bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Caring and Connectivity: A Framework for Active Caring in the Music Classroom
Authors: Watts Sarah , Eldreth James , Grant Timothy , Renne Julie
Published: June 2020

In an age where caring for others may seem like a relic of a bygone era, we all must be reminded of the importance of active caring in the classroom and beyond. This article explores the work of Nel Noddings, an educational scholar at the forefront of caring research, and her four dimensions for bringing active caring into the classroom. Modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation provide teachers with concrete starting points for reflecting on the ways in which they cultivate caring in their music classrooms and how they develop caring relationships with students that reflect the ways they need and want to be cared for. Music educators often work with the same students over the course of many years—it is to our advantage to use this time to teach caring and teach with care.
Content and Language Integrated Learning: A Duoethnographic Study about CLIL Pre-Service Teacher Education in Argentina and Spain
Authors: Banegas Darío Luis , del Pozo Beamud Marta
Published: June 2020

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is a dual-focussed approach that promotes the learning of curricular content in tandem with an additional language, usually English. Since its inception in the 1990s in Europe, CLIL provision has increased considerably not only in Europe but also in other contexts, such as Latin America, given its purported benefits in terms of motivation, cognitive skills development, and language awareness. However, little is known about how future teachers, i.e. pre-service teachers, are trained to teach through CLIL. This article aims to address this gap by describing how we – two CLIL teacher educators based in Argentina and Spain – offer CLIL courses. Through duoethnography, we show how we plan and implement CLIL input and what lessons we have learnt drawing on reflective practice in interaction. Analysis of our interaction illustrates how CLIL is conceived and operationalized and what CLIL competences are prioritized in our practices. Pedagogical implications are included.
The limits of power: Knowledge, ethics, and foreign policy in Hans J. Morgenthau’s international theory
Authors: Zambernardi Lorenzo
Published: June 2020

Hans J. Morgenthau’s contribution to international relations and political theory appears to have been fully recognized to date. However, his ideas have undergone surprisingly little comprehensive investigation: an attitude that made it possible to grasp only a few aspects of his reflections. The main argument of this article is that the main area of inquiry in Morgenthau’s scholarship – international politics and foreign policy – is based on general considerations regarding the role of reason in politics and the limits of knowledge of the social universe. Not only does the question of the possibility of such knowledge lie at the root of his considerations on political action, but it also forms the mainspring of his reflection on ethics. Through an inquiry into the red thread that tightly links his diverse body of thought on social sciences, ethics, and foreign policy, the article aims to show that Morgenthau was a systematic political thinker who set out from theoretical observations on the limits of knowledge to develop particular insights into ethics and, from there, a particular notion of how foreign policy should be conducted. In other words, Morgenthau established links of essential continuity between knowledge, ethics, and action.
Multi-response optimization of mechanical properties of laser welds of PP/EPDM/clay nanocomposite using response surface methodology based on desirability approach analysis
Authors: Ahmadi A , Arab NB Mostafa , Naderi G , Nakhaei MR
Published: June 2020

Laser welding and nanocomposites are finding increasing applications in industries. The polypropylene/ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer/clay nanocomposite has wide application in many industries. In this study, the effect of laser power, standoff distance, scan velocity, and clay content as input parameters on tensile and impact strengths of laser welds and welding operation cost as output parameters has been investigated using response surface methodology. The Box–Behnken design was employed to establish proper mathematical models relating input to output parameters. Morphology and dispersion of clay in the above nanocomposite have also been evaluated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results have been presented numerically and graphically. The results show that with laser power of 108.84–110.90 W, scan velocity of 566.18–597.19 mm/min, standoff distance of 8 mm, and clay content of 0.35–0.83 wt%, optimum values for tensile strength of 9.3 MPa, impact strength of 67.2 J/m, and welding cost of 30 cents/m are obtained. A minimum cost weld (18.5 cents/m) can be achieved when a proper combination of laser power of 108.53–109.80 W, scan velocity of 874.27–893.09 mm/min, standoff distance of 8 mm, and clay content of 0.75–0.94 wt% is selected.
An observer-based adaptive control design for the maglev system
Authors: Bidikli Baris
Published: June 2020

