bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Game-Based Learning on Students’ Critical Thinking: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mao Weijie , Cui Yunhuo , Chiu Ming M. , Lei Hao
Published: April 2021

As past studies showed mixed results, this meta-analysis determined game-based learning’s overall effect on students’ critical thinking and tested for moderators, using 21 effect sizes from 20 empirical studies of 1,947 participants. The results showed that game-based learning had a significant positive overall effect on students’ critical thinking ( g = 0.863, k = 21) and showed significant heterogeneity among effect sizes. Among game types, role-playing games yielded the largest mean effect size ( g = 1.828, k = 5). The effect size of game-based learning was larger for critical thinking disposition ( g = 1.774, k = 4) than critical thinking skill ( g = 0.661, k = 17). Game-based learning also had a larger effect on students in collectivistic countries ( g = 1.282, k = 10) than those in individualistic countries ( g = 0.432, k = 10). Furthermore, this effect size was larger in later publication years. Lastly, the effect size of game-based learning on critical thinking was larger for studies published in journal articles ( g = 1.154, k = 13) than theses ( g = 0.378, k = 8).
An enzyme-responsive Gp1a-hydrogel for skin wound healing
Authors: Zhao Chunming , Dong Yangyi , Liu Jialin , Cai Hongxing , Li Zhouru , Sun Xiaoming , Yin Wenjiang , Ma Jingyuan , Liu Hongmei , Li Shanshan
Published: April 2021

Faster recovery and fewer scars are ideal wound healing. We have demonstrated that the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist Gp1a is beneficial to skin wound healing, which inhibits inflammation and fibrogenesis while promoting re-epithelialization. However, the systemic administration is imprecise and overqualified for a local skin wound. Herein, we prepared Gp1a-gel using triglycerol monostearate (Tm) hydrogel and detected whether the Gp1a-gel worked effectively on mouse skin excision wounds. The results showed that Gp1a-gel might sustainably increase the CB2 for at least 8 days. It decreased inflammation and fibrogenesis while promoting wound enclosure and re-epithelialization. These results suggested Gp1a-gel may utilize as a potential formulation strategy to treat the skin wound.
Author’s Reflections on the Responses and Questions from the Book Launch
Authors: Insole Christopher
Published: April 2021

This is the author’s reflections on formal responses, and a discussion, which took place at the book launch for Christopher Insole’s Kant and the Divine: From Contemplation to the Moral Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), hosted jointly, in November 2020, by the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University, and the Australian Catholic University. Topics covered include: the aesthetic properties of Kant’s philosophy, the difference between the received Kant and the textual Kant, the theological hostility to (and appropriation of) Kant, Insole’s claim that Kant believes in God, but is not a Christian.
The payload-range performance of a multirole tanker transporter aircraft accounting for towline (on-station refuelling) and trail (strategic deployment) missions
Authors: Bardell Nicholas S
Published: April 2021

This article has arisen from a general investigation into the payload-range envelope of a multirole-tanker transport aircraft and how this envelope is modified as a result of the tanker’s refuelling activities. To this end, the Breguet range equation is used in conjunction with a simple fuel budget to model different scenarios in which the tanker aircraft can perform towline or trail missions. For the common radius of action case, a closed-form solution is obtained for the payload-range variation; for instances where the outbound journey and the return journey are of unequal lengths, the governing equation is found to require a numerical solution. The act of dispensing a significant quantity of fuel whilst some distance into a flight can have a dramatic impact on the tanker’s overall range and payload capability. An assessment of this payload-range modification needs to be made prior to commencing the flight to ensure the mission can safely be accomplished, which provides the motivation for the current work. Three case studies are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the method, and comparisons with published data show strong agreement. This model will be of use to planners wishing to investigate typical ‘ what if?’ scenarios on the overall mission.
Passive flow control of shock-induced dynamic stall via surface-based trapped vortex generators
Authors: Al-Jaburi Khider , Feszty Daniel
Published: April 2021

A novel passive approach for controlling the flow in a 2D dynamic stall at variabl freestream is investigated. 2D computational fluid dynamics simulations of an SC1095 airfoil with surface-based trapped vortex generator (STVG) type passive flow control were conducted. The airfoil was exposed to a fluctuating freestream of Mach 0.537 ± 0.205 and Re = 6.1 × 106 (based on the mean Mach number) and experienced a 10° ± 10° pitch oscillation with a frequency of 4.25 Hz. These conditions were selected as an approximation to the flow experienced by a UH-60A helicopter rotor airfoil section in an actual fast forward flight test case. The baseline simulations were cautiously validated with experimental data for both transonic flow and dynamic stall under the variable freestream. Then, 20 different local STVGs type geometry modifications were investigated as a means of passive flow control. Modifications were examined on both the airfoil’s upper and lower surfaces. Results showed that the STVGs were able to mitigate the negative effects of shock-induced dynamic stall. The best geometries could reduce the peak negative pitching moment by as much as 9–23% during the transonic phase of a cycle and by as much as 19–71% during the dynamic stall phase. Also, they were able to reduce peak drag by 8–20% in the transonic phase and by 15–44% in the dynamic stall phase. On the other hand, the lift-to-drag ratio was significantly increased by 3–28% per one rotor cycle. All the above advantages came at virtually no penalty in the lift.
Against Empathy Bias: The Moral Value of Equitable Empathy
Authors: Fowler Zoë , Law Kyle Fiore , Gaesser Brendan
Published: April 2021

