bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Polyphenolic Acid Derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza on Injection Combined with Systematic Rehabilitation Nursing for Patients with Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Shao Mei , Hu Weiwei , Wang Chen , Pan Qianqian
Published: September 2023

Ischemic stroke, a prevalent cerebral circulation disorder, often leads to profound physical and cognitive impairments, necessitating effective rehabilitation strategies. This study encompassed 110 diagnosed ischemic stroke patients treated at our neurology department from August 2019
to December 2021. Patients were randomly allocated into control and observation groups. The former received standard treatment and nursing care, while the latter underwent a combined regimen of salvianolic acids and systematic rehabilitation. Cell culture experiments exhibited heightened cell
viability and reduced LDH secretion in the salvianolic acid-treated oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) injury model. Immunoblotting revealed elevated TGF-β1 protein expression in salvianolic acid-treated cells compared to controls. The observation group demonstrated
lower NIHSS scores and improved emotional state relative to the conventional group. Moreover, the observation group exhibited significantly enhanced Barthel Index, cognitive function, and self-efficacy scores (P <0.05). These findings suggest a positive impact of the intervention
on these parameters. In ischemic stroke patients, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, a natural herbal remedy rich in salvianolic acids, exerts therapeutic effects through multiple pathways. The amalgamation of Salvia miltiorrhiza polyphenolic acid injection and systematic rehabilitation
presents a favorable prospect for enhancing neurological recuperation, self-care capacity, self-efficacy, and patient convalescence. Therefore, Danggui injections hold potential as a clinical intervention for ischemic stroke management.
Optimization of Growth Medium of Bacillus sp. TTMP20 by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Gan Shanling , Luo Lirong , Ding Xiaoxiao , Li Yujia , Yang Donglin , Shang Changhua
Published: September 2023

High-density culture is able to obtain high concentration and activity of microbes, which is a key technology for fermentation industry. This will greatly shorten fermentation cycle and reduce production cost. Bacillus sp. TTMP20 is a strain with a high yield of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine
(TTMP). In this study, the growth medium of Bacillus sp. TTMP20 was optimized. Different carbon/nitrogen sources were investigated, and the best carbon source (glucose) and nitrogen source (yeast extract) was determined. With the concentrations of glucose, yeast extract and pH as influence
factors, response surface method was used to optimize the above-mentioned influence factors to maximize cell density of the strain. The optimal growth medium is as follows: 4 g/L of yeast extract, 15.754 g/L of glucose, 2 g/L of K2HPO4, 10 g/L of NaCl, and 6.50 of pH.
The predicted and actual maxima are 1.388 and 1.3, respectively. This is 61.4% higher than the cell density of the basic medium. This will provide the adequate seed culture for the subsequent fermentation of TTMP, and improve the application level of Bacillus sp. TTMP20.
Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis Is Associated With More Frequent and Abnormal Squamous Metaplasia
Authors: Tchoukalova Yourka D. , Phung Tanya N. , Kennedy Maeve M. , Miranda-Grandjean Danielle , Becquer Emanuel , Chen Longwen , Zhang Nan , Dinu Valentin , Wilson Melissa A. , Lott David G.
Published: September 2023

Objectives:

Gain insights into the pathophysiology of idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) by investigating differences in transcriptome of subglottic mucosal tissue between patients with iSGS and controls, and between tracheal and subglottic tissue within patients.

Methods:

RNA sequencing was conducted on biopsied mucosal samples collected from subglottic and tracheal (in-patient control) regions in iSGS patients, and from subglottis in controls. The gene expression differences were validated on a protein level by (1) staining the tissue samples obtained from a second cohort of patients and controls; and (2) in vitro functional assays using primary subglottic epithelial cells from both iSGS patients and healthy donors.

Results:

We found 7 upregulated genes in the subglottic region of iSGS patients relative to both the tracheal mucosa and subglottic region of controls. A gene ontology enrichment analysis found that the epithelial cell differentiation and cornification pathways are significant, involving specifically 3 of the genes: involucrin ( IVL), small proline rich protein 1B ( SPRR1B), and keratin 16 ( KRT16). Involvement of these pathways suggests squamous metaplasia of the epithelium. Histological analyses of epithelium in subglottic mucosal biopsies revealed squamous metaplasia in 41% of the samples from iSGS patients and in 25% from controls. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the samples presented with squamous epithelium revealed increased expression of the protein encoded by SPRR1B, hyperproliferative basal cells, shedding of apical layers, and accompanying lesions in iSGS compared to CTRL. Cultured primary subglottic epithelial cells from iSGS patients had higher proliferation rates compared to healthy donors and squamous metaplastic differentiation formed thinner epithelia with increased expression proteins encoded by INV, SPRR1B, and KRT16, suggesting intrinsic dysfunction of basal cells in iSGS.

