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Employers are continually looking for graduates who show an understanding of people with diverse cultures, languages, and religions. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine how participation in study abroad enhanced the interculturality of undergraduate business students. Participants included two cohorts of U.S. students participating in a short-term biennial study abroad program in China. The data were student' scores on The Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES), a 52-item Likert scale spanning nine dimensions: continuous learning, self-awareness, exploration, interpersonal engagement, world orientation, relationship development, hardiness, positive regard, and emotional resilience. The IES was completed pre and post trip. Additional data were collected from the students' open-ended journals that they wrote while participating in the study abroad program. Quantitative findings revealed that mean scores increased significantly between Time 1 (pre trip) and Time 2 (post trip) for most dimensions of the IES. Qualitative findings showed that three main themes impact student experiences: Travel, Memories, and Culture. Additional qualitative findings revealed that the Enjoyment and Challenges that students experience as part of a formal study abroad curriculum enhanced attainment of learning outcomes.

Persistent concerns about college graduates' foundational skills for workforce preparedness compels educators to continue exploring ways to address them. Although effective communication is widely regarded as essential for entry-level professionals, which skills matter most may vary. Employers' satisfaction with communication skills also shifts over time. This study compares regional employers' and undergraduate business majors' satisfaction with given communication skills and their perceptions about various skills' importance. Results showed students rank importance and satisfaction similarly, and students' satisfaction with their skills exceeded employers'. Regressions showed student satisfaction with specific skills predict their perceived importance. Implications for curriculum development are discussed.

Leadership is a management tool to direct effective achievement of goals. Historical investigation can provide a valuable lens for the study of leadership styles. To that end, this study examines the disparate approaches of Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott as they raced to be the first explorer to reach the South Pole. The objective of this study is to analyze the leadership techniques used in these expeditions, and to determine how they shaped the outcome of each. The process of tacit knowledge and experience coalesces and fosters both leadership and action that are not only communication-oriented and value-driven, but also rooted in growth mindset and reflexivity. Both concepts proved to be imperative to the success of both Amundsen and Scott's expeditions. Ultimately, the experiences, choices, and eventual fate of polar explorers Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott provide a unique view of the human endeavor that holds valuable lessons for leaders in a variety of professional settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employers are continually looking for graduates who show an understanding of people with diverse cultures, languages, and religions. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine how participation in study abroad enhanced the interculturality of undergraduate business students. Participants included two cohorts of U.S. students participating in a short-term biennial study abroad program in China. The data were student' scores on The Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES), a 52-item Likert scale spanning nine dimensions: continuous learning, self-awareness, exploration, interpersonal engagement, world orientation, relationship development, hardiness, positive regard, and emotional resilience. The IES was completed pre and post trip. Additional data were collected from the students' open-ended journals that they wrote while participating in the study abroad program. Quantitative findings revealed that mean scores increased significantly between Time 1 (pre trip) and Time 2 (post trip) for most dimensions of the IES. Qualitative findings showed that three main themes impact student experiences: Travel, Memories, and Culture. Additional qualitative findings revealed that the Enjoyment and Challenges that students experience as part of a formal study abroad curriculum enhanced attainment of learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After failed conservative therapy or in the absence of any intervention, a rupture of the digital subcutaneous extensor tendon at the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint, known as mallet finger, may lead to a chronic extension deficit due to excessive scarring and tendon elongation. Various surgical techniques to restore the extension of the distal phalanx have been proposed, but an optimal approach has not yet been established. To tighten the extensor tendon, a purse-string suture can be applied. Although it has shown efficacy, it can result in significant bulging and scar formation. Using the “abbreviato” technique, the elongated part of the extensor tendon is excised, and the tendon is re-sutured. Also, tenodesis has been described, particularly in pediatric cases. In this retrospective follow-up study, we aimed to investigate if the step-plasty procedure previously described by Baumeister provides comparable, if not superior, functional and aesthetic outcomes compared to existing techniques for patients with chronic mallet finger. In this retrospective study, a consecutive series of 68 patients with chronic mallet fingers was enrolled. Patients were treated surgically using step-plasty of the respective extensor tendon. After skin incision and tenolysis, the elongated extensor tendon was incised in a Z-like fashion and stepwise resected in the transverse portion of the Z. The functional and aesthetic effects of this step-plasty technique were compared with results of 44 patients previously treated using purse-string sutures of the extensor tendon and evaluated using Crawford’s and Levante’s criteria. In all patients undergoing the step-plasty procedure, the extension deficit was significantly reduced from an average of 42 degrees preoperatively to 11 degrees postoperatively. In contrast, the control group treated by purse-string sutures showed a slightly higher postoperative extension deficit of 15 degrees. According to Levante’s criteria, the results of our step-plasty procedure were significantly better than those achieved with purse-string sutures. Our study demonstrated that the treatment of older or chronic subcutaneous extensor tendon ruptures using the step-plasty technique led to a significant reduction in extension deficits. According to Levante’s criteria, the postoperative outcome was significantly better in comparison to the purse-string suture technique. Additionally, no skin resection was required to improve the extension capability of the distal finger joint, compared to established surgical procedures.