Empathy has long been considered central to living a moral life. However, mounting evidence has shown that people’s empathy is often biased toward (i.e., felt more strongly for) others that they are close or similar to, igniting a debate over whether empathy is inherently morally flawed and should be abandoned in efforts to strive toward greater equity. This debate has focused on whether empathy limits the scope of our morality, but little consideration has been given to whether our moral beliefs may be limiting our empathy. Across two studies conducted on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk ( N = 604), we investigated moral judgments of biased and equitable feelings of empathy. We observed a moral preference for empathy toward socially close over distant others. However, feeling equal empathy for all people is seen as the most morally and socially valuable approach. These findings provide new theoretical insight into the relationship between empathy and morality, and they have implications for navigating toward a more egalitarian future.
Benzodiazepine exposures among women of reproductive age in the US, 2004–2018
Authors: Michaels NL , Spiller HA , Badeti J , Sheftall AH , Funk AR , Smith GA
Published: April 2021

Benzodiazepines, often used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions, are prescribed more frequently to women than men, and emergency department visits and overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines have increased significantly among women in recent years. This study describes characteristics and trends associated with benzodiazepine exposures among women of reproductive age (15–49 years old) that were reported to United States poison control centers from 2004 through 2018. The National Poison Data System recorded 258,370 first-ranked benzodiazepine exposures among women 15–49 years old during the study period. More than one-half (56.9%) of exposures involved a single-substance and one-third (34.0%) occurred among women 20–29 years old. The majority were categorized as “intentional, suspected suicide” (73.2%) or “intentional” (12.9%). Exposures frequently resulted in admission to a psychiatric facility (20.6%), critical care unit (18.1%), or non-critical care unit (9.3%). Twenty percent of cases resulted in a serious medical outcome, including 205 deaths. The substantial percentage of benzodiazepine exposures among women of reproductive age that were intentional and associated with suicide attempts or suicide deaths indicate that increased prevention efforts are needed to address this issue.
Developing near infrared spectroscopy models for predicting chemistry and responses to stress in Pinus radiata (D. Don)
Authors: Nantongo Judith S , Potts BM , Rodemann T , Fitzgerald H , Davies NW , O’Reilly-Wapstra JM
Published: April 2021

Incorporating chemical traits in breeding requires the estimation of quantitative genetic parameters, especially the levels of additive genetic variation. This requires large numbers of samples from pedigreed populations. Conventional wet chemistry procedures for chemotyping are slow, expensive and not a practical option. This study focuses on the chemical variation in Pinus radiata, where the near infrared (NIR) spectral properties of the needles, bark and roots before and after exposure to methyl jasmonate (MJ) and artificial bark stripping (strip) treatments were investigated as an alternative approach. The aim was to test the capability of NIR spectroscopy to (i) discriminate samples exposed to MJ and strip assessed 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment from untreated samples, and (ii) quantitatively predict individual chemical compounds in the three plant parts. Using principal components analysis (PCA) on the spectral data, we differentiated between treated and untreated samples for the individual plant parts. Based on partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models, the best discrimination of treated from non-treated samples with the smallest root mean square error cross-validation (RMSECV) and highest coefficient of determination (r2) was achieved in the fresh needles (r2 = 0.81, RMSECV= 0.24) and fresh inner bark (r2 = 0.79, RMSECV = 0.25) for MJ-treated samples 14 days and 21 days after treatment, respectively. Using partial least squares regression, models for individual compounds gave high (r2), residual predictive deviation (RPD), lab to NIR error (PRL) or range error ratio (RER) for fructose (r2 = 0.84, RPD = 1.5, PRL = 0.71, RER = 7.25) and glucose (r2 = 0.83, RPD = 1.9, PRL = 1.14, RER = 8.50) and several diterpenoids. This provides an optimistic outlook for the use of NIR spectroscopy-based models for the larger-scale prediction of the P. radiata chemistry needed for quantitative genetic studies.
‘There is nothing there’: Deindustrialization and loss in a coastal town
Authors: Telford Luke
Published: April 2021

