bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chatting with the dead: The hermeneutics of thanabots
Authors: Henrickson Leah
Published: January 2023

In 2021, the San Francisco Chronicle released a feature article about a man who chose to resurrect his deceased fiancée by training a chatbot system built on OpenAI’s GPT language models on her old digital messages. He then had emotional conversations with this chatbot, which appeared to accurately mimic the deceased’s writing style. This case study raises questions about the communicative influences of thanabots: chatbots trained on data of the dead. While thanabots are clearly not living conversational partners, the rhetoric, everyday experiences, and emotions associated with these system have very real implications for living users. This paper applies a lifeworld perspective to consider the hermeneutics of thanabots. It shows that thanabots exist in a long lineage of efforts to communicate with the dead, but acknowledges that thanatechnologies must be more thoroughly studied for better understanding of what it means to die in a digital age.
Evaluating the healthfulness of Asian American young adult dietary behaviors and its association with family structure: Disaggregated results from NHIS 2015
Authors: Ali Shahmir H , Parekh Niyati , Islam Nadia S , Merdjanoff Alexis A , DiClemente Ralph J
Published: January 2023

Background: Asian Americans (AA) young adults face a growing non-communicable disease burden linked with poor dietary behaviors. Family plays a significant role in shaping the diet of AA young adults, although little is known on the specific types of family structures most associated with different dietary behaviors. Aim: This analysis explores the changes in dietary behaviors across different AA young adult family structural characteristics. Methods: Nationwide data of 18–35-year-old self-identified Asians surveyed in the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) was analyzed. Family structure was measured through family size, family health, and family members in one's life. The Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ) measured the average intake of 10 food and nutrient groups. Published dietary guidelines were used to calculate the number of dietary recommendations met. Results: 670 AA young adults with dietary data were analyzed (26.1% Asian Indian, 26.1% Chinese, 19.3% Filipino, 28.5% other Asian). Participants had an average family size of 2.3. In weighted analyses, 19% of AA young adults met none of the examined dietary recommendations, and only 14% met 3–4 guidelines. Living with a child was associated meeting more dietary recommendations (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.22; 95%CI: 1.05, 1.42). The adjusted association between living with an older adult and lower odds of meeting dietary recommendations approached significance (AOR: 0.70; 95%CI: 0.49, 1.00). Conclusions: Findings revealed the important role of children and older adults in influencing the diet of AA young adults. Further mixed-methods research to disentangle mechanisms behind the influence of family structure on diet is warranted.
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for shoulder pain after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Tingyu , Zhang Cai
Published: January 2023

Objective

To systematically review the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for shoulder pain after stroke.

Data sources

A systematic review of Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, SinoMed, WanFang Data, VIP, and ClinicalTrials.gov from the establishment of the database to 20 December 2022 was carried out.

Review methods

The bibliography was screened to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that applied extracorporeal shock waves to shoulder pain after stroke. Two researchers independently searched, screened, and extracted data from each database according to the search strategy and resolved any disagreements through negotiation.

Results

A total of 18 RCTs were included (1248 individuals). Meta-analysis showed that the ESWT group had better visual analogue scale (VAS) scores (mean difference (MD) =  − 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) [ − 1.43, − 0.95], p < 0.00001), Fugl-Meyer assessment upper extremity scale (FMA-UE) scores (MD = 6.25, 95% CI [4.64, 7.87], p < 0.00001), active range of motion (AROM) assessment (MD = 11.28, 95% CI [5.26, 17.30], p = 0.0002), and functional comprehensive assessment (FCA) scores (MD = 5.47, 95% CI [4.45, 6.49], p < 0.00001) comparative to the control group; no statistical significance in Constant-Murley score (CMS) (MD = 0.98, 95% CI [ − 11.05, 13.02], p = 0.87) and descriptive analysis of modified Barthel Index (MBI) only.

Conclusion

The ESWT improves pain levels, motor function, active mobility, comprehensive function of shoulder, and activities of daily living (ADL) better than conventional treatment in patients with shoulder pain after stroke.
The impact of formal musical training on speech intelligibility performance: Implications for music pedagogy in high-consequence industries
Authors: Bruder Alexandra L , Rothwell Clayton D , Baillargeon Suzanne A , Shotwell Matthew S , Edworthy Judy R , Schlesinger Joseph J
Published: January 2023

