bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organizing the Fourth/Tenth Century: Knowledge, Information, Tools
Authors: Osti Letizia , Weaver James
Published: December 2020

This paper outlines the rationale behind this Special Issue, problematizing the concept of fourth/tenth-century “Arab encyclopaedism” and advancing new frameworks and points of focus for the analysis of a wide range of activities so far examined under this rubric. In particular, we suggest that, in accordance with the conclusions of several contributors to this volume, greater attention should be paid to developments in the Arabic book that were designed to make texts navigable, such as division into topical chapters, hierarchical chapter-structures and tables of contents. These would more helpfully be understood as part of a longer history whereby books became more easily accessible, and thus useable, for the independent reader. As other contributors stress, it is also more profitable to examine the local, institutional and political circumstances that produced certain kinds of organization, inventory and classification.
Dialogic Pedagogies and Multimodal Methodologies: Working Towards Inclusive Science Education and Research
Authors: Siry Christina
Published: December 2020

This contribution to the APSE special issue, “Equity and Diversity in Science Education: Implications for the Asia-Pacific Region,” presents research on plurilingual students’ interactions in science drawn from several studies in the multilingual context of Luxembourg. The goal of the manuscript is to present dialogic pedagogies and multimodal methodologies as central to working towards equitable practices in science education, in particular when working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Through a layering of claims from prior case studies, the manuscript makes three assertions: multimodal methodologies highlight children’s embodied participation in science; multimodal methodologies support resource-rich perspectives on children; and dialogic pedagogical structures mediate children’s engagement of resources. An interpretive discussion focuses on the necessity of situating difference as a resource, and implications are raised for science education teaching and research.
Reinventing Our Comparisons
Authors: Misiaszek Greg William
Published: December 2020

This introduction explores the trends, challenges, and possibilities of comparative and international education (CIE) as identified by six comparativist scholars and incorporates some of my own work on this topic. The scholars’ work had diverse foci; however, the overall theme was CIE needing to (re-)center goals of ending socio-historical oppressions. This is with reflectivity that CIE forms a contested terrain of histories, and too-often current trends, of being political tools for sustaining/intensifying oppressions and dominance over Nature. The authors’ calls of CIE for peace, justice, and sustainability were discussed through the following themes with many intersectionalities between the articles: decoloniality, citizenship education that counters citizen/non-citizen othering, globally holistic and planetarily sustainable development and education, and humanizing education that grounds collectivity and de-alienation.
Fostering Global Citizenship Through Student Mobility
Authors: Ghosh Ratna , Jing Xiaoli
Published: December 2020

Although the phenomenon of student mobility can be traced back to over a thousand years, a remarkable increase began from 1995 when the World Trade Organization released the General Agreement on Trade in Services, making higher education a tradable commodity. International mobility programs have the potential to provide the environment for global citizenship by empowering students to be resilient and become citizens of the world. Higher education institutions are clamoring to prepare students for living in highly diverse societies, and countries use the soft power of international exchanges to develop goodwill. However, the striking increase in student mobility has suddenly come to a dramatic halt in recent months globally due to the covid-19 pandemic, and the impact on international students has been most severe. In this context, this paper briefly discusses the evolution of student mobility and how it fosters global citizenship.
From Alienation to Solidarity: Educational Perspectives and Possibilities in Brazil and the UK
Authors: Mendes José Ernandi , Costa Elenice Rabelo , Themelis Spyros , Gadelha de Carvalho Sandra M.
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we examine how alienation plays out in conditions of advanced neoliberalisation in education. We discuss two examples which exemplify the depth and extent of alienation. First the attacks on critical thinking in education that have been spearheaded by the ‘School without [political] parties’ [‘Escola sem Partido’] project in Brazil. Second, the mental health crisis that is rampant among staff and students in the UK higher education. Drawing on Freire, we explore how ‘the organization of alienation’ can fuel acts of resistance and praxis which can help us reclaim education and society from the forces of the market. The examples we draw on in relation to Brazil and the UK have not yet become mainstream strategies, especially internationally, that can sustain a resistance movement in education, but they form successful local, in some cases national even, strategies that seem to be able to open new possibilities which can eventually help us find creative and effective ways to make the organisation of alienation the project for Being More that Freire envisaged.
Herpetological higher taxa nomina 3. Urodela Duméril, 1805

Authors: DUBOIS ALAIN , FRÉTEY THIERRY
Published: December 2020

A taxon, traditionally referred to the rank order, encompassing all recent taxa of salamanders and their close fossil relatives, is highly supported as holophyletic in all recent phylogenetic analyses of amphibians. Under the Duplostensional Nomenclatural System, among about thirty nomina available for this taxon in the literature, two only qualify as sozodiaphonyms: Urodela Duméril, 1805 and Caudata Duméril, 1805. The conflict for validity between these two nomina is solved by the Principle of Airesy (first reviser). The valid nomen for this taxon is therefore Urodela Duméril, 1805, which corresponds to the majority of uses in the literature since their creation, and which should replace all other nomina, authorships and dates sometimes credited to this taxon in publications, catalogues and databases.
The Impact of an Enhanced Recovery Program on Loop Ileostomy Closure
Authors: Ottaviano Kathryn , Brookover Robert , Canete Jonathan J. , Ata Ashar , Sheehan Jordan , Valerian Brian T. , David Chismark A. , Lee Edward C.
Published: December 2020