Based on 52 qualitative interviews with working-class individuals, this paper explores the social and economic decline of a coastal locale referred to as High Town in Teesside in the North East of England. First, the paper outlines how the locality expanded as a popular seaside resort under capitalism’s post-war period. It then assesses how the seaside existed together with industrial work, offering stable employment opportunities, economic security and a sense of community. Next, the article documents the shift to neoliberalism in the 1980s, specifically the decline of High Town’s seaside resort, the deindustrialization process and therefore the 2015 closure of High Town’s steelworks. It explicates how this exacerbated the locale’s economic decline through the loss of industrial work’s ‘job for life’, its diminishing popularity as a coastal area and the further deterioration of the town centre. The paper concludes by suggesting that High Town has lost its raison d’être under neoliberalism and faces difficulties in revival.
Device-Related Thrombosis in Patients Receiving One-Stop Intervention for Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hu Li-xing , Tang Min , Zhang Jing-tao
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to assess the incidence, clinical implications, and treatment strategies of device-related thrombus (DRT) following catheter ablation and percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion combined in one intervention. A meta-analysis of observational studies was conducted to evaluate the incidence rates, treatment strategies, and clinical implications of DRT. A total of 21 studies describing DRT events and 1 case were included in the current study. The 21 included studies comprised 3 multi-center registries and 18 single-center registries, and we also included 1 case report analyzing the characteristics of DRT. The pooled incidence of DRT in one-stop intervention was 18/1,708 (1.2%; range = 0%-7.3%; 95% CI = 0.7%-1.8%; I 2 = 0). Of these DRT events, 56.25% were diagnosed in the first 3 months after the procedure. All cases were diagnosed via trans-esophagus echocardiogram. All of the patients diagnosed with DRT were prescribed anticoagulation treatment, and 63% (12/19) of the events were reported with an outcome of complete thrombus resolution. The duration of anticoagulation treatment varied greatly, from 30 days to 6 months. Unknown clinical events were reported relating to DRT. Device-related thrombus is an uncommon complication of one-stop intervention. It occurs mainly in the early period following the procedure. Anticoagulation appears to be an appropriate treatment method for dissolving occurrences of DRT.
Coexistence of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Steatocystoma Multiplex: Is It a New Variant of Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Authors: Fletcher Joshua , Posso-De Los Rios Claudia , Jambrosic Jadranka , Alavi Afsaneh
Published: April 2021

Hidradenitis suppurativa and steatocystoma multiplex may coexist in the same patient. The overlap of these 2 conditions could be suggestive of an unrecognized defect in follicular proliferation mutual in the pathogenesis of both conditions. Here we present 5 patients with both hidradenitis suppurativa and steatocystoma multiplex. Recognizing the overlap between these 2 conditions is important for accurate diagnosis, management, and identification of potential surgical candidates, as well as future basic science research.
Genres at work: A holistic approach to genres in book publishing
Authors: Berglund Karl
Published: April 2021

This article presents a holistic approach to the study of genres in book publishing that includes formal aspects of literary texts, marketing strategies and categorisations used by producers, and perspectives on how these labels are perceived by readers and critics, as well as a temporal and spatial understanding of how genres evolve. The empirical point of departure is the recent boom in Nordic Noir, exemplified by the following three Swedish authors successful in the 21st century: Lars Kepler, Jens Lapidus and Camilla Läckberg. The discourses surrounding Nordic Noir and how these authors and their writing relate and get related to it are used as an example of how book-trade genres operate in multiple and complex ways, and how genres produce effects that move back and forth among creators, producers and consumers. It proposes a twofold model, where genres are understood as constituted by all of the relations between these areas together. Through Kepler, Lapidus and Läckberg, the article shows how Nordic Noir has emerged over the years; how it changes with its publishing context; and how the genre’s internal discrepancy between literary content and marketing and reception is a crucial component in understanding Nordic Noir.
Concomitant intramedullary nailing and plate augmentation as a single-stage procedure in treating complicated nonunited femoral shaft fractures
Authors: Khalifa Ahmed A , Fadle Amr A , Elsherif Mohamed E , Said Hatem G , Elsherif Essam , Said Galal , Refai Omar
Published: April 2021

Background and Purpose:

Complicated femur fracture represents a major challenge for the orthopedic surgeon, with failed internal fixation, nonunion with broken intramedullary nail (IMN), and infected nonunion among the complications. Mechanical instability, as well as the poor biological environment, is considered as a concern when treating these cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate concomitant IMN and plate augmentation as a single-stage procedure for the management of multiply operated nonunited femoral shaft fractures.

Materials and Methods:

Between January 2015 and May 2018, nine patients (eight men) with an average age of 40.8 years (range 25–70) diagnosed as nonunion femoral fractures after an average of four previous surgeries (range 2–6). All patients were available for follow-up with an average of 22 months (range 12–36).

Results:

The average time for fracture union was 6.7 months (range 3–12); five patients needed bone grafting to compensate for the bone defect encountered during the initial procedure, and two patients required secondary bone grafting after 6 months follow-up. Two patients presented with surgical site infection which was treated by antibiotics and daily dressing. The average leg length discrepancy at last follow-up was 1 cm (range 0.5–1.5). No patient had a metalwork failure or needed removal of the implants.