In high-risk industries, responding accurately and promptly to spoken commands is crucial to ensure safety and productivity. When simultaneous sounds occur, it increases the difficulty of responding efficiently and accurately. This study examined responses to spoken commands in an audio-visual multitasking paradigm that simulated a high-consequence working environment. Participants had varying levels of formal music training (FMT): no FMT, 1–3, 3–5, and 5+ years of FMT. We found that FMT groups were similar in accuracy overall and background music decreased accuracy for all groups. The degree of FMT significantly impacted non-response. Additionally, there was an interaction where the no FMT group responded 1.5-fold less frequently in the presence of background music; however, participants with 5+ years of FMT had no decrease. Considering the similar accuracy with less frequent responding, the 5+ years FMT group appears well calibrated to when they were unsure of the answer, suggestive of improved meta-cognition which could be valuable in high-risk industry settings. Future research can examine performance within different types or quality of musical training, and pedagogical approaches can be compared.
Analysis of ride comfort and road friendliness of heavy vehicle inertial suspension based on the ground-hook control strategy
Authors: Yang Dedi , Yang Xiaofeng , Shen Yujie , Liu Yanling , Bi Shuilan , Liu Xiaofu
Published: January 2023

In order to comprehensively improve the ride comfort performance and the road friendliness performance of the heavy vehicles, an inertial suspension using ground-hook (GH) control is proposed in this paper, and the suspension performances are compared at different loading rates and driving speeds. Firstly, a half vehicle model of the inertial suspension of the heavy vehicle based on the GH control is established. Then, the key parameters of the GH inertial suspension are optimized by the genetic algorithm and the system simulations are carried out. By comparing to the conventional passive suspension, the root-mean-square (RMS) of the vertical acceleration of the body centroid is reduced by 4.87%, and the RMS of the dynamic tire loads of the front and the rear wheels are reduced by 16.19% and 10.02%, respectively. Results show that the GH inertial suspension can effectively coordinate and improve the ride comfort and road friendliness of heavy vehicles simultaneously.
PolyEffNetV1: A CNN based colorectal polyp detection in colonoscopy images
Authors: Sadagopan Rajkumar , Ravi Saravanan , Adithya Sairam Vuppala , Vivekanandhan Sapthagirivasan
Published: January 2023

Presence of polyps is the root cause of colorectal cancer, hence identification of such polyps at an early stage can help in advance treatments to avoid complications to the patient. Since there are variations in the size and shape of polyps, the task of detecting them in colonoscopy images becomes challenging. Hence our work is to leverage an algorithm for segmentation and classification of the polyp of colonoscopy images using Deep learning algorithms. In this work, we propose PolypEffNetV1, a U-Net to segment the different pathologies present in the colonoscopy frame and EfficientNetB5 to classify the detected pathologies. The colonoscopy images for the segmentation process are taken from the open-source dataset KVASIR, it consists of 1000 images with “ground truth” labeling. For classification, combination of KVASIR and CVC datasets are incorporated, which consists of 1612 images with 1696 polyp regions and 760 non-polyp inflamed regions. The proposed PolypEffNetV1 produced testing accuracy of 97.1%, Jaccard index of 0.84, dice coefficient of 0.91, and F1-score of 0.89. Subsequently, for classification to evidence whether the segmented region is polyp or non-polyp inflammation, the developed classifier produced validation accuracy of 99%, specificity of 98%, and sensitivity of 99%. Hence the proposed system could be used by gastroenterologists to identify the presence of polyp in the colonoscopy images/videos which will in turn increase healthcare quality. These developed models can be either deployed on the edge of the device to enable real-time aidance or can be integrated with existing software-application for offline review and treatment planning.
Benzonatate Safety and Effectiveness: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Costantino Ryan C. , Leonard James , Gorman Emily F. , Ventura Davide , Baltz Alan , Gressler Laura Elisabeth
Published: January 2023

Objective:

To review the available literature regarding the treatment effects and efficacy of benzonatate needed to better inform patients, providers, and regulators evaluating its role in modern medical therapies.

Data Sources:

Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), Cochrane Library, and Scopus for original research articles evaluating the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety profile of benzonatate from January 1956 through August 2022.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

The identified studies were screened for relevance and then assessed for inclusion through a full-text review, data extraction, and quality assessment by multiple reviewers using the online software Covidence.

Data Synthesis:

The selection process resulted in 37 articles consisting of 21 cohort studies, 5 experimental studies, and 11 case studies and series. Initial clinical studies exploring potential therapeutic benefits collected data from very small populations and limited clinical settings. Safety is primarily assessed in terms of toxicity due to overdose or inappropriate use. Quality assessment raised concerns for high degrees of biases primarily related to the limited sample size, data collection, generalizability, and study design.

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice:

This review reveals substantial limitations within existing evidence pertaining to the safety and clinical effectiveness of benzonatate and thus, a need for large observational studies or randomized trials to better characterize its role and value in modern medical practice.

