bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole/molybdenum oxide composite for ammonia vapour sensing at room temperature
Authors: Shariq Mohd Urooj , Husain Ahmad , Khan Mahfoozurrahman , Ahmad Anees
Published: August 2021

In this study, polypyrrole (PPy) and polypyrrole/molybdenum oxide composite (PPy/MoO3) were synthesized by the chemical oxidative method in an aqueous medium, using anhydrous ferric chloride (FeCl3) as an oxidant. The successful preparation of materials was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmittance electron microscopy (TEM). PPy and PPy/MoO3 were converted into pellets which were used as the sensor. A four-in-line probe device was used for studying DC electrical conductivity–based ammonia vapour–sensing properties at three different ammonia concentrations, that is, 1 M, 0.5 M and 0.1 M. The PPy/MoO3 sensor showed much-improved sensing performance than the PPy sensor in terms of % sensing response and reversibility. PPy/MoO3 sensor showed excellent selectivity for ammonia vapours against various VOCs. The % sensing response of PPy/MoO3 sensor towards ammonia was found to be 2.19, 2.50, 3.16, 3.87, 4.1, 5.15, 6.19, 6.55 and 7.77 times greater than ethanol, methanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, chloroform and n-hexane, respectively. In the end, a sensing mechanism was also proposed, which is based on rapid adsorption–desorption of ammonia molecules on the PPy/MoO3 sensor’s surface.
Exclusion of Women Beneath Patriarchal Enclaves in Participatory Irrigation Management in South India
Authors: Dasthagir K. Gulam
Published: August 2021

This article examines the impact of the policy initiative for Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) on women’s membership and leadership in Water User Associations of Sathanur, Tamil Nadu. Evidence from this major irrigation system reveals male dominance in irrigation management not only due to denial of opportunity and entitlement to women but also gender bigotry in agrarian relations and deprival of women’s access to land. Thus in practice the neoliberal paradigm of institutional reforms in irrigation despite its manifest agenda of gender mainstreaming latently fortifies patriarchal enclave forfeiting inclusion, participation and representation of women in PIM.
A Consumer-Centric Paradigm Shift in Business Environment with the Evolution of the Internet of Things: A Literature Review
Authors: Sheoran Sudesh , Vij Sanket
Published: August 2021

This study attempts to study the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its implications on the business environment in terms of understanding consumer behaviour and enhancing customer satisfaction through a literature review. A literature search is carried out focussing on the application of IoT for capturing consumer behaviour and enhancing customer experience and satisfaction. NVivo is used to identify the themes of the selected studies and cluster them based on the closeness of themes. It is found that the increasing quest for customer centricity and sustainability in an ever-changing technology environment have made businesses realize the potential benefits of IoT in terms of differentiation and competitive advantage. The perceived benefits influence IoT acceptance and customer satisfaction. However, the perceived risk associated with IoT in terms of privacy and security is a significant challenge for businesses. The future of IoT is based on how businesses are going to mitigate this challenge. While most of the studies suggest frameworks concerning IoT adoption and customer satisfaction in particular sectors or products, this study is unique in a way that it summarizes those studies and gives a brief view of IoT adoption to enhance customer satisfaction across different sectors, products and services.
Interface of Gender and Caste in the Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Displaced Women in the Rayagada District of Odisha
Authors: Naik Mohon Kumar
Published: August 2021

Kashipur block in Rayagada district of Odisha has witnessed displacement of tribal and Dalit people because of the establishment of Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL). During the process of establishing UAIL, the local communities were promised adequate compensation and a fair resettlement and rehabilitation policy by the state government as well as the company. However, there has been a lack of equitable distribution of resettlement and rehabilitation facilities, widespread gender bias and caste-based discrimination against Dalits and tribals while the company offered semi-skilled jobs. Moreover, the Dalit and tribal women have been subjected to gender-based discrimination on top of the caste-based discrimination faced generally by these communities. The present study is an attempt to examine such discriminations and the effect that this has had on the traditional livelihood practices of Dalit and tribal women. The study also explores how upper-caste people are controlling the legal and informal power in the region.
A new approach to inertial damper design to control base displacement in isolated buildings
Authors: Morales César A
Published: August 2021