Conclusion:

In treating complicated multiply operated nonunited femoral shaft fractures, we believe that this technique can provide a robust mechanical foundation as well as an improved biological environment for such nonunited fractures to heal.
Interprofessional dynamics that promote client empowerment in mental health practice: A social work perspective
Authors: Cui Jialiang , Newman Christy E , Lancaster Kari , Mao Limin
Published: April 2021

Interprofessional practice has been broadly endorsed as a strategy which supports the delivery of high-quality health services. Few studies have addressed the dynamics inherent to interprofessional mental health practice in an era in which client empowerment is prioritised and valued. Social work perspectives are also underexplored in the studies which have been published on interprofessional health care, despite the increasingly important role of this discipline in community mental health contexts. Through a thematic analysis of 26 semi-structured interviews, this study explored the perspectives of mental health social workers located in two geographically and culturally distinctive sites (Hong Kong and Sydney), and identified a strong theme encompassing their concerns about the facilitation of client empowerment in interprofessional settings.

Findings

Participant accounts direct attention to the strategies required to co-constitute the shared territories of the different mental health professions. Findings also highlight the frustration with recent mental health reforms which aim to challenge power differentials in interprofessional decision-making. Strategies were proposed for supporting the construction of shared language among different professions, revealing the creativity and insight of practitioners in managing the conflicts arising from interactions between different professional knowledge systems. The comparison of Hong Kong and Sydney accounts highlights the importance of structural, political and cultural influences in supporting not only interprofessional collaboration but also the independence and effectiveness of distinct professional roles.

Application

This article provides unique insights which aim to strengthen the contribution of social work to interprofessional practice in the promotion of empowerment-oriented interprofessional practice and education.
Migration and the plurality of ethnic boundary work: A qualitative interview study of naming practices of migrants from former Yugoslavia in Germany
Authors: Drewski Daniel , Tuppat Julia
Published: April 2021

Most research on migration and ethnic boundaries is concerned with boundaries between a specific migrant minority and the ‘majority society’ in the destination country. However, migrant groups are not homogenous; within-group boundaries that are relevant in their context of origin may also play a role in the host context. Focusing on migrants from former Yugoslavia, we analyse the relevance of ethnic boundaries between Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats in Germany. We do so by interpreting migrant parents’ practices of first-name giving as instances of ethnic boundary work. In the case of migrants from former Yugoslavia, first names are a salient marker of ethnic affiliation. Based on 22 semi-structured interviews, we distinguish between three types of ethnic boundary work based on first-name giving. ‘Particularists ’ wish to express their ethnic affiliation via first names, and they maintain ethnic boundaries both towards the German majority society as well as other ethnic groups from former Yugoslavia. In contrast, ‘cosmopolitans’ reject names with specific ethnic references and base their choice on personal taste, often opting for international names, thereby rejecting ethnic boundaries towards other former Yugoslav groups. Finally, ‘negotiators’ stand in between. They blur boundaries towards the German majority society, but maintain boundaries towards other ex-Yugoslav ethnic groups. Overall, we find that ex-Yugoslav migrants’ strategies of ethnic boundary work are shaped by a multiplicity of reference groups, not just the relationship with the German majority society.
Skin Ulcers are Predictors of 30-Day Hospital Readmission, But are Under-represented in the DRG Coding: A Retrospective Case–Control Study From an Italian Internal Medicine Unit
Authors: Vallini Valerio , Venturini Luigi , Andreini Roberto , Sibilia Gabriella , Rinaldi Elisabetta , Bassu Raffaella , Mura Maddalena , Meini Simone
Published: April 2021

This study retrospectively analyzes all consecutive patients who underwent during a year hospital readmissions, defined as an admission to a hospital within 30 days of discharge, to an Italian Internal Medicine ward. All these data were compared with those from patients who underwent only 1 hospital admission in the same period. The aim of this study was to identify potential novel risk factors for hospital readmissions. In 2018, a total of 3012 patients were hospitalized. Among these, 14.1% (n = 426; mean age, 79.7 ± 11.9; range, 23-100) were defined as readmissions; data were compared with controls (n = 420; 13.9%; mean age, 75.9 ± 14.7; range, 22-99) who had only 1 hospitalization. Cases showed a significantly higher prevalence than controls regarding cerebrovascular disease (77.2% vs 48.1%), cognitive impairment (51.8% vs 26.9%), congestive heart failure (47.6% vs 20.2%), chronic kidney disease (31.7% vs 13.1%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.0% vs 14.5%). Skin ulcers were significantly more prevalent among cases (45.1% vs 17.6%). Diagnosis-related group (DRG) analysis showed a higher proportion of “infectious disease” (24.4% vs 15.0%) among the cases than in controls. Despite skin ulcers were very frequent among cases and controls (45.1% vs 17.6%), they were codified as “skin wound” DRG only in 1.4% and 0.2%, respectively. At the DRGs analysis, sepsis (31.6% vs 19.1%), pneumonia (17.1% vs 7.6%), and kidney failure (9.6% vs 3.8%) represented the main significant cause of death in cases compared to controls. Our study confirms that readmissions to Internal Medicine departments are related to the severity of chronic diseases affecting patients. Skin ulcers are present in about half of patients who will be early readmitted within 30 days, but they are almost never reported in DRGs, so more accurate coding is needed. Key challenges for the future are sepsis prevention measures and investing resources in chronic disease assistance, including skin ulcer chronic management.
Cover Up This Face? The Principal Takes a Stand
Authors: Burton Brett Anthony
Published: April 2021

