bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between clinical measurement scales on gross motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy
Authors: Reffat Shimaa , AL-Nemr Alaa Fahmy
Published: March 2024

Background

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) may have different gross motor impairments which in sequence affecting their life occupations. The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlation between Gross Motor Function Measurement-66 (GMFM-66), the test of Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale–Second Edition (PDMS-2) in young children with CP.

Methods

A correlational study was applied on 50 children aged from 4 to 6 years (30 girls, 20 boys) with spastic CP.

Results

The Pearson correlation coefficient between the GMFM scale and PDMS-2 motor quotients, and its subscales (stationary, locomotion, and object control) and also between GMFM and BOTMP gross motor quotients and its subscales (strength, agility, and body coordination) were statistically significant. Spearman’s coefficients between the grade of the Gross Motor Classification System (GMFCS) and the PDMS-2 Gross Motor Composite, BOTS-2, and its subscale results were also statistically significant.

Conclusion

The three measurement scales, GMFM- 66, BOTS-2, and PDMS-2, are significantly related. Therefore, GMFCS is useful in predicting movement performance in children with CP and correlated with predictive guidance in treatment development.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06124352.
Intestinal and peritoneal lymphoma complicating Chron’s disease
Authors: Elged Basma A. , Karam Rasha , Khaled Reem , Omran Eman , Shiha Usama
Published: March 2024

Background

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease which mostly affects the small intestine. It has a variable clinical course, with alternating attacks of exacerbation and remission. In the last decades, the incidence of Crohn’s disease has been increasing, so imaging of those cases has become more important.

Case presentation

We report a case of a male patient who was treated for Chron’s disease in the past three years and presented with abdominal pain. Post-contrast CT abdomen and pelvis was done revealing soft tissue thickening of intestinal walls in a skip fashion with multiple peritoneal deposits. The case was pathologically proven to be anaplastic large cell lymphoma on top of Chron’s disease.

Conclusions

The cause of the association between Crohn's disease and lymphoma is still elucidated. Radiologists should be aware that Chron’s disease can be complicated by intestinal and peritoneal lymphoma and should suspect the presence of lymphoma on top of Chron’s disease if there is wall thickening of soft tissue attenuation affecting the small bowels in a skipping manner following the areas previously affected by Chron’s disease.
Enhanced therapeutic approach for diabetic foot ulcers: comparative study and characterisation of mupirocin-loaded nanosponge gel with marketed formulation for accelerating wound healing and in vivo evaluation
Authors: Dhamak Rushikesh S. , Salve Pramod S. , Tiwari Deepak R. , Raut Pradnya A. , Waghmare Darshan S.
Published: March 2024

Background

The current investigation aimed to develop, optimise, and assess a mupirocin-loaded nanosponge-based topical delivery system for diabetic foot ulcer and to achieve prolonged drug release while improving drug deposition within the skin. The nanosponges carrying mupirocin were formulated using the emulsion solvent diffusion method. A 32factorial design was utilised to investigate effect of two factors, specifically the concentration of ethyl cellulose and the stirring rate, on the physical attributes of the nanosponges. The optimised nanosponge formulation batch (F9) was subsequently incorporated into a Carbopol gel base, ensuring the desired physical attributes were achieved in the gel formulation containing nanosponges. The research included in vitro drug release evaluation, ex vivo drug deposition analysis, assessment of the antimicrobial action of the nanosponge formulation, and in vivo diabetic wound healing.

Results

Drug polymer compatibility analysis was conducted using FT-IR spectroscopy revealed no interactions among mupirocin and ethyl cellulose molecules. Further FT-IR spectroscopy, DSC spectroscopy, and XRD spectroscopy analysis of optimised formulation batch revealed that the drug was successfully entrapped in nanosponges. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the spherical and porous nature of the prepared nanosponges. The drug release pattern across the cellulose dialysis membrane followed a diffusion-controlled release pattern, and the drug deposition analysis exhibited substantial retention of mupirocin in the skin from the nanosponges formulation for up to 24 h. Furthermore, the optimised nanosponges gel formulation demonstrated stability and non-irritant properties, as indicated by the HET-CAM test. In vivo evaluation of wound healing activity in a Streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus with excision wound model revealed significant actions pertaining to wound healing and closure after 16 days of treatment.

Conclusion

The mupirocin-loaded nanosponge gel contributed to remarkable and swift recovery and closure of wounds in diabetic rats. The nanosponges, acting as carriers for mupirocin, facilitated the effective delivery of the drug to the wound area, while the gel fostered an optimally humid environment conducive to wound care during the final stages of wound healing and sealing.