In this study, a nonlinear adaptive controller that can be used to control a magnetic levitation (maglev) is designed. The designed controller is equipped with a nonlinear velocity observer to provide the control without measuring velocity. Its capability to adaptively compensate all parametric uncertainties during the control process is one of the main advantages of this controller. Utilizing this capability, control of the maglev system can be realized without using any knowledge about system parameters. Due to the fast convergence capability of the designed observer and the desired model dependent structure of the adaptation rules, the proposed control design provides better performance than most of the robust and adaptive controllers that have been frequently used to control maglev system. The observer dynamics are analyzed via a Lyapunov–like preliminary analysis. Then, convergence of the observation and the tracking errors under the closed–loop operation and stability of the closed–loop error dynamics are proven via a Lyapunov–based stability analysis where the result obtained in the mentioned preliminary analysis is used. Performance of the designed observer–controller couple is demonstrated via experimental results. The efficiency of the designed controller is tested against a robust proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller and an another Lyapunov–based nonlinear robust controller called as robust integral of sign of error (RISE) controller. Experimental results show that the designed controller performs the best tracking performance with the least control effort among these three controllers.
Perceived Barriers to Type 2 Diabetes Prevention for Low-Income Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes: A Qualitative Secondary Data Analysis
Authors: Ingol Taniqua T. , Kue Jennifer , Conrey Elizabeth J. , Oza-Frank Reena , Weber Mary Beth , Bower Julie K.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine perceived barriers to adoption of lifestyle changes for type 2 diabetes prevention among a diverse group of low-income women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

A secondary data analysis of 10 semistructured focus group discussions was conducted. Participants were low-income African American, Hispanic, and Appalachian women ages 18 to 45 years who were diagnosed with GDM in the past 10 years. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to identify key themes that emerged within and between groups.

Results

Four key themes emerged on the role of knowledge, affordability, accessibility, and social support in type 2 diabetes prevention. Women discussed a lack of awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and type 2 diabetes prevention, inaccessibility of resources in their local communities to help them engage in lifestyle change, and the desire for more culturally relevant education on healthful food options and proper portion sizes.

Discussion

Study findings suggests that to improve effectiveness of type 2 diabetes prevention efforts among low-income women with GDM history, health care providers and public health practitioners should avoid using “one-size-fits-all” approaches to lifestyle change and instead use tailored interventions that address the cultural and environmental factors that impact women’s ability to engage in recommended behavior change.
Comparative effects of combined physical therapy with Kinesio taping and physical therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Chia-Hung , Lee Meng , Lu Kuan-Yu , Chang Chia-Hao , Huang Shih-Shin , Chen Chien-Min
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To compare therapeutic effects between physical therapy (PT) combined with Kinesio taping (KT) and PT alone in knee osteoarthritis treatment.

Data sources:

PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, WangFang Data, and Google Scholar were searched until 16 April 2020.

Review methods:

Randomized controlled trials comparing pain reduction (visual analogue scale and numeric pain rating scale) and functional improvement (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) between PT + KT and PT in knee osteoarthritis treatment were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool.

Results:

A total of 15 studies with 546 patients were included, and their outcomes for one to six weeks after initial treatments were compared. An overall trend favoring PT + KT over PT alone was indicated by greater pain score reduction (mean difference (MD) = −0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.14 to −0.26; P = 0.002) and functional improvement (MD = −5.45, 95% CI = −10.23 to −0.66; P = 0.03) with the former. Significant pain reduction (MD = −0.72, 95% CI = −1.18 to −0.26; P = 0.002) and functional improvement (MD = −6.05, 95% CI = −11.18 to −0.93; P = 0.02) were reported within six weeks after initial treatments.

Conclusion:

Compared with PT alone, PT combined with KT provided better therapeutic effect regarding pain reduction and functional improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The additional pain reduction and functional improvement could last at least six weeks after initial treatments.
Patient satisfaction in Ambulatory Radiochemotherapy: a study based on the Out-Patsat35 questionnaire
Authors: Semmar A. , EL Majjaoui S. , EL Kacemi H. , Kebdani T. , Benjaafar N.
Published: June 2020

Objective:

The aim of our study is to define the main factors contributing to the satisfaction of patients undergoing radiochemotherapy in outpatient setting.

Materials and Methods:

100 Patients undergoing ambulatory concomitant radiochemotherapy in National Institute of Oncology at Rabat in Morocco were invited to complete the OUT-PATSAT35 questionnaire, evaluating perception of doctors, nurses and aspects of care organization, translated on Arabic language. The data were collected from different patients, over a period of three months. Statistical analysis was performed to determine which parameters had the greatest influence on overall satisfaction.

Results:

Overall satisfaction with the provided care was high with a mean satisfaction score of 3.19. Significant correlations were found between overall satisfaction and each of the following survey items: professional skills provided by doctors, behavior of doctors towards patients (patients support), behaviors of nurses towards patients, human qualities of nurses (politeness, respect, kindness and patience), care information provided by nurses, waiting time to get a medical consultation appointment, speed of execution of radiological examination and treatment and service organization. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that service organization, behavior of doctors and nurses towards patients, and care information provided by nurses were the strongest predictors for overall satisfaction, followed by waiting time to get a medical consultation appointment, speed of execution of radiological examination and treatment.

