title: A review on current trends and future prospectives of electrospun biopolymeric nanofibers for biomedical applications

authors: Syed, Murtaza Haider

abstract: Electrospinning (ES) is considered the most advanced and robust method to make nanoscale materials named nanofibers (NFs) using various polymers. However, due to the hazardous and toxic nature of petroleum based polymers, the trend has shifted toward biopolymers. Conventional techniques to fabricate NFs are nonreproducible, require tedious procedures, and most incorporate toxicity to the final product. ES gained tremendous momentum as it is a crucial solution to the drawbacks of conventional methods. In recent years much prepondering research and review work has been done on ES applications. However, the present paper does not cliche the routine reporting format by review papers in recent years. Instead, it highlights the ignored significant parameters especially solvent related in current research responsible for underutilizing ES and new innovative ES methods. The current review signifies ES's crucial necessity for biomedical applications compared to conventional methods with similar biocomposites. A systematic review of the literature was done to correlate those parameters with the present work to find the gap in the existing literature. The present review is significant in providing a helpful tool to improve further the properties of the NFs biocomposites by ES methods. Significant missing correlations were identified, which, if considered in the future, can drastically improve the future of ES applications.

text: A review on current trends and future prospectives of electrospun biopolymeric nanofibers for biomedical applications Electrospinning (ES) is considered the most advanced and robust method to make nanoscale materials named nanofibers (NFs) using various polymers. However, due to the hazardous and toxic nature of petroleum based polymers, the trend has shifted toward biopolymers. Conventional techniques to fabricate NFs are nonreproducible, require tedious procedures, and most incorporate toxicity to the final product. ES gained tremendous momentum as it is a crucial solution to the drawbacks of conventional methods. In recent years much prepondering research and review work has been done on ES applications. However, the present paper does not cliche the routine reporting format by review papers in recent years. Instead, it highlights the ignored significant parameters especially solvent related in current research responsible for underutilizing ES and new innovative ES methods. The current review signifies ES's crucial necessity for biomedical applications compared to conventional methods with similar biocomposites. A systematic review of the literature was done to correlate those parameters with the present work to find the gap in the existing literature. The present review is significant in providing a helpful tool to improve further the properties of the NFs biocomposites by ES methods. Significant missing correlations were identified, which, if considered in the future, can drastically improve the future of ES applications.

year: 2023-10-10

title: Sociolinguistic variation at the grammatical/discourse level Demonstrative clefts in spoken British English

authors: Calude, Andreea S.

subjects: Social Sciences

abstract: This paper brings together the study of sociolinguistic variation and the area of grammatical analysis by investigating demonstrative cleft constructions in spoken British English such as That’s what I wanted to talk about and This is where I saw him. Using the Spoken BNC2014S, I ask whether speaker characteristics, including gender, age, education and occupation, might be correlated with the use of demonstrative clefts and with various aspects of their structure (preference for the distal or proximal demonstrative pronoun, use of negative polarity, and use of stance adverbs). Findings suggest that in British English, demonstrative cleft use is more likely to be present in the speech of males compared to females, working adults in higherskilled occupations compared to semi-skilled adults, and in adults of middle age compared to younger adults. This work shows that even highly abstract grammatical constructions can be sensitive to speaker preferences and linguistic communicative style.

text: Sociolinguistic variation at the grammatical/discourse level Demonstrative clefts in spoken British English This paper brings together the study of sociolinguistic variation and the area of grammatical analysis by investigating demonstrative cleft constructions in spoken British English such as That’s what I wanted to talk about and This is where I saw him. Using the Spoken BNC2014S, I ask whether speaker characteristics, including gender, age, education and occupation, might be correlated with the use of demonstrative clefts and with various aspects of their structure (preference for the distal or proximal demonstrative pronoun, use of negative polarity, and use of stance adverbs). Findings suggest that in British English, demonstrative cleft use is more likely to be present in the speech of males compared to females, working adults in higherskilled occupations compared to semi-skilled adults, and in adults of middle age compared to younger adults. This work shows that even highly abstract grammatical constructions can be sensitive to speaker preferences and linguistic communicative style.