Graphical abstract
Metacognition and Self-Efficacy in Action: How First-Year Students Monitor and Use Self-Coaching to Move Past Metacognitive Discomfort During Problem Solving
Authors: Halmo Stephanie M. , Yamini Kira A. , Stanton Julie Dangremond
Published: March 2024

This qualitative study of 52 first-year life science students’ metacognition and self-efficacy in action shows that students monitor in a myriad of ways and use self-coaching to overcome the discomfort associated with being metacognitive while solving challenging biochemistry problems.
Least-squares reverse time migration of simultaneous sources with deep-learning-based denoising
Authors: Wu Bo , Yao Gang , Ma Xiao , Chen Hanming , Wu Di , Cao Jingjie
Published: March 2024

Least-squares reverse time migration (LSRTM) is currently one of the most advanced migration imaging techniques in the field of geophysics. It uses least-squares inversion to fit the observed data, resulting in high-resolution imaging results with more accurate amplitudes and better illumination compensation than conventional reverse time migration (RTM). However, noise in the observed data and the Born approximation forward operator can result in high-wavenumber artifacts in the final imaging results. Moreover, iteratively solving LSRTM leads to one or two orders of computational cost higher than conventional RTM, making it challenging to apply extensively in industrial applications. Simultaneous source acquisition technology can reduce the computational cost of LSRTM by reducing the number of wavefield simulations. However, this technique also can cause high-wavenumber crosstalk artifacts in the migration results. To effectively remove the high-wavenumber artifacts caused by these issues, simultaneous source and deep learning are combined to speed up LSRTM as well as suppress high-wavenumber artifacts. A deep residual neural network (DR-Unet) is trained with synthetic samples, which are generated by adding field noise to synthesized noise-free migration images. Then, the trained DR-Unet is applied on the gradient of LSRTM to remove high-wavenumber artifacts in each iteration. Compared to directly applying DR-Unet denoising to LSRTM results, embedding DR-Unet denoising into the inversion process can better preserve weak reflectors and improve denoising effects. Finally, the proposed LSRTM method is tested on two synthetic data sets and a land data set. The tests demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively remove high-wavenumber artifacts, improve imaging results, and accelerate convergence speed.
Robust elastic full-waveform inversion using an alternating direction method of multipliers with reconstructed wavefields
Authors: Aghazade Kamal , Gholami Ali , Aghamiry Hossein S. , Siahkoohi Hamid Reza
Published: March 2024

Elastic full-waveform inversion (EFWI) is a process used to estimate subsurface properties by fitting seismic data while satisfying wave propagation physics. The problem is formulated as a least-squares data fitting minimization problem with two sets of constraints: partial-differential equation (PDE) constraints governing elastic wave propagation and physical model constraints implementing prior information. The alternating direction method of multipliers is used to solve the problem, resulting in an iterative algorithm with well-conditioned subproblems. Although wavefield reconstruction is the most challenging part of the iteration, sparse linear algebra techniques can be used for moderate-sized problems and frequency domain formulations. The Hessian matrix is blocky with diagonal blocks, making model updates fast. Gradient ascent is used to update Lagrange multipliers by summing PDE violations. Various numerical examples are used to investigate algorithmic components, including model parameterizations, physical model constraints, the role of the Hessian matrix in suppressing interparameter cross-talk, computational efficiency with the source sketching method, and the effect of noise and near-surface effects.
Palliative Care as a Component of High-Value and Cost-Saving Care During Hospitalization for Metastatic Cancer
Authors: Lu Sifan , Rakovitch Eileen , Hannon Breffni , Zimmermann Camilla , Dharmarajan Kavita V. , Yan Michael , De Almeida John R. , Yao Christopher M.K.L. , Gillespie Erin F. , Chino Fumiko , Yerramilli Divya , Goonaratne Ethan , Abdel-Rahman Fadwa , Othman Hiba , Mheid Sara , Tsai Chiaojung Jillian
Published: March 2024

PURPOSE

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that palliative care (PC) can improve quality of life and survival for outpatients with advanced cancer, but there are limited population-based data on the value of inpatient PC. We assessed PC as a component of high-value care among a nationally representative sample of inpatients with metastatic cancer and identified hospitalization characteristics significantly associated with high costs.

METHODS

Hospitalizations of patients 18 years and older with a primary diagnosis of metastatic cancer from the National Inpatient Sample from 2010 to 2019 were analyzed. We used multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to assess medical services, patient demographics, and hospital characteristics associated with higher charges billed to insurance and hospital costs. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to determine cost savings associated with provision of PC.

RESULTS

Among 397,691 hospitalizations from 2010 to 2019, the median charge per admission increased by 24.9%, from $44,904 in US dollars (USD) to $56,098 USD, whereas the median hospital cost remained stable at $14,300 USD. Receipt of inpatient PC was associated with significantly lower charges (odds ratio [OR], 0.62 [95% CI, 0.61 to 0.64];
P
< .001) and costs (OR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.61];
P
< .001). Factors associated with high charges were receipt of invasive medical ventilation (
P
< .001) or systemic therapy (
P
< .001), Hispanic patients (
P
< .001), young age (18-49 years,
P
< .001), and for-profit hospitals (
P
< .001). PC provision was associated with a $1,310 USD (–13.6%,
P
< .001) reduction in costs per hospitalization compared with no PC, independent of the receipt of invasive care and age.

CONCLUSION

Inpatient PC is associated with reduced hospital costs for patients with metastatic cancer, irrespective of age and receipt of aggressive interventions. Integration of inpatient PC may de-escalate costs incurred through low-value inpatient interventions.
The Interactive Effects of Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, and Fat Mass on Insulin Resistance in the Young Population
Authors: Agbaje Andrew O
Published: March 2024

Context

Recent evidence in 9-year-old children with overweight/obesity followed up for 7 years until late adolescence concluded that increased physical activity (PA) decreased the risk of high fasting glucose, low insulin sensitivity, and secretion. However, whether this effect persists until young adulthood is unknown.

