bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Las acciones de marketing interno y el compromiso organizacional en hoteles de cuatro y cinco estrellas
Authors: Valderrabano Laura Monserrat Luna , Arellano Nina Alejandra Martínez
Published: February 2022

Esta investigación parte de la teoría del marketing interno y sus efectos en el desarrollo organizacional, con una perspectiva en el desempeño de los miembros de la organización (clientes internos), identificando las acciones que contribuyen a fortalecer su compromiso organizacional. Así como analizando que acciones son las que influyen directamente en la calidad de la prestación de los servicios que presta cada empresa hotelera hacia sus clientes externos. Presenta un análisis inicial de la relación que existe entre las acciones de marketing interno y el compromiso organizacional de los clientes internos que laboran en hoteles de cuatro y cinco estrellas. Para alcanzar dicho objetivo, se creó un instrumento cuantitativo denominado cuestionario Internal marketing-commitment, compuesto por 40 ítems que evalúan el nivel de compromiso organizacional que tienen los clientes internos, así como su percepción acerca de las acciones de marketing interno en la empresa; a través de las cuales se busca medir cómo las acciones de marketing interno contribuyen a fortalecer el compromiso organizacional en los hoteles. Los resultados de la aplicación del instrumento muestran que existe una correlación positiva entre ambas variables, lo que indica que a una mayor percepción de acciones de marketing interno, mayor es el nivel de compromiso organizacional que presentan los clientes internos.
De la (im)posibilidad de desprenderse
Authors: Vasquez Consuelo
Published: February 2022

La reflexión crítica elaborada en este ensayo nace de un deseo de reclamar y reconocer otros saberes que aquellos definidos por la cosmovisión occidental y, más específicamente, por la racionalidad tecnocientífica, bastión de lucha y de poder del gran Norte. Esta reflexión se ancla en el rol de la intelectual o académica, como ser entre-dos, formada (o más bien formateada) como difusora y amplificadora de esa racionalidad, y las luchas internas entre las cosmovisiones del Norte y del Sur que se viven en el trabajo mismo del académico, y más específicamente en el de la publicación.
Retrato de la comunicación organizacional en México en La comunicación para las organizaciones en México: evolución, teoría y práctica
Authors: Vasquez Consuelo
Published: February 2022

El libro La comunicación para las organizaciones en México: Evolución, teoría y práctica, coordinado por la profesoras Rebeca Illiana Arévalo Martínez y Griselda Guillén Ojeda.
Nativos digitais e seus olhares para a imagem da biblioteca escolar
Authors: Carvalho Sandra Maria Souza de , Aldabalde Taiguara Villela , Miguel Marcelo Calderari
Published: February 2022

Objetivo: analisar a relação de conectividade dos nativos digitais com a biblioteca escolar da rede municipal de educação Umef Dr Tuffy Nader (Barra do Jucu, Vila Velha, ES – Brasil) tendo o bibliotecário como mediador atuante nesse espaço. Com o intuito (finalidade) de adequar seu funcionamento a estes alunos nascidos na era digital.
Método: utiliza-se para análise desse estudo além de uma fase exploratória e descritiva de investigação, no qual será utilizada a abordagem qualitativa, uma pesquisa etnográfica – e traz como instrumento de coleta de dados, a técnica de entrevistas em profundidade – com os nativos digitais na biblioteca escolar da rede municipal de ensino de Vila Velha.
Resultado: evidencia que a biblioteca se faz presente no contexto escolar como de grande importância para os nativos digitais, e o bibliotecário mediador pode assumir também a função pedagógica e preparar esses alunos nascidos na era digital para uma Sociedade de Informação, esta imersa em tecnologias digitais cada vez mais novas.
Conclusões: Conhecer os nativos digitais, esses alunos que as escolas têm recebido, nascidos com a chegada das tecnologias digitais e que, desenvolveram uma nova relação com o conhecimento, apresenta-se de suma relevância para a ciência da informação, e o bibliotecário atuante nesse cenário necessita assumir uma função socializante, sendo a ponte mediadora para que esses alunos busque a informação e a encontre de uma forma dinâmica e prazerosa. Percebe-se também que muitos nativos digitais assimilaram uma maior preocupação quanto ao imobiliário do que com a própria tecnologia, haja vista que nem todos os alunos nascidos na era digital possuem de fato acesso a tecnologias.
Cabaret Mineiro: o cinema sertanejo de Carlos Prates
Authors: Fátima Branco Di
Published: February 2022

Este ensaio visita a obra do cineasta mineiro Carlos Alberto Prates Correia, focando especialmente no seu filme mais emblemático, Cabaret Mineiro (1980). O argumento apresentado é que Prates construiu, ao longo de sua carreira, um cinema sertanejo, caracterizado pela confluência de elementos folclóricos, musicais e estéticos próprios do modo de vida do norte de Minas Gerais. Prates também parece aprofundar a adaptação da literatura para o cinema por meio de um diálogo denso com o universo mítico de João Guimarães Rosa.
O menino e a linguagem: infância e voz em O menino e o mundo
Authors: Bubniak Fabiana Paula , Juliano Dilma Beatriz Rocha
Published: February 2022

