bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defining Mission Studies for the Third Millennium of Christianity
Authors: Kollman Paul
Published: December 2022

Given the multiple definitions—speaking theologically and historically—of the word “mission,” the field of “mission studies” naturally also resists a self-evident univocal meaning. Mindful that academic disciplines (or sub-disciplines) require certain self-limitation, however, this chapter will offer a brief historical perspective on the field, then seek such self-limitation. It will explore a variety of types of studies that constitute mission studies to argue that the field must always necessarily operate on two levels. First, it must remain grounded in the actual realities of discourses and practices that are identified as mission in the present. Second, mission studies must remain open to discourses and practices to be identified as mission later, or, looking into the past, retrospectively. In so doing, mission studies remains true to the limitless possibilities implied by the theological categories that have long been central to its enactment while remaining grounded in empirical realities.
Mission and the Anthropology of Christianity
Authors: Lauterbach Karen
Published: December 2022

This chapter outlines the long relationship and mutual engagement between mission studies and anthropology. It focuses in particular on the anthropology of Christianity and how this sub-field of anthropology can be of benefit to mission studies. The chapter uses a study of Congolese Pentecostal churches, so-called refugee churches, in Kampala, Uganda, to show how lived experiences, lived Christianity, and a displacement context are crucial factors to consider when studying mission in a multi-directional and interdisciplinary way. Through the concepts of ethical practice and existential mobility the chapter shows how the study of global Christianity and mission can include experiential and epistemological diversity.
Christian Mission and Buddhists
Authors: Lai Pan-chiu
Published: December 2022

The modern Christian missionary activities to the Buddhists in Asia were shaped not only by the religious backgrounds of the missionaries, but also the international politics as well as the sociopolitical situations of the relevant countries in Asia. As Buddhism is an integral part of the traditional culture in Asia, cultural politics were involved in the encounter between Christianity and Buddhism. Through encountering Christianity, some Buddhists transformed their interpretations as well as practices of Buddhism, which became modernized and globalized. Through encountering the Buddhists, some Christian missionaries changed their understandings as well as praxes of Christian mission. Some Christian theologies with Buddhist characteristics were formed in Asia, and they enriched the development of Christianity as a global movement. These developments of the two religions make possible the interaction and cooperation between them in their respective missions to the contemporary world.
Christian Mission and Ecology Amidst Global Warnings
Authors: Kaoma Kapya J.
Published: December 2022

Christianity is coming to terms with the ongoing ecological crisis. Climate change and ecological despoilations, the chapter argues, are not only human-induced disasters of untold magnitude, but also “global warnings” of the annihilation of life on planet Earth. In addition to exploring missiological responses to the ongoing environmental crisis, the chapter argues that Christian mission must become ecocentric in theory and application. Re-conceptualized or eco-reformed Christian mission of the Creator, the chapter argues, allows humanity to sacredly relate to the web of life, whose origin is in Christ. Building on African theology of Christ as our ancestor, the chapter identifies Christ as the ecological ancestor, who is sacramentally present in the creation. This understanding has strong missiological implications for Christian participation in Earth care.
Mission Studies as Intercultural Theology
Authors: Wrogemann Henning
Published: December 2022

In the last two decades, the term intercultural theology has gained currency in European countries and in North America as a technical term for what used to be called mission studies. The chapter begins by analyzing several contributions in order to identify which substantial changes in emphasis are being associated with the new term in the controversial academic debates which have ensued. The author then formulates his own understanding of mission studies as intercultural theology, on the basis of which he discusses fundamental issues related to the academic locus, which ranges between cultural studies theories (such as discourse theory, postcolonial studies, semiotics) and theological approaches (such as world Christianity, mission theology). The thesis is put forward that it is precisely by integrating different perspectives that intercultural theology can make an important contribution towards a hermeneutics of intercultural relations, mission theology, and the praxis of mission in the age of globalization.
State Capitalism and the Firm
Authors: Wright Mike , Wood Geoffrey T. , Cuervo-Cazurra Alvaro , Sun Pei , Okhmatovskiy Ilya , Grosman Anna
Published: December 2022

In this introduction to The Handbook of State Capitalism and the Firm, we provide an overview of state capitalism, its evolution, diversity, and theoretical implications. We clarify the tension between the market and the government that drives state intervention in the economy. A brief historical overview of state capitalism provides a much-needed background to explicit and implicit discussions of the diversity of dimensions of state capitalism. We document how state capitalism seems to have followed a pendulum between periods of high dominance and periods of retrenchment that have resulted in the transformation of the literature over time. We also explain the variety of state capitalism that has been implemented across countries and time. We then outline the diversity in the theorization of state capitalism as a phenomenon and the implications of the cross-border expansion of state capitalism. We conclude with an overview of the potential avenues for future research on state capitalism and the firm.
The Internationalization of State-Owned Firms
Authors: Cuervo-Cazurra Alvaro , Li Cheng
Published: December 2022

