bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between white blood cell count and intestinal resection in patients with acute mesenteric vein thrombosis
Authors: Xu Yu , Dai Shang-Tai , Lu Hong-Qiao , Chen Wei , Xiong Zhi-Wei , Liu Jiang , Tang Yong-Jiang , Guo Shi-Kui , Gong Kun-Mei
Published: February 2024

Objective

Acute mesenteric vein thrombosis (AMVT) is an acute abdominal disease with onset, rapid progression, and extensive intestinal necrosis that requires immediate surgical resection. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for nosocomial intestinal resection in patients with AMVT.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 64 patients with AMVT diagnosed by CTA at the Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology from January 2013 to December 2021. We compared patients who underwent intestinal resection (42 patients) with those who did not undergo intestinal resection (22 patients). The area under the ROC curve was evaluated, and a forest map was drawn.

Results

Among the 64 patients, 6 (9.38%) had a fever, 60 (93.75%) had abdominal pain, 9 (14.06%) had a history of diabetes, 8 (12.5%) had a history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and 25 (39.06%) had ascites suggested by B ultrasound or CT after admission. The mean age of all patients was 49.86 ± 16.25 years. The mean age of the patients in the enterectomy group was 47.71 ± 16.20 years. The mean age of the patients in the conservative treatment group (without enterectomy) was 53.95 ± 15.90 years. In the univariate analysis, there were statistically significant differences in leukocyte count (P = 0.003), neutrophil count (P = 0.001), AST (P = 0.048), total bilirubin (P = 0.047), fibrinogen (P = 0.022) and DD2 (P = 0.024) between the two groups. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that admission white blood cell count (OR = 1.153, 95% CI: 1.039–1.280, P = 0.007) was an independent risk factor for intestinal resection in patients with AMVT. The ROC curve showed that the white blood cell count (AUC = 0.759 95% CI: 0.620–0.897; P = 0.001; optimal threshold: 7.815; sensitivity: 0.881; specificity: 0.636) had good predictive value for emergency enterectomy for AMVT.

Conclusions

Among patients with AMVT, patients with a higher white blood cell count at admission were more likely to have intestinal necrosis and require emergency enterectomy. This study is helpful for clinicians to accurately determine whether emergency intestinal resection is needed in patients with AMVT after admission, prevent further intestinal necrosis, and improve the prognosis of patients.
Analysis of characteristic and postexposure practices of occupational blood and body fluid exposures among health care workers in Chinese tertiary hospitals: a retrospective ten-year study
Authors: Feng Hong , Mao Xiaoli , Li Mengqi , Mao Hongbo
Published: February 2024

Background

Occupational blood and body fluid exposure (OBEs) is a highly concerning global health problem in health facilities. Improper or inadequate post-exposure practices increase the risk of infection with bloodborne pathogens. Understanding risk factors for OBEs and evaluating the post-exposure practices will contribute to healthcare workers’ (HCWs) well-being.

Methods

This study retrospectively synthesized and reviewed the 10-year data (from 2010 to 2020) on OBEs in a tertiary teaching hospital.

Results

A total of 519 HCWs have reported OBEs, increasing yearly from 2010 to 2020. Of these, most were nurses (247 [47.2%]), female (390 [75.1%]), at 23–27 years old (207 [39.9%]). The hepatitis B was the primary bloodborne pathogen exposed to HCWs, with 285 (54.9%) cases, internal medicine was the main exposure site (161 [31.0%]), and sharp injury was the main exposure route (439 [84.6%]). Data analysis shows that there are significant differences between exposure route, exposed pathogens, and exposure site among the different occupational categories (X2 = 14.5, 43.7, 94.3, all P < 0.001). 3.3% of HCWs did not take any post-exposure practices. For percutaneous exposure, 4.7% did not rinse the wound, 3.3% did not squeeze out the wound, and 2.3% did not disinfect the wound. In the case of mucosal exposure, 90.4% clean the exposure area immediately.

Conclusions

The data from the past decade underscores the seriousness of current situation of OBEs in Chinese tertiary hospital, particularly among young HCWs, and with hepatitis B as the predominant blood-borne pathogen. This study also identifies HCWs may take incorrect post-exposure practices. It’s crucial in the future to discuss the effectiveness of main groups targeted for focused specialty-specific guidance for the prevention of such accidents, meanwhile, to include blood-borne disease immunity testing in mandatory health check-ups. Additionally, focus on optimizing post-exposure practices, offering significant steps toward prevention of such incidents and reducing infection risks should also be considered in future studies.
Correlation between whole salivary prostaglandin E2 and hemoglobin A1c levels among type-2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients with periodontal inflammation
Authors: Shaheen Marwa Y. , Basudan Amani M. , Alzawawi Abeer S. , Al-Ahmari Fatemah , Aldulaijan Hajer A. , Alshibani Nouf , Shaheen Rakan Saifuddin , Al-kattan Reem
Published: February 2024

Background

It is hypothesized that whole salivary prostaglandin E2 (PgE2) levels are higher in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (type-2 DM) than non-diabetic individuals with periodontal inflammation; and that whole salivary expression of PgE2 is correlated with hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels. The aim of the present study was to compare whole salivary PgE2 levels among patients with type-2 DM and non-diabetic individuals with periodontal inflammation.