Este artigo trata-se de uma análise da animação O menino e o mundo, de 2014, que aponta concepções de infância, em representação narrativa, e de voz, como o indizível dos afetos. O filme fala de um menino que vê seu pai deixar o campo por falta de trabalho. Ele parte então em busca do pai. O pai foi de trem e o menino é levado pelo vento. As discussões apresentadas se baseiam em autores que abordam a voz e a infância a partir da linguagem, da cultura e da psicanálise. A infância, aqui, refere-se à potência criadora do mundo (Giorgio Agamben). A voz, no dizer de Jacques Lacan é a fala esvaziada de significado como língua conhecida. Conclui-se que a infância e a voz aparecem na animação para que se perceba além do previsível, ver além do que se apresenta de imediato. E, assim, mostram a importância da criança que resiste e se reinventa em cada um de nós.
O mundo habitado por imagens
Authors: Arthuso Raul
Published: February 2022

Em seu livro Políticas da imagem: vigilância e resistência na dadosfera, a pesquisadora Giselle Beiguelman alia conhecimento teórico e análise de obras de artes e intervenções ativistas para apontar uma mudança no regime de visibilidade das imagens no contemporâneo. Mostrando como vigilância e controle dos dados oferecidos pelos usuários na internet criam um novo modo de existência e interação, o trabalho de Beiguelman pinta um quadro do presente em diálogo com o pensamento de Foucault e as pesquisas sobre os modos de ver na modernidade de Jonathan Crary, indicando caminhos e propostas de atuação artística e política diante da sociabilidade de imagens feitas para não serem vistas.
Apresentação Significação Edição 57
Authors: Hamburger Esther Império
Published: February 2022

Apresentação da edição 57 da Significação feita pela editora Esther Império Hamburger.
Tensiones entre singularidad y subjetividad en un hospital psiquiátrico de Quito/Ecuador
Authors: Battista Malena
Published: February 2022

En este artículo presentaré un análisis antropológico que busca reconocer las distintas formas en que los procesos de subjetivización y de singularización se encuentran en constante tensión dentro del Hospital Especializado Julio Endara de Quito. Para ello me basaré en el trabajo etnográfico realizado en el marco de un taller de títeres y relatos de vida con residentes del hospital. El mismo arroja luz sobre la superposición de exclusiones raciales, clasistas, de género y del mundo de la razón, vivenciadas por pacientes psiquiátricos. Elaboro el concepto de relatos otros a través del cual identifico los procesos de singularización, en la transición entre distintos lenguajes, sustratos y herramientas de elaboración. Espero presentar una mirada antropológica sobre el mundo de la salud mental, un abordaje integral y situado capaz de ofrecer, en clave transdisciplinaria, alternativas a las lógicas de la manicomialización que aún imperan dentro y fuera de los hospitales psiquiátricos.
Perspectivas feministas na Amazônia indígena
Authors: Regitano Aline , Nahum-Claudel Chloe
Published: February 2022

Esta introdução apresenta os seis artigos reunidos no dossiê e destaca temas que foram proeminentes na oficina Perspectivas Feministas na Amazônia Indígena, realizada em junho de 2021. O que antropólogas e mulheres indígenas na Amazônia precisam da epistemologia feminista hoje? Como experientes e emergentes pesquisadoras estão reconciliando perspectivas centradas na alteridade dos sistemas de parentesco e cosmologias indígenas amazônicas, que têm sido extraordinariamente produtivos e criativos para os amazonistas e para a antropologia mais ampla, nesta era em que a violência colonial e pós-colonial estão na vanguarda das agendas políticas e experiências cotidianas de muitas mulheres indígenas? As mulheres estão enfrentando empresas petrolíferas, se organizando em resposta a novas formas de misoginia e exclusões (da riqueza do Estado, educação, tomadas formais de decisão) e se valendo das novas oportunidades conferidas pela mobilidade, pela reconfiguração das funções masculinas e pelo ensino superior. Esta introdução apresenta algumas das maneiras pelas quais antropólogas e mulheres indígenas estão descobrindo o que pode ser uma perspectiva feminista na Amazônia indígena.
Passado a limpo
Authors: Almeida Aline Novais de
Published: February 2022

Notícias de crítica genética.
Potential mixotrophic relations of copepods and dinoflagellates and their associations with spectral properties of the water bodies in Antofagasta Bay (23°S, Chile), investigated with the aid of remote sensing
Authors: De los Ríos-Escalante Patricio , Contreras Angel , Lara Gladys , Latsague Mirtha , Esse Carlos
Published: February 2022

Antofagasta Bay is characterized by having a high primary productivity due to the presence of the cold Humboldt Stream. However, due to the current global climate change, also the previously generated biodiversity patterns are changing. The aim of the present study was analysing Antofagasta Bay in order to determine the existence of correlations between optical, i.e., spectral, properties recorded through remote sensing on the one hand, and the presence of dinoflagellates and zooplankton, on the other. The studies were done during two periods, i.e., in February 2019 and February 2020. The results revealed the existence of three main groups of sites: a first group comprising sites sampled in February 2019, with high Band 3 and Band 4 reflectance, high chlorophyl values, and high abundances of Dinophysis and copepods; a second group combining four sites visited in February 2019, with high Gymnodinium and Ceratium, high reflectance in Band 1, Band 2, Band 5, Band 6 and Band 7, and low zooplankton abundance; and finally a third group encompassing all sites sampled in 2020, with high Prorocentrum abundance, and low zooplankton abundance, as well as low reflectance. A similar situation with regard to zooplankton and optical properties was earlier reported for Chilean Patagonian lakes.
‘Defense through Tears’: Jewish Diplomacy and Contentious Politics in the Memorandum of the Jewish Delegates of Tuscany (July 23, 1799)
Authors: Mano Davide
Published: February 2022