Conclusion:

Our study shows that the majority of our patients are satisfied with the level of our service, but the waiting time to get a medical consultation appointment, and speed of execution of radiological examination and treatment needs to be developed.
The Study of Programmed Death-1 Receptor, Programmed Death-1 Ligand (Pd-1/Pd-L1) and Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Patients: A Potential Mechanism of Immune Escape
Authors: Ali S.A , El-Daly A.N , El-Sayed A , El-Shredy H.G , Fadaly G.A
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

The associations between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and the prognosis of various cancers have always been a research topic of considerable interest.However, the prognostic value of PD-L1 in breast cancer patients remains a controversial subject. We aimed to evaluate the role of programmed death-1 receptor and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) expressing lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes, as potential mechanism of immune escape in breast cancer patients. Also, serum levels of Bcl-2 were analyzed among patients with different stages of breast cancer.

Material and Methods:

The study was conducted on a total of seventy-five females; fifty-five of them represented the breast cancer females at early (24 females) and advanced (31 females) stages and 20 ages matched female donors represented the control group. Patients were recruited from the Cancer Research and Management Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University. Venous blood samples obtained from all females under study were used for determination of PD-1/PD-L1 expression using flowcytometry technique and measurement of Bcl-2 serum levels using ELISA technique.

Results:

Significantly higher expression levels of PD-L1 were found in patients with positive lymph node, advanced tumor stage, histological grade II, tumor size T2, ER, PR, Her-2 negativity and TNBC subtype. Whilst a general increase in PD-1 positive expression between the breast cancer patients and control group regarding percentage and MFI of positive PD-1 expressing monocytes and granulocytes. Also, the results showed a highly significant association between PD-1+ and PD-L1+ expression in early and advanced breast cancer patients (p<0.0001). There was a significant increase in the mean of Bcl-2 serum concentration in patients compared to healthy individuals. Finally, the results showed that Bcl-2 serum concentration correlated positively with positive PD-L1+ expressing granulocytes. While the correlation between serum Bcl-2 and PD-1+ expressing lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes did not show any statistical significance.

Conclusions:

Our study suggested that PD-L1 could serve as an important target for antibody based immunotherapies, especially in the TNBC, where treatment options are limited. The direct correlation between PD-L1+ expression and serum Bcl-2 concentration may explore a role of apoptotic machinery in the pathogenesis of breast cancer.
Clinicopathological Characteristics and Clinical Outcome in Egyptian Female Breast Cancer Patients With and Without BRCA1/2 Mutations
Authors: AbdelHamid SG , El-Mesallamy HO , AbdelAziz HM , Zekri ARN
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes confer high risk of developing breast cancer. We sought to examine whether the clinicopathological characteristics and the clinical outcome differ in patients with and without BRCA mutations.

Patients and Methods:

A series of 103 Egyptian female patients were recruited from Breast Cancer Unit, Clinical Oncology Department, Ain Shams University, Egypt. The enrolled patients, unselected for age of onset or family history, were tested for BRCA1/2 mutations using HRM analysis and direct sequencing. The clinical and pathological features of the patients were retrospectively assessed and comparisons were made using Chi-square. Disease free survival (DFS) was estimated by Kaplan–Meier method and compared in the two groups with log-rank.

Results:

The overall rate of BRCA1/2 mutations was 44%. Novel deleterious mutations were detected and submitted to NCBI Clinvar database. Deleterious mutations were identified in 29 cases and unclassified variants in 32 cases, 15 of which had a co-occuring deleterious mutation. Patients with BRCA mutations tended to have early onset breast cancer compared to non-carriers ( P=0.002), more often premenopausal ( P=0.006), with a familial history of breast cancer as well as other cancers ( P=0.005). BRCA-related breast cancers were more likely to have T3-T4 stage than wild type (41% versus 28%, P=0.02), positive lymph node involvement (78 versus 53%, P=0.007) and develop bilateral breast cancers (24% versus 9%, P =0.007). The incidence of ER negative and PR negative tumors was higher in BRCA carriers, but not statistically significant ( P=0.17 and 0.15, respectively). No difference in HER-2/ neu status was observed ( P=0.25). Early age at onset, positive lymph node involvement, family history of any cancer were independent predictive factors for occurrence of BRCA1/2 mutations. The median follow-up time for the cohort was 5.53 years. Patients with BRCA mutations had poorer 5-year DFS compared to non-carriers (47.7% versus 67.4%, P=0.041); but Cox regression analysis failed to demonstrate a significant independent influence of BRCA mutation status on DFS.

Conclusion:

This study shows that BRCA-related breast cancers in the Egyptian population have distinctive clinical and tumor features as well as outcome. This data has important health implications for guiding cancer control policies.
Presence of Oncogenic Viruses: Clinical Relevance Among Egyptian Familial and Non-Familial Breast Cancer
Authors: Loutfy SA , Metwally SA , Abo-Shadi MA , Abdel Fattah NF , Osman AM , Moneer MM , Helal AM
Published: June 2020

Presenting Author: Loutfy SA

Introduction:

Oncogenic viruses including Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV), Adenovirus (ADV), Polyomavirus (PoV), Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) are one of the leading probable direct causes of Breast cancer (BC) worldwide. According to the National population-based registry program in Egypt (2008-2011) accounting for 32% of all female cancers. The present study aimed at evaluating the presence of these five oncogenic viruses among Egyptian familial and non-familial BC patients and their impact on the clinical course of the disease.

