bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introducing an integrated model of cross-cultural assessment
Authors: Shepherd Stephane M
Published: January 2022

Objective

With increasing levels of cultural diversity, it is important that mental health services are relevant and accessible to new migrant populations. Efforts have been made to bring attention to the unique experiences and needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) sub-groups in clinical settings, resulting in various frameworks and professional development workshops. While some of these strategies have raised awareness and persuaded service providers to accommodate different populations, few are effective and genuinely impact consumer outcomes.

Conclusion

This paper proposes an integrated cross-cultural assessment framework comprising both clinical and organisational components to improve cross-cultural clinical encounters and consumer satisfaction. The framework underscores the importance of the therapeutic alliance through the building of rapport and trust. Moreover, the framework is designed to be organisationally feasible, and locally and practically oriented.
Cecal volvulus associated with carfilzomib use for al amyloidosis
Authors: Tuler Shahaf , Kaur Jaspreet , Dasanu Constantin A.
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Proteasome inhibitors have emerged as quintessential therapies for light-chain (AL) amyloidosis and multiple myeloma in the last decade. While these agents are highly effective, reports have also documented toxicities affecting various organ systems. Whereas gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities are a relatively common occurrence with proteasome inhibitors, severe GI complications are exceedingly rare.

Case Report

We describe a unique case of a patient with AL amyloidosis who developed cecal volvulus after four weeks of treatment with carfilzomib. This severe GI manifestation has not been previously described in the literature.

Management and Outcome

The patient required right hemicolectomy. After clinical recovery, she restarted reduced-dose carfilzomib. She did not have any severe GI side effects following dose reduction, and continues with the current treatment regimen to the present day.

Discussion/Conclusion

The causality between volvulus and the treatment with carfilzomib was probable, with a documented score of 6 on the Naranjo probability nomogram. The exact mechanism behind this effect of carfilzomib has yet to be elucidated.
Citizens and Evaluation: A Review of Evaluation Models
Authors: Bundi Pirmin , Pattyn Valérie
Published: January 2022

Evaluations are considered of key importance for a well-functioning democracy. Against this background, it is vital to assess whether and how evaluation models approach the role of citizens. This paper is the first in presenting a review of citizen involvement in the main evaluation models which are commonly distinguished in the field. We present the results of both a document analysis and an international survey with experts who had a prominent role in developing the models. This overview has not only a theoretical relevance, but can also be helpful for evaluation practitioners or scholars looking for opportunities for citizen involvement. The paper contributes to the evaluation literature in the first place, but also aims to fine-tune available insights on the relationship between evidence informed policy making and citizens.
Onset of Symptom Relief Reported in Daily Diaries of Patients With Atopic Dermatitis Treated With Baricitinib in a United States Clinical Trial (BREEZE-AD5)
Authors: Rosmarin David , Casillas Marta , Chen Sherry , Dawson Zach , Pierce Evangeline , Zhang Hong , Bukhalo Michael , Smith Stacy
Published: January 2022

Background

Itch and sleep disturbance due to itch are burdensome symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis (AD). Rapid onset of action is important for AD treatments to improve quality of life and relieve suffering.

Objectives

This subanalysis evaluated how quickly baricitinib 1-mg and 2-mg reduced itch and associated sleep disturbance during the first 7 days after treatment initiation in a phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Methods

Adult patients with AD were randomized 1:1:1 to placebo ( N = 147), baricitinib 1 mg ( N = 147) or baricitinib 2 mg ( N = 146). Patients kept daily diaries, completing the Itch Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) (itch severity from 0 = no itch to 10 = worst itch imaginable) and the Atopic Dermatitis Sleep Scale (ADSS) to measure sleep disturbance (number of nighttime awakenings because of itch). Mixed model repeated measures analysis was used to analyze change from day 1 to day 7 values.

Results

Patients receiving either dose of baricitinib had a 9.9% decrease in itch NRS scores from baseline to Day 2 vs 1.5% decrease for placebo (significant between-group least squares mean [LSM] difference: 8.3; 95% CI −12.66 to −3.89; P = .0002). Baricitinib 2 mg reduced nighttime awakenings due to itch (ADSS item 2) at day 2 by 25.2% vs 3.9% in the placebo group (between-group LSM difference: −21.4, P = .0025). Baricitinib 2 mg continued to demonstrate a statistically significant difference from placebo in sleep symptoms at day 7 (LSM difference −23.9; P = .001).

