bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Profile of Patients with Thalamic Hemorrhage according to Lesion Localization
Authors: Temel Musa , Polat Busra S.A. , Kayali Nuriye , Karadas Omer
Published: May 2021

Background: The thalamus is known as the central sensory and motor relay station of the brain generally. However, cognitive decline due to thalamic lesions has been previously reported in different studies. Also, it has been observed that different cognitive subdomains are affected according to the localization of the lesion in the thalamus. Objectives and Methods: Detailed neurophysiological tests were performed on 28 patients with thalamic hemorrhage and the control group. Patients were grouped according to lesion localization. The results were compared with both the control group and the hemorrhage groups themselves. Results: The performance of patients in all neuropsychological tests was significantly worse than that of the control group. Of the 28 patients, 15 had anterolateral, 5 had posterolateral, 5 had dorsal, and 3 had an anteromedial thalamic hemorrhage. The anteromedial group had the worst scores of almost all tests. Also, 2 situations came to notice in these tests. First, the posterolateral group achieved a remarkably low mean in the recall subgroup of the MMSE tests and verbal memory process tests. Second, the anterolateral group was found to have a low mean in both the language subgroup of the MMSE tests and the phonemic subgroup of the verbal fluency tests. Conclusion: It was concluded in this study that thalamic hemorrhages affect cognition entirely regardless of the lesion localization. It was also observed that the lateral part of the thalamus was associated with language, the posterior part with memory, and the anteromedial part with the rest of the cognitive subdomains.
Supportive Hepatocyte Transplantation after Partial Hepatectomy Enhances Liver Regeneration in a Preclinical Pig Model
Authors: Oldhafer Felix , Wittauer Eva-Maria , Beetz Oliver , Weigle Clara A. , Sieg Lion , Eismann Hendrik , Braubach Peter , Bock Michael , Jonigk Danny , Johanning Kai , Vondran Florian Wolfgang Rudolf
Published: May 2021

Background: Hepatocyte transplantation (HTx) is regarded as a potential treatment modality for various liver diseases including acute liver failure. We developed a preclinical pig model to evaluate if HTx could safely support recovery from liver function impairment after partial hepatectomy. Methods: Pigs underwent partial hepatectomy with reduction of the liver volume by 50% to induce a transient but significant impairment of liver function. Thereafter, 2 protocols for HTx were evaluated and compared to a control group receiving liver resection only (group 1, n = 5). Portal pressure-controlled HTx was performed either immediately after surgery (group 2, n = 6) or 3 days postoperatively (group 3, n = 5). In all cases, liver regeneration was monitored by conventional laboratory tests and the novel noninvasive maximum liver function capacity (LiMAx) test with a follow-up of 4 weeks. Results: Partial hepatectomy significantly impaired liver function according to conventional liver function tests as well as LiMAx in all groups. A mean of 4.10 ± 1.1 × 108 and 3.82 ± 0.7 × 108 hepatocytes were transplanted in groups 2 and 3, respectively. All animals remained stable with respect to vital parameters during and after HTx. The animals in group 2 showed enhanced liver regeneration as observed by mean postoperative LiMAx values (621.5 vs. 331.3 μg/kg/h on postoperative day 7; p < 0.001) whereas HTx in group 3 led to a significant increase in mean liver-specific coagulation factor VII (112.2 vs. 54.0% on postoperative day 7; p = 0.003) compared to controls (group 1), respectively. In both experimental groups, thrombotic material was observed in the portal veins and pulmonary arteries on histology, despite the absence of clinical symptoms. Conclusion: HTx can be performed safely and effectively immediately after a partial (50%) hepatectomy as well as 3 days postoperatively, with comparable results regarding the enhancement of liver function and regeneration.
Low power network on chip architectures: A survey
Authors: Raza Naqvi Muhammad
Published: May 2021

Mostly communication now days is done through SoC (system on chip) models so, NoC (network on chip) architecture is most appropriate solution for better performance. However, one of major flaws in this architecture is power consumption. To gain high performance through this type of architecture it is necessary to confirm power consumption while designing this. Use of power should be diminished in every region of network chip architecture. Lasting power consumption can be lessened by reaching alterations in network routers and other devices used to form that network. This research mainly focusses on state-of-the-art methods for designing NoC architecture and techniques to reduce power consumption in those architectures like, network architecture, network links between nodes, network design, and routers.
Vernacular Cosmologies: Models of the Universe in Old English Literature
Authors: Parker Sarah Jeanne S.
Published: May 2021

This article describes a tradition of early medieval cosmological thought in the prose and poetry of the Old English corpus. This Old English cosmology uses a small set of cosmological building blocks and a relatively limited vocabulary to describe and explore a variety of structural models of the Universe. In these texts – which include but are not limited to the Old English Prose Boethius, Ælfric’s De temporibus Anni, the Old English Phoenix, and The Order of the World – each structural model relies on a combination of terms for heaven, the firmament, and a cosmic-scale ocean and seafloor. These models, each distinct, appear to fall into two loose categories which may represent two schools of thought in vernacular cosmology.
Metabolomic Expression of Laryngeal and Hindlimb Muscles in Adult versus Senescent Rats
Authors: Shembel Adrianna C. , Siu Yik , Lhakhang Tenzin , Ash Leonard , Jones Drew , Johnson Aaron M.
Published: May 2021

Objectives:

(1) Determine the feasibility of obtaining a global, unbiased metabolomic profile on laryngeal muscle in a rat model; (2) evaluate the impact of biological aging on the laryngeal metabolome; and (3) characterize biochemical expression differences between aged and non-aged laryngeal and hindlimb muscle.