Conclusions:

Abnormal squamous differentiation of epithelial cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of iSGS. Patients having metaplastic epithelial phenotype may be sensitive to drugs that reverse it to a normal phenotype.
In Fairness We (Should Not) Trust: The Duplicity of the EU Competition Policy Mantra in Digital Markets
Authors: Colangelo Giuseppe
Published: September 2023

Fairness is not foreign to competition law and fairness considerations are not new to it. However, the endemic uncertainty on its notion has traditionally made fairness unsuitable to act as a stand-alone applicable legal standard. Indeed, antitrust enforcers have usually been reluctant to engage with the unfairness of terms and conditions. Nonetheless, against the perceived undue corporate power and market concentration in the digital economy, fairness has recently gained center stage in the policy debate, especially in Europe where recent regulatory interventions have been declared to be aimed at promoting fairness in digital markets. Against this background, the article attempts to demonstrate that the vagueness and ambiguity associated with its meaning may make fairness particularly attractive to policy makers and that, accordingly, the revival of fairness risks being simply functional to grant them more discretion and room for intervention.

JEL codes: K20, K21, L40, L50
Weak, immoral, naïve: Gendered representations of neutrality and the emotional politics of peace and security
Authors: Agius Christine
Published: September 2023

In the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the status of neutrality or military non-alignment is facing deeper challenges since its expected demise in the post–Cold War period. This article explores the gendered and emotional politics of neutrality and its relationship to peace and security. Neutrality has consistently been conceived as an irrational security option for weak states that refuse to bandwagon. ‘Hegemonic’ or ‘disciplining’ discourses of neutrality have conditioned current debates about alliances and security threats, and are imbued with gendered binaries and logics. Such discourses – textual, visual and other – are important because they reveal how neutrality has been positioned in relation to war, peace, morality and agency, and how such positioning constrained the possibilities for thinking about the ‘peace potential’ of neutrality. However, the gendered and emotive history of neutrality also contains a complexity that can be overlooked if simply understood in terms of binary discourses of weakness and irrationality. Inverted gender and emotional codings are also at work in discourses about neutrality. Seeing this complexity in terms of gender and emotions is critically important for conceptualising peace and security beyond narrow confines.
Social determinants of anxiety and mood disorders in a nationally-representative sample – Results from the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS)
Authors: Alnasser Lubna A , Moro Maria Francesca , Naseem Mohammad Talal , Bilal Lisa , Akkad Marya , Almeghim Reema , Al-Habeeb Abdulhameed , Al-Subaie Abdullah S. , Altwaijri Yasmin A
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

Social determinants of health (SDH) influence and modify the risk for mental health disorders. To our knowledge, no study has explored SDH in the context of mental health in Saudi Arabia (SA) using population-based data. This study investigated the association between several SDH and anxiety and mood disorders in SA.

Methods:

We utilized data from the nationally-representative Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS) conducted in 2014 to 2016. This study examined associations between personal-level, socioeconomic, physical health, and family environment characteristics and anxiety and mood disorders. Participants were classified as having anxiety-only disorders, mood-only disorders, or comorbidity of both disorders. Multinomial logistic regression models were employed to examine the associations between SDH and anxiety and/or mood disorders, comparing them to participants who had not experienced these disorders.

Results:

A total of 4,004 participants were included in this analysis; the lifetime prevalence of disorders was: anxiety only (18%), mood only (3.8%), and comorbidity of both (5.3%). Regression models indicated that females, young adults (26–35 years), individuals with a higher level of education, and those who were separated or widowed had higher odds of experiencing anxiety and/or mood disorders. Furthermore, there was a significant and direct association between having physical chronic conditions and all three categories of anxiety and mood disorders. Experiencing Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) was also associated with a significant risk of developing anxiety and/or mood disorders, with the highest risk associated with physical or sexual abuse, followed by violence and neglect.

Conclusion:

This study underscores the correlation between several personal-level, socioeconomic, and environmental SDH and anxiety and mood disorders in SA. These findings provide a foundation for future analyses examining the intricate interplay between upstream and downstream SDH in SA. Such research can enhance local scientific knowledge, aid in planning for social services, and inform policy decisions and treatment strategies.
“Is it Okay Not to be Okay?”: A Critical Literature Review of Barriers to Mental Health Treatment for Black Men
Authors: Cofield Demetrius
Published: September 2023

Black men reportedly have a high prevalence of mental illness with little to no counseling engagement. While there have been studies to determine potential influences on their lack of counseling utilization, the lack of impact toward progress and the scarcity of such literature in the counseling field proves the need for continued exploration. Many of these studies have been conducted by scholars in other social science disciplines with few done by counseling scholars. A review of research concerning Black men and counseling utilization is presented using BlackCrit as a theoretical framework. Racism and masculinity are highlighted as barriers to mental health treatment which require further exploration in counseling literature. Recommendations for improving future research and advocacy efforts are provided for counselors and other mental health professionals.
Transnational Peer Review for Regulating Financial Stability
Authors: Svetiev Yane
Published: September 2023