We analyze the impact of state ownership on firm internationalization. We propose and explain four drivers of the variation in the internationalization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from the same country: 1) Industry, in which SOEs created to provide public services are less likely to internationalize, while those created to facilitate industrial upgrading are more likely to expand abroad; 2) type of state ownership, in which SOEs owned by lower-level governments like municipalities are less likely to internationalize, while those owned by higher-level governments such as the central administration are more likely to go abroad; 3) level of state ownership, in which SOEs with higher state ownership are less likely to expand overseas, while those with lower state ownership are more likely to internationalize; and 4) managerial independence, in which SOEs with lower managerial independence are less likely to internationalize, while those with higher independence are more likely to expand abroad.
Industrial Policy
Authors: Mamica Łukasz , Dolfsma Wilfred
Published: December 2022

The 2008 crisis has highlighted the need for a more active industrial policy, and the lockdown and the collapse of supply chains due to the 2020 pandemic only reinforced this process. In this chapter, we show that the effectiveness of practical industrial policy solutions requires taking into account their geographical and sectoral aspects. Of particular importance are activities in the area of R&D support policy, which not only contribute to increased competitiveness of industry, but also determine the possibility of its transformation toward climate neutrality, especially in the renewable energy sector. We are well aware of the potential threats associated with the spending of public funds as they may interfere with the free market, but with an appropriate industrial policy these actions are likely to have more beneficial than potential negative effects. Taking into account the areas where firms source their inputs and the areas where they sell their products and services (they may do both locally and globally), we propose categorizing firms into four groups or cells. For each category, we propose a catalog of industrial policy tools. In our opinion, only actions that reflect the specificity of firms stand a chance of delivering the planned results. We suggest a generic way, from an institutional economic point of view, to analyse government policy in general and industrial policy in particular.
The State as a Facilitator of Innovation
Authors: Wang Yong , Hua Xiuping
Published: December 2022

This chapter discusses the role of the state in facilitating innovation and industrial development. An overview is given of theoretical research on the importance of government support on innovation and technology upgrading. Both strengths and weaknesses with regards to state intervention activities are explored by summarizing empirical evidence. It then addresses the facilitating role of the state in cultivating emerging high-tech industries and promoting corporate innovation in both developed and emerging economies. Finally, a discussion is made of industrial and innovation policies in China from a historical and dynamic perspective. Grounded in our discussions, we offer key implications for theory and practice, and suggest that despite uncertainty in policy impacts, the state in emerging economies should not only work on overcoming market failures in most industries, but also actively create and shape markets in newly emerged and innovative industries.
State Capitalism in the Middle East
Authors: Sidani Yusuf M.
Published: December 2022

Military capitalism takes many forms in the Arab world; Egypt is just one striking example where the army commands a growing and extensive role with significant influences in the political and economic spheres. The military discourse has made a strong argument that country stability and security require the army’s direct intervention, not only at the military front, but also in the economic sphere. Critics point that there are many drawbacks attached to military capitalism. The ability of the current Egyptian leadership to signal that it is in control provides assurance as to the relative stability of the country. This is needed to attract foreign investment and help the economy recover. On the other hand, the sustained military meddling in the economy could mean that structural reforms could be challenged by those who have vested interests in keeping things as they are.
State Capitalism in Western Europe
Authors: Colli Andrea
Published: December 2022

Notwithstanding the intense wave of privatizations which has deeply transformed the physiognomy of Western European economies since the mid-1980s, Governments are still playing a relevant role as direct owners of companies in several industries, particularly those with a strategic relevance. What has changed is, however, both the structure of state involvement in the companies’ ownership, and also the strategic orientation of the companies themselves. As far as ownership is concerned, in several (but not in all) cases Western European governments have reduced the size of their shareholdings to the minimum threshold of control. This has meant the floating of a consistent part of the companies’ capital on the international stock market, and the involvement of relevant constituencies as institutional investors. This has had, of course, a relevant impact on these companies’ corporate governance practices, which are now subject to a much closer scrutiny than in the past. The consequence of this process has been a radical change in the companies’ strategies, now facing a much more diversified constituency of shareholders. Inward-looking, domestic-oriented market strategies have given room to outward-looking behaviors based on aggressive internationalization. This process in its turn has impacted on other aspects of corporate life as for instance the hiring of top management. The chapter analyses the contours of the phenomenon suggesting a taxonomy useful for understanding the different typologies of state-ownership.
Old England and New in Anne Bradstreet’s Poetry
Authors: Auger Peter
Published: December 2022

This chapter observes that tightly historicised readings of Anne Bradstreet’s poetry are most possible for when it emerged in the London publishing industry and the English political landscape in July 1650, because seventeenth-century archives are biased towards male actors in metropolitan centres of power. It then looks back at how Bradstreet’s settler poetics addressed a ‘narrowly transatlantic’ relation between Old and New England when she wrote, especially in the ‘Dialogue between Old England and New’ (1642). Next it examines how the print editions repurposed her poetry, first for readers in the newly formed Commonwealth in 1650 and later for New England readers in 1678. This chapter concludes with a reading of ‘David’s Lamentation for Saul and Jonathan’ which shows that the more we historicise Bradstreet’s poetry to its reception in 1650, the further her authorial agency recedes from view, in this case even calling into question whether she wrote the poem.
Early Modern Dutch and English Women Across Borders
Authors: van Elk Martine
Published: December 2022