Conclusions:

Rising safety concerns should bring closer scrutiny upon the prescription of benzonatate whose approval is founded upon evidence that would not stand up to current regulatory review.
Vonoprazan With Amoxicillin or Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin for the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Liu Ligang , Nahata Milap C.
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

To describe the pharmacology, efficacy, safety, and potential role of vonoprazan with amoxicillin or amoxicillin and clarithromycin for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults.

Data Sources:

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched using the terms: (vonoprazan OR voquezna) AND (“ H. pylori” OR “ Helicobacter pylori”) AND amoxicillin with no date limitations up to November 3, 2022.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Studies assessing the efficacy and safety of vonoprazan with amoxicillin and/or clarithromycin were included and divided into 3 groups based on different comparisons between treatment regimens used in each group.

Data Synthesis:

Ten clinical trials and 17 observational studies were included. Vonoprazan-based therapy demonstrated greater acid inhibition and similar or higher efficacy than proton-pump inhibitor (PPI)-based therapy in treatment-naïve patients and with clarithromycin-resistant infections.

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice:

Proton-pump inhibitor-based therapies have not reached the desired successful eradication rate of 90% for H. pylori infection. Vonoprazan-based therapies being at least as effective as PPI-based therapies offer an alternative for patients with H. pylori infection.

Conclusion:

Vonoprazan-based therapies were effective and well tolerated for the treatment of H. pylori infection in adults. These regimens provide an important alternative with prolonged acid inhibition, lower potential for CYP2C19 polymorphism, and at least comparable efficacy and safety versus PPI-based therapies in patients with H. pylori infections. Thus, vonoprazan-based therapy should be considered for certain patients, for example, those with failure to PPI-based treatments.
Derivation and External Validation of a Risk Prediction Model for Pulmonary Embolism in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhu Ning , Zhang Lei , Gong Shengping , Luo Zhuanbo , He Lei , Wang Linfeng , Qiu Feng , Huang Weina , Cao Chao
Published: January 2023

Objective

To investigate the risk factors of pulmonary embolism in patients with lung cancer and develop and validate a novel nomogram scoring system-based prediction model.

Method

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and laboratory characteristics of 900 patients with lung cancer who were treated, including patients with lung cancer without pulmonary embolism (LC) and patients with lung cancer with pulmonary embolism (LC  +  PE). The patients were randomly divided into derivation and internal validation groups in a 7:3 ratio. Using logistic regression analysis, a diagnostic model of the nomogram scoring system was developed by incorporating selected variables in the derivation group and validated in the internal and external validation groups (n  =  108).

Result

Seven variables (adenocarcinoma, stage III-IV LC, indwelling central venous catheter, chemotherapy, and the levels of serum albumin, hemoglobin, and D-dimer) were identified as valuable parameters for developing the novel nomogram diagnostic model for differentiating patients with LC and LC  +  PE. The scoring system demonstrated good diagnostic performance in the derivation (area under the curve [AUC]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.918; 0.893, 0.943; sensitivity, 88.5%; specificity, 80.5%), internal validation (AUC; 95% CI, 0.921; 0.884, 0.958; sensitivity, 90.5%; specificity, 80.4%), and external validation (AUC; 95% CI, 0.929; 0.875, 0.983; sensitivity; 85.0%; specificity; 87.5%) groups.

Conclusion

In this study, we constructed and validated a nomogram scoring system based on 7 clinical parameters. The scoring system exhibits good accuracy and discrimination between patients with LC and LC  +  PE and can effectively predict the risk of PE in patients with LC.
Self-represented litigation and meaningful access to justice in Aotearoa and Samoa
Authors: Fa’amatuainu Bridget
Published: January 2023

More than a decade ago, the first exploratory study into the experiences of Self-Represented Litigants in Aotearoa (New Zealand) recommended the need for more cultural perspectives in this area of research. This article makes a timely contribution to building this knowledge base while identifying some of the gaps, attitudes, intersectional experiences and challenges faced by Pacific communities within their respective cross-cultural contexts in response to Aotearoa’s justice system. As a starting point, we explore the existing framework of self-represented litigation in Aotearoa as well as some of the key limitations to highlight how responsive it is to cultural and systemic issues of bias. This article further explicates key principles from a customary approach used in Samoa to demonstrate how it may help facilitate meaningful engagement across diasporic Pan-Pacific communities to further enhance cross-cultural litigation in the civil justice system of Aotearoa—a largely under-theorised area.
Evaluation of tribological property and coating reliability of alumina and aluminum silicate-coated A356 aluminum alloy
Authors: Vijay Renjish , Aju Kumar V N , Sadiq A , Krishna Kumar T S
Published: January 2023