The article examines the role of transnational peer review in shaping financial market regulation in Australia in pursuit of financial stability. Transnational regulatory networks have become an important source of standards and enforcement practices in financial regulation. In the aftermath of the financial crises of the 2000s, global initiatives to strengthen financial supervision have reinforced peer review mechanisms to monitor the national implementation of transnational standards. Through such peer review, regulatory networks can influence domestic rules and practices, as well as the exercise of discretion by national regulatory authorities. The article studies the interaction between transnational peer review and regulatory choices in Australian financial supervision through three case studies. Notwithstanding concerns in the literature about the efficacy and legitimacy of regulatory networks, the case studies demonstrate the scope for productive dialogue between the transnational and national level in making regulatory choices.
The Role of Person-Centered Messages, Parallel Disclosures, and Reactance When Communicating Support for Parental Death
Authors: Tian Xi , Solomon Denise Haunani
Published: September 2023

This article evaluates communicative strategies to reduce reactance and enhance outcomes when people receive supportive messages about the death of their parent. Two experiments, a laboratory study and an online survey, manipulated person-centeredness and the presence and timing of parallel bereavement disclosures by the support provider. In both studies, moderately person-centered messages produced less reactance and better support quality, compared to low person-centered messages, and were perceived to be as effective as highly person-centered messages. The inclusion of support providers’ parallel disclosures produced different outcomes depending on person-centeredness and the timing of disclosures. A perceived threat to freedom and reactance serially mediated the associations between person-centered messages and outcomes, including emotional improvement, support quality, and source derogation, but not the interactive effects of parallel disclosures and person-centered messages on outcomes. The discussion highlights the challenges of communicating support for major life stressors.
Local Government Employees’ Technology Acceptance of E-Participation: An Empirical Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Nguyen Phillip , Süß Stefan
Published: September 2023

The quality and quantity of e-participation procedures depend heavily on the acceptance of the local government employees involved. Based on Venkatesh’s unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, this study investigates the factors influencing these employees’ usage intentions. The results of an online survey of German local government employees show that facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, and social influence significantly impact acceptance. The effect of factors like administrative culture could not be confirmed. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Rosai–Dorfman Disease of Nasal Soft Tissue: A Case Report
Authors: Wang Liwen , Gong Huicheng , Jiang Linlan , Gao Shuyi , Jiao Yuenong
Published: September 2023

Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is characterized by sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, and the tissue exhibits positive results for S100 and CD68. This lesion typically affects the lymph nodes and rarely involves the nasal soft tissues. This report aims to present a case of RDD involving the nasal soft tissues, presenting with nasal congestion and rhinorrhea as the primary complaints. The patient underwent surgery navigated by nasal endoscope did not report recurrence after operation.
Developing a training program in reading and writing Braille symbols in English language for students with visual disability in low elementary grades and measuring its effectiveness
Authors: Abu Shokhedim Sahar Salem
Published: September 2023

The objective of this study is to identify the impact of a training program in Reading and Writing Braille symbols in English language for students with visual disability in the elementary stage in Jordan. Participants are 60 students with visual disability, from Grades 1–6, studying at the blind school in Abdoun. Members were divided into two groups: control and experimental. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the training program, the researcher developed a scale to measure pre- and post-ability to read and write Braille symbols in English language. Means and standard deviations were calculated for both groups. Analysis was carried out using two-way analysis of variance. The results indicate statistically significant differences on reading and writing dimensions and on the total score, as well as on the post training results in favor of the experimental group indicating significant impact of the training program. The results did not show any significant differences between blind and partial visual disability in the experimental group on reading and writing scores and on the total score. Findings demonstrated the efficacy of the training program, which introduced reading and writing in a simple and interesting way according to certain levels ranging in difficulty, in addition to using different forms of reinforcement to motivate students. As for the implications for practitioners, teachers in inclusive schools of schools of visually disabled students can use the training program to teach both blind and partially sighted students reading and writing English Braille using both the hands.
Practical considerations when building concordances between English tests
Authors: Cardwell Ramsey L. , Nydick Steven W. , Lockwood J.R. , von Davier Alina A.
Published: September 2023

Applicants must often demonstrate adequate English proficiency when applying to postsecondary institutions by taking an English language proficiency test, such as the TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, or Duolingo English Test (DET). Concordance tables aim to provide equivalent scores across multiple assessments, helping admissions officers to make fair decisions regardless of the test that an applicant took. We present our approaches to addressing practical (i.e., data collection and analysis) challenges in the context of building concordance tables between overall scores from the DET and those from the TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic tests. We summarize a novel method for combining self-reported and official scores to meet recommended minimum sample sizes for concordance studies. We also evaluate sensitivity of estimated concordances to choices about how to (a) weight the observed data to the target population; (b) define outliers; (c) select appropriate pairs of test scores for repeat test takers; and (d) compute equating functions between pairs of scores. We find that estimated concordance functions are largely robust to different combinations of these choices in the regions of the proficiency distribution most relevant to admissions decisions. We discuss implications of our results for both test users and language testers.
Calafiore cardioplegia offers better myocardial protection in adult and senescent rat hearts than Del Nido cardioplegia
Authors: Böning A , Menzebach S , Heep M , Gärtner U , Preissner KT , Niemann B , Taghiyev ZT
Published: September 2023

Objectives

We compared the cardioprotective capacity of Del Nido cardioplegia and warm Calafiore blood cardioplegia in an experimental setting during 90 min of ischaemia.