Objective

This observational study examined the effects of cumulative sedentary time (ST), light PA (LPA), and moderate to vigorous (MVPA) on glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in 11-year-old children followed up for 13 years until young adulthood.

Methods

Altogether 792 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, UK, who had data on at least 2 measures of accelerometer-based movement behaviour during 11-, 15-, and 24-year follow-up clinic visits with complete fasting glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR measures at ages 15, 17, and 24 years were included. ST, LPA, and MVPA were measured with an accelerometer.

Results

Cumulative ST from ages 11-24 years was associated with increased odds (odds ratio 1.20, 95% CI 1.00-1.44, P = .047) and cumulative LPA was associated with the decreased odds of hyperinsulinemia (0.80, 0.66-0.96, P = .017) among participants with overweight/obesity. Cumulative MVPA was inversely associated with insulin but after accounting for the mediating role of fat mass, MVPA effect on lowering insulin decreased by 58% resulting in statistical nonsignificance. In the temporal path analyses, among participants with overweight/obesity, higher glucose at age 15 years was associated with lower LPA and MVPA at 24 years. Higher LPA at 15 years was associated with lower insulin and HOMA-IR at 24 years and vice versa.

Conclusion

Promoting LPA while decreasing body fat mass and ST may be considered crucial intervention targets to attenuate the risk of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance from childhood through young adulthood.
Lorry Dreams and Slave Ship Disintegrations
Authors: Hunt Nancy Rose
Published: March 2024

Nancy Rose Hunt, “Lorry Dreams and Slave Ship Disintegrations: Motion, Madness, and Incongruent Planes in History”: Motion and immobility may converge around transport conveyances in states and textures of mind and madness. This chapter juxtaposes 1950s Gold Coast lorries and commercial shrines with Guinea slave ships of the 1790s: thus, postwar melancholic Akan women and disintegrating slaves of the late eighteenth century. The mammy wagons and shrines of the first pry open a modern, emergent West African, where anthropologist Margaret Field encountered depressed women enmeshed in dreams, fast lorries, and vulnerability. A slow-moving slave ship generated suicide, dejected states of mind and deliria, and surgeons’ copious commentaries. Using Paul Virilio’s words about speed-as-milieu, the chapter disorders sequential time while investigating these incongruent milieus. Historians do not necessarily require patient “voices,” it is suggested, since microscopic cases yield plenty about diagnostic codes, textures to psychopathologies, racist formations, and experiences of cruelty, derangement, anguish, yet also of reverie.
On the Importance of Suffering
Authors: Büschel Hubertus
Published: March 2024

Hubertus Büschel, “On the Importance of Suffering”: The coda highlights some central aspects of the entire book and addresses some open questions for future research, such as suffering and vernacular experiences of psychiatry and psychiatric illness. It debates the difficulties of researching patients’ perspectives. It turns to patient art as a source that may be used to better understand patient perspectives. Patient art can be an important source for analyzing “silenced” as well as “marginalized” perspectives or yearnings. It is comparable in some way to voices, but it is a visual source, and one collected under a particular circumstance of curiosity aligned with care. The chapter discusses several examples of patient paintings and drawings from Lantoro Mental Asylum in Abeokuta, Nigeria, collected by Ulli Beier and kept in the Ulli Beier collection in Iwalewa House, Bayreuth, Germany. More largely, it discusses the theme of suffering and whether the theme has been neglected by this volume’s authors.
Enhancing intelligent building systems using behavioural patterns
Authors: Αγιαννίδης Αθανάσιος
Published: March 2024