Methods

Sociodemographic data, duration since the diagnosis and management of type-2 DM, most recent hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c level), and any familial history of DM was retrieved from patient’s healthcare records. Participants were divided into four groups: Group-1: type-2 diabetics with periodontal inflammation; Group-2: type-2 diabetics without periodontal inflammation; Group-3: non-diabetics with periodontal inflammation; and Group-4: non-diabetics without periodontal inflammation. Plaque and gingival indices (PI and GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and marginal bone loss (MBL) were measured. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected and PgE2 levels were measured. Group-comparisons were done and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

One-hundred-sixty individuals were included. Mean HbA1c levels were higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05), 3 (P < 0.05) and 4 (P < 0.05). The PI (P < 0.05), GI (P < 0.05) and PD (P < 0.05) were higher in Group-1 than groups 2 and 4. The CAL was higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05) and 3 (P < 0.05). The PD (P < 0.05), PI (P < 0.05) and GI (P < 0.05) were higher in Group-3 than Group-4. The MBL was higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05), 3 (P < 0.05) and 4 (P < 0.05). The PgE2 levels were higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05), 3 (P < 0.05) and 4 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Hyperglycemia in patients with type-2 DM is associated with increased expression of whole salivary PgE2 levels and worsened periodontal inflammation compared with individuals with well-controlled type-2 DM and non-diabetic individuals.
Exploring formal and informal learning opportunities during morning report: a qualitative study
Authors: Møller Jane Ege , Skipper Mads , Sunde Lone , Sørensen Anita , Balslev Thomas , Malling Bente Vigh
Published: February 2024

Background

Morning reports are an essential component of physicians’ daily work. Attending morning reports is prioritized by junior doctors as it provides them with an opportunity to learn diagnostic reasoning through discussion of cases. While teaching formats during morning reports have previously been reported, an in-depth analysis of what learning opportunities exist, e.g., how teaching is enacted during morning reports, is lacking. This qualitative study explores learning opportunities during morning reports.

Methods

We used an explorative design based on video-recordings of 23 morning reports from two surgical departments, an internal medicine department and an emergency department. We used thematic analysis combined with and inspired by Eraut’s theoretical framework of workplace learning.

Results

Both formal and informal learning opportunities were identified. Formal learning opportunities had the character of planned teaching activities, and we identified four themes: (1) modes of teaching, (2) structure, (3) presenter role, and (4) participant involvement. Informal learning, on the other hand, was often implicit and reactive, while deliberate learning opportunities were rare. The data showed many missed opportunities for learning.

Conclusion

Both formal and informal learning opportunities are present during morning reports. However, a prevalent focus on medical topics exists, leaving other important aspects of the medical role under-discussed. Pedagogical methods could be employed more optimally, and harnessing the potential of missed opportunities should be encouraged.
Interpreter and limited-English proficiency patient training helps develop medical and physician assistant students’ cross-cultural communication skills
Authors: Nguyen Quennie , Flora Julia , Basaviah Preetha , Bryant Madika , Hosamani Poonam , Westphal Jerri , Kugler John , Hom Jason , Chi Jeffrey , Parker Johanna , DiGiammarino Alicia
Published: February 2024

Background

The increasing linguistic and cultural diversity in the United States underscores the necessity of enhancing healthcare professionals' cross-cultural communication skills. This study focuses on incorporating interpreter and limited-English proficiency (LEP) patient training into the medical and physician assistant student curriculum. This aims to improve equitable care provision, addressing the vulnerability of LEP patients to healthcare disparities, including errors and reduced access. Though training is recognized as crucial, opportunities in medical curricula remain limited.

Methods

To bridge this gap, a novel initiative was introduced in a medical school, involving second-year students in clinical sessions with actual LEP patients and interpreters. These sessions featured interpreter input, patient interactions, and feedback from interpreters and clinical preceptors. A survey assessed the perspectives of students, preceptors, and interpreters.

Results

Outcomes revealed positive reception of interpreter and LEP patient integration. Students gained confidence in working with interpreters and valued interpreter feedback. Preceptors recognized the sessions' value in preparing students for future clinical interactions.

Conclusions

This study underscores the importance of involving experienced interpreters in training students for real-world interactions with LEP patients. Early interpreter training enhances students' communication skills and ability to serve linguistically diverse populations. Further exploration could expand languages and interpretation modes and assess long-term effects on students' clinical performance. By effectively training future healthcare professionals to navigate language barriers and cultural diversity, this research contributes to equitable patient care in diverse communities.
Genetic differentiation of Plasmodium vivax duffy binding protein in Ethiopia and comparison with other geographical isolates
Authors: Abebe Abnet , Dieng Cheikh Cambel , Dugassa Sisay , Abera Deriba , Shenkutie Tassew T. , Assefa Ashenafi , Menard Didier , Lo Eugenia , Golassa Lemu
Published: February 2024