Background

The implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols has decreased the length of stay (LOS) and complications in colorectal procedures. However, little data has been published on the subset of patients undergoing loop ileostomy closure. We investigated the outcomes of loop ileostomy reversals prior to and after initiation of an ERAS protocol.

Methods

Patients undergoing ileostomy reversal over a 5-year period by 4 colorectal surgeons were studied and divided into pre-ERAS patients and ERAS patients in a retrospective, case-control study. Patient demographics, comorbidities, LOS, underlying disease process, index intra-abdominal procedure, readmission rate, and complications were evaluated.

Results

Overall, 208 patients were analyzed 149 pre-ERAS and 59 ERAS–with median LOS significantly lower in the ERAS group than the pre-ERAS group (50.8 hours vs. 96.1 hours, P < .0001). In subgroup analysis, the LOS was significantly lower if the index procedure performed was laparoscopic when comparing ERAS to pre-ERAS (49.9 hours vs. 96.6 hours, P < .001). ERAS did not confer a significant decrease in the LOS during ileostomy reversal with open index procedures (72.9 hours vs. 95.5 hours, P = .05).

Conclusion

Utilizing an ERAS protocol is safe and effective for loop ileostomy closure with a shorter LOS and no difference in complication rates or 30-day readmission rates.
Memories of a Death Threat: Negative Consequences of Unconscious Thoughts About a Terrorist Attack on Attitudes Towards Alcohol
Authors: Pradel Franziska , Sattler Sebastian
Published: December 2020

Based on the terror management health model (TMHM), we examined the impact of terrorist attacks as reminders of death on implicit alcohol-related attitudes, including the moderating role of conscious death-related thoughts and alcohol-based self-esteem (ABS). With an online experiment ( N = 487), we analyzed how thoughts and memories about a recent terrorist attack unconsciously (with a delay task) and consciously (without a delay task) affected implicit alcohol-related attitudes. We found that such thoughts increased the death-thought accessibility. While no main effect of the salience of the terrorist attack on alcohol-related attitudes existed, respondents with low ABS had more positive attitudes, when unconsciously thinking about the attack as compared to the control group. Respondents with high ABS in the delay task had lower alcohol-IAT scores. Overall, this study provides evidence that thoughts about terrorism that can be provoked through media affect alcohol-related attitudes. Such attitudes may cause negative health consequences through health-related decisions.
Intended and Actual Changes in Study Behaviors in an Introductory and Upper-Level Psychology Course
Authors: Rowell Shaina F. , Frey Regina F. , Walck-Shannon Elise M.
Published: December 2020

We examined self-directed studying of students in an introductory (Study 1) and upper-level (Study 2) psychology course. Students reported their study behaviors for Exam 1 and 2, and wrote Exam 2 study plans. In both studies, students planned to and ultimately did use more active strategies for Exam 2 than Exam 1. However, they struggled to follow through on plans to space studying over time. In Study 1, we also found that greater use of active strategies (e.g., retrieval practice) was associated with higher exam scores when controlling for factors such as study time. Our findings highlight that students across course levels are interested in changing their study behaviors and we note implications for instructors.
An Evaluation of Virtual Reality Role-Play Experiences for Helping-Profession Courses
Authors: Rogers Shane L. , Hollett Ross , Li Yanqi R. , Speelman Craig P.
Published: December 2020

Background:

Providing students with virtual role-play experiences has the potential to bring counseling role-plays into large undergraduate courses.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to trial a virtual reality role-play experience where students played the role of a student counsellor.

Method:

Seventy-three undergraduate psychology students played the role of a student counsellor interacting with a virtual client in two role-plays, one via desktop and one via head mounted display (HMD). Students provided feedback on their experience.

Results:

70% of the students found the experiences very interesting, engaging and immersive, with 82% preferring the HMD mode of presentation. The virtual characters were believable as distressed clients with 96% of students perceiving greater negative than positive emotion expressed by the characters. Most of the students (64%) mood improved from the beginning of the experience to the end, however 14% experienced a decline in mood. The students agreed (95%) that the experiences would be a valuable experience to a psychology course.

Conclusion:

Our results provide evidence that the virtual role-play experiences are well-liked by students.