Conclusions

Baricitinib 2-mg provided relief from itching and sleep disturbance in patients with AD, beginning the day after taking first dose. Clinical trials at www.clinicaltrials.gov: BREEZE-AD5 (NCT03435081)
Implementation of a self-determination based clinical program to reduce cardiovascular disease risk
Authors: Mayo Nicole L , Russell Holly A , Holt Kathleen , Williams Geoffrey C
Published: January 2022

Health behaviors are the cornerstone of cardiovascular risk reduction but change is challenging and maintenance is uncommon. The use of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) can promote long-term change however the pathway is uncertain related to cardiovascular risk reduction. A multi-disciplinary clinical team trained in SDT counseled 294 individuals with high cardiovascular risk. Our participants had a significant decrease in cholesterol as well as a significant increase healthy diet and motivation measures. Autonomous motivation was a critical element in the pathways. We demonstrated that a SDT team-based clinical intervention can promote cardiovascular risk reduction through autonomous motivation.
Superwoman’s kryptonite: The superwoman schema and perceived barriers to weight management among U.S. Black women
Authors: Harris Charlie L , Goldman Brian M , Gurkas Pinar , Butler Crystal , Bookman Priscilla
Published: January 2022

The role that the superwoman schema (SWS) plays in U.S. Black women’s perceptions of barriers (biological, psychological, and sociological) to healthy weight management is unknown. This exploratory study examined whether 122 women classified as normal weight, overweight or obese differed in their perceptions of types of barriers and if the SWS predicted perceived barriers to weight management. Women classified as obese reported more barriers than those classified as normal weight. The SWS uniquely positively predicted perceived psychological and sociological barriers. Our findings suggest that the SWS may play a vital role in the self-management of weight in U.S. Black women.
Furry Families: Ethical Entanglements Through More-than-Human Domestic Dramas
Authors: Sayers Janet , Forrest Rachel , Pearson Maria
Published: January 2022

Companion animals (CA) are seen as part of the family by their human guardians. However, guardians’ intense attitudes towards CA can lead to tensions with larger society. Recent scholarship has argued for more critical work exploring interspecies family relations. The present research is framed by previous scholarship exploring CA family relations and the role that storytelling about animals plays in developing ethical relations with animals. We examine 369 stories told by guardians of companion animals as part of a One Welfare study examining attitudes to companion animal welfare. Our analytical frame was a genre discourse approach sensitive to questions of animal ethics. Our theoretical contribution is to contribute a new sub-genre of domestic drama, more-than-human domestic drama. We explore the implications of this genre of family stories and why it matters beyond families to wider society.
The Cutaway to the Toilet: Towards a Visual Grammar of Spatial Stigma in Factual Welfare Television
Authors: Raisborough Jayne , Taylor Lisa , Harrison Katherine , Dulson Shelly
Published: January 2022

Editing techniques used in Factual Welfare Television (FWT) in the UK undermine narratives of hardship and structural inequality in representations of the living places of welfare claimants. This research identifies the affects of a televisual syntax – or ‘visual grammar’ – of spatial stigma in FWT. Using original data generated in a study of Channel 5’s documentary series On Benefits (2015–2019), we conduct a visual grammar analysis to argue that cutaway editing, which inserts camera shots of toilets, canine excrement, and fly-tipping into programmes, undermines potentially sympathetic representations of poverty communicated via narrator voiceovers, and/or verbal testimonies of participants. Our findings show that cutaway editing is a significant feature in the production of On Benefits and is oppositional to the articulated narrative. The research concludes that cutaway editing in FWT generates disgust towards the living places of benefits claimants, which is productive of a powerful visual grammar of spatial stigma.
Death in a Black Maria: Transport as punishment in an African carceral state
Authors: Daly Samuel Fury Childs
Published: January 2022

In March 1980, fifty men suffocated to death in the back of a police van, known as a Black Maria, in Lagos, Nigeria. In the Black Maria Tragedy, as it came to be called, several currents of Nigeria’s postcolonial history converged. They included the persistent problem of crime, the question of how much power to give men in uniform, and the problems of migration and regional integration (most of the victims came from neighboring countries). This article examines the 1980 incident not only for what it reveals about Nigeria, but about the larger workings of punishment in a postcolonial state. What techniques of punishment endured after the end of colonialism? Which of them did African governments find useful, and which did they discard? Where did the technology of the Black Maria come from, and what part did it play in the machinery of the Nigerian state? Looking beyond Nigeria, the Black Maria incident suggests that prison transport is an important part of the carceral landscape – and one that is easy to miss.
A novel strategy using optimized MOMED and B-spline based envelope-derivative operator for compound fault detection of the rolling bearing
Authors: Xu Yuanbo , Li Yongbo , Wang Youming , Wei Yu , Li Zhaoxing
Published: January 2022

The bearing regularly suffers from compound faults in real-world working conditions. In comparison to the single-fault feature extraction, the compound fault diagnosis is more difficult to achieve. This paper suggests an alternative signal processing strategy using the Multipoint Optimal Minimum Entropy Deconvolution method (MOMED) and B-spline based envelope-derivative operator (EDO) tools. As an upgraded version of the Minimum Entropy Deconvolution tool, the MOMEDA technique has been extensively available for bearing and gear fault detection. However, this approach results in an open problem related to how one can choose an appropriate filter size. Considering this problem, an optimized MOMED based on Salp Swarm Algorithm is proposed. Besides, a novel energy operator method called B-spline based envelope-derivative operator (B-spline EDO) is proposed to detect the corresponding fault characteristics from the two separated mono-component signals produced by the optimized MOMED. The new B-spline EDO method accomplishes higher fault detection performance in a noisy environment. Finally, the experimental results displayed that the novel compound fault detection approach can effectively identify the compound fault characteristics.
Off-the-Shelf Strategy for Endovascular Aneurysm Repair of Ectopic, Dominant, Renal Artery Originating From the Aortic Bifurcation: Case Report
Authors: Milnerowicz Artur , Jędrzejczak Tomasz , Pormańczuk Kornel , Rynio Paweł , Kazimierczak Arkadiusz
Published: January 2022

Introduction:

An ectopic renal artery originating from the aortic bifurcation can strongly interfere with surgical or endovascular intervention in the infrarenal aorta.