Methods:

Thyroarytenoid laryngeal muscle and plantaris hindlimb muscle were harvested from 5 young adult (9 months old) and 5 older adult (32 months old) F344BN rats. Tissue was processed and analyzed using LC-MS methods. Detected metabolites were compared to widely used metabolite databases and KEGG pathway enrichment was performed on significant metabolites.

Results:

The greatest differences in metabolite expression were between laryngeal and limb muscle with 126 different metabolites found between laryngeal and limb within the young group and 149 different metabolites within the old group. Significant hits between muscle groups highlighted amino acid differences between these tissues. There were more robust differences with age in limb muscle compared to laryngeal muscle.

Conclusions:

Amino acid metabolism is a key difference between muscles of the limbs and larynx. Due to the number of differentially expressed metabolites between the 2 muscle groups, caution should be exercised when applying skeletal limb muscle physiology and biology concepts to the vocal muscles in both aged and non-aged musculoskeletal systems. Mechanisms underlying less robust effects of age on laryngeal muscle compared to limb muscle require elucidation.
Depression and Intolerance of Uncertainty: Association with Decisional Conflict in Otolaryngology Patients
Authors: Cleveland Chelsea , Newby Maxwell , Steinman Shari , Wanstreet Tyler , Callaham Sarah , Razdan Reena , Coutras Steven , Patel Rusha , Carr Michele M.
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To determine if anxiety, stress, depression, worry, and intolerance of uncertainty were related to pre-operative decisional conflict (DC), shared decision making (SDM), or demographic variables in adult otolaryngology surgical patients.

Methods:

Consecutive adult patients meeting criteria for otolaryngological surgery were recruited and completed DC and SDM scales, Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).

Results:

The cohort included 118 patients, 61 (51.7%) males and 57 (48.3%) females. Surgery was planned for a benign process in 90 (76.3%) and 46 (39.3%) had previous otolaryngologic surgery. SDM and DC scores did not significantly differ across gender, age, education level, previous otolaryngologic surgery or whether or not surgery was for malignancy. Patients with no malignancy had significantly higher DASS-21 Stress scores (mean 12.94 vs 8.15, P < .05) and total IUS-12 scores (mean 28.63 vs 25.56, P = .004). Women had lower PSWQ scores (41.56 vs 50.87 for men, P = .006). IUS-12 and PSWQ declined with age. DC scores correlated positively with DASS-21 Depression ( r = .256, P = .008) and IUS-12 scores ( r = .214, P = .024). SDM correlated negatively with DASS-21 Depression ( r = −.208, P = .030). Linear regression model for DC scores revealed a significant relationship with DASS depression ( B = 0.674, P = .048).

Conclusion:

Preoperative decisional conflict is associated with increased depression and intolerance of uncertainty in adults undergoing otolaryngologic surgery. Screening for and management of depression, anxiety, and related concerns may improve surgical outcomes in this group.
School Counseling Programs Identifying Academic Development Needs
Authors: Parzych Jennifer L. , Generali Margaret , Yavuz Olcay
Published: May 2021

This study examined student, parent, and faculty perceptions of academic development needs and related comprehensive school counseling program services from four urban middle and high schools. Participants ( n = 1,032) completed a survey designed to assist schools in planning and evaluating their career and college readiness programs, and exploring perceived student support needs. Statistically significant differences were observed in stakeholder perceptions among 12 identified interventions that support improved academic development, through factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise comparisons analysis. Findings provide valuable information about prioritizing student academic counseling services strategically and effectively, to meet program needs of students in high-poverty schools.
Assessment of the Culture of Care working with laboratory animals by using a comprehensive survey tool
Authors: Bertelsen Thomas , Øvlisen Kirstine
Published: May 2021

The term Culture of Care, within the scientific community using laboratory animals, is being used more and more frequently after it was introduced in the EU Directive 2010/63/EU, where it is phrased as a ‘climate of care’, which became effective in national legislation from January 2013. However, there is a risk that the term could become a meaningless phrase if no agreed local definition of the term exists at the animal facility (called establishment in the EU Directive). This paper presents a comprehensive survey tool that provides a means to describe what the Culture of Care in an establishment looks like. The tool is one of the elements that can contribute to the overall picture of the culture; however, it cannot stand alone. Together with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Culture of Care (e.g. key performance indicators) and a description of the outcomes and achievements in terms of animal welfare and the 3Rs (Replace, Reduce, Refine), the survey tool will constitute a comprehensive picture. The survey tool offers a multilevel and comprehensive view of different subcultures, presenting details on mindset and behaviour of the employees and the different relations within the culture, thus enabling the initiation of improvement projects if required. The tool addresses essential elements of a co-operative culture in terms of what we think, what we do and how we work together.
Adding a New Dimension to Grief Counseling: Creative Personal Ritual as a Therapeutic Tool for Loss, Trauma and Transition
Authors: Daniel Terri
Published: May 2021

