bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brentanians against Relationalism about Colours
Authors: Taieb Hamid
Published: June 2023

The aim of my article is to present the critique by Brentanians – more precisely, by Brentano himself and his students Stumpf and Marty – of the thesis that colours are properties that are relational to a perceiver. For Brentanians, colours are monadic physical properties. Brentanians, I will show, think that colours do not exhibit a relationality to perception when we experience them, and that the concepts of them do not contain any mark representing a relation to perception; this phenomenological and logical non-relationality, they think, allows them to hold that colours are not relational by nature. Despite arguing that colours are monadic and physical, Brentanians also hold that colours do not exist in reality, and in their opinion these two theses are perfectly compatible. I will further show that although Brentanians (especially Marty) claim that colours are monadic, they nonetheless allow for a loose relationality of colours to perception which is, however, identical to that of any other physical property. I will conclude by discussing some interesting consequences of the Brentanian theory for contemporary debates about colours.
Intentionality as Consciousness of Marks
Authors: Dalla Rosa Davide
Published: June 2023

In this short comment, I will first recapitulate some of the substantive claims Textor attributes to Brentano, and then propose to use Kant’s epistemology to extend the central argumentative conclusion of Textor’s article, namely the assertion that “where there is something mental, there is awareness of marks”.
Uganda’s Post-War Transitional Justice Process
Authors: Kirabira Tonny Raymond , Choukroune Leïla
Published: June 2023

This article examines the existing post-war recovery framework employed in Uganda to address concerns with housing, land and property (hlp) rights, particularly in Uganda’s post-war recovery period. It explores the integration of special categories of victims, i.e., internally displaced persons (idp s) and children born of war (cbw), with a key focus on how hlp rights are integrated into – or left out of – the transitional justice (tj) process. hlp rights fit within the broader pictures of customary practices and tj, since they enable idp s and cbw to integrate into the post-war communities. Our findings from the Uganda case study cast some doubt on the current process and aim to influence future interventions by emphasising that progress with securing hlp rights for those affected by war and violence is an integral part of any legitimate post-war recovery process and tj interventions.
The Practical Reality and Efficacy of International Humanitarian Law: Some Reflections
Authors: Greenwood Christopher
Published: June 2023

This article considers certain aspects of the reality and efficacy of ihl. It looks at problems concerning the scope of ihl, including the question of what constitutes an armed conflict, the difficulties of disentangling international and non-international elements in some armed conflicts and debates about the application of ihl in United Nations peacekeeping. The article also examines whether ihl has acquired detail at the expense of practicality and calls for training of military personnel aimed at the development of a humanitarian reflex. It discusses the relationship between ihl and human rights law. Finally, it considers some of the problems in securing compliance with ihl.
Rules of Engagement and the Situation of Individual Self-Defence: Applicable Law and Coherence with Operational Context
Authors: McLaughlin Rob
Published: June 2023

Within a broader discussion as to the place and role of self-defence within Rules of Engagement, this article seeks to describe some of the drafting and application issues that often present when employing Rules of Engagement – as a distillation of law, policy, operational context, and capability – to resolve, or to encapsulate the resolution achieved, in each mission-specific dialogue between operational context and the law of individual self-defence. To this end, the analysis will focus primarily (but not exclusively) upon the availability to military members of the ‘right’ of individual self-defence in otherwise law of armed conflict-governed operations.
Johanna Eleonora Petersens Gespräche des Hertzens mit GOTT (1689) zwischen Gebet, Selbstgespräch und Dialog
Authors: Müller Sarah
Published: June 2023

J. E. Petersen’s Gespräche des Hertzens mit GOTT (Conversations of the Heart with GOD) is a soliloquy in the form of prayer that stages dialogue. Its complexity can be illustrated by two communication complexes. A first communication complex comprises the triadic dialogue between the Ego and an inner corresponding You – immanent in a single individual –, mediated by God. It can offer a moment of contemplation to the readers. In a scheme based on the religious history of Pietism the Ego in the confession of the Bible word turns equally to its inner You and to God. Mediated by the Holy Spirit, a personal experience of the scriptural word is evoked, leading to self-conviction. During this praxis pietatis, the reader takes over the position of the praying person – that is the Ego and the You. Petersen’s ‘Heart-Conversations’ are paradigmatic for a connection of literary studies and religious studies: on the one hand, for a communication scheme-based justification of the dialogical in the soliloquy and, on the other hand, as a communication complex of the staged, performative dialogue in pietistic written prayer.
Haec revolutionis ars
Authors: Ramos Grané Marta
Published: June 2023

This article aims to shed some light on the functioning of the quadrangle, a combinatorial mnemonic mechanism devised by Iacobus Publicius and of great tradition in the artes memorativae. The absence of an explanation of how it works in Publicius’ text has meant that many scholars have not approached this quadrangle. We believe that such an explanation can now be provided by an early 16th century treatise writer, Iohannes Romberch, who not only included this mental instrument in his Congestorium, but also tried to explain it and make it functional. This same author also proposed a second mechanism, very similar to the previous one, to give form to a specific type of images, the inscriptiones.
Paleocene fossil wood from Patagonia with storied rays and comments on the fossil record of this character
Authors: Ruiz Daniela P. , Pujana Roberto R. , Brea Mariana
Published: June 2023