Case:

We present an infrarenal symptomatic aneurysm with a right ectopic/pelvic kidney associated with 1 renal artery originating from the aortic bifurcation.

Result:

During an endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) procedure, the dominant ectopic right kidney was perfused by an iliac branch device (IBD) used as an iliac extension. However, out of instructions for use (IFU), this is an “off-the-shelf” resolution for this type of rare case.

Conclusion:

The use of an “off-the-shelf” IBD to perform an EVAR with an ectopic renal artery, in patients unfit for open surgery, is a potentially valuable option.
Preservice Teachers’ Preparation in Communication Instruction for Students with Extensive Support Needs
Authors: Walker Virginia L. , Pennington Robert C. , Andzik Natalie R. , Tapp Melissa C. , Masud-Werner Andy
Published: January 2022

Many students with extensive support needs (ESN) benefit from specific instruction as well as a range of communication supports to develop effective communication repertoires and fully participate in their educational experience. Although evidence-based practices and supports addressing the communication needs of students with ESN have been identified, there remain concerns about whether preservice special education teachers have been adequately prepared to implement them. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of preservice special education teachers related to their preparation in communication instruction for students with ESN. Participants reported varying levels of preparedness and a range of experiences in terms of the quantity and content of coursework and opportunities to apply knowledge and skills within their programs. We present implications for future research directions and teacher preparation programs.
Knowledge and Attitudes of Research Participants in China Toward Electronic Informed Consent in Clinical Trials: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Hu Zhanqing , Ouyang Chenxi , Hahne Jessica , Khoshnood Kaveh , Zhang Jinqiang , Liu Xiyu , Wu Ying , Wang Xiaomin
Published: January 2022

This study aims to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of participants and potential participants in clinical trials toward electronic informed consent. We conducted a survey-based cross-sectional study in Hunan Province, China in March 2021. A total of 547 respondents were included in this study. All questions in an 8-item survey section assessing participants’ knowledge of electronic informed consent received correct answers from at least 70% of participants. In terms of attitude scores, most participants (86.3%) believed that electronic informed consent is more convenient than the paper-based version, and more than half (51.2%) believed that electronic informed consent could completely replace the paper-based version. Responses indicated that common concerns about electronic informed consent were its security and confidentiality, legal benefits, and implications for rights protection.
Genetic basis of thermal nociceptive sensitivity and brain weight in a BALB/c reduced complexity cross
Authors: Beierle Jacob A , Yao Emily J , Goldstein Stanley I , Scotellaro Julia L , Sena Katherine D , Linnertz Colton A , Willits Adam B , Kader Leena , Young Erin E , Peltz Gary , Emili Andrew , Ferris Martin T , Bryant Camron D
Published: January 2022

Thermal nociception involves the transmission of temperature-related noxious information from the periphery to the CNS and is a heritable trait that could predict transition to persistent pain. Rodent forward genetics complement human studies by controlling genetic complexity and environmental factors, analysis of end point tissue, and validation of variants on appropriate genetic backgrounds. Reduced complexity crosses between nearly identical inbred substrains with robust trait differences can greatly facilitate unbiased discovery of novel genes and variants. We found BALB/cByJ mice showed enhanced sensitivity on the 53.5°C hot plate and mechanical stimulation in the von Frey test compared to BALB/cJ mice and replicated decreased gross brain weight in BALB/cByJ versus BALB/cJ. We then identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 13 for hot plate sensitivity (LOD = 10.7; p < 0.001; peak = 56 Mb) and a QTL for brain weight on chromosome 5 (LOD = 8.7; p < 0.001). Expression QTL mapping of brain tissues identified H2afy (56.07 Mb) as the top transcript with the strongest association at the hot plate locus (FDR = 0.0002) and spliceome analysis identified differential exon usage within H2afy associated with the same locus. Whole brain proteomics further supported decreased H2AFY expression could underlie enhanced hot plate sensitivity, and identified ACADS as a candidate for reduced brain weight. To summarize, a BALB/c reduced complexity cross combined with multiple-omics approaches facilitated identification of candidate genes underlying thermal nociception and brain weight. These substrains provide a powerful, reciprocal platform for future validation of candidate variants.
Dorsal column and root stimulation at Aβ-fiber intensity activate superficial dorsal horn glutamatergic and GABAergic populations
Authors: Fan Wei , Sullivan Steve J , Sdrulla Andrei D
Published: January 2022