Οι ευφυείς τεχνολογίες κτιρίων καλούνται να υποστηρίξουν την ευημερία των ενοίκων τους και να προωθήσουν την ανεξάρτητη διαβίωση. Από τη μια πλευρά, η δυνητικά εκφοβιστική για ορισμένους ανθρώπους ιδέα της ύπαρξης ηλεκτρονικών συσκευών παρακολούθησης και ελέγχου στο σπίτι χρειάζεται αντιμετώπιση και, από την άλλη, πρέπει να διασφαλιστεί η βέλτιστη και αξιόπιστη λειτουργία του συστήματος. Όσον αφορά το πρώτο τεύχος, ο συγγραφέας ανέπτυξε ένα γραφικό, διαισθητικό και φιλικό προς τον χρήστη εργαλείο προσομοίωσης για να βοηθήσει την εξοικείωση των χρηστών και την εξατομικευμένη προσαρμογή του σχεδιασμού και των προδιαγραφών των συστημάτων. Προς υποστήριξη της αξιοπιστίας του συστήματος, η διατριβή εστιάζει κυρίως στο προφίλ της συμπεριφοράς των χρηστών, ιδιαίτερα εν όψει του αναμενόμενου δυναμισμού του λόγω αλλαγών στους ρόλους, τις ανάγκες και τις προτιμήσεις των χρηστών. Μέσω της απρόσκοπτης παρακολούθησης, καταγράφηκαν ανεμπόδιστες κινήσεις των χρηστών σε πραγματικό περιβάλλον και αυθεντικά πρότυπα συμπεριφοράς που συμμορφώνονται με τους κανόνες εργασίας, τα ομαδικά πρότυπα και τις προσωπικές συνήθειες φαίνονται ωφέλιμα για τις βελτιώσεις των υπηρεσιών του συστήματος σε ατομικό επίπεδο. Προς υποστήριξη της εξατομίκευσης των αυτοματοποιημένων και μη εποπτευόμενων υπηρεσιών συστήματος, η παρούσα διατριβή διαφοροποιείται από τις υπάρχουσες προσεγγίσεις με την εκμάθηση και τη διαμόρφωση προφίλ της συμπεριφοράς των χρηστών με τρόπο που να λαμβάνει υπόψη κυρίως τη μη σταθερότητα των παρατηρήσεων καθώς η συμπεριφορά εξελίσσεται με την πάροδο του χρόνου. Χρησιμοποιώντας το παράδειγμα των φυσικών συλλογιστικών διαδικασιών που χρησιμοποιούν οι άνθρωποι για να συλλογιστούν τη συμπεριφορά και τις συνήθειες του άλλου, μια υβριδική αρχιτεκτονική βασισμένη σε νευρωνικά δίκτυα Kohonen και φίλτρα σωματιδίων έχει σχεδιαστεί για να παρακολουθεί τη συμπεριφορά, να αναγνωρίζει συνήθειες και κατά συνέπεια να επικυρώνει το παρόν και να προβλέπει το μέλλον. Οι λειτουργικές και συμπεριφορικές πτυχές του αποδεικνύονται με εφαρμογή σε πραγματικές παρατηρήσεις που αποκτήθηκαν σε περίοδο δεκαοκτώ μηνών. Η προτεινόμενη λύση δείχνει να είναι διαφανής και απλή στη λογική, πληροί τις απαιτήσεις προσαρμογής, καθυστερημένη απόκριση σε αλλαγές συμπεριφοράς και υποστήριξη για μεταβλητούς περιορισμούς ακρίβειας και εμπιστοσύνης και τέλος επιτρέπει σαφείς και άμεσες διαδρομές ανάδρασης για λεπτές ρυθμίσεις για συγκεκριμένες εφαρμογές χωρίς την παρέμβαση ειδικοί.
Can the Clinical Frailty Scale predict futility in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest?
Authors: Ash Michael , Smith Neil , Douglin Troy
Published: March 2024

Background:

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is considered an essential intervention in unanticipated cardiac arrest, but in the out-of-hospital setting it is often the default treatment for many patients dying of chronic and incurable disease who experience this. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) can predict an individual's vulnerability to adverse health outcomes and might be a useful tool in prognostication in the prehospital setting.

Aims:

The primary aim was to assess if the CFS can be used for prognostication in cardiac arrest and whether UK paramedics would be able to use the CFS in the context of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods:

A rapid review of the literature was undertaken to identify research relating to frailty's influence on cardiac arrest outcomes. Five primary research articles were identified and were included.

Findings:

All the primary research focused on in-hospital cardiac arrest and demonstrated that an higher clinical frailty score was associated with increased mortality following cardiac arrest, with a significant reduction in survival at CFS ≥6.

Conclusion:

Research could assess whether these findings would be replicated in the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest context and whether paramedics could use the CFS to aid in prognostication in this situation.
Transport decisions: acute coronary syndrome and high-risk electrocardiograms
Authors: Wyld Luke
Published: March 2024

Patients experiencing a high-risk non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction are likely to benefit from prehospital medical contact, transport to a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) centre and early definitive treatment. They may be provisionally diagnosed through the identification of a high-risk electrocardiogram (ECG). Advances in ECG interpretation have led to the identification of a cohort of at-risk patients whose treatment may previously have been delayed. Patients with certain ECG changes are considered high risk and may be experiencing coronary occlusions. Early PCI and direct transport to a PCI-capable hospital are associated with a reduction in mortality and morbidity; this is associated with a lower financial burden on the health service. Early paramedic identification of these high-risk ECGs and appropriate transport decision-making can positively influence patient outcomes. High-risk ECGs include those that are positive for the modified Smith-Sgarbossa criteria, DeWinter T waves, Wellens syndrome, posterior acute myocardial infarction and aVR elevation. Continued education is correlated with more accurate ECG interpretation.
Feel the force
Authors: Mountain Julie , Robinson Felicity
Published: March 2024

Forces are all around us – this month we're going to explore the forces that relate to motion on wheels: pushing and pulling, and the effects of gravity and friction. By Julie Mountain and Felicity Robinson
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome and the challenges facing clinicians
Authors: Spanton Jess
Published: March 2024