Material loss due to relative motion between the contact surfaces causes surface degradation leading to premature failure of engineering systems. Of the several techniques to improve the wear resistance of rubbing components, the process of providing a hard protective surface coating has gained tremendous significance. Aluminum alloys used in engineering applications are exposed to rubbing, resulting in progressive wear. Sol-gel coating is a widely accepted surface coating technique for aluminum alloys, and this paper focuses on alumina and aluminum silicate coating applied to aluminum alloys. The tribological characteristics such as coefficient of friction (COF) and volumetric wear losses (VWL) are evaluated using a pin on disc (POD) tribometer. Finite-element analysis (FEA) plays a vital role in bringing an approximate solution to various engineering and non-engineering problems. The POD tribometer is modelled in the design modeller of the Ansys workbench based on the Archard wear model. The coating reliability is experimentally estimated based on its tribological properties. Surface hardness is measured by microhardness indentation test, and materials characterization is done using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR) spectroscopy. It is observed that alumina coating exhibits better tribological properties than aluminum silicate-coated A356 aluminum alloy.
The Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Pregnancy Study: First-trimester miscarriages in women with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Sadovnick Dessa , Criscuoli Maria , Yee Irene , Carruthers Robert , Schabas Alice , Devonshire Virginia , Smyth Penelope
Published: January 2023

Background

There is increasing need for evidence-based data on reproduction for women with multiple sclerosis (MS). First-trimester (first 13 weeks) miscarriages are relatively common in the general population. It is therefore important to have information on the frequency with which this occurs in women with MS.

Methods

The Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Pregnancy Study (CANPREG-MS) is a prospective study on women with MS who are pregnant or actively trying to conceive. As far as we are aware, this is the first study on miscarriages for this population that takes into account each woman’s entire pregnancy history (i.e. before and after the MS diagnosis as well as during enrollment in CANPREG-MS).

Results

There were 208 pregnancies during the study and 36 resulted in first-trimester miscarriage for a rate of 17.31%, within the expected range of 15%–20% for the general population.

Conclusions

CANPREG-MS provides real world data that there does not appear to be an increase in first-trimester miscarriages for women with MS. This information will be helpful to women with MS and their healthcare providers.
Immunomodulatory effects of ocrelizumab and candidate biomarkers for monitoring treatment response in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Abbadessa Gianmarco , Miele Giuseppina , Maida Elisabetta , Vanore Emanuele , Cipriano Lorenzo , Coppola Cinzia , Lavorgna Luigi , Bonavita Simona
Published: January 2023

Ocrelizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to bind to the CD20 molecule, resulting in a rapid depletion of B-cells; however, it has been shown that lymphocyte subpopulations other than B-cells are affected by the drug. To review the effects of ocrelizumab on circulating lymphocytes and identify candidate biomarkers to predict and monitor treatment response. A literature search for the most relevant articles from 2006 to 2022 was conducted in PubMed and Scopus. The effect of ocrelizumab on the peripheral immune system goes beyond B-cells; it also depletes T CD20 + lymphocytes. Further, ocrelizumab reshapes the T-cell response toward a low inflammatory profile and induces an increase in T CD8 + regulatory cell percentage. A higher Body Mass Index and higher B-cell count at baseline have been associated with early B-cell reappearance. Serum neurofilament light chain reduction has been associated with treatment response. Ocrelizumab treatment exerts a broad immunomodulatory effect and may be tailored based on patients’ clinical and biological profiles.
Constructing the school paradox in the lives of children living with parental mental illness
Authors: Cudjoe Ebenezer , Tam Cherry HL , Chiu Marcus YL
Published: January 2023

Children living with parental mental illness are referred to as an invisible population because mental health services rarely target them, as the focus is often on the parent who is ill mentally. The same situation occurs even in school where they are unnoticed. This study conducted in Ghana creates awareness about what these children think about their interactions at school in the context of parental mental illness. Data was collected through interviews and diaries with 13 children living with parental mental illness and analysed to attain the essential features through Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology. The children find the school as a happy space where they do not have to be worried about the parent’s mental illness. Ultimately, though, even at school, most of the children become concerned about the mental wellbeing of the parent due to their loyalty towards them. This results in the school paradox where the children are torn between having their own time at school and being worried about the parent’s condition back home, wanting to be there for the parent. The school paradox is an unhealthy cycle that could be addressed with coordinated efforts from mental health professionals, social workers, psychologists and teachers.
Performing smart sexual selves: A sexual scripting analysis of youth talk about internet pornography
Authors: Healy-Cullen Siobhan , Morison Tracy , Taylor Joanne E , Taylor Kris
Published: January 2023