Neurostimulation therapies are frequently used in patients with chronic pain conditions. They emerged from Gate Control Theory (GCT), which posits that Aβ-fiber activation recruits superficial dorsal horn (SDH) inhibitory networks to “close the gate” on nociceptive transmission, resulting in pain relief. However, the efficacy of current therapies is limited, and the underlying circuits remain poorly understood. For example, it remains unknown whether ongoing stimulation of Aβ-fibers is sufficient to drive activity in SDH neurons. We used multiphoton microscopy in spinal cords extracted from mice expressing the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6s in glutamatergic and GABAergic populations; activity levels were inferred from deconvolved calcium signals using CaImAn software. Sustained Aβ-fiber stimulation at the dorsal columns or dorsal roots drove robust yet transient activation of both SDH populations. Following the initial increase, activity levels decreased below baseline in glutamatergic neurons and were depressed after stimulation ceased in both populations. Surprisingly, only about half of GABAergic neurons responded to Aβ-fiber stimulation. This subset showed elevated activity for the entire duration of stimulation, while non-responders decreased with time. Our findings suggest that Aβ-fiber stimulation initially recruits both excitatory and inhibitory populations but has divergent effects on their activity, providing a foundation for understanding the analgesic effects of neurostimulation devices.

Perspective: This article used microscopy to characterize the responses of mouse spinal cord cells to stimulation of non-painful nerve fibers. These findings deepen our understanding of how the spinal cord processes information and provide a foundation for improving pain-relieving therapies.
Toward a Psychology of Consent
Authors: Bohns Vanessa K.
Published: January 2022

Consent is central to many of today’s most pressing social issues: What counts as sexual assault? Whom are the police allowed to search? Can they use people’s data like that? Yet despite the fact that consent is in many ways an inherently psychological phenomenon, it has not been a core topic of study in psychology. Although domain-specific research on consent—most commonly, informed consent and sexual consent—is regularly published in specialty journals (e.g., methods and sex-research journals), consent has been largely ignored as a generalizable psychological phenomenon. This has meant that consent has been mostly excluded from “mainstream” psychology as a core topic of study. This omission is particularly striking given that psychologists have paid broad attention to related constructs, such as compliance, obedience, persuasion, free will, and autonomy, and that scholars in other fields, such as law and philosophy, have paid considerably more attention to the topic of consent, despite its uniquely psychological qualities. In this article, I argue that psychologists should embrace consent—in particular, the subjective experience of consent—as a core topic of study.
Sharing Our Journey: Implementing a Multicounty Substance Use Prevention Program in Area Schools
Authors: Decker Kim A. , Garletts Derrick M. , Warwick Cheyenne A. , Ball Sonita L. , Watts Pat A. , Titzer Jamie K. , Hendricks Susan M.
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this article is to describe an interprofessional, evidence-based, nurse-led, substance use prevention program implemented in local and surrounding county school settings by university nursing and other health science students and to explore these students’ perceptions of their training and implementation of the program. This program was developed from a community assessment revealing the rise of adolescent substance use and the need for ongoing substance use prevention. This program’s journey encompasses a 4-year period with feedback from students in four university departments (nursing, psychological and brain sciences, public health, and social work) who learned and implemented the Say It Straight program targeting elementary and middle school-aged children. This program was taught over six weeks, with 45-minute lessons per week. Feedback collected over the period of the program reveals what is felt to be the most useful parts of the training, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the model implementation. School nurses are child advocates and often serve as leaders in developing health policies and programs in the school setting. This nurse-led, interprofessional, health promotion project can be viewed as a model for school nurses in establishing university partnerships to address community health needs.
Belief in Free Will Is Related to Internal Attribution in Self-Perception
Authors: Genschow Oliver , Lange Jens
Published: January 2022

Past research indicates that individuals’ belief in free will is related to attributing others’ behavior to internal causes. An open question is whether belief in free will is related to the attribution of one’s own action. To answer this question, we tested two opposing predictions against each other by assessing the relation of belief in free will with the self-serving bias—individuals’ tendency to attribute personal success more strongly to internal forces and failure to external forces. The resource hypothesis predicts that a higher endorsement in free will belief relates to a lower self-serving bias. The intention attribution hypothesis predicts that belief in free will relates to higher internal attributions, as compared with external attributions, irrespective of success and failure. Meta-analytic evidence across five high-powered studies (total N = 1,137) supports the intention attribution hypothesis, but not the resource hypothesis (materials and data are available on the Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/2a89c/ ).
Do I Like You? Effects of Daily Negative Events and Implicit Self-Esteem on Daily Implicit Partner Regard
Authors: Hamilton Hannah R. , DeHart Tracy , Burrow Anthony L. , Peterson Julie Longua
Published: January 2022