The storied structure in wood anatomy is considered derived and highly specialized, and is present in some related families. The first records of this character are from the Cretaceous, but it is scarce in the Cretaceous and Paleocene, and apparently absent until the Eocene in the temperate Southern Hemisphere. Using standard methodology, we describe the anatomy of a fossil wood from the early Paleocene of Patagonia (Salamanca Formation). The fossil wood, assigned to a new genus and species Elizabethiaxylon patagonicum related to the Malvaceae, is characterized by its diffuse-porous wood, solitary vessels, simple perforation plates, apotracheal banded axial parenchyma, and mostly biseriate storied rays. The storied structure in this wood is one of the oldest records from Gondwana.
Notes on a Renaissance Bestiary by Ulisse Aldrovandi
Authors: Acciarino Damiano
Published: June 2023

A unique codex in the University of Bologna, crafted as a single monographic volume, transmits an extremely interesting treatise by the naturalist and antiquary Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522–1605). Entitled Discorso sopra alcuni animali quadrupedi per i quali si possono esprimere i 7 peccati capitali, literally ‘discourse about those animals through which it is possible to [symbolically] express the seven mortal sins,’ it was completed, according to an earlier copy (BUB Aldrov. 91, cc. 472r–482v), on 12 August 1578. The work was dedicated to Alessandro degli Orsi, a nobleman of the city and infantry commander in Hungary, who was honored in 1585 with the gran croce. This article suggests a reconstruction of lost decorations in one of the Orsi family mansions, either the Palazzo Orsi or the Villa Orsi. It also considers the moral implications of virtues versus vice represented by four-legged animals.
Two Illustrated Horoscopes of the Italian Renaissance
Authors: Gandolfi Giangiacomo
Published: June 2023

Among astral representations in Renaissance paintings and frescoes, a particular and very complex class stands out: that of Illustrated Horoscopes, that is, complete charts disguised under the cover of innocent pastoral landscapes or conventional mythological scenes. Two examples pertaining to this elusive class are proposed and analyzed in this article. The first is a Giorgionesque painting in the Royal Gallery in Dresden, the so-called Horoscope, that probably portrays the casting of a birth-chart for Ercole II d’Este, the son of Lucrezia Borgia, and at the same time a scene from the epic of Orlando and the Paladins. The second is Zucchi’s Assembly of the Gods, a copper panel painted for Ferdinando de Medici’s studiolo in the Roman Villa Medici, which arranges the planetary divinities in correlation to the zodiacal constellations, building the extraordinary nativity of the owner. Both astrological charts, albeit veiled and ambiguous by nature, are substantiated by internal signals, verified on the basis of contemporary horoscopes, and justified by the overall painting narrative.
Cartographies of Belonging: Reflections on Indigeneity and Autochthony
Authors: Cachoian-Schanz Deanna
Published: June 2023

This creative nonfiction reflects upon the political utility of the terms “indigeneity” and “autochthony” to describe human (and non-human) groups as genealogically bound to or originally springing from singular geographies. What do these terms reinscribe, and what might attachments to them foreclose to the Armenian, and more broadly, to the collective human experience? This mix of text and image is a plea to move beyond an “autochthonous” logic that naturalizes the coupling of bodies to lands to account, instead, for a more just and capacious understanding of existence as by, through, and for the in/animate “other” across multiple geographies and timescapes.
Effects of Different Exercise Modes on Gait Performance of Parkinson’s Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Shi-kun , Gu Mei-ling , Xu Hong , Zhou Wen-sheng , Mao Su-jie , Yang Yong
Published: June 2023

Gait disturbances are among the main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and can increase fall risk. In this study we aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of different exercise modes on gait indexes of PD patients. We conducted a review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in studies listed in Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrailS.gov , and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases from their inception to October 23, 2021. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of exercise on gait index by using the Timed Up and Go test, (TUG), stride length, stride cadence, or 6 Minutes Walking Test (6MWT). We used Review Manager 5.3 to evaluate the quality of the included literature, and we used Stata 15.1 and R-Studio for the network meta-analysis. We assessed the relative ranking of therapies by the surface under the cumulative ranking possibilities. In 159 studies, there were 24 exercise interventions. Compared with the control group, 13 exercises showed significant improvements on the TUG; six exercises were significantly better for improving stride length; only one exercise was better for improving stride cadence; and four exercises were better for improving the 6MWT. The surface under the cumulative ranking curves suggested that Pilates, body weight support treadmill training, resistance training, and a multidisciplinary exercise program were preferable for gains on TUG, stride length, stride cadence, and 6MWT. This meta-analytic review found that exercise therapies bring obvious benefits to gait indexes of patients with PD, and the efficacy of exercise therapies varied with different types of exercise and outcome indexes.
Blended Pedagogy in Social Statistics Courses: Prelecture Strategies for Encouraging Learning among First-Generation College Students
Authors: Mireles Amanda
Published: June 2023