Methods

20 adult and 20 senescent rat hearts were isolated and mounted on a blood-perfused, pressure-controlled Langendorff apparatus. After a stabilization period, cardiac arrest (90 min) was induced by the administration of either Calafiore (Cala) or Del Nido solution (DNS). While Cala was given warm and intermittently, DNS was given as a cold single shot. During 90 min of reperfusion, cardiac function and metabolism were evaluated and biomarker levels were measured. After the end of the experiment, hearts were prepared for electronmicroscopic investigation.

Results

Hearts exposed to Cala recovered faster during reperfusion compared with hearts administered DNS (Cala vs DNS at 30 min reperfusion: left ventricular developed pressure 72, SD: 22% of baseline (BL) versus 40, SD: 32% of BL, p < .001, and positive derived left ventricular pressure over time was better in both adult and senescent Cala groups (96, SD: 31% of BL) than in the DNS groups (39, SD: 27% of BL, p < .001). Ischaemic contractures were seen in the DNS groups starting after 30 min of ischaemia, whereas no rise in diastolic pressure was observed for the Cala groups. Accordingly, lactate production was higher after DNS (1.23 mg/dl (SD 0.87) than after Cala (0.33 mg/dl (SD 0.68), p = .015) at the beginning of reperfusion. Troponin I levels at the end of reperfusion were higher after DNS treatment in adult hearts (DNS: 287.9 SD: 147.7 ng/mL vs Cala 91.2: SD: 94.7 ng/mL, p = .02) and in senescent hearts (DNS: 376.5 (SD: 162.8) ng/ml versus Cala 104.7 (SD: 150.2) ng/ml, p = .025). Electron microscopy showed that the cellular oedema index was higher in adult DNS hearts (1.2 ± 0.2) than in adult Cala hearts (0.8 ± 0.1, p = .012), whereas the VS ratio was similar (0.18 ± 0.01 vs 0.17 ± 0.03).

Conclusion

Calafiore cardioplegia offers better myocardial protection from ischaemia/reperfusion-related damage in isolated perfused adult and senescent rat hearts than Del Nido cardioplegia.
In vitro evaluation of the performance of an oxygenator depending on the non-standard gas content of the inlet blood with special regard on CO2 elimination
Authors: Hima Flutura , Saunders Amalia , Kashefi Ali , Mouzakis Foivos , Mottaghy Khosrow , Spillner Jan , Zayat Rachad , Kalverkamp Sebastian
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The performance of an oxygenator, as found in literature, is evaluated according to protocols that define standard values of the gas content in the inlet blood. However, when dealing with simulations of lung insufficiency, a more extensive evaluation is needed. This work aims to investigate and assess the gas exchange performance of an oxygenator for different input values of gas content in blood.

Methods

Three commercially available oxygenators with different membrane surfaces were investigated in a mock loop for three blood flow rates (0.5l/min, 1l/min, and 5l/min) and two gas-to-blood ratios (1:1, and 15:1). The initial CO2 and O2 partial pressures (pCO2 and pO2) in blood were set to ≥ 100 mmHg and ≤10 mmHg, respectively. For each ratio, the efficiency, defined as the ratio between the difference of pressure inlet and outlet and the inlet pCO2 (pCO2(i)), was calculated.

Results

The CO2 elimination in an oxygenator was higher for higher pCO2(i). While for a pCO2(i) of 100 mmHg, an oxygenator eliminated 80 mmHg, the same oxygenator at the same conditions eliminated 5 mmHg CO2 when pCO2(i) was 10 mmHg. The efficiency of the oxygenator decreased from 76,9% to 49,5%. For simulation reasons, the relation between the pCO2(i) and outlet (pCO2(o)) for each oxygenator at different blood and gas flows, was described as an exponential formula.