Background

Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) is a merozoite surface protein located in the micronemes of P. vivax. The invasion of human reticulocytes by P. vivax merozoites depends on the parasite DBP binding domain engaging Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokine (DARC) on these red blood cells (RBCs). PvDBPII shows high genetic diversity which is a major challenge to its use in the development of a vaccine against vivax malaria.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2021 to September 2022 in five study sites across Ethiopia. A total of 58 blood samples confirmed positive for P. vivax by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were included in the study to determine PvDBPII genetic diversity. PvDBPII were amplified using primers designed from reference sequence of P. vivax Sal I strain. Assembling of sequences was done using Geneious Prime version 2023.2.1. Alignment and phylogenetic tree constructions using MEGA version 10.1.1. Nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity were analysed using DnaSP version 6.12.03, and haplotype network was generated with PopART version 1.7.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 25 years, 5 (8.6%) participants were Duffy negatives. From the 58 PvDBPII sequences, seven haplotypes based on nucleotide differences at 8 positions were identified. Nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity were 0.00267 ± 0.00023 and 0.731 ± 0.036, respectively. Among the five study sites, the highest numbers of haplotypes were identified in Arbaminch with six different haplotypes while only two haplotypes were identified in Gambella. The phylogenetic tree based on PvDBPII revealed that parasites of different study sites shared similar genetic clusters with few exceptions. Globally, a total of 39 haplotypes were identified from 223 PvDBPII sequences representing different geographical isolates obtained from NCBI archive. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity were 0.00373 and 0.845 ± 0.015, respectively. The haplotype prevalence ranged from 0.45% to 27.3%. Two haplotypes were shared among isolates from all geographical areas of the globe.

Conclusions

PvDBPII of the Ethiopian P. vivax isolates showed low nucleotide but high haplotype diversity, this pattern of genetic variability suggests that the population may have undergone a recent expansion. Among the Ethiopian P. vivax isolates, almost half of the sequences were identical to the Sal-I reference sequence. However, there were unique haplotypes observed in the Ethiopian isolates, which does not share with isolates from other geographical areas. There were two haplotypes that were common among populations across the globe. Categorizing population haplotype frequency can help to determine common haplotypes for designing an effective blood-stage vaccine which will have a significant role for the control and elimination of P. vivax.
Clinical characteristics and prognostic analysis of postoperative recurrence or metastasis of low-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Authors: Cao Lianlian , Lin Chen , Liu Yu , Sui Chao , Li Zhaoping , Chen Li , Guan Wenxian , Tao Liang , Tao Tingting , Wang Meng , Wang Feng
Published: February 2024

Background

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive tract. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of postoperative recurrence or metastasis in patients with low-risk stromal tumors, in order to take individualized postoperative management and treatment for patients with low-risk GISTs with relatively high recurrence.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological and follow-up data of patients with GISTs who underwent surgical resection in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from March 2010 to December 2021. A total of 282 patients with low-risk GISTs were included, none of whom were treated with imatinib. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis and survival curves were used to explore the relationship between clinical features and recurrence or metastasis in patients with low-risk GISTs.

Results

Of the 282 patients with low-risk GISTs who met inclusion criteria, 14 (4.96%) had recurrence or metastasis. There was a correlation between tumor size, primary site, resection type, Ki67 index, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and CD34 expression and postoperative recurrence or metastasis of GISTs (P < 0.05). Subsequently, multifactorial analysis showed that tumor primary site, tumor size, and Ki67 index were independent risk factors affecting postoperative recurrent or metastasis in patients with low-risk GISTs (P < 0.05). Ultimately, According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, non-gastric primary tumors, larger tumors, and high Ki67 index were significantly associated with poor progression-free survival ( PFS ).

Conclusions

Tumor location, tumor size and Ki-67 were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence and metastasis in patients with low-risk GISTs. Based on the 2008 modified NIH recurrence risk grading system, combined with the above three factors, it can be used to evaluate the prognosis of patients with low-risk GISTs and provide personalized postoperative review and follow-up management recommendations.
Green synthesis of MnO2 NPs using Arabic gum: assessing its potential antiviral activity against influenza A/H1N1
Authors: Baghban Neda , Momeni Safieh , Behboudi Emad , Dianat-Moghadam Hassan , Darabi Amirhossein , Targhi Hadiseh Shokouhi , Keshavarz Mohsen
Published: February 2024

Background

The antiviral properties of metal nanoparticles against various viruses, including those resistant to drugs, are currently a subject of intensive research. Recently, the green synthesis of nanoparticles and their anti-viral function have attracted a lot of attention. Previous studies have shown promising results in the use of Arabic gum for the green synthesis of nanoparticles with strong antiviral properties. In this study we aimed to investigate the antiviral effects of MnO2 nanoparticles (MnO2-NPs) synthesized using Arabic gum, particularly against the influenza virus.

Methods

Arabic gum was used as a natural polymer to extract and synthesize MnO2-NPs using a green chemistry approach. The synthesized MnO2-NPs were characterized using SEM and TEM. To evaluate virus titration, cytotoxicity, and antiviral activity, TCID50, MTT, and Hemagglutination assay (HA) were performed, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also performed to investigate the potential antiviral activity of the synthesized MnO2-NPs against the influenza virus. The molecular docking was carried out using AutoDock Vina software followed by an analysis with VMD software to investigate the interaction between Arabic gum and the hemagglutinin protein.