This case was written for graduate students, specifically for individuals seeking school principal licensure. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced school organizations, particularly building and district leaders, to modify and alter the traditional educational model. School district leaders hosted virtual town hall meetings to receive community input to determine the safest option to deliver instruction to students. Educational leaders have endured challenges from stakeholder groups that pertain to students returning to campus amid a pandemic. Future school leaders can use this case to examine their knowledge of case law, student discipline, and navigating a complex scenario due to COVID-19.
Distal Biceps Repairs in Females: A Large Single-Center Case Series
Authors: Rao Allison J. , Scarola Gregory T. , Rowe Taylor M. , Yeatts Nicholas C. , Macknet David M. , Ford Samuel E. , Hong Ian S. , Gaston R. Glenn , Saltzman Bryan M. , Hamid Nady , Connor Patrick M.
Published: April 2021

Background:

Distal biceps repair is a commonly reported procedure in male patients, with reliable outcomes and minimal long-term complications. Information on female patients, however, is limited, and variation in presentation and clinical outcomes is unknown.

Questions/Purpose:

We sought to report on the presentation, treatment algorithm, and outcomes of a case series of female patients with distal biceps pathology.

Methods:

A retrospective evaluation was performed from a large, single specialty orthopedic group from 2005 to 2017. Inclusion criteria were surgical treatment of the distal biceps in female patients, with minimum 3 months of follow-up. The primary outcome variable was the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS).

Results:

Of 26 patients who met inclusion criteria, 18 (70%) were available for follow-up with patient-reported outcomes. Median age at time of injury was 56.1 years; 46.2% of patients presented with a complete tear of the distal biceps, and the remaining 53.8% presented with a partial tear that failed nonoperative treatment. Six patients had lateral antebrachial cutaneous neuritis in early follow-up, which ultimately resolved. Median MEPS score was 100 (interquartile range: 20).

Conclusion:

This study represents the largest case series to date describing the presentation, treatment, and outcomes of female patients with distal biceps repair. Women tend to be older than men, have more insidious onset of pain, present with partial tearing, and may benefit from nonoperative treatment. Ultimately, based on this case series we believe distal biceps repair in female patients is a successful operation with minimal complications and high patient satisfaction.
Undergraduate Medical Education: Lifestyle Medicine Curriculum Implementation Standards
Authors: Trilk Jennifer L. , Worthman Shannon , Shetty Paulina , Studer Karen R. , Wilson April , Wetherill Marianna , Whelan Lori , Bansal Shipra , Alexander Megan , Frates Beth , Cramer Sylvia , Rea Brenda
Published: April 2021

Lifestyle medicine (LM) is an emerging specialty that is gaining momentum and support from around the world. The American Medical Association passed a resolution to support incorporating LM curricula in medical schools in 2017. Since then, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education Task Force has created a framework for incorporating LM into medical school curricula. This article provides competencies for medical school LM curriculum implementation and illustrates how they relate to the Association of American Medical College’s Core Entrustable Professional Activities and the LM Certification Competencies from the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. Finally, standards are presented for how medical schools may receive certification for integrating LM into their curriculum and how medical students can work toward becoming board certified in LM through an educational pathway.
Conducting Research in Authoritarian Bureaucracies: Researcher Positionality, Access, Negotiation, Cooperation, Trepidation, and Avoiding the Influence of the Gatekeepers
Authors: Komil-Burley Dilsora
Published: April 2021

During Islam Karimov’s presidency in Uzbekistan, between 1991 and 2016, the government had a complex, repressive, and paradoxical relationship with Islam. Widespread persecution, fabricated crimes, and unfair treatment of Muslims were common. Therefore, investigating the relationship between the state and Islam involves significant political risk, which has an intimidating effect on both gatekeepers and participants. Based on the field research I conducted, this paper offers insights about what to expect when conducting research in strictly controlled states like Uzbekistan. Identifying the right gatekeepers who can grant or deny access to research sites, obtaining qualifying permissions, and negotiating and collaborating with gatekeepers are important to gain access to and remain in the relevant research sites for the study. This paper contributes to the literature on conducting qualitative research in authoritarian states. The researcher positionality and their role as an insider or outsider are important parts of such research; however, they also present challenges for researchers. The discussions of reflexivity and the reflexivity of discomfort can guide researchers who face similar challenges in the field. This paper also contributes to the understanding of the importance of considering gatekeeping structures in an effort to advance qualitative research methods and research ethics.
Time-varying formation control of multiple quad-rotors based on ellipsoid
Authors: Cao Kecai , Xu Debao
Published: April 2021