Conclusion

The performance of an oxygenator in terms of CO2 elimination depends not only on the blood and gas flow, but also on the initial pCO2 value. This dependence is crucial for simulation studies in the future.
Civil-military Relations in Mexico: From One-Party Dominance to Post-Transitional Insecurity
Authors: Pansters Wil G. , Serrano Mónica
Published: September 2023

While far from ideal, civil-military relations in Mexico in the second half of the twentieth century stood apart from the Latin American trend towards military government and dictatorship. Over the course of the last three decades, however, drug-trafficking, organised crime and high levels of violence and insecurity have deeply transformed this historical pattern with Mexico experiencing a clearcut process of militarization and becoming part of a broad Latin American trend. This article investigates the forces behind and the features of the remarkable political and ideological turnaround with respect to Mexico’s military and militarization. To provide proper context, it first examines the evolution of civil-military relations in Mexico during the era of PRI dominance (ca. 1945-ca. 1985) and the subsequent challenges of a democratic recasting of civil-military relations. It then studies how from the 1990s onwards drug trafficking (and its mutation into organised crime) and an escalating security crisis affected civil-military relations. The last section critically examines the unprecedented promotion of military roles and prerogatives during the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024). The conclusion argues that the shifting relations between civilians and soldiers in Mexico are likely to weaken civilian control over the military and hence risk democratic backsliding.
Discoursive Region Building in Latvia: The Case for a Contemporary Identity Search
Authors: Djatkovica Evija
Published: September 2023

Three decades into the independence restoration of Latvia and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country has integrated well into the Western community. It is a member of the EU and NATO, the Schengen area, the eurozone, and, since recently, OECD. Turning Westwards, Latvia attempted to abolish the post-Soviet and enter the European spatiality above all to secure the country’s physical existence. But not less importantly, to redefine the collective understanding of the Self. The principal argument I make in this article is that countries with the Soviet past may seek their contemporary identity in self-attribution to the desired political regions. That is, embed their new identities in discursive regionalism. The example of Latvia showcases the argument. However, ambiguous discourses of the Latvian regional belonging persist in the national imaginary. The range varies from the post-Soviet and its milder alternative – Eastern European – to the Northern European and Baltic. The mixed regional affiliations result from inconsistencies in the region-building approach exercised by the political elite of Latvia. They stem from the country’s ontological security search in NATO and the EU accession aftermath and amid the war in Ukraine within the newly acquired regional identities contrasted with the vestiges of the Soviet past.
Protecting Parents, Idealizing the Past, Blaming Friends: Life Stories of Men Imprisoned for Violence
Authors: Agoff Carolina , Bruno Matias , Sandberg Sveinung
Published: September 2023

Life-stories emerge from a wide variety of facts and events in individual lives and weave a selected few of these together to make meaning in the present. They are crucial for constructing identity and influence action by establishing worldviews and a persona that narrators will seek to confirm. In this study we describe three main themes in the life-stories of six incarcerated men in Argentina: a) Protecting family, especially parents; b) reconstructing an ideal past, and contrasting it with a more cynical present; and c) blaming criminal neighborhoods, friends, and girlfriends for their crimes. We discuss how these themes are intertwined, what function they fulfill, and the identities and masculinities they produce. Combining research on life-stories with narrative and psychosocial criminology the analysis reveals how life-stories of incarcerated men can be seen as attempts at countering stigma and defending a self that is under attack. The life-stories portray a believable, ‘good’, and multifaceted image of the self, but most importantly, create coherence and unity in otherwise chaotic lives.
The lived experiences of adults with learning disabilities: Taking part in a community gardening group
Authors: Jones Charlotte , Jarvis Kathryn , Stewart Heather
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

People with Learning disabilities (LD) are marginalised within society and experience reduced occupational participation compared to the general population. Research exploring the lived experiences of adults with LD is limited. Gardening has a long history as an Occupational Therapy (OT) intervention with evidence of its benefits for well-being. Yet, previous work with adults with LD has focused on the perspective of the practitioner and has failed to address participant experience. This study aimed to understand the lived experiences of people with LD taking part in a gardening group.

Methods:

Adults with LD, participating in a charity-run gardening group were recruited to a qualitative, phenomenological study. With consent, participants engaged in a semi-structured interview exploring their experiences of being a member of the gardening group. Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret the results.

Results:

Seven interviews were completed. Four main themes indicated that the gardening group helped aid relaxation, provided sense of achievement, developed practical and social skills, and was a lifeline to make friendships.

Conclusions:

OTs should utilise these findings to inform practice and reduce occupation deprivation. Future research should explore how environment, activities and participation time, impact the occupation of gardening for adults with a LD.
A place to start?
Authors: Peck Jamie
Published: September 2023

How do economic geographers determine where to begin their research projects, where to locate and delimit their case studies, where and how to “cut in” to problems? In the absence of self-evident or pregiven answers to these questions, the problem-cum-choice of where and how to start is inescapably tangled up with issues of preliminary conceptualization and indeed theorization, since cases are not so much found as made, being in various ways coproduced with different “theory-method packages.” There is (and can be) no singular or universal answer to these questions. Instead, this brief intervention outlines one rationale for getting “started,” founded as such rationales should be with reference a particular approach or mode of theorization. The approach here centers on the problematic of recombinant development, on the role of extended case-study designs, and on the still sparsely realized potential of conjunctural modes of analysis.
‘Good morning Metro shoppers!’ Food insecurity, COVID-19 and the emergence of roll-call neoliberalism
Authors: Classens Michael , Martin Mary Anne
Published: September 2023