This article explores the use of creative personal rituals and ceremonies for accepting loss, managing strong emotions and inviting the sacred into the grief journey. These tools can help clinicians incorporate spirituality and multi-cultural modalities into a grief counseling practice, and can be used effectively by both intuitive and instrumental grievers. The use of ritual and ceremony can also help end-of-life and bereavement professionals become more present for the dying, and more competent in spiritual meaning-making for the bereaved
Chest sonography versus chest radiograph in children admitted to paediatric intensive care – A prospective study
Authors: Sachdev Anil , Khatri Anuj , Saxena Kamal K , Gupta Dhiren , Gupta Neeraj , Menon Geetha R
Published: May 2021

There is a paucity of studies on the correlation between chest radiograph and ultrasound (US) in children. Our objective was to study the correlation between bedside chest radiograph and ultrasound findings in 413 children with 1002 episodes of chest radiograph and US enrolled for a prospective, double-blinded observational study in a multidisciplinary paediatric intensive care unit. Weighted κ statistic for agreement was different for right and left lungs and varied from 50% for left pleural effusion to 98% for right pneumothorax. Pulmonary oedema, pneumothorax and pleural effusion were diagnosed by ultrasound alone in a significantly higher number of patients as compared to chest radiograph (P = 0.001). Chest ultrasound is therefore deemed more sensitive than chest radiograph in detection of pleural effusion, pulmonary oedema and pneumothorax.
Plasmodium vivax and Neisseria meningitidis co-infection in a newborn
Authors: Ordoñez Díaz Karen Melissa , Gutiérrez Paternina Juan José
Published: May 2021

Invasive infections due to Neisseria meningitidis in Colombia are unusual in newborns, in contrast to infections due to Plasmodium vivax which is one of the main pathogens related to the presentation of fever in this age group, especially in the indigenous population. We report a case of co-infection of these two microorganisms in a child.
Metastatic Prostate Cancer Involving the Sphenoid Sinus and Mandible
Authors: Ba’th Fadlullah , Hutchinson Tanisha , Meares Annie , Hamlar David
Published: May 2021

Prostate cancer is the third most leading cause of cancer in men in the United States. Although expected metastatic spread to bone, liver, and lymph nodes are often monitored, there are other rare presentations that can occur. This case report demonstrates a rare presentation of prostate cancer spreading to the paranasal sinuses and orbit. Not only did this case have an atypical presentation mimicking infection, the diagnosis was also only achieved through pathological evaluation after an endoscopic examination and biopsy. This case demonstrates the importance of a low threshold for endoscopic examinations in uncertain sinonasal presentations, and consistent biopsies when performing endoscopic examinations.
Identification of Symptom Clusters Among Midlife Menopausal Women with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Min Se Hee , Docherty Sharron L. , Im Eun-Ok , Yang Qing
Published: May 2021

The aim of this study was to identify and compare symptom clusters in midlife menopausal women with and without metabolic syndrome based on symptom occurrence and severity dimension through secondary data analysis of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Exploratory factor analysis was used to group symptoms that are highly correlated with each other and verified by confirmatory factor analysis. Midlife menopausal women with metabolic syndrome (n = 424) experienced mental health, vasomotor, and somatic cluster across both symptom dimensions. In contrast, midlife menopausal women without metabolic syndrome (n = 1022) experienced mental health/sleep/urinary, vasomotor, and somatic cluster for symptom occurrence dimension and mental health/sleep, vasomotor/genital, and somatic cluster for symptom severity dimension. This is the first study to identify symptom clusters in midlife menopausal women with metabolic syndrome, who are at risk for experiencing complex symptoms associated with menopause transition and metabolic syndrome, and to compare symptom clusters to those without metabolic syndrome.
Peripheral recovery: ‘Keeping safe’ and ‘keep progressing’ as contradictory modes of ordering in a forensic psychiatric unit
Authors: McGrath Laura , Brown Steven D , Kanyeredzi Ava , Reavey Paula , Tucker Ian
Published: May 2021