This study examines the Memorandum written by the Jewish delegates of Tuscany on July 23, 1799, in the aftermath of the starkly violent anti-Jewish incidents that marked the Tuscan counter-revolution. The analysis is focused on Jewish defense against discursive and physical manifestations of anti-Judaism, and proposes to consider Jewish diplomacy as an essential component of European contentious politics.
Identity, Inquisition, and Censorship in the editio princeps of Theodoret of Cyrus’s Anti-Heretical Works (1545–1547)
Authors: Kennerley Sam
Published: February 2022

This article reconstructs the troubled history behind the editio princeps of Theodoret of Cyrus’s anti-heretical works, which was printed at Rome in 1547. It is split into three parts, each of which corresponds to a key word in its title. The first part of this article identifies the manuscript of Theodoret used for this edition, its scribe, exemplar, and the timeline, circumstances, and methods of its creation. It then explores the uproar that the initial printing of this edition created among the Greek community of Rome, using this incident to examine the prosecution of Greeks by the inquisitions in Italy. The final part of this article analyses how different members of the Catholic hierarchy sought either to save or to suppress the edition of Theodoret, uncovering the documents and assumptions that ultimately ensured its survival. A conclusion summarises the main findings of this article, while highlighting paths for future research.
Outcomes in Pediatric Thyroidectomy: Results From a Multinational, Multi‐institutional Database
Authors: Maksimoski Matthew , Bauer Andrew J. , Kazahaya Ken , Manning Scott C. , Parikh Sanjay R. , Simons Jeffrey P. , D’Souza Jill , Maddalozzo John , Purkey Matthew R. , Rychlik Karen , Ho Brian , Rutter Michael J. , Jiang Wen , Prager Jeremy D. , Diercks Gillian , Propst Evan J. , Miyamoto R. Christopher , Stack Brendan C. , Randolph Gregory W. , Rastatter Jeffrey C.
Published: February 2022

Objective

Traditionally, data regarding thyroidectomy were extracted from billing databases, but information may be missed. In this study, a multi‐institutional pediatric thyroidectomy database was used to evaluate recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury and hypoparathyroidism.

Study Design

Retrospective multi‐institutional cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary care pediatric hospital systems throughout North America.

Methods

Data were individually collected for thyroidectomies, then entered into a centralized database and analyzed using univariate and multivariable regression models.

Results

In total, 1025 thyroidectomies from 10 institutions were included. Average age was 13.9 years, and 77.8% were female. Average hospital stay was 1.9 nights and 13.5% of patients spent at least 1 night in the pediatric intensive care unit. The most frequent pathology was papillary thyroid carcinoma (42%), followed by Graves’ disease (20.1%) and follicular adenoma (18.2%). Overall, 1.1% of patients experienced RLN injury (0.8% permanent), and 7.2% experienced hypoparathyroidism (3.3% permanent). Lower institutional volume (odds ratio [OR], 3.57; 95% CI, 1.72‐7.14) and concurrent hypoparathyroidism (OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.64‐7.53) correlated with RLN injury on multivariable analysis. Graves’ disease (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.35‐3.80), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.39‐9.09), central neck dissection (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 2.36‐5.49), and total vs partial thyroidectomy (OR, 7.14; 95% CI, 4.55‐11.11) correlated with hypoparathyroidism.

Conclusion

These data present thyroidectomy information and complications pertinent to surgeons, along with preoperative risk factor assessment. Multivariable analysis showed institutional volume and hypoparathyroidism associated with RLN injury, while hypoparathyroidism associated with surgical indication, central neck dissection, and extent of surgery. Low complication rates support the safety of thyroidectomy in pediatric tertiary care centers.
Resident Burnout and Well‐being in Otolaryngology and Other Surgical Specialties: Strategies for Change
Authors: Shah Hemali P. , Salehi Parsa P. , Ihnat Jacqueline , Kim David D. , Salehi Pauniz , Judson Benjamin L. , Azizzadeh Babak , Lee Yan Ho
Published: February 2022

Objective

To perform a literature review on burnout prevalence, factors that affect burnout and well‐being, and solutions to address burnout in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OTO‐HNS) residents and residents in other surgical specialties.

Data Sources

Ovid Medline, Embase, and article reference lists.

Review Methods

A literature search was performed to identify articles on resident burnout, distress, wellness, well‐being, and quality of life. Articles deemed outside the scope of the current work were excluded. Search was limited to the past 5 years.

Conclusions

Moderate to high burnout has been reported in 35% to 86% of OTO‐HNS residents. Among other surgical specialties, resident burnout ranges between 58% and 66% in plastics, 11% and 67% in neurosurgery, 38% and 68% in urology, and 31% and 56% in orthopedics. Highest burnout rates were seen in postgraduate year 2 residents. Factors significantly associated with burnout included hours worked (>80 h/wk), level of autonomy, exercise, and program support. Reported resident work hours have steadily increased: 8% of OTO‐HNS residents in 2005 vs 26% in 2019 reported averaging >80 h/wk. Practical implications of resident burnout include decreased empathy, moral distress and injury, poor health, decreased quality of life, increased attrition, decreased desire to pursue fellowship, and increased likelihood of medical errors. Structured mentorship programs, wellness initiatives, and increased ancillary support have been associated with lower burnout rates and improvements in resident well‐being across specialties.

