bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drought's implications on agricultural skills in South Africa
Authors: Katiyatiya Chenaimoyo L.F. , Majaha Jabulani , Chikwanha Obert C. , Dzama Kennedy , Kgasago Nkgaugelo , Mapiye Cletos
Published: May 2022

Drought is an inevitable feature of South Africa's climate. Its slow onset and recurrence threaten livelihoods dependent on agriculture. Responses to drought have mostly been ex-post impact management with little ex-ante resilience building in vulnerable areas. Implementation of ex-ante strategies has been severely challenged by lack of skilled human capital to predict and respond timely and effectively to the impacts of drought, particularly in smallholder farming areas. Human capital development, should therefore, be prioritised as a key drought management strategy. In this regard, it is important to determine farmers and agricultural professionals’ current and future needs for capacity development in drought management. This is important given that drought is projected to increase risks and introduce new ones with far more devastating impacts on agriculture. The current review outlines the implications of drought on agricultural skills in South Africa and the way forward.
Feelings of the health personnel in Spain, towards their work, after five waves of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Santana López Borja N , Santana Padilla Yeray G , Bernat Adell Mª Desamparados , González Martín Jesús María , Santana Cabrera Luciano
Published: May 2022

Health personnel have faced highly adverse circumstances in the workplace since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prolonged exposure to stressful situations at work is considered to affect the physical, psychological, and emotional health of these workers, as well as job performance. The objective of this study was to analyze the beliefs, attitudes, and feelings of health personnel from one Spanish region towards their work after five waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out using an electronic questionnaire, adapted, and validated through the Delphi technique. A convenience sampling of 783 was recruited among health personnel from the Canary Islands during the fifth wave of the pandemic in September 2021. Bivariate analyzes have been performed by the Chi-square test accepting statistical significance (p 0.050). The 94.3% (n=738) of the respondents considered the pandemic to have highlighted the shortcomings of the Spanish health system. A clear level of exhaustion and/or a reduction in the level of commitment can be observed in these workers as the pandemic continues, as participants reported feeling both mentally and physically exhausted when finishing their shifts, and even “burned out by their work”. This study highlights the resilience and vocation of healthcare professionals, who even considering the effects of the pandemic would choose the same profession. On the other hand, these professionals felt undervalued by their institutions, and almost one of every five, precised psychological support in some point during the health crisis.
The Urban Teacher Residency Model to Prepare Teachers: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Chu Yiting , Wang Weijia
Published: May 2022

Urban teacher residency (UTR) has been promoted as a promising model to prepare teachers for urban schools. In this review, we analyzed 56 peer-reviewed, empirical journal articles on UTRs published between 2010 and 2020, following the PRISMA guidelines. While this literature suggested UTRs’ potentials to recruiting and retaining diverse urban school teachers, there was limited evidence showing UTRs’ impact on graduates’ classroom teaching and the learning of their students. We also identified varied degree of coursework-fieldwork alignment and uneven mentoring support across programs. We concluded with research implications and recommendations for teacher educators and policymakers to advance urban teacher education.
Elite Pipelines: How Elite School Ties Are Reflected in Interfirm Employee Migration
Authors: Josefy Matthew A. , Harrison Joseph S. , Howard Michael D.
Published: May 2022

Recent research has pointed to pipelines, or sequenced hiring of individuals from the same source organizations over time, as a common practice employed by firms to reduce labor market imperfections and create human capital resource advantages. We extend this literature by considering how pipelines may emerge not just out of strategic intent but also out of informal social processes reflecting network transitivity and homophily. Using bipartite social network analysis techniques in a sample of 110 public U.S. electronics component manufacturers, we argue and find evidence for transitive effects between firms’ employee-based ties to elite educational institutions and the formation of interfirm employee pipelines. We demonstrate that pipelines are more likely to form between firms that both hire educational elites, especially when those firms share ties to the same elite schools and when those shared elite schools are executives’ alma mater(s). We also find that these effects tend to be more pronounced when the focal firm has higher growth potential, encouraging mobility by attracting potential elite candidates and facilitating the two-way matching process in labor markets. Our theory and findings contribute to a better understanding of informal processes underlying pipeline formation and specifically demonstrate how hiring tendencies may lead to closed recruiting networks characterized by elite replication.
With You Until the End of the Age? A Longitudinal Study of Changes in Religiosity and Loneliness in Later Life
Authors: Upenieks Laura
Published: May 2022