Patients & Methods:

The current study was conducted on 20 cases of BC patients without treatment and 10 healthy women as a control, aged between 18-45 years. Fresh frozen tissue and blood were obtained from BC patients, whereas only blood was obtained from control. All samples were subjected to qualitative and quantitative PCR assays to measure viral loads. The results were correlated to the clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer disease.

Results:

MMTV, ADV, PoV, HPV and EBV DNAs have been detected in 11 (55%),13 (65 %),8 (40%), 0 (0%) and 0 (0%) respectively, of 20 blood BC patients using qualitative PCR. PCR assay. Upon screening of 13 fresh frozen tissues, MMTV, ADV, PoV, HPV and EBV DNAs were present in 12(92%), 12(92%), 2(15.3%), 11(84.6%), and 11 (84.6) respectively of BC patients using quantitative PCR assay. Regarding viral load, ADV and HPV DNAs appeared to be the most replicative viruses out of all tested oncogenic viruses where their load ranged between 40 and 130,000 copies/ml. None of the tested viruses was detected in the control group. The presence of DNA of the 5 tested viruses was not associated with any clinicopathological parameters except larger tumor size was more common among BC patients with positive MMTV results.

Conclusion:

MMTV and ADV were the most common viruses present in tissue and blood of BC patients, tissue specimens are better for viral detection especially for EBV and papillomaviruses. The presence of oncogenic viral infection among young BC females could be considered as one of the risk external factor and could affect the path of BC disease and its prognosis.
Expression of Transgelin in Triple Negative and Non Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Differential Study
Authors: Tolba NS , Alsedfy AS , Skandar SW , El-Kerm YM
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined by the absence of ER expression, PR expression and HER2 amplification. No targeted treatment is available for TNBC and chemotherapy remains the best therapeutic option. However, in the case of recurrence or chemo-resistance, therapeutic options are very limited. TNBC presents a high rate of proliferation and is highly aggressive having low survival rate. As the complexity of this disease is being simplified over time, new targets are also being discovered for the treatment of this disease. Therefore, there is still need for new biomarkers, which would serve for targeted treatment. Transgelin was proposed as a new potential cancer biomarker. Altered expression of Transgelin has been described in a wide range of cancers, often with contradictory results. The aim of the study was to compare Transgelin expression across molecular subtypes of breast cancer, to identify if it can be used as a future molecular targeted protein for TNBC.

Material and Methods:

Transgelin immunohistochemistry was applied on 60 retrospectively collected paraffin blocks of patients presenting with invasive breast carcinoma (NST) having different molecular subtypes. Blocks were collected between 2015 and 2016 from Pathology department, Medical Research Institute, Egypt. Her2 equivocal cases were excluded from the study.

Results:

Transgelin expression was positive in 23 cases and negative in 37 cases. There was a statistically significant difference between (Transgelin +) and (Transgelin -) cases being highly expressed in TNBC in comparison to other molecular subtypes. It was also highly expressed in tumors with large size, high grade, positive lymph-vascular invasion status & lymph node metastasis. There was no statistically significant difference between (Transgelin+) and (Transgelin-) as regards age and Her2 status.

Conclusions:

Transgelin is an aggressive biomarker differentially expressed among the molecular breast cancer subtypes with high expression in TNBC. Transgelin may provide a potential target for future treatment of TNBC.
Pelvic Lymphadenectomy and Pelvic and Para-Aortic Lymphadenectomy Versus No Lymphadenectomy for Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Gertallah Loay M. , Almoregy Abdelwahab S. , Baiomy Taha A. , Helal Khaled Fathy , Abohashim Mohamed Fathy , Hemeda Rehab , Mandour Doaa , Embaby Ahmed , Harb Ola A.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Although lymphadenectomy is advised for accurate surgical endometrial-carcinoma staging, the procedure is not performed regularly worldwide. Most studies on it include few patients and mainly compare pelvic with pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Comparing lymphadenectomy with non-lymphadenectomy is rare. The current study examined prognostic significance and survival advantages of pelvic and pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy compared to no lymphadenectomy.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 75 patients with endometrial carcinomas. The patients were divided into 3 treatment groups based on whether or not lymph-node dissection was performed and the extent of the dissections: (1) pelvic lymphadenectomy; (2) pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy; and (3) no lymphadenectomy. Correlations were analyzed among the surgical techniques used for the 3 groups with respect to the need for adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, recurrences, and survival outcomes.