Sitting between the psychiatric and criminal justice systems, and yet fully located in neither, forensic psychiatric units are complex spaces. Both a therapeutic landscape and a carceral space, forensic services must try to balance the demands of therapy and security, or recovery and risk, within the confines of a strictly controlled institutional space. This article draws on qualitative material collected in a large forensic psychiatric unit in the UK, comprising 20 staff interviews and 20 photo production interviews with patients. We use John Law’s ‘modes of ordering’ to explore how the materials, relations and spaces are mobilised in everyday processes of living and working on the unit. We identify two ‘modes of ordering’: ‘keeping safe’, which we argue tends towards empty, stultified and static spaces; and ‘keep progressing’ which instead requires filling, enriching and ingraining spaces. We discuss ways in which tensions between these modes of ordering are resolved in the unit, noting a spatial hierarchy which prioritises ‘keeping safe’, thus limiting the institutional capacity for engendering progress and change. The empirical material is discussed in relation to the institutional and carceral geography literatures with a particular focus on mobilities.
An exploratory study of the relationship between typically-developing school-age children’s sensory processing and their activity participation
Authors: Sleeman Hannah RG , Brown Ted
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Children encounter several types of sensory input from their daily living environments and take in and process this information using their sensory systems. Few studies have considered the impact of children’s sensory preferences on their activity participation. This study investigated the relationship between children’s sensory processing factors and the daily activities they chose to participate in.

Method

Twenty-three parents of typically developing school-aged children completed the Sensory Processing Measure Home Form and Children Participation Questionnaire-School. Spearman correlations were conducted between sensory preferences and participation, as measured by frequency, intensity, independence level, children’s enjoyment and parental satisfaction. Regression models were also completed between each of the participation measures and sensory processing factors.

Results

Sensory processing accounted for 69.8% ( p = 0.001) of participation diversity’s total variance with unique contributions made by body awareness (proprioception) and planning and ideas ( p = 0.040); 45.9% ( p = 0.024) of participation intensity’s variance with touch made a unique contribution ( p = 0.030) and 42.4% ( p = 0.034) of participation independence’s variance with body awareness (proprioception) made a unique contribution ( p = 0.038).

Conclusion

Considerations should be made for sensory processing screening for typically developing children and the impacts this could potentially have on their daily participation.
Ventilatory parameters measured during a physiological study of simulated powered air-purifying respirator failure in healthy volunteers
Authors: Miles Lachlan F , Makar Timothy , Oughton Chad W , Peyton Philip J
Published: May 2021

Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) are a high level of respiratory personal protective equipment. Like all mechanical devices, they are vulnerable to failure. The precise physiological consequences of failure in live subjects have not previously been reported. We conducted an observational safety study simulating PAPR failure in a group of nine healthy volunteers, wearing loose-fitting hoods, who were observed for a period of ten minutes, or until they requested the experiment be aborted, with continuous monitoring of gas exchange. Relative to baseline, participants demonstrated median reductions in peripheral oxygen saturation of 3.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) –4% to –2%; P = 0.0039) and fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.045 (95% CI –0.05 to –0.04; P = 0.0039), and median increases in inspired partial pressure of carbon dioxide of 27 mmHg (95% CI 23.5–32 mmHg; P = 0.0039), end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide of 11 mmHg (95% CI 7–16 mmHg; P = 0.0039) and minute ventilation of 30 l/min (95% CI 19.4–35.9 l/min; P = 0.0039). Median collateral entrainment of room air into the hood was 17.6 l/min (interquartile range 12.3–27.0 l/min). All subjects reported thermal discomfort, with two (22.2%) requesting early termination of the experiment. Whilst the degree of rebreathing in this experiment was not sufficient to cause dangerous physiological derangement, the degree of reported thermal discomfort combined with the consequences of entrainment of possibly contaminated air into the hood, pose a risk to wearers in the event of failure.
Evaluation of the Effect of Aircraft Tire Inflation Pressure on Thin Asphalt Pavements
Authors: Robinson W. Jeremy
Published: May 2021

Sixteen nonstandard asphalt pavement test items were subjected to accelerated traffic testing to determine whether reductions in aircraft tire inflation pressure had a meaningful effect on pavement performance. Materials evaluated included a strong and weak base course (limestone and gravel), three asphalt thicknesses (2.5 cm, 3.8 cm, and 6.3 cm), and two aircraft types (C-130 and C-17). Each single-wheel aircraft tire was operated at two tire inflation pressures, that is, normal operating pressure and approximately 20% below normal, while maintaining total wheel load. Rutting behavior and surface cracking were the primary measured distress mechanisms and were used to evaluate pavement performance. It was found that reducing tire inflation pressure on the weak base course materials had little effect on rutting performance, suggesting that total load rather than tire pressure dominated performance. Conversely, tire pressure reductions on strong base course materials provided an improvement in rutting performance ranging from 15% to 73%. Improvement in surface cracking was observed in some cases with a reduction in tire inflation pressure; however, a meaningful amount of surface cracking was not observed in most test items until near or after 25.4 mm of rutting. Thus, it can be concluded that the primary mode of failure was pavement rutting rather than extensive fatigue cracking. Overall, it was found that a reduction in tire pressure on competent aggregate base improved pavement performance, which could permit increased aircraft operations on thin flexible airfield pavements.
Chinese Studies on the Transformation Problem: A Selective Review
Authors: Huang Kuochih , Liang Junshang
Published: May 2021

Marxian economists in China have put forward several interpretations of the transformation problem that differ from interpretations available in the English Marxian literature. These contributions remain unfamiliar to the English world due to language barriers. Thus, this paper provides a review of four representative Chinese contributions.