With few exceptions, a vast literature on religion and well-being in later life has largely ignored outcomes of loneliness. The current study considers how changes in religiosity and formal religious participation over time associate with loneliness, and whether there are age differences in how this process unfold. Using data from the first two waves (2005–2006, 2010–2011) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) from the United States, results suggest that consistent religious attendance was associated with lower loneliness, while decreases in attendance were associated with higher loneliness. The association between stable high religious attendance and loneliness was stronger for older cohorts of older adults (65–74, and 75+ years of age). We found no such patterns for religious integration in daily life. We discuss the implications for church communities and family and friends of older adults and provide insights for addressing loneliness as a public health problem.
Physiotherapy-led lung ultrasound in neonatal extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation: A case-study
Authors: Shkurka Emma , Nolan Wendy
Published: May 2022

There is a growing body of evidence to support the use of point of care lung ultrasound (LUS) in adult patients receiving extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, literature supporting the use of LUS in neonatal and paediatric ECMO patients is limited. We report the use of physiotherapy-led LUS in a neonatal ECMO patient. The baby required veno-arterial ECMO for long-segment tracheal stenosis and presented with complete right lung collapse. In this situation real time, bedside imaging enabled timely and specific physiotherapy treatment to be implemented. LUS also allowed immediate reassessment and subsequent improvement to be determined. This negated the requirement for an additional, pre-surgery chest X-ray, reducing radiation exposure. This case-study highlights LUS as an important tool for health professionals caring for neonatal and paediatric ECMO patients. Future research should include further development of population specific LUS scoring systems.
Atypical Lower Limb Mechanics During Weight Acceptance of Stair Descent at Different Time Frames After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Markström Jonas L. , Liebermann Dario G. , Schelin Lina , Häger Charlotte K.
Published: May 2022

Background:

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture may result in poor sensorimotor knee control and, consequentially, adapted movement strategies to help maintain knee stability. Whether patients display atypical lower limb mechanics during weight acceptance of stair descent at different time frames after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is unknown.

Purpose:

To compare the presence of atypical lower limb mechanics during the weight acceptance phase of stair descent among athletes at early, middle, and late time frames after unilateral ACLR.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 49 athletes with ACLR were classified into 3 groups according to time after ACLR—early (<6 months; n = 17), middle (6-18 months; n = 16), and late (>18 months; n = 16)—and compared with asymptomatic athletes (control; n = 18). Sagittal plane hip, knee, and ankle angles; angular velocities; moments; and powers were compared between the ACLR groups’ injured and noninjured legs and the control group as well as between legs within groups using functional data analysis methods.

Results:

All 3 ACLR groups showed greater knee flexion angles and moments than the control group for injured and noninjured legs. For the other outcomes, the early group had, compared with the control group, less hip power absorption, more knee power absorption, lower ankle plantarflexion angle, lower ankle dorsiflexion moment, and less ankle power absorption for the injured leg and more knee power absorption and higher vertical ground reaction force for the noninjured leg. In addition, the late group showed differences from the control group for the injured leg revealing more knee power absorption and lower ankle plantarflexion angle. Only the early group took a longer time than the control group to complete weight acceptance and demonstrated asymmetry for multiple outcomes.

Conclusion:

Athletes with different time frames after ACLR revealed atypically large knee angles and moments during weight acceptance of stair descent for both the injured and the noninjured legs. These findings may express a chronically adapted strategy to increase knee control. In contrast, atypical hip and ankle mechanics seem restricted to an early time frame after ACLR.

Clinical Relevance:

Rehabilitation after ACLR should include early training in controlling weight acceptance. Including a control group is essential when evaluating movement patterns after ACLR because both legs may be affected.
Quantitative analysis and control of the torque profile of the upper limb using a kinetic model and motion measurements
Authors: Abdul-Ameer Hussam K
Published: May 2022

This paper investigates a new approach to the rapid control of an upper limb exoskeleton actuator. We used a mathematical model and motion measurements of a human arm to estimate joint torque as a means to control the exoskeleton’s actuator. The proposed arm model is based on a two-pendulum configuration and is used to obtain instantaneous joint torques which are then passed into control law to regulate the actuator torque. Nine subjects volunteered to take part in the experimental protocol, in which inertial measurement units (IMUs) and a digital goniometer were used to measure and estimate the torque profiles. To validate the control law, a Simscape model was developed to simulate the arm model and control law in which measurement data from IMUs and a goniometer were fed into the suggested Simscape model. The arm torque profiles are key to the control approach and should be traced by torques produced by the exoskeleton actuators to provide comfort and flexibility for the subjects. A DC motor was used as an actuator for the exoskeleton, and its model was used in the physical Simscape model. To reduce the error in the driving torque compared with the reference arm torque, a PID controller was implemented. The results show the potential of our methodology for tracking and controlling the actuator’s torque, in which the mean square error was reduced to less than 0.2 - a significantly low value.
Measuring Social Health Following Pediatric Critical Illness: A Scoping Review and Conceptual Framework
Authors: Daughtrey Hannah , Slain Katherine N. , Derrington Sabrina , Evans Idris V. R. , Goodman Denise M. , Christie LeeAnn M. , Li Simon , Lin John C. , Long Debbie A. , Madden Maureen A. , VandenBranden Sara , Smith McKenna , Pinto Neethi P. , Maddux Aline B. , Fink Ericka L. , Watson R. Scott , Dervan Leslie A. ,   for the POST-PICU and PICU-COS Investigators of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Networks (CPCCRN)
Published: May 2022

Objective

Social health is an important component of recovery following critical illness as modeled in the pediatric Post-Intensive Care Syndrome framework. We conducted a scoping review of studies measuring social outcomes (measurable components of social health) following pediatric critical illness and propose a conceptual framework of the social outcomes measured in these studies.