The current study examines explicit and implicit self-esteem as moderators of the daily association between negative events and implicit partner regard among cohabitating African American couples ( N = 360). In a 21-day diary study, individuals with low (vs. high) implicit self-esteem showed a negative association between negative non-relationship and non-interpersonal events and implicit partner regard that day. Age was also a significant moderator such that, only among older participants, low implicit self-esteem individuals reported lower implicit partner regard on days with higher levels of negative relationship, non-relationship, and non-interpersonal events. Findings highlight the importance of implicit partner regard in the risk regulation system and underscore the importance of high implicit self-esteem as a protective factor for relationship functioning among African American couples.
Identifying dopamine supersensitivity through a randomized controlled study of switching to aripiprazole from other antipsychotic agents in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Ma Chia-Hao , Chan Hung-Yu , Hsieh Ming H. , Liu Chen-Chung , Liu Chih-Min , Hwu Hai-Gwo , Kuo Ching-Hua , Chen Wei J. , Hwang Tzung-Jeng
Published: January 2022

Background:

Aripiprazole has been reported to worsen psychotic symptoms when switching from other antipsychotics, possibly due to dopamine supersensitivity psychosis.

Objective:

This study aimed to explore the predictors and possible underlying mechanisms of aripiprazole-related psychotic exacerbation.

Methods:

We conducted an 8-week, open-label, randomized controlled study from October 2007 to September 2009, assigning patients with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder to switch from other antipsychotics to aripiprazole with 2-week dual administration, and then to taper off the original agents in fast (n = 38, within 1 week) or slow (n = 41, within 4 weeks) strategies. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was examined at day 0, 7, 14, 28, 56. Aripiprazole-related exacerbation (ARE) was defined positive as a 2-point increase in delusion/hallucination dimension score within 28 days compared with baseline. Baseline demographic, clinical and intervention-related variables were compared between the ARE+ and ARE- groups.

Results:

Of the 79 randomized patients, 21 fulfilled the criteria of ARE+ , and 46 were classified as ARE-. Fourteen patients in the ARE+ group had worsening psychotic symptoms in the first and second weeks. Compared with the ARE- group, the ARE+ group had a higher baseline chlorpromazine equivalent dose (405.8 ± 225.8 mg vs 268.1 ± 165.4 mg, p = 0.007) and was associated with prescription of first-generation antipsychotics ( p = 0.038).

Conclusions:

A higher dose of original antipsychotics and prescription of first-generation antipsychotics may be associated with a higher risk of ARE. The underlying mechanism might be covert dopamine supersensitivity psychosis. These findings may help to identify high-risk patients and guide appropriate treatment strategies.

Trial Registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT00545467
Burden of hypertension in Ghana – Analysis of awareness and screening campaign in the Ashanti Region of Ghana
Authors: Tannor Elliot Koranteng , Nyarko Obed Ofori , Adu-Boakye Yaw , Owusu Konadu Saabea , Opoku Gilda , Ankobea-Kokroe Frank , Opare Addo Mercy , Amuzu Evans Xorse , Ansah Gilgal Justice , Appiah-Boateng Kate , Ansong Daniel
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality globally and in Ghana. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global awareness and screening campaign initiated by the International Society of Hypertension.

Methods

Participants were recruited by opportunist sampling in the Ashanti region of Ghana. The blood pressures of participants were measured three times and the mean of the last two readings was used for the analysis. Simple and multiple logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of hypertension.

Results

The MMM 2018 awareness and screening campaign enrolled 5054 participants with a mean age of 39.4 ± 14.7 years. There were 2553 (50.6%) males, 987 (20.1%) of respondents had never checked their blood pressure and 676 (13.9%) had a prior history of hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension was 37.4%. We found that 589(66.8%) of 822 respondents with high blood pressure did not have a history of hypertension. Respondents with a known history of hypertension on medication were 442 (65.9%) and 219(68.0%) of 322 respondents on medication had uncontrolled hypertension. The predictors of high blood pressure in a multiple logistic regression were increasing age (OR = 1.05 CI 1.05–1.06, p < 0.001), history of alcohol intake (OR = 1.33 CI 1.04 −1.70, p = 0.02), overweight (OR = 1.4 CI 1.14–1.76, p = 0.001) and obesity (OR = 1.32, CI 1.01–1.74, p = 0.047).

Conclusion

There is a high prevalence of hypertension in the Ashanti region in Ghana. Most participants with hypertension were not aware and the majority of those with hypertension on medications were uncontrolled. This calls for more education and screening of hypertension to decrease cardiovascular mortality.
The impact of COVID-19 on paediatric dental services and tips for patient management
Authors: Lyons-Coleman Minnie , O’Sullivan Elizabeth , Thompson Wendy
Published: January 2022

Managing paediatric patients in primary dental care while awaiting treatment by the specialist paediatric dental services can be tricky. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on dental services meaning wait times to be seen by a paediatric dental service may have been delayed. This article will discuss the management of paediatric patients in primary dental care and provide an update on some of the latest techniques in paediatric dentistry. It also covers tips that can be employed in the primary dental care setting such as the use of tooth mousse and silver diamine fluoride.
Dental Bleaching: ‘Now I can Smile for my Selfies’ – Paediatric Patients’ Perspectives
Authors: Ilyas Nabeel , Marshall Sophie , Ahluwalia Meera
Published: January 2022