Results

Simultaneous combination treatment with the green-synthesized MnO2-NPs resulted in a 3.5 log HA decrement and 69.7% cellular protection, which demonstrated the most significant difference in cellular protection compared to the virus control group (p-value < 0.01). The docking results showed that binding affinities were between − 3.3 and − 5.8 kcal/mole relating with the interaction between target with MnO2 and beta-D-galactopyranuronic acid, respectively.

Conclusion

The results of the study indicated that the MnO2-NPs synthesized with Arabic gum had significant antiviral effects against the influenza virus, highlighting their potential as a natural and effective treatment for inhibition of respiratory infections.
From literary criticism to propaganda
Authors: Στάμος Ιωάννης
Published: February 2024

Η διατριβή εξετάζει τον επίσημο κυβερνητικό λόγο σε συνάρτηση με τον λόγο που παρήγαγαν φιλοκυβερνητικοί διανοούμενοι ασχολούμενοι με πολιτιστικά θέματα και ιδίως με την κριτική κατά τη διάρκεια της δικτατορίας Μεταξά. Οι πρωτογενείς πηγές της αποτελούνται κυρίως από περιοδικά που υποστήριζαν τη δικτατορία ή εκδίδονταν από αυτήν. Η διατριβεί επιχειρεί να εντάξει αυτούς τους λόγους σε ένα ευρύτερο πλαίσιο, συγκρίνοντάς τους με εκείνους που παρήγαγαν ακροδεξιοί κύκλοι διανοουμένων και πολιτικών σε άλλες ευρωπαϊκές χώρες κατά το πρώτο μισό του εικοστού αιώνα και ανιχνεύοντας τις εγχώριες προ του 1936 πηγές τους. Υποστηρίζεται ότι η ευρυμάθεια των κριτικών και άλλων δρώντων στο πολιτισμικό πεδίο σε συνδυασμό με τον αυτοπροσδιορισμό του καθεστώτος ως κράτος πολιτισμού (Kulturstaat) επέτρεψε σε αυτούς τους διανοούμενους να διαδραματίσουν σημαντικό πολιτικό (νομιμοποιητικό και προπαγανδιστικό) ρόλο. Η δομή είναι θεματική και περιστρέφεται γύρω από τους ακόλουθους τέσσερεις θεματικούς άξονες: παρελθόν, έθνος, εξουσία και ιεραρχία, μέλλον. Η πρώτη θεματική αναλύεται μέσω της συζήτησης συγκεκριμένων ιστορικών περιόδων που βρέθηκαν στο επίκεντρο του μεταξικού λόγου και των τρόπων ιστορικής κατανόησης που τη χαρακτήρισε. Η δεύτερη θεματική διερευνάται με βάση ερωτήματα σχετικά με την αναπαράσταση της ουσίας του Ελληνισμού και τον πολιτισμικό ορισμό του έθνους, την έμφαση στην πάτρια γη και τις αισθητικές ή μεταφυσικές ιδιότητες, την προώθηση της λαϊκής κουλτούρας και γλώσσας, καθώς και αντιλήψεις περί εθνικής ενότητας. Η τρίτη θεματική περικλείει την προπαγάνδα που σχετίζεται με την τάξη, την πειθαρχία και την απολυταρχία, καθώς και με την ιεραρχία, τον ελιτισμό και το δόγμα της χαρισματικής ηγεσίας. Τέλος, η ανάλυση του τέταρτης θεματικής επιδιώκεται μέσω της συζήτησης της προπαγάνδας που σχετίζεται με νέους χρονοτόπους, τον Τρίτο Ελληνικό Πολιτισμό και τη νεολαία.
Psychedelics as a treatment for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Authors: Marcinkowski Krzysztof , Mazur Agata , Madera Magdalena , Mazur Sylwia , Strus Karolina , Bizan Aleksy , Nagórska Emilia , Zdunek Roksana , Dąbrowska Natalia , Kublińska Aleksandra
Published: February 2024

Introduction and purpose: Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric condition following an extreme event that causes a near death of an involved individual. Since conventional treatments using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors do not consistently yield therapeutic success, alternative substances are being explored as potential solutions. This study aims to compile information regarding the outcomes of utilizing psychedelics in individuals diagnosed with PTSD.
Brief description of the state of knowledge: In July 2023, after a number of clinical trials and 20-year-long efforts to overturn the impact of a prohibition, Australia became the first country to allow doctors, in clinical development and under strict control, to use the 3,4-methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA) commonly known as ecstasy, as well as psylocybin in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder or depression [8]. There is a noticeable annual growth of inquiries on PubMed involving the keywords "psychedelics" and "therapeutic", amounting to 92 in 2000 and topped by 738 searches in 2023, whereas the total number of results consists of 8415 positions. Therapeutic effects of psychedelics are becoming more recognized over time.
Summary: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition that affects both the psychological and somatic aspects of the body. Thus, a multidimensional intervention is indicated. The use of psychedelics might contribute to improvements not only in the severity of PTSD but also in depression or pain. Further research on a larger group of participants should be carried out to assess the potential role of psychedelics in conventional medicine in the future, alongside psychotherapy.
Intra-abdominal hypertension as a risk factor for acute kidney injury in geriatric patients after emergency abdominal surgery
Authors: Momot Nataliia , Vorotyntsev Sergiy
Published: February 2024