Results:

Pelvic and pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy produced more-favorable overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates than no lymphadenectomy (p = 0.047). A significant difference was noted among the 3 treatment groups for OS rate and disease-free survival rates (p = 0.015 and 0.017, respectively). The recurrence rates were 47.1%, 35.7%, and 68.8% in the pelvic lymphadenectomy, and pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy, and no lymphadenectomy groups, respectively (p = 0.037).

Conclusions:

This study showed that pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy improved the OS and PFS rates of patients with endometrial cancer.
Dosimetric Correlation Between The Depth of Chest Wall Expansion and Heart Dose in Left Breast Cancer Irradiation Using Deep Inspiratory Breath Hold Technique
Authors: Saad Ehab , Elshahat Khaled.M. , Hazem Sarah , Ebrahim Nadia , Osama Nada , Abdeen Heba , Metwally Hussein
Published: June 2020

Introduction and Objective:

In adjuvant radiotherapy for left breast cancer, a significant heart volume may be included in the radiation field leading to long-term cardiac toxicities. Deep inspiratory breath hold technique (DIBH) leads to chest wall separation away from the heart and thus can reduce the heart dose compared to free breathing technique. The aim of this study is to correlate dosimetrically the degree of chest wall expansion measured on planning 4D-CT scan to the heart dose in left breast cancer irradiation using DIBH technique.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty four patients with left breast cancer planned for adjuvant radiotherapy were included. All patients were scanned by Varian RPM (Real Time Position Managment) respiratory gating system using infrared reflecting markers and a video camera to detect the respiratory motion. IMRT or VMAT plans were done for all patients with a prescribed dose 50Gy/25fr/5w with or without operative bed boost dose 10Gy/5fr/1w. The degree of chest wall expansion was identified by measuring the amplitude of DIBH breathing curve from baseline in planning 4D-CT scan in centimeters. The depth of expansion was correlated dosimetrically with the heart V20, V30, and mean heartdose.

Results:

The mean distance of chest wall expansion was 2.9cm. The mean left lung dose was 8.6Gy. The mean left lung V20 was 13.8%. The mean heart dose was 1.8Gy. The mean heart V30 was 0.6%. A statistically significant reduction of the mean heart dose and V30 was observed with chest wall expansion of 1.4cm or higher (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

In DIBH technique, the depth of chest wall expansion in 4DCT planning is dosimetrically correlated with the cardiac dose reduction during adjuvant irradiation of left breast cancer. Further clinical studies are needed to translate this dosimetric advantage into clinical benefit.
Fibroepithelial Breast Tumors: Cohort Study
Authors: Gamil Mohammed , Murad Magda , Ali el din Nelly Hassan , Zakaria Ashraf Sobhy
Published: June 2020

Background:

The frequency of mesenchymal breast tumors is very low, being represented mostly by tumors with biphasic proliferation (phyllodes tumors) and less by other types of non-epithelial tumors.

Objective:

To review the Management of phyllodes tumors of the breast in the NCI Cairo university during a period of 10 years (2000 till 2010).

Material and Methods:

Retrospective study including 99 patients who diagnosed and treated with phyllodes tumors of the breast between (2000 to 2010). Data were collected from the biostatistics and cancer epidemiology department.

Results:

Out of 99 patients; 51 (51.5%) were benign and 32 (32.3%) were borderline and 16 (16%) were malignant; the median age of the study population was 45.5 years (range 18–71 years).The main radiological tool of diagnosis was breast US and mammography 100%. Preoperative fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed in 12(37.5%) cases for cytodiagnosis but true cut biopsy was done in 87 (87%) cases. Wide local excision was done in 86%, wide local excision with axillary evacuation was done in 1% only, simple mastectomy was done in 9.3% and modified radical mastectomy was done only in 3% of all cases.

Conclusion:

Different surgical modalities are considered the main line for management of phyllodes breast tumors. Local recurrence can be avoided with wide local excision from the first surgery. Axillary LN dissection is not a role in management of breast PT.
Modified Jobe Versus Docking Technique for Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Looney Austin M. , Wang David X. , Conroy Christine M. , Israel Jake E. , Bodendorfer Blake M. , Fryar Caroline M. , Pianka Mark A. , Fackler Nathan P. , Ciccotti Michael G. , Chang Edward S.
Published: June 2020

Background:

The modified Jobe and docking techniques are the most common techniques used for elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction. Previous systematic reviews have suggested that the docking technique results in superior outcomes as compared with the Jobe (figure-of-8) technique. However, these included results from earlier studies in which the flexor-pronator mass (FPM) was detached and an obligatory submuscular ulnar nerve transposition was performed.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to compare the outcomes and return-to-play (RTP) time between the docking and figure-of-8 techniques for UCL reconstruction. We hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in the proportion of excellent outcomes between techniques when the FPM was preserved and no obligatory submuscular ulnar nerve transposition was performed. We also hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in RTP time between techniques.