England and the Dutch Republic had a complex relationship to each other in the early modern period. Recent scholarship has been exploring women transnationally, looking at how they crossed borders both in physical terms of travel and in less tangible ways. This chapter applies this approach to early modern women from England and the Dutch Republic by looking closely at examples of women who addressed Anglo-Dutch relationships in a variety of ways. The chapter explores intellectual networks and ties between women and men in England and the Dutch Republic; women stationers who moved between England and the Dutch Republic; and women’s poems about the other country. Using theories of the public sphere, the chapter examines how their work represented them as figures with public standing. They show the need for cross-cultural and transnational approaches that acknowledge the rich variety with which women looked across the Channel.
‘On the Picture of Ye Prisoner’
Authors: Chalmers Hero
Published: December 2022

This chapter offers a fresh reading of Lucy Hutchinson’s elegies, composed after her husband’s death in prison in 1664. It focuses on showing how these poems draw on the royalist hagiography, Eikon Basilike (1649), printed to coincide with the execution of the king, Charles I. Much as Eikon Basilike has been read as crafted to appeal to a spectrum of political opinion then, Lucy Hutchinson’s appropriations of the king’s image in responding to her husband’s plight may be read as available to readers whose political sympathies eschew straightforward binarism. Hutchinson does not only repurpose the language and visual iconography of Eikon Basilike in order to represent John Hutchinson as the true exemplum of a devout, suffering, imprisoned prince. Her elegies use the same language and imagery to characterise her own experience as a grieving widow. Such an approach constitutes a hitherto undetected aspect of her exploration of the illicit nature of excessive grief.
Non-Elite Women and the Network, 1600–1700
Authors: Wiseman Susan
Published: December 2022

This chapter asks how helpful is it to place non-elite women’s writing in relation to networks, taking this as a vantage point from which to examine key approaches to non-elite writing to date. The chapter uses three case studies—Isabella Whitney; exchanges between women and servants; and women in the Muggletonian network—to explore assumptions about non-elite women’s writing; which networks become visible in print, the inevitable privileging of religious networks and the ramifications of that; the place of women in non-elite writing studies; and the question of with whom we can expect women to be networking regularly and the nature of networks that include women of different status. Thinking about when and how non-elite women’s networks become visible allows us to see social relations expressed in a range of discourses where different motivations and crises shape women as writers, and others that show non-elite women as speakers, agents, and writers.
‘A Telescope for the Mind’
Authors: Flanders Julia
Published: December 2022

Digital methodologies in general emerge in large part out of the study of marginalised groups, as part of early initiatives to bring these margins into visibility through what was at the time viewed as a democratising set of technological affordances. In exploring digital methodologies for early women's writing, we are both appropriating tools whose deepest ideological entailments are with global systems of power, and also working within a long tradition of such appropriations, a history that has been directly shaped by the study of early women's writing and other ‘peripheral’ traditions. This chapter focuses on key methodological areas of particular relevance to early modern women’s writing: text markup, data modelling, and digital traditions of scholarly editing; large-scale data analysis; and network analysis. In addition to examining these major methodological spaces, this chapter considers their pedagogical inflections as well as the major challenges that face scholars of early modern women's writing.
Editing Early Modern Women’s Writing
Authors: Salzman Paul
Published: December 2022

This chapter explores how the theory and practice of editing early modern women’s writing intersects with a series of advances, critiques, and crises in editorial methods generally. The trajectory of editing early modern women has been reconfigured after scholars such as Margaret Ezell pointed to a longer, more rigorous history of the visibility of early modern women’s writing during the nineteenth century. This richer history feeds into the story we now tell about the reception of early modern women’s writing and its ‘recovery’ during the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This chapter explores the tensions between a drive towards pedagogy, and an at times counter-movement that involves academic editing. The chapter outlines some of these innovations and explores how they have been brought about by the specific requirements of early modern women’s writing, and how far they have reached into the scholarly and teaching community as a whole.
Chronology in Iron Age Europe
Authors: Haselgrove Colin , Rebay-Salisbury Katharina , Wells Peter S.
Published: December 2022

This chapter begins by examining how understandings of the duration of the European Iron Age vary and the factors shaping these perceptions, from the date at which iron was adopted, to the divergent trajectories of different regions consequent on the rise of Greece and Rome. An array of chronological schemes and terminologies have developed across Europe, not always compatible with one another. Many periodizations, including the Hallstatt–La Tène system of western and central Europe, are grounded in cultural historical models elaborated over a century ago from basic typological and stratigraphic principles. The chapter examines the methods used to construct relative and absolute chronologies for the Iron Age, from historical cross-dating to modern scientific techniques, and reviews their strengths and weaknesses. Finally it explores how the chronological precision made possible by the increasingly widespread adoption of Bayesian approaches is fast transforming how we study the period.
Kinase MxMPK4-1 and calmodulin-binding protein MxIQM3 enhance apple root acidification during Fe deficiency
Authors: Sun Qiran , Zhai Longmei , Zhao Danrui , Gao Min , Wu Yue , Wu Ting , Zhang Xinzhong , Xu Xuefeng , Han Zhenhai , Wang Yi
Published: December 2022

