bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Management of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Retrospective Review of Technique Success
Authors: Mirvish Asher B. , Fowler John R.
Published: February 2023

Background:

Lateral epicondylitis usually stems from overuse and failed tendon healing. Following attempt of conservative management, surgery is often considered, although there is variation in techniques and outcomes cited in the literature.

Methods:

This retrospective review analyzed 293 operative patients for lateral epicondylitis following conservative management. The primary outcome was change in pain from preoperative status, including pain-free, improved, unchanged, or worse. Positive outcomes included pain-free or improved symptoms postoperatively. Negative outcomes were unchanged or worse pain. Patients returned 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months postoperatively. We analyzed patients’ profession, handedness, operating surgeon, surgical technique, sex, magnetic resonance imaging findings, concomitant procedures, age, race, revisions, and complications. One surgeon repaired the common extensor using a suture anchor, whereas 2 surgeons performed a side-side repair of the extensor carpi radialis longus and extensor digitorum communis interval.

Results:

By the 3-month visit, 41% were pain-free and 52% improved compared with preoperatively. None were worse, and 7% were unchanged. Mean pain scores at the 2-week, 6-week, and 3-month visits were 4.22/10, 3.61/10, and 3.44/10, respectively. There were 7 revisions (2.4%) and 6 complications (2%). Manual laborers experienced more negative outcomes than sedentary workers ( P = .04). The remaining parameters were insignificant, including the operative technique.

Conclusions:

Surgery is successful for both techniques, with 93% positive outcomes by 3 months. There was no statistical difference in postoperative pain between patients who had suture repair versus anchor repair. Therefore, surgeons should consider suture-only repair given the cost of anchors.
What is Nature-Based Medicine and What Does It Do?
Authors: La Puma John
Published: February 2023

One’s personal health and well-being can improve with activity in natural environments or decline without it. Many chronic illnesses to which personal nature deficiency contributes—including anxiety, depression, attention deficit, diabetes, hypertension, myopia, and obesity—have been exacerbated with the pandemic. That those illnesses may be preventable, treatable, and even reversible with an added nature-based approach may seem novel, but it is not. Though the field of nature-based medicine is just emerging in the U.S., it has been taught and practiced in Asia and the EU for decades. As the prescriptive, evidence-based use of natural settings and nature-based interventions, it aims to prevent and treat disease and improve well-being. Nature-based medicine blends particular activity in nature with the science of medicine to attempt to empower self-care safely, effectively, and happily. Its vision is to be readily available to all, regardless of proximity to blue (water-related) or green (land-related) space. The common sense of nature-based medicine belies its scientific evidence base, which is growing but not well-known, so it may seem unfamiliar to prescribe nature to patients. It will take education, training and practice to help patients access nature-based medicine and to help clinicians prescribe it.
Direct sac puncture versus transarterial embolization of type II endoleaks after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: Comparison of outcomes
Authors: Moosavi Bardia , Kaitoukov Youri , Khatchikian Aline , Bayne Jason P , Constantin Andre , Camlioglu Errol
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Type 2 endoleak (T2EL) is the most common type of endoleak after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR), and increases the risk of aneurysm sac rupture if it persists beyond 6 months. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of direct sac puncture versus transarterial embolization of T2ELs.

Methods

Retrospective review of 42 consecutive T2EL embolization procedures, 19 by DSP and 23 by transarterial technique, between January 2015 and December 2020. Primary outcome was aneurysm sac stability and resolution of endoleak at follow-up imaging. Adverse events (AE) were classified based on the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) practice guidelines.

Results

Technical success was 94.7% (18/19) in the DSP group and 86.9% (20/23) in the transarterial group ( p = 0.32 (−0.77–0.25)). Treatment efficacy was evaluated in 16 patients in the DSP group and 18 patients in the transarterial group who had follow-up imaging ≥6 months after embolization. Mean imaging follow-up was 17.1 ± 11.2 (range, 6–41) months in the DSP group and 26.5 ± 15.4 (range, 6–48) months in the transarterial group ( p = 0.06, −19.24–0.37). Treatment efficacy was 75% (12/16) in the DSP group and 33.3% (6/18) in the transarterial group ( p = 0.02, 95% CI, 0.09–0.97). There was no procedure-related mortality. Moderate-severe AE occurred in 15.7% (3/19) in the DSP group and 8.7% (2/23) in the transarterial group ( p = 0.44, −0.12–0.26).