Study Design:

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods:

This study was performed in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. In the primary analysis, techniques were compared in random effects models by using the restricted maximum likelihood method, with weighted effect sizes calculated as the Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformed proportion of excellent outcomes for variance stabilization and with summary effects estimated from the inverse double-arcsine transformation per the harmonic mean of the sample sizes. Mean RTP times for techniques were compared in a separate model.

Results:

There were 21 eligible articles identified, with results for 1842 UCL reconstructions (n = 320, docking; n = 1466, figure-of-8). Without controlling for the effects of flexor-pronator detachment and submuscular ulnar nerve transposition, a significantly larger proportion of excellent outcomes was observed with docking reconstruction (86.58%; 95% CI, 80.42%-91.85%) than with figure-of-8 reconstruction (76.76%; 95% CI, 69.65%-83.25%; P = .031); however, there was no significant difference between techniques when controlling for FPM preservation or detachment with submuscular nerve transposition ( P = .139). There was no significant difference between techniques in time to return to sports ( P = .729), although no reconstructions with FPM detachment and submuscular ulnar nerve transposition were available for RTP time analysis.

Conclusion:

There was no significant difference in the proportion of excellent Conway Scale outcomes or RTP time between the docking and modified Jobe techniques for UCL reconstruction when the FPM was preserved and routine submuscular ulnar nerve transposition was not performed.
“If Only I Could Have Stopped It”: Reflections of Adult Child Sexual Abuse Survivors on Their Responses During the Abuse
Authors: Katz Carmit , Nicolet Racheli
Published: June 2020

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has received much research attention in recent years, leading to the considerable development of services provided for children worldwide. The literature in the field of trauma studies recognizes that responses to trauma are of central importance and mainly discusses the fight-flight-freeze model of automatic responses to traumatic events. For a variety of reasons, research on this specific subject in the field of CSA is sparse. The current study was designed to spotlight the way adults perceive their responses during incidents of CSA. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 20 survivors who described their responses. The results pointed to the irrelevance of “fight or flight” responses in the context of CSA and emphasized compliance, avoidance, and simply surviving the abuse. In addition, the survivors shared the thoughts they had had during the abusive incidents. Specifically, while they understood that what was being done to them was wrong, they also realized that there was little they could do other than try to survive. The survivors’ reflections on how their responses to CSA affected their negative self-attributions and on the way they contend with difficult incidents in adulthood suggest the central role played by CSA responses. The findings point to the multifaceted nature of responses to CSA and to the urgent need to further examine them by exploring other relevant contexts and perceptions to develop a theoretical model that will address responses to child abuse and inform both prevention and intervention efforts.
The politics of psychology as a science: Some comments on research for and about the folk
Authors: Dege Martin
Published: June 2020

In the following, I explore the idea of psychology as a science in Barbara Held’s (2020) reading of Thomas Teo’s (and Klaus Holzkamp’s) distinction of research for and from versus about people. Held argues convincingly that research about people entails aspects for people and vice versa. In her view, to equate mainstream psychology research with research from above and critical/Indigenous research with research from below is an oversimplification. She concludes that Teo’s distinction is fuzzy and thus exhibits limited applicability. I want to argue that Teo’s distinction is useful in a political sense and under the premise of research from the standpoint of the subject.
A review on iatrogenic botulism
Authors: Fung Hin Tat , Chan Ka Man , Lam Shing Kit Tommy
Published: June 2020

Background:

With the flourishing application of botulinum toxin cosmetically and therapeutically is the emergence of iatrogenic botulism, a new type of botulism in addition to the traditional ones.

Objectives:

We aim at a comprehensive review of the clinical characteristics of iatrogenic botulism. Methods: The available publications are retrieved and studied.

Results:

Botulinum toxin blocks cholinergic transmission in the neuromuscular junctions and autonomic ganglia. The blockade can spread from the site of tissue injection to adjacent or sometimes far off structures, resulting in inadvertent disabling or even lethal effects. On literature review, weakness and dysphagia are the commonest complications of iatrogenic botulism, whereas ophthalmological and oropharyngeal symptoms are more prevalent in the cosmetic group and dyspnea in the therapeutic group. Antitoxin therapy is required in about 20% of the patients. Diagnosis of iatrogenic botulism is primarily clinical and should not be confused with the neurological diagnoses possessing similar clinical manifestations. Vigilance to the drug formulation, dosage, and administration during botulinum toxin injection are part of the preventive measures in minimizing the occurrence of iatrogenic botulism.