Data sources

PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Registry

Study selection

We identified studies evaluating social outcomes in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) survivors or their families from 1970–2017 as part of a broader scoping review of outcomes after pediatric critical illness.

Data extraction

We identified articles by dual review and dual-extracted study characteristics, instruments, and instrument validation and administration information. For instruments used in studies evaluating a social outcome, we collected instrument content and described it using qualitative methods adapted to a scoping review.

Data synthesis

Of 407 articles identified in the scoping review, 223 (55%) evaluated a social outcome. The majority were conducted in North America and the United Kingdom, with wide variation in methodology and population. Among these studies, 38 unique instruments were used to evaluate a social outcome. Specific social outcomes measured included individual (independence, attachment, empathy, social behaviors, social cognition, and social interest), environmental (community perceptions and environment), and network (activities and relationships) characteristics, together with school and family outcomes. While many instruments assessed more than one social outcome, no instrument evaluated all areas of social outcome.

Conclusions

The full range of social outcomes reported following pediatric critical illness were not captured by any single instrument. The lack of a comprehensive instrument focused on social outcomes may contribute to under-appreciation of the importance of social outcomes and their under-representation in PICU outcomes research. A more comprehensive evaluation of social outcomes will improve understanding of overall recovery following pediatric critical illness.
Dental Pain in Cats: A Prospective 6-Month Study
Authors: Palmeira Isabel , Fonseca Maria João , Lafont-Lecuelle Céline , Pageat Patrick , Cozzi Alessandro , Asproni Pietro , Requicha João Filipe , de Oliveira Joana
Published: May 2022

Dental pathology is among the most ubiquitous diseases in cats of all ages. Dental pain is yet to be fully understood in cats and therefore its presence is often missed. To better understand feline dental disease as a pain trigger during routine examination and whether disease severity correlates to the degree of pain, a 6-month prospective study in a cats’ only veterinary hospital in Portugal was conducted. Sixty-four cats that randomly presented for different clinical procedures were evaluated. Dental and periodontal abnormalities (primary dental parameters, PDP), as well as clinical signs related to dental pain (secondary dental parameters, SDP), were assessed. All cats underwent an oral cavity examination, upon which, the Feline Acute Pain Scale from Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CPS), was used in order to assess pain. Six PDP (periodontal disease, gingival index, calculus index, tooth resorption, tooth fracture and missing teeth) and five SDP (mouth discomfort, halitosis, hypersalivation, difficulty in holding food and several attempts at prehension of food), were compared with CPS pain scores. All SDP were significantly associated to higher CPS pain scores (p < 0.05). The number of missing teeth was significantly associated to higher CPS pain scores (p < 0.0001). A trend was observed between higher CPS pain scores and tooth resorption (p = 0.08). This study concluded that cats with dental disease feel pain during clinical examination and the pain increases as the severity of the disease progresses.
Effect of in-process cooling on microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar AA2014 and AA7075 friction stir welded joints
Authors: Kumar Raj , Upadhyay Vikas , Misra Joy P , Sharma Chaitanya
Published: May 2022

Heat-carrying capacity of a cooling medium is critical as it governs microstructure evolution and tensile properties during friction stir welding (FSW). In this research, three cooling techniques: conventional air-cooling (CAC), forced air-cooling (FAC), and water flow cooling (WFC), were employed to study the effect on microstructure and mechanical properties in dissimilar FSW of AA2014 and AA7075. In-process cooling significantly influenced weld microstructure, zone size, microhardness, and tensile properties, which varied with the cooling medium. Water flow cooling was the most effective cooling technique due to its higher heat carrying capacity than CAC and FAC. Water flow cooling resulted in a drastically refined grains structure of smaller size in all zones, had higher tensile strength, elongation, and heat-affected (HAZ) hardness than CAC and FAC. Greatly refined grain structure and less dissolution of precipitates in weld nugget zone (WNZ) along with smaller HAZ and thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) are responsible for improved weld properties of WFC than the FAC and CAC. Forced air-cooling resulted in a higher microhardness value at WNZ, followed by WFC and CAC. Fractured surfaces of the tensile specimen were scrutinized by scanning electron microscope. Cooling did not affect the fracture side and location; however, fracture mode changed with cooling medium viz. ductile for FAC and WFC and mixed-mode for CAC.
Unsteady hydromagnetic Couette flow of fluid-particle suspension in a porous channel
Authors: Jha Basant K , Malgwi Peter B
Published: May 2022