In this article, we explore young New Zealanders’ use of sexual scripts in talk about Internet pornography (IP) to perform ‘smart’ sexual selves. Using sexual scripting theory, as developed by feminist discursive psychologists, our analysis of interview data generated with 10 youth (aged 16–18 years) highlights two commonly constructed sexual identities across youth talk; (i) the proficient Internet pornography user, and (ii) the astute Internet pornography viewer. The way these young people talk about portrayals of sexuality and gender in IP – and their ability to discern its artifice – suggests they are savvy consumers who are capable of using IP as a cultural resource (e.g. for learning, entertainment) while at the same time acknowledging it as a flawed representation of sex and sexuality. We discuss the implications of our findings for strengths-based sexuality education that supports sexual agency, proposing a justice-orientated approach grounded in the notion of ethical sexual citizenship.
The epistemologies of data journalism
Authors: Ramsälv Amanda , Ekström Mats , Westlund Oscar
Published: January 2023

Amid digital developments, data journalism has gained a strong foothold among news publishers and in public discourse. With its authoritative claims and informative visualizations, it can play a significant role in the actions of citizens and people in power. This mixed-method case study explores a distinct epistemology developed in an independent form of data journalism in public service media in Scandinavia, not subordinate to traditional news values or investigative journalism. The study investigates its knowledge and truth claims, approach to data, transparency practices, and resources invested to claim reliable knowledge. The epistemology is characterized by innovative practices in the visualizing of essentially prejustified datasets. It claims public value offering general information and audience-friendly explorations of individual perspectives on topics on the public agenda. The approach to data views reality as measurable facts yet indicates epistemic ambiguity regarding figures’ reliability, guided by a principle of reasonableness in the justifications of truth claims.
‘90 per cent of the time when I have had a drink in my hand I’m on my phone as well’: A cross-national analysis of communications technologies and drinking practices among young people
Authors: Caluzzi Gabriel , Fenton Laura , Holmes John , MacLean Sarah , Pennay Amy , Fairbrother Hannah , Törrönen Jukka
Published: January 2023

Greater use of communication technologies among young people, including mobile phones, social media and communication apps, has coincided with declines in youth alcohol use in many high-income countries. However, little research has unpacked how drinking as a practice within interconnected routines and interactions may be changing alongside these technologies. Drawing on qualitative interviews about drinking with young people aged 16–23 across three similar studies in Australia, the United Kingdom and Sweden, we identify how communication technologies may afford reduced or increased drinking. They may reduce drinking by producing new online contexts, forms of intimacy and competing activities. They may increase drinking by re-organising drinking occasions, rituals and contexts. And they may increase or reduce drinking by enabling greater fluidity and interaction between diverse practices. These countervailing dynamics have likely contributed to shifting drinking patterns and practices for young people that may be obscured beneath the population-level decline in youth drinking.
Optimizing Care for Pregnancy in Epilepsy: The Need to Address Anxiety and Depression Symptoms
Authors: Munger Clary Heidi M.
Published: January 2023

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Mid-Term Results of Treating Kommerell’s Diverticulum and Aberrant Subclavian Artery Anomalies Using a Patient-Centered Team Approach
Authors: Colpitts Dayle K. , Ragan Mecklin V. , Spinosa David J. , Ryan Liam , Mukherjee Dipankar
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The management of Kommerell’s Diverticulum (KD) has evolved from open surgical resection and graft replacement of the aorta, to endovascular repair in asymptomatic patients due to its recognized possible sequelae – aortic rupture and dissection. Despite these technical advances, standard indications for intervention and treatment algorithms remain unclear. We will present our single-center experience in the treatment of KD, supporting a multidisciplinary endovascular-first approach.

Methods

All patients who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for KD between 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively identified from a prospectively maintained institutional surgery database. Chart review was used to characterize presenting symptoms, interventions, technical results, and complications. Revascularization was performed using carotid-axillary bypass. Routine endovascular subclavian artery occlusion was employed to eliminate retrograde diverticulum perfusion and avoid open ligation.

Results

8 patients were identified, including 6 females and 2 males between the ages of 44-76. Patients presented with dysphagia (n = 3), acute embolic stroke (n = 1), transient ischemic attack (TIA) (n = 1), upper extremity embolization (n = 1), and acute type B aortic dissection (n = 1). One patient had a prior incomplete open repair that was successfully treated endovascularly. Another patient had a mediastinal neoplasm infiltrating an incidental aberrant subclavian artery and KD. All cases had symptomatic improvement and successful endovascular repair as demonstrated on post-operative imaging. Perioperative complications included percutaneous access site pseudoaneurysm (n = 2), stroke (n = 1), and subclavian artery rupture immediately recognized and treated (n = 1). There was no perioperative mortality.