JEL Classification: B51, C67, D46
Women’s leadership in education: A perspective from Chilean school leaders
Authors: Arroyo Dalku , Bush Tony
Published: May 2021

This paper focuses on the experiences of six Chilean female headteachers. It addresses their career progress, and the facilitators and barriers, as well as the challenges they encountered in accessing and enacting school leadership. The six participants were drawn from all three of Chile’s school types – public, semi-private and private – in what is a differentiated system. The findings demonstrate both differences and similarities in participants’ experiences, across all three school sectors. A major difference relates to the additional barriers faced by public sector school leaders, compared with participants in the private and semi-private schools.
Black Girls in Mathematics: (Re)envisioning an Inclusive Parent Involvement Measure
Authors: Howard Nicol R. , Joseph Nicole M.
Published: May 2021

Building upon research utilizing Martin’s Mathematical Socialization and Identity Framework, we examine factors related to community and family involvement to advance the current discourse that informs policies. Data from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:09) public-use file provided a sample of 1,029 Black girls for our analyses. We developed a theoretically-sound inclusive measure, as defined by Black girls, titled the Community and Family Involvement Predictive Scale for Mathematics Outcomes utilizing Nonlinear Principal Components Analysis with a Categorical Principal Components Analysis program. Results are an intersectional measure that considers family, peers, and teachers. Implications for policy include a need for federal, state, and district policymakers to consider a wider variety of contexts, specifically for Black girls, in which community and family partnerships are empowered and prioritized in policies focused on parental involvement.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography in an Iranian high-risk population
Authors: Esmaeili Mansur Haji , Seyednejad Farshad , Mahboub-Ahari Alireza , Ameri Hosein , Abdollahzad Hadi , Safaei Naser , Alinezhad Farbod , Yousefi Mahmood
Published: May 2021

Objective

The results of recent studies have shown that using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for screening of lung cancer (LC) improves cancer outcomes. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of LDCT in an Iranian high-risk population.

Methods

A Markov cohort simulation model with four health states was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of LDCT from a healthcare system perspective in the people aged 55–74 who smoked 25 or more cigarettes per day for 10–30 years. Cost data were collected, reviewing 324 medical records of patients with LC, and utilities and transition probabilities were extracted from the literature. The Monte Carlo simulation method was applied to run the model. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and one-way analysis were also performed.

Results

LC screening in comparison to a no-screening strategy was costly and effective. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of screening versus no-screening was IRR (Iranian rials) 98,515,014.04 which falls below the Iranian threshold of three times GDP (gross domestic product) per capita. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the results of the economic analysis were robust to variations in the key inputs for both.

Conclusions

Using LDCT for screening of LC patients in a high-risk population is a cost-effective strategy.
Sudden death caused by spinal cord injury associated with vertebral fractures and fetlock failure in a Thoroughbred racehorse
Authors: Samol Monika A. , Uzal Francisco A. , Blanchard Patricia C. , Arthur Rick M. , Stover Susan M.
Published: May 2021

The most prevalent causes of death in racehorses are musculoskeletal injuries, causing ~83% of deaths within the racing industry in California and elsewhere. The vast majority of these injuries have preexisting lesions that predispose to fatal injury. A 4-y-old Thoroughbred colt suffered an acute suspensory apparatus failure, including biaxial proximal sesamoid bone fractures of the right front fetlock, causing loss of support of the fetlock joint and consequent fall with fractures of the cervical and sacral spine. Cervical fracture caused spinal cord damage that resulted in sudden death. A preexisting lesion in the medial proximal sesamoid bone likely predisposed to complete fracture of this bone and fetlock breakdown. Interestingly, a comparable osteopenic lesion was present in the intact medial proximal sesamoid bone of the left forelimb, which is consistent with bilateral repetitive overuse injury in racehorses. The morphologic features of the cervical and sacral spine fractures were compatible with acute injury; no evidence of preexisting lesions was seen. Most likely, these acute vertebral fractures occurred as a result of the horse falling. This case emphasizes the importance of performing a detailed autopsy in horses that suffer an appendicular musculoskeletal injury, particularly in fatal cases when the horse dies following a leg injury.
Assessing Authentic Diversity in the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society: Part 2
Authors: Chiou Erin K. , Roscoe Rod D.
Published: May 2021

This article is Part 2 of a two-part series reflecting on diversity within the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES). Part 1 discussed what it means to pursue authentic diversity and reported recent demographic characteristics of HFES. Part 2 discusses a brief history of relevant efforts in HFES and recent scholarship that suggests sustained interest in diversity issues within human factors and ergonomics. Part 2 concludes with a discussion about how human factors and ergonomics professionals can continue to lead the design and implementation of systemic change that benefits all by embracing human complexity.
Does Functional Somatic Symptoms Measurement Differ Across Sex and Age? Differential Item Functioning in Somatic Symptoms Measured With the CIDI
Authors: Acevedo-Mesa Angélica , Monden Rei , Castro-Alvarez Sebastian , Rosmalen Judith G. M. , Roest Annelieke M. , Tendeiro Jorge N.
Published: May 2021

