bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drivers’ Risk Perception and Risky Driving Behavior under Low Illumination Conditions: Modified Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) and Driver Skill Inventory (DSI)
Authors: Liu Jing , Wang Cheng , Liu Zhipeng , Feng Zhongxiang , Sze N. N.
Published: November 2021

Most road crashes are caused by human factors. Risky behaviors and lack of driving skills are two human factors that contribute to crashes. Considering the existing evidence, risky driving behaviors and driving skills have been regarded as potential decisive factors explaining and preventing crashes. Nighttime accidents are relatively frequent and serious compared with daytime accidents. Therefore, it is important to focus on driving behaviors and skills to reduce traffic accidents and enhance safe driving in low illumination conditions. In this paper, we examined the relation between drivers’ risk perception and propensity for risky driving behavior and conducted a comparative analysis of the associations between risk perception, propensity for risky driving behavior, and other factors in the presence and absence of streetlights. Participants in Hefei city, China, were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), and the Driver Skill Inventory (DSI). Multiple linear regression analyses identified some predictors of driver behavior. The results indicated that both the DBQ and DSI are valuable instruments in traffic safety analysis in low illumination conditions and indicated that errors, lapses, and risk perception were significantly different between with and without streetlight conditions. Pearson’s correlation test found that elderly and experienced drivers had a lower likelihood of risky driving behaviors when driving in low illumination conditions, and crash involvement was positively related to risky driving behaviors. Regarding the relationship between study variables and driving skills, the research suggested that age, driving experience, and annual distance were positively associated with driving skills, while myopia, penalty points, and driving self-assessment were negatively related to driving skills. Furthermore, the differences across age groups in errors, lapses, violations, and risk perception in the presence of streetlights were remarkable, and the driving performance of drivers aged 45–55 years was superior to that of drivers in other age groups. Finally, multiple linear regression analyses showed that education background and crash involvement had a positive influence on error, whereas risk perception had a negative effect on errors; crash involvement had a positive influence, while risk perception had a negative effect on lapse; driving experience and crash involvement had a positive influence on violation; and age had a negative influence on it.
The N6-Methyladenosine- (m6A-) Associated Genes Act as Strong Key Biomarkers for the Prognosis of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Fei , Zhang Ping
Published: November 2021

Background. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) has become the major cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The m6A (N6-methyladenosine) alteration plays a crucial function in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The role of genes related to m6A and their expression level in pancreatic cancer is not identified yet. The objective of this research analysis is a demonstration of the m6A RNA methylation regulators based as biomarkers for the PAAD diagnosis. Methods. About 23 extensively reported m6A RNA methylation regulators were identified through the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. This identification was based on consensus clustering analysis, protein-protein integration (PPI) analysis, risk prognostic model, Cox-regression analysis, String Spearman analysis, and LASSO Cox-regression. Results. Herein, we conclude that 23 m6A methylation regulators have a strong link with the clinical and molecular characteristics of PAAD. The three subgroups (1/2) of pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified using the clustering of 23 m6A regulators. Subgroup cluster 2 had a lower survival rate than the subgroup of cluster 1, and the difference in grades between the two groups was substantial. An assessment was performed using the 23 reported m6A methylation regulators. Eight of these can be used as independent PAAD prognostic markers. The consequences of variable IGF2BP3 expression in PAAD were then investigated further. Conclusions. The key finding of this study was that the m6A methylation regulator gene has the main role in pancreatic tumors, and it may be used as a biomarker in the prognosis of the PAAD and for therapy purposes.
Predictors of Drug‐Resistant Tuberculosis among High‐Risk Population Diagnosed under National Program Conditions in the Littoral Region, Cameroon
Authors: Mbuh Teyim Pride , Wandji Adeline , Keugni Liliane , Mboh Sandrine , Ane-Anyangwe Irene , Mbacham Wilfred Fon , Meriki Henry Dilonga
Published: November 2021

Multiple drug resistance TB (MDR‐TB) has greatly jeopardized the effective control of tuberculosis in Africa. This study is aimed at determining the incidence and predictors of drug resistant‐TB amongst bacteriologically diagnosed cases in the Littoral region of Cameroon. This was a descriptive cross‐sectional survey conducted from January 2016 to December 2017. A total of 1665 participants were enrolled from 32 diagnostic and treatment centers (DTCs) in the Littoral region. Demographic, clinical, socioeconomic, and behavioral data were obtained using a pretested structured questionnaire. Drug susceptibility testing was performed using Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay and line probe assay (LPA). Consent was obtained from participant/guidance. Data analysis was carried with SPSS version 21. Univariate and multiple logistic regression was performed at 5% significance level. The incidence of rifampicin and MDR‐TB was 86 (5.2%) and 75 (4.5%), respectively. More (11.3%) cases of drug resistance were diagnosed in 2016 compared to 2017 (3.7%). Eleven (0.7%) were resistant to rifampicin only. A total of 19 (4.4%) cases of rifampicin resistance were detected from newly diagnosed cases and 67 (5.4%) from previously retreated cases. Pre‐XDR‐TB was detected in 2 (2.7%) of the MDR‐TB cases amongst whom 1 (1.3%) was extensive drug resistance TB (XDR‐TB). Age greater than 60 years old (OR = 4.98, p = 0.047), being married (OR = 1.91, p = 0.006), being currently incarcerated (OR = 1.74, p = 0.027), and having contact with known TB cases (OR = 1.88, p = 0.007) were associated to MDR‐TB in a univariate analysis. This study highlights the declining rates of TB drug resistance in the region over the years probably due to the introduction of Gene Xpert that results in early detection of RR‐TB. It also shows that age greater than 60 years, being married, and incarcerated are predictors of drug resistant‐TB, while the year of patient enrolment and previous exposure to TB treatment were independent predictors of drug resistance in the Littoral region of Cameroon.
Hyperleukocytic Acute Leukemia Circulating Exosomes Regulate HSCs and BM-MSCs
Authors: Yang Yanmei , He Haiping , He Jigang , Gu Xuezhong , Hu Peng , Zuo Rongxia , Sa Yalian
Published: November 2021