From April 2020 to December 2021, the Canadian federal government earmarked $330,000,000 through the Emergency Food Security Fund to address food insecurity during the COVID-19 global pandemic. These funds were disbursed through a handful of national and regional emergency food and food justice agencies to smaller front-line organizations for the purchase of emergency food provisions and personal protective equipment, and to hire additional workers. We theorize these dynamics within the broader processes of neoliberalization and argue that the Canadian federal government was conscripting food justice and community development organizations into its efforts to address dramatically increasing rates of food insecurity across the country through charity emergency food provisioning. Within Peck and Tickell’s stylized conceptions of the destructive (roll-back) and creative (roll-out) moments of the process of neoliberalization, we frame the crisis of COVID-19 as exposing a form of recalibration (roll-call) neoliberalism. We focus on this dynamic specifically within the context of household food insecurity in Canadian communities and argue that the federal government’s funding regime during the global pandemic effectively directed food justice organizations (and by extension, the populace in general) away from a more ambitious social change agenda towards the more acceptable strategy (in neoliberal terms) of emergency food provisioning services.
Utility of 3D Planning Software in Understanding Residual Proximal Femoral Deformity for Planning of Revision Hip Arthroscopy
Authors: Carbone Andrew D. , Prabhavalkar Omkar N. , Perez-Padilla Paulo A. , Curley Andrew J. , Nerys-Figueroa Julio , Domb Benjamin G.
Published: September 2023

Background:

During the early evolution of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) treatment, undercorrection of femoral deformity was a leading cause of hip arthroscopy failures. As the pendulum has swung, overresection of femoral deformity has increased in prevalence as a cause of persistent hip pain after arthroscopy. Computed tomography (CT) scans are increasingly being used in hip arthroscopy for preoperative planning purposes and may allow for improved 3-dimensional (3D) assessment of complex femoral deformities after previous femoroplasty.

Purpose:

To assess whether CT scans provide additional utility over standard radiographs in understanding proximal femoral morphology in patients being evaluated for revision hip arthroscopy after previous femoroplasty in the setting of FAI.

Study Design:

Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Preoperative CT scans and standard radiographs were obtained in 80 patients who underwent revision hip arthroscopy for FAI. The anteroposterior and Dunn radiographic views were used to assess patients for residual proximal femoral deformity and were compared with the CT scan views using a commercially available software program. Determinations of underresection were made using alpha angle, while overresection was determined according to a previously described technique. Chi-square tests were performed to determine statistical significance between radiographic and CT classifications of overresection, underresection, and concomitant over- and underresection. A kappa value was calculated to determine the agreement between measurements on the radiographs and CT scans.

Results:

There were 30 patients (37.5%) for whom the CT scans revealed information about femoral morphology that was not detected on the radiographs. The kappa value of agreement was 0.28 between CT and radiographic measurements. Underresected cams were detected in 30 patients (37.5%) on CT scans versus 17 patients (21.3%) on radiographs ( P = .024). Overresected cams were detected in 31 patients (38.8%) on CT scans versus 14 patients (17.5%) on radiographs ( P = .0049). Concomitant areas of under- and overresection were detected in 12 patients (15.0%) on CT scans versus 3 patients (3.8%) on radiographs ( P = .027).

Conclusion:

CT scans with 3D planning software may be more sensitive than traditional radiographic views at detecting aberrant proximal femoral anatomy in the setting of failed FAI surgery. The use of 3D planning software may be considered as an adjunctive tool to better understand complex deformity in the proximal femur for the planning of revision hip arthroscopy.
Native Glenoid Depth and Hill-Sachs Lesion Morphology in Traumatic Anterior Shoulder Instability
Authors: Wu Chenliang , Liu Beibei , Xu Caiqi , Zhao Song , Li Yuehua , Xu Junjie , Zhao Jinzhong
Published: September 2023

Background:

Although Hill-Sachs lesions (HSLs) are assumed to be influenced by glenoid characteristics in the context of bipolar bone loss, little is known about how glenoid concavity influences HSL morphology.

Purpose:

To investigate the relationship between the native glenoid depth and HSL morphological characteristics.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Computed tomography images of bilateral shoulders from 151 consecutive patients with traumatic unilateral anterior shoulder instability were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into flat (<1 mm), moderate (1-2 mm), and deep (>2 mm) groups based on the native glenoid depth measured from the contralateral unaffected shoulder. The HSL morphological characteristics included size (depth, width, length, and volume), location (medial, superior, and inferior extent), and orientation (rim and center angle). The glenoid characteristics included diameter, depth, version, and bone loss. The patient, glenoid, and HSL morphological characteristics were compared among the 3 depth groups. Subsequently, the independent predictors of some critical HSL morphological characteristics were determined using multivariate stepwise regression.