Children presenting with discoloured teeth commonly suffer from low self-esteem. This paper reports the findings from a questionnaire evaluating changes brought about by dental bleaching and the psychosocial effects of bleaching on 22 patients. All patients reported to like the overall appearance of their teeth following bleaching and reported a significant improvement in mental wellbeing. In the current climate where positive mental health is at the forefront of the minds of commissioners, health care providers, and the general public alike, this service evaluation demonstrates the positive effect that carefully planned dental bleaching can have on the mental wellbeing of under 18-year-olds with discoloured teeth.
The role of age and digital competence on the use of online health and social care services: A cross-sectional population-based survey
Authors: Heponiemi T , Kaihlanen A-M , Kouvonen A , Leemann L , Taipale S , Gluschkoff K
Published: January 2022

Objective

Online health and social care services are getting widespread which increases the risk that less advantaged groups may not be able to access these services resulting in digital exclusion. We examined the combined effects of age and digital competence on the use of online health and social care services.

Methods

We used a large representative population-based sample of 4495 respondents from Finland. Paper-based self-assessment questionnaire with an online response option was mailed to participants. The associations were analyzed using survey weighted logistic regression, exploring potential non-linear effects of age and controlling for potential sex differences.

Results

Higher age, starting from around the age of 60 was associated with a lower likelihood of using online services for receiving test results, renewing prescriptions and scheduling appointments. Good digital competence was able to hinder the age-related decline in online services use, but only up to around the age of 80.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that older adults are at risk of digital exclusion, and not even good digital competence alleviates this risk among the oldest. We suggest that health and social care providers should consider older users’ needs and abilities more thoroughly and offer easy to use online services. More digital support and training possibilities should be provided for older people. It is equally important that face-to-face and telephone services will be continued to be provided for those older people who are not able to use online services even when supported.
The power of an elector in the Spanish parliament: A study compared with power indices
Authors: Fernández Julio R , Gallego Inés , Jiménez-Losada Andrés
Published: January 2022

The main goal of this article is to study, from a game theory perspective, the composition of the Spanish Parliament according to Article 68 of the Spanish Constitution, although the proposed model is applicable to the reduction of other representation chambers. It even allows for the sporadic design of the chamber in periods of crisis such as those we are currently experiencing. We use power indices to analyse feasible allocations of seats among the circumscriptions, modifying the size of the Parliament and considering different minimum initial numbers of seats per province. We propose two modifications of the composition following the cubic root rule of the de jure population. Finally, we compare the results of the general elections of December 2015 and June 2016 for the election of the members of the Congress of Deputies (Spanish Parliament) with the current system, which distributes a total number of 350 deputies among the provinces, with an initial minimum of two deputies (system 350/2), with another distribution system that distributed 360 deputies with an initial minimum of one deputy per province (system 360/1).
Protective effect of baicalin against arsenic trioxide-induced acute hepatic injury in mice through JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Authors: He Qianqian , Sun Xiaoqi , Zhang Muqing , Chu Li , Zhao Yang , Wu Yongchao , Zhang Jianping , Han Xue , Guan Shengjiang , Ding Chao
Published: January 2022

Baicalin (BA) is a kind of flavonoid that is isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has been verified to have hepatoprotective effects in some diseases. However, the role of BA in acute hepatic injury induced by arsenic trioxide (ATO) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective action of BA on acute hepatic injury induced by ATO and to probe its possible mechanism. Mice were pretreated with BA (50, 100 mg/kg) by gavage. After 7 h, ATO (7.5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to induce liver injury. After 7 days of treatment, serum and hepatic specimens were collected and assayed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of BA. Pathological sections and the liver function index indicated that ATO caused significant liver injury. The fluorescence of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress indicators showed that ATO also increased oxidative stress. The inflammatory markers in ATO-induced mice also increased significantly. Staining of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and apoptotic factor assay showed that apoptosis increased. However, with BA pretreatment, these changes were significantly weakened. In addition, BA treatment promoted the expression of proteins related to the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. The results suggest that BA can ameliorate acute ATO-induced hepatic injury in mice, which is related to the inhibition of oxidative stress, thereby reducing inflammation and apoptosis. The mechanism of this protection is potentially related to the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Biventricular Conversion of Borderline Hypoplastic Left Heart Complex Facilitated by Spontaneous Closure of the Atrial Septum
Authors: Zhu Alexander , Prabhu Neel K. , Tatum Gregory H. , Turek Joseph W. , Andersen Nicholas D.
Published: January 2022

We present the case of a child with borderline hypoplastic left heart complex who initially received Norwood and Glenn operations without atrial septectomy and was later converted to a biventricular circulation after progressive growth of the left ventricle as assessed by serial echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.
Inhibition efficiency of 304-Cu stainless steel against oral bacterial biofilm
Authors: Lan Yiliang , Yang Jie , Liu Xianbo , Zhao Hanyu , Zhang Xinrui , Yin Xueliang , Yang Chunguang , Yang Ke , Liu Yi
Published: January 2022

Purpose:

This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial properties of 304 Cu-bearing stainless steel (SS) with different Cu contents (0, 2.5, 4.5 wt.%) against oral biofilms of Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans), Streptococcus sanguinis ( S. sanguinis), and their mixture.

