bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation: assessing net clinical benefit
Authors: McIntyre William F , Benz Alexander P , Tojaga Nedim , Brandes Axel , Lopes Renato D , Healey Jeff S
Published: August 2024

Subclinical, device-detected atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently recorded by pacemakers and other implanted cardiac rhythm devices. Patients with device-detected AF have an elevated risk of stroke, but a lower risk of stroke than similar patients with clinical AF captured with surface electrocardiogram. Two randomized clinical trials (NOAH-AFNET 6 and ARTESiA) have tested a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) against aspirin or placebo. A study-level meta-analysis of the two trials found that treatment with a DOAC resulted in a 32% reduction in ischaemic stroke and a 62% increase in major bleeding; the results of the two trials were consistent. The annualized rate of stroke in the control arms was ∼1%. Several factors point towards overall net benefit from DOAC treatment for patients with device-detected AF. Strokes in ARTESiA were frequently fatal or disabling and bleeds were rarely lethal. The higher absolute rates of major bleeding compared