Results:

After exclusion of 55 patients, a total of 96 patients were enrolled and classified into the flat group (n = 31), moderate group (n = 35), and deep group (n = 30). Compared with those in the flat group, patients in the deep group were more likely to have dislocation (38.7% vs 93.3%; P = .009) at the primary instability and had a significantly larger number of dislocations (1.1 ± 1.0 vs 2.2 ± 1.8; P = .010); moreover, patients in the deep group had significantly deeper, wider, larger volume, more medialized HSLs and higher incidences of off-track HSLs (all P≤ .025). No significant differences were detected among the 3 groups in HSL length, vertical position, and orientation (all P≥ .064). After adjustment for various radiological and patient factors in the multivariate regression model, native glenoid depth remained the strongest independent predictor for HSL depth (β = 0.346; P < .001), width (β = 0.262; P = .009), volume (β = 0.331; P = .001), and medialization (β = −0.297; P = .003).

Conclusion:

The current study sheds light on the association between native glenoid depth and the morphology of HSLs in traumatic anterior shoulder instability. Native glenoid depth was independently and positively associated with HSL depth, width, volume, and medialization. Patients with deeper native glenoids were more likely to have off-track HSLs and thus require more attention in the process of diagnosis and treatment.
Variable Pay Transparency in Organizations: When are Organizations More Likely to Open Up About Pay?
Authors: Arnold Alexandra , Sender Anna , Fulmer Ingrid , Allen David
Published: September 2023

Due to external pressures organizations are confronted with the need to increase pay transparency and communication. However, there is limited research that has looked at when organizations are more likely to open up about pay. This study explores whether organizations report different levels of pay transparency depending on the characteristics of their variable pay systems. Using data from HR professionals at 400 organizations collected in a multi-country study, we investigated how proportion of variable pay, existence of group-level variable pay and use of objective and absolute performance criteria are associated with procedural variable pay transparency (i.e., transparency about how pay is determined), distributive variable pay transparency (i.e., transparency about actual pay levels) and variable pay communication restriction (i.e., discouraging employees from discussing pay among themselves). Overall, our results point to both external factors (i.e., country) and internal factors (i.e., variable pay system characteristics) that are associated with variable pay transparency.
Challenging Capitalism Begins in Everyday Lives: The Culture of Meci, the Gift and the Commons
Authors: Cömert Metehan
Published: September 2023

In the grand tradition of the social sciences, the quest to build a future beyond capitalism is accused of having no basis in reality. Through fieldwork conducted in the Fındıklı district of Rize in Turkey, this study challenges this claim and proposes a distinct perspective to construct an anti-capitalist alternative project based on the long-standing culture of meci, a solidarity-based practice rooted in voluntary participation without any expectation in return. The study first explores how meci has shaped everyday life in a historical context and then shifts its focus to the politically revitalized content of the culture prompted by the electoral success of a leftist political figure in the 2019 local elections. Inspired by the idea of creating cracks in capitalism, the study concludes by exploring whether meci could be understood through the lenses of the gift and the commons – two concepts that hold the potential to challenge the foundational principles of capitalism.
Clear imaging method based on far-field beamforming for substation noise source identification
Authors: Li Li , Chu Zhigang , Zhao Yang , Li Linyong
Published: September 2023

The noise problem of substations has become increasingly prominent in recent years, and the accurate identification of noise sources has been the prerequisite for substation noise control. By virtue of the advantages of long measurement distance and panoramic acoustic imaging, far-field beamforming based on solid spherical microphone arrays has broad application prospects in large substation noise source identification. Spherical harmonics beamforming (SHB) is a classical algorithm matched with spherical microphone arrays. However, its sound source identification results suffer from problems such as wide mainlobes at low frequencies and abundant sidelobes at high frequencies, which lead to limited acoustic imaging clarity. In order to achieve clear acoustic imaging of noise sources in large substations, the output of far-field SHB is reconstructed and the method of clear SHB (C-SHB) is proposed. The simulations and experiment show that C-SHB can significantly reduce the mainlobe width and suppress the sidelobe contamination, thus effectively improving the imaging clarity of SHB and enhancing its weak source identification capability.
Numerical investigation of clocking effect on unsteady fluid flow in vicinity of tongue for centrifugal pump with vaned diffuser
Authors: Zhu Xiangyuan , Qiao Yiming , Xie Changcheng
Published: September 2023