Conclusion

In this study, DSP embolization of T2EL was equally safe and more effective than transarterial embolization in achieving aneurysm sac stability and resolution of endoleak.
On disobedient daughters of perpetrator fathers: ‘Transfilial’ activisms across the Argentine human rights movement
Authors: Sosa Cecilia , Page Philippa
Published: February 2023

This piece explores why and how the praxis of disobedience, as articulated by the daughters of the perpetrators of state terrorism during Argentina’s last dictatorship (1976–1983), might be read as an instance of queering memory. The analysis focuses on the trajectories of Liliana Furio (a founder member of the Historias Desobedientes collective) and Mariana Dopazo (ex-daughter of one of the dictatorship’s most infamous perpetrators) to illustrate the differing ways in which the mandate of blood has been challenged through public acts of defiliation. Based on our documentary project material, we consider the ways in which the emergence of these disobedient daughters enacts a collective ‘coming out’ and unprecedented disruption of the normative imaginaries of bloodline ties that have traditionally shaped the local aftermath of violence. We argue that their performance of defiliation puts forward a queer arrangement that unsettles the established landscape of human rights activism in Argentina and beyond.
Memory care and queer akinship at the former Uckermark concentration camp for girls and young women
Authors: Luhmann Susanne
Published: February 2023

This article turns to the queer memorial activism of the Uckermark Initiative in Germany. This network of feminist, lesbian, queer and trans antifascist activists has been organizing for over two decades to memorialize forgotten victims of Nazi terror – girls and young women who were incarcerated for their non-conforming gender, sexual and social behaviour at the Uckermark Youth concentration camp. The Uckermark Initiative’s memorial activism instantiates my thinking about the performative affects and effects of such organizing. I conceptualize the durational counter-memorial activism enacted on the former camp site as memory care work, which I argue produces new social formations that I term queer akinship. Queer akinship is a social formation enabled by relations of adjacency, where subjects develop queer kin relations through the durational work of caring for the remembrance of forgotten victims of state violence.
Queer collective memory during the time of COVID: Timelessness, isolation, and resilience in the United Kingdom
Authors: Merryman Molly , Armstrong Moira
Published: February 2023

Oral history collections both rely on and preserve community memories, and are of importance for understanding marginalized communities, particularly when they privilege minority voices. This article draws from original, video-based oral histories conducted for the United Kingdom’s national LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and others) museum, Queer Britain, focusing on an ongoing collection of oral histories organized around experiences related to the COVID pandemic. In order to protect the health of those interviewed and the interviewers, the researchers used virtual meeting software to record video interviews and utilized qualitative software to expand and support interview analysis. Specific oral history methodologies and concepts are explored, and museum studies content is briefly discussed, specifically as it relates to museums of marginalized people. Themes explored include isolation and timelessness, the impact of the pandemic on diverse LGBTQ+ communities, and HIV/AIDS.
From Anne Lister to Gentleman Jack to Anne Lister
Authors: Reed Jennifer
Published: February 2023

This essay explores the meaning of the representation of Anne Lister, historical figure (1791–1840), for contemporary audiences, in the 2019–2022 series Gentleman Jack. Produced by HBO and BBC, the series is a very high-quality TV show, but certainly not the first, even English period piece, centering on lesbian desire. Still, the fan response was quite intense and heartfelt. Part of the power it has had on audiences is the way Anne Lister is characterized as an actual early nineteenth-century woman claiming her desires and place in the world, without shame or apology, and the fact that most viewers had never heard of her before the series. The fact that such a force of nature, who left 5 million words documenting her life, could be erased as a queer presence in popular imagination, until now, has a profound effect on many contemporary queer viewers.
Notching of smooth ulnar stems reduces loosening after total elbow arthroplasty
Authors: Kwak Jae-Man , Rotman Dani , Rojas Lievano Jorge L , Xue Mingqiang , O’Driscoll Shawn W
Published: February 2023

Background

This study aimed to validate the concept of notching of the ulna component of the first-generation latitude total elbow prosthesis to reduce the rate of aseptic loosening and improve implant survival.

Methods

A total of 18 total elbow arthroplasty cases were performed between June 2001 and May 2002 using the latitude first-generation ulnar stem. A total of 14 cases with at least 2 years of follow-up were evaluated following the exclusion of four infected cases. The senior author roughened the stem surface with notches in 10 cases (notched group) to prevent loosening. The effects of notching on implant failure were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Average participant age and follow-up were 56 ± 20 years and 72 ± 44 months, respectively. The notched and unnotched implant groups were demographically equivalent. 3/4(75%) of unnotched group implants failed due to aseptic loosening. 1/10(10%) of the notched group implants failed. All unnotched group aseptic loosening cases occurred at the bone–cement interface within 2 years after total elbow arthroplasty. The single patient with aseptic loosening in the notched group had a history of multiple surgeries due to an open fracture preceding the primary total elbow arthroplasty.

Discussion

Notching of the ulna component of the first-generation latitude total elbow prosthesis reduced the rate of aseptic loosening and improved implant survival.