Methods:

Bacterial biofilms on the surface of 304-Cu SS were characterized by plate counting, 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining with aid of sanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 2, 3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide inner salt (XTT). In addition, the inhibition zone method was also employed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of 304-Cu SS. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry were used to assess the cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate of 304-Cu SS, respectively.

Results:

304-4.5Cu SS could effectively inhibit the attachment, formation, activity, and metabolism of bacterial biofilm, possessing the best antibacterial properties exceeding 99.9% of antibacterial rate against S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and their mixture. The diameters of inhibition zones to S. mutans and S. sanguinis on the surface of 304-4.5Cu SS were 21.7 and 14.7 mm, respectively. The results of cell experiments in vitro showed that both 304-2.5Cu SS and 304-4.5Cu SS had no evident cytotoxicity with an identical grade 1. The apoptosis rate exhibited a gradually increased tendency with increase of the Cu content in 304 SS.

Conclusions:

304-4.5Cu SS without cytotoxic effect on NIH3T3 cells has obvious antibacterial activity against S. mutans, S. sanguinis and their mixture.

Clinical significance:

The Cu-bearing stainless steel provides a new solution to be used as oral orthodontic devices for inhibiting oral microflora imbalance and enamel demineralization.
Public Support for Government Intervention in Health Care in the United States from 1984 to 2016
Authors: Yuan Yaqi , Lee Kristen Schultz , Lu Yunmei
Published: January 2022

Research on public opinion regarding government’s role in health care has paid little attention to how public opinion has changed among different age groups over time and to how the intersection of age, birth year, political affiliation, and historical time shape public opinion. In this article, the authors ask, Who supports governmental spending on health care, and how has this changed over time? The authors propose a life-course perspective to study political polarization in the health care domain using General Social Survey 1984 to 2016 data. The results indicate that the growing political polarization in support for government intervention in health care across the 32 years studied occurred among middle-aged adults. The findings of this study contribute new understandings of how age and party membership interact in contributing to political polarization regarding government’s role in health care over time.
The economics of architectural aesthetics: Identifying price effect of urban ambiences by different house cohorts
Authors: Cheung Ka Shing , Yiu Chung Yim
Published: January 2022

Although interest in sensory atmospheres and urban ambiences has been growing in urban studies, little is known about the economics of such ambiences. In architecture research, urban atmospheres or ambiences have been studied qualitatively through surveys and interviews. So far, the value of ambience has been focused and quantified only for heritage buildings. However, non-heritage buildings and open spaces also shape urban ambiences, either positively or negatively. This paper seeks to empirically disentangle cohort ambience effects on house prices based on the proportion of various house cohorts to the total number of houses within either a 0.5 km or a 1.0 km radial circle. Based on more than 56,000 housing transactions from 2010 to 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand, the results confirm that houses in a neighbourhood with historic ambience have a premium of more than 20%, ceteris paribus. This finding opens up a new research agenda on the economics of architectural aesthetics and suggests that there should be further studies of the price effects of various types of urban ambiences. The results may also have important implications for architects, urban planners and government officials conducting cost-benefit analyses.
From Dalits as a Political Category to Becoming Dalits in Post-Political Conditions: Explaining the Dual Challenges in Contemporary India
Authors: Nag Gouri Sankar , Behera Santosh Kumar , Bhattacharya Arpan
Published: January 2022

Dalit politics in India has substantially influenced the emerging post-political discourse. They have reinstated their dialectical mode of functioning in order to circumvent the dispersed social power and the disciplinary effects of civil society, albeit in its selective celebration of identity politics. However, this writing departs from locating the Dalit category as naively synonymous with the notion of victimhood of upper-caste violence. Rather, we contend that it is more important to conceive of the Dalit category in symbolic sense: to stay critical to the effects of dominant culture, lest it covertly imposes itself, and simultaneously to build and promote own counterculture with all sorts of folk forms and symbolic representation of identity that nurtures the existence and dignity of the ‘other’.
Islamic workplace spirituality influence on organizational effectiveness of Indonesian States’ Islamic Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Mohd Ali Hairuddin , Shohib Muhammad Wildan , Ibrahim Mohd Burhan
Published: January 2022