In this article, I ask to what extent first-generation college students experience statistics anxiety and what are effective pedagogical strategies for building student confidence and encouraging learning. To answer these questions, I draw on the wide-ranging and developing literature on blended teaching methods—most commonly defined as the integration of web-based activities and traditional face-to-face instruction—to design and implement an experiment measuring the effectiveness of providing varying supports in social statistics courses. Evidence from the experiment and learning reflections demonstrates that regardless of whether students experience statistics anxiety, at a minimum, reading comprehension supports have a statistically significant positive effect on first-generation college students’ learning (N = 46), and blended learning supports have a statistically significant positive effect for both first-generation and continuing-generation college students (N = 59). The positive and statistically significant effect of providing students with blended learning prelecture supports can counteract the negative and statistically significant effect of being a first-generation college student. These findings suggest that simple and effective pedagogical strategies can help better prepare students for exposure to new material, thereby encouraging greater overall learning in social statistics courses.
Unveiling the formation of conspiracy theory on social media: A discourse analysis
Authors: Li Boying , Ji David , Fu Mengyao , Tan Chee-Wee , Chong Alain , Lim Eric TK
Published: June 2023

Social media technology not only affords opportunities for digital activism and global liberation, but it also poses threats to the freewheeling of democracy. The emergence and prevalence of conspiracy theories on social media stem from communal processes of online political debate or social movements that degenerate into conspiracy beliefs. This study views the online formation of conspiracy theories as a socially emergent process. Subscribing to a social constructionist lens and synthesizing extant literature on social movements and social media affordances, we conducted discourse analysis on discursive data collected from Twitter for the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Fraud Conspiracy Theory. Through the analysis, we delineate the formation of conspiracy theory into four stages and characterize each stage according to its mobilizing structure, participants, mode of interaction, content created, and discernible collective action. We also identify social media affordances facilitating the formation of conspiracy theories within and across stages. Findings of this study advance contemporary knowledge on conspiracy theories by not only extending our understanding of the role of social media in conspiracy theory formation, but they also aid practitioners in comprehending the formation process of conspiracy theory formation, the latter of which constitutes the foundation for devising appropriate prevention and mitigation strategies.
Closed-Form Solution of the Unit Normal Loss Integral in 2 Dimensions, with Application in Value-of-Information Analysis
Authors: Yoon Lee Tae , Gustafson Paul , Sadatsafavi Mohsen ,   for the Canadian Respiratory Research Network
Published: June 2023

The unit normal loss integral (UNLI) has wide applicability in decision analysis and risk modeling, including as a solution for computation of various value-of-information (VoI) metrics. However, one limitation of the UNLI has been that its closed-form solution is available for only 1 dimension and thus can only be used for comparisons involving 2 strategies (where it is applied to the scalar incremental net benefit). We derived a closed-form solution for the 2-dimensional UNLI by the integration by parts technique. This enables the extension of the UNLI method to 3-comparison problems. We implemented this approach in R as part of the predtools package ( https://github.com/resplab/predtools/ ) and verified the accuracy of this implementation via Monte Carlo simulations. A case study based on a 3-arm clinical trial was used as an example for VoI analysis. Methods based on the closed-form solutions for the UNLI can now be extended to 3-decision comparisons, taking a fraction of a second to compute and not being subject to Monte Carlo error.

Highlights

The unit normal loss integral (UNLI) is widely used in decision analysis and risk modeling, including in the computation of various value-of-information metrics, but its closed-form solution is only applicable to comparisons of 2 strategies. We derive a closed-form solution for 2-dimensional UNLI, extending the applicability of the UNLI to 3-strategy comparisons. Such closed-form computation takes only a fraction of a second and is free from simulation errors that affect the hitherto available methods. In addition to the relevance in 3-strategy model-based and data-driven decision analyses, a particular application is in risk prediction modeling, where the net benefit of a classifier should always be compared with 2 default strategies of treating none and treating all.
Toolkit for the Assessment of Safety at Bus Stops
Authors: Salum Jimoku H. , Kisabanzira Ntagwanko , Alluri Priyanka , Sando Thobias
Published: June 2023