Hyperleukocytic acute leukemia (HLAL) circulating exosomes are delivered to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), thereby inhibiting the normal hematopoietic process. In this paper, we have evaluated and explored the effects of miR-125b, which is carried by HLAL-derived exosomes, on the hematopoietic function of HSCs and BM-MSCs. For this purpose, we have isolated exosomes from the peripheral blood of HLAL patients and healthy volunteers. Then, we measured the level of miR-125b in exosomes cocultured exosomes with HSCs and BM-MSCs. Moreover, we have used miR-125b inhibitors/mimic for intervention and then measured miR-125b expression and colony forming unit (CFU). Apart from it, HSC and BM-MSC hematopoietic-related factors α-globulin, γ-globulin, CSF2, CRTX4 and CXCL12, SCF, IGF1, and DKK1 expression were measured. Evaluation of the miR-125b and BAK1 targeting relationship, level of miR-125b, and expression of hematopoietic-related genes was performed after patients are treated with miR-125b mimic and si-BAK1. We have observed that miR-125b was upregulated in HLAL-derived exosomes. After HLAL-exosome acts on HSCs, the level of miR-125b is upregulated, reducing CFU and affecting the expression of α-globulin, γ-globulin, CSF2, and CRCX4. For BM-MSCs, after the action of HLAL-exo, the level of miR-125b is upregulated and affected the expression of CXCL12, SCF, IGF1, and DKK1. Exosomes derived from HLAL carry miR-125b to target and regulate BAK1. Further study confirmed that miR-125b and BAK1mimic reduced the expression of miR-125b and reversed the effect of miR-125b mimic on hematopoietic-related genes. These results demonstrated that HLAL-derived exosomes carrying miR-125b inhibit the hematopoietic differentiation of HSC and hematopoietic support function of BM-MSC through BAK1.
Identification of miR-885-5p as a Tumor Biomarker: Regulation of Cellular Function in Cervical Cancer
Authors: Zu Yuanqi , Wang Qianqian , Wang Hong
Published: November 2021

Objectives: MicroRNAs were revealed as biomarkers for early detection or prognosis predictors of cancer and were involved in the progression of cancer. The present study investigated the expression pattern and potential clinical and functional role of miR-885-5p in cervical cancer. Design: A total of 115 pairs of cervical cancer tissue specimens and adjacent nontumor paracancerous tissue specimens were collected from the cervical cancer patients who underwent surgical resection or biopsy without preoperative systemic therapy at Maternity and Child Health Care of Zaozhuang from 2012 to 2014. Participants/Materials, Setting, Methods: The expression levels of miR-885-5p in cervical cancer were measured using the qRT-PCR assay. A follow-up study was conducted, and the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was used to analyze the potential clinical significance of miR-885-5p in cervical cancer. The functional experiments including CCK-8, Transwell migration, and invasion assays were used to investigate the biological function of miR-885-5p in cervical cancer cells. Results: miR-885-5p expression was decreased in tumor tissues and tumor cell lines compared to normal control. Low expression of miR-885-5p was related to lymph node metastasis, late FIGO stage, and shorter overall survival outcome. Ascending expression of miR-885-5p inhibited the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of cervical cancer cells, while downregulation of miR-885-5p promoted these cellular abilities of cervical cancer cells in vitro. Limitations: The patient population size was limited; thus, the clinical significance of miR-885-5p requires further verification. Second, the precise mechanism of miR-885-5p in cervical cancer is still exclusive. In the future studies, a larger sample size will be required to confirm the prognostic value of miR-885-5p in cervical cancer, and the possible targets, as well as the detailed mechanism of miR-885-5p, will be investigated. Conclusions: miR-885-5p expression was decreased in cervical cancer, and downregulation of miR-885-5p promoted the progression of cervical cancer cells. MiR-885-5p may be an independent prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for treating cervical cancer.
Approach to clinically significant vascular anomalies in children
Authors: Tanugroho Raymond Reinaldo , Wee Lynette Wei Yi , Koh Mark Jean Aan , Chong Jin Ho
Published: November 2021