In order to investigate the clocking effect on unsteady flow distortion in the vicinity of the tongue and hydraulic loss in the volute, experiments and numerical simulations were conducted with four different relative angular positions between the vane and tongue. Numerical results were validated against experimental data, which included measurements of pressure pulsation at the tongue and downstream of the tongue. The radial and circumferential velocities near the tongue at the diffuser-volute clearance were depicted by expanding the rotating surface, and comparisons were made under different diffuser positions to reveal the flow distortion affected by the clocking effect. Shear stress rates and total pressure distributions at the volute exit pipe were also depicted to study the flow loss in the volute affected by the flow pattern from the tongue. The findings show that the pressure fluctuation at the tongue and downstream of the tongue is significantly affected by the diffuser mounting position. The amplitude and intensity of pressure pulsation under θ d1 are clearly smaller than those at other diffuser positions. As the vane trailing edge approaches the tongue, the pressure gradient becomes very large, leading to the formation of a vortex at the tongue that promotes crowding effects and reverse flow occurring in the exit pipe. This, in turn, leads to deflection of the main flow in the volute, high velocity gradients, and subsequently large shear stress rates and hydraulic losses. When the diffuser is installed at θ d4, the flow distortion and flow loss are improved.
Effects of Lockdown on Utilisation of Health Care and Mental Health of Pregnant Women in Rural Areas of Balasore, Odisha, India: Experiences Learnt from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Rout Nihar Ranjan , Patra Tapas Kumar
Published: September 2023

Most of the countries around the world accepted and introduced lockdown as one of the major non-pharmaceutical strategies to slow down the spread of COVID-19. However, the pandemic and various lockdown measures introduced to mitigate it were expected to affect the population in many ways. This study aimed at analysing the problems of health care utilisation encountered by pregnant women in selected rural areas of the district of Balasore in Odisha and assessing the effect of lockdown on the mental health of the women. Besides, the study also attempted to explore the extent of precautionary measures practised by women in the study area. It is a cross-sectional study based on the data obtained through a semi-structured interview schedule, from 150 currently married rural women in the reproductive age group including 100 pregnant women selected through a multistage sampling process. Pregnant women in this study were conscious about COVID-19 and most of them preferred to stay back at home and wash their hands/use masks frequently. Unavailability of doctors and long waiting time etc. were reported as problems encountered at the health centre. The effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the mental health of pregnant women was clearly evident, and the two biggest reasons were lockdown-induced immobility and reduced income. Pregnant women, who are highly vulnerable in general, were affected badly due to the COVID-19 lockdown and it is certainly a challenge for the policy makers to address the issue in times of such exigencies in the future.
Recognizing and Adapting to Cultural Differences: Influence of International Educational Programs on Future Nursing and Midwifery Practice
Authors: Johnston Jacqueline , McKenna Lisa , Malik Gulzar , Reisenhofer Sonia
Published: September 2023

Introduction:

International educational programs build cultural humility and safety skills in nursing and midwifery students; however, long-term outcomes of these programs are unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of international educational programs on nurses’ and midwives’ future professional practice.

Method:

Using grounded theory informed by Charmaz, 13 general nurses, two mental health nurses, three midwives, and four dual-qualified nurse/midwives across eight different countries were interviewed. Three categories evolved from the analysis. This article reports on the category Recognizing and adapting to cultural differences.

Findings:

Participants developed cultural safety and awareness from participation in programs extending into future practice. Experiencing and adapting to cultural similarities and differences, they developed culturally congruent practices many years after program completion.

Discussion:

International programs contributed to participants’ professional practice. Positive and ongoing influences are important for employers to promote patient safety and culturally congruent quality care. Findings are also relevant for education providers to inform quality cultural learning.
Co-occurring ASD Mediates Impact of ADHD on Atopic Dermatitis and Acne: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Osman Karima M. , Gerard Pauline , Hale Elijah W.
Published: September 2023

Background:

ADHD and ASD are associated with dermatologic manifestations, yet little research investigates co-occurring ADHD/ASD and common dermatologic conditions.

Objective:

To investigate associations between ADHD, ASD, acne vulgaris, and atopic dermatitis.

Methods:

Using de-identified patient records from the TriNetX database, we created four cohorts on ADHD diagnosis, ASD diagnosis, both, neither. Cohorts were separated into males and females. We balanced each cohort based on age, sex, race, and ethnicity to the baseline cohort with neither ASD or ADHD. Finally, we examined prevalence of acne and eczema.

Results:

The cohort sizes varied from 19,764 to 345,626. Compared to matched peers, males with ADHD or ADHD/ASD had increased prevalence of acne, and all neurodivergent males had increased prevalence of eczema. Females with ADHD had an increase in both. Females with ADHD/ASD had no significant differences, and females with ASD had a decreased risk of eczema.

Limitations:

Due to database limitations, we are unable to: analyze symptom severity, skincare routine, or treatment adherence.

Conclusions:

The decreased risk of eczema in females with ASD and lack of significant difference in incidence of acne or eczema in females with ADHD/ASD compared to matched peers suggests research into approaches to skincare in males versus females with ASD may provide clinically relevant insights.