Intra-abdominal hypertension is an often underestimated risk factor for acute kidney injury (AKI). But the values of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and abdominal perfusion pressure (APP), which are critical for the development of AKI in elderly patients after urgent abdominal surgery, are still not defined.Objective. To evaluate the relationship between IAP and APP and the development of acute kidney injury in geriatric patients after emergency abdominal surgery.Materials and methods. A prospective single-center study included 66 patients older than 60 years who underwent surgery for peritonitis and were transferred to the intensive care unit. Statistical processing was performed using the program "STATISTICA for Windows 13" (StatSoftInc., No. JPZ804I382130ARCN10-J).Results. Among the examined patients, 48 developed AKI (73%). The average values of IAP in patients with AKI and without AKI were 10.4 (7.4, 13.3) mm Hg and 6.7 (4.4; 9.6) mm Hg respectively (p<0.0001). APP in patients with AKI, respectively, was significantly lower (72 (61.5, 83.7)) than in patients without AKI (85.6 (74.5, 94.4; p<0.0001)). According to the results of logistic regression analysis, a relationship between high IAP values and the development of AKI was revealed: the odds ratio (OR) was 3.4 with the value of the criterion x2=32.4 (р<0.0001). The odds ratio between the reduction of APP and the development of AKI was 2.3 with the value of the criterion x2=13.4 (p=0.0002).ROC analysis showed that IAP>10.4 mm Hg. is the threshold level for the development of AKI with a sensitivity of 46% and a specificity of 90.5%, with an area under the AUC curve of 0.74 (p<0.001). APP<79.12 mm Hg is critical for the development of AKI, with a sensitivity of 66.4% and a specificity of 70%, with an area under the AUC curve of 0.68 (p<0.001).Conclusions. High values of IAP and reduction of APP are associated with the occurrence of acute kidney injury in elderly patients after emergency abdominal surgery.
Motivation and Learning Conceptions That Matter When Considering Global Citizenship Education
Authors: Iborra Cuéllar Alejandro , BRUNO LUANA , García-Varela Ana Belén
Published: February 2024

35 undergraduate students enrolled in a Primary Education Program participated in an innovation activity consisting of creating an ideal school and promoting a global citizenship education. The students completed a survey in which they evaluated the lesson they received from their peers in terms of motivation and the type of activities carried out in terms of the learning conception promoted. We followed a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results observed a significant increase in only in meaning motivation. Athough no significant shifts in learning conceptions were found, there was a trend toward interactive and applicative learning approaches.
Social Inclusion of Adults with a Light Intellectual Disability
Authors: Bąbka Jarosław Antoni , Korzeniowska Regina
Published: February 2024

Problem: How do adults with a light intellectual disability manifest social inclusion? Method: qualitative research conducted by means od in-depth interview. The empirical material was interpreted by using the assumptions of the hermeneutical-phenomenological perspective. The research involved 15 adults with a light intellectual disability aged 23-37 from Poland. Results: The subjects have acces to health care, use public transport when needed and are familiar with digital technology and electronic banking services. Those, who are not well acquainted with electronic media use debit card. Participation in cultural events is not always well accessed by people with intellectual disability. The respondents are not exposed to social exclusion due to their economic standing. Those, who are not professionally active are offered institutional support when it is necessary. Conlusion: Light intellectual disability, in case of the group of people subject to the tests performed, does not constitute a factor limiting social incusion. Adequate cognitive resources possessed by the respondents as well as social roles they play supports their blending into the community of people without disabilities.
Media Representations of Speech Disorders in Characters from Selected Films for Children
Authors: Łangowska Paulina
Published: February 2024