A novel design procedure for tuned mass dampers in isolated structures is presented. The proposed optimization method is specifically developed to control base displacements or to solve the large isolator displacement problem in this type of structures under earthquakes. Therefore, it is based on a displacement transmissibility function, T, a particular case of the general transmissibility concept, which comes from Vibration Isolation. Three contributions are: 1) application of new seismic displacement narrowbandness, 2) simpler relative transmissibility function, and 3) compound design of isolation plus tuned mass damper. A standard isolated model is used to show that the base displacement can be controlled at levels in the proximity of the ground motion ( T ≈ 1), which results in a positive comparison with previous isolation plus tuned mass damper solutions; this is one of the main conclusions and it is based on novelty 3 above; in fact, other solutions in the literature compare their attained displacements with respect to the structure without tuned mass damper. Comparison with isolated results is not, therefore, possible herein, but it is not desirable either; actually, what is possible is a positive and more demanding comparison, which is with respect to the very seismic ground displacement itself. The large isolator displacement problem can be solved or attenuated by properly designing a tuned mass damper subsystem jointly with the isolation one.
Using a Person-Centered Approach to Identify Patterns of Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Child Abuse in Women: Associations With Mental Health
Authors: Free Bre’Anna L. , Lipinski Alexandra J. , Lewin Rivian K. , Majeed Rimsha , Zakarian Rebecca J. , Beck J. Gayle
Published: August 2021

Patterns of exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse (CA) were explored in 467 women seeking psychological assistance following IPV. Using latent class analysis, three classes were obtained: women who had experienced physical, sexual, and psychological IPV, along with childhood physical and sexual abuse (IPV + CA; 38.5%); women who had experienced physical, sexual, and psychological IPV only (IPV/no CA; 52.9%); and women who had experienced psychological IPV only (Psych IPV only; 8.6%). Associations of class membership with severity of specific mental health conditions were examined, along with the number of diagnosed conditions. Significant between-class differences were noted on severity of IPV-related posttraumatic stress disorder, depressive disorders, alcohol and substance use disorders, and social phobia. Classes also differed significantly on the number of mental health conditions. Understanding patterns of betrayal-based trauma (e.g., IPV and CA) can inform care within agencies that serve IPV survivors by highlighting individuals at-risk for mental health conditions.
When Home Is the Mouth of a Shark: Navigating the Academy as the Self in Black and Brown Skin
Authors: Stewart Saran , Jadhav Ashwini
Published: August 2021

As transnational women living in Jamaica and South Africa, we came together in Brazil to employ collaborative autoethnography to deconstruct and make sense of our experiences in academia. In this article, we compare our identities in the academy with that of refugees and juxtapose Warsan Shire’s poem Home, where she describes the forced reasons why people leave their country of birth and the psycho-emotional labor of the refugee crisis. Borrowing from an autoethnographic ontology, we recognize ourselves as the unit of measure, and the concerted effort to continuously interrogate the self and each other’s lived experiences. This article challenges the colonial epistemologies of knowing and knowledge as we interweave our individual narratives throughout the article, grappling with our search for an elusive home in the academy, and a sense of belonging within postcolonial, onto epistemological frames of the academy.
Linking Homeostatically Protected Mood, Mindfulness, and Depression: A Conceptual Synthesis and Model of Moodfulness
Authors: Lyall Kimina , Mikocka-Walus Antonina , Evans Subhadra , Cummins Robert A.
Published: August 2021

Mindfulness is an ancient practice, derived from Buddhism and recently adapted for the treatment of depression and other psychological conditions. The mechanism of action is thought to involve the extinction of habitual or conditioned responses to internal cognitive and emotional content. In turn, this relies on mechanisms of attentional control and emotion regulation. The resulting state of consciousness is sometimes described as equanimity. This conceptual review paper explores the process of achieving equanimity within a homeostatic framework. The result is a model of moodfulness, which combines mindfulness with Homeostatically Protected Mood to provide a new theoretical view of recovery from symptoms of depression. This model presents a case for mindfulness restoration of mood homeostasis following homeostatic defeat.
An Array of Influential Factors for Analyzing Policy Advocacy
Authors: Albert Sasha M. , Gutman Marjorie A. , Barker Dianne C. , Nguyen Samantha , Caughlan Ian , Grob George
Published: August 2021

This article presents an analytic approach to assessing the relationship between policy advocacy activities and outcomes for discrete episodes of advocacy, using a holistic array of factors that affect the relationship between advocacy and policy change. The factors pertain to not only advocacy organizational structure and strategies, but also the policy environment, the policy issue and available options to address it, and technical assistance that advocates receive. By focusing on the entire context in which advocates operate, this approach can be used to assess both advocacy campaign strategies and the broader contextual factors that contribute to advocacy outcomes. The array of factors also facilitates analytic generalizability across advocacy episodes, as evaluators can compare the role of similar factors across advocacy efforts. This analytic approach is illustrated by its application to a multiple case study evaluation of Voices for Healthy Kids.
Residual compressive strength of aluminum alloy honeycomb sandwich panel in the presence of multiple impact dents
Authors: Tariq Fawad , Uzair Muhammad , Shifa Madni
Published: August 2021