Teaching Implications:

The approach presented in this paper represents a practical method to provide virtual role-play experiences to both on-campus and online undergraduate students.
Hope for the future: A qualitative analysis of the resettlement experience of Syrian refugee adolescents and parents
Authors: d’Abreu Ana , Castro-Olivo Sara , Ura Sarah K , Furrer Jessica
Published: December 2020

Civil war in Syria has resulted in the largest refugee group and the newest wave of refugees resettling in countries worldwide. Although they have experienced war, migration, and great trauma, resettlement introduces a new set of obstacles including cultural adjustment, language learning, and the development of a new social network. This paper is a qualitative analysis of the acculturation, mental health, and academic experience of Syrian refugee adolescents in the United States. The study is unique in its use of an ecological framework to organize emerging themes, and integrates responses from parents and adolescents to provide a comprehensive understanding of this experience. Moreover, the researchers focus on an important setting for support and intervention: the school system. Implications and recommendations for assessment, intervention, and programming are provided.
“We Are Three Parents, but Legally Two”: Absent Legality, Present Display
Authors: Cammu Nola
Published: December 2020

Parental constellations, by which more than two adults decide to conceive and raise children together, are unrecognized by most jurisdictions. Via in-depth-interviews with 21 parents living in Belgium and the Netherlands, this article explores the legal experiences of parents within intentional plus-two-parent constellations through the methodological framework of “display work” (i.e., families are not only done but also displayed (Finch, 2007)). The parents’ everyday experiences with absent legality were found to be playing out via complex interplays among internal and external levels of display. In addition, researcher’s positions are believed to play a role in how certain forms of display are carried out. Consequently, the concept of display work grants us more insight into the wide array of parents’ experiences with (the lack of) legal framework and its repercussions for everyday life, as well as the parents’ aim to contribute to a broader context of awareness-raising and policymaking.
Status of cardiovascular surgery in Japan: A report based on the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database 2017–2018. 1. Congenital heart surgery
Authors: Hirata Yasutaka , Hirahara Norimichi , Murakami Arata , Motomura Noboru , Miyata Hiroaki , Takamoto Shinichi
Published: December 2020

Objectives

We aimed to analyze the mortality and morbidity associated with congenital heart surgery in Japan.

Methods

Data on congenital heart surgeries performed between January 2017 and December 2018 were obtained from Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database. The 20 most frequent procedures were selected, and mortalities and major morbidities associated with the procedures were analyzed. All procedures were classified into Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Congenital Heart Surgery mortality categories, and mortalities in each category were also analyzed.

Results

The mortality rates in atrial septal defect repair and ventricular septal repair were 0% and 0.2%, respectively. The mortality rates in more complex cases (tetralogy of Fallot repair, complete atrioventricular repair, bidirectional Glenn, and total cavopulmonary connection) were 2%–3%. The mortality rates in systemic-to-pulmonary shunt, total anomalous pulmonary venous connection repair, and the Norwood procedure were 4.9%, 11.1%, and 15.7%, respectively, which were not different from those reported in 2015–2016. The mortalities according to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery categories 1–5 were 0.3%, 2.7%, 2.9%, 5.9%, and 15.5%, respectively, and comparable to those of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database (2013–2016).

Conclusion

The mortality rates and frequency of complications in major surgical procedures for congenital heart disease in Japan in 2017–2018 will play an important role as a basis for trends in Japan and for comparison with results from other countries.
Searching for Strangely Shaped Cookies – Is Taking a Bite Out of a Cookie Similar to Occluding Part of It?
Authors: Brenner Eli , Hurtado Sergio Sánchez , Arias Elena Alvarez , Smeets Jeroen B. J. , Fleming Roland W.
Published: December 2020

Does recognizing the transformations that gave rise to an object’s retinal image contribute to early object recognition? It might, because finding a partially occluded object among similar objects that are not occluded is more difficult than finding an object that has the same retinal image shape without evident occlusion. If this is because the occlusion is recognized as such, we might see something similar for other transformations. We confirmed that it is difficult to find a cookie with a section missing when this was the result of occlusion. It is not more difficult to find a cookie from which a piece has been bitten off than to find one that was baked in a similar shape. On the contrary, the bite marks help detect the bitten cookie. Thus, biting off a part of a cookie has very different effects on visual search than occluding part of it. These findings do not support the idea that observers rapidly and automatically compensate for the ways in which objects’ shapes are transformed to give rise to the objects’ retinal images. They are easy to explain in terms of detecting characteristic features in the retinal image that such transformations may hide or create.
Long-term Effect of a Single Subcritical Knee Injury: Increasing the Risk of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture and Osteoarthritis
Authors: Blaker Carina L. , Zaki Sanaa , Little Christopher B. , Clarke Elizabeth C.
Published: December 2020

Background:

Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a well-known risk factor for the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), but patients with the “same injury” can have vastly different trajectories for the onset and progression of disease. Minor subcritical injuries preceding the critical injury event may drive this disparity through preexisting tissue pathologies and sensory changes.