Safety at bus stops is a major concern of transit agencies. This research aimed to develop a data-driven method for estimating bus stop safety scores that will assist transit agencies in ranking and prioritizing bus stops for improvement considerations. This study presents a bus stop scoring methodology that uses a data-driven approach based on multiple data sources. The methodology was developed using six criteria: bus stop characteristics inventory, roadway characteristics inventory (RCI), land use and demographics, pedestrian crash frequency, annual average daily traffic, and annual ridership. Crash data were collected from SignalFour Analytics, and roadway characteristics data were retrieved from the Florida Department of Transportation RCI database. The Florida Geographic Data Library was used for retrieving census and land use data, while the Florida Transit Information System was employed to extract information on transit stops. A data-driven method was used to develop a priority list for improvements among the selected bus stops. The methodology was implemented in a case study including three transit agencies: Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, and Miami-Dade Transit. A bus stop priority list was generated for each agency, with the highest-ranking bus stop location having the greatest need for safety improvements. Based on the analysis, safety measures that could improve safety at the highest-ranking bus stop locations include: installing a shelter, installing pedestrian safety features, conducting pedestrian safety outreach programs, and/or conducting further site investigation.
Incidence, Racial Disparities and Factors Related to Psychosis among Black Individuals in Canada: A Scoping Review
Authors: Cénat Jude Mary , Dromer Élisabeth , Darius Wina Paul , Dalexis Rose Darly , Furyk Sarah Elizabeth , Poisson Hannah , Mansoub Bekarkhanech Farid , Diao David Guangyu , Gedeon Andi Phaelle , Shah Muhammad S. , Labelle Patrick R. , Bernheim Emmanuelle , Kogan Cary S.
Published: June 2023

Objective

Black communities are increasingly concerned about psychosis, a worry echoed by provincial health-care systems across Canada. Responding to the lack of evidence on psychosis in Black communities, this scoping review examined the incidence and prevalence of psychosis, access to care (pathways to care, coercive referrals, interventions, etc.), treatments received, and stigma faced by individuals with psychosis.

Method

To identify studies, a comprehensive search strategy was developed and executed in December 2021 across 10 databases, including APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, MEDLINE and Web of Science. Subject headings and keywords relating to Black communities, psychosis, health inequalities, Canada and its provinces and territories were used and combined. The scoping review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) reporting standard.

Results

A total of 15 studies met the inclusion criteria, all of them conducted in Ontario and Quebec. Results highlight different disparities in psychosis among Black communities. Compared to other Canadian ethnic groups, Black individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with psychosis. Black individuals with psychosis are more likely to have their first contact with health-care settings through emergency departments, to be referred by police and ambulance services, and to experience coercive referrals and interventions, and involuntary admission. Black individuals experience a lower quality of care and are the ethnic group most likely to disengage from treatment.

Conclusion

This scoping review reveals many gaps in research, prevention, promotion and intervention on psychosis in Black individuals in Canada. Future studies should explore factors related to age, gender, social and economic factors, interpersonal, institutional and systemic racism, and psychosis-related stigma. Efforts should be directed toward developing trainings for health-care professionals and promotion and prevention programs within Black communities. Culturally adapted interventions, racially disaggregated data, and increased research funding are needed.
Rapid Automatized Naming and Visual Searching in Arabic-Speaking Children With and Without Dyslexia: The Potential Effect of Color
Authors: Layes Smail , Tibi Sana , Cohen Marjolaine , Lombardino Linda
Published: June 2023

This study examined the relationships between word reading and rapid automatized naming (RAN) for objects and letters in Arabic-speaking children with and without dyslexia to determine potential modulating effects of color on naming by comparing children’s performance on color and black–white RAN plates. Participants were 114 Arabic-speaking third graders who were tested for word and pseudoword reading accuracy, word reading fluency, rapid automatic naming, and letter scanning and searching abilities. Comparative analyses showed that while children with dyslexia did not differ from controls on the RAN object color task, they did show slower average naming speeds than the controls on the black–white version of the objects task. Similarly, the children with dyslexia showed slower average naming speeds than controls on both the color and black–white versions of the RAN letters task. In addition, hierarchical regression analyses showed that word reading accuracy, word reading fluency and pseudoword reading were significantly predicted by RAN black-white objects and RAN letters both versions after controlling for Age, IQ and visual search. Furthermore, group predicted the interference in letter RAN but not in object RAN. Findings of the current study have implications for the positive impact of color on object-naming tasks.
Caregiver Experiences Participating in a Home-Based Primary Care Program: A Pragmatic Evaluation Including Qualitative Interviews and Quantitative Surveys
Authors: Kling Samantha M. R. , Lessios Anna Sophia , Holdsworth Laura M. , Yefimova Maria , Wu Siqi , Martin Marina , Sheffrin Meera , Winget Marcy
Published: June 2023

The aim of this evaluation was to assess caregiver experience and burden during their first year in a geriatric home-based primary care (HBPC) program with qualitative interviews and surveys. HBPC included in-home visits for homebound, older adult patients. Seventeen caregivers, with varied amount of experience with HBPC, participated in semi-structured interviews. Change in caregiver burden from baseline was captured for 44 caregivers at 3 months post-enrollment, 27 caregivers at 6 months, and 22 caregivers at 12 months. Satisfaction survey was administered at these timepoints, but the last response of 48 caregivers was analyzed. Caregiver interviews revealed three themes: caregiving stressors, reliance on HBPC in relation to other medical care, and healthcare in the home. Surveyed caregivers were highly satisfied, but burden did not change substantially over the 1 year intervention. Caregivers appreciated HBPC reduced patient transportation and provided satisfactory primary care, but additional research is needed to tailor this care to reduce caregiver burden.
A climate resilience maturity matrix for Canadian health systems
Authors: Thomson Denise , Varangu Linda , Webster Richard J.
Published: June 2023