The present article discusses the effect of impact damage on residual compressive strength of aluminum alloy honeycomb sandwich panel (HSP). Multiple dents were created in HSP by penetrating indenters of different diameters through quasi-static indentation technique. The damaged samples were compressed edge-wise for determination of in-plane compression after impact (CAI) strength. The failed samples were macroscopically examined to reveal the underlying damage mode. Experimental results showed that the presence of multiple dents of 5 mm size or less do not appreciably affect the CAI strength of aluminum alloy HSP. However, moderate reduction in CAI strength was observed in case of multiple dents of 10 mm. Compressive strength was reduced by 18% in presence of four dents of 10 mm diameter. The maximum reduction in CAI strength of up to 30% was observed in samples impact damaged by 15 mm indenter. Examination of failed HSP showed that the maximum load was sustained taken by aluminum facesheet whereas the contribution of honeycomb core was insignificant. Research findings exhibit that the CAI strength of aluminum alloy honeycomb structure is not sensitive to impact damages size less than 5 mm diameter however dents above 5 mm size can seriously impair mechanical performance and structural integrity.
Shifting lights through the interstices: Extending notions of what it means to learn music in higher education
Authors: Kan Rebecca , Martin Rose
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore interstitial spaces in higher music education. Interstitial spaces are small-scale settings where individuals interact around common activities. Drawing from the learning experiences of three students, the disparate feelings that students have within the interstices are unpacked. Specifically, we lean on Michel Foucault’s notions of power and hierarchy as a way to explore the dynamics in the teaching and learning relationships between students, and how the power that institutional structures might wield could shape the pocket conversations taking place. In the context of higher music education, we explore the ways that such spaces offer special moments where students see themselves in new ways. We explore how Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning might latch on to the potential that these interstitial spaces offer. We argue that potentials for transformative learning encounters described by the three students seem to be situated within interstitial spaces. The article considers what it means to be in the peripheral locations of student learning and contributes to the need to revisit interstices as an important location to understand how knowledge and creative interactions can be made in higher music education.
Populist alternative news use and its role for elections: Web-tracking and survey evidence from two campaign periods
Authors: Müller Philipp , Bach Ruben L
Published: August 2021

This study explores voters’ populist alternative news use during (different types of) democratic elections and investigates starting points for preventing potentially harmful effects. We draw from two combined data sets of web-tracking and survey data which were collected during the 2017 German Bundestag campaign (1523 participants) and the 2019 European Parliamentary election campaign in Germany (1009 participants). Results indicate that while populist alternative news outlets drew more interest during the first-order election campaign, they reached only 16.5% of users even then. Moreover, most users visited their websites rather seldom. Nonetheless, our data suggest that alternative news exposure is strongly linked to voting for (right-wing) populist parties. Regarding the origins of exposure, our analyses punctuate the role of platforms in referring users to populist alternative news. About 40% of website visits originated from Facebook alone in both data sets and another third of visits from search engines. This raises questions about algorithmic accountability.
Digital nativism: Twitter, migration discourse and the 2019 election
Authors: Walsh James P
Published: August 2021

Given its significance for society’s character, future and identity, migration has dominated media discourse. At present, the ascendance of digital platforms which broaden opportunities to produce, share and access content online has ignited debates about migration’s discursive construction. Often approached as promoting tolerance and inclusivity, social media are also believed to unleash xenophobia and intergroup antagonism. Working with a cross-section of tweets from the 2019 Canadian Federal election, this article asks how was migration framed, which users influenced the flow and substance of discourse and did Twitter diverge from conventional media space? It finds, while chains of citizen-users overwhelmingly employed Twitter to distribute original content, anti-immigration communications and actors were disproportionately featured. Considering these results, this article introduces the concept of digital nativism to clarify how technical affordances, user intentions and wider socio-political conditions intersect to produce emergent patterns of anti-immigration discourse and mobilization that are participatory, interactive and broadly distributed.
Digital semaphore: Political discourse and identity negotiation through 4chan’s /pol/
Authors: Ludemann Dillon
Published: August 2021

This article explores the ways in which Blommaert’s (2018) notion of “light” identity markers in digital spaces shows—through specific features within /pol/—the “politically incorrect” board of the popular anonymous imageboard website 4chan. Here, flags attached to individual user posts work to frame interaction, which can both signal sincerity to a post with a national flag, or demonstrate a predilection for deception and trolling with what is known as a “memeflag.” Users implement these choices to alter performative aspects of interaction on /pol/ and the “audience” of other users offer their own evaluations, dismissals, and jokes in the face of these displays. This article posits that “light” identity features, or those located within specific communities, as opposed to more widespread or institutionalized aspects of identities create categories of awareness in 4chan that, in turn, shapes ideas of competence for those who have “lurked” long enough to glean it.
‘We will take care of you’: Identity categorisation markers in intercultural medical encounters
Authors: Fantasia Valentina , Zucchermaglio Cristina , Fatigante Marilena , Alby Francesca
Published: August 2021