Conclusion

Endovascular techniques have resulted in technical success and symptomatic improvement for KD without open thoracotomy or sternotomy. Significant rates of endovascular complications and paucity of long-term durability data should be considered. Until formal criteria for repair are established, early application of TEVAR using a consistent multi-specialty approach may mitigate the risk of unpredictable aortic complications in these patients while avoiding the accepted morbidity and mortality of open surgery.
Simultaneous hybrid repair of symptomatic femoral, iliac, and abdominal aortic aneurysms
Authors: Kennedy Raymond E , Hamilton CA , Rahimi SA , Ady JW
Published: January 2023

Background

Focal peripheral arterial aneurysms, though rare, have a relatively high association with coexisting synchronous or metachronous aneurysms. While most are asymptomatic at presentation, there is concern for aneurysm thrombosis, embolization, or rupture, which can lead to acute limb ischemia or even limb loss. These complications require early intervention with either open or endovascular surgery, oftentimes staged due to complexity.

Method

We describe a case of a 65-year-old male presenting with a symptomatic common femoral artery aneurysm with a simultaneous infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, requiring a hybrid endovascular and open approach for operative repair due to the size and characteristics of his aneurysms.

Discussion

As the consensus for the management of synchronous/metachronous aneurysms is to stage the procedures, it is important to report scenarios where a single hybrid operation was technically feasible and resulted in good patient outcomes.

Conclusion

This report supports the role of utilizing multiple hybrid operative techniques to best repair the respective aneurysm in a single operation, with favorable patient outcomes.
Left common iliac vein diameter in patients referred for lower limb venous duplex ultrasound
Authors: Judges Damon , Liu Chen , Onida Sarah , Lane Tristan Robert Alexander , Davies Alun Huw
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Evidence regarding ultrasound assessment of left common iliac vein diameter (LCIV) is limited. Extensive work is currently being undertaken worldwide on non-thrombotic iliac vein lesions to identify patients who may benefit from intervention to alleviate symptoms of chronic venous obstruction. Interventions include long-term stent implantation to improve vein diameter stenosis. This study aimed to assess a cohort of symptomatic venous patients and the diameter of the LCIV in these patients.

Methods

: Retrospective medical records review of all patients attending a tertiary vascular surgery centre who underwent a venous duplex ultrasound assessment between April 2017 and February 2018 were analysed for assessment of LCIV. Medical records of those patients with documented LCIV diameter were assessed over 18 months of follow-up.

Results

: A total of 672 (271 males, 401 females) LCIV diameter measurements were collected. The age of the patients ranged from 21 to 95 years (mean = 56.38). Median LCIV diameter overall was 7.64 mm (IQR 5.80mm–9.00 mm). 40 patients (6%) were reported to have a LCIV diameter measurement of < 4 mm, 8 (20%) male and 32 female (80%). 17 of these 40 patients (47.5%) were treated conservatively. Median LCIV diameter was 3.4 mm (IQR 2.5–3.7). 21 of these 40 patients (52.5%) underwent superficial venous intervention only, with a median LCIV diameter of 3.5 mm (IQR 3.2–3.7) and 2 out of these 40 patients (5%) underwent deep venous stenting (2/2 female – 100%), with a median LCIV diameter of 2.9 (IQR 2.9–2.9). No patients underwent both superficial and deep venous treatment in this 40 patient cohort. In those undergoing superficial venous intervention, 4 (19%) underwent repeat treatment. The two deep venous stenting patients underwent magnetic resonance venogram and venogram with intravascular ultrasound to allow stent placement, which confirmed a narrowed left common iliac vein. Primary stent patency at 18 months was 100%.

Conclusion

In this large study cohort of venous duplex assessments the median vein diameter was 7.64 mm and 40 patients out of 672 had a vein diameter smaller than 4 mm. 2 patients underwent deep venous stenting with primary patency of 100%.
Does Perceived Control Matter in the Outpatient Waiting Room?
Authors: Devlin Ann Sloan , Hetzel Cecily , Rathgeber Madalena
Published: January 2023

Objective:

The study examined perceived control in the context of the outpatient waiting room to further understand the extent to which patients want to exercise control in that environment. Background: In Ulrich’s theory of supportive design, research shows more evidence for positive distraction and social support than for perceived control; its role in outpatient settings has not been examined.

Method:

This between-subjects experimental design, in which participants read a written scenario varying the number of patients waiting (1 or 5) and the control available (no information provided, personal controls, and room controls), examined the effect of those variables on stress, satisfaction with the environment, extent of perceived control, and participants’ schema of who should control the environment of the waiting room.

Results:

Having individual controls available in the waiting room favorably impacted the perception of the environment but did not significantly impact stress. The data show that people likely have a schema of appropriate behavior in a doctor’s waiting room, which does not encourage manipulation of environmental elements.