Time-varying formation control problem for a group of multiple quad-rotors has been considered in this article with the help of ellipsoid. Firstly, an elliptic equation with time-varying parameters has been firstly introduced to describe the desired formation patterns for multiple quad-rotors in three-dimensional space. Then position controller and attitude controller are constructed using the method of sliding model control, respectively. Through tuning parameters of the elliptic equation, time-varying formation control of multiple quad-rotors has been realized using the controllers proposed in this article where smoothing transition between rigid formations has been guaranteed. Simulation results for formation control of quad-rotors that perform translation, scaling, and rotating actions have illustrated effectiveness of the time-varying formation controller that proposed in this article.
Classifying player positions in second-tier Australian football competitions using technical skill indicators
Authors: Barake Adrian J , Mitchell Heather , Stavros Constantino , Stewart Mark F , Srivastava Preety
Published: April 2021

Efficient recruitment to Australia’s most popular professional sporting competition, the Australian Football League (AFL), requires evaluators to assess athlete performances in many lower tier leagues that serve as pathways. These competitions and their games are frequent, widespread, and challenging to track. Therefore, independent, and reliable player performance statistics from these leagues are paramount. This data, however, is only meaningful to recruiters from AFL teams if accurate player positions are known, which was not the case for the competitions from which most players were recruited. This paper explains how this problem was recently solved, demonstrating a process of knowledge translation from academia to industry, that bridged an important gap between sports science, coaching and recruiting. Positional information which is only available from the AFL competition was used to benchmark and develop scientific classification methods using only predictor variables that are also measured in lower tier competitions. Specifically, a Multinomial Logistic model was constructed to allocate players into four primary positions, followed by a Binary Logit model for further refinement. This novel technique of using more complete data from top tier competitions to help fill informational deficiencies in lower leagues could be extended to other sports that face similar issues.
A systematic review of clinical outcomes for outpatient vs. inpatient shoulder arthroplasty
Authors: Perera Edward , Flood Breanne , Madden Kim , Goel Danny P , Leroux Timothy , Khan Moin
Published: April 2021

Background

Outpatient shoulder arthroplasty is growing in popularity as a cost-effective and potentially equally safe alternative to inpatient arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate literature relating to outpatient shoulder arthroplasty, looking at clinical outcomes, complications, readmission, and cost compared to inpatient arthroplasty.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases from inception to 6 April 2020. Methodological quality was assessed using MINORS and GRADE criteria.

Results

We included 17 studies, with 11 included in meta-analyses and 6 in narrative review. A meta-analysis of hospital readmissions demonstrated no statistically significant difference between outpatient and inpatient cohorts (OR = 0.89, p = 0.49). Pooled post-operative complications identified decreased complications in those undergoing outpatient surgery (OR = 0.70, p = 0.02). Considerable cost saving of between $3614 and $53,202 (19.7–69.9%) per patient were present in the outpatient setting. Overall study quality was low and presented a serious risk of bias.

Discussion

Shoulder arthroplasty in the outpatient setting appears to be as safe as shoulder arthroplasty in the inpatient setting, with a significant reduction in cost. However, this is based on low quality evidence and high risk of bias suggests further research is needed to substantiate these findings.
Antacid exposure and immunotherapy outcomes among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Jun Tomi , Ozbek Umut , Dharmapuri Sirish , Hardy-Abeloos Camille , Zhu Huili , Lin Jung-Yi , Personeni Nicola , Pressiani Tiziana , Nishida Naoshi , Lee Pei-Chang , Lee Chieh-Ju , Hildebrand Hannah , Nimkar Neil , Paul Sonal , Fessas Petros , Naeem Muntaha , Bettinger Dominik , Khan Uqba , Saeed Anwaar , Huang Yi-Hsiang , Kudo Masatoshi , Rimassa Lorenza , Marron Thomas U. , Pinato David J. , Ang Celina
Published: April 2021

Background:

Antibiotic exposure has been associated with worse outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer patients, likely due to disruption of the gut microbiome. Other commonly prescribed medications, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs), are also known to disrupt the microbiome, but data on their association with ICI outcomes are conflicting.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective, multicenter, international cohort study including 314 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with ICIs from 2017 to 2019 to assess the association between PPI or H2RA exposure (up to 30 days before ICI) and overall survival. Secondary outcomes included overall response rate (ORR) and development of any treatment-related adverse events (AEs).