Semi-analytic solution representing the time-dependent Couette flow of conducting fluid-particle in a permeable channel is presented in the existence of a magnetic field. The magnetic field is anticipated to be positioned either with the conducting fluid-particle or positioned with the moving wall. Solution to the coupled flow equations is found and given in the Laplace domain. Expressions for fluid-particle velocity and their corresponding skin friction are also found. Influence of a number of flow parameters on flow formation in the permeable channel is demonstrated. Results indicate that, increase in Hartmann number dampens both fluid velocity and particle fluid velocity when the magnetic field is positioned relative to the conducting fluid, while it augments the flow when the magnetic field is positioned relative to the moving plate. In conclusion, it is realized that growing the injection velocity augments the momentum boundary layer yielding an increase in fluid-particle velocity.
The effect of dispersant characteristics on the De-NOx efficiency of SCR catalyst
Authors: Jung Yoo-Jin , Cha Jin-Sun , Lim Se-Jeong , Park Jin-Woo , Shin Min-Chul , Park Young-Kwon
Published: May 2022

In this study, we analyzed the effect of dispersant characteristics on the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst properties and de-NOx efficiency. For this, we measured the zeta potential and pH value of each dispersant, and compared the thermal properties of the dispersant through TG-DTA analysis. Also, the Py-GC/MS analysis results and the MSDS contents of the product were used to compare the components and molecular weight types of the dispersant. As a result, the higher the zeta potential, pH, and molecular weight of the dispersant, the more improved the dispersibility of the TiO2 slurry. Characteristics such as the rheology, sedimentation, and pH change, were studied to compare the dispersibility of the catalyst slurries, and the dispersion characteristics of the TiO2 slurries were confirmed by TEM. The SCR catalysts prepared varied based on the dispersant added, with the varying factor being the de-NOx efficiency between (250 to 450) °C depending on the dispersibility. The dispersant with the excellent dispersibility gave the highest efficiency of 84% or more at 250°C and 300°C, and the highest de-NOx efficiency of more than 92% at 350°C and 400°C.
Technical Efficiency Analysis of Indian IT Industry: A Panel Data Stochastic Frontier Approach
Authors: Bhat Nadeem Ahmad , Kaur Sandeep
Published: May 2022

Globalization and the development of modern technologies have led to the emergence of service trade. The success of Indian information technology (IT) has changed perception of globe about India and has captured the attention of the globe as it seems a paradox that a developing economy is emerging as a global hub for software exports. In the past three decades, the contribution of the Indian IT industry to national income, employment generation and offsetting the current account deficit is remarkable. In this consideration, the present study is an attempt to analyse the technical efficiency of the IT industry of India during the period 2000–2016 by applying panel data stochastic frontier analysis approach. The study reveals that foreign capital, age and profit ratio have a significant impact on mitigating the technical inefficiency of the IT industry while the research and development (R&D) expenditure has turned out statistically insignificant in determining efficiency. Indian IT industry is mostly driven by service exports which are not survivable in the long run. The study suggests that the Indian IT industry has to transform itself from low value-added to high value-added, from service-driven to product-driven.
Weaving Different Discourses to Understand the Field: Mystory as an Analytical Tool
Authors: Piercy Gemma
Published: May 2022

The bricolage of discourses that is part of the mystory approach offers a way to make sense of disparate resources relevant to the study of everyday life. These resources can include popular culture and social media materials, interviews and observations, and academic literature. Here, I explain what mystory is, as well as how and why I fused together personal (autoethnographic), popular and different kinds of academic discourses as bricolage. By layering difference discourses (popular, field-based, academic) with personal reflections (memory), I created coherent narratives that explicitly answered research questions. By weaving these different discourses into distinct patterns of thinking and writing, I found a way to balance my voice alongside the voices of my research participants and other artifacts of their world of cafés, roasteries, coffee, and the Internet to overcome writers’ block. As such, this is also a story of how I found my voice through autoethnography.
State-Level Estimates of the Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016 to 2019
Authors: Danielson Melissa L. , Holbrook Joseph R. , Bitsko Rebecca H. , Newsome Kimberly , Charania Sana N. , McCord Russell F. , Kogan Michael D. , Blumberg Stephen J.
Published: May 2022

Objective:

To provide state-level estimates of diagnosed ADHD and associated treatment among children in the United States in 2016 to 2019.

Method:

This study used the National Survey of Children’s Health to produce national and state-level estimates of lifetime diagnosis and current ADHD among all children aged 3 to 17 years ( n=114,476), and national and state-level estimates of medication and behavioral treatment use among children with current ADHD.