Conclusions:

In the doctor’s office waiting room, having individual controls, such as on-off knobs on table lamps next to each chair, can improve evaluation of the environment and increase people’s perception of control.
Manipulative tactics are the norm in political emails: Evidence from 300K emails from the 2020 US election cycle
Authors: Mathur Arunesh , Wang Angelina , Schwemmer Carsten , Hamin Maia , Stewart Brandon M , Narayanan Arvind
Published: January 2023

We collect and analyze a corpus of more than 300,000 political emails sent during the 2020 US election cycle. These emails were sent by over 3000 political campaigns and organizations including federal and state level candidates as well as Political Action Committees. We find that in this corpus, manipulative tactics—techniques using some level of deception or clickbait—are the norm, not the exception. We measure six specific tactics senders use to nudge recipients to open emails. Three of these tactics—“dark patterns”—actively deceive recipients through the email user interface, for example, by formatting “from:” fields so that they create the false impression the message is a continuation of an ongoing conversation. The median active sender uses such tactics 5% of the time. The other three tactics, like sensationalistic clickbait—used by the median active sender 37% of the time—are not directly deceptive, but instead, exploit recipients’ curiosity gap and impose pressure to open emails. This can further expose recipients to deception in the email body, such as misleading claims of matching donations. Furthermore, by collecting emails from different locations in the US, we show that senders refine these tactics through A/B testing. Finally, we document disclosures of email addresses between senders in violation of privacy policies and recipients’ expectations. Cumulatively, these tactics undermine voters’ autonomy and welfare, exacting a particularly acute cost for those with low digital literacy. We offer the complete corpus of emails at https://electionemails2020.org for journalists and academics, which we hope will support future work.
A bridge from uncertainty to understanding: The meaning of symptom management digital health technology during cancer treatment
Authors: Darley Andrew , Coughlan Barbara , Maguire Roma , McCann Lisa , Furlong Eileen
Published: January 2023

Objective

Digital health technology is valued as a tool to provide person-centred care and improve health outcomes amongst people with cancer and their family caregivers. Although the evidence to date shows encouraging effectiveness, there is limited knowledge regarding the lived experience and personal meaning of using supportive technology during cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of people with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy using digital health symptom management technology and their family caregivers.

Methods

A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological analytical approach was adopted including three people with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer and four family caregivers.

Findings

Three superordinate themes and related subthemes were identified. The first theme (The 3 Cs of symptom management technology) centred on the continuity of care that participants felt while using the technology. The second theme (Digital health technology as a psychosocial support) offered insights into the psychological benefits using technology incurred as they navigated their cancer diagnosis including sense of control and psychological safety. The final theme (Impact of digital health technology on family caregivers) details the supportive effect the technology had on family caregivers’ role, responsibilities and well-being during the cancer experience.

Conclusion

Digital health technology can act as a bridge from uncertainty to an understanding regarding a cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Digital health technology can support peoples’ understanding of cancer and enhance self-management practices, while being a psychological support in navigating the uncertain and often worrying period of receiving cancer treatment.
Who Uses Mhealth? User Archetypes for Physical and Mental Health Apps
Authors: Aziz Maryam , Erbad Aiman , Belhaouari Samir B , Almourad Mohamed B , Altuwairiqi Majid , Ali Raian
Published: January 2023

Objective

This study aims to explore the user archetypes of health apps based on average usage and psychometrics.

Methods

The study utilized a dataset collected through a dedicated smartphone application and contained usage data, i.e. the timestamps of each app session from October 2020 to April 2021. The dataset had 129 participants for mental health apps usage and 224 participants for physical health apps usage. Average daily launches, extraversion, neuroticism, and satisfaction with life were the determinants of the mental health apps clusters, whereas average daily launches, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and satisfaction with life were for physical health apps.

Results

Two clusters of mental health apps users were identified using k-prototypes clustering: help-seeking and maintenance users and three clusters of physical health apps users were identified: happy conscious occasional, happy neurotic occasional, and unhappy neurotic frequent users.

Conclusion

The findings from this study helped to understand the users of health apps based on the frequency of usage, personality, and satisfaction with life. Further, with these findings, apps can be tailored to optimize user experience and satisfaction which may help to increase user retention. Policymakers may also benefit from these findings since understanding the populations’ needs may help to better invest in effective health technology.
Clinical outcomes of a standardized rehabilitation protocol for meniscal repair: A retrospective case series
Authors: LAM Gavin Cho wai , YIU Ramon Lo , LEUNG Yuen Fai
Published: January 2023