Level of evidence

Level IV, retrospective comparative study.
Repairing social connections: Dismantling carbon infrastructures with care
Authors: Carr Chantel
Published: February 2023

In this final commentary to close the forum, I engage with the responses to my article, ‘Repair and Care: Locating the Work of Climate Crisis’. These rich analyses provide a basis from which to reflect on three developments since writing the first article: cascading disasters caused by intense weather events; a change of government that has shifted Australia's political relationship with climate change; and a year of fieldwork with metallurgical coal miners in a rapidly transforming energy landscape. Together, the responses offer a nuanced approach to the work of climate change that is more attentive to power and politics, diverse skills and knowledges, and the structures and systems that continue to marginalise those who are tasked with repair and care.
Learning machine learning: On the political economy of big tech's online AI courses
Authors: Luchs Inga , Apprich Clemens , Broersma Marcel
Published: February 2023

Machine learning (ML) algorithms are still a novel research object in the field of media studies. While existing research focuses on concrete software on the one hand and the socio-economic context of the development and use of these systems on the other, this paper studies online ML courses as a research object that has received little attention so far. By pursuing a walkthrough and critical discourse analysis of Google's Machine Learning Crash Course and IBM's introductory course to Machine Learning with Python, we not only shed light on the technical knowledge, assumptions, and dominant infrastructures of ML as a field of practice, but also on the economic interests of the companies providing the courses. We demonstrate how the online courses further support Google and IBM to consolidate and even expand their position of power by recruiting new AI talent and by securing their infrastructures and models to become the dominant ones. Further, we show how the companies not only influence greatly how ML is represented, but also how these representations in turn influence and direct current ML research and development, as well as the societal effects of their products. Here, they boast an image of fair and democratic artificial intelligence, which stands in stark contrast to the ubiquity of their corporate products and the advertised directives of efficiency and performativity the companies strive for. This underlines the need for alternative infrastructures and perspectives.
Contextualizing realism: An analysis of acts of seeing and recording in Digital Twin datafication
Authors: Korenhof Paulan , Giesbers Else , Sanderse Janita
Published: February 2023

Digital Twins are conceptualized as real-time digital representations of real-life physical entities or systems. They are explored for a wide array of societal implementations, and in particular to help address fundamental societal challenges. As accurate digital equivalents of their real-life twin, Digital Twins substitute their physical twin in knowledge production and decision-making processes. They raise high expectations: they are expected to produce new knowledge, expose issues early, predict future behavior, and help to optimize the physical twin. Data play a key role here because they form the building blocks from which the Digital Twin representation is created. However, data are not neutral phenomena but products of human-technology interaction. In this article, we therefore raise the question of how a Digital Twin data collection is created, and what implications does this have for Digital Twins? To answer this question, we explore the data collection process in three cases of Digital Twin development at a university. Connecting to Jasanoff's theoretical framework of regimes of sight, we approach the creation of a data collection as acts of seeing and recording that influence how reality is represented in data, as well as give a certain legitimacy and authority to the data collection. By examining the acts of seeing and recording and their respective roles in producing the data collection, we provide insight into the struggles of representation in Digital Twins and their implications.
Hippocampal Connectivity With the Default Mode Network Is Linked to Hippocampal Volume in the Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Syndrome and Healthy Individuals
Authors: Aberizk Katrina , Sefik Esra , Addington Jean , Anticevic Alan , Bearden Carrie E. , Cadenhead Kristin S. , Cannon Tyrone D. , Cornblatt Barbara A. , Keshavan Matcheri , Mathalon Daniel H. , Perkins Diana O. , Stone William S. , Tsuang Ming T. , Woods Scott W. , Walker Elaine F.
Published: February 2023

Reduced hippocampal volume is an established brain morphological feature of psychiatric conditions. Hippocampal volume is associated with brain connectivity in humans and nonhuman animals, and altered connectivity is associated with risk for psychiatric illness. Associations between hippocampal volume and connectivity are poorly characterized in humans, especially in phases of psychiatric illness that precede disease onset. This study examined associations between hippocampal volume and hippocampal functional connectivity during rest in 141 healthy control participants and 248 individuals at risk for psychosis. Significant inverse associations between hippocampal volume and hippocampal functional connectivity with the inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and thalamus were observed. Select associations between hippocampal functional connectivity and hippocampal volume were moderated by diagnostic group. Significant moderation results shifted from implicating the IPL to the temporal pole after we excluded participants on antipsychotic medication. Considered together, these findings imply that hippocampal functional connectivity with the temporoparietal junction, within a specialized subsystem of the default mode network, is sensitive to hippocampal volume.
Stigmatizing Our Own: Self-Relevant Research (Me-Search) Is Common but Frowned Upon in Clinical Psychological Science
Authors: Devendorf Andrew R. , Victor Sarah E. , Rottenberg Jonathan , Miller Rose , Lewis Stephen P. , Muehlenkamp Jennifer J. , Stage Dese’Rae L.
Published: February 2023