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is the most common disease of the equine stomach. This article gives an overview of the syndrome and reviews the available literature to answer questions clinicians face when treating and managing these cases in equine practice. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome has, in recent years, been further defined into two distinct syndromes: equine squamous gastric disease and equine glandular gastric disease. Primary equine squamous gastric disease is the most common form of the disease and results from prolonged exposure of the mucosa to gastric acid in an otherwise normal gastrointestinal tract. Secondary squamous gastric disease occurs as a result of delayed gastric emptying caused by inflammatory bowel disease, pyloric stenosis, severe glandular gastric disease or gastric impaction.
A comparison of the phonation quotient between patients with voice disorders caused by benign vocal fold lesions and normal adults 20-80 years of age
Authors:   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, Nilsuwankhosit Chalermchai , Jeeraumporn Jeamjai ,   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, Dechongkit Sumalee ,   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, Thadanipon Kunlawat ,   Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Published: March 2024

Background: A voice evaluation is an important first step in analyzing voice symptoms and determining appropriate treatment plans. The phonation quotient is a valid aerodynamic parameter in voice evaluations which is an indirect source of information for evaluating the valve function of the vocal folds of patients with voice disorders, especially patients with voice disorders caused by tumors of the vocal folds which is the most common cause in the patients with voice disorders. Objective: The present study aims to determine and compare the phonation quotient between patients with voice disorders caused by benign vocal fold lesions and normal adults between 20-80 years of age. Materials and methods: The participants comprised 40 adults with voice disorders caused by benign vocal fold lesions and 40 with normal voices. All participants’ voices were evaluated in the Speech Clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok. The phonation quotient (PQ) was calculated by the ratio of vital capacity (VC) to the maximum phonation time (MPT). VC and MPT were measured using a phonatory aerodynamic system (PAS). Results: The results of the present study indicated that the mean value of the PQ of adults with normal voices was 122.60 cc/sec (SD=16.36). The mean value of the PQ of adults with voice disorders caused by benign vocal fold lesions was 292.08 cc/ sec (SD=97.14). The mean value of the PQ in the group with voice disorders caused by benign vocal fold lesions was significantly more significant than the mean value of the PQ in the group with normal voice. Conclusion: The significant difference between the phonation quotient of adults with voice disorders caused by benign vocal fold lesions and adults with normal voice was that the PQ might be an indicator for indirect evaluation of the airflow leakage related to the efficiency of vocal fold movement during phonation. The PQ can be the optional voice measurement for monitoring and analyzing the outcomes of voice therapy.
The Adhesive Capsulitis Corticosteroid and Dilation (ACCorD) randomized controlled trial
Authors: Di Mascio Livio , Hamborg Thomas , Mihaylova Borislava , Kassam Jamila , Shah Bina , Stuart Beth , Griffin Xavier L.
Published: March 2024

Aims

Is it feasible to conduct a definitive multicentre trial in community settings of corticosteroid injections (CSI) and hydrodilation (HD) compared to CSI for patients with frozen shoulder? An adequately powered definitive randomized controlled trial (RCT) delivered in primary care will inform clinicians and the public whether hydrodilation is a clinically and cost-effective intervention. In this study, prior to a full RCT, we propose a feasibility trial to evaluate recruitment and retention by patient and clinician willingness of randomization; rates of withdrawal, crossover and attrition; and feasibility of outcome data collection from routine primary and secondary care data.

Methods

In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advises that prompt early management of frozen shoulder is initiated in primary care settings with analgesia, physiotherapy, and joint injections; most people can be managed without an operation. Currently, there is variation in the type of joint injection: 1) CSI, thought to reduce the inflammation of the capsule reducing pain; and 2) HD, where a small volume of fluid is injected into the shoulder joint along with the steroid, aiming to stretch the capsule of the shoulder to improve pain, but also allowing greater movement. The creation of musculoskeletal hubs nationwide provides infrastructure for the early and effective management of frozen shoulder. This potentially reduces costs to individuals and the wider NHS perhaps negating the need for a secondary care referral.

Results

We will conduct a multicentre RCT comparing CSI and HD in combination with CSI alone. Patients aged 18 years and over with a clinical diagnosis of frozen shoulder will be randomized and blinded to receive either CSI and HD in combination, or CSI alone. Feasibility outcomes include the rate of randomization as a proportion of eligible patients and the ability to use routinely collected data for outcome evaluation. This study has involved patients and the public in the trial design, dissemination methods, and how to include groups who are underserved by research.

Conclusion

We will disseminate findings among musculoskeletal clinicians via the British Orthopaedic Association, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the Royal College of Radiologists, and the Royal College of General Practitioners. To ensure wide reach we will communicate findings through our established network of charities and organizations, in addition to preparing dissemination findings in Bangla and Urdu (commonly spoken languages in northeast London). If a full trial is shown to be feasible, we will seek additional National Institute for Health and Care Research funding for a definitive RCT. This definitive study will inform NICE guidelines for the management of frozen shoulder.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(3):162–173.
Former US Surgeon General Criticizing $5,000 Emergency Room Bill
Authors:   Phoenix Pulmonary and Critical Care Research and Education Foundation, Gilbert, AZ USA, Robbins Richard
Published: March 2024