Functional Somatic Symptoms (FSS) are physical symptoms that cannot be attributed to underlying pathology. Their severity is often measured with sum scores on questionnaires; however, this may not adequately reflect FSS severity in subgroups of patients. We aimed to identify the items of the somatization section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview that best discriminate FSS severity levels, and to assess their functioning in sex and age subgroups. We applied the two-parameter logistic model to 19 items in a population-representative cohort of 962 participants. Subsequently, we examined differential item functioning (DIF). “Localized (muscle) weakness” was the most discriminative item of FSS severity. “Abdominal pain” consistently showed DIF by sex, with males reporting it at higher FSS severity. There was no consistent DIF by age, however, “Joint pain” showed poor discrimination of FSS severity in older adults. These findings could be helpful for the development of better assessment instruments for FSS, which can improve both future research and clinical care.
Being and doing anorexia nervosa: An autoethnography of diagnostic identity and performance of illness
Authors: O’Connell Lauren
Published: May 2021

This autoethnography examines my experience of the diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa. Drawing on memory and personal and medical documents relating to inpatient admissions in an adult specialist eating disorder unit, I narrate and analyse my experience in terms of my relationship to the diagnosis of anorexia and the constructions of it I encountered. I show how I came to value an identity based on anorexia and how I learned ways of ‘doing’ the diagnosis in treatment. This involved me valuing medical markers of illness, including signs of poor health, which became crucial to how I performed my diagnosis and retained the diagnostically-informed sense of self that I valued. I suggest that, ultimately, these diagnostic-dynamics, alongside other effects of long-term inpatient treatment such as detachment from ‘normal life’, prolonged my struggles with self-starvation. The insights from this autoethnography shed light on potential iatrogenic impacts of diagnosis and treatment for anorexia.
Are Future Doctors Prepared to Address Patients’ Nutritional Needs? Cooking and Nutritional Knowledge and Habits in Medical Students
Authors: Sugimoto Sam , Recker Drew , Halvorson Elizabeth E. , Skelton Joseph A.
Published: May 2021

Background. Many diseases are linked to lifestyle in the United States, yet physicians receive little training in nutrition. Medical students’ prior knowledge of nutrition and cooking is unknown. Objective. To determine incoming medical students’ prior nutrition knowledge, culinary skills, and nutrition habits. Methods. A dual-methods study of first-year medical students. Cross-sectional survey assessing prior knowledge, self-efficacy, and previous education of cooking and nutrition. Interviews of second-year medical students explored cooking and nutrition in greater depth. Results. A total of 142 first-year medical students participated; 16% had taken a nutrition course, with majority (66%) learning outside classroom settings. Students had a mean score of 87% on the Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire versus comparison group (64.9%). Mean cooking and food skills score were lower than comparison scores. Overall, students did not meet guidelines for fiber, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Interviews with second-year students revealed most learned to cook from their families; all believed it important for physicians to have this knowledge. Conclusions. Medical students were knowledgeable about nutrition, but typically self-taught. They were not as confident or skilled in cooking, and mostly learned from their family. They expressed interest in learning more about nutrition and cooking.
COVID-19 vaccine trials: The potential for “hybrid” analyses
Authors: Fleming Thomas R , Nason Martha , Krause Philip R , Longini Ira M , Henao-Restrepo Ana-Maria
Published: May 2021

Background:

Although several COVID-19 vaccines have been found to be effective in rigorous evaluation and have emerging availability in parts of the world, their supply will be inadequate to meet international needs for a considerable period of time. There also will be continued interest in vaccines that are more effective or have improved scalability to facilitate mass vaccination campaigns. Ongoing clinical testing of new vaccines also will be needed as variant strains continue to emerge that may elude some aspects of immunity induced by current vaccines. Randomized clinical trials meaningfully enhance the efficiency and reliability of such clinical testing. In clinical settings with limited or no access to known effective vaccines, placebo-controlled randomized trials of new vaccines remain a preferred approach to maximize the reliability, efficiency and interpretability of results. When emerging availability of licensed vaccines makes it no longer possible to use a placebo control, randomized active comparator non-inferiority trials may enable reliable insights.

Methods:

In this article, “hybrid” methods are proposed to address settings where, during the conduct of a placebo-controlled trial, a judgment is made to replace the placebo arm by a licensed COVID-19 vaccine due to emerging availability of effective vaccines in regions participating in that trial. These hybrid methods are based on proposed statistics that aggregate evidence to formally test as well as to estimate the efficacy of the experimental vaccine, by combining placebo-controlled data during the first period of trial conduct with active-controlled data during the second period.