How often do clinical psychologists have a lived experience with, or close connection, to their research? Does the field of psychology accept this “me-search”? We undertook the first investigation of self-relevant research (aka “me-search”) and attitudes toward self-relevant researchers in a representative North American sample ( N = 1,776) of faculty, graduate students, and other individuals affiliated with doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. More than 50% of participants had conducted self-relevant research, and those from minoritized backgrounds were more likely to conduct self-relevant research. When judging experimentally manipulated vignettes, participants who had not engaged in self-relevant research made more stigmatizing judgments of self-relevant research and self-relevant research disclosure than did those who engaged in self-relevant research. Psychologists and trainees had more negative attitudes toward self-relevant research on mental health topics (suicide, depression, schizophrenia) than physical health topics (cancer). We discuss how prejudice toward self-relevant research and mental illness negatively impacts ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts from within clinical psychological science.
Distal femur varus-producing osteotomy: An updated review of patellofemoral implications and clinical outcomes
Authors: Riccardo Garibaldi , Bonanzinga Tommaso , Gambaro Francesco Manlio , Palazzuolo Michele , Iacono Francesco , Marcacci Maurilio
Published: February 2023

Background: Recent evidence seems to suggest the effectiveness of distal femur varus osteotomy in the management of patellofemoral instability in the setting of genu valgum. However, literature on this subject remains scarce and consists mostly of small case series. Hypothesis: This study aims to systematically review the literature on varus-producing distal femur osteotomy and critically analyze its implications on patellofemoral kinematics and stability. Results: The statistical analysis revealed that this surgery is able to restore a mechanical angle (mean hip–knee–ankle (HKA): 0.22°) and to improve the main clinical outcomes (Kujala score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, visual analog scale) after a mean follow up of 2.5 years. An objective of the present review was to investigate the mechanical implications of femoral osteotomy on the patellofemoral biomechanics. Indeed, the statistical analysis demonstrated changes after surgery in the main patella-femoral radiological angles (modified Insall–Salvati index, Caton–Deschamps index, Blackburne–Peel index). Interestingly the overcorrection of the mechanical axis (HKA), resulting in varus, had similar outcomes compared to studies that obtained a mechanical axis. Level of Evidence: Level II study.
An Unusual Case of Severe Pneumonia Caused Due Candida Tropicalis With a Favorable Clinical Response to Antifungals in a Nonimmunocompromised Patient From the Community
Authors: Briones-Claudett Killen H. , Briones-Claudett H. Mónica , Murillo Vasconez Roger Alexander , Bajaña Huilcapi Cynthia K. , Rivera Salas Carolina del Rosario , Benitez Sólis Jaime , Estupinan Vargas Domenica F. , Parra-Vera Henry , Briones Zamora Killen H. , Briones Marquez Diana C. , Grunauer Michelle
Published: February 2023

Severe pneumonia due to Candida tropicalis infection mainly occurs in immunosuppressed patients or those currently receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics. Herein, we report a case of severe pneumonia caused due to C tropicalis in an elderly patient. A 72-year-old man with a previous history of hypertension, ischemic stroke, and facial paralysis sequelae treated with the botulinic toxin, was admitted to the hospital for dyspnea. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection was negative. Computed tomography of the chest revealed bilateral consolidation with left predominance. A bronchoalveolar lavage sample was sent to molecular biology, but no microorganisms were detected using a FilmArray respiratory panel. However, mamanocandidas test for candida was 166 pg/mL (positive), and fungal structures were identified by the MALDI-TOF Biotyper mass spectrometry and attributed to C tropicalis. Antifungal therapy was started using caspofungin 75 mg as the initial dose followed by 50 mg daily. After 10 days of treatment, ventilatory weaning was achieved. By day 14, the patient was decannulated from the tracheostomy. Oral antifungal treatment with voriconazole was continued, and he was discharged from intensive care in good clinical condition. Severe pneumonia due to C tropicalis might occur in specific cases, especially in those patients with risk factors, and must thus be considered when approaching such cases.
Factors associated with life satisfaction in systemic sclerosis: Examining the moderating roles of social support and spiritual well-being
Authors: Chen Yen T , Murphy Susan L , Furst Daniel E , Clements Philip , Kafaja Suzanne , Tsevat Joel , Malcarne Vanessa , Khanna Dinesh
Published: February 2023

Objectives:

Systemic sclerosis often has a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. Life satisfaction is a subjective expression of well-being and a key component of quality of life. We examined the associations between functional limitations, social support, and spiritual well-being with life satisfaction and investigated the moderating roles of social support and spiritual well-being on the relationship between functional limitations and life satisfaction in people with systemic sclerosis.