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a long-standing issue in plant mineral nutrition. Ca2+ signals and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade are frequently activated in parallel to perceive external cues, but their interplay under Fe deficiency stress remains largely unclear. Here, the kinase MxMPK4-1, which is induced during the response to Fe deficiency stress in apple rootstock Malus xiaojinensis, cooperates with IQ-motif containing protein3 (MxIQM3). MxIQM3 gene expression, protein abundance, and phosphorylation level increased under Fe deficiency stress. The overexpression of MxIQM3 in apple calli and rootstocks mitigated the Fe deficiency phenotype and improved stress tolerance, whereas RNA interference or silencing of MxIQM3 in apple calli and rootstocks, respectively, worsened the phenotype and reduced tolerance to Fe deficiency. MxMPK4-1 interacted with MxIQM3 and subsequently phosphorylated MxIQM3 at Ser393, and co-expression of MxMPK4-1 and MxIQM3 in apple calli and rootstocks enhanced Fe deficiency responses. Furthermore, MxIQM3 interacted with the central-loop region of the plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase MxHA2. Phospho-mimicking mutation of MxIQM3 at Ser393 inhibited binding to MxHA2, but phospho-abolishing mutation promoted interaction with both the central-loop and C terminus of MxHA2, demonstrating phosphorylation of MxIQM3 caused dissociation from MxHA2 and therefore increased H+ secretion. Moreover, Ca2+/MxCAM7 (Calmodulin7) regulated the MxMPK4-1-MxIQM3 module in response to Fe deficiency stress. Overall, our results demonstrate that MxMPK4-1-MxIQM3 forms a functional complex and positively regulates PM H+-ATPase activity in Fe deficiency responses, revealing a versatile mechanism of Ca2+/MxCAM7 signaling and MAPK cascade under Fe deficiency stress.
Efficacy of subcutaneous vs intravenous infliximab in rheumatoid arthritis: a post-hoc analysis of a randomized phase III trial
Authors: Constantin Arnaud , Caporali Roberto , Edwards Christopher J , Fonseca João Eurico , Iannone Florenzo , Keystone Edward , Schulze-Koops Hendrik , Kwon Taek , Kim Seungmin , Yoon SangWook , Kim Dong-Hyeon , Park Gahee , Yoo Dae Hyun
Published: December 2022

Objectives

The primary endpoint of the pivotal phase III study of infliximab (IFX) s.c. demonstrated non-inferiority of s.c. to i.v. IFX, based on 28-joint DAS-CRP (DAS28-CRP) improvement at week (W) 22 (NCT03147248). This post-hoc analysis investigated whether numerical differences in efficacy outcomes at W30/54 were statistically significant, using conservative imputation methods.

Methods

Patients with active RA and inadequate response to MTX received IFX i.v. 3 mg/kg at W0 and W2 (induction) and were randomized (1:1) to IFX s.c. 120 mg every 2 weeks or i.v. 3 mg/kg every 8 weeks thereafter (maintenance). Patients randomized to IFX i.v. switched to IFX s.c. from W30–54. This post-hoc analysis compared efficacy outcomes for s.c. and i.v. groups pre-switch (W30) and post-switch (W54) using last observation carried forward (LOCF) and non-responder imputation (NRI) methods.

Results

Of 343 randomized patients, 165 (IFX s.c.) and 174 (IFX i.v.) were analysed. At W30, significantly improved outcomes were identified with s.c. vs i.v. IFX for DAS28-CRP/DAS28-ESR/Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)/Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) scores (LOCF); ACR/good EULAR responses, DAS28-CRP/Boolean remission, and DAS28-CRP/DAS28-ESR/CDAI/SDAI low disease activity and remission (LOCF and/or NRI); and minimal clinically important difference in HAQ score (LOCF and NRI). After switching to IFX s.c. from IFX i.v., fewer significant between-group differences were identified at W54.

Conclusion

IFX s.c. showed improved efficacy at W30 compared with IFX i.v., and the reduced between-group difference in efficacy outcomes at W54 after switching supports the results suggesting benefits of IFX s.c. compared with IFX i.v. at W30.

