the management of premenstrual syndrome
Authors: Riley Sarah , Paskova Klara
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Menstruation tracking digital applications (MTA) are a popular technology, yet there is a lacuna of research on how women use this technology for the management of PMS. Theoretical frameworks for understanding users’ experiences are also underdeveloped in this nascent field. The objectives of the study were therefore twofold, to propose a theoretical framework for understanding women's use of MTA and apply it to the analysis of users’ experiences in the management of PMS.

Method

A novel theoretical framework was proposed, informed by post-phenomenology, postfeminist healthism, feminist new materialism and digital health technologies as public pedagogy. This framework focuses analytic attention on affective relationships between subjectivity, bodily sensations, digital technology, and discourse. It was used to structure the analysis of five in-depth timeline interviews with women in Aotearoa New Zealand who experienced benefits from using MTA to manage PMS symptoms.

Results

Three pedagogical relationships were identified: a pedagogy of empowerment, where users learnt to control, predict and manage their PMS symptoms in line with healthism; a pedagogy of appreciation, where users learnt to understand their menstruating bodies as amazing, a valued part of them, and awe-inspiring that radically overturned past internalised stigma; and an ‘untrustworthy teacher’ who eroded this affirmative learning through inaccuracy, positioning users in dis-preferred categories, or being ‘creepy’.

Conclusions

MTA offers huge possibilities for challenging menstrual stigma that need to be nurtured, developed, and protected; and there are benefits for analysing MTA within wider scholarship on postfeminist healthism.
Using motion capture technology to assess locomotor development in children
Authors: Bossavit Benoit , Arnedillo-Sánchez Inmaculada
Published: December 2022

Objective

Motor and cognitive development share biological background within the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. Monitoring motor development is relevant to identify children at risk of developmental delays. However, access to timely assessment is prevented by its availability and cost. Affordable motion capture technology may provide an alternative to human assessment.

Methods

MotorSense uses this technology to guide and assess children executing age-related developmental motor tasks. It incorporates advanced heuristics informed by pattern recognition principles based on the developmental sequences of motor skills. MotorSense was evaluated with 16 4–6 year-old children from a rural primary school.

Results

A total of 506 jumps, 2415 steps and 831 hops were analysed. The analysis illustrates MotorSense Accuracy (MA), recognising jump forward (89.96%), jump high (83.34%), jump sideway (85.63%), hop (74.58%) and jog (92.34%), is as good as the sensor's precision. The analysis of the tasks’ execution shows a high level of agreement between human and MotorSense's assessment on jump forward (91%), jump high (99%), jump sideway (93%), hop (94%) and jog (92%).

Conclusions

MotorSense helps address the shortage of affordable technologies to support the assessment of motor development using graded age-related developmental motor tasks. Furthermore, it could contribute towards the tele-detection of motor developmental delays.
What does Dame Carol Black’s review of drug and alcohol misuse services mean for probation services?
Authors: Ball Kevin
Published: December 2022

The Review of Drugs in two parts by Dame Carol Black (2020, 2021) has put new life into the case for properly resourcing substance misuse services in England and Wales. The Black Review has largely been accepted by the UK Government; Dame Carol’s analysis and recommendations have been the catalyst for additional funding and a renewed policy focus upon enforcement, treatment and prevention of drug misuse. Nevertheless, the Review has been criticised for focussing upon low-harm recreational drugs, for lacking consideration of co-occurring alcohol and drug misuse, and for accepting the Government’s restricted remit which excluded from consideration the harms of criminalisation and the ‘war on drugs’ (Transform Drugs, 2021).

The following will summarise the Black Review, and the associated research and evidence. The article also attempts to elucidate key implications for probation, and the new opportunities for probation professionals to restore their ‘fractured relationship’ (Ball and Parker, 2022) with substance misuse colleagues.
A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Worry and Rumination
Authors: Stade Elizabeth C. , Ruscio Ayelet Meron
Published: December 2022

Clinical scientists disagree about whether worry and rumination are distinct or represent a unitary construct. To inform this debate, we performed a series of meta-analyses evaluating the relationship between worry and different forms of rumination. A total of 719 effect sizes ( N = 69,305) were analyzed. Worry showed a large association with global rumination and with the brooding and emotion-focused subtypes of rumination ( rs = .51–.53). However, even when corrected for measurement error, the correlations did not approach unity (ρs = .57–.62). Worry showed a smaller, though still significant, association with the reflection subtype of rumination ( r = .28, ρ = .34). Characteristics of the study, sample, and measures moderated the worry–rumination relationship. Worry and rumination, as indexed by current self-report measures, reflect closely related but nonredundant constructs. Given that these constructs have both common and distinct features, researchers should select between them carefully and, when possible, study them together.
Timing and causes of death after endovascular thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Sluis Wouter M , Hinsenveld Wouter H , Goldhoorn Robert-Jan B , Potters Lianne H , Bruggeman Agnetha AE , van der Hoorn Anouk , Bot Joseph CJ , van Oostenbrugge Robert J , Lingsma Hester F , Hofmeijer Jeannette , van Zwam Wim H , BLM Majoie Charles , Bart van der Worp H
Published: December 2022

Introduction:

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) increases the chance of good functional outcome after ischemic stroke caused by a large vessel occlusion, but the risk of death in the first 90 days is still considerable. We assessed the causes, timing and risk factors of death after EVT to aid future studies aiming to reduce mortality.

Patients and methods:

We used data from the MR CLEAN Registry, a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study of patients treated with EVT in the Netherlands between March 2014, and November 2017. We assessed causes and timing of death and risk factors for death in the first 90 days after treatment. Causes and timing of death were determined by reviewing serious adverse event forms, discharge letters, or other written clinical information. Risk factors for death were determined with multivariable logistic regression.

Results:

Of 3180 patients treated with EVT, 863 (27.1%) died in the first 90 days. The most common causes of death were pneumonia (215 patients, 26.2%), intracranial hemorrhage (142 patients, 17.3%), withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment because of the initial stroke (110 patients, 13.4%) and space-occupying edema (101 patients, 12.3%). In total, 448 patients (52% of all deaths) died in the first week, with intracranial hemorrhage as most frequent cause. The strongest risk factors for death were hyperglycemia and functional dependency before the stroke and severe neurological deficit at 24–48 h after treatment.

Discussion and conclusion:

When EVT fails to decrease the initial neurological deficit, strategies to prevent complications like pneumonia and intracranial hemorrhage after EVT could improve survival, as these are often the cause of death.