Implications for Practice

Addressing burnout, which is prevalent in OTO‐HNS residents, is critical to improving patient care and physician well‐being. Surgical specialties can share strategies to effectively address resident burnout through institutional interventions, which can be essential quality improvement initiatives, to promote well‐being.
Dynamic routing for waste collection and transportation with multi-compartment electric vehicle using smart waste bins
Authors: Yang Jia , Tao Fengming , Zhong Yanni
Published: February 2022

The municipal solid waste (MSW) collection and transportation issue has been studied by numerous researchers; however, a few studies consider the chance-constrained programming for co-collection of sorted waste with electric vehicles (EVs). Therefore, this article attempts to study on the chance-constrained collection and transportation problem for sorted waste with multiple separated compartments EVs. Considering the uncertainty of the waste generation rate under the scenario of application of smart waste bins, chance-constrained programming is applied to transform the uncertain model into a certain one. A Chance-Constrained Multi-Compartment Electric Vehicle Routing Problem (CCMCEVRP) is introduced and the corresponding mathematical formulation is established. A diversity-enhanced particle swarm optimisation with neighbourhood search and simulated annealing (DNSPSOSA) is proposed to solve this problem, and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is verified by extensive numerical experiments on the newly generated instances. In addition, the application of the model is tested by comparing different compartment and different type vehicles. It is found that, compared with fuel vehicles, 32.66% of the average cost could be saved with EVs. Furthermore, the rate of cost-saving of EVs increases with the increase in the number of compartments: the improvement rate of cost-saving of two-compartment EVs and three-compartment EVs is 52.77% and 68.13%, respectively.
Excitement and prey: Captains’ wives and the experience of marine animals on US whaling ships in the nineteenth century
Authors: Syväsalmi Emilia
Published: February 2022

Captains’ wives, who travelled with their husbands on US whaling ships in the middle of the nineteenth century, encountered marine animals during their journeys. Marine animals are often forgotten when writing animal histories. However, they are a visible theme in the wives’ journals, which are the main source for this article. The author argues that marine animals created a shared experience for the wives, the ship’s crew and the officers. It was because of these interspecies encounters that the wives became part of the ship’s society. A second argument concerns the contradictory relationship that the captains’ wives had with the marine animals: on the one hand, they were merely seen as a resource; on the other, they were sources of wonder. In this study, animal history becomes visible through the eyes of exceptional Victorian women who were facing a new environment at sea.
Effects of aluminum and silicon carbide on morphological and mechanical properties of epoxy hybrid composites
Authors: Rana Shohel , Hasan Mahbub , Sheikh Md Rezaul Karim , Faruqui A Nayeem
Published: February 2022

The present research focuses on the effects of aluminum (Al) and silicon carbide (SiC) hybridization on mechanical and morphological properties of Al and SiC particles reinforced hybrid epoxy composites. Composites were prepared by hand lay-up technique at five levels of reinforcement loading (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt%). Aluminum powder and silicon carbide particles were utilized as reinforcement at a ratio of (1:1) during composite preparation. Microstructural analysis using a scanning electronic microscope and optical microscope was performed to observe the adhesiveness between the matrix and reinforcement. For mechanical characterization, tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness tests were performed. Tensile and flexural strength decreased, while Young’s modulus, flexural modulus, impact strength, and hardness increased with increase in aluminum and silicon carbide particle loading. Based on the particle loading, 50 wt% of particle-reinforced composite had the best set of mechanical properties among all prepared composites.
In The Pursuit of Happiness: Observations of Young Tibetan Refugees in Exile, India
Authors: Jain Avi Anuj
Published: February 2022

Refugees often experience adverse circumstances as a consequence of displacement from their homes due to conflict, directly affecting their happiness and well-being. This study focuses on Tibetan refugees because of their relatively successful transition into other parts of the world, their effective advocacy to improve their plight and the gradual reduction of repression on the part of China’s government against them. The literature reveals that happiness among refugees is usually a consequence of the interplay of various factors in their destination country. This study seeks to verify the exact nature of these claims by considering the influence life satisfaction, life orientation and the environment has on the happiness of young Tibetan refugees in India. The study concludes with recommendations for stakeholders, including relief organizations, psychologists and counsellors.
Reinforcing managerial prerogative in the Australian Public Service during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Roles Cameron , Ananth Sukanya , O’Donnell Michael
Published: February 2022

Over several decades Liberal-National Governments have encouraged Australian Public Service (APS) employers to uphold managerial prerogative by offering individual employment arrangements to employees. During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Morrison Liberal-National Government’s Workplace Bargaining Policy reinforced this agenda. In place of collective bargaining, APS agency heads were encouraged to determine pay rises and new employment conditions for employees using Section 24 of the Public Service Act (PS Act) 1999. Workplace determinations did not need to be negotiated with public sector unions and some 85,500 employees across 57 APS agencies, or approximately 63% of the APS workforce, had accepted pay increases via workplace determinations by 31 December 2020. The widespread adoption of workplace determinations in the APS poses significant challenges for public sector unions and for the future of APS collective bargaining.
A non-classical theory of elastic dielectrics incorporating couple stress and quadrupole effects: part II - variational formulations and applications in plates
Authors: Qu Yilin , Guo Ziwen , Jin Feng , Zhang Gongye
Published: February 2022