Trial registration

ClincialTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03147248, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03147248.
First Report of Phytophthora nicotianae Causing Leaf Necrosis on Magnolia ‘Butterflies’ in a Virginia Ornamental Plant Nursery
Authors: Bily Devin , McClelland Beth
Published: December 2022

Magnolia ‘Butterflies’ is a hybrid cultivar resulting from a cross between M. acuminata and M. denudata. On July 6, 2021, during a survey at a Fairfax County, VA ornamental plant nursery, 6 out of 11 plants in 18.9-liter pots exhibited leaf necrosis and premature senescence on the lower branches. Phytophthora nicotianae was identified as the causal agent by morphology and sequencing. A segment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) was deposited in Genbank under accession numbers ON586858 and ON605612, respectively. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by an attached leaf, living plant inoculation trial. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this species causing foliar necrosis on Magnolia ‘Butterflies’ in a nursery or in the field. Further pathogenicity tests are needed to understand whether hybrids of Magnolia differ in susceptibility to infection when compared with their progenitors.
Slim Modiolar Electrode Placement in Candidates for Electroacoustic Stimulation
Authors: Kay-Rivest Emily , Winchester Arianna , McMenomey Sean O. , Jethanamest Daniel , Roland J. Thomas , Friedmann David R.
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

To determine rates of hearing preservation and performance in patients who met candidacy for electroacoustic stimulation (EAS) and were implanted with a slim modiolar electrode (CI532 or CI632).

Design:

Adult patients meeting Food and Drug Administration criteria for electroacoustic stimulation (preoperative low-frequency pure-tone average [LFPTA] less than 60 dB at 125, 250, and 500 Hz and monosyllabic word scores between 10% and 60% in the ear to be implanted), who received a slim modiolar electrode were included. Main outcome measures included rates of hearing preservation, defined as a LFPTA ≤80 dB at 125, 250, and 500 Hz, as well as postoperative low-frequency pure-tone threshold shifts, consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) word scores and AzBio sentences in noise scores.

Results:

Forty-six patients met inclusion criteria during a 4-year period. Mean (standard deviation) preoperative LFPTA was 34.5 (13.0) dB, and 71.7% had preserved hearing at initial activation. The mean LFPTA shift in patients who preserved hearing at initial activation was 19.7 (14.6) dB, compared with 62.6 (17.7) dB in patients who did not preserve hearing as per our definition. Perioperative steroid use was not different in patients with and without preserved hearing (X2 (1, N = 46) = 0.19, p = .67, V = 0.06). One year after surgery, 57% of patients had a decline in LFPTA >80 dB and were no longer considered candidates for EAS, with 34.7% still retaining low-frequency thresholds ≤80 dB. CNC word scores at 1 year were 69.9% and 61.4% among individuals with and without preserved low-frequency hearing respectively, measured in their CI ear alone, in their regular listening condition of EAS or electric only (t(32) = 1.13, p = 0.27, d = 0.39, 95% CI = –6.51, 22.86). Device use time did not differ between groups. Among adults with preserved residual hearing at 1 year (n = 16), 44% used EAS, although there was no significant difference in performance between EAS users and nonusers with preserved hearing. Loss of residual hearing over time did not result in a decline in speech perception performance.

Conclusion:

The present study demonstrated favorable early rates of hearing preservation with a slim modiolar array. Performance was not significantly different in individuals with and without preserved low-frequency acoustic hearing, independent of EAS use. Compared with reports of short electrode use, the loss of residual hearing in patients implanted with this array did not impact speech perception performance.
Auditory Environments and Hearing Aid Feature Activation Among Younger and Older Listeners in an Urban and Rural Area
Authors: Jorgensen Erik , Xu Jingjing , Chipara Octav , Oleson Jacob , Galster Jason , Wu Yu-Hsiang
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation between younger listeners with normal hearing and older listeners with hearing loss in an urban and rural location. We hypothesized that (1) urban dwellers and younger listeners would encounter more diverse and demanding auditory environments than rural dwellers and older listeners, respectively; (2) the advanced hearing aid features (noise reduction and directional microphone) of urban dwellers and younger listeners would be activated more frequently than rural dwellers and older listeners, respectively.

Design:

The design of this study was cross-sectional with repeated measures. A total of 12 older adults with hearing loss (OHL-U) and 11 younger adults with normal hearing (YNH-U) were recruited from an urban area (Berkeley, California) and 13 older adults with hearing loss (OHL-R) and 10 YNH-U were recruited from a rural area (Iowa City, Iowa). Participants wore hearing aids that recorded data about their listening environments and completed ecological momentary assessments for 1 week.

Results:

The YNH-U group experienced higher sound pressure levels and hearing aid features were activated more frequently than in the OHL groups. The OHL-R group experienced significantly less diverse sound pressure levels than the YNH-U group. The YNH-R group had sound levels between the YNH-U group and the OHL groups but without significant differences from any other group. The YNH groups showed a greater likelihood of hearing aid feature activation than the OHL-R group.

Conclusions:

Demographics affect auditory environments and the activation of hearing aid features. Younger urban dwellers have the most diverse or demanding auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation, and older, rural dwellers with hearing loss have the least diverse or demanding auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation. Future studies of real-world auditory environments and audiology intervention effectiveness should consider location in recruitment and interpretation of results.
Benefits of Text Supplementation on Sentence Recognition and Subjective Ratings With and Without Facial Cues for Listeners With Normal Hearing
Authors: Zhong Ling , Ricketts Todd A. , Roberts Richard A. , Picou Erin M.
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

Recognizing speech through telecommunication can be challenging in unfavorable listening conditions. Text supplementation or provision of facial cues can facilitate speech recognition under some circumstances. However, our understanding of the combined benefit of text and facial cues in telecommunication is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential benefit of text supplementation for sentence recognition scores and subjective ratings of spoken speech with and without facial cues available.