Results:

The state-level estimates of diagnosed ADHD ranged from 6.1% to 16.3%. Among children with current ADHD, state-level estimates of ADHD medication usage ranged from 37.8% to 81.4%, and state-level estimates of behavioral treatment ranged from 38.8% to 61.8%.

Conclusion:

There was substantial state-level variation for indicators of ADHD diagnosis and associated treatment. These state-level results can be used by policymakers, public health practitioners, health care providers, and other stakeholders to help address the service needs of children with ADHD in their states.
Thinking Skills Don’t Protect Service Workers from Replacement by Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Vorobeva Darina , El Fassi Yasmina , Costa Pinto Diego , Hildebrand Diogo , Herter Márcia M. , Mattila Anna S.
Published: May 2022

Despite the documented benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the service industry, the service employees’ fear of being replaced by AI continues to be a major concern as we transition to the Feeling Economy. This paper builds upon the Feeling Economy framework and the social comparison theory to examine how different service-related tasks (thinking vs feeling) distinctively impact the service employees’ feelings and behavior. Five studies reveal that the presence of AI increases negative outcomes for employees engaging in thinking (vs. feeling) tasks due to its adverse effects on their perceived ability (i.e., relative performance). Findings further indicate that these detrimental effects only happen when service employees compare their abilities with those of AI. This research provides important theoretical and managerial implications, helping to mitigate AI’s negative outcomes on employees’ fear of replacement and reduced job performance.
Volatile Organic Compounds Analysis as a Potential Novel Screening Tool for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Leemans Michelle , Bauër Pierre , Cuzuel Vincent , Audureau Etienne , Fromantin Isabelle
Published: May 2022

Introduction:

An early diagnosis is crucial in reducing mortality among people who have breast cancer (BC). There is a shortfall of characteristic early clinical symptoms in BC patients, highlighting the importance of investigating new methods for its early detection. A promising novel approach is the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced and emitted through the metabolism of cancer cells.

Methods:

The purpose of this systematic review is to outline the published research regarding BC-associated VOCs. For this, headspace analysis of VOCs was explored in patient-derived body fluids, animal model-derived fluids, and BC cell lines to identify BC-specific VOCs. A systematic search in PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines.

Results:

Thirty-two studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Results highlight that VOC analysis can be promising as a potential novel screening tool. However, results of in vivo, in vitro and case-control studies have delivered inconsistent results leading to a lack of inter-matrix consensus between different VOC sampling methods.

Discussion:

Discrepant VOC results among BC studies have been obtained, highly due to methodological discrepancies. Therefore, methodological issues leading to disparities have been reviewed and recommendations have been made on the standardisation of VOC collection and analysis methods for BC screening, thereby improving future VOC clinical validation studies.
Recent Progress in the Development of Novel Mycobacterium Cell Wall Inhibitor to Combat Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
Authors: Belete Tafere Mulaw
Published: May 2022

Despite decades of research in drug development against TB, it is still the leading cause of death due to infectious diseases. The long treatment duration, patient noncompliance coupled with the ability of the tuberculosis bacilli to resist the current drugs increases multidrug-resistant tuberculosis that exacerbates the situation. Identification of novel drug targets is important for the advancement of drug development against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The development of an effective treatment course that could help us eradicates TB. Hence, we require drugs that could eliminate the bacteria and shorten the treatment duration. This review briefly describes the available data on the peptidoglycan component structural characterization, identification of the metabolic pathway, and the key enzymes involved in the peptidoglycan synthesis, like N-Acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase, mur enzyme, alanine racemase as well as their inhibition. Besides, this paper also provides studies on mycolic acid and arabinogalactan synthesis and the transport mechanisms that show considerable promise as new targets to develop a new product with their inhibiter.
Mapping an online production network: The field of ‘actual play’ media
Authors: Chalk Alex
Published: May 2022