Conclusion:

While overlapping with the traditional types of botulism, iatrogenic botulism carries its unique clinical characteristics.
Research at Work: Sampling, Central Tendency, and Causation
Authors: Jaggers Jeremiah W. , Loomis Alysse M.
Published: June 2020

A basic understanding of statistics is an important piece of social work practice, informing the ability of social workers to interpret and evaluate existing research and to conduct evaluations of programs in their agencies. This article gives an overview of basic statistical concepts of variables, central tendency, and correlation versus causation to give social workers a preliminary foundation to critically evaluate and utilize basic research. The basic statistics in the study “Relationship Between the Five Facets of Mindfulness on Mood and Substance Use Relapse” by Temme and Wang (2018) are unpacked as a way to bring to life the statistical concepts discussed throughout the article.
A compact rotary motor actuated by shape memory alloy mini springs
Authors: Basilio Sobrinho José Marques , Cunha Maxsuel Ferreira , Emiliavaca Angelo , Souto Cícero da Rocha , Ries Andreas
Published: June 2020

Shape memory alloys have recently gained attention for applications in motor driving components. The most expressive advantage of shape memory alloy components in that type of application is the high torque to motor weight ratio. Considering the importance of these studies, this article presents the design, manufacture, and theoretical and experimental analyses of a rotary motor driven by Ni–Ti shape memory alloy mini springs. The adopted motion mechanism allows the motor to run in continuous and bidirectional rotation mode, where speed and torque are determined by a drive sequence. A simplified analytical model was implemented, considering the thermomechanical characteristics of the shape memory alloy springs. Experimental tests with and without electrical drives were performed using properly designed electronic measurement instrumentation. The principal scientific contribution of this work is the demonstration of the motor’s functionality and torque generation. An energy density index of 1.41 × 10−3 Nmm/mm3 was attained, which is higher to those of other similarly constructed motors in the literature.
A novel piezo-actuated flapping mechanism based on inertia drive
Authors: Zhang Yangkun , Peng Yuxin , Cheng Yang , Yu Haoyong
Published: June 2020

In this article, a novel piezo-actuated flapping mechanism based on inertia drive is proposed and developed. In comparison with the existing flapping mechanisms, the proposed one has a more direct driving form simply via a frictional contact without using any transmission mechanism like crank-rocker or crank-slider, making it easier for miniaturization. In addition, it could principally allow for an arbitrary form of flapping motion with unlimited stroke. The flapping principle and the rationale for an arbitrary form of flapping motion with unlimited stroke are presented. A prototype of the proposed flapping mechanism was constructed and tested. The ability in various modulations of flapping motion, including flapping amplitude, position, asymmetry between downstroke and upstroke flapping speeds, and frequency, is demonstrated.
It Takes a Motive: Communal and Agentic Articulated Interest and Candidate Emergence
Authors: Conroy Meredith , Green Jon
Published: June 2020

More women ran for office in 2018 than any previous election year. This represents progress toward parity, but it remains unclear whether this surge in women’s political ambition signals an easing of the candidate emergence path, which has typically favored men. We leverage over ten thousand intake forms of prospective candidates provided by Run for Something, a candidate recruitment nonprofit founded in 2017, to examine patterns in candidate emergence based on articulated interest through the lens of “communion” and “agency,” two basic behavioral orientations with gendered significance. We find that differences in articulated interest along the dimensions of communion and agency are greater between candidates and noncandidates than they are between men and women, supporting previous findings of similarities in men and women who emerge as candidates. Our results suggest the candidate emergence path is still easier for women (and men) whose motives are congruent with agency, and therefore the “masculine ethos” of politics.
Compound fault diagnosis of rolling element bearings using multipoint sparsity–multipoint optimal minimum entropy deconvolution adjustment and adaptive resonance-based signal sparse decomposition
Authors: Fan Ji , Qi Yongsheng , Gao Xuejin , Li Yongting , Wang Lin
Published: June 2020

The rolling element bearings used in rotating machinery generally include multiple coexisting defects. However, individual defect–induced signals of bearings simultaneously arising from multiple defects are difficult to extract from measured vibration signals because the impulse-like fault signals are very weak, and the vibration signal is commonly affected by the transmission path and various sources of interference. This issue is addressed in this study by proposing a new compound fault feature extraction scheme. Vibration signals are first preprocessed using resonance-based signal sparse decomposition to obtain the low-resonance component of the signal, which contains the information related to the transient fault–induced impulse signals, and reduce the interference of discrete harmonic signal components and noise. The objective used for adaptively selecting the optimal resonance-based signal sparse decomposition parameters adopts the ratio of permutation entropy to the frequency domain kurtosis, as a new comprehensive index, and the optimization is conducted using the cuckoo search algorithm. Subsequently, we apply multipoint sparsity to the low-resonance component to automatically determine the possible number of impulse signals and their periods according to the peak multipoint sparsity values. This enables the targeted extraction and isolation of fault-induced impulse signal features by multipoint optimal minimum entropy deconvolution adjustment. Finally, the envelope spectrum of the filtered signal is used to identify the individual faults. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is verified by its application to both simulated and experimental compound bearing fault vibration signals with strong interference, and its advantages are confirmed by comparisons of the results with those of an existing state-of-the-art method.
Replaced by a Robot: Service Implications in the Age of the Machine
Authors: McLeay Fraser , Osburg Victoria Sophie , Yoganathan Vignesh , Patterson Anthony
Published: June 2020