Healthcare decision-makers are becoming increasingly aware that climate change poses significant threats to population health and continued delivery of quality care. Challengingly, responding to climate change requires complex, often expensive, and multi-faceted actions to limit new emissions from worsening climate trajectories, while investing in climate-resilient systems. We present a Climate Resilience Maturity Matrix that brings together both mitigation and adaptation actions into a high-level tool for health leaders, for supporting organizational review, assessment, and decision-making for climate change readiness. This tool is designed to (i) support leaders in Canadian health facilities and regional health authorities in designing mitigation and adaptation roadmaps, (ii) support decision-making for climate change-related strategic planning processes, and (iii) create a high-level overview of organizational readiness. This tool is intended to consolidate key data, provide a clear communication tool, allow for objective rapid baselining, enable system-level gap analysis, facilitate comparability/transparency, and support rapid learning cycles.
Diabetes mellitus care cascade among a cohort of persons living with HIV and hypertension in Uganda: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ambangira Fortunate , Sharman James E , Muddu Martin , Kimera Isaac Derick , Namara Daphine , Musimbaggo Douglas Joseph , Namugenyi Christabellah , Ssenyonjo Rebecca , Mbuliro Mary , Katwesigye Rodgers , Schwartz Jeremy I , Semitala Fred Collins , Ssinabulya Isaac
Published: June 2023

Background

In Uganda, it is recommended that persons with HIV receive integrated care to address both hypertension and diabetes. However, the extent to which appropriate diabetes care is delivered remains unknown and was the aim of this study.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study among participants receiving integrated care for HIV and hypertension for at least 1 year at a large urban HIV clinic in Mulago, Uganda to determine the diabetes care cascade.

Results

Of the 1115 participants, the majority were female ( n = 697, 62.5%) with a median age of 50 years (Inter Quartile Range: 43, 56). Six hundred twenty-seven participants (56%) were screened for diabetes mellitus, 100 (16%) were diagnosed and almost all that were diagnosed ( n = 94, 94%) were initiated on treatment. Eighty-five patients (90%) were retained and all were monitored (100%) in care. Thirty-two patients (32/85, 38%) had glycaemic control. Patients on a Dolutegravir-based regimen (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.22-0.46, p < 0.001) and those with a non-suppressed viral load (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.07-0.83, p = 0.02) were less likely to be screened for diabetes mellitus.

Conclusions

In very successful HIV care programs, large gaps still linger for the management of non-communicable diseases necessitating uniquely designed intervention by local authorities and implementing partners addressing the dual HIV and non-communicable diseases burden.
Holocene geomorphological and pedosedimentary archives of eastern Sahelian paleoenvironments (Kassala, Sudan)
Authors: Costanzo Stefano , Zerboni Andrea , Manzo Andrea
Published: June 2023

Studies upon past climates, natural landscapes, and environments of archaeologically pivotal regions of northern Africa have been of paramount interest in the past decades. For some of those regions, the human-environmental nexus, intended as the biunivocal mutual agency between people and nature, has been a long-standing research question; yet, for other areas, the environmental record is a still unexplored archive. Here we present case studies discussing archaeo-environmental sites from the easternmost stretches of the Sahelian belt, in the Kassala region of Sudan. Therein, in a landscape that is currently characterized by granitoid rocky outcrops dotting a vast gravelly pediplain colonized by xerophytes and thin ephemeral grass, pedosedimentary features that encase the climatic history of the region are found. By means of field survey, physico-chemical laboratory analyses, micromorphological analyses, and radiometric dating, we investigated the uppermost portion of the Quaternary record to contextualize the Late-Holocene archaeological record. The main identified features include buried isohumic soil horizons in lower flat grounds, which are legacy of water-reliant prairie environments formed in the wetter Early to Middle Holocene, and later accretional dusty aeolian deposits intermingled with colluvial gravels close to the outcrops’ eroded foothills, testimony of a climatic deterioration towards aridity and erosion driven by hyper seasonality. Results are of great importance as a contribution to a more holistic understanding of past human economies of the region, as well as being a newly added tile to the reconstruction of surface processes dynamics over Africa and their response to global climate changes.
Super-thin anterolateral thigh flap for reconstruction of the medial plantar artery perforator flap donor site
Authors: Zhou Jian-dong , Zhang Xing-fei , Xu Tong-long , Yang Wen-bo , Xu Ya-jun
Published: June 2023

Background

The medial plantar artery perforator (MPAP) flap is widely used to reconstruct the weight-bearing area of the foot. Traditionally, its donor site is closed using a skin graft, which is associated with several complications, including walking disability. This study aimed to examine our experience with using a super-thin anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap to reconstruct the MPAP flap donor site.