This article maps out and analyzes relationships shaping production in a growing cultural field of online gaming media production called ‘Actual Play’ (AP). AP occupies an ambiguous economic space between fan production and professional media and is marked by widespread monetization. Drawing on qualitative semi-structured interviews with 24 AP producers, this article uses actor-network theory and the concept of cultural fields to understand that space through an account of the actors constituting it. This maps the how AP producers develop their practices through complex relational networks. The analysis identifies ‘key actor types’ – the varieties of technological, human and corporate actors whose activities give shape to producers’ practices. The article concludes that despite pervasive pressures to professionalize, the field offers limited pathways to vocational sustainability.
Variability in 30-day major amputation rates following endovascular peripheral vascular intervention for critical limb ischemia
Authors: Provance Jeremy B , Spertus John A , Jones Philip G , Hoffman Mark A , Bunte Matthew C , Vogel Todd R , Mena-Hurtado Carlos , Smolderen Kim G
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) can undergo endovascular peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) to restore blood flow and decrease risk of amputation. As a potential indicator of quality for CLI care, we sought to describe 30-day major amputation rates following PVI. We also examined rate variability, and patient-level and site-level factors predicting amputations, using a national electronic health record (EHR) database. Methods: Using the Cerner Health Facts de-identified EHR database, patients with CLI diagnosis codes undergoing PVI were identified. The rate of amputation within 30 days of PVI was calculated. Risk ratios predicting amputation were derived using a mixed effects Poisson regression model adjusting for 16 patient and clinical factors. Median risk ratios (MRRs) were calculated to quantify site-level variability in amputations. Results: A total of 20,204 PVI procedures for CLI from 179 healthcare sites were identified. Mean age at procedure was 69.0 ± 12.6 years, 58.0% were male, and 29.6% were persons of color. Amputation within 30 days of PVI occurred after 570 (2.8%) procedures. Malnutrition, previous amputation, diabetes, and being of Black race were predictors of amputation. Amputation rates across sites ranged from 0.0% to 10.0%. The unadjusted MRR was 1.40 (95% CI 1.35–1.46), which was attenuated after adjusting for patient-level factors (MRR 1.30, 95% CI 1.26–1.34) and site characteristics (MRR 1.11, 95% CI 1.09–1.13). Conclusions: Among PVI procedures for CLI treatment, 30-day amputation rates varied across institutions. Although patient-level factors explained some variability, site-level factors explained most variation in the rates of these outcomes.
Evaluating “exemplary data journalism” from Asia: An exploration into South China Morning Post’s data stories on China and the world
Authors: Wu Shangyuan
Published: May 2022

As more newsrooms practice data journalism in this age of big data through the use of analytical and visualization tools, much research on exemplary award-winning data stories continue to be Western-centric and associated with data journalism’s democratic role of scrutinizing government and corporations as watchdog. This study examines the news organization in the non-West that has scored the most wins in international data journalism awards, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post, to discover characteristics of the data journalism it practices, as its media operates within an environment with increasing government monitoring of the press, similar to countries in the Asian region subjected to various forms of authoritarian politics. Through a content analysis of 130 data stories produced from 2016 to 2020, this study investigates the topics that SCMP’s data team chooses to cover, how they are covered and the extent to which data journalism is able to work in the public’s interest amid Hong Kong’s increasingly complex political and social context. Findings show that even when stories are data-driven and evidence-based, with the use of diverse data sources and visualizations, topics related to China or Chinese politics tend to be approached with caution and the nature of stories more explanatory than investigative and less interactive. The roles of watchdog and interventionist are felt weakly in SCMP’s data stories, and the role of loyal-facilitator felt more strongly for stories on China than those on Hong Kong and the world, suggesting that data journalism may face challenges performing its democratic functions.
The elevation of Black Girls’ hair: An analysis of visual representations in Children’s picturebooks
Authors: Barton Reka C , Blevins Darielle , Cappello Marva
Published: May 2022

This article utilizes Black girlhood as a framework in a critical multimodal qualitative inquiry to explore the complexities of representations of Black girls’ hair, in picturebooks. Using a data corpus of 55 picturebooks published between 2010–2020, the authors analyzed the multimodal messages embedded in the initial introductions of Black girl protagonists. The findings suggest that contemporary children’s literature represents a broad array of Black girls’ hair, even when the central message is not about hair, denoting the importance of this cultural representation in assertions of identity. Findings suggest that the theme of elevation was demonstrated across the corpus, and was further expressed in the subthemes of; (1) salience of hair, (2) physical elevation of hair, and (3) importance of hair.
Pilot Evaluation of a Novel, Low-Cost, Simulation Model for Training and Assessment of Laparoscopic Intracorporeal Continuous Suturing
Authors: Hossain Farisa , Alnumay Abdulaziz , Alkhamesi Nawar A. , Elnahas Ahmad , Hawel Jeffrey , Alsowaina Khalid , Liu Rachel Q. , Schlachta Christopher M.
Published: May 2022