Ethnomethodology research has systematically investigated discursive practices of categorisation, looking at the various ways by which social actors ascribe both themselves and others to identity categories to accomplish various kinds of social actions. Drawing on a data corpus of oncological visits collected in an Italian hospital, involving both native and non-native patients, the present work analyses how participants in these intercultural medical encounters invoke and make relevant social identity categories by the marking of collective pronouns in their talk. Our results showed that whilst institutional identities (e.g. those of the doctors, the local hospital or the Tumour Board) prevailed, categorial formulations related to cultural or linguistic identities were rarely displayed in interactions with non-native patients. Conversational participants made very little of their linguistical or cultural background and when they did so, their cultural and linguistic identities were deployed for rhetorical and pragmatical aims, such as testing and negotiating common knowledge and epistemic authority.

This study shows how even speakers’ minimal lexical choices, such as marked pronouns, impact the negotiation of meanings and activities in life-saving sites such as oncological visits.
Shifting power dynamics in interviews with children: a minority ethnic, working-class researcher’s reflections
Authors: Kostet Imane
Published: August 2021

This article aims to contribute to the literature on power dynamics and researchers’ positionality in qualitative research, by shedding light on the experiences of a minority ethnic researcher with a working-class background. Drawing on Bourdieusian concepts, it discusses how middle-class children confronted the researcher with language stigma and how they, while drawing boundaries vis-à-vis those who ‘lack’ cultural capital, (unintentionally) drew boundaries against the researcher herself. In turn, it illustrates how during interviews with working-class children, manners had to be adopted with which the researcher is no longer familiar. This article calls on ethics committees to more strongly consider how researchers might become ‘vulnerable’ themselves during fieldwork and to acknowledge intersectional experiences that potentially cause power dynamics to shift, even in research involving groups that are socially believed to have little power, such as children.
The conflict market: Polarizing consumer culture(s) in counter-democracy
Authors: Ulver Sofia
Published: August 2021

At the beginning of the millennium, consumer culture researchers predicted that people would increasingly demand that marketplace actors subscribe to contemporary ethics of liberal democracy. Although their prediction indeed came true, they did not foresee that an algorithm-powered media ecosystem in combination with growing authoritarian movements would soon come to fuel an increasingly polarized political landscape and challenge the very fundament of liberal democracy per se. In this macroscopic, conceptual article, I discuss three assumption-challenging logics—counter-democratic consumer culture, de-dialectical algorithmic manipulation, and growing illiberal consumer resistance—according to which the market increasingly monetizes the conflicts accompanying this polarization and, thereby, reinforces it. I call this new logic a conflict market and illustrate it through three, historically situated and currently conflicting, consumer ideoscapes—the neoblue, the neogreen, and the neobrown—between which consumers engage in marketized conflicts, not in a de-politicizing way, but in an increasingly un-politicizing, de-dialectical, and polarizing way. At the technologically manipulated conflict market, the role of marketers is to monetize politically sensitive topics by creating conflict, knowingly renouncing large groups of consumers, and giving fodder to the political extremes.
Using meta-ethnography to understand the care transition experience of people with dementia and their caregivers
Authors: Saragosa Marianne , Jeffs Lianne , Okrainec Karen , Kuluski Kerry
Published: August 2021

Older adults living with dementia are at risk for more complex health care transitions than individuals without this condition, non-impaired individuals. Poor quality care transitions have resulted in a growing body of qualitative empirical literature that to date has not been synthesized. We conducted a systematic literature review by applying a meta-ethnography approach to answer the following question: How do older adults with dementia and/or their caregivers experience and perceive healthcare transition: Screening resulted in a total of 18 studies that met inclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed the following three categories associated with the health care transition: (1) Feelings associated with the healthcare transition; (2) processes associated with the healthcare transition; and (3) evaluating the quality of care associated with the health care transition. Each category is represented by several themes that together illustrate an interconnected and layered experience. The health care transition, often triggered by caregivers reaching a “tipping point,” is manifested by a variety of feelings, while simultaneously caregivers report managing abrupt transition plans and maintaining vigilance over care being provided to their family member. Future practice and research opportunities should be more inclusive of persons with dementia and should establish ways of better supporting caregivers through needs assessments, addressing feelings of grief, ongoing communication with the care team, and integrating more personalized knowledge at points of transition.
Does Leader Humor Influence Employee Voice? The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety and the Moderating Role of Team Humor
Authors: Potipiroon Wisanupong , Ford Michael T.
Published: August 2021