Purpose:

To investigate the role of subcritical injury on ACL rupture risk and PTOA through the evaluation of pain behaviors, joint mechanics, and tissue structural change in a mouse model of knee injury.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were allocated to naïve control and subcritical knee injury groups. Injury was induced by a single mechanical compression to the right hindlimb, and mice were evaluated using joint histopathology, anteroposterior joint biomechanics, pain behaviors (mechanical allodynia and hindlimb weightbearing), and isolated ACL tensile testing to failure at 1, 2, 4, or 8 weeks after injury.

Results:

Subcritical knee injury produced focal osteochondral lesions in the patellofemoral and lateral tibiofemoral compartments with no resolution for the duration of the study (8 weeks). These lesions were characterized by focal loss of proteoglycan staining, cartilage structural change, chondrocyte pathology, microcracks, and osteocyte cell loss. Injury also resulted in the rapid onset of allodynia (at 1 week), which persisted over time and reduced ACL failure load ( P = .006; mean ± SD, 7.91 ± 2.01 N vs 9.37 ± 1.01 N in naïve controls at 8 weeks after injury), accompanied by evidence of ACL remodeling at the femoral enthesis.

Conclusion:

The present study in mice establishes a direct effect of a single subcritical knee injury on the development of specific joint tissue pathologies (osteochondral lesions and progressive weakening of the ACL) and allodynic sensitization. These findings demonstrate a predisposition for secondary critical injuries (eg, ACL rupture) and an increased risk of PTOA onset and progression (structurally and symptomatically).

Clinical Relevance:

Subcritical knee injuries are a common occurrence and, based on this study, can cause persistent sensory and structural change. These findings have important implications for the understanding of risk factors of ACL injury and subsequent PTOA, particularly with regard to prevention and management strategies following an often underreported event.
Creating “Risky” New Roles in Healthcare: Identities, Boundary-Making, and Skilling Under Rationalization and Consumer Demand
Authors: Cain Cindy L. , Taborda Caty , Frazer Monica
Published: December 2020

Healthcare is experiencing two countervailing pressures: to increase efficiency and be more responsive to consumer demands. Healthcare organizations often create new work arrangements, including “lay healthcare” roles, to respond to these pressures. Using longitudinal qualitative data, this article analyzes how one set of new lay healthcare workers attempted to construct a workplace identity, sell their value to existing professional workers, and navigate the precarious conditions of the new role. The authors find that workers in these new roles faced immense challenges stemming from their positions as “risk absorbers,” which ultimately harmed workers and reduced the efficacy of the new role.
Endotracheal Tube Obstruction Among Patients Mechanically Ventilated for ARDS Due to COVID-19: A Case Series
Authors: Wiles Samuel , Mireles-Cabodevila Eduardo , Neuhofs Scott , Mukhopadhyay Sanjay , Reynolds Jordan P. , Hatipoğlu Umur
Published: December 2020

Background:

Patients with COVID-19 and ARDS on prolonged mechanical ventilation are at risk for developing endotracheal tube (ETT) obstruction that has not been previously described in patients with ARDS due to other causes. The purpose of this report is to describe a case series of patients with COVID-19 and ARDS in which ETT occlusion resulted in significant clinical consequences and to define the pathology of the obstructing material.

Methods:

Incidents of ETT occlusion during mechanical ventilation of COVID-19 patients were reported by clinicians and retrospective chart review was conducted. Statistical analysis was performed comparing event rates between COVID-19 and non-COVID 19 patients on mechanical ventilation over the predefined period. Specimens were collected and submitted for pathological examination.

Findings:

Eleven COVID-19 patients experienced endotracheal tube occlusion over a period of 2 months. Average age was 69 (14.3, range 33-85) years. Mean APACHE III score was 73.6 (17.3). All patients had AKI and cytokine storm. Nine exhibited biomarkers for hypercoagulability. Average days on mechanical ventilation before intervention for ETT occlusion was 14 (5.18) days (range of 9 to 23 days). Five patients were discharged from the ICU, and 4 expired. Average documented airway resistance on admission was 14.2 (3.0) cm H2O/L/sec. Airway resistance before tube exchange was 28.1 (8.0) cm H2O /L/sec. No similar events of endotracheal tube occlusion were identified in non-COVID patients on mechanical ventilation during the same time period. Microscopically, the material consisted of mucin admixed with necrotic cell debris, variable numbers of degenerated inflammatory cells, oral contaminants and red blood cells.