A new Mindlin plate model is developed incorporating the couple stress, quadrupole, and curvature-based flexoelectric effects using a non-classical elastic dielectric theory. The general governing equations and complete boundary conditions are derived simultaneously through a variational approach. The new general plate model includes the model for centrosymmetric materials as a special case. As direct applications of the new plate and to illustrate the flexoelectric effect, the static bending and free vibration problems of a simply supported rectangular plate are analytically solved by directly applying the new centrosymmetric model. The numerical results reveal that the flexoelectric effect is present in centrosymmetric materials and is important when the plate thickness is very thin. The dispersion relations for flexure and fundamental shear modes are obtained. We find electrostatic wave also propagates with the flexure or fundamental shear waves by flexoelectric coupling. The present work can be seen as an extension of mechanical analysis of plate structures with couple stress effects and may be useful to the devices design of micro- or nano-sized objects.
What does desmin do: A bibliometric assessment of the functions of the muscle intermediate filament
Authors: Gomes Geyse , Seixas Marianna R , Azevedo Sarah , Audi Karina , Jurberg Arnon D , Mermelstein Claudia , Costa Manoel Luis
Published: February 2022

Intermediate filaments were first described in muscle in 1968, and desmin was biochemically identified about 10 years afterwards. Its importance grew after the identification of desminopathies and desmin mutations that cause mostly cardiopathies. Since its characterization until recently, different functions have been attributed to desmin. Here, we use bibliometric tools to evaluate the articles published about desmin and to assess its several putative functions. We identified the most productive authors and the relationships between research groups. We studied the more frequent words among 9734 articles (September 2021) containing “desmin” on the title and abstract, to identify the major research focus. We generated an interactive spreadsheet with the 934 papers that contain “desmin” only on the title that can be used to search and quantify terms in the abstract. We further selected the articles that contained the terms “function” or “role” from the spreadsheet, which we then classified according to type of function, organelle, or tissue involved. Based on the bibliographic analysis, we assess comparatively the putative functions, and we propose an alternative explanation for the desmin function.
Acromial Morphology Does Not Correlate with Age at Time of Rotator Cuff Tear: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Scanaliato John P , Dunn John C , Polmear Michael M , Czajkowski Hunter , Green Clare K , Tomaino Matthew M , Parnes Nata
Published: February 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine if scapular anatomy differs between younger and older patients with atraumatic full-thickness supraspinatus tears.

Methods

The critical shoulder angle, acromial index and lateral acromial angle were measured on standardized radiographs of two groups of patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of full-thickness degenerative supraspinatus tears. Group 1 included 61 patients under the age of 50 years while Group 2 included 45 patients over the age of 70 years. The mean critical shoulder angle, acromial index, and lateral acromial angle were then compared.

Results

There was no significant difference between groups for the critical shoulder angle (p = .433), acromial index (p = .881) or lateral acromial angle (p = .263). Interobserver reliability for critical shoulder angle, acromial index, and lateral acromial angle was nearly perfect (interclass correlation coefficient 0.996, 0.996, 0.998, respectively). No significant correlation existed between age and critical shoulder angle (p = .309), acromial index (p = .484) or lateral acromial angle (p = .685).

Discussion

While the critical shoulder angle and acromial index were found to be high and in the typical range for patients with rotator cuff tears in both groups, there were no significant differences in acromial morphology between Groups 1 and 2.
Teaching Professional Use of Social Media Through a Service-Learning Business Communication Project
Authors: Sharma Daneshwar
Published: February 2022

Using social media communication (SMC) for personal and professional use represents two different skill sets. Though students often use SMC on a personal basis for fun and connecting with friends, they often fail to understand how SMC can be used effectively as a professional organizational/corporate communication tool. A service-learning project was conceptualized in a business and professional communication (BPC) course, where students ( n = 93) used professional SMC skills to design social media campaigns for fulfilling nongovernmental organizations’ needs of manpower, material, and/or money. Students’ attitudes and efficacy toward SMC were recorded using a survey questionnaire. The need and obstacles in including SMC in BPC are also discussed in the article.
Tuberculosis-related serpiginous choroiditis: aggressive therapy with dual concomitant combination of multiple anti-tubercular and multiple immunosuppressive agents is needed to halt the progression of the disease
Authors: Papasavvas Ioannis , Jeannin Bruno , Herbort Carl P.
Published: February 2022

Background/purpose

Serpiginous-like choroiditis is a rare immune-mediated sub-entity of tubercular uveitis with a usually deleterious outcome. Treatment is still controversial. The purpose in this case series is to indicate that only aggressive treatment comprising multiple anti-tubercular and multiple immunosuppressive agents seems to be able to halt the disease progression.

Methods

This retrospective case series included patients diagnosed with Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRA) -positive serpiginous choroiditis, seen at the Centre for Ophthalmic Specialized Care, Lausanne, Switzerland, treated with combined multiple antitubercular and immunosuppressive agents at presentation and having a sufficient follow-up. Disease history before referral, appraisal of disease, treatment modalities and follow-up were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were positive IGRA patients with serpiginous choroiditis with complete Spectral-Domain Optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and angiography images.