Methods:

Data were drawn from the baseline University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Quality of Life Study. Participants completed questionnaires that included demographics, depressive symptoms, functional limitations, social support, and spiritual well-being. The Satisfaction with Life Scale was used to evaluate overall life satisfaction. Data were analyzed using a hierarchical linear regression.

Results:

Of 206 participants (84% female, 74% White, 52% limited cutaneous subtype, 51% early disease), 38% reported being dissatisfied with their lives. Functional limitations (β = −0.19, p = 0.006), social support (β = 0.18, p = 0.006), and spiritual well-being (β = 0.40, p < 0.001) were associated with life satisfaction, with spiritual well-being emerging as the strongest statistical contributor. However, social support and spiritual well-being did not significantly moderate the relationship between functional limitations and life satisfaction ( p = 0.882 and p = 0.339, respectively).

Conclusion:

Spiritual well-being is particularly important in understanding life satisfaction in people with systemic sclerosis. Future longitudinal research is needed to assess and examine spiritual well-being and its impact on life satisfaction in a larger and more diverse systemic sclerosis sample.
pLMSNOSite: an ensemble-based approach for predicting protein S-nitrosylation sites by integrating supervised word embedding and embedding from pre-trained protein language model
Authors: Pratyush Pawel , Pokharel Suresh , Saigo Hiroto , KC Dukka B.
Published: February 2023

Background

Protein S-nitrosylation (SNO) plays a key role in transferring nitric oxide-mediated signals in both animals and plants and has emerged as an important mechanism for regulating protein functions and cell signaling of all main classes of protein. It is involved in several biological processes including immune response, protein stability, transcription regulation, post translational regulation, DNA damage repair, redox regulation, and is an emerging paradigm of redox signaling for protection against oxidative stress. The development of robust computational tools to predict protein SNO sites would contribute to further interpretation of the pathological and physiological mechanisms of SNO.

Results

Using an intermediate fusion-based stacked generalization approach, we integrated embeddings from supervised embedding layer and contextualized protein language model (ProtT5) and developed a tool called pLMSNOSite (protein language model-based SNO site predictor). On an independent test set of experimentally identified SNO sites, pLMSNOSite achieved values of 0.340, 0.735 and 0.773 for MCC, sensitivity and specificity respectively. These results show that pLMSNOSite performs better than the compared approaches for the prediction of S-nitrosylation sites.

Conclusion

Together, the experimental results suggest that pLMSNOSite achieves significant improvement in the prediction performance of S-nitrosylation sites and represents a robust computational approach for predicting protein S-nitrosylation sites. pLMSNOSite could be a useful resource for further elucidation of SNO and is publicly available athttps://github.com/KCLabMTU/pLMSNOSite.
The expression of SERPINE1 in colon cancer and its regulatory network and prognostic value
Authors: Wang Yigang , Wang Jinyan , Gao Jianchao , Ding Mei , Li Hua
Published: February 2023

Background

Serpin Peptidase Inhibitor 1 (SERPINE1) promotes cancer progression by making it easier for cancer cells to spread to surrounding normal tissue. We expect to understand the prognostic value and regulatory network of SERPINE1 in colon cancer using bioinformatics methods.

Methods

The expression of target gene SERPINE1 in varying cancers was analyzed by the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database. SERPINE1 expression in Colon Adenocarcinoma and normal tissue samples was assessed by starBase and UALCAN databases. SERPINE1 expression in clinical tissues was assayed using quantitative reverse transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). SERPINE1 expression was detected in colon cancer patients with various clinical features (age, gender, nodal metastasis status, race, stages, and subtype) using analysis of variance. Survival curve was used to analyze the effect of high and low expression of SERPINE1 on the survival time of patients with different clinical phenotypes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted on the results of LinkFinder calculation using LinkInterpreter module, which was combined with Pearson correlation analysis to obtain the kinase targets and miRNA targets, transcription factor targets, and corresponding signaling pathways associated with SERPINE1. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were performed on GSEA result. Finally, Gene Multiple Association Network Integration Algorithm (GeneMANIA) was utilized to establish a network of genes related to the kinases MAPK1, miR-18a, and SRF_Q, and biological functions were analyzed.