Past research indicates that leader humor can bring many positive outcomes; however, its influence on employee voice has been largely neglected. We propose that leader humor can influence employee voice behaviors (i.e., promotive and prohibitive) via the mediating role of psychological safety. Drawing upon the substitutes for leadership theory, we further propose that team humor could moderate the influence of leader humor. Based on the latent moderated mediation structural equation modeling analysis, we found that employees whose leaders used humor more frequently perceived higher levels of psychological safety and in turn engaged in more promotive and prohibitive voice behaviors. Moreover, the indirect effects of leader humor were found to be more pronounced when teams have a low level of humor. On the other hand, leader humor has less influence on employee voice when teams have a high level of humor, which provides support for the leadership substitutes argument. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Right Anterolateral Thoracotomy Versus Sternotomy for Resection of Benign Atrial Masses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Olsthoorn Jules R. , Daemen Jean H. T. , de Loos Erik R. , ter Woorst Joost F. , van Straten Albert H. M. , Maessen Jos G. , Sardari Nia Peyman , Heuts Samuel
Published: August 2021

Objective

Primary benign cardiac tumors are rare disease entity that predominantly originate from the atria. Benign masses can induce heart failure, arrhythmia, or thromboembolic events. Therefore, surgical excision is often indicated. Current guidelines on the preferred approaches for resection (i.e., median sternotomy [MST] or right anterolateral thoracotomy [RAT]) are lacking. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to evaluate all studies comparing RAT to MST for excision of benign atrial masses in terms of safety, efficacy, and complications.

Methods

The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched through 9 June 2020. Data regarding mortality, complications, recurrence, ICU stay, and length of hospital stay were extracted and submitted to meta-analysis using random effects modelling. Heterogeneity was assessed by the I 2 test.

Results

Four retrospective observational studies were included, including 196 patients (RAT n = 97, MST n = 99). Mortality was 0% in both groups. Recurrence was <1% in the RAT group and 0% in the MST group. Complication rate tended to be lower in favor of the RAT group. Furthermore, RAT was associated with lower length of ICU stay (−17.7 hr, P = 0.01) and hospital stay (−4.0 days, P < 0.001). No significant differences in cardiopulmonary bypass ( P = 0.09) and cross-clamp times ( P = 0.15) were observed.

Conclusions

The RAT approach is as safe and effective as MST for the excision of benign atrial masses. Moreover, RAT is associated with a reduced complication rate and a reduced duration of hospitalization and could be considered as the preferred approach in anatomically suitable patients.
Zoombombing During a Global Pandemic
Authors: Elmer Greg , Neville Stephen J. , Burton Anthony , Ward-Kimola Sabrina
Published: August 2021

Using a digital methods analysis, the following article conducts a cross-platform study of the emergent “Zoombombing” phenomenon alongside COVID-19 and the concomitant on-lining of professional and public life. This empirical study seeks to provide further insight to media frames characterizing Zoombombing at the outbreak of the pandemic, providing further insight into Zoombombing as a practice, how related actions act as an extension of longer histories and practices of online harassment, and the role that various platforms play in the phenomenon’s unfolding. By interrogating these points of departure, our study sheds light not only on Zoombombing as a cultural practice, but also how these acts manifest within and across a range of Internet platforms.
Why are convenience stores clustered? The reasons behind the clustering of similar shops and the effect of increased competition
Authors: Seong Eun Yeong , Lim Youngjae , Choi Chang Gyu
Published: August 2021

Similar stores, when clustered in urban locations, often close down; many scholars have explained this phenomenon using Hotelling’s theory. However, empirically, several studies have found that competition between rivals causes stores to move away from each other, exhibiting a repulsive force. By contrast, other studies insist that customers strongly drive the agglomeration of retail rivals. This study chooses convenience stores as an experimental subject to investigate why similar shops cluster in an area and to assess the results of increasing levels of competition. By combining various types of big-data sources including convenience stores’ revenues, diverse consumer factors, and built environments, this study found that retail shops cluster to earn revenue by exploiting the consumer purchasing capacity in an area. This benefit, however, disappears when the competition increases beyond a certain threshold. By controlling for the numbers of pedestrians, residents, and employees, this study is the first to explain why similar shops cluster in urban districts and to show the limitations of retail rivals’ clustering.
Paradigm Shift in Clinical Practice of Sexual Health in Men During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sharma Aditya Prakash , Kaur Japleen , Mavuduru Ravimohan S. , Singh Shrawan K.
Published: August 2021