Design:

Twenty adult females (M = 24 years, range 21 to 29 years) with normal hearing performed a sentence recognition task and also completed a subjective rating questionnaire in 24 conditions. The conditions varied by integrity of the available facial cues (clear facial cues, slight distortion facial cues, great distortion facial cues, no facial cues), signal-to-noise ratio (quiet, +1 dB, −3 dB), and text availability (with text, without text). When present, the text was an 86 to 88% accurate transcription of the auditory signal presented at a 500 ms delay relative to the auditory signal.

Results:

The benefits of text supplementation were largest when facial cues were not available and when the signal-to-noise ratio was unfavorable. Although no recognition score benefit was present in quiet, recognition benefit was significant in all levels of background noise for all levels of facial cue integrity. Moreover, participant subjective ratings of text benefit were robust and present even in the absence of recognition benefit. Consistent with previous literature, facial cues were beneficial for sentence recognition scores in the most unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio, even when greatly distorted. It is interesting that, although all levels of facial cues were beneficial for recognition scores, participants rated a significant benefit only with clear facial cues.

Conclusions:

The benefit of text for auditory-only and auditory-visual speech recognition is evident in recognition scores and subjective ratings; the benefit is larger and more robust for subjective ratings than for scores. Therefore, text supplementation might provide benefit that extends beyond speech recognition scores. Combined, these findings support the use of text supplementation in telecommunication, even when facial cues are concurrently present, such as during teleconferencing or watching television.
Efficacy of Tailor-Made Notched Music Training Versus Tinnitus Retraining Therapy in Adults With Chronic Subjective Tinnitus: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Tong Zhaopeng , Deng Wenting , Huang Xiayin , Dong Hanwen , Li Jiahong , Zhao Fei , Chen Guisheng , Zhou Xueqing , Li Hongyu , Lan Liping , Huang Hemei , Chen Yu-Chen , Zheng Yiqing , Cai Yuexin
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

Chronic subjective tinnitus can have a serious effect on daily life, even causing serious psychological disorders. Currently there are no specific effective solutions or cures. Tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT) is a recently proposed sound therapy that has simpler processes and a higher compliance rate than tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), a widely used treatment for chronic subjective tinnitus. This study explores the therapeutic effect of TMNMT in comparison to TRT to highlight its clinical value.

Design:

The study was a randomized controlled, single-blinded clinical trial. One hundred twenty eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive TMNMT (n = 60) or TRT (n = 60) for 3 mo with concurrent follow-up. It should be noted that the duration of sound treatment in TRT was modified to 2 hr per day for better feasibility in practice. The primary outcome was mean change in tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) measured at baseline (T
0), 1 mo (T
1) and 3 mo (T
2) after intervention. Change in visual analog scale (VAS) was measured as a secondary outcome. A comparison of therapeutic effectiveness between TMNMT and TRT was evaluated by repeated measure analysis of variance.

Results:

One hundred and twelve (93%) of participants took part in the study, of which 64 were men and 48 women. Mean (SD) age was 42.80 (12.91) years. Fifty-eight were allocated to receive TMNMT and 54 to receive TRT. The between-group difference in primary outcome was −6.90 points (95% confidence interval [CI], −13.53 to −0.27) at T
1 and −6.17 points (95% CI, −13.04 to 0.71) at T
2. These results closely reached to clinical significance of tinnitus-related effective relief. For the secondary outcome, the mean value in the TMNMT group was 0.83 points (95% CI, 0.12 to 1.54), significantly lower than the mean value of the TRT group. The differences in THI and VAS between the two groups were statistically significant after intervention. Further analysis showed that age and baseline THI and VAS scores were associated with change in THI and VAS scores after interventions.

Conclusions:

Both TMNMT and TRT were able to alleviate chronic subjective tinnitus effectively after a 3 month intervention. When the two forms of therapy were compared TMNMT appeared to be more effective and consequently potentially superior to TRT for reducing tinnitus loudness and functional and emotional disturbance associated with chronic subjective tinnitus.
American Radium Society (ARS) Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Tchelebi Leila T. , Jethwa Krishan R. , Levy Anna T. , Anker Christopher J. , Kennedy Timothy , Grodstein Elliot , Hallemeier Christopher L. , Jabbour Salma K. , Kim Ed , Kumar Rachit , Lee Percy , Small William , Williams Vonetta M. , Sharma Navesh , Russo Suzanne
Published: December 2022

Although uncommon, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) is a deadly malignancy, and the treatment approaches remain controversial. While surgery remains the only cure, few patients are candidates for resection up front, and there are high rates of both local and distant failure following resection. Herein, we systematically review the available evidence regarding treatment approaches for patients with EHCC, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The evidence regarding treatment outcomes was assessed using the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, and Study design (PICOS) framework. A summary of recommendations based on the available literature is outlined for specific clinical scenarios encountered by providers in the clinic to guide the management of these patients.
Disruption to Education During COVID-19: School Nonacademic Factors Are Associated with Children's Mental Health
Authors: Tsujimoto Kimberley C. , Cost Katherine Tombeau , Laforge-Mackenzie Kaitlyn , Anagnostou Evdokia , Birken Catherine S , Charach Alice , Monga Suneeta , Kelley Elizabeth , Nicolson Rob , Georgiadis Stelios , Lee Nicole , Osokin Konstantin , Burton Christie , Crosbie Jennifer , Korczak Daphne
Published: December 2022

Objective:

Few studies have examined aspects of the school environment, beyond modality, as contributors to child and youth mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. We investigated associations between nonacademic school experiences and children's mental health.