Interpretation:

Patients with COVID-19 and ARDS on prolonged mechanical ventilation are at risk for developing ETT obstruction due to deposition of a thick, tenacious material within the tube that consists primarily of mucin and cellular debris. Clinicians should be aware of this dangerous but treatable complication.
Printability assessment of psyllium husk (isabgol)/gelatin blends using rheological and mechanical properties
Authors: Agarwal Piyush Sunil , Poddar Suruchi , Varshney Neelima , Sahi Ajay Kumar , Vajanthri Kiran Yellappa , Yadav Kanchan , Parmar Avanish Singh , Mahto Sanjeev Kumar
Published: December 2020

The primary goal of this study is to highlight the rheological and mechanical properties of a new blend composed of naturally-derived hydrogel materials- psyllium husk (PH) and gelatin (G) for its potential use in three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. The mixtures were prepared at various weight ratios of 100PH, 75PH + 25G and 50PH + 50G. A suitable selection of the printable ink was made based on the preliminary screening steps of manual filament drop test and layer stacking by 3D printing. Printing of the common features such as hexagon and square grids helped evaluating shape fidelity of the chosen ink. Although 50PH + 50G blend was found meeting most of the criteria for an ideal 3D printable ink, rheological and mechanical characterizations have been performed for all the ratios of polymeric blends. This study documents the correlation between various factors of rheology that should be taken into account while categorizing any biomaterial as a printable ink. Yield stress was measured as 18.59 ± 4.21 Pa, 268.74 ± 13.56 Pa and 109.16 ± 9.85 Pa for 50PH + 50G, 75PH + 25G and 100PH, respectively. Similarly, consistency index (K) and flow index (n) were calculated using the power law equation and found as 49.303 ± 4.17, 530.59 ± 10.92, 291.82 ± 10.53 and 0.275 ± 0.04, 0.05 ± 0.005, 0.284 ± 0.04 for 50PH + 50G, 75PH + 25G and 100PH, respectively. The loss modulus (G″) was observed dominating over storage modulus (G′) for 50PH + 50G, that depicts its liquid-like property; whereas storage modulus (G′) was found dominating in case of 75PH + 25G and 100PH, indicating their solid-like characteristics. In addition, the loss tangent value (tan δ) of 50PH + 50G was observed exceeding unity (1.05), supporting its plastic behavior, unlike 75PH + 25G (0.5) and 100PH (0.33) whose loss tangent values were estimated less than unity revealing their elastic behavior. Also, 50PH + 50G was found to have the highest mechanical strength amongst the three blends with a Young’s modulus of 9.170 ± 0.0881 kPa.
Does Cyber Dating Abuse Victimization Increase Depressive Symptoms or Vice Versa?
Authors: Toplu-Demirtaş Ezgi , May Ross W. , Seibert Gregory S. , Fincham Frank D.
Published: December 2020

Although there is a robust positive association between cyber dating abuse victimization and depression, the direction of effects between them is unknown. Thus, we conducted two studies to investigate their temporal relationship. Study 1 ( n = 198) examined whether cyber dating abuse victimization predicted depressive symptoms 6 weeks later, after controlling for the initial level of depressive symptoms. Study 2 ( n = 264) used a two-wave, cross-lagged design to investigate possible bidirectional relations between cyber dating abuse victimization and depression. Participants in both studies were emerging adults in romantic relationships. They completed the Partner Cyber Abuse Questionnaire and depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. Many individuals (42.40% in Study 1 and 36.4% in Study 2) reported experiencing cyber abuse from their partners. Study 1 replicated the cross-sectional association previously found between cyber dating abuse victimization and depression and showed that cyber abuse predicted depression 6 weeks later. Study 2 replicated the findings of the first study and revealed that cyber dating abuse victimization was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms 12 weeks later, but the converse was not the case. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research and clinical practice.
The CUNY Remediation Debate and Coalitions: Information Matters
Authors: Parker Tara L. , Shakespeare Christine G. , Quiroz-Livanis Elena
Published: December 2020

This single case study uses the Advocacy Coalition Framework and Multiple Streams Framework to understand the ways higher education policy actors at the city-, state-, and system-level used information to build coalitions and change admission standards during the remediation debate at the City University of New York. By examining what information was used, when it was presented, by whom, and for what purposes, this study helps improve our understanding of the policymaking process and the role information can play in high-stakes debates with major consequences, including limiting student access to baccalaureate degrees. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.
Chaplain-Physician Interactions From the Chaplain’s Perspective: A Mixed Method Analysis
Authors: Gomez Sofia , Nuñez, BA Christine , White Betty , Browning James , DeLisser Horace M.
Published: December 2020

Background:

The value of healthcare chaplains to patient care is increasingly recognized. However, physicians’ understandings of the role of pastoral care have been reported to be poor, which have raised concerns about the quality of chaplain-physician interactions and their impact on patient care. These interactions, particularly from the perspective of the chaplain, have not been extensively investigated.

Methods:

An anonymous survey about the interactions of chaplains with physicians was sent to chaplains at a single institution, with subsequent focus group discussions of responding chaplains to obtain additional qualitative data.

Results:

Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from over 20 chaplains. While chaplains indicated satisfaction regarding their access to physicians, they noted a disconnect between chaplains and physicians, physicians’ unfamiliarity with the chaplain role, a sense that physicians do not always appreciate the chaplain role as significant or helpful, and structural barriers to the integration of chaplains into medical care teams.