Research so far shows that animated films are present in children's lives from an early age. Young audiences are looking for role models, which often take the form of characters from animated films. The aim of the research presented in this article was to reconstruct media representations of speech disorders specific to characters in selected animated films aimed at children. The author used archive searching as a data collection method and content analysis as a method to analyse the collected material. The paper presents results of a speech disorder analysis of 18 children from Poland. Research shows that the most common speech disorder in animated films is lisping, followed by rhotacism and pararhotacism; there is also a relationship between animated characters' speech disorders and their charakcter traits.
Rebooting Tourism in Vietnam: The Ho Tram Strip
Authors: Hutnyk John
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Over many years, the Government of Vietnam made various statements on the importance of sustainability and tourism sector growth. Corporate tourism developers quickly followed suit with similar rhetoric, as did some sociological scholarship—at times promoting tourism uncritically and sometimes critiquing it unapologetically. This article is based on ethnographic observations of casino tourism development along the Hồ Tràm strip on the South-eastern Vietnamese coastline, both before and during COVID-19, as well as close commentary monitoring government statements, corporate press, and promotional sociological studies within tourism management. The article addresses target markets for casino tourism, planning, infrastructure, issues for workers in associated sectors, and environmental ecosystems with longer, toxic histories. What 'sustainability' means after COVID-19 might be questioned in the 'rebooting' of the tourism economy.
Ethnic Return Migrants in Korea and Japan: A Comparative Study of Nationalism and Citizenship
Authors: Zmire Zeljana
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This study explores the complicated nature of the citizenship of ethnic return migrants from Japan and Korea, Nikkeijin and Joseonjok. It aims to contribute to the scholarship by demonstrating that racism and nationalism are layered concepts by examining the reasons why Nikkeijin and Joseonjok enjoy preferential treatment to some extent but at the same time become targets of discrimination in Korea and Japan. I draw on Christian Joppke's position that citizenship is composed not only of legal status but also of social and identity elements and utilize two relatively novel concepts that shed new light on the complex nature of Nikkeijin and Joseonjok citizenship. One is Takeyuki Tsuda's concept of ethnoracism, which helps capture the type of racism aimed at groups that are not racially distinct but whose ostensible background differences are essentialized as inferior. The other is Gil-Soo Han's nouveau-riche nationalism, which argues that migrants are evaluated according to the global and developmental status of their country of origin. This comparative analysis helps demonstrate how the lives of Joseonjok and Nikkeijin are shaped by multiple layers of nationalism, racism, and status perceptions in their respective countries of residence.
Big Novels for Little Folks: Dickens Adapted, Abridged, and Excerpted for Young Readers
Authors: Andersen Kirsten
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Classic novels retold for children have received limited scholarly attention. Often cheaply printed, the interest they arouse is also transient: child readers become adults and either lose interest or move on to the unabridged text. Despite their transience and ephemerality, “classic” novels rewritten for children, especially retellings of Dickens, merit scholarly examination. These retellings appeal to child readers by centring the plots that revolve around child characters, shaping the popular imagination and reception history of these works. Since their initial publication, Dickens’s novels have been adapted, abridged, and anthologized for young readers by editors and publishers with various motives: to profit off Dickens’s fame, to promote literacy, and to support social change. Texts that rewrite “classic” authors like Dickens for young audiences reveal our cultural assumptions and anxieties about literacy.
Teaching and Reading Dickens in Brazil: A Tale of Two Cities as a Case Study
Authors: Santos Brigida Marcela
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Taking the experience of teaching Dickens in Brazil as a point of departure, this essay proposes a brief overview of the novelist’s initial reception in the South American country as part of an ongoing investigation of his multi-layered influence on Brazilian culture from the nineteenth century to the present day. Dickens’s impact on Brazilian publishing and pop culture ranges from the many translated editions of his works to his influence over local writers and artists. The second half of the essay produces a case study of teaching Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities to a class of undergraduate students in Rio de Janeiro, arguing for the importance of allowing students to respond creatively to literary works in an academic setting.
“Cancelled” by the Revolution?: The Limits of Celebrity in A Tale of Two Cities
Authors: Bridgham Elizabeth
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Inspired by a teaching experience in which a group of students equated the mob violence of the French Revolution with the contemporary phenomenon of “cancel culture,” this article considers the ways in which Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities incorporates a consideration of the foundations and limits of celebrity power. By examining contemporary studies of the history and significance of “cancellation,” we can understand their relevance to a Dickens who was anxious about maintaining his celebrity status and controlling his image amid a marital scandal that threatened his ability to do both. Read through this lens, the experience of Doctor Manette, a character who uses his celebrity to protect his loved ones and whose celebrity power is then turned against him, speaks to our present moment as Dickens’s expression of concern at what might happen when a previously adoring public takes the reins of reputation from the prominent.
From Cadaver Procurement to Body Donation: Changes in the Sydney Medical School 1926-61
Authors: Garrett Samuel A. , Jenkin Rebekah A. , Keay Kevin A.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: In the mid-twentieth century, the body procurement program at the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney transitioned from a reliance on unclaimed bodies to the use of consenting donors. Securing an adequate supply of bodies for teaching was a persistent challenge for the medical school prior to this period. It was not until the medical school launched an unexpectedly well-received public appeal for consenting donors in 1949 that the supply consistently increased. Within a decade, consenting donors dominated the medical school's supply of bodies. An examination of archival documents suggests long-term structural supply issues and significant changes in public perception of anatomy resulted in this systemic change in the medical school's procurement practices.
The 'Mortality Gap' for Tuberculosis Patients at Callan Park Hospital for the Insane, Sydney, 1880 to 1920
Authors: Roth David T.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: There was a steep decline in tuberculosis (TB) mortality in Australia and the western world from 1880 to 1920, which substantially contributed to the first global health transition. TB ceased to be a leading cause of death. This transformation in infectious disease mortality, which resulted in a significant increase in life expectancy over the period, did not happen in New South Wales mental asylums. This paper examines possible reasons for this mortality gap. Analysis of a sample of patients who died from TB at Callan Park Hospital for the Insane between 1880 and 1920 sheds some light on their vulnerabilities, and gives an insight into their brief lives in the asylum—their experiences, backgrounds, and treatments.
Picturing Medical Histories: 'Ways of Seeing' the Historical Medical Subject
Authors: Eames Robin , Evans Jordan , Grey Samantha Kohl , Roth David T. , Stormont-Sainsbury Lucinda , Karageorgos Effie
Published: February 2024