Results:

Baseline PPI/H2RA exposure was not associated with overall survival in univariable (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.75–1.35) or multivariable analysis (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.71–1.36). Baseline PPI/H2RA exposure was not associated with either ORR (OR 1.32, 95% CI 0.66–2.65) or AEs (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.54–2.12) in multivariable analysis.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that exposure to PPI/H2RA prior to ICIs does not adversely affect outcomes in HCC patients.
Medial Opening Wedge Proximal Tibial Osteotomy: Lessons Learned from a Series of 175 Consecutive Cases
Authors: Corbeil Vincent , Synnott Paul-André , Al-Shakfa Fidaa , Lavoie Frédéric
Published: April 2021

Introduction

High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a surgical procedure aimed at inhibiting the progression of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing the functional outcome after opening wedge valgus HTO.

Methods

A total of 175 cases (155 patients) of varus-correcting high tibial open-wedge osteotomies using the Tomofix plate were reviewed retrospectively. Patients answered the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire and 4 survey follow-up questions.

Results and Discussion

A total of 76 of the 155 patients studied (84 of the 175 knees) completed the KOOS questionnaire, on average 3.1 years (SD 1.8 years) after the surgery. The median scores (with median absolute deviations [MAD]) for the KOOS pain, symptoms, daily activities, sports, and quality of life sections were, respectively, 76.4 (MAD 12.5), 75.0 (MAD 14.3), 85.3 (MAD 11.8), 50.0 (MAD 25.0), and 59.4 (MAD 21.9). No cases of nonunion were observed throughout the length of the study. Identified predictors of worse outcomes were higher weight and body mass index, limited knee flexion, genu varum and tibial varus of small magnitude, active smoking status at the time of surgery, further surgery for plate removal, and some grades of chondropathy in the patellofemoral, medial tibial, and femoral compartments. Patient gender, joint obliquity and over- or undercorrection were not associated with any of the outcomes.

Conclusion

This study shows good results following valgus HTO that are comparable to outcomes following total knee arthroplasty, reinforcing the option of HTO as a valid alternative for total knee arthroplasty.
Science Skepticism Across 24 Countries
Authors: Rutjens Bastiaan T. , Sengupta Nikhil , der Lee Romy van , van Koningsbruggen Guido M. , Martens Jason P. , Rabelo André , Sutton Robbie M.
Published: April 2021

Efforts to understand and remedy the rejection of science are impeded by lack of insight into how it varies in degree and in kind around the world. The current work investigates science skepticism in 24 countries ( N = 5,973). Results show that while some countries stand out as generally high or low in skepticism, predictors of science skepticism are relatively similar across countries. One notable effect was consistent across countries though stronger in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) nations: General faith in science was predicted by spirituality, suggesting that it, more than religiosity, may be the ‘enemy’ of science acceptance. Climate change skepticism was mainly associated with political conservatism especially in North America. Other findings were observed across WEIRD and non-WEIRD nations: Vaccine skepticism was associated with spirituality and scientific literacy, genetic modification skepticism with scientific literacy, and evolution skepticism with religious orthodoxy. Levels of science skepticism are heterogeneous across countries, but predictors of science skepticism are heterogeneous across domains.
How do Americans want elections to be run during the COVID-19 crisis?
Authors: Kousser Thad , Hill Seth , Lockhart Mackenzie , Merolla Jennifer L. , Romero Mindy
Published: April 2021

To inform the vital conversation among the nation’s political leaders, elections administrators, and scholars about how to hold a safe, accessible, and fair election in November 2020, this article reports how a sample of 5612 eligible American voters, surveyed 8–10 April, wanted to see the election run during the COVID-19 crisis. We embedded a randomized experiment presenting respondents with truthful summaries of the projections of two teams of scientists about the pandemic. Our descriptive findings show that in November 2020, four in 10 eligible voters would have preferred to cast their ballot by mail rather than in person and that a majority of respondents favored policies expanding mail voting. Our experimental findings show that respondents who read the scientific projections were more likely to prefer voting by mail, were more likely to trust that a mail ballot would be counted accurately, and were more likely to favor holding the election entirely by mail.
Pedagogies of Feminist Resistance: Agrarian Movements in Africa
Authors: Ossome Lyn
Published: April 2021

In the historical course of agrarian transformation in Africa, the reconstitution and fragmentation of the peasantry along the lines of gender, ethnic, class, and racial divisions which facilitate their exploitation remains a central concern in the analysis of the peasant path, of which the exploitation of gendered labor has been a particularly important concern for feminist agrarian theorizations. In contribution to these debates, this article examines the ways in which feminist concerns have shaped, driven, and defined the social and political parameters of agrarian movements in Africa. Even though agrarian movements articulating gender questions are not generalizable as feminist, their concern with social, political, and economic structures of oppression and their approach to gendered oppression as a political question lends them to characterization as being feminist. Through an examination of the changing forms of women-led agrarian struggles, the article shows how women’s responses to the dominant structures and conditions of colonial and post-colonial capitalist accumulation could be characterized as feminist due to their social and political imperatives behind women’s resistance.
Impact of integrating mental health services within existing tuberculosis treatment facilities
Authors: Pasha Aneeta , Siddiqui Hasha , Ali Shiza , Brooks Meredith B , Maqbool Naveen R , Khan Aamir J
Published: April 2021

Introduction:

Depression and anxiety among tuberculosis (TB) patients can adversely affect TB treatment adherence and completion.