Results

From 2001 to 2020, 24 of 1525 new patients (0.26%) were diagnosed as serpiginous choroiditis. 10/24 were related to tuberculosis (positive IGRA and/or hyper-positive Mantoux test), 8/24 were IGRA negative and in 6 there was no information available. 4/10 tuberculosis related serpiginous patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 39 ± 5.3 years. Snellen best corrected vision acuity (BCVA) at presentation in 3/4 where the macula was preserved was 0.96 ± 0.08. In 3/4 patients, treatment with multiple tuberculostatic therapy combined with multiple immunosuppressive agents, started at presentation or in the initial months after the first consultation, was shown to stop the progression of the disease, with a retained visual acuity of 1.0. One patient with macular involvement and a bilateral visual acuity of hand movements after 11 years of insufficient treatment, improved his visual acuity to 0.25 OD and 0.05 OS and presented a substantial visual field improvement that stabilized once multiple anti-tubercular and immunosuppressive therapy was introduced.

Conclusion

IGRA-positive serpiginous choroiditis (serpiginous-like choroiditis) could be halted by combined multiple tuberculostatic and multiple immunosuppressive agents, as seen in our study where 3/4 early treated patients had conserved central function and one late treated patient had recovered a substantial amount of visual field. In all 4 patients this treatment regimen halted the progression of the disease.
People with diabetes and ambulance staff perceptions of a booklet-based intervention for diabetic hypoglycaemia, “Hypos can strike twice”: a mixed methods process evaluation
Authors: Laparidou Despina , Botan Vanessa , Law Graham R. , Rowan Elise , Smith Murray D. , Brewster Amanda , Spaight Robert , Mountain Pauline , Dunmore Sally , James June , Roberts Leon , Khunti Kamlesh , Siriwardena A. Niroshan
Published: February 2022

Background

Hypoglycaemia is a potentially serious condition, characterised by lower-than-normal blood glucose levels, common in people with diabetes (PWD). It can be prevented and self-managed if expert support, such as education on lifestyle and treatment, is provided. Our aim was to conduct a process evaluation to investigate how ambulance staff and PWD perceived the “Hypos can strike twice” booklet-based ambulance clinician intervention, including acceptability, understandability, usefulness, positive or negative effects, and facilitators or barriers to implementation.

Methods

We used an explanatory sequential design with a self-administered questionnaire study followed by interviews of people with diabetes and ambulance staff. We followed the Medical Research Council framework for process evaluations of complex interventions to guide data collection and analysis. Following descriptive analysis (PWD and staff surveys), exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify staff questionnaire subscales and multiple regression models were fitted to identify demographic predictors of overall and subscale scores.

Results

113 ambulance staff members and 46 PWD completed the survey. We conducted interviews with four ambulance staff members and five PWD who had been attended by an ambulance for a hypoglycaemic event. Based on surveys and interviews, there were positive attitudes to the intervention from both ambulance staff and PWD. Although the intervention was not always implemented, most staff members and PWD found the booklet informative, easy to read and to use or explain. PWD who completed the survey reported that receiving the booklet reminded and/or encouraged them to test their blood glucose more often, adjust their diet, and have a discussion/check up with their diabetes consultant. Interviewed PWD felt that the booklet intervention would be more valuable to less experienced patients or those who cannot manage their diabetes well. Overall, participants felt that the intervention could be beneficial, but were uncertain about whether it might help prevent a second hypoglycaemic event and/or reduce the number of repeat ambulance attendances.

Conclusions

The ‘Hypos may strike twice’ intervention, which had demonstrable reductions in repeat attendances, was found to be feasible, acceptable to PWD and staff, prompting reported behaviour change and help-seeking from primary care.

Trial registration

Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04243200 on 27 January 2020.
An outbreak of HIV infection among people who inject drugs in northeastern Massachusetts: findings and lessons learned from a medical record review
Authors: Randall Liisa M. , Dasgupta Sharoda , Day Jeanne , DeMaria Alfred , Musolino Joseph , John Betsey , Cranston Kevin , Buchacz Kate
Published: February 2022

Background

We conducted a medical record review for healthcare utilization, risk factors, and clinical data among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Massachusetts to aid HIV outbreak response decision-making and strengthen public health practice.

Setting

Two large community health centers (CHCs) that provide HIV and related services in northeastern Massachusetts.

Methods

Between May and July 2018, we reviewed medical records for 88 people with HIV (PWH) connected to the outbreak. The review period included care received from May 1, 2016, through the date of review. Surveillance data were used to establish date of HIV diagnosis and assess viral suppression.

Results

Sixty-nine (78%) people had HIV infection diagnosed during the review period, including 10 acute infections. Persons had a median of 3 primary care visits after HIV diagnosis and zero before diagnosis. During the review period, 72% reported active drug or alcohol use, 62% were prescribed medication assisted treatment, and 41% were prescribed antidepressants. The majority (68, 77%) had a documented ART prescription. HIV viral suppression at < 200 copies/mL was more frequent (73%) than the overall across the State (65%); it did not correlate with any of the sociodemographic characteristics studied in our population. Over half (57%) had been hospitalized at least once during the review period, and 36% had a bacterial infection at hospitalization.