Results

Based on TIMER, starBase, and UALCAN databases, SERPINE1 was found to be remarkably highly expressed in colon cancer patients, which was further verified by clinical tissue. It was also associated with different clinical features (nodal metastasis status, stages, subtypes). Additionally, survival analysis showed that patients with low expression of SERPINE1 had a longer survival time, suggesting that SERPINE1 was a prognostic risk factor for colon cancer. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the expression of Integrin Alpha 5 (ITGA5), Matrix Metallopeptidase 19 (MMP19), and ADAM Metallopeptidase with Thrombospondin Type 1 Motif, 4 (ADAMTS4) had the highest correlation with that of SERPINE1. The GSEA results indicated that these genes were mainly enriched in the pathways of RNA expression and kinases. Finally, GeneMANIA analysis was introduced to construct the molecular network of SERPINE1.

Conclusion

Overall, our bioinformatics analyses comprehensively described the networks involved SERPINE1 in colon cancer and the potentially associated molecular mechanisms.
hENT1’s role in adjuvant intra-arterial gemcitabine-based chemotherapy for resectable pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Wang Wei , Yu Xinzhe , Li Hengchao , Yang Chuanxin , Jin Chen , Huang Xinyu
Published: February 2023

Background

We aimed to verify the role of hENT1 as a prognostic predictor for patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who underwent radical resection followed by intra-arterial infusion of gemcitabine-based regimen.

Methods

We collected surgical samples from 102 patients with resectable PDAC who received radical resection followed by intra-arterial infusion of gemcitabine-based regimen. The hENT1 expression with the help of immunohistochemistry was conducted using formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissues. The Kaplan–Meier analyses and Cox regression were used to evaluate the mortality hazard associated with the discrepancy between strong and weak of hENT1 expression. Patients’ clinical and pathological characteristics were compared between the two groups, then the role of hENT1 as a prognostic predictor was further explored.

Results

A total of 102 patients were included to assess the hENT1 expression. 50 patients were classified into high hENT1 expression group, the other 52 patients were attributed into low hENT1 expression group. High hENT1 expression was related to a significantly improved overall survival (OS) (p = 0.014) and disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.004). Both univariate (p = 0.001) and multivariate analyses (p < 0.001) indicated that high hENT1 expression was related to a decreased mortality.

Conclusions

High expression of hENT1 is positive prognostic factor for adjuvant intra-arterial gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in resectable PDAC.
CD1C is associated with breast cancer prognosis and immune infiltrates
Authors: Chen Xiao , Zhang Jianzhong , Lei Xinhan , Yang Lei , Li Wanwan , Zheng Lu , Zhang Shuai , Ding Yihan , Shi Jianing , Zhang Lei , Li Jia , Tang Tong , Jia WenJun
Published: February 2023

Background

The tumor microenvironment (TME) in breast cancer plays a vital role in occurrence, development, and therapeutic responses. However, immune and stroma constituents in the TME are major obstacles to understanding and treating breast cancer. We evaluated the significance of TME-related genes in breast cancer.

Methods

Invasive breast cancer (BRCA) samples were retrieved from the TCGA and GEO databases. Stroma and immune scores of samples as well as the proportion of tumor infiltrating immune cells (TICs) were calculated using the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms. TME-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed by a protein interaction (PPI) network and univariate Cox regression to determine CD1C as a hub gene. Subsequently, the prognostic value of CD1C, its response to immunotherapy, and its mechanism in the TME were further studied.

Results

In BRCA, DEGs were determined to identify CD1C as a hub gene. The expression level of CD1C in BRCA patients was verified based on the TCGA database, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results, and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) results revealed a correlation between prognosis, clinical features, and CD1C expression in BRCA. Enrichment analysis of GSEA and GSVA showed that CD1C participates in immune-associated signaling pathways. CIBERSORT showed that CD1C levels were associated with tumor immune infiltrating cells (TILs), such as different kinds of T cells. Gene co-expression analysis showed that CD1C and the majority of immune-associated genes were co-expressed in BRCA. In renal cell carcinoma, patients with a high expression of CD1C had a better immunotherapy effect.

Conclusion

CD1C is an important part of the TME and participates in immune activity regulation in breast tumors. CD1C is expected to become a prognostic marker and a new treatment target for breast cancer.
Trend Impact Analysis (TIA) of community-based futures study for pediatric obesity in Iran
Authors: Taghizadeh Shahnaz , Alesaeidi Sogol , Jafari-Koshki Tohid , Valizadeh-Otaghsara Seyedeh Masoumeh , Poursheikhali Atousa , Tousi Ayda Zahiri , Abbasalizad–Farhangi Mahdieh
Published: February 2023

Background

Childhood obesity has been regarded as one of the main healthcare challenges in the last century, leading to critical health problems and reduced life expectancy. Many factors can play a role in its development or prevention. Using the Trend Impact Analysis (TIA), this study aimed to conduct a community-based futures study for pediatric obesity in Iran.

Methods

We obtained the prevalence of overweight and obesity from the database of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Moreover, we reviewed 21 documents, texts, and comments from three key stakeholders in Iran and prepared a list of key experts, who were stakeholders in the field of obesity prevention of childhood in different organizations. Then, we collected the expert opinions by Delphi method. Data analysis was performed using the Excel and R software.