Aim:

We studied whether integrating mental health services into existing TB treatment programs would reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve treatment completion among patients with drug-susceptible TB.

Methods:

Integrated practice units (IPUs) for TB and mental health were established within six existing TB treatment facilities in Karachi, Pakistan. Patients were screened for depression and anxiety and, if symptomatic, offered a mental health intervention consisting of at least four counseling sessions. We measured changes in reported levels of depression and anxiety symptoms from baseline following completion of counseling sessions, and rates of TB treatment completion.

Results:

Between February 2017 and June 2018, 3500 TB patients were screened for depression and anxiety. 1057 (30.2%) symptomatic patients received a baseline adherence session. 1012 enrolled for a mental health intervention received at least 1 counseling session. 522 (51.5%) reported no symptoms after four to six sessions. Symptomatic patients who completed at least four counseling sessions had higher rates of TB treatment completion than those who did not (92.9% vs 75.1%; p < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

Mental health interventions integrated within TB programs can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve TB treatment completion.
Challenging Community: Logic or Context?
Authors: Mutch Alistair
Published: April 2021

In their 2012 book The Institutional Logics Perspective, Patricia Thornton, William Ocasio and Michael Lounsbury proposed the addition of community as a logic to more traditional candidates such as religion and family. This article argues that an examination of the wider sociological and historical literature indicates that community is indeed an important category of analysis, but as the context shaping action rather than as a logic. The literature that Thornton, Ocasio and Lounsbury draw on tends to conflate community as a form of informal social structure with community as geographically bounded space. Using Friedland’s characterization of logics as a combination of substance and practices, I argue that community lacks the coherence necessary to function as a logic. While community remains an important part of our conceptual armoury, I argue that as well as being aware of the connotations of the term it may be more productive to consider it as the context in which logics are received, contested and blended. Attention is thus directed to the ways in which a range of organizational forms might foster or negate shared feelings of groupness.
It's not all about inhaled treatment: challenges with oral therapy in paediatric respiratory medicine
Authors: Sareen Anneka , Ramphul Manisha , Bhatt Jayesh Mahendra
Published: April 2021

Advances in therapies and management of conditions encountered by paediatric respiratory specialists have led to improved outcomes and improved survival rates dramatically in chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. However, this has also meant an increase in treatment burden. A variety of inhaled treatments are crucial in managing paediatric respiratory diseases, but these patients also have to take many oral medications. It is widely recognised that developing oral formulations appropriate for the paediatric population can affect how well a product is received by patients and their families. Consideration should be given to palatability and the number of medicines to be administered as these can all contribute to treatment adherence.

Polypharmacy specifically in the context of management of patients with cystic fibrosis is not a new concept, but the recently introduced cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies and their potential for interactions and adverse reactions create novel challenges. There are some strategies that families and healthcare professionals can implement to reduce treatment burden. This review will also provide some insight into the life of a teenager with cystic fibrosis and the relative complexities of her treatment and the impacts on daily life.

Educational aims

To describe the difficulties faced by children with long-term respiratory conditions having to take oral medication.

To discuss oral drug interactions that may exist within paediatric respiratory medicine and to consider issues with polypharmacy.

To highlight strategies that may be used to reduce the burden of care for children on oral medication.
Obstructive uropathy secondary to a ureteral paraperitoneal inguinoscrotal hernia in a patient with a pelvic ectopic solitary kidney and malrotation: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Álvarez Restrepo Juan Camilo , Moreno Diaz Susan Julieth , Gómez Castro Sthepani , Riveros Carlos Andres , Salazar Radi Daniel , Bustos Calvo Jhonny
Published: April 2021

Background

Ureteral inguinoscrotal hernias (UISH) are rare, associated in some cases with congenital abnormalities of the urinary tract. Their presentation is commonly asymptomatic, and diagnosis is mostly incidental.

Case presentation

A 65-year-old male patient presented to the emergency room with neurologic symptoms and an altered renal function. Further investigation revealed a ureteral paraperitoneal inguinoscrotal hernia with a pelvic ectopic solitary kidney and malrotation. Three days after hernia repair and placement of a ureteral JJ stent, the creatinine levels stabilized, and the patient was discharged.

Conclusion

This is the first reported case of a ureteral paraperitoneal inguinoscrotal hernia in a patient with a pelvic ectopic solitary kidney and malrotation. Currently, it is also the only case reported that has been managed by laparoscopy.