Methods

We examined 10 patients who underwent reconstruction of the MPAP flap donor site using a super-thin ALT flap between August 2019 and March 2021. The vascular pedicle was anastomosed to the proximal end of the medial plantar vessels or the end of the posterior tibial vessels.

Results

All reconstruction flaps survived and all patients were satisfied with the aesthetic appearance. No blisters, ulcerations, hyperpigmentation, or contractures occurred. All patients gained protective sensation in the super-thin ALT flap. The average visual analog scale score for the aesthetic appearance of the reconstructed foot was 8.5 ± 0.7 (range, 8–10). All patients were able to ambulate without aids and could wear regular shoes. The average revised Foot Function Index score was 26.4 ± 4.1 (range, 22–34).

Conclusion

Reconstruction of the MPAP flap donor site using a super-thin ALT flap is reliable and provides satisfactory functional recovery, aesthetic appearance, and protective sensation while minimizing postoperative morbidity.
Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Taurursodiol: A New Therapeutic Option for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Alqallaf Ali , Cates Drew W. , Render Kandon P. , Patel Katie A.
Published: June 2023

Objective:

To review the safety and efficacy of sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol (SP + T) in slowing progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared with pre-existing therapies.

Data Sources:

A PubMed (from January 1, 2009, to April 13, 2023) and ClinicalTrials.gov search conducted using sodium phenylbutyrate, taurursodiol, AMX0035, riluzole, and edaravone. Additional articles were identified by hand from references.

Data Selection and Data Extraction:

This included English-language articles evaluating SP + T efficacy or safety in humans for decreasing neuronal death and slowing the progression of ALS.

Data Synthesis:

In one phase II clinical trial that encompassed an open-label extension phase, disease severity, assessed by the rate of decline in overall score on the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale–Revised with higher scores indicating more functional ability, was –1.24 points per month with active drug and –1.66 points per month with placebo (difference, 0.42 points per month; 95% CI, 0.03-0.81; P = 0.03). Post hoc analysis found survival benefit of median 4.8 months with active medication compared with placebo.

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice in Comparison With Existing Drugs:

SP + T is a new US Food and Drug Administration–approved oral suspension for the treatment of ALS. Patients who received active medication through the phase II trial showed decreased rates of disease progression. Overall, SP + T could be considered a potential agent for the treatment of ALS which has a high unmet need.

Conclusion:

SP + T is an option for the treatment of ALS; however, additional data regarding efficacy in phase III trials with long-term safety profile considerations, as well as trials to compare current therapy with SP + T, are needed.
How Race, Resentment, and Ideology Shape Attitudes About Native American Inherent Rights and Policy Issues
Authors: Foxworth Raymond , Boulding Carew
Published: June 2023

What shapes attitudes about Native American policy issues and inherent rights? Race and ethnicity are important in shaping US public opinion, but Native Americans have been almost entirely excluded from this research. We use data from an original survey and focus groups collected from the Reclaiming Native Truth project to examine the factors that shape attitudes toward Native American inherent rights and broader race conscious policy issues. We find high levels of support overall, but several factors influence lower levels of support. Many people have very low factual knowledge about Native American issues and rely heavily on partisan shortcuts in forming opinions, especially for policy issues. Overall, attitudes about inherent rights are less consistent as many people have very little knowledge about them. People of color tend to be more supportive than white people and white people tend to rely more on partisan shortcuts. Specifically, conservative whites are the least supportive across most issues. We also explore the effect of Native American resentment, finding there are people who hold overtly hostile views of Native Americans and are unsupportive of their rights and policies. Our findings contribute to growing literature on Indigenous resentment, settler colonialism and public attitudes toward Indigenous peoples.
Salsa Rhythms and Soul Connections
Authors: Lloyd Rebecca J. , Smith Stephen J.
Published: June 2023

The rhythmic interplay of accent, tempo, and musical mood is expressed in the bodily postures, gestures, and expressions of attuned responsiveness in Salsa Dura, a genre of salsa music from the 1970s featuring improvisational dance solos. These dancers embrace the feelings and flows of soloing musicians going off and breaking free from any predictable form and structure. We inquire into how world-class salsa dancers and educators feel themselves moved by such intricate rhythms to experience soul connections. Video recordings and interviews yield insight into the call and response dynamics of this essentially tactful practice of alterity.
Nine Women: Collages of Spirit-Collages of Self
Authors: Margolin Indrani , Jones Abbey
Published: June 2023

Collaging invites the twists and turns of meaning-making and insight. This Reflexive Inquiry illuminates the collages of nine artist women and celebrates the potency of harnessing Creative Consciousness through meditation, collaging, and dialogue. We aim for balance between juxtaposing evocative imagery, poetic rendering, responding with creative critical social justice understanding, and humility in this undertaking to evoke feeling and insight. The metaphor of the canoe crossing the river illustrates this journey. The fiercely powerful women in this inquiry were provided a pathway to heal from internalized injustices, empower themselves to take positive action, and discover a harmonized state from within.
Analysis of a new kind of elastic-rigid bilateral obstacle problem
Authors: Zhang Jie , Ran Qinghua
Published: June 2023