No abstract available. Article truncated after 150 words. Business Insider is reporting that Dr. Jerome Adams, US surgeon general from 2017-2021, is complaining about the $5,000 bill after treatment at the Mayo Clinic Arizona emergency room (ER) for dehydration (1). Local media has been slow to pick up on this story with none of the local television, radio, or newspaper sources reporting on the former surgeon general’s ER visit. Adams first shared his experience on X (formerly Twitter) in a post that went viral. In an interview conducted February 26 with Business Insider, Adams said he was taken by ambulance to the ER in January after becoming lightheaded while hiking. He had labs drawn, received 3 bags of intravenous fluid and was discharged. The shock came when he received the bill. He decided to fight and has been spending hours on the phone with hospital billing reps to get a clearer picture of why he was charged so …
The impact of low-carbon consumption options on carbon footprints in the Nordic region
Authors: Olson Sarah Christine , Heinonen Jukka , Ottelin Juudit , Czepkiewicz Michał , Árnadóttir Áróra
Published: March 2024

Changes in personal consumption play an important role in the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to stay within the 1.5-degree warming carbon footprint budget. Affluent countries have high carbon footprints from a consumptive perspective and therefore have a high potential to reduce emissions from personal consumption. To study this potential, we look at the consumption-based carbon footprints of respondents from a carbon footprint calculator survey from the Nordic countries to compare the carbon footprints of those who participated in selected low-carbon consumption options to those that did not. The total sample size of the survey is 8,000 households. We analysed seven low-carbon consumption options within the domains of diet, transportation and housing energy. An input-output based hybrid assessment model was used to calculate the consumption-based carbon footprints. In addition to analysing these options separately, we also analysed them in combination. The lowest carbon footprints were associated with those respondents who did not own a car or had a vegan or vegetarian diet, and the largest difference in emissions was associated with not flying and not owning a car. Rebound effects for the consumption options were largely limited and were mostly not significant. Participation rates in the low-carbon consumption options were generally low. These results underscore the need for higher rates of adopting multiple low-carbon consumption options and can inform policy on which consumption options could be the most impactful.
Sacred Liturgy: The Language of the Mystical Body of Christ
Authors: Wiitala Pam
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACT: The Wednesday addresses by Pope John Paul II, published as The Theology of the Body , can provide some insights into how one should approach the sacred liturgy. The liturgy presents the mysteries of the life of Christ, both those of his life on earth and those of his Mystical Body, the Church. This article, drawing upon the incarnational theological anthropology of Pope John Paul II, explores the notion of sacred liturgy as the “language” of the Church. Through this lens, the various liturgical gestures and actions are infused with a deeper meaning, making them an apt means and medium for expressing the Mystical character of the Church.
Modeling the atmospheric refractive index structure parameter using macrometeorological observations
Authors: Hegde Ravikiran , Anand N. , Satheesh S. K. , Krishna Moorthy K.
Published: March 2024

The dynamic fluctuations in the atmospheric refractive index, commonly referred to as optical turbulence, cause phase distortions of the electromagnetic waves propagating through the atmosphere. The consequent scintillations have large implications for free-space optical communication, laser remote sensing, and directed energy applications. The refractive index structure parameter (C
n
2), quantifying the strength of these fluctuations, is usually estimated using high-frequency micrometeorological measurements, employing sonic anemometer-thermometers or scintillometers. Despite providing highly accurate information, these systems are immensely complex and costly, especially for frequent field applications and remote locations. In this study, we have developed an empirical multinomial model for estimating C
n
2 using three-year macrometeorological data and validated it against collocated and concurrent micrometeorological measurements, from a tropical semi-arid location. This simpler model would be handy for applications in remote locations having weather station measurements alone.
Rotation of reference frame dependent polarimetric variables for equidistant fisheye lens projections
Authors: Blocker E. Riley , Voss Kenneth J.
Published: March 2024

The effect of a linear polarizer is conventionally well defined when
viewed along the axis normal to its face. However, even for ideal
linear polarizers, the non-normal viewing geometries attainable with
wide-angle lenses require further considerations. A method to describe
the polarization state of light passed through a linear polarizer and
observed with an equidistant fisheye lens is described.
High-sensitivity refractive index sensor based on strong localized surface plasmon resonance
Authors: Chen Hanwen , Wang Xiangxian , Chen Yizhen , Rao Xijun , Zhu Huirong , Yang Hua , Qi Yunping
Published: March 2024

This study proposes two types of composite structures based on gold nano circular and nano square rings on a gold thin film for plasmonic refractive index sensing. The finite-difference time-domain method was used for simulation and analysis. The nano square ring composite structure showed superior performance, with five surface plasmon resonance modes, and a peak sensitivity and figure of merit in a liquid environment of 1600 nm/RIU and 86RIU−1, respectively. The sensing performances of localized surface plasmon resonance modes of both structures are superior to those of the propagating surface plasmon resonance modes. The proposed composite structures can provide a reference for refractive index sensing and have broad application prospects in bio-chemistry.
Method for GPU-based spectral data cube reconstruction of integral field snapshot imaging spectrometers
Authors: Ding Hailei , Zhu Yunxiang , Pan Haokang , Zhu Jiacheng , Zou Yibo
Published: March 2024