The study aimed to investigate the influence of Islamic workplace spirituality (IWPS) on organizational effectiveness (OE) of Indonesian States’ Islamic Higher Education Institutions (ISIHEIs) and to validate the psychometric properties of IWPS-OE instruments employed. A survey instrument using five-point Likert scale was administered to collect the data from 450 academic staff of six ISIHEIs across Java, Indonesia. Confirmatory factor analysis and complete structural equation modeling software were performed to test the factorial validity of each constructs under study and the hypothesized model. The results of study had established valid and reliable four-factor IWPS and three-factor OE sub-constructs. The tested and validated structural hypothesized model of the study exhibited substantial direct and significant influence of IWPS on OE of ISIHEIs. The findings of the study suggested that the articulation of IWPS could be practiced effectively in the context of ISIHEIs in enhancing the effectiveness of the higher education institutions. The study has successfully tested, formulated, and validated the hypothesized model of IWPS-OE of ISIHEIs and consequently enriching the related body of knowledge.
NetSeekR: a network analysis pipeline for RNA-Seq time series data
Authors: Srivastava Himangi , Ferrell Drew , Popescu George V.
Published: January 2022

Background

Recent development of bioinformatics tools for Next Generation Sequencing data has facilitated complex analyses and prompted large scale experimental designs for comparative genomics. When combined with the advances in network inference tools, this can lead to powerful methodologies for mining genomics data, allowing development of pipelines that stretch from sequence reads mapping to network inference. However, integrating various methods and tools available over different platforms requires a programmatic framework to fully exploit their analytic capabilities. Integrating multiple genomic analysis tools faces challenges from standardization of input and output formats, normalization of results for performing comparative analyses, to developing intuitive and easy to control scripts and interfaces for the genomic analysis pipeline.

Results

We describe here NetSeekR, a network analysis R package that includes the capacity to analyze time series of RNA-Seq data, to perform correlation and regulatory network inferences and to use network analysis methods to summarize the results of a comparative genomics study. The software pipeline includes alignment of reads, differential gene expression analysis, correlation network analysis, regulatory network analysis, gene ontology enrichment analysis and network visualization of differentially expressed genes. The implementation provides support for multiple RNA-Seq read mapping methods and allows comparative analysis of the results obtained by different bioinformatics methods.

Conclusion

Our methodology increases the level of integration of genomics data analysis tools to network inference, facilitating hypothesis building, functional analysis and genomics discovery from large scale NGS data. When combined with network analysis and simulation tools, the pipeline allows for developing systems biology methods using large scale genomics data.
Cerebrospinal fluid metabolic profiling reveals divergent modulation of pentose phosphate pathway by midazolam, propofol and dexmedetomidine in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a cohort study
Authors: Li Yi-Chen , Wang Rong , A Ji-Ye , Sun Run-Bin , Na Shi-Jie , Liu Tao , Ding Xuan-Sheng , Ge Wei-Hong
Published: January 2022

Background

Agitation is common in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and sedation with midazolam, propofol and dexmedetomidine is essential in agitation management. Previous research shows the tendency of dexmedetomidine and propofol in improving long-term outcome of SAH patients, whereas midazolam might be detrimental. Brain metabolism derangement after SAH might be interfered by sedatives. However, how sedatives work and whether the drugs interfere with patient outcome by altering cerebral metabolism is unclear, and the comprehensive view of how sedatives regulate brain metabolism remains to be elucidated.

Methods

For cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and extracellular space of the brain exchange instantly, we performed a cohort study, applying CSF of SAH patients utilizing different sedatives or no sedation to metabolomics. Baseline CSF metabolome was corrected by selecting patients of the same SAH and agitation severity. CSF components were analyzed to identify the most affected metabolic pathways and sensitive biomarkers of each sedative. Markers might represent the outcome of the patients were also investigated.

Results

Pentose phosphate pathway was the most significantly interfered (upregulated) pathway in midazolam (p = 0.0000107, impact = 0.35348) and propofol (p = 0.00000000000746, impact = 0.41604) groups. On the contrary, dexmedetomidine decreased levels of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate (p = 0.002) and NADP (p = 0.024), and NADP is the key metabolite and regulator in pentose phosphate pathway. Midazolam additionally augmented purine synthesis (p = 0.00175, impact = 0.13481) and propofol enhanced pyrimidine synthesis (p = 0.000203, impact = 0.20046), whereas dexmedetomidine weakened pyrimidine synthesis (p = 0.000000000594, impact = 0.24922). Reduced guanosine diphosphate (AUC of ROC 0.857, 95%CI 0.617–1, p = 0.00506) was the significant CSF biomarker for midazolam, and uridine diphosphate glucose (AUC of ROC 0.877, 95%CI 0.631–1, p = 0.00980) for propofol, and succinyl-CoA (AUC of ROC 0.923, 95%CI 0.785–1, p = 0.000810) plus adenosine triphosphate (AUC of ROC 0.908, 95%CI 0.6921, p = 0.00315) for dexmedetomidine. Down-regulated CSF succinyl-CoA was also associated with favorable outcome (AUC of ROC 0.708, 95% CI: 0.524–0.865, p = 0.029333).

Conclusion

Pentose phosphate pathway was a crucial target for sedatives which alter brain metabolism. Midazolam and propofol enhanced the pentose phosphate pathway and nucleotide synthesis in poor-grade SAH patients, as presented in the CSF. The situation of dexmedetomidine was the opposite. The divergent modulation of cerebral metabolism might further explain sedative pharmacology and how sedatives affect the outcome of SAH patients.