This paper is devoted to a study of a new kind of bilateral obstacle problem. The obstacles are made of rigid bodies covered by soft layers which are deformable and allow penetration. A model of an elastic rigid bilateral obstacle problem is established, and three equivalent descriptions are derived: the energy form, the variational inequality form, and the differential equation form. We prove the solution existence and uniqueness of this model and provide an error estimate of the numerical solutions. The optimal order error estimate for the linear finite element method is derived under the proper regularity assumption. A penalty method is introduced to solve the finite element approximation problem, and the convergence results are obtained when the penalty parameter tends to infinity. Several numerical examples are reported, and the results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis.
Development and validation of a simple-to-use nomogram for predicting the delayed radiographic recovery in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia complicated with atelectasis
Authors: Luo Yonghan , Dai Jihong , Tang Guojing , He Shan , Fu Wenlong
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to develop and validate a simple-to-use nomogram for predicting the delayed radiographic recovery in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) complicated with atelectasis. A retrospective study of 306 children with MPP complicated with atelectasis was performed at the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from February 2017 to March 2020.The patients were divided into recovery group and delayed recovery group based on chest CT scan 1 month after discharge. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to identify the optimal predictors, and the predictive nomogram was plotted by multivariable logistic regression. The nomogram was assessed by calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility. LASSO regression analysis identified that lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), duration of illness prior to bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), systemic glucocorticoid use and extrapulmonary complications were the optimal predictors for delayed radiographic recovery. The nomogram was plotted by the four predictors. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve of the nomogram was 0.840 (95% CI = 784 ∼ 0.896) in the training set and 0.833 (95% CI = 0.8737 ∼ 0.930) in the testing set. The calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram was well-fitted, and decision curve analysis (DCA) showed that the nomogram was clinically beneficial. This study developed and validated a simple-to-use nomogram for predicting delayed radiographic recovery in children with MPP complicated with atelectasis. This might be generally applied in clinical practice.
Remote Administration of ADHD-Sensitive Cognitive Tasks: A Pilot Study
Authors: Sun Shaoxiong , Denyer Hayley , Sankesara Heet , Deng Qigang , Ranjan Yatharth , Conde Pauline , Rashid Zulqarnain , Bendayan Rebecca , Asherson Philip , Bilbow Andrea , Groom Madeleine , Hollis Chris , Folarin Amos A. , Dobson Richard J. B. , Kuntsi Jonna
Published: June 2023

Objective:

We assessed the feasibility and validity of remote researcher-led administration and self-administration of modified versions of two cognitive tasks sensitive to ADHD, a four-choice reaction time task (Fast task) and a combined Continuous Performance Test/Go No-Go task (CPT/GNG), through a new remote measurement technology system.

Method:

We compared the cognitive performance measures (mean and variability of reaction times (MRT, RTV), omission errors (OE) and commission errors (CE)) at a remote baseline researcher-led administration and three remote self-administration sessions between participants with and without ADHD ( n = 40).

Results:

The most consistent group differences were found for RTV, MRT and CE at the baseline researcher-led administration and the first self-administration, with 8 of the 10 comparisons statistically significant and all comparisons indicating medium to large effect sizes.

Conclusion:

Remote administration of cognitive tasks successfully captured the difficulties with response inhibition and regulation of attention, supporting the feasibility and validity of remote assessments.
Ultrasound-Guided Radial Arterial Catheterization in Patients With Regurgitant and Stenotic Left-Sided Cardiac Valvular Lesions
Authors: Rakhi Krishna CM , Mishra Sandeep Kumar , Jha Ajay Kumar , Senthilnathan Muthapillai , Parida Satyen
Published: June 2023

Background. The pulse characteristics of arterial circulation might affect radial artery catheterization’s success rate. Therefore, we hypothesized that the success rate of radial artery catheterization would be lower in the left-sided severe stenotic valvular lesion group than severe regurgitant valvular lesion group. Methods. This prospective study was conducted among patients with left-sided cardiac valvular lesions undergoing cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. The patients with left-sided severe valvular stenosis and left-sided severe valvular regurgitation were included in the study. Radial artery cannulation was performed using an ultrasound-guided out-of-plane short-axis approach. The outcome measures were success rate, number of attempts, and cannulation time. Result. One hundred fifty-two patients were recruited for the study, and all were eligible for final analysis. The first attempt success rate was non-significantly higher in the stenotic valvular lesion group than the regurgitant group (69.7% vs 56.6%; P = .09). Furthermore, the number of attempts (median; 95% CI) was significantly higher in the regurgitant group (1; 1.2–1.43 vs 1; 1.38–1.67; P = .04). However, it may not be of clinical relevance. Moreover, the cannulation time and the number of redirections of the cannula were comparable. Heart rate was significantly higher in the regurgitant group (91.8 ± 13.9 vs 82.26 ± 15.92 beats/min; P = .00), while the incidence of atrial fibrillation was significantly higher in the stenotic lesion ( P = .00). No failure was reported, and the incidence of periarterial hematoma was comparable. Conclusion. The success rate of ultrasound-guided radial arterial catheterization is comparable in left-sided stenotic valvular and regurgitant lesion groups.
Salivary Interleukin 1-Beta Concentration Associates With Sleep Quality in Older Individuals
Authors: Ibáñez-del Valle Vanessa , Ballestar-Tarín Maria Luisa , Mafla-España Mayra Alejandra , Cauli Omar , Navarro-Martínez Rut
Published: June 2023