year: 2017-11-23

title: Māori medical student and physician exposure to racism, discrimination, harassment, and bullying

authors: Cormack, Donna

abstract: IMPORTANCE: Discrimination, bullying, and harassment in medicine have been reported internationally, but exposures for Indigenous medical students and physicians, and for racism
specifically, remain less examined.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment for Māori medical students and physicians in New Zealand and associations with demographic and clinical
characteristics.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study used data from an anonymous national survey of Māori medical students and physicians in New Zealand in late 2021 and early 2022.
Data were analyzed from March 2022 to April 2024.
EXPOSURES: Age, gender, marginalized status (ie, in addition to being Māori, belonging to other groups traditionally marginalized or underrepresented in medicine), year of medical school, year of
graduation, and main work role.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Direct and witnessed racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment were measured as any experience in the last year and ever. Any exposure to negative
comments about social groups and witnessing discriminatory treatment toward Māori patients or whānau (extended family). Considering leaving medicine, including because of mistreatment, was
measured.
RESULTS: Overall, 205 Māori medical students (median [IQR] age, 23.1 [21.6-24.3] years; 137 [67.2%] women) and 200 physicians (median [IQR] age, 36.6 [30.1-45.3] years; 123 [62.8%] women)
responded. Direct and witnessed exposure to racism (184 students [91.5%]; 176 physicians [90.7%]) and discrimination (176 students [85.9%]; 179 physicians [89.5%]) ever in medical education,
training, or work environments was common. Ever exposure to witnessed and direct bullying (123 students [66.5%]; 150 physicians [89.3%]) and harassment (73 students [39.5%]; 112 physicians
[66.7%]) was also common. Most respondents reported witnessing Māori patients or their whānau being treated badly in clinical settings, in direct interactions (67 students [57.8%]; 112 physicians
[58.9%]) or behind their backs (87 students [75.0%]; 138 physicians [72.6%]). One-quarter of Māori medical students (45 students), and 37.0%of physicians (61 physicians) had considered leaving or taken a break from medicine because of these experiences. Additional marginalized statuses were significantly associated with any direct experience of mistreatment in the last year for students and physicians. Exposure to some forms of mistreatment were also significantly associated with higher likelihood of thinking about leaving or taking a break from medicine for physicians.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, Māori medical students and physicians reported high exposure to multiple forms of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment in medical
education, training, and work environments, requiring an urgent response from medical institutions.

text: Māori medical student and physician exposure to racism, discrimination, harassment, and bullying IMPORTANCE: Discrimination, bullying, and harassment in medicine have been reported internationally, but exposures for Indigenous medical students and physicians, and for racism
specifically, remain less examined.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment for Māori medical students and physicians in New Zealand and associations with demographic and clinical
characteristics.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study used data from an anonymous national survey of Māori medical students and physicians in New Zealand in late 2021 and early 2022.
Data were analyzed from March 2022 to April 2024.
EXPOSURES: Age, gender, marginalized status (ie, in addition to being Māori, belonging to other groups traditionally marginalized or underrepresented in medicine), year of medical school, year of
graduation, and main work role.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Direct and witnessed racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment were measured as any experience in the last year and ever. Any exposure to negative
comments about social groups and witnessing discriminatory treatment toward Māori patients or whānau (extended family). Considering leaving medicine, including because of mistreatment, was
measured.
RESULTS: Overall, 205 Māori medical students (median [IQR] age, 23.1 [21.6-24.3] years; 137 [67.2%] women) and 200 physicians (median [IQR] age, 36.6 [30.1-45.3] years; 123 [62.8%] women)
responded. Direct and witnessed exposure to racism (184 students [91.5%]; 176 physicians [90.7%]) and discrimination (176 students [85.9%]; 179 physicians [89.5%]) ever in medical education,
training, or work environments was common. Ever exposure to witnessed and direct bullying (123 students [66.5%]; 150 physicians [89.3%]) and harassment (73 students [39.5%]; 112 physicians
[66.7%]) was also common. Most respondents reported witnessing Māori patients or their whānau being treated badly in clinical settings, in direct interactions (67 students [57.8%]; 112 physicians
[58.9%]) or behind their backs (87 students [75.0%]; 138 physicians [72.6%]). One-quarter of Māori medical students (45 students), and 37.0%of physicians (61 physicians) had considered leaving or taken a break from medicine because of these experiences. Additional marginalized statuses were significantly associated with any direct experience of mistreatment in the last year for students and physicians. Exposure to some forms of mistreatment were also significantly associated with higher likelihood of thinking about leaving or taking a break from medicine for physicians.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, Māori medical students and physicians reported high exposure to multiple forms of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment in medical
education, training, and work environments, requiring an urgent response from medical institutions.

year: 0202-07-01