Results:

Application of the proposed methods is illustrated in two important scenarios where the active control vaccine would become available in regions engaging in the experimental vaccine’s placebo-controlled trial: in the first, the active comparator’s vaccine efficacy would have been established to be 50%–70% for the 4- to 6-month duration of follow-up of its placebo-controlled trial; in the second, the active comparator’s vaccine efficacy would have been established to be 90%–95% during that duration. These two scenarios approximate what has been seen with adenovirus vaccines or mRNA vaccines, respectively, assuming the early estimates of vaccine efficacy for those vaccines would hold over longer-term follow-up.

Conclusion:

The proposed hybrid methods could readily play an important role in the near future in the design, conduct and analysis of randomized clinical trials performed to address the need for multiple additional vaccines reliably established to be safe and have worthwhile efficacy in reducing the risk of symptomatic disease from SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Foundations and evolution of Recherche et Applications en Marketing: A shared adventure
Authors: Pras Bernard
Published: May 2021

This article shows how the foundations of the journal Recherche et Applications en Marketing were laid by the AFM (Association Française du Marketing – French Marketing Association). It underlines the context of its creation and recalls the main issues and challenges that successive editors-in-chief, during the launch (1986–1989) and consolidation periods (1990–2010), had to face with regard to the evolution of its environment. It analyzes the positioning of the journal in terms of international academic standards and of content. It raises remnant issues and outlines some perspectives for the future. However, mainly, this article shows how the creation and development of the journal was a shared adventure for the successive editors and the AFM, on the basis of common academic values.
Commercial expectations and cooperation in symbiotic contracts: An empirical and legal analysis
Authors: Soper C Haward
Published: May 2021

Modern complex contracts require cooperation, solid effective governance and a hard core of clear and workable terms and conditions to make them work. In this essay I explore exactly what cooperation and governance mean through the lens of a major global survey of contract practitioners. I discuss formal and informal elements of contract management because both matter. I find that contract managers show a marked reluctance to use punitive measures, but that value is seen in escalation, negotiation, communication, and professional governance. These require constructive engagement, that the parties talk, communicate, and work together to find the cause of the problem and agree solutions. I conclude that respondents are more interested in performance than in revenge, and that the key task is about making the contract work.
Jackfruit Anaphylaxis in a Latex Allergic Non-Healthcare Worker
Authors: Jalil Maaz , Hostoffer Robert , Wu Shan Shan
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Anaphylaxis to jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is rare. Two previously reported cases have been published in two healthcare workers from jackfruit endemic regions. Latex allergy and birch pollen cross reactivity have both been associated with jackfruit anaphylaxis, providing two separate mechanisms of sensitization. We present a case of jackfruit anaphylaxis in a young latex allergic non-healthcare worker in a non-endemic region.

Case Report

A 21-year-old male had an anaphylactic reaction immediately after ingesting dried jackfruit. He had a history of allergic rhinitis and latex allergy. He was born premature and required neonatal intensive care and multiple surgeries in infancy, which could possibly be the source of his latex sensitization. Skin prick testing was positive for jackfruit and latex.

Discussion

Jackfruit anaphylaxis has only been described in conjunction with a latex allergy or a birch pollen allergy. As jackfruit becomes more available across the world, it is important for physicians and patients with these sensitivities to be aware of these possible cross reactions. Fruit sensitivities in latex allergic patients have been well established as Latex-fruit syndrome. Our case highlights the association of latex sensitization and jackfruit anaphylaxis.

Conclusion

We present a case of Jackfruit anaphylaxis associated with latex allergy in a non-healthcare worker from Midwestern United States. As jackfruit becomes more popular in non-endemic regions, its possible cross reactivity with latex, as well as birch pollen should be recognized.
Analyzing Social Media Research: A Data Quality and Research Reproducibility Perspective
Authors: Srivastava Amit K. , Mishra Rajhans
Published: May 2021

Social media platforms have become very popular these days among individuals and organizations. On the one hand, organizations use social media as a potential tool to create awareness of their products among consumers, and on the other hand, social media data is useful to predict the national crisis, election polls, stock prediction, etc. However, nowadays, a debate is going on about the quality of data generated on social media platforms, whether it is relevant for prediction and generalization. The article discusses the relevance and quality of data obtained from social media in the context of research and development. Social media data quality issues may impact the generalizability and reproducibility of the results of the study. The paper explores possible reasons for quality issues in the data generated over social media platforms along with the suggestive measures to minimize them using the proposed social media data quality framework.
Thromboembolic safety profile of low-dose estradiol (valerate) in combined hormonal preparations: Implications for the development of new hormonal endometriosis and uterine fibroid therapies
Authors: Barnett Clare , Bauerfeind Anja , von Stockum Sophia , Heinemann Klaas
Published: May 2021

Background:

Several promising new medications containing low-dose estradiol (E2) in combination with a progestin and an additional component, such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists, are currently being developed for use in pre-menopausal women.

Objective:

This pooled analysis was designed to estimate the thromboembolic safety profile of E2 and its ester, estradiol valerate (E2Val), when used in combined hormonal treatments in a pre-menopausal population.