Service organizations, emboldened by the imperative to innovate, are increasingly introducing robots to frontline service encounters. However, as they augment or substitute human employees with robots, they may struggle to convince a distrusting public of their brand’s ethical credentials. Consequently, this article develops and tests a holistic framework to ascertain a deeper understanding of customer perceptions of frontline service robots (FLSRs) than has previously been attempted. Our experimental studies investigate the effects of the (1) role (augmentation or substitution of human employees or no involvement) and (2) type (humanoid FLSR vs. self-service machine) of FLSRs under the following service contexts: (a) value creation model (asset-builder, service provider) and (b) service type (experience, credence). By empirically establishing our framework, we highlight how customers’ personal characteristics ( openness-to-change and preference for ethical/responsible service provider) and cognitive evaluations ( perceived innovativeness, perceived ethical/societal reputation, and perceived innovativeness-responsibility fit) influence the impact that FLSRs have on service experience and brand usage intent. Our findings operationalize and empirically support seminal frameworks from extant literature, as well as elaborate on the positive and negative implications of using robots to complement or replace service employees. Further, we consider managerial and policy implications for service in the age of machines.
The Five Constants: A Confucian Business Model for the Hospitality Industry
Authors: Chon Kaye , Hao Fei
Published: June 2020

This exploratory study develops a Confucian hospitality business model through which Confucian hospitality practice is defined, implemented, interconnected, and interpreted. This study reviews the Confucian historical context to provide a holistic picture of the temporal and spatial evolution of Confucianism. Based on the five Confucian constants of humanity, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness, this study hermeneutically develops a Confucian hospitality business model that embraces business ethics, leadership, work ethics, service provision, and corporate social responsibility. This study is the first to present a holistic understanding of hospitality practice in the light of Confucianism and to propose a Confucian hospitality business model. The model can be adopted by hospitality practitioners who are based in Confucian areas, serve Confucian customers, hire Confucian employees, or establish Confucian partnerships. Based on the model, Confucian hospitality training programs can be developed to guide future hospitality education.
Effects of low-dose meloxicam in cats with chronic kidney disease
Authors: KuKanich Kate , George Christopher , Roush James K , Sharp Sherry , Farace Giosi , Yerramilli Murthy , Peterson Sarah , Grauer Gregory F
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Meloxicam therapy may benefit cats with degenerative joint disease, and retrospective studies suggest it could slow kidney disease progression and increase survival. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the renal effects of low-dose meloxicam treatment (0.02 mg/kg/day) over 6 months in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

Twenty-one cats with stable International Renal Interest Society stage 2 or 3 CKD were recruited and randomized to placebo or meloxicam groups. Cats were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months, including blood pressure, chemistry, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urinalysis, urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC), urine transforming growth factor-beta (β):creatinine ratio, urine clusterin, urine cystatin B and serum inosine.

Results

No statistical difference was observed in systolic blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, SDMA, GFR, urine transforming growth factor-β:creatinine ratio, urine clusterin, urine cystatin B or serum inosine in cats receiving meloxicam vs placebo. Mean UPC was greater in the meloxicam group (0.33) than the placebo group (0.1) at 6 months ( P = 0.006). Four cats had meloxicam discontinued owing to potential (mainly gastrointestinal) adverse effects.

Conclusions and relevance

No decline in renal excretory function was observed when meloxicam was administered to cats with CKD. However, gastrointestinal adverse effects were observed, and cats that received meloxicam had greater proteinuria at 6 months than cats that received placebo. As proteinuria is associated with negative outcomes (progression of azotemia and hypertension) in cats with CKD, this finding suggests that meloxicam should be used with caution in cats with CKD and UPC monitored. Until further research is available, clinicians should weigh the risk of potential increased proteinuria against quality of life benefits when considering meloxicam for analgesia in cats with renal disease.
Facebook confessions: Corporate abdication and Silicon Valley dystopianism
Authors: Karppi Tero , Nieborg David B
Published: June 2020

This article investigates the public confessions of a small group of ex-Facebook employees, investors, and founders who express regret helping to build the social media platform. Prompted by Facebook’s role in the 2016 United States elections and pointing to the platform’s unintended consequences, the confessions are more than formal admissions of sins. They speak of Facebook’s capacity to damage democratic decision-making and “exploit human psychology,” suggesting that individual users, children in particular, should disconnect. Rather than expressions of truth, this emerging form of corporate abdication constructs dystopian narratives that have the power shape our future visions of social platforms and give rise to new utopias. As such, and marking a stark break with decades of technological utopianism, the confessions are an emergent form of Silicon Valley dystopianism.