Vascular anomalies consist of tumours or malformations made up of abnormal growth or collections of blood vessels that can result in functional or cosmetic problems. While many vascular anomalies are present at birth, some do not appear until later in life, making diagnosis more challenging. Although many vascular anomalies are benign, some are associated with serious complications and may involve multiple organ systems. This article highlights the important features of clinically significant vascular anomalies to help physicians promptly identify and refer these cases to a specialised multidisciplinary team for evaluation and management. The discussion includes the various presenting complaints of vascular anomalies in children, namely, rapidly growing birthmarks, painful lesions, seizures/neurological manifestations, bleeding diathesis, cardiac/airway abnormalities and part of an overgrowth syndrome.
Space use and parental care behaviour in Andinobates claudiae (Dendrobatidae)
Authors: Cossio Ricardo , Wright Jennifer , Acosta Rebeca , Rodríguez Ariel
Published: November 2021

The selection of habitats with potential reproductive resources may maximize individual reproductive success and overall fitness. Dendrobatid frogs display remarkable parental care which is associated with water bodies (phytotelmata) contained in plants with characteristics that are important to offspring survival. It has been shown that the size of phytotelmata is a key factor that drove the divergence in parental care patterns in poison frogs and that the distribution of reproductive resources can influence space use in these species. Here, we investigated parental care strategies and the influence of reproductive resource distribution on space use patterns in a wild population of Andinobates claudiae in Bocas del Toro, Panama. We identified the phytotelmata characteristics that predict tadpole deposition and analysed the association between the spatial distribution of phytotelmata and spatial use of males and females. Our observations showed that this species mates polygamously and exhibits male parental care. We found that male frogs have smaller kernel density home ranges and core areas compared to females, and that space use is related to the density of Heliconia plants whose axil cavities are used for tadpole rearing. Furthermore, we found that tadpoles were more frequently found in phytotelmata that were at lower heights and contained larger water volumes. Fathers invested time inspecting multiple cavities and travelled further than predicted from their territories to find suitable deposition sites. Our observations suggest a selective choice of phytotelmata regarding tadpole deposition, where distribution and quality of cavities might influence parental care decisions.
Parliamentary Diplomacy: A Review Article
Authors: Stavridis Stelios
Published: November 2021

There is growing academic interest in parliamentary diplomacy. This is a welcome development because for many years only parliamentary practitioners themselves paid much attention to the parliamentarization of international affairs, and then mainly from a technical interparliamentary cooperation perspective. This presently consolidating academic literature still requires a fresh impetus if only because there still remain numerous important and problematic issues that need to be addressed. This article will first set the study of parliamentary diplomacy in its wider context, offering examples and definitions. It will then review its main findings to date – before suggesting a number of important research questions that deserve further attention. It is argued that future studies will need to examine them in more detail in order to strengthen academic research into this ever-expanding worldwide phenomenon. The conclusions will also include a practical suggestion for developing this important new dimension in diplomatic studies even further.
How does parental time relate to social class in a Nordic welfare state?
Authors: Ellingsæter Anne Lise , Kitterød Ragni Hege , Hansen Marianne Nordli
Published: November 2021

Time intensive parenting has spread in Western countries. This study contributes to the literature on parental time use, aiming to deepen our understanding of the relationship between parental childcare time and social class. Based on time-diary data (2010–2011) from Norway, and a concept of social class that links parents’ amount and composition of economic and cultural capital, we examine the time spent by parents on childcare activities. The analysis shows that class and gender intersect: intensive motherhood, as measured by time spent on active childcare, including developmental childcare activities thought to stimulate children's skills, is practised by all mothers. A small group of mothers in the economic upper-middle class fraction spend even more time on childcare than the other mothers. The time fathers spend on active childcare is less than mothers’, and intra-class divisions are notable. Not only lower-middle class fathers, but also cultural/balanced upper-middle class fathers spend the most time on intensive fathering. Economic upper-middle and working-class fathers spend the least time on childcare. This new insight into class patterns in parents’ childcare time challenges the widespread notion of different cultural childcare logics in the middle class, compared to the working class.
Evaluating the Cost for Robotic vs “Non-Robotic” Transhiatal Esophagectomy
Authors: Ross Sharona B. , Rayman Shlomi , Thomas Ja’Karri , Peek George , Crespo Kaitlyn , Syblis Cameron , Sucandy Iswanto , Rosemurgy Alexander
Published: November 2021

Introduction

This study was undertaken to analyze and compare the cost of robotic transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) to “non-robotic” THE (ie, “open” and laparoscopic).

Methods

With IRB approval, we prospectively followed 82 patients who underwent THE. We analyzed clinical outcomes and perioperative charges and costs associated with THE. To compare profitability, the robotic approach was analyzed against “non-robotic” approaches of THE using F-test, Mann-Whitney U test/Student’s t-test, and Fisher’s exact test. Statistical significance was reported as P ≤0.05. Data are presented as median (mean ± SD).

Results

67 patients underwent the robotic approach, and 15 patients underwent “non-robotic” approach; 4 were “open” and 11 were laparoscopic. 79 patients had adenocarcinoma. Operative duration for robotic THE was 327 (331 ± 82.8) vs 213 (225 ± 62.0) minutes ( P = 0.0001) and estimated blood loss was 150 (184 ± 136.1) vs 300 (476 ± 708.7) mL ( P = 0.0001). Length of stay was 7 (11 ± 11.8) vs 8 (12 ± 10.6) days ( P = 0.76). 16 patients had post-operative complications with a Clavien-Dindo score of three or more. Hospital charges for robotic THE were $197,405 ($259,936 ± 203,630.8) vs “non-robotic” THE $159,588 ($201,565 ± $185,763.5) ( P = 0.31). Cost of care for robotic THE was $34,822 ($48,844 ± $45,832.8) vs “non-robotic” THE was $23,939 ($39,386 ± $44,827.2) ( P = 0.47). Payment received for robotic THE was $14,365 ($30,003 ± $40,874.7) vs “non-robotic” THE was $28,080 ($41,087 ± $44,509.1) ( P = 0.41). 15% of robotic operations were profitable vs 13% of “non-robotic” operations.

Conclusions

Patients were predominantly older overweight men who had adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The robotic approach had increased operative time and minimal blood loss. More than a fourth of operations included concomitant procedures. Patients were discharged approximately one week after THE. Overall, the robotic approach has no apparent significant differences in charges, cost, or profitability.
Time is of the Essence: Impact of a More Aggressive Chemical Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Regimen on Trauma Patients
Authors: Schroeppel Thomas J. , Clement Lesley P. , Douville Alyssa A. , Schmoekel Nathan H. , Stassinopoulos Jerry , Decker Cassandra , Stillman Zachery E. , Rodriquez Jennifer , Brockman Valerie P. , Hennessy Elizabeth , Heise Holly , Khan Abid D.
Published: November 2021

Background

Trauma patients are at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Opportunity for chemical VTE prophylaxis improvement was identified and practice was altered to start chemoprophylaxis on admission in most patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if early VTE prophylaxis is safe and reduces VTE.

Methods

The trauma registry was queried over a 12-month period for patients admitted greater than 1 day for traumatic injury. The study spanned 6 months on either side of instituting aggressive chemoprophylaxis. Patients were risk adjusted on demographics, Injury Severity Score, transfusions, procedure type, length of stay, and mortality. Pre-intervention patients were then compared to patients in the aggressive cohort with the primary outcome of VTE. Secondary outcomes included transfusions, mortality, and length of stay (LOS).

Results

1597 patients were identified over the study period with 754 (47%) patients in the aggressive period. There were no differences in age, sex, Injury Severity Score, transfusions, procedures, or LOS between cohorts. Pre-algorithm patients were more likely to have penetrating mechanism (9.3% vs 6.6%; P = .009) and longer time to VTE prophylaxis (23.3 vs 13.9 hours; P < .001). No differences were noted in anticoagulant, VTE rate (2.0% vs 1.2%; P = .195), or mortality. Linear regression analysis identified time to chemical prophylaxis as significant predictor of VTE (β = 43.9, P < .001).

Conclusions

Early aggressive chemical VTE prophylaxis is safe without increasing transfusions. Venous thromboembolism rates were decreased, but did not reach statistical significance.
Hiatal Hernia After Esophagectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis of a Rare Postoperative Phenomenon
Authors: Benzie Annie Laurie , Darwish Muhammad B. , Basta Anthony , McLaren Patrick J. , Cho Edward E. , Osman Houssam , Jay John , Jeyarajah D. Rohan
Published: November 2021

Development of a post-esophagectomy hiatal hernia (PEHH) is a rare, but problematic, sequela with the current reported prevalence ranging up to 20%. To determine the incidence rate of PEHH at our institution, a retrospective review of all transhiatal esophagectomies performed from 2012 to 2020 was conducted. Demographic, operative, and oncologic data were collected, rates of PEHH were calculated, and characteristics of subsequent repair were reviewed and analyzed. A total of 160 transhiatal esophagectomies were included, of which four patients (2.5%) developed a PEHH at a mean of 12 months postoperatively (range: 3-28 months) with symptomatology driving the diagnosis for three patients. The limited size of our study does not allow for statistically significant determinations regarding risk factors or method of repair. The true prevalence of a hiatal defect is likely higher than reported, as clinically asymptomatic patients are not captured in our current literature.
Does Time to Pelvic Fixation Influence Outcomes in Trauma Patients?
Authors: Taylor Nicholas A. , Smith Alison A. , Marr Alan , Stuke Lance , Greiffenstein Patrick , Schoen Jonathan , Brown Tommy , Chapman Brett , Hunt John P.
Published: November 2021

Background

Pelvic fractures cause significant morbidity in the trauma population. Many factors influence time to fracture fixation. No previous study has determined the optimal time window for pelvic fixation.

Methods

A retrospective review of trauma patients with pelvic fractures from 2016 to 2020 was performed. Patients were stratified into EARLY and LATE groups, by time to fixation within 3 days or greater than 3 days whether from admission or from completion of a life-saving procedure. Unpaired Student’s t-test and Fisher’s exact test were performed with multiple linear regression for variables with P < .2 on univariate analysis.

Results

287 patients were identified with a median fixation time of 3 days. There was no significant difference in demographics, incidence of preceding life-saving procedure, angioembolization, or mechanism of injury in the 2 groups ( P > .05). Length of stay in the EARLY group was significantly reduced at 11.9 +/− .7 days compared to 18.0 +/−1.2 days in the LATE group ( P < .001). There was no significant difference in rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism (PE), acute kidney injury (AKI), pressure ulcer, or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) ( P > .05). There were significantly more SSIs (surgical site infections) in the LATE group. After multiple linear regression adjusting for covariates of age and ISS, the difference in hospital LOS was 5.5 days (95% CI −8.0 to −3.1, P < .001).

Discussion

Fixation of traumatic pelvic fractures within 3 days reduced LOS. Prospective multi-center studies will help identify additional factors to decrease time to surgery and improve patient outcomes.
Oral Status and Dementia Onset: Mediation of Nutritional and Social Factors
Authors: Kiuchi S. , Cooray U. , Kusama T. , Yamamoto T. , Abbas H. , Nakazawa N. , Kondo K. , Osaka K. , Aida J.
Published: November 2021

Some modifiable risk factors for dementia are closely related to oral health. Although eating and speaking abilities are fundamental oral functions, limited studies have focused on the effect of malnutrition and lack of social interaction between oral health and dementia. We investigated the mediating effects of nutritional and social factors on the association between the number of teeth and the incidence of dementia. This 6-y cohort study used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study targeting older adults aged 65 y and above. The number of teeth (exposure) and covariates in 2010 (baseline survey), mediators (weight loss, vegetable and fruit intake, homeboundness, social network) in 2013, and the onset of dementia (outcome) between 2013 and 2016 were obtained. The Karlson–Holm–Breen mediation method was applied. A total of 35,744 participants were included (54.0% women). The mean age at baseline was 73.1 ± 5.5 y for men and 73.2 ± 5.5 y for women. A total of 1,776 participants (5.0%) had dementia during the follow-up period. There was a significant total effect of the number of teeth on the onset of dementia (hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01–1.28). Controlling for nutritional and social mediators, the effect of the number of teeth was reduced to 1.10 (95% CI, 0.98–1.25), leaving an indirect effect of 1.03 (95% CI, 1.02–1.04). In the sex-stratified analysis, the proportion mediated by weight loss was 6.35% for men and 4.07% for women. The proportions mediated by vegetable and fruit intake and homeboundness were 4.44% and 4.83% for men and 8.45% and 0.93% for women, respectively. Furthermore, the proportion mediated by social networks was 13.79% for men and 4.00% for women. Tooth loss was associated with the onset of dementia. Nutritional and social factors partially mediated this association.
METTL3-Dependent Glycolysis Regulates Dental Pulp Stem Cell Differentiation
Authors: Cai W. , Ji Y. , Han L. , Zhang J. , Ni Y. , Cheng Y. , Zhang Y.
Published: November 2021

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a eukaryotic messenger RNA modification catalyzed by methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), which is involved in various developmental and disease processes. However, the connection between the epigenetic modification of m6A and glucose metabolism during osteogenesis is still unclear. Here, we show that interference with METTL3 in dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) inhibits cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing and metabolic testing were used to explore the mechanism between glucose metabolism and m6A modification in METTL3-knockdown DPSCs. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation–quantitative polymerase chain reaction and RNA stability assays were used to determine the target genes of METTL3. Mechanistically, METTL3 directly interacts with ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) and a mitochondrial citrate transporter (SLC25A1) and then further affects the glycolytic pathway. M6A-mediated ACLY and SLC25A1 stability depends on the m6A readers IGF2BP2 and IGF2BP2/3, respectively. Our experiments uncovered the potential molecular mechanism of epigenetic modification in osteogenic differentiation, providing new ideas for the clinical application of stem cells and the intervention of metabolic bone diseases.
Contextualizing private sector-based seed system development: The case of sorghum in Eastern Africa
Authors: Hambloch Caroline , Kahwai Jane , Mugonya John
Published: November 2021

Private sector-based seed system development remains a key development intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa. Seed system interventions promoting the adoption of improved varieties through the private sector generally follow a linear, market-oriented technological adoption logic. A qualitative case study of the sorghum seed system in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania demonstrates that this model may not be able to drive the broad-scale adoption of improved sorghum varieties and to generate significant benefits for small sorghum-farming households. The findings suggest that the agro-ecological, social, and political-economic contexts critically determine the role improved varieties and the private sector can play in rural development. Improved sorghum varieties promoted by both the public and private sectors may not suit the needs, preferences and contexts of farming households. Seed companies hold sorghum as an add-on in their portfolio, investing less resources and research into sorghum compared to more profitable crops such as vegetable and maize seeds. Significant political-economic obstacles exist that favor the support of cash crops such as maize and rice, limiting the growth and development of the private sector in the sorghum seed system. We conclude that future interventions should build on approaches that aim to develop more diverse channels of seed delivery in both the formal and informal seed systems, adopt a livelihoods perspective to evaluate the costs, benefits, and risks associated with the adoption of new technologies, and acknowledge that seed system interventions are only one out of a portfolio of interventions to generate rural development.
Exploring the Effects of Organizational Structure Variables on the Organizational Justice Perceptions of Correctional Staff
Authors: Lambert Eric G. , Berthelot Emily , Morrow Weston , Block Lauren , Hogan Nancy
Published: November 2021

Research examining the effect of organizational justice on the correctional environment is typically limited to its consequences on various outcomes. Absent from this body of literature is how perceptions of organizational justice are formed among correctional staff. Filling this void and using data from a Midwestern correctional facility, the current study examines the impact of instrumental communication, integration, formalization, and input into decision-making on the distributive and procedural justice perceptions of correctional staff. With the exception of integration, all organizational structure variables were significantly related to both forms of organizational justice. These findings offer correctional administrators a low cost and practical solution for enhancing organizational justice through organizational structure.
Mrs Hinch, the rise of the cleanfluencer and the neoliberal refashioning of housework: Scouring away the crisis?
Authors: Casey Emma , Littler Jo
Published: November 2021

This article extends sociological and feminist accounts of housework by examining the social significance of the rise of the ‘cleanfluencer’: online influencers who supply household cleaning and organization tips and modes of lifestyle aspiration via social media. We focus on ‘Mrs Hinch’; aka Sophie Hinchliffe from Essex, the ‘homegrown’ Instagram star with 4.1 million followers who shares daily images and stories of cleaning and family life, and has a series of bestselling books, regular daytime TV appearances and supermarket tie-ins. We argue that, within neoliberal culture, housework is now often refashioned as a form of therapy for women’s stressful lives: stresses that neoliberalism and patriarchy have both generated and compounded. The argument is developed through three sections. First, we locate Mrs Hinch in relation to longer classed, gendered and racialized histories of domestic labour and the figure of the ‘housewife’, and the re-writing of domestic narratives to find new ways of ensuring women’s willingness to participate in unpaid domestic labour. Second, we analyse the contradictions of cleanfluencing as a form of ‘digital identity labour’ representing offline housework, which in this case is precarious and classed. Finally, drawing these themes together, we show how ‘Hinching’ recasts housework as part of a neoliberal therapeutic promise to ‘clean away’ the instabilities, anxieties and threats of contemporary culture.
Cultivating shenti in everyday life: Self, relationality and embodied masculinity in China
Authors: Cao Siyang
Published: November 2021

Reading through the concept of shenti (body–self), this article examines the everyday processes by which Chinese young men make sense of and articulate ideal embodied masculinity as situated in different relationships. Drawing on 30 in-depth interviews with urban young men, I argue that the Chinese masculine self is essentially constitutive of and constructed through shenti during the men’s ordinary daily experiences. I highlight the relational formation of shenti as lying at the core of constructing ideal Chinese manhood, teasing out the different layers of body–self and relationality underpinning an individual man’s bodily practices and social interactions. Engaging with traditional cultural values of the ideal body–self and a feminist interactionist approach to gendered embodiment, shenti provides an important analytical lens that will enable us to expand ethnocentric discourses of the sociology of the gendered body by revealing the embodied and experiential aspects of culture in everyday practices. In doing so, this article contributes to enriching the existing debates around cultural variations in the male body and embodied masculinity by offering a Chinese perspective.
Improving the ultraviolet protection factor of textiles through mechanical surface modification using calendering
Authors: Bernhard Alicia , Caven Barnaby , Wright Tom , Burtscher Eduard , Bechtold Thomas
Published: November 2021

The textile modification technique of calendering was used to change the cover factor of wearable textiles in order to improve the ultraviolet protection factor and decrease the amount of ultraviolet radiation transmitted through the fabric. Using optical microscopy and ultraviolet spectrophotometry, the quantifiable changes that occurred after repeated passes through the calender were measured. It was found that after one pass the uncovered area decreased by a factor of two and the ultraviolet protection factor increased by 200%. The thickness and air permeability of treated fabric decreased with repeated calendering. The bending stiffness remained nearly unchanged, and thus the mechanical properties were not altered substantially by the fabric compression.
An Assessment of Timeliness and Quality of Communicable Disease Surveillance System in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Hamalaw Soran Amin , Bayati Ali Hattem , Babakir-Mina Muhammed
Published: November 2021

Background

The quality of the surveillance system can be defined by attributes such as completeness, timeliness, usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, and reliability. This study aims to assess these quality features of the communicable disease surveillance system (CDSS) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Methods

This study was conducted using a retrospective review of records and documents, and the interviews with the surveillance staff (n = 82) of the Kurdistan governorates during 2018, 2019, and 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) guideline 2006 indicators were used for evaluation and monitoring the quality of the communicable disease surveillance system. The data analyzed and showed as frequencies and percentages using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 software.

Results

The reporting timeliness declined from 98% in 2019 to 69% in 2020. At the same time, there was an improvement in completeness of reporting from 83% in 2018 to 99% in 2020. The total scores of other surveillance quality attributes, simplicity, usefulness, flexibility, acceptability, and reliability, were 75%, 72%, 67%, 72%, and 69%, respectively.

Conclusion

Current findings demonstrate that the CDSS is still facing significant challenges in timeliness simplicity, usefulness, flexibility, acceptability, and reliability. Further studies to assess the system’s quality, particularly the system’s timeliness of outbreak response, sensitivity, and specificity, are recommended.
Inpatient Case-mix Cost Vs Average Cost for Health Care Services in King Fahd Central Hospital, Saudi Arabia: A Comparative Study
Authors: Mehmood Asim , Ahmed Zafar , Ghilan Khalid , Damad Ahmed , Azeez Fahad Khan
Published: November 2021

Health care systems aim to deliver high-quality medical care while considering efficient resource usage and cost-effective forms of interventions. Such purposes require scientific tools or mechanisms which aid in cost assessment before the efforts of cost reduction are considered. Diagnosis-related groups based costing methodology (Case-mix) is considered one of the preferred costing approaches in the health care sector. King Fahd Central hospital Jazan, the only tertiary hospital in the Jazan region, was selected for case-mix system-based patient-level costing of health services. The study’s objective was to estimate the cost per Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) per inpatient admission and compare it with the already established average cost of health care services for inpatients. We applied a cross-sectional retrospective approach to categorize the inpatients based on their diagnosis and procedures and then estimate the actual cost of health care services provided to inpatients during 2018 and compared it with the average cost of the health services. There was a considerable difference between DRG-based costing (SAR 269,663,897) and average costing (SAR 247,035,938). The Diagnosis Related Group costing was found to be more reliable and representative of the services provided to the patients and is recommended to be used for reimbursement purposes.
Flying Solidarity as an Introductory Lesson in Social Theory
Authors: Wetcher-Hendricks Debra
Published: November 2021

Although students rely on social solidarity in their everyday lives, they generally fail to acknowledge its existence. An active learning class exercise, conducted within approximately 35 minutes, introduces sociology students to Emile Durkheim’s concept of solidarity and the distinction between its mechanical and organic forms. Some groups of students perform the task of creating and flying paper airplanes under the pretense of organic solidarity, and other groups perform the same task under the pretense of mechanical solidarity. Through reflection on their experiences and discussion with members of other groups, students begin to identify nuances of each type of solidarity. An evaluation of this exercise indicates that those who participate in it can describe the distinction between mechanical and organic solidarity and their respective associations with gemeinschaft and gesellschaft better than those exposed to a traditional lesson on the topic can.
Equity in the Classroom and the Clinic: Understanding the Role of Sociology in Health Professional Education
Authors: Taylor Ann , Brosnan Caragh , Webb Gwendalyn
Published: November 2021

Sociology teachers often encounter students studying to be future health professionals; sociology content can assist students to increase their understanding of patients, the social context of health and illness, and the social determinants of health. Engaging these students in sociological thinking can be challenging because of their diverse social locations and their identification with their future profession, which may emphasize clinical competence over broader reflective skills. In this conversation piece, we encourage critical reflection on the assumptions that underpin the teaching of sociology to aspiring health professionals. Through case studies of nursing, medicine, and speech-language pathology, we consider differences in the social locations of students and how sociological ideas are received by these professions. We argue that sociology teachers can assist health professions students to gain more from sociology by understanding these student cohorts and by reflexively considering power relations between teachers and students and between disciplines and professions.
Seeking Public Values of Digital Energy Platforms
Authors: Niet Irene A. , Dekker Romy , van Est Rinie
Published: November 2021

Digital energy platforms play a central role in the transition toward a more sustainable energy system. This research explores the (potential) effect of digital energy platforms on public values. We developed and tested a novel public value framework, combining values already embedded in energy and digitalization regulations and emerging values that have become more relevant in recent debates. We analyzed value changes and potential value tensions. We found that sustainability is prioritized, security is broadened to include cybersecurity, and values relevant for digital technologies, such as control over technology, have also become relevant for the energy system. This has resulted in three value tensions: preserving a well-functioning energy system, self-determination, and ensuring a level playing field and public control. A sustainable energy system requires governments to address these value changes, value tensions, and connected societal and political challenges related to the implementation of digital energy platforms.
The Integrative Potential of Process in a Changing World: Introduction to a special issue on power, performativity and process
Authors: Simpson Barbara , Harding Nancy , Fleming Peter , Sergi Viviane , Hussenot Anthony
Published: November 2021

This editorial essay introduces a special issue that tackles the seemingly intractable challenge of re-conceptualizing power and performativity as continuously interweaving and co-emergent dynamics in the processes of organizing. It is in these processes, we argue, that new futures may be visibly made through the academic activism of our scholarly communities. We position our argument, and the six papers that comprise this special issue, in relation to Rosi Braidotti’s framing of Humanism, anti-humanism and the posthuman. We also suggest some future lines of inquiry to move studies of organizing forward into a posthuman world.
The role of communication technology across the life course: A field guide to social support in East York
Authors: Quan-Haase Anabel , Harper Molly-Gloria , Wellman Barry
Published: November 2021

This paper builds on a body of work over the decades that examines how East Yorkers give and receive support. We go beyond the earlier work taking into consideration communication technologies and how they play a role in the ways people exchange social support across the life course. We draw on 101 in-depth interviews conducted in 2013–2014 to shed light on the support networks of a sample of East York residents and discern the role of communication technologies in the exchange of different types of social support across age groups. Our findings show that not much has changed since the 1960s in terms of the social ties that our sample of East Yorkers have, and the types of support mobilized via social networks: companionship, small and large services, emotional aid, and financial support. What has changed is how communication technologies interweave in complex ways with different types of social ties (partners, siblings, friends, etc.) to mobilize social support. We found that communication technologies helped siblings and extended kin to increase the frequency of interaction and help exchange support at a distance. Communication technologies helped solidify friendship ties by providing a continuous flow of interaction. We draw implications for theories of social support and for social policy associated with interventions aimed at helping vulnerable groups cope in hard times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coagulation profile and correlation between D-dimer, inflammatory markers, and COVID-19 severity in an Indonesian national referral hospital
Authors: Sukrisman Lugyanti , Sinto Robert
Published: November 2021

Background

Coagulopathy and inflammation are associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity. This study assessed D-dimer concentration and its correlation with inflammatory markers and COVID-19 severity.

Methods

This was a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 194 COVID-19 cases, with the severity of infection graded in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. We measured D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and ferritin on admission and determined the cutoff values for D-dimer and CRP and evaluated the correlation between D-dimer and CRP and ferritin.

Results

Median D-dimer, CRP, and ferritin concentrations were 2240 µg/L, 73.2 mg/L, and 1173.8 µg/mL, respectively. The highest median D-dimer value was seen in mild and moderate acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The highest ferritin concentration was seen in severe ARDS. There was a significant correlation between D-dimer value and CRP (r = 0.327), but no significant correlation between D-dimer and ferritin (r = 0.101). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the combination of CRP ≥72.65 mg/L and D-dimer ≥1250 µg/L as a marker of COVID-19 severity was 0.722 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.615–0.781).

Conclusion

The combination of CRP ≥72.65 mg/L and D-dimer ≥1250 µg/L can be used as marker of COVID-19 severity, with moderate accuracy.
In situ cytokine gene expression in early stage of virulent Newcastle disease in chickens
Authors: Brown Corrie , Zhang Jian , Pantin-Jackwood Mary , Dimitrov Kiril , Ferreira Helena Lage , Suarez David
Published: November 2021

Selected lymphoid and reproductive tissues were examined from groups of 3-week-old chickens and 62-week-old hens that were inoculated choanally and conjunctivally with 106 EID50 of a virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate from the California 2018–2020 outbreak, and euthanized at 1, 2, and 3 days postinfection. In the 3-week-old chickens, immunohistochemistry for NDV and for T and B cell lymphocytes, as well as in situ hybridization for IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α revealed extensive expression of IL-1β and IL-6 in lymphoid tissues, often coinciding with NDV antigen. IFN-γ was only expressed infrequently in the same lymphoid tissues, and TNF-α was rarely expressed. T-cell populations initially expanded but by day 3 their numbers were below control levels. B cells underwent a similar expansion but remained elevated in some tissues, notably spleen, cecal tonsils, and cloacal bursa. Cytokine expression in the 62-week-old hens was overall lower than in the 3-week-old birds, and there was more prolonged infiltration of both T and B cells in the older birds. The strong pro-inflammatory cytokine response in young chickens is proposed as the reason for more severe disease.
A novel herpes-like virus inducing branchial lesions in a tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Authors: Armwood Abigail R. , Stilwell Justin M. , Ng Terry Fei Fan , Clauss Tonya M. , Leary John H. , Mader Doug , Camus Alvin C.
Published: November 2021

A juvenile, male tiger shark ( Galeocerdo cuvier) developed illness after capture in Florida waters and was euthanized. Gross lesions included mild skin abrasions, hepatic atrophy, and coelomic fluid. Histologically, gills contained multifocal lamellar epithelial cell necrosis and thromboses. Scattered gill and esophageal epithelial cells had large, basophilic, intracytoplasmic, and intranuclear inclusions. Ultrastructurally, lamellar epithelial cells contained arrays of intracytoplasmic viral particles and scattered intranuclear nucleocapsids. Capsulated virions were 148 ± 11 nm with an 84 ± 8 nm icosahedral nucleocapsid and an electron-dense core. Next-generation sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization performed on formalin-fixed tissue confirmed a herpes-like viral infection. The viral polymerase shared 24% to 31% protein homology with other alloherpesviruses of fish, indicating a divergent virus. This report documents the pathologic findings associated with a molecularly confirmed novel herpes-like virus in an elasmobranch.