Conclusions:

This study provides contemporary data on the nature of chaplain-physician interactions as reported from the perspective of chaplains. Further, these findings highlight opportunities for interventions to enhance the chaplain-physician relationship.
The Relationship Between Smartphone Use, Insomnia, Stress, and Anxiety Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Al Battashi Nisreen , Al Omari Omar , Sawalha Murad , Al Maktoumi Safiya , Alsuleitini Ahmed , Al Qadire Mohammad
Published: December 2020

The rapid increase in the number of smartphone users has raised concern about the negative psychosocial and physical effects of this use. A descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted to investigate the relationship between smartphone use, anxiety and insomnia among university students. A convenience sample of 404 students from one public university completed questionnaires with items from the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and the Insomnia Severity Index, with some demographic data. High smartphone addition scale score was significantly associated with higher anxiety and stress scores of the Depression Anxiety Stress scale, and higher insomnia severity index score. The findings support the importance of an intervention program to promote appropriate use of smartphones and to improve sleep and psychological symptoms such as stress and anxiety among university students.
Skin Deep: Perception of Scars After Cranial Vault Reconstruction
Authors: Roy Tulsi , Chavez Julia , R. Reid Russell
Published: December 2020

Purpose:

Children with craniosynostosis are vulnerable to stigmatization and social withdrawal. Cranial vault reconstruction (CVR) results in large bicoronal scars, which may trigger further insult to self-esteem and social outcasting. This study aimed to delineate determinants of patient scar self-consciousness, parental scar satisfaction, and parent satisfaction with their child’s overall medical/surgical care.

Methods:

A 14-item questionnaire was distributed to parents of 95 patients who underwent open CVR at our institution. Age at first surgery, race, hair type, typical style, number of surgeries, complications, and use of distractors were surveyed. Patient scar self-consciousness, parental scar satisfaction, and parent satisfaction with their child’s overall medical/surgical care were also queried. T tests and linear regressions were performed for binary and continuous variables, respectively.

Results:

Of 45 respondents, significant associations were found between: (1) complications and decreased parent scar satisfaction; (2) complications and decreased overall satisfaction with medical/surgical care, and (3) older age at time of initial surgery and decreased overall medical/surgical satisfaction. A significant association was found between parental scar satisfaction and overall medical/surgical satisfaction (β = 0.65, P = .002). There was no significant association between parent scar satisfaction and parental-reported patient self-consciousness, or parental-reported patient self-consciousness and overall medical/surgical satisfaction.

Conclusions:

Our results underscore the value of scar aesthetics in reconstructive goals. Advanced age and complications are important determinants of satisfaction. However, the lack of association between parent-reported patient self-consciousness and parental scar satisfaction suggests differences in aesthetic priorities between parents and children. Further studies may elucidate additional aesthetic considerations of CVR in ethnic/racial minorities.
Numerical modelling of the crack-pore interaction and damage evolution behaviour of rocklike materials with pre-existing cracks and pores
Authors: Wasantha PLP , Bing D , Yang SQ , Xu T
Published: December 2020

The combined effect of pre-existing cracks and pores on the damage evolution behaviour and mechanical properties of rocklike materials under uniaxial compression was numerically studied. Simulations of cracks and pores alone showed that increasing crack length and pore diameter decrease uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and elastic modulus. Subsequent simulations considered two types of combinations of pre-existing cracks and pores – two cracks either side of a centric pore, and two pores either side of a centric crack – and the distance between cracks and pores was changed. In the case of two cracks at either side of the pore, UCS increased only slightly when the distance between the cracks and pore was increased. This was attributed to the more profound effect of the presence of the pore on UCS, and was confirmed by the progressive crack development characteristics and the major principal stress distribution patterns, which showed that the cracks initiated from the tips of the two pre-existing cracks made little or no contribution to the ultimate macroscopic failure. In contrast, models with two pores at either side of a centric crack showed a marked dependency of UCS on the distance between the pores and the crack. Cracks propagating from pre-existing pores made a greater contribution to the ultimate macroscopic failure when the pores were close to the centric crack and the effect gradually diminished with increasing space between pre-existing pores and the centric crack. Major principal stress distributions showed an asymmetric mobilisation of compressive stresses at the right and left sides of the two pores, favouring macroscopic shear failure when they were close to the centric crack which had led to a lower UCS. Overall, this study presents some critical insights into crack-pore interaction behaviour and the resulting mechanical response of rocklike materials to assist with the design of rock structures.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis related to imatinib mesylate therapy in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Kallel Faten , Kassar Olfa , Maaloul Imen , Charfi Maha , Ksouda Kamilia , Elloumi Moez
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Pulmonary toxicity causally related to Imatinib (IM) therapy is uncommon in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

Case report

A 61-year-old patient with chronic myeloid leukemia was treated with IM at 400 mg daily dose. One month within IM, he developed skin lesions and then acute dyspnea and non-productive cough. Chest radiograph and high-resolution lung computed tomography (CT) revealed bilateral reticulonodular infiltration in both lungs. According to Naranjo's algorithm, the causality relationship with the drug is probable with a score of 7. The pharmacovigilance investigation was carried out and implicated IM Management & outcome: IM was discontinued and started steroid therapy (Prednisolone®) at 1 mg/kg daily. Two weeks after, the dyspnea, and abnormal X-ray and CT findings are improved.

Discussion

The early diagnosis of pulmonary toxicity related to IM therapy is needed to avoid further determinal effects of the drug.
Assessing the influence of psyllium as a fat substitute in wheat and gluten-free cookies
Authors: Belorio Mayara , Moralejo Cecilia , Gómez Manuel
Published: December 2020

Psyllium is a natural fibre with high water absorption capacity and proved nutritional advantages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of psyllium as a fat replacer in sugar-snap cookies. Elaborations were made with wheat flour or maize flour by maintaining the original recipe or replacing the fat by a paste made with different proportion of psyllium and water. Cookies dough rheology and final cookies properties were evaluated. An acceptability test was also carried out. The replacement of fat decreased the values of G′, G″ and G*, but increased tg delta to a greater extent in cookies with gluten. Cookies diameter and spread factor decreased and increased both cookies hardness and moisture content. Fat replacement increase L* value of cookies. Variation of the water content did not influence in the rheology of the dough and in the characteristics of gluten-free cookies, but wheat cookies had smaller spread ratio and decreasing hardness for increasing amount of water. Final cookies had low acceptability and this result was more evident in gluten-free cookies. Considering this result, it is difficult to use psyllium as a total fat substitute in this type of product.
‘The face of the programme’: How local clinicians shape decisions about eligibility for a national caregiver support programme in the USA
Authors: Sperber Nina R , Bruening Rebecca , Dadolf Joshua , Miller Katherine , Henius Jennifer , Kabat Margaret , Perez Jennifer , Houtven Courtney H Van
Published: December 2020

Objective

To examine the causes of variation for determining clinical eligibility for a national caregiver programme in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and so help inform standardization of clinical eligibility assessment for support and establish conditions for more consistent caregiver experiences across the USA.

Methods

We used mixed methods, including a national survey of caregiver support coordinators (CSCs) across VHA medical centres, semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 53 CSCs and interdisciplinary team members, and observations of four VHA medical centre sites.

Results

A majority (70%) of CSCs across VHA medical centres reported that they used interdisciplinary teams to conduct assessments. Interdisciplinary teams were seen to help mitigate potential harm to therapeutic relationships from eligibility decisions. Survey respondents reported using a range of assessment tools provided by the national VHA Caregiver Support Program office, but participants expressed concerns that the tools did not necessarily effectively assess clinical need. Some local sites had developed innovative person-centered approaches, in which the assessment process provided an opportunity to assess veterans’ holistic clinical needs, in contrast to a programme-centered approach, which focused on assessing whether veterans/their caregivers meet eligibility criteria.

Conclusion

Discretion by those involved in making decisions on programme eligiblity is important for implementing a national social services programme based on clinical need. Interdisciplinary teams can help mitigate potential harm to therapeutic relationships. Discretion allows for innovation. This work has implications for setting policy in other programme contexts in which applying eligibility criteria requires clinical judgement.
Seismic design of hybrid unbonded post-tensioned precast concrete joints based on bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity
Authors: Song Baoxi , Xu Weizhi , Du Dongsheng , Wang Shuguang , Li Weiwei , Zhang Yunlong
Published: December 2020

This paper provides a practical design method for hybrid unbonded post-tensioned precast concrete joints. Such joints featured with self-centering capacities have been widely favored in recent years. However, the absence of design methods hinders their further promotion. To solve the issue, two methods for calculating mechanical behavior of the joints were first studied: characteristic points method and iterative method. The effectiveness of the methods was verified by the existing test results. On this basis, a joint design method considering both yield bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity was proposed. Moreover, to facilitate design, some factors affecting the bearing capacity were discussed. A five-story frame structure was designed by the proposed design method, and the influence of two design factors on structural response was analyzed by utilizing nonlinear time-history method. The analysis results show that: with the increase of energy dissipation factor αs, the post-earthquake residual deformation of the structure tends to increase linearly, while the accumulated damage of the structure will decrease continuously; both overdesign and underdesign of bearing capacity of the joint are unfavorable; and near-field earthquake may cause irreparable damage to structural columns, making the residual deformation of structures contrary to the self-centering capacity of joints, which shall be considered during engineering design.
A novel method for nonlinear singular oscillators
Authors: Akgül Ali , Ahmad Hijaz , Chu Yu-Ming , Thounthong Phatiphat
Published: December 2020

The present work deals with a study of a nonlinear singular oscillator. To approximate the frequency–amplitude relationship of the singular oscillator, reproducing kernel method is employed. The approximate solution is compared with the exact solution as well as the results obtained by the He’s frequency–amplitude formulation, to show the effectiveness of the proposed technique for solving the problem.
Occupation’s Role in Producing Inclusive Spaces: Immigrants’ Experiences in Linguistic Minority Communities
Authors: Delaisse Anne-Cécile , Huot Suzanne , Veronis Luisa , Mortenson W. Ben
Published: December 2020

While the “situatedness” of occupation in the context of migration has been explored using various approaches, there remains a need for a holistic and dynamic understanding of the concept of space and the spatiality of occupation. Adopting Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space and taking a transactional approach to occupation, we examined the role of immigrants’ occupational engagement in the production of Francophone minority community spaces in Metro Vancouver, Canada. We completed a critical ethnography and focus on findings from participant observations and in-depth and go-along interviews with French-speaking immigrants. Findings shed light on the influence of immigrants’ occupational engagement on the production of minority spaces. To study the spatiality of occupation comprehensively, we need to move beyond an examination of the immediate environment to address other components of the production of space as well as the interrelation of spaces through occupation.
Current Management of Trigger Digit in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Survey of ASSH Members
Authors: Bickham Rebecca , Carr Logan , Butterfield James , Behar Brittany , Dyer Ann-Marie , Payatakes Alexander
Published: December 2020

Background

Traditional dogma regarding management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with trigger digit symptoms holds that A1 pulley release should be avoided. Surgical release was thought to further destabilize the metacarpophalangeal joint. Biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have limited the development of hand deformities. Despite advances in RA treatment, many textbooks continue to discourage release of the A1 pulley in RA patients. The aim of this study was to determine if this belief is consistent with current trends in surgical management of trigger digits in patients with RA.

Methods

Active Members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) were surveyed on their training and current practices as related to RA patients with trigger digits.

Results

Five hundred three surveys were completed (16% response rate). During training, 55% of ASSH Members were taught to avoid releasing the A1 pulley in RA patients. Seventy-one percent of respondents currently release the A1 pulley in RA patients with no preexisting deformities, no tenosynovial thickening, or if tenosynovectomy and flexor digitorum superficialis slip excision fail to relieve triggering. Forty percent reported that their practice has evolved toward more frequent release of the A1 pulley in RA patients.

Conclusion

The majority of ASSH Active Members were taught during training to avoid surgical release of the A1 pulley in RA patients to prevent acceleration of finger deformities. Indications and contraindications for A1 pulley release are evolving along with the improved natural history of RA associated with the use of biologic DMARDs.
Aortic endograft and bridging stent-graft remodeling after branched endovascular aortic repair
Authors: Fazzini Stefano , Torsello Giovanni , Austermann Martin , Beropoulis Efthymios , Munaò Roberta , Torsello Giovanni F
Published: December 2020

Objectives

The results of branched endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysms are mainly dependent on durability of the graft used. The purpose of this study was to evaluate postoperative aortic main body and bridging stent-graft remodeling, and their impact on bridging stent-graft instability at one year.

Methods

Computed tomoangiographies of 43 patients (43 aortic main body mated with 171 bridging stent-grafts) were analyzed before and after branched endovascular repair as well as after a follow-up of 12 months. Primary endpoint was aortic main body remodeling (migration >5 mm, shortening >5 mm, scoliosis >5° or lordosis >5°). Shortening was defined as a reduced length in the long axis, scoliosis as left-right curvature, and lordosis as antero-posterior curvature. Aortic main body remodeling, aneurysm sac changes, and bridging stent-graft tortuosity were evaluated to study their correlations and the impact on the bridging stent-graft instability.

Results

At 12 months, aortic main body remodeling was observed in 72% of the cases, migration in 39.5% (mean 5.21 mm), shortening in 41.9% (mean 5.79 mm), scoliosis in 58.1%, (mean 10.10°), lordosis in 44.2% (mean 5.78°). Migration, shortening, and scoliosis were more frequent in patients with larger aneurysms ( p = .005), while scoliosis was significantly more frequent in type II thoracoabdominal aneurysm ( p = .019). Aortic main body remodeling was significantly associated to bridging stent-graft remodeling (r: 0.3–0.48). The bridging stent-graft instability rate was 9.3%. Despite a trend toward significance ( p = .07), none of the evaluated aortic main body and bridging stent-graft changes were associated with bridging stent-graft instability at 12 months.

Conclusions

Aortic main body remodeling is frequent especially in large and extended thoracoabdominal aneurysm aneurysms. Aortic main body and bridging stent-graft remodeling was significantly correlated. While these geometric changes had no significant impact on bridging stent-graft instability at one year, a close long-term follow-up after branched endovascular repair could predict bridging stent-graft failures.