Results

Fourteen experts participated in the first stage and nine experts in the second stage. We identified two positive drivers, including the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the widespread expansion of online educational programs. Meanwhile, we identified five negative drivers as follows: (1) controlling and limiting obesogenic environments in the community, school, and family; (2) running annual compulsory anthropometry programs for students of all educational levels in health centers; (3) integrating nutrition education interventions in the curricula of all educational levels; (4) taxation of unhealthy and fast foods; and (5) preparing safe and appropriate sports environments for children and adolescents (on the streets, schools, parks, and sports clubs). Without considering the drivers, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is predicted to reach 29.10% in 2031. However, it is expected that the negative drivers can increase the prevalence trend from 23.40% in 2018 to 19.57% in 2031, the positive drivers to 32.61%, and the combination of all drivers to 23.07%.

Conclusion

It seems that measures such as the effective communication of policy makers, basic evaluation of the programs and policies related to the prevention of childhood obesity, and localization of the programs of international organizations for the prevention of obesity can greatly control the prevalence of childhood obesity.
Income loss and gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic among female entertainment workers in Cambodia: a cross-sectional phone survey
Authors: Brody Carinne , Harrison Natasha , Yi Siyan
Published: February 2023

Background

In Cambodia, female entertainment workers (FEWs) are disproportionately affected by global and local disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the government imposed tight restrictions, including closures of entertainment venues, such as karaoke bars, beer gardens, nightclubs, or massage parlors, leading FEWs to face economic and social disruptions. This study aims to assess the relationship between income loss during the pandemic and gender-based violence (GBV) among FEWs in Cambodia to inform future disaster response programs.

Methods

We conducted a phone survey in August 2021 with 369 randomly sampled FEWs from a national organization’s email list. We used a structured questionnaire to ask the participants about job and income loss, food security, mental health, access to health services, and GBV. We fit a linear regression model to examine the differences in GBV experience between FEWs who lost all their income and those who lost partial income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key covariables comprised the number of dependents, smartphone ownership, internet access, food security, and mental health. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted.

Results

The mean age (31.6 vs. 30.6), years of formal education (6.3 vs. 6.3), marital status (24.2 vs. 23.8 never married), and the number of children (1.3 vs. 1.1) of women reporting having lost all income were not significantly different from those who experienced partial income loss. Overall, GBV experiences were significantly higher in FEWs who lost all income than in those who lost partial income (62.9% vs. 47.4%, p = 0.03). Controlling for the number of dependents, smartphone ownership, and food security, the adjusted odds ratio for GBV was significant in the adjusted model (AOR = 1.23 (1.08–1.40), p = 0.001) indicating that those who experienced total income loss were more likely to experience GBV than those who experienced partial income loss. In addition, they were significantly less likely to be food secure (p = 0.04), less likely to own a smartphone (p = 0.02), and had more dependents (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Disaster response programs should consider the implications of safety measures and government support for both formal and informal workers regarding safety, food access, and mental health support. Food assistance programs should target the most vulnerable informal sector workers during crises.
A novel intergenic region (chr2: 30,193,816)-ALK fusion shows sensitivity to Alectinib in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Ting , Du Ge , Niu Man , Liu Rui
Published: February 2023

Background

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement, which is mostly showed as fused with echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 gene (EML4), accounts 3–7% of all common mutations in non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). An intergenic region (chr2: 30,193,816), which located on upstream of the adjacent ALK gene, was never been reported as a ALK patterner before.

Case presentation

A 56-year-old female patient who had symptoms of persistent cough and shortness of breath visited our facility on April 24, 2022. The chest computerized tomography (CT) examination revealed a massive right hydrothorax. After draining pleural effusion, a hilar mass accompanied multiple nodules in both lungs could been seen in image. Tracheoscopy revealed neoplasm in the medial segment of the middle lobe of the right lung, and the patient was diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma pathologically. It tested positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, NapsinA, ALK, and thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1). Next generation sequence testing confirmed the presence of the intergenic region (chr2: 30,193,816)-ALK fusion in the tumor tissue. The patient was subsequently treated with Alectinib, and her symptoms are obviously relieved, the right hilar mass and metastatic nodule were reduced in the reexamination after three months.

Conclusions

The intergenic region (chr2: 30,193,816)-ALK fusion, which is firstly reported in lung adenocarcinoma, is a mutation with expression significance. It shows sensitivity to Alectinib.
Primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism present different expressions of calcium-sensing receptor
Authors: Li Xin , Lu Yao , Zhang Ling , Song Aiping , Zhang Honglei , Pang Bo , Liu Jun , Sun Xiaoliang , Ji Haoyang , Huang Linping , Yang Meng
Published: February 2023

Background

Decreased calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) has been observed in hyperparathyroidism (HPT) without a known mechanism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of CaSR in primary (PHPT) and secondary (SHPT) subtypes.