Sexual health-care seeking behavior and practices have been affected during COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 on this subspecialty is far reaching. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on health-care seeking practice pertaining to sexual health in men in our tertiary care center and review the relevant literature regarding impact of COVID-19 on sexual health seeking practice and challenges faced. Outpatient data was analyzed from January 2019 to April 2021. Patients awaiting surgical procedures due to COVID were documented. A narrative synthesis of literature based on systematic search using the keywords sexual health, sexual health seeking, sexual health practice, andrology, and COVID with operators “AND” and “OR” was carried out in three search engines PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. The study outcomes were obtained by comparing data of outpatient attendance and compiling the reviewed literature. The mean attendance fell significantly from 95.11±11.17 to 17.25±13.70 persons (P <.0001) per outpatient clinic, March 2020 being the reference point. Teleconsultation has taken over physical consultation. In 98/949 cases, teleconsult could not be provided despite registration. Over 25 patients were waiting for surgical procedures pertaining to andrology due to shut down of elective services. Similar trends have been reported from other countries. Number of patients seeking consultation for sexual health problems has dramatically decreased during COVID-19 era. Establishment of data safe teleconsultation facility and its widespread advertisement is needed to encourage patients to seek consult.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support to Improve Outcomes for Children and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Rohilla Latika , Kaur Sukhpal , Duggal Mona , Malhi Prahbhjot , Bharti Bhavneet , Dayal Devi
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The objectives of this umbrella review were to describe various aspects of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES)-related interventions and their effect on clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial outcomes among children and young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and identify gaps in current DSMES-related research.

Methods

An umbrella review of systematic reviews on DSMES interventions was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2009 statement. Four international medical databases were searched for eligible review articles published in English in the last 10 years that dealt with children and youths with T1DM and were conducted in accordance with a priori protocol.

Results

Out of the 234 citations screened, only 8 systematic reviews representing 166 studies were considered eligible for further analysis. Glycemic management (A1C) is the most common outcome variable (108 studies). Common behavioral and psychosocial outcome variables examined are episodes of hypoglycemia (27 studies) and diabetic ketoacidosis (21 studies) and self-care behavior and generic quality of life (20 studies each). Several gaps in DSMES-related research studies are identified, including uneven geographical distribution of study population, methodological weaknesses in study designs, missing important outcome variables, use of nonstandardized assessment tools, and lack of assessment of the sustainability of effects.

Conclusion

The effects of DSMES interventions on clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial outcomes are varied. The heterogeneity of implementation and evaluation makes it difficult to draw clear conclusions about elements of DSMES that are most effective. There is a need for long-term assessment of the psychosocial and behavioral outcomes using validated and generalizable instruments.
Analysis of the assessment of antimicrobial susceptibility. Non-typhoid Salmonella in meat and meat products as model (systematic review)
Authors: Rincón-Gamboa Sandra M. , Poutou-Piñales Raúl A. , Carrascal-Camacho Ana K.
Published: August 2021

Background

The scientific publications of antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance must be precise, with interpretations adjusted to the standard. In this frame, knowledge of antimicrobial resistance is fundamental in pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella spp., known for many annual deaths worldwide. The objective of this work was to compare the interpretation of standards, the concentrations, and the breakpoints, to study antimicrobial resistance in Non-Typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) isolated from beef, pork, and chicken meat, meat products, and propose additional considerations that improve the use and usefulness of published results.

Results

After refining the search based on meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 papers were selected. In 33 (68.8%) of them, the disc diffusion method was used, in 11 (22.9%) the MIC determination method, and in 4 (8.33%) were used both. In 24 (50%) of the articles, the selection of a different (correct) standard could have had an impact on the interpretation of antimicrobial susceptibility, which observed when considering three scenarios, i) comparison between the year of the isolation versus the implemented standard, ii) comparison between the year of submission versus implemented standard and iii) comparison between the year of publication versus implemented standard.

Conclusions

The most frequent scenario was the inadequate selection of standards, indicating that some studies had not ensured that applied standards kept in line with the date of isolation, date of publication and interpretation of susceptibilities. We proposed 2 years for standards use for resistance and multi-resistance interpretations. On the other hand, we invite researchers to publish their results in the shortest possible time, and editors and reviewers of scientific journals to prioritise these types of studies and verify the correspondence between the standard cited and the one used and the one to be taken into account.
The disrupted topological properties of structural networks showed recovery in ischemic stroke patients: a longitudinal design study
Authors: Li Yongxin , Yu Zeyun , Wu Ping , Chen Jiaxu
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Stroke is one of the leading causes of substantial disability worldwide. Previous studies have shown brain functional and structural alterations in adults with stroke. However, few studies have examined the longitudinal reorganization in whole-brain structural networks in stroke.

Methods

Here, we applied graph theoretical analysis to investigate the longitudinal topological organization of white matter networks in 20 ischemic stroke patients with a one-month interval between two timepoints. Two sets of clinical scores, Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and neurological deficit scores (NDS), were assessed for all patients on the day the image data were collected.