BackgroundPreoperative anxiety in cardiac surgery can lead to prolonged hospital stays and negative postoperative outcomes. An improved patient education using 3D models may reduce preoperative anxiety and risks associated with it.MethodsPatient education was performed with standardized paper-based methods (n = 34), 3D-printed models (n = 34) or virtual reality models (n = 31). Anxiety and procedural understanding were evaluated using questionnaires prior to and after the patient education. Additionally, time spent for the education and overall quality were evaluated among further basic characteristics (age, gender, medical expertise, previous non-cardiac surgery and previously informed patients). Included surgeries were coronary artery bypass graft, surgical aortic valve replacement and thoracic aortic aneurysm surgery.ResultsA significant reduction in anxiety measured by Visual Analog Scale was achieved after patient education with virtual reality models (5.00 to 4.32, Δ-0.68, p

Depending on the context, robust and durable T lymphocyte activation is either desirable, as in the case of anti-tumor responses, or unwanted, in cases of autoimmunity when chronic stimulation leads to self-tissue damage. Therefore, reliable in vivo models are of great importance to identify and validate regulatory pathways of T lymphocyte activation. Here, we describe an in vivo mixed-lymphocyte-reaction (MLR) approach, which is based on the so-called parent-into-F1 (P → F1) mouse model in combination with the congenic marker CD45.1/2 and cell proliferation dye-labeling. This setup allows us to track adoptively transferred allogenic CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and analyze their phenotype as well as the proliferation by flow cytometry in the blood and spleen. We could show hypo-reactive responses of T lymphocytes isolated from knockout mice with a known defect in T lymphocyte activation. Thus, this MLR-based in vivo model provides the opportunity to analyze positive regulators of T cell responses under physiological conditions of polyclonal T lymphocyte activation in vivo.

Reactive glucose degradation products (GDPs) are formed during heat sterilization of glucose-containing peritoneal dialysis fluids (PDFs) and may induce adverse clinical effects. Long periods of storage and/or transport of PDFs before use may lead to de novo formation or degradation of GDPs. Therefore, the present study quantified the GDP profiles of single- and double-chamber PDFs during storage. Glucosone, 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), 3-deoxygalactosone (3-DGal), 3,4-dideoxyglucosone-3-ene (3,4-DGE), glyoxal, methylglyoxal (MGO), acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) were quantified by two validated UHPLC-DAD methods after derivatization with o-phenylenediamine (dicarbonyls) or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (monocarbonyls). The PDFs were stored at 50 °C for 0, 1, 2, 4, 13, and 26 weeks. The total GDP concentration of single-chamber PDFs did not change considerably during storage (496.6 ± 16.0 µM, 0 weeks; 519.1 ± 13.1 µM, 26 weeks), but individual GDPs were affected differently. 3-DG (- 82.6 µM) and 3-DGal (- 71.3 µM) were degraded, whereas 5-HMF (+ 161.7 µM), glyoxal (+ 32.2 µM), and formaldehyde (+ 12.4 µM) accumulated between 0 and 26 weeks. Acetaldehyde, glucosone, MGO, and 3,4-DGE showed time-dependent formation and degradation. The GDP concentrations in double-chamber fluids were generally lower and differently affected by storage. In conclusion, the changes of GDP concentrations during storage should be considered for the evaluation of clinical effects of PDFs., (© 2022. The Author(s).)