Conclusions

Medical record review with a field investigation of an outbreak provided data about patterns of health care utilization and comorbidities not available from routine HIV surveillance or case interviews. Integration of HIV screening with treatment for HIV and SUD can strengthen prevention and care services for PWID in northeastern Massachusetts.
Construction of Xinjiang metabolic syndrome risk prediction model based on interpretable models
Authors: Zhang Yan , Razbek JAINA , Li Deyang , Yang Lei , Bao Liangliang , Xia Wenjun , Mao Hongkai , Daken Mayisha , Zhang Xiaoxu , Cao Mingqin
Published: February 2022

Background

We aimed to construct simple and practical metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk prediction models based on the data of inhabitants of Urumqi and to provide a methodological reference for the prevention and control of MetS.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. We collected data from inhabitants of Urumqi from 2018 to 2019, including demographic characteristics, anthropometric indicators, living habits and family history. Resampling technology was used to preprocess the data imbalance problems, and then MetS risk prediction models were constructed based on logistic regression (LR) and decision tree (DT). In addition, nomograms and tree diagrams of DT were used to explain and visualize the model.

Results

Of the 25,542 participants included in the study, 3,267 (12.8%) were diagnosed with MetS, and 22,275 (87.2%) were diagnosed with non-MetS. Both the LR and DT models based on the random undersampling dataset had good AUROC values (0.846 and 0.913, respectively). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and AUROC values of the DT model were higher than those of the LR model. Based on a random undersampling dataset, the LR model showed that exercises such as walking (OR=0.769) and running (OR= 0.736) were protective factors against MetS. Age 60 ~ 74 years (OR=1.388), previous diabetes (OR=8.902), previous hypertension (OR=2.830), fatty liver (OR=3.306), smoking (OR=1.541), high systolic blood pressure (OR=1.044), and high diastolic blood pressure (OR=1.072) were risk factors for MetS; the DT model had 7 depth layers and 18 leaves, with BMI as the root node of the DT being the most important factor affecting MetS, and the other variables in descending order of importance: SBP, previous diabetes, previous hypertension, DBP, fatty liver, smoking, and exercise.

Conclusions

Both DT and LR MetS risk prediction models have good prediction performance and their respective characteristics. Combining these two methods to construct an interpretable risk prediction model of MetS can provide methodological references for the prevention and control of MetS.
Prevalence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in Japan based on a claims database analysis
Authors: Kondoh Yasuhiro , Suda Takafumi , Hongo Yoshie , Yoshida Manami , Hiroi Shinzo , Iwasaki Kosuke , Takeshima Tomomi , Homma Sakae
Published: February 2022

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a cryptogenic chronic interstitial pneumonia with progressive fibrosis and a poor prognosis. A substantial number of epidemiological studies have been conducted in Europe and the United States (US). In contrast, in Japan, only one study reported the prevalence of IPF (10.0 per 100,000 population) using clinical data (2003–2007) from one prefecture; thus, the nationwide prevalence of IPF remains unknown. This study aimed to estimate the nationwide prevalence of IPF in Japan using a nationwide claims database.

Methods

We extracted data from a Japanese claims database provided by Medical Data Vision (MDV database, April 2008–March 2019) containing data from approximately 28 million patients from 385 acute-care hospitals. Patients with IPF (those diagnosed with IPF at least once) from April 2017 to March 2018 were identified in the MDV database. The number of patients in the MDV database was extrapolated nationwide using the fourth NDB Open Data (April 2017–March 2018), and the prevalence was estimated using demographic data as denominators. The prevalence in the US, considering the same definition of IPF, was also calculated and compared with that in Japan.

Result

The number of patients with IPF in the MDV database was 4278. The estimated nationwide number of patients in Japan was estimated to be 34,040 (mean age: 73 years, percentage of men: 73%), and the prevalence was 27 per 100,000 population. In comparison with that in the US, the prevalence was similar in men and relatively lower in women until the age of 75–79 years, and it was notably lower in both sexes aged ≥ 80 years.

Conclusions

We report the nationwide IPF prevalence in Japan using data from claims databases for the first time. The prevalence estimated in this study was higher than that reported in a previous study. The difference might be due to differences in study settings and definitions of IPF. Further research should be performed to determine the prevalence more accurately and compare it with those in other countries.
Musculoskeletal and neurological manifestations in a cohort of Egyptian Familial Mediterranean fever patients: genotype-phenotype correlation
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed H. , Ibrahim Amira M. , Ragab Salma M. , Mahros Ayah M.
Published: February 2022

Background

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a periodic auto-inflammatory disease with multiple systemic manifestations. This study aims to describe the various musculoskeletal and neurological manifestations in a cohort of Egyptian FMF patients and to evaluate their relation to the different Mediterranean fever gene (MEFV) mutations.

Results

This study involved 145 FMF patients, of them 62.1% were females and 31.7% were of the pediatric age. All involved patients had homozygous MEFV gene mutation. The presenting manifestation in 71.9% of these patients was abdominal pain followed by musculoskeletal manifestations in 35.2% of them. 38.6 % of the involved patients had arthritis during the period of follow-up. Monoarthritis was the most frequent pattern of arthritis. Arthralgia was present in 96.6% of the studied patients. Myalgia was present in 19.3% of the studied patients especially involving the lower limb muscles with one case of protracted febrile myalgia. Neurological manifestations were present in about 86.9 % of patients with vertigo, paresthesia, and seizures as the most common. Five major MEFV gene mutations were found in most of the studied patients (135 patients): M694V, M680I, E148Q, V726A, and M694I. When a comparative study was done between these five major mutations according to the age of onset of the symptoms, different musculoskeletal and neurological manifestations, ESR, serum amyloid level and dose of colchicine, no statistical difference was found.