Results

The stroke patients exhibited significant increases in FMA scores and significant reductions in DNS between the two timepoints. All groups exhibited small-world organization (σ  >  1) in the brain structural network, including a high clustering coefficient (γ  >  1) and a low normalized characteristic path length (λ ≈ 1). However, compared to healthy controls, stroke patients showed significant decrease in nodal characteristics at the first timepoint, primarily in the right supplementary motor area, right middle temporal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobe, right postcentral gyrus and left posterior cingulate gyrus. Longitudinal results demonstrated that altered nodal characteristics were partially restored one month later. Additionally, significant correlations between the nodal characteristics of the right supplementary motor area and the clinical scale scores (FMA and NDS) were observed in stroke patients. Similar behavioral-neuroimaging correlations were found in the right inferior parietal lobe.

Conclusion

Altered topological properties may be an effect of stroke, which can be modulated during recovery. The longitudinal results and the neuroimaging-behavioral relationship may provide information for understanding brain recovery from stroke. Future studies should detect whether observed changes in structural topological properties can predict the recovery of daily cognitive function in stroke.
The expression of miR-211-5p in atherosclerosis and its influence on diagnosis and prognosis
Authors: Zhang Yanxia , Wang Huiyun , Xia Yu
Published: August 2021

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of miR-211-5p in atherosclerosis (AS) by detecting the expression level in serum of patients with AS.

Methods

A total of 85 healthy controls and 90 asymptomatic AS patients participated in this study. The expression level of miR-211-5p in all subjects were measured by qRT-PCR. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation of miR-211-5p with CRP and CIMT. The ROC curve was established to assess the diagnostic value of miR-211-5p in AS. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve and multivariate COX regression analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of miR-211-5p in AS.

Results

The expression levels of miR-211-5p in AS patients were significantly lower than in healthy controls (P < 0.001), and miR-211-5p showed a significant negative correlation with CRP (r =  − 0.639, P < 0.001) and CIMT (r =  − 0.730, P < 0.001). The AUC of the ROC curve was 0.900, the specificity and the sensitivity were 84.7% and 78.9%, respectively, which indicating that miR-211-5p had diagnostic value for AS. Survival analysis showed that patients with low miR-211-5p expression were more likely to have cardiovascular end-point events (Log rank P = 0.013).

Conclusion

Serum miR-211-5p could be used as a new biomarker for the diagnosis of AS, and the low expression of miR-211-5p is associated with the poor prognosis of AS.
Particles and corrected particles of LDL and non-HDL are stronger predicters of coronary lesion in postmenopausal women
Authors: Li Chuang , Chen Jingxun , Wei Siyue , Zhang Mei , Chu Yushun , Meng Fanpeng , Wang Jianyu , Tang Jie , Luo Jian , Yang Yu , Niu Xiulong , Cai Wei
Published: August 2021

Background

The optimum lipid indexes, predicting the coronary lesion in postmenopausal women are not clear.

Objective

To evaluate the optimum lipid predicter for coronary lesion in routine and advanced lipid tests.

Method

300 postmenopausal women were enrolled and assigned into coronary heart disease (CHD) Group (242), and non-CHD Group (58). Routine and advanced lipid indexes were measured with standard laboratory test and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The correlation and predictivities for CHD of routine and advanced lipid indexes were performed with Logistic regression, Spearman correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC).

Results

Age (hazard ratio (HR) 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–5.86, P = 0.03), apolipoprotein B (ApoB) (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.15–1.59, P < 0.001), corrected particles of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-p-corr) (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03–1.06, P < 0.001) and corrected particles of non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL-p-corr) (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03, P < 0.001) were the risk factors of CHD. LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), LDL-p, LDL-p-corr, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C), non-HDL-p and non-HDL-p-corr were in linear correlation with Gensini score. Advanced lipid indexes LDL-p (area under curve (AUC) = 0.750, P = 0.02), LDL-p-corr (AUC = 0.759, P = 0.02), non-HDL-p (AUC = 0.693, P = 0.03) and non-HDL-p-corr (AUC = 0.699, P = 0.03) were more predictive for CHD than the routine ones (LDL-C and non-HDL-C).

Conclusion

In postmenopausal women, age, ApoB, LDL-p-corr and non-HDL-p-corr were risk factors of CHD. Compared with traditional lipid items, LDL-p, LDL-p-corr, non-HDL-p and non-HDL-p-corr may be better lipid indexes for CHD in postmenopausal women.
Comparison of the clinical features and outcome of children with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) secondary to visceral leishmaniasis and primary HLH: a single-center study
Authors: Mottaghipisheh Hadi , Kalantar Kurosh , Amanati Ali , Shokripour Mansoureh , Shahriari Mahdi , Zekavat Omid Reza , Zareifar Soheila , Karimi Mehran , Haghpanah Sezaneh , Bordbar Mohammadreza
Published: August 2021

Background

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome of excessive inflammation. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory findings of HLH patients secondary to Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and their treatment outcome during a 4-year follow-up period compared to primary HLH.