In this paper, the principles of spectral data cube reconstruction based on an integral field snapshot imaging spectrometer and GPU-based acceleration are presented. The primary focus is on improving the reconstruction algorithm using GPU parallel computing technology to enhance the computational efficiency for real-time applications. And the computational tasks of the spectral reconstruction algorithm were transferred to the GPU through program parallelization and memory optimization, resulting in significant performance gains. Experimental results indicate that the average processing time of the GPU-based parallel algorithm is approximately 29.43 ms, showing a substantial acceleration ratio of about 14.27 compared to the traditional CPU serial algorithm with an average processing time of around 420.46 ms. The study aims to refine the GPU parallelization algorithm for continued improvement in computational efficiency and overall performance. The anticipated applications of this research include providing crucial technical support for the perception and monitoring of crop growth traits in agricultural production, contributing to the modernization and advancement of intelligence in the field.
Surface exciton polariton enhanced Goos-Hänchen and Imbert-Fedorov shifts and their applications in refractive index sensing
Authors: Xu Yi , Wu Lin , Ang L. K.
Published: March 2024

The spatial and angular Goos-Hänchen shifts (GHSs) and Imbert-Fedorov shifts (IFSs) are theoretically investigated in a modified Kretschmann-Raether configuration consisting of glass prism, J-aggregate cyanine dye, and air. With the excitation of surface excitation polaritons (SEPs), the spatial and angular GHSs and IFSs for the transverse magnetic polarized light are strongly enhanced around the resonant angle of SEP. A highly sensitive gas sensor based on the SEP enhanced GHS (or IFS) is proposed, which exhibits the refractive index sensitivity on the order of 106λ/RIU (or 105λ/RIU) (λ: illumination wavelength; RIU: refractive index unit) for the GHS- (or IFS-) based gas sensor, respectively.
Demonstration of hundred-watt-level near-diffraction-limited monolithic fiber laser near 980 nm with step-index double-cladding Yb-doped fiber
Authors: Chen Maoni , Cao Jianqiu , Zhang Qi , Liu Aimin , Zhou Shangde , Huang Zhihe , Wang Zefeng , Chen Jinbao
Published: March 2024

In this paper, a hundred-watt-level near-diffraction-limited step-index Yb-doped fiber (YDF) laser near 980 nm is demonstrated firstly, to the best of our knowledge. By using the 11.7-W 979-nm single-mode seed light, the in-band amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) is well suppressed and the maximum output power of 101.5 W with the beam quality (M2 factor) of 1.285 was obtained. This work does not only propose an effective method for the suppression of in-band ASE, but also provides a cost-effective solution of hundred-Watt-level near-diffraction-limited fiber lasers near 980 nm.
Monolithic beam combined quantum cascade laser arrays with integrated arrayed waveguide gratings
Authors: Karnik Tushar Sanjay , Diehl Laurent , Dao Khoi Phuong , Du Qingyang , Pflügl Christian , Vakhshoori Daryoosh , Hu Juejun
Published: March 2024

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are ubiquitous mid-infrared sources owing to their flexible designs and compact footprints. Manufacturing multiwavelength QCL chips with high power levels and good beam quality is highly desirable for many applications. In this study, we demonstrate an λ ∼ 4.9 µm monolithic, wavelength beam-combined (WBC) infrared laser source by integrating on a single chip array of five QCL gain sections with an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). Optical feedback from the cleaved facets enables lasing, whereas the integrated AWG locks the emission spectrum of each gain section to its corresponding input channel wavelength and spatially combines their signals into a single-output waveguide. Our chip features high peak power from the common aperture exceeding 0.6 W for each input channel, with a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of over 27 dB when operated in pulsed mode. Our active/passive integration approach allows for a seamless transition from the QCL ridges to the AWG without requiring regrowth or evanescent coupling schemes, leading to a robust design. These results pave the way for the development of highly compact mid-IR sources suitable for applications such as hyperspectral imaging.
Fast-beam-switching optical phased array for moving objects in wireless optical communication networks
Authors: Yang Shichong , Wu Guihan , Tang Kaifei , Yu Fuhao , Ji Xiang , Xin Yu , Jiang Wei
Published: March 2024

For optical wireless communication systems, mechanical beam steering struggles to timely switch between multiple users or search for moving users. Here we demonstrate a fast-beam-switching optical phased array (OPA) for agile wireless communication networks. For point-to-multi-point (P2MP) scenarios, a setup of OPA-based fast beam switching between two aligned receivers was developed. A loss-free image transmission experiment was used to demonstrate the stability of switching. Furthermore, we have developed an approach to using the fast-switching OPA to follow the trajectory of moving objects so as to help enable agile random-access switching between moving objects. These results could help offer fast switching and reconfiguration for indoor wireless optical communications.
Double-pass second-harmonic generation of picosecond pulses with custom-poled KTP crystal
Authors: Zhang Yumin , Liu Jun , Qin Zhongzhong , Su Xiaolong
Published: March 2024