Background: Laparoscopic intracorporeal continuous suturing is being employed in a growing number of minimally invasive procedures. However, there is a lack of adequate bench models for gaining proficiency in this complex task. The purpose of this study was to assess a novel simulation model for running suture. Methods: Participants were grouped as novice (LSN) or expert (LSE) at laparoscopic suturing based on prior experience and training level. A novel low-cost bench model was developed to simulate laparoscopic intracorporeal continuous closure of a defect. The primary outcome measured was time taken to complete the task. Videos were scored by independent raters for Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS). Results: Sixteen subjects (7 LSE and 9 LSN) participated in this study. LSE completed the task significantly faster than LSN (430 ± 107 vs 637 ± 164 seconds, P ≤ .05). LSN scored higher on accuracy penalties than LSE (Median 30 vs 0, P ≤ .05). Mean GOALS score was significantly different between the 2 groups (LSE 20.64 ± 2.64 vs LSN 14.28 ± 1.94, P < .001) with good inter-rater reliability (ICC ≥ .823). An aggregate score using the formula: Performance Score = 1200-time(sec)-(accuracy penalties x 10) was significantly different between groups with a mean score of 741 ± 141 for LSE vs 285 ± 167 for LSN ( P < .001). Conclusion A novel bench model for laparoscopic continuous suturing was able to significantly discriminate between laparoscopic experts and novices. This low-cost model may be useful for both training and assessment of laparoscopic continuous suturing proficiency.
Instructional leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Israel
Authors: Shaked Haim
Published: May 2022

The instructional leadership approach requires school principals to give top priority to the continuous improvement of teaching quality and academic outcomes. This study explored how principals of elementary schools in Israel fulfilled their instructional leadership role during COVID-19. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of 36 principals. Data analysis identified three different theories of action. In this study, a theory of action is the conscious or unconscious set of assumptions that explain how principals act professionally in a given situation. According to the first theory of action, moratorium, principals temporarily abandoned instructional leadership. According to the second theory of action, adaptation, principals changed instructional leadership to suit the specific conditions of COVID-19. According to the third theory of action, determination, principals uncompromisingly continued to demonstrate instructional leadership. These findings expand the available knowledge on how school leaders respond and what forms of school leadership practice emerged during COVID-19.
Durable objective response to sorafenib and role of sequential treatment in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Huang Kuo-Wei , Lee Pei-Chang , Chao Yee , Su Chien-Wei , Lee I-Cheng , Lan Keng-Hsin , Chu Chi-Jen , Hung Yi-Ping , Chen San-Chi , Hou Ming-Chih , Huang Yi-Hsiang
Published: May 2022

Background:

The response rate to sorafenib is limited for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Little is known about the long-term outcomes of objective responders. The role of second-line therapies on the survival of sorafenib-responders is unclear. We aimed to delineate the long-term outcomes and the role of subsequent treatment after responding to sorafenib.

Methods:

From September 2012 to December 2019, 922 patients who received sorafenib treatment for unresectable HCC were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 21 (2.3%) achieved a complete response (CR) and 54 (5.9%) had a partial response (PR) based on mRECIST criteria. Factors associated with survivals were analyzed.

Results:

During the median follow-up of 35.3 months, the median duration of response was 18.3 months (range: 2.3–45.5) for patients achieving CR and 10.0 months (range: 1.9–60.3) for PR. The median overall survival (OS) was 39.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 28.4–50.5] including values not yet estimable for CR and 25.8 months for PR. Patients who experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) had better median OS than those without (44.9 versus 18.1 months, p = 0.003). Eventually, 53 patients developed tumor progression; 30 patients received second-line systemic treatment including nivolumab ( n = 8), regorafenib ( n = 15), and chemotherapy ( n = 7). Sorafenib–nivolumab sequential therapy provided the best median OS versus sorafenib–regorafenib and sorafenib–chemotherapy in these patients (55.8, 39.5, and 25.5 months), respectively.

Conclusions:

The response is durable for advanced HCC patients with CR or PR to sorafenib. Subsequent immunotherapy seems to provide the best survival. This information is important for characterizing outcomes of sorafenib-responders and the choice of sequential treatment.
Cell-based therapies for rheumatoid arthritis: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Li Yu-Jing , Chen Zhu
Published: May 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common immune-mediated inflammatory disease characterized by chronic synovitis that hardly resolves spontaneously. The current treatment of RA consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs), biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs. Although the treat-to-target strategy has been intensively applied in the past decade, clinical unmet needs still exist since a substantial proportion of patients are refractory or even develop severe adverse effects to current therapies. In recent years, with the deeper understanding of immunopathogenesis of the disease, cell-based therapies have exhibited effective and promising interventions to RA. Several cell-based therapies, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), adoptive transfer of regulatory T cells (Treg), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy as well as their beneficial effects have been documented and verified so far. In this review, we summarize the current evidence and discuss the prospect as well as challenges for these three types of cellular therapies in RA.
Advanced cancer patients in a randomized clinical trial of night-simulating eyeglasses observed to have a normal 24-h circadian rhythm during chemotherapy
Authors: Block Keith I , Gyllenhaal Charlotte , Grutsch James F , Block Penny B , Kazlausky Thomas , Blask David , Carome Edward , Reynolds Justin , Huff Dinah Faith Q , Hrushesky William
Published: May 2022

Objectives:

Cancer patients routinely exhibit dysfunctional circadian organization. Indeed, a dysfunctional circadian organization is a hallmark of advanced cancer. A cohort of advanced cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was recruited to investigate whether manipulating exposure to blue light could restore or ameliorate their circadian organization.