Abstract: The image has been used by medical professionals for centuries to illustrate both usual and unusual processes of the body and mind. Images can expose or conceal medical truths, and in many cases are the only connection that exists between the historian and the frequently silent or silenced patient. In this paper, a group of historians each present and explore various methods of applying 'ways of seeing ' or the 'clinical gaze' to a historical image from the medical world. Some images have been used to strategically serve the purposes of authority figures and silence the ill subject. Others reveal previously obscured patient's voices. All present a perspective on the possibilities for analysing and assessing medical imagery from the past that moves beyond traditional understandings.
The Ethics of Staging Crip Comedia
Authors: García Piñar Pablo
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Despite initially receiving a warm reception from audiences upon its debut in 1997, the play Las gracias mohosas has come under scrutiny in recent years for its crude and caricatural depiction of disability and bodily deviance. Contemporary scholarship in early modern Spanish performance has criticized the actors for using exaggerated stereotypical mannerisms associated with disabled people to evoke laughter and rebuked the performance as politically incorrect and exploitative of disability for shock value. This study examines the recent shift in paradigms concerning the representation of disability and bodily deviance in contemporary theater, and its impact on the perception of productions like Las gracias mohosas . My analysis focuses on the factors contributing to the current view of the production as a failed attempt to incorporate comedy into the representation of disability and atypical bodies. In conjunction with that, the study delves into the ethical considerations for staging early modern Spanish plays that have disability at their core, a body of works referred to here as crip comedias . As a case study, it explores best practices for the staging of Juan Ruiz de Alarcón’s Las paredes oyen , a crip comedia written from the insider perspective of a disabled author, whose lead character has traditionally been staged as bodily normative until well into the latter third of the twentieth century. Resumen: A pesar de que fue recibida con una cálida acogida por parte del público en su estreno en 1997, la obra teatral Las gracias mohosas ha sido últimamente objeto de críticas por la representación cruda y caricaturesca que hacía de la discapacidad y la deformidad corporal. La crítica académica contemporánea especializada en los estudios de arte dramático y el teatro clásico español ha criticado a los actores de la obra por hacer uso de una gestualidad exagerada y estereotipada que imitaba la de las personas discapacitadas con el fin de provocar risa, censurando la obra, además, por su contenido políticamente incorrecto y por la explotación que hacía de la discapacidad para provocar conmoción en la audiencia. Este estudio examina el reciente cambio en los paradigmas sobre la representación de la discapacidad y la diferencia corporal en el teatro contemporáneo y su impacto en la percepción de producciones como Las gracias mohosas . Mi análisis se centra en los factores que han contribuido a que el montaje de la obra se vea hoy día como un intento fallido de representar comedia y discapacidad. Además, el estudio aborda consideraciones éticas para la puesta en escena de obras del Siglo de Oro que presentan la discapacidad como núcleo temático, un cuerpo de obras a las que se denomina comedias crip . Como caso de estudio, se explora cómo poner en escena de forma ética Las paredes oyen de Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, una comedia crip escrita desde la perspectiva privilegiada de un autor discapacitado, cuyo personaje principal ha sido representado tradicionalmente con un cuerpo normativo hasta bien avanzado el tercer tercio del siglo XX.
The Theater of Angélica Liddell: Staging the Limit
Authors: Pujol Anton
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Angélica Liddell (Figueres 1966) is still generating controversy with each new premiere of one of her plays. This article centers on her last three plays Liebestod , Terebrante and Una costilla sobre la mesa: Padre . The plays are analyzed following Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy. Liddell has referenced the French philosopher, with Félix Guattari, as an important key to her creative process. Starting with Deleuze’s treaty on Masoch, the article develops some of his ideas to better understand Liddell’s plays as they become more complex and cryptic. Resumen: Angélica Liddell (Figueres 1966) continúa siendo una de las creadoras que más polémica genera con cada uno de sus estrenos teatrales. En este ensayo se analizan sus tres últimas piezas Liebestod, Terebrante y Una costilla sobre la mesa : Padre bajo el prisma de la filosofía de Gilles Deleuze. El filósofo francés, junto a Félix Guattari, es una referencia teórica en los últimos años para la artista española. A partir de las reflexiones sobre el tratado de Masoch que Deleuze escribió, el artículo demuestra cómo los postulados pueden ayudarnos a comprender la obra cada día más compleja y críptica de Liddell.
Contra la lógica del archivo: exhibición voluntaria, autolesiones y automedicalización en la obra de Carlos Martiel
Authors: Piña Juliana
Published: February 2024