Conclusion

Musculoskeletal manifestation is the second most common presenting symptom in a cohort of Egyptian FMF patients after abdominal pain. Arthralgia is the most frequent musculoskeletal manifestation while monoarthritis of the knee or ankle joint is the most common pattern of arthritis in FMF patients. Vertigo, paresthesia, and seizures are the most frequent neurological manifestations. Musculoskeletal manifestations, neurological manifestations, serum amyloid level, and dose of colchicine are not related to the type of the genetic mutation in this cohort.
The Puzzle of Falling US Birth Rates since the Great Recession
Authors: Kearney Melissa S. , Levine Phillip B. , Pardue Luke
Published: February 2022

This paper documents a set of facts about the dramatic decline in birth rates in the United States between 2007 and 2020 and explores possible explanations. The overall reduction in the birth rate reflects declines across many groups of women, including teens, Hispanic women, and college-educated white women. The Great Recession contributed to the decline in the early part of this period, but we are unable to identify any other economic, policy, or social factor that has changed since 2007 that is responsible for much of the decline beyond that. Mechanically, the falling birth rate can be attributed to changes in birth patterns across recent cohorts of women moving through childbearing age. We conjecture that the “shifting priorities” of more recent cohorts, reflecting changes in preferences for having children, aspirations for life, and parenting norms, may be responsible. We conclude with a brief discussion about the societal consequences for a declining birth rate and what the United States might do about it.
The Elliniko airport
Authors: Παπάκης Γεώργιος
Published: February 2022

Αυτή η μελέτη πραγματεύεται τις ιστορικές δυνάμεις που καθόρισαν την έλλειψη δημόσιων χώρων στην Αθήνα, και μέσω της μελέτης περίπτωσης του πρώτου πολιτικού αεροδρομίου της πόλης, εξετάζει τα τρέχοντα σχέδια ανάπλασης του μεγαλύτερου εναπομείναντος ανοιχτού χώρου της Αθήνας ως μέρος μιας ευρύτερης διαδικασίας αστικής μετάλλαξης. Αφού υπηρέτησε την πόλη για εξήντα χρόνια, το αεροδρόμιο έκλεισε τις πόρτες του το 2001, και έκτοτε ο χώρος παραμένει χωρίς χρήση. Η κυβέρνηση στοχεύει στην προσέλκυση επενδύσεων σε πολυτελή τουρισμό και ακίνητα, με την ελπίδα να επαναπροσδιοριστεί αυτός ο τομέας της πόλης ως ακμάζον επιχειρηματικό κέντρο και προορισμός διασκέδασης. Ωστόσο, δεδομένων των σοβαρών περιβαλλοντικών και κοινωνικών προβλημάτων της Αθήνας, η εφαρμογή μιας αστικής αναπτυξιακής ατζέντας που προωθεί την περαιτέρω εμπορευματοποίηση του αστικού χώρου, θα καθιστούσε την προοπτική ύπαρξης μιας βιώσιμης πόλης σχεδόν αδύνατη. Η διαδικασία ανάπλασης του αεροδρομίου του Ελληνικού αποτελεί ορόσημο για την κατανόηση της συμβολικής αναδιάρθρωσης της Αθήνας ως ανταγωνιστικής πόλης, ενώ από την άλλη, αποτελεί παραδειγματική περίπτωση για την ανάλυση των συγκρούσεων μεταξύ αναπτυξιακών οικονομικών πολιτικών και βιωσιμότητας.
A Multi-Stage Ensembled-Learning Approach for Signal Classification Based on Deep CNN and LGBM Models
Authors:   Weihai New Beiyang Information Technology Co. Ltd, Weihai, Shandong, China, Yu Jingwen , Lu Qidong , Qin Zhiliang , Yu Jiali , Li Yingying , Qin Yu
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we propose a novel ensembled-learning architecture incorporating a hybrid multi-stage concatenation of the deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model and the Light Gradient-Boosting-Machine (LGBM) model for the task of signal classification. It is well known that CNN is capable of learning discriminant features in various domains of signal representations. On the other hand, the LGBM model possess notable advantages such as the feasibility of parallel implementations and the potential of achieving comparable accuracies over various benchmark datasets. For the purpose of leveraging the advantages of both frameworks, we propose three steps to construct the proposed architecture. First, a Mel spectrogram is constructed as a two-dimensional (2-D) three-channel image and employed at the input to a CNN model featuring the squeeze-and-excitation (SE) attention mechanism (i.e., SeResNet) to derive the one-dimensional (1-D) deep feature of the raw signal from the final convolution layer. Secondly, we directly extract a number of 1-D statistical features based on the prior expert knowledge from the source domain of acoustics. Finally, the learned deep features and the extracted statistical features are fused and concatenated to form an input vector for the LGBM model to further improve classification accuracies. The proposed architecture is experimented on the Google Speech Commands Dataset and the Urbansound8K Dataset. Numerical results show that the proposed approach achieves the state-of-the-art accuracies and shows non-negligible performance gains over the standalone schemes.