Method

Forty children with primary HLH confirmed by genetic study and 20 children with HLH secondary to VL confirmed by a blood or bone marrow polymerase chain reaction from 2014 to 2018 in Shiraz, Fars province, Southern Iran, were enrolled.

Results

The median age at diagnosis was 11.5 months (range 1–170), and 56.7% were male. Fever and splenomegaly were the most frequent clinical presentations. 93.3% of the subjects had an HScore > 169, which had a good correlation with HLH-2004 criteria (r = 0.371,P = 0.004). Patients with primary HLH experienced more thrombocytopenia (P = 0.012) and higher alanine transaminase (P = 0.016), while patients with VL-associated HLH had higher ferritin (P = 0.034) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P = 0.011). Central nervous system (CNS) involvement occurred in 38.3% of patients. The mortality rate was higher in patients with CNS disease (61% vs. 35%,P = 0.051). The 3-yr overall survival rate was 35.9%. (24% in primary HLH and 100% in VL-associated HLH,P < 0.001). In Cox regression analysis, platelet count < 100,000/μl (hazard ratio 4.472, 95% confidence interval 1.324–15.107,P = 0.016) correlated with increased mortality in patients with primary HLH.

Conclusion

VL is a potential source of secondary HLH in regions with high endemicity. Treatment of the underlying disease in VL-associated HLH is sufficient in most cases, with no need to start etoposide-based chemotherapy.
Clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 and dengue co-infection: a systematic review
Authors: Tsheten Tsheten , Clements Archie C. A. , Gray Darren J. , Adhikary Ripon K. , Wangdi Kinley
Published: August 2021

Background

Dengue is the most common arboviral disease in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Like other regions, dengue-endemic areas have faced the additional public health and socio-economic impact of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 and dengue co-infections have been reported, with complicated patient management and care requirements. This review aimed to collate and synthesise current knowledge on the clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 and dengue virus co-infection, a potentially important new dimension to be considered in public health management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases from 1st January to 21st November 2020. The key search terms used were “dengue” and “coronavirus”. Descriptive analysis with graphical illustrations were used to present the clinical and laboratory parameters of the co-infection.

Results

Thirteen published papers and four news articles were included in the review. Most studies were case reports with a detailed description of the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the co-infection. All cases were in adults with the exception of a six-year old child. The common symptoms of co-infection were fever, dyspnea, headache, and cough. Common laboratory results included thrombocytopenia, lymphocytopenia, elevated transaminases, and leukopenia. Serious outcomes of co-infection included septic shock, acute respiratory disease syndrome and multi-organ failure, leading to death in some patients.

Conclusions

COVID-19 and dengue co-infection was associated with severe disease and fatal outcomes. The correct diagnosis and treatment of co-infection poses a substantial challenge due to the overlapping clinical and laboratory parameters. Therefore, confirmative diagnostic tests are necessary for accurate and timely diagnosis and patient management.
Clinical application of whole transcriptome sequencing for the classification of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Walter Wencke , Shahswar Rabia , Stengel Anna , Meggendorfer Manja , Kern Wolfgang , Haferlach Torsten , Haferlach Claudia
Published: August 2021

Background

Considering the clinical and genetic characteristics, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a rather heterogeneous hematological neoplasm for which current standard diagnostics require various analyses encompassing morphology, immunophenotyping, cytogenetics, and molecular analysis of gene fusions and mutations. Hence, it would be desirable to rely on a technique and an analytical workflow that allows the simultaneous analysis and identification of all the genetic alterations in a single approach. Moreover, based on the results with standard methods, a significant amount of patients have no established abnormalities and hence, cannot further be stratified.

Methods

We performed WTS and WGS in 279 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients (B-cell: n = 211; T-cell: n = 68) to assess the accuracy of WTS, to detect relevant genetic markers, and to classify ALL patients.

Results

DNA and RNA-based genotyping was used to ensure correct WTS-WGS pairing. Gene expression analysis reliably assigned samples to the B Cell Precursor (BCP)-ALL or the T-ALL group. Subclassification of BCP-ALL samples was done progressively, assessing first the presence of chromosomal rearrangements by the means of fusion detection. Compared to the standard methods, 97% of the recurrent risk-stratifying fusions could be identified by WTS, assigning 76 samples to their respective entities. Additionally, read-through fusions (indicative of CDKN2A and RB1 gene deletions) were recurrently detected in the cohort along with 57 putative novel fusions, with yet untouched diagnostic potentials. Next, copy number variations were inferred from WTS data to identify relevant ploidy groups, classifying an additional of 31 samples. Lastly, gene expression profiling detected a BCR-ABL1-like signature in 27% of the remaining samples.

Conclusion

As a single assay, WTS allowed a precise genetic classification for the majority of BCP-ALL patients, and is superior to conventional methods in the cases which lack entity defining genetic abnormalities.