Methods:

Data regarding users of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and combined menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT) containing either E2/E2Val or ethinylestradiol (EE) ⩽ 30 µg were retrieved from five large prospective, non-interventional, cohort studies in Europe, US, and Canada with similar study design but differing medication cohorts. Propensity score sub-classification was applied to balance baseline parameters between cohorts and time-to-event analysis of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) was carried out based on the extended Cox model to calculate crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HR).

Results:

(1) Crude incidence rates of VTE were higher in MHT users compared to pre-menopausal COC users, (2) the VTE risk in menopausal users of E2/E2Val-norethindrone acetate was not higher than that in menopausal users of E2/E2Val-progestin (adjusted HR 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-1.26) and (3) the VTE risk in pre-menopausal users of E2/E2Val-progestin was similar, or lower, than pre-menopausal users of EE⩽30µg-progestin (adjusted HR 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.28–0.84).

Conclusion:

Our data presents a solid safety assessment of combined hormonal preparations containing E2/E2Val. We conclude that the risk of E2/E2Val-norethindrone acetate in pre-menopausal users is unlikely to be higher than the known risk of COCs containing EE ⩽ 30 µg-progestin.
Comparison of Behavioral and Physiological Measures of the Status of the Cochlear Nonlinearity
Authors: Fereczkowski Michal , Dau Torsten , MacDonald Ewen N.
Published: May 2021

While an audiogram is a useful method of characterizing hearing loss, it has been suggested that including a complementary, suprathreshold measure, for example, a measure of the status of the cochlear active mechanism, could lead to improved diagnostics and improved hearing-aid fitting in individual listeners. While several behavioral and physiological methods have been proposed to measure the cochlear-nonlinearity characteristics, evidence of a good correspondence between them is lacking, at least in the case of hearing-impaired listeners. If this lack of correspondence is due to, for example, limited reliability of one of such measures, it might be a reason for limited evidence of the benefit of measuring peripheral compression. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between measures of the peripheral-nonlinearity status estimated using two psychoacoustical methods (based on the notched-noise and temporal-masking curve methods) and otoacoustic emissions, on a large sample of hearing-impaired listeners. While the relation between the estimates from the notched-noise and the otoacoustic emissions experiments was found to be stronger than predicted by the audiogram alone, the relations between the two measures and the temporal-masking based measure did not show the same pattern, that is, the variance shared by any of the two measures with the temporal-masking curve-based measure was also shared with the audiogram.
Temporal Pitch Perception in Cochlear-Implant Users: Channel Independence in Apical Cochlear Regions
Authors: Griessner Andreas , Schatzer Reinhold , Steixner Viktor , Rajan Gunesh P. , Zierhofer Clemens , Távora-Vieira Dayse
Published: May 2021

Two-electrode stimuli presented on adjacent mid-array contacts in cochlear-implant users elicit pitch percepts that are not consistent with a summation of the two temporal patterns. This indicates that low-rate temporal rate codes can be applied with considerable independence on adjacent mid-array electrodes. At issue in this study was whether a similar independence of temporal pitch cues can also be observed for more apical sites of stimulation, where temporal cues have been shown to be more reliable than place cues, in contrast to middle and basal sites. In cochlear-implant recipients with single-sided deafness implanted with long lateral-wall electrode arrays, pitch percepts were assessed by matching the pitch of dual-electrode stimuli with pure tones presented to the contralateral normal-hearing ear. The results were supported with an additional pitch-ranking experiment, in a different subject population with bilateral deafness. Unmodulated pulse trains with 100, 200, and 400 pulses per second were presented on three pairs of adjacent electrodes. Pulses were separated by the minimal interchannel delay (1.7 µs) in a short-delay configuration and by half the pulse period in a long-delay configuration. The hypothesis was that subjects would perceive a pitch corresponding to the doubled temporal pattern for the long-delay stimuli due to the summation of excitation patterns from adjacent apical electrodes, if those electrodes were to activate largely overlapping neural populations. However, we found that the mean matched acoustic pitch of the long-delay pulses was not significantly different from that of the short-delay pulses. These findings suggest that also in the apical region in long-array cochlear-implant recipients, temporal cues can be transmitted largely independently on adjacent electrodes.
A Description of Middle School Male Singers’ Voice Change and Voice Part Assignment
Authors: Fisher Ryan Austin , Summitt Nancy L. , Koziel Ellen B.
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study was to describe the voice change and voice part assignment of male middle school choir members. Volunteers ( N = 92) were recruited from three public middle school choral programs (Grades 6-8). Participants were audio-recorded performing simple vocal tasks in order to assess vocal range and asked to share the music they were currently singing in class. Results revealed 23.91% of participants’ voices could be categorized as unchanged, 14.13% as Stage 1, 3.26% as Stage 2, 10.87% as Stage 3, 26.09% as Stage 4, and 21.74% as Stage 5. The majority of sixth-grade participants were classified as unchanged or in Stage 1 of the voice change and the majority of eighth-grade participants were classified in Stages 4 to 5 of the voice change. Of the participants labeled “tenors” in their choir, over 60% were classified as either unchanged voices or in Stage 1 of the voice change.