Methods:

Thirty advanced metastatic cancer patients participated in a randomized crossover trial to evaluate whether blue light-blocking night-simulating eyeglasses could ameliorate a disrupted circadian organization better than sham eyeglasses. Circadian organization was evaluated by actigraphy and patients’ self-reports of sleep, fatigue, and quality of life. Kruskal–Wallis tests compared patients’ outcomes in circadian organization with a cohort of non-cancer, disease-free individuals with normal sleep as a negative control, and with advanced cancer patients with disrupted circadian organization as a positive control. Quality-of-life outcomes of the patients were compared with population-based controls (negative controls) and with cohorts of advanced cancer patients (positive controls).

Results:

Actigraphy measurements, self-reported sleep, fatigue levels, and quality-of-life outcomes of trial participants were similar to those of negative controls with a normal circadian organization, in spite of the trial patients’ concurrent chemotherapy. Night-simulating glasses did not improve circadian organization. The 24-h correlation of day-to-day rhythms of rest and activity was 0.455 for the experimental eyeglasses and 0.476 for the sham eyeglasses ( p = 0.258). Actigraphic and patient-reported outcomes compared favorably to outcomes of positive controls.

Conclusion:

The circadian organization of patients in this study unexpectedly resembled that of healthy controls and was better than comparison populations with disrupted circadian organization. The study clinic implements chronomodulated chemotherapy and a systematic, supportive integrative treatment protocol. Results suggest a need for further research on interventions for circadian rhythm. Although the study intervention did not benefit the participants, this work highlights the value of supporting circadian time structure in advanced cancer patients.
Attitudes toward coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination in people with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Marrie Ruth Ann , Dolovich Casandra , Cutter Gary R , Fox Robert J. , Salter Amber
Published: May 2022

Objective

We estimated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates in the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) population and investigated reasons for vaccine hesitancy.

Methods

In Spring 2021, we surveyed the NARCOMS participants about COVID-19 vaccinations. Participants reported whether they had received any COVID-19 vaccination; if not, they reported why not. They also reported whether they had received influenza vaccination. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed participant characteristics associated with uptake of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.

Results

Of 4955 eligible respondents, 3998 (80.7%) were females with a mean (SD) age of 64.0 (9.7) years. Overall, 4165 (84.1%) reported that they had received a COVID-19 vaccine, most often Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and 3723 (75.4%) received a seasonal influenza vaccine. Reasons for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine included possible adverse effects (47.73%), possible lack of efficacy (13.7%), and lack of perceived need (17.1%). Factors associated with receiving the COVID-19 vaccine included receipt of influenza vaccine, older age, higher socioeconomic status, any leisure physical activity, and use of disease-modifying therapy.

Conclusion

In this older cohort of people with multiple sclerosis, COVID-19 vaccine uptake was high, exceeding uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine. Concerns regarding safety, efficacy, and lack of perceived risk were associated with not obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine.
A Case for Using Electronic Health Record Data in the Evaluation of Produce Prescription Programs
Authors: Ridberg Ronit A. , Yaroch Amy L. , Nugent Nadine Budd , Byker Shanks Carmen , Seligman Hilary
Published: May 2022

Produce prescription programs within clinical care settings can address food insecurity by offering financial incentives through “prescriptions” for fruits and vegetables to eligible patients. The electronic health record (EHR) holds potential as a strategy to examine the relationship between these projects and participant outcomes, but no studies address EHR extraction for programmatic evaluations. We interviewed representatives of 9 grantees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Grant Program’s Produce Prescription Projects (GusNIP PPR) to understand their experiences with and capacity for utilizing EHR for evaluation. Five grantees planned to use EHR data, with 3 main strategies: reporting aggregate data from health clinics, contracting with external/third party evaluators, and accessing individual-level data. However, utilizing EHRs was prohibitive for others due to insufficient knowledge, training and/or staff capacity; lack of familiarity with the Institutional Review Board process; or was inappropriate for select target populations. Policy support for produce prescription programs requires a robust evidence base, deep knowledge of best practices, and an understanding of expected health outcomes. These insights can be most efficiently and meaningfully achieved with EHR data, which will require increased financial support and technical assistance for project operators.
Transposition With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
Authors: Brooks Bonnie A. , Krishnan Anita , d’Udekem Yves , Yurasek Gregory K.
Published: May 2022

The contemporaneous presentation of transposition of the great arteries and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is rare and complicates optimal surgical timing. We present a newborn with transposition and severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with a postnatal course complicated by persistent pulmonary hypertension who was supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation until successful arterial switch operation on the day of life 8.