Methods:

Parents of children ages 6 to 18 years completed online surveys about school experiences (November 2020) and mental health (February/March 2021). Parent-reported and child-reported school experiences (i.e., nonacademic factors) included school importance, adapting to public health measures, and school connectedness. Children's mental health symptoms of depression, anxiety, inattention, and hyperactivity were collected using standardized parent-reported measures.

Results:

Children's (N = 1052) self-reported and parent-reported nonacademic factors were associated with mental health outcomes, after adjusting for demographics and previous mental health. Lower importance, worse adapting to school changes, and less school connectedness were associated with greater depressive symptoms (B = −4.68, CI [−6.04, −3.67] to −8.73 CI [−11.47, 5.99]). Lower importance and worse adapting were associated with greater anxiety symptoms (B = −0.83, CI [−1.62, −0.04] to −1.04 CI [−1.60, −0.48]). Lower importance was associated with greater inattention (B = −4.75, CI [−6.60, −2.90] to −6.37, CI [−11.08, −7.50]). Lower importance and worse adapting were associated with greater hyperactivity (B = −1.86, CI [−2.96, −0.77] to −4.71, CI [−5.95, −3.01]).

Conclusion:

Schools offer learning opportunities that extend beyond curriculum content and are a primary environment where children and youth develop connections with others. These aspects of school, beyond academics, should be recognized as key correlates of child and youth mental health.
Treatment of Upper Facial Lines With DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection: Results From an Open-Label Phase 2 Study
Authors: Dover Jeffrey S. , Humphrey Shannon D. , Lorenc Z. Paul , Shamban Ava , Gross Todd M. , Rubio Roman G. , Vitarella Domenico
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND

Simultaneous treatment of moderate-to-severe upper facial lines is reflective of real-world clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm for injection (DAXI) for simultaneous treatment of glabellar, forehead, and lateral canthal (LC) lines.

METHODS

In this open-label, single-arm Phase 2 study, patients (48 enrolled, 94% completed, follow-up 24–36 weeks) received DAXI 40U (glabellar), 32U (forehead), and 48U (LC) lines. Key efficacy endpoints: percentages of patients achieving none/mild wrinkle severity (investigator-rated) for each upper facial line scale at Week 4.

RESULTS

At Week 4, most patients achieved none/mild wrinkle severity (investigator-rated): glabellar (96%), forehead (96%), and LC (92%). Median times to loss of none/mild response (investigator- and patient-rated) among all patients were: 24.6 (glabellar), 20.9 (forehead), and 24.9 (LC) weeks; and 25.0, 24.0, and 28.1 weeks, respectively, among Week-4 responders. At Week 4, most patients reported improvements (Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale: 96%-98%) and high satisfaction rates (85%-98%). Five patients experienced treatment-related adverse events: injection-site erythema (3 patients/7 events), facial discomfort (2 patients/2 events), and headache (1 patient/1 event). No patients experienced eyebrow or eyelid ptosis.

CONCLUSION

Simultaneous treatment of upper facial lines with DAXI was well tolerated and demonstrated high response rates, extended duration, and high patient satisfaction.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04259086.
Gender Disparities in Reimbursement Among Dermatologists and Dermatologic Surgeons
Authors: Bhala Sonia , Rubin Alexandra , Srivastava Radhika , Firoz Bahar
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND

Previous literature supports a disparity in income between male and female physicians across multiple specialties, even when controlling for variables such as working hours, maternity leave, and productivity.

OBJECTIVE

To understand if income disparity exists between male and female general dermatologists (GDs), and in dermatologists who completed a dermatologic surgical fellowship.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The authors surveyed members of the American Academy of Dermatology, including 66 dermatologic surgeons (DSs) (34 male and 32 female DSs) and 252 GDs (119 male and 133 female GDs), on questions related to total annual income, demographics, current employment, and time spent providing patient care. A logarithmic ordinal regression model was used to analyze income and the effect of different variables.

RESULTS

Male GDs were 2.46 times more likely than female GDs to be in a higher income category (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44–4.23). There was no significant difference between the incomes of male and female DSs (male-to-female odds ratio: 1.46, CI: −0.44 to 1.23). These findings did not change when variables of age, median patient visits, and hours worked were controlled for.