We present the double-pass second-harmonic generation (SHG) of picosecond pulses with a custom-poled potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) nonlinear crystal. The average output power of 466 mW at central wavelength of 515.7 nm is obtained with the input of 1.2 W fundamental laser pulses. Compared to the highest conversion efficiency of 29.1% in the single-pass SHG, the conversion efficiency in the double-pass SHG is increased to 38.8%. Moreover, the average RMS stability of 0.67% in 2 hours and high beam quality (M2 < 1.10) of the second-harmonic pulses is observed. The presented results provide an efficient method to enhance the conversion efficiency of SHG for picosecond pulses.
Manufacture Reliability of Si Photonic Foundry Fabricated Slow-Light Photonic Crystal Waveguides
Authors: Begovic Amir , Maksumic Amar , Chen Alexander , Fahrenkopf Nicholas , Baiocco Christopher , Huang Zhaoran
Published: March 2024

Single line-defect (W1) photonic crystal waveguides hold significant promise for various applications in integrated photonics due to their ability to induce slow light across wide photonic band ranges. Ensuring the manufacturing reliability of these devices is paramount for their practical implementation, as they tend to be highly sensitive to fabrication deviations. In this study, we investigated the manufacturing reliability of photonic crystal waveguides fabricated at the Albany Nanotech Complex foundry by comparing the consistency of band-edge locations and group indices across 14 chips. We also provide FIB images of the fabricated photonic crystals allowing an analysis of the side wall quality of the holes.
Twin stagnation free phase retrieval with vortex phase illumination
Authors: Khare Kedar , Kularia Muskan , Banerjee Manidipa
Published: March 2024

The recovery of complex-valued exit wavefront from its Fourier transform magnitude is challenging due to the stagnation problems associated with iterative phase retrieval algorithms. Among the various stagnation artefacts, the twin-image stagnation is the most difficult to address. The upright object and its inverted and complex-conjugated twin correspond to the identical Fourier magnitude data and hence appear simultaneously in the iterative solution. We show that the twin stagnation problem can be eliminated completely if a coherent beam with charge-1 vortex phase is used for illumination. Unlike the usual plane wave illumination case, a charge-1 vortex illumination intentionally introduces an isolated zero near the zero spatial frequency region, where maximal energy in the Fourier space is usually concentrated for most natural objects. The early iterations of iterative phase retrieval algorithms are observed to develop a clockwise or anti-clockwise vortex in the vicinity of this isolated zero. Once the solution latches onto a specific vortex profile in the neighborhood of this intentionally introduced intensity zero, the remaining parts of the solution quickly adjusts to the corresponding twin (upright or inverted) and further iterations are not observed to bring the other twin into the reconstruction. Our simulation studies with the well-known hybrid input-output (HIO) algorithm show that the solution always converges to one of the twins within a few hundred iterations when vortex phase illumination is used. Using a clockwise or anti-clockwise vortex phase as initial guess is also seen to lead to a solution consisting of the corresponding twin. The resultant solution still has some faint residual artifacts that can be addressed via the recently introduced complexity guidance methodology. There is an additional vortex phase in the final solution which can simply be subtracted out to obtain the original test object. The near guaranteed convergence to twin-stagnation free solution with vortex illumination as described here is potentially valuable for deploying practical imaging systems that work based on the iterative phase retrieval algorithms.
Single-frame double-grating interferometry with two inherent-phase-shifted interferograms
Authors: Rasouli Saifollah , Khoshkhatti Samaneh
Published: March 2024

In this work we introduce a novel self-referencing, common-path, double-grating interferometry method for studying slowly varying phase samples. Two plane wave diffraction orders of the gratings, namely (0,+1) and (+1,0), with a certain phase difference, interfere with each other in a single frame. When a phase sample is applied in the middle of the impinging beam, two simultaneous inherent phase-shifted interferograms are generated on either side of the interference pattern. In one interferogram, the sample phase is added to (0,+1), while in the second one, the sample phase is added to (+1,0). Consequently, the phase of the first interferogram increases by the amount of the sample phase, while in the second interferogram, it decreases by the same amount. In the absence of a phase sample, both interferograms have uniform intensity and value, since the two interfering beams have the same phase difference in both patterns. We observe that the intensity changes in the two interferograms due to the phase sample, depending on the initial phase difference between the two interfering beams, can be equal or even complementary. By precisely controlling the separation between two diffraction gratings, we introduce a specific phase difference between the interfering orders. This allows us to extract the phase information of the sample from the resulting pair of interferograms. This setup enables us to obtain the phase of the sample without applying an additional phase shift(s) between the interfering beams. The method was applied to a thermal lens induced in a nonlinear liquid sample containing absorbent nanoparticles. The proposed method is characterized by its simplicity, accuracy, and insensitivity to vibrations, making it well-suited for analyzing dynamic samples with millimeter scales, such as nearly transparent organisms. The theory, simulations, and experimental results presented in this paper are found to be consistent. Unlike conventional methods, our approach does not necessarily require a reference interferogram. Additionally, when the absolute value of phase changes over the sample area and time is less than π, the raw phase pattern precisely matches the reconstructed phase pattern of the sample, eliminating the need for a phase-reconstructing algorithm. The phase pattern can be accurately calculated from the interferograms using an arcsine function, without the need for a fast Fourier transform. In comparison to Fourier-based methods, the phase extraction process for each frame in our approach is 60 times faster. As a result, this technique operates in real-time for |φ(x,y;t)|<π.