Background/Purpose: To examine clinical and functional outcomes of patients who underwent meniscal repair with a modified accelerated rehabilitation program. Methods: This study represents a case series of patients who underwent meniscal repair from 2017 to 2019. The mean patient age was 26.6 (range: 15–47) years. Of the 28 total patients, 22 had concomitant anterior cruciate ligament tears that were treated with single-bundle hamstring reconstruction at the time of meniscal repair. All patients were enrolled in a standardized rehabilitation program, allowing early-phase protected weight-bearing and knee mobilization. Patient-reported symptoms, the McMurray test, and the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) were used to evaluate outcomes. The mean follow-up period was 13 ± 3.1 (range: 9–20) months. Results: Of the participating patients, 75% (22 of 28) returned to their original sports activities. Most patients displayed satisfactory clinical outcomes with significant improvements in IKDC scores. No re-tears were detected. Conclusion: Early protected weight-bearing with progressive early knee mobilization is a safe rehabilitation option after meniscal repair.
Principal and Teacher Shared Race and Gender Intersections: Teacher Turnover, Workplace Conditions, and Monetary Benefits
Authors: Viano Samantha , Rodriguez Luis A. , Hunter Seth B.
Published: January 2023

Recruiting racially minoritized principals is one suggested strategy to increase the racial diversity of teachers, who would then better match their increasingly racially diverse students. However, focusing solely on race ignores the salience of race-gender intersectionality in principal-teacher relations. Using three waves of nationally representative, cross-sectional data with school and year fixed effects, we compared similar teachers in the same school who are and are not race-gender congruent with their principal. We found that better discretionary workplace benefits were concentrated among Black teachers with Black principals, especially Black male teachers with Black male principals, who reported workplace supports almost half a standard deviation higher than did similar non-Black female teachers in their school. Male teachers earned up to $2,890 more supplemental income with male, racially congruent principals; female teachers earned up to $1,050 less with female, racially congruent principals. However, teacher turnover was not consistently responsive to race-gender congruence.
Evaluation of Strategies to Improve Uptake of Expedited Partner Therapy for Chlamydia trachomatis Treatment in Minnesota: A Decision Analytic Model
Authors: Groene Emily A. , Boraas Christy M. , Smith M. Kumi , Lofgren Sarah M. , Rothenberger Meghan K. , Enns Eva A.
Published: January 2023

Background. Despite the established effectiveness of expedited partner therapy (EPT) in partner treatment of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STI), the practice is underutilized. Objective. To estimate the relative effectiveness of strategies to increase EPT uptake (numbers of partners treated for chlamydia). Methods. We developed a care cascade model of cumulative probabilities to estimate the number of partners treated under strategies to increase EPT uptake in Minnesota. The care cascade model used data from clinical trials, population-based studies, and Minnesota chlamydia surveillance as well as in-depth interviews of health providers who regularly treat STI patients and a statewide survey of health providers across Minnesota. Results. Several strategies could improve EPT uptake among providers, including facilitating treatment payment (additional 1,932 partners treated) and implementing electronic health record reminders (additional 1,755 partners treated). Addressing concerns about liability would have the greatest effect, resulting in 2,187 additional partners treated. Conclusions. Providers expressed openness to offering EPT under several scenarios, which reflect differences in knowledge about EPT, its legality, and potential risks to patients. While addressing concerns about provider liability would have the greatest effect on number of partners treated, provider education and procedural changes could make a substantial impact.

Highlights

Addressing provider concerns about expedited partner therapy (EPT) legality and its potential risks would result in the most partners treated for chlamydia. EPT alerts and electronic EPT prescriptions may also streamline partner treatment. Provider education about the legality of EPT and its potential risks and training in counseling patients on EPT could also increase uptake.
Hemithorax white-out due to massive pleural effusion
Authors: Kolluri Shreya , Mangal Rohan K. , Stead Thor S. , Ganti Latha
Published: January 2023

This is a clinical image submission depicting hemithorax white-out due to massive pleural effusion.
Identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers in high-dimensional data with PPLasso
Authors: Zhu Wencan , Lévy-Leduc Céline , Ternès Nils
Published: January 2023

In clinical trials, identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers has became essential to precision medicine. Prognostic biomarkers can be useful for the prevention of the occurrence of the disease, and predictive biomarkers can be used to identify patients with potential benefit from the treatment. Previous researches were mainly focused on clinical characteristics, and the use of genomic data in such an area is hardly studied. A new method is required to simultaneously select prognostic and predictive biomarkers in high dimensional genomic data where biomarkers are highly correlated. We propose a novel approach called PPLasso, that integrates prognostic and predictive effects into one statistical model. PPLasso also takes into account the correlations between biomarkers that can alter the biomarker selection accuracy. Our method consists in transforming the design matrix to remove the correlations between the biomarkers before applying the generalized Lasso. In a comprehensive numerical evaluation, we show that PPLasso outperforms the traditional Lasso and other extensions on both prognostic and predictive biomarker identification in various scenarios. Finally, our method is applied to publicly available transcriptomic and proteomic data.