CONCLUSION

Income gender inequality exists among GDs. However, this inequality does not seem to extend to DSs.
Spot Reduction of Localized Fat Deposits on the Lateral Thighs by Simultaneous Emission of Synchronized Radiofrequency and High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic Energy: Magnetic Resonance Multicenter Study
Authors: Palm Melanie D. , Halaas Yael , Kinney Brian M. , Goldfarb Richard
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND

Unwanted lateral fat most prominently affects the female population and may cause self-esteem issues.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effectiveness and safety of synchronized high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) + radiofrequency (RF) for the treatment of lateral thigh adipose tissue.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety-three subjects (21–70 year old) received 4, 30-minute HIFEM + RF treatments of the lateral thighs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the treated area was obtained at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months post-treatment to document the changes in fat layer thickness. Furthermore, digital photographs, circumference measurements of the lateral thighs, subjects' satisfaction questionnaires, and therapy safety and comfort were documented.

RESULTS

Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a significant reduction of fat tissue in the saddlebag region peaking at 3 months (−18 ± 5.5 mm; N = 51). The thigh circumference measured at 3 predefined levels decreased on average by 2.3 cm, with the greatest change at the level of 10 cm below the infragluteal fold (−3.5 cm, 3-month follow-up). Results were maintained at 6 months. No adverse events were recorded. The therapy was found comfortable with a high satisfaction rate.

CONCLUSION

High-intensity focused electromagnetic + RF treatment to the lateral thigh area demonstrated effectiveness in long-term fat thickness reduction by MRI imaging. Secondary endpoint showed simultaneous effectiveness and safety.
A New Technique for Chondrolaryngoplasty in Patients Assigned Female at Birth
Authors: Zeng Yan , Jiao Hu , Yang Jifan , Fan Jincai , Liu Liqiang , Gan Cheng , Jia Tian , Yang Zengjie , Zhou Lu , Zhang Tiran , Han Bing , Su Zhiguo
Published: December 2022

Background

Chondrolaryngoplasty is a classical facial feminization surgery for transgender women. In recent years, however, an increasing number of patients assigned female at birth are seeking chondrolaryngoplasty for esthetic purposes. Traditional chondrolaryngoplasty can no longer cope with problems of the growing group whose leading cause of laryngeal prominence differs from the transgender population.

Methods

A modified technique is designed as a supplement to the classical procedure. After the cartilage reduction process, paired platysma flaps are raised and advanced successively, resulting in an overlapped area over the thyroid notch, to further camouflage the thyroid prominence. To evaluate the efficiency of the new technique, a retrospective survey of 34 patients (5 men and 29 women) who underwent the surgery from 2016 to 2021 was performed, via a 5-point Likert scale including 7 questions. Physician assessment was also accomplished to provide an extra estimation. Complications were followed up and analyzed to evaluate the safety of modified surgery as well.

Results

Although only half of the patients graded prominence changes more than “moderately changed,” as many as 75.0% of them still expressed “completely satisfied” or “satisfied very much” with the outcome. Similarly, physician assessment indicated a satisfactory result in appearance improvement. No severe and irreversible complications occurred after surgery, but lasting scar-related issues were reported by 4 patients and should be paid more attention to.

Conclusions

Generally speaking, the new technique is both safe, efficient, and satisfying for most patients, especially ones assigned females at birth with esthetic demand.
Selective Repair of Motor Branches in the Femoral Nerve by Transferring the Motor Branches of Obturator Nerve
Authors: Liu Qing , Deng Xiaobing , Hou Zhiping , Xu Lei , Zhang Youlai
Published: December 2022

Background

Anterior branch of the obturator nerve transfer has been proven as an effective method for femoral nerve injuries, but the patient still has difficulty in rising and squatting, up and downstairs. Here, we presented a novel neurotization procedure of selectively repairing 3 motor branches of the femoral nerve by transferring motor branches of the obturator nerve in the thigh level and assessing its anatomical feasibility.

Methods

Eight adult cadavers (16 thighs) were dissected. The nerve overlap distance between the gracilis branch and the rectus femoris (RF) branch, the adductor longus (AL) branch and the vastus medialis (VM) branch, as well as the adductor magnus (AM) branch and the vastus intermedius (VI) branch were measured. Also, the axon counts of the donor and recipient nerve were evaluated by histological evaluation.

Results

In all specimens, nerve overlap of at least 2.1 cm was observed in all 16 dissected thighs between the donor and recipient nerve branches, and the repair appeared to be without tension. There is no significant difference in the axon counts between gracilis branch (598 ± 83) and the RF branch (709 ± 151). The axon counts of the AL branch (601 ± 93) was about half of axon counts of the VM branch (1423 ± 189), and the axon counts of AM branch (761 ± 110) was also about half of the VI branch (1649 ± 281).

Conclusions

This novel technique of the combined nerve transfers below the inguinal ligament, specifically the gracilis branch to the RF branch, the AL branch to the VM branch, and the AM branch to the VI branch, is anatomically feasible. It provides a promising alternative in the repair of femoral nerve injuries and an anatomical basis for the clinical application of motor branches of the obturator nerve transfer to repair the motor portion of the injured femoral nerve.