Resumen: Este artículo analiza la obra de performance de Carlos Martiel a partir de las tres acciones fundamentales que el artista lleva a cabo sobre su propio cuerpo: la exhibición voluntaria, el autoinfligirse lesiones y la automedicalización. Argumento que la escena básica marteliana es una contra-escena de la exhibición forzada ante la mirada pública del cuerpo negro disponible para ser violentado o medicalizado. La reactuación, en conjunto con las lesiones que el artista se autoinflige, resultan en una serie de marcas sobre su piel que cuestionan los conceptos de desaparición y permanencia que moldean nuestro entendimiento del performance . En contrapartida, las obras de Martiel promueven formas de documentación típicamente no asociadas a las tecnologías de la conservación del performance , tales como las cicatrices y otras marcas en la piel. Esto sugiere la elaboración de un archivo dérmico regenerativo que, lejos de perseguir lo intacto, busca la mutación como ejercicio de memoria. Abstract: This article analyzes Carlos Martiel’s performance work on the basis of the three fundamental actions that the artist performs on his own body: voluntary exhibition, self-harm, and self-medicalization. I argue that Martiel’s basic scene is a counter-scene of the compulsory exhibition under the public gaze of the black body, a body that becomes accessible to be brutalized or medicalized. Reenactment, together with the artist’s self-inflicted injuries, results in a series of marks on the skin that challenge the concepts of disappearance and remain that have shaped our understanding of performance. In contrast, Martiel’s works engage with forms of documentation not typically linked to the technologies of preservation of performance, such as scars and other marks on the skin. This suggests the production of a regenerative dermal archive that, far from pursuing the unblemished, seeks mutation as an exercise in memory.
The Enigma of La Malinche: History vs. Ideology
Authors: Cypess Sandra Messinger
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Since the period of Mexican independence from Spain, the indigenous woman known variously as Malintzin, Doña Marina and La Malinche has been represented using various perspectives, depending on the ideology of the writer or artist. The Nobel laureate Octavio Paz had much to do with the way she has been perceived since the publication of his essay, “Los hijos de la Malinche,” in El laberinto de la soledad (1950). Paz summarizes what had been the traditional representation of her since Mexico became an independent country, which was generally a negative image forged within a patriarchal, Eurocentric context. This essay provides an overview of a range of literary and media materials that have been published in the 75 years since his work. In this overview of novels, plays, graphic novels, television shows, documentaries, and operas, I have discovered that along with those texts that perpetuate the patriarchal stereotypes found in Paz’s essay, writers of different ideologies have developed a more nuanced and historically more accurate representation of her role and her contributions. While not an exhaustive list, this examination of a selection of new materials will give us a sense of what has remained the same and what has changed in the perception of La Malinche’s role, especially as critics who use a decolonial and intersectional feminist approach have become more prevalent. Resumen: Desde la época de la independencia mexicana de España, la mujer indígena conocida por varios nombres—Malintzin, doña Marina, y La Malinche—ha sido representada por una variedad de perspectivas, según la ideología de los escritores y artistas. El premio Nobel Octavio Paz tuvo mucho que ver con la manera en que esta figura ha sido percibida desde la publicación de su ensayo “Los hijos de la Malinche” en El laberinto de la soledad (1950). Paz resume la representación tradicional de esta mujer desde que México se independizó, en concreto una imagen negativa arraigada en un contexto patriarcal y eurocéntrico. Nuestro ensayo ofrece un repaso de diversos materiales literarios y de medios de comunicación publicados durante los setenta y cinco años posteriores al texto de Paz. Nuestra recapitulación de novelas, obras de teatro, novelas gráficas, programas de televisión, documentales y óperas muestra que se siguen reproduciendo los estereotipos patriarcales reflejados en el ensayo de Paz pero, al mismo tiempo, escritores de diferentes ideologías han desarrollado representaciones más matizadas y correctas históricamente en cuanto al papel y contribuciones de la Malinche. Aunque la lista no es exhaustiva, esta investigación de nuevos materiales ayudará a comprender mejor lo que se ha mantenido y lo que ha cambiado en la percepción del papel de La Malinche especialmente con la creciente visibilidad de los críticos que usan enfoques decoloniales y feministas interseccionales.
Latinidad , Melodrama and Passing in Tanya Maria Barrientos’s Frontera Street
Authors: Arango Abel
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This article situates the work of U.S. born Guatemalan American novelist Tanya María Barrientos within Latinx and U.S. Central American Studies, critiquing national classifications for Latinx subjects that I read alongside Maritza Cárdenas’s and Frances Aparicio’s frameworks of passing. I argue that Barrientos links melodrama to a longing for Latinidad as she challenges a harmful discourse of assimilation by reclaiming an affective connection to a Mexican American community in the U.S. Mexico borderlands. I also contend that Barrientos’s deployment of melodrama, and its emphasis on empathy, elides the class and cultural impasses, hindering an interLatinx identification between Guatemalan and Mexican communities. This article provides insight into the identities of Central Americans by drawing attention to intercultural narration that also shapes the U.S. Mexico borderlands imaginary. Resumen: Este artículo examina la novela Frontera Street de la escritora guatemalteca estadounidense Tanya María Barrientos dentro los campos de los Estudios Latinxs y Centroamericanos, haciendo una crítica de las clasificaciones nacionales y en relación a los marcos teóricos sobre la práctica de pasar por otra etnia elaborados por Maritza Cárdenas y Frances Aparicio. Propongo que Barrientos vincula el género del melodrama al anhelo para la Latinidad, ya que Barrientos socava el discurso dañino de la asimilación cultural al reclamar un vínculo afectivo con una comunidad mexicana americana situada en la frontera entre EE.UU. y México. Asimismo, sostengo que el uso del melodrama hace hincapié en la empatía y suprime las barreras de clase, dificultando la identificación entre comunidades guatemaltecas y mexicanas. Este ensayo ofrece una nueva percepción sobre las identidades centroamericanas al centrarse en la narración intercultural que también reconfigura el imaginario fronterizo entre EE.UU. y México.