Background: Poor sleep quality is prevalent in older people and impairs their quality of life. Various studies show an association between sleep disorders and altered levels of inflammatory cytokines. The cytokine IL-1β has been shown to display both somnogenic and insomnia-promoting effects in experimental animals. Objectives: to evaluate the relationship between insomnia and salivary IL-1β concentration and the role of associated factors such as the symptoms of depression, use of hypnotics, intake of caffeinated beverages, smoking, and alcohol use in older individuals. An analytical, cross-sectional, observational research was carried out with a population of community-dwelling individuals over 60 years of age in Valencia (Spain). Sleep quality was measured with the Athens insomnia scale (AIS) and depressive symptoms with Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: 287 individuals participated in the study (mean age 74.08 years (76.7% women). 41.5% of the participants had insomnia, 36.9% took drugs for sleep problems, and 32.4% had relevant depressive symptoms. There was a significant inverse correlation between the IL-1β and total AIS score (rho = −0.302, p < 0.001), the sleep difficulty subdomain (rho = −0.259, p < 0.001), and the daytime sleepiness subdomain (rho = −0.322, p < 0.001). No significant correlation was observed between GDS and salivary IL-1β concentration. The IL-1β concentration was significantly lower in individuals taking drugs for sleeping compared with those not taking those drugs (1.11 ± 0.09 and 1.48 ± 0.08, respectively; p = 0.001). Regarding the AIS score, there was no significant difference in marital status, smoking, or the number of cups of tea or cola drinks, but there was a significant association with alcohol intake ( p = 0.019) and in the number of daily intakes of coffee ( p = 0.030). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of IL-1β for diagnosis of moderate-severe insomnia showed an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.71–0.85). At the cut-off of 0.83 pg/µL of Il-1β, it had a sensitivity of 70.3% and a specificity of 69.8%.
Unpaid digital care work: Unmasking the parental mediation practices of contemporary mothers
Authors: Heaselgrave Fae
Published: June 2023

As primary carers of children, mothers provide a central role in mediating and negotiating children’s digital media use in the home. In parental mediation research, this work is often reported with a gender-neutral tone, implying both parents play an equal role. This study challenges this bias by unmasking the mediation practices and experiences of mothers. Qualitative interviews revealed mediation is bound by maternal desires to protect, guide and educate children in their media use. The intensity of this care role, often conducted in parallel with other unpaid and paid work, also leads mothers to deploy self-satisfying strategies that facilitate repose. The study illustrates how the gendered role and experience of mothering influences the mediation strategies mothers’ use and argues for broader recognition of these nuanced practices in parental mediation research. It also discusses the implications and impact of parental mediation on the unpaid digital care work of mothers.
Effect of occlusal hypofunction on centre of resistance in maxillary central incisor using the finite element method
Authors: Kuharattanachai Kachaphol , Jotikasthira Dhirawat , Rangsri Wetchayan , Tripuwabhrut Kanich
Published: June 2023

Objectives:

To determine differences in the location of centre of resistance (Cres) between functional and hypofunctional teeth and to evaluate the relationship between the pulp cavity volume and locations of the Cres, using the finite element (FE) method.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Participants:

FE models of right maxillary central incisor, derived from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 46 participants, were divided into normal function (n = 23) and hypofunction (n = 23) groups using anterior overbite and cephalometric measurements.

Methods:

Measurements of the tooth and pulp cavity volume were made from the CBCT. Cres levels were presented as percentages of the root length from the root’s apex. All data were analysed and compared using the independent t-test ( P < 0.05). The relationship between the location of Cres and volume ratios were evaluated statistically.

Results:

The means of the pulp cavity/tooth volume and root canal/ root volume ratio of the maxillary central incisor in the anterior open bite group were significantly greater than those in the normal group. The average location of Cres in the anterior open bite group was 0.6 mm (3.7%) apically from the normal group, measured from root apex. The difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between root canal/root volume ratio and locations of Cres (r = −0.780, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The Cres in the hypofunctional group was located more apical than the functional group. As the pulp cavity volume increased, the level of Cres shifted apically.