Methods

Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay were used to measure the differences in expression of CaSR protein and gene in PHPT and SHPT human samples, compared to matched controls.

Results

CaSR protein was differentially downregulated in SHPT and PHPT compared to normal parathyroid tissues (2.42 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.62, P < 0.05; 1.8 ± 0.83 vs. 3.2 ± 0.62, P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, SHPT tissues exhibited significantly higher levels of CaSR mRNA (0.29 ± 0.23 vs. 0.01 ± 0.12, P < 0.05) and protein (2.42 ± 0.5 vs. 1.8 ± 0.83, P < 0.05) than those in PHPT tissue samples.

Conclusion

Depressed CaSR expression was a critical pathological hallmark of HPT. We found a differential decline of CaSR, in terms of both mRNA and protein levels, in PHPT and SHPT human samples. We think that CaSR dysregulation occurred at the very beginning of disease onset in PHPT, while a similar pathological scenario appeared at the later stage of SHPT. Future studies should be directed to dissect the mechanistic involvement of CaSR in PHPT and SHPT in order to bring treatment precisions in HPT management.
Patients’ and providers’ perspectives on non-urgent egg freezing decision-making: a thematic analysis
Authors: Drost Leah , Dason E. Shirin , Han Jinglan , Doshi Tanya , Scheer Adena , Greenblatt Ellen M. , Jones Claire A.
Published: February 2023

Background

The decision to undergo non-urgent egg freezing (EF) is complex for patients and providers supporting them. Though prior studies have explored patient perspectives, no study has also included the separate perspectives of providers.

Methods

This qualitative study involved semi-structured individual interviews exploring the decision to undergo EF. Participants included patients considering EF at one academic fertility clinic and providers who counsel patients about EF from across Canada. Data analysis was accomplished using thematic analysis. Data saturation was met after interviewing 13 providers and 12 patients.

Findings

Four themes were identified and explored, illuminating ways in which patients and providers navigate decision-making around EF: (1) patients viewed EF as a ‘back-up plan’ for delaying the decision about whether to have children, while providers were hesitant to present EF in this way given the uncertainty of success; (2) providers viewed ovarian reserve testing as essential while patients believed it unnecessarily complicated the decision; (3) patients and providers cited a need for change in broader societal attitudes regarding EF since social stigma was a significant barrier to decision-making; and (4) commonality and peer support were desired by patients to assist in their decision, although some providers were hesitant to recommend this to patients.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the decision to undergo EF is complex and individual patient values play a significant role. In some areas, there is disconnect between providers and patients in their views on how to navigate EF decision-making, and these should be addressed in discussions between providers and patients to improve shared decision-making.
Impact of online learning on sense of belonging among first year clinical health students during COVID-19: student and academic perspectives
Authors: Tang Clarice , Thyer Liz , Bye Rosalind , Kenny Belinda , Tulliani Nikki , Peel Nicole , Gordon Rebecca , Penkala Stefania , Tannous Caterina , Sun Yu-Ting , Dark Leigha
Published: February 2023

Background

The need to belong is a fundamental human desire that provides the basis for relationships and community; it provides a sense of security that enables growth and development. This sense of belonging is pivotal to new University students, indeed, without it, students are at greater risk of failing or withdrawing from their studies. Yet developing a sense of belonging within a new cohort is complex and multi-faceted and further complicated by a sudden shift away from in-person to online learning. Using the situated-learning framework, our study explores first year clinical health students’ sense of belonging in the context of the rapid transition to online learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We utilised a current mixed-method approach including a survey incorporating previously validated tools, demographic and open-ended qualitative questions. Data was also gathered from three focus groups: two dedicated student groups and one academic focus group. Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis whilst descriptive statistics were used to describe the quantitative data.

Results

179 first year students complete the survey and four students, and five academics were involved in the focus groups. All participants were from clinical health science courses at an Australian university. Our qualitative results indicated a global theme of: Navigating belonging during the COVID-19 crisis: a shared responsibility; with four organising themes describing (1) dimensions of belonging, (2) individual experiences and challenges, (3) reconceptualising teaching and learning, and (4) relationships are central to belonging.

Conclusion

While the rapid transition to online learning did not greatly impact knowledge acquisition of first-year students in this cohort, the lack of sense of belonging highlights the need for further research into development of this essential aspect of learning in the online domain. Although contextualised in the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that the findings will remain relevant beyond the current situation, as a student’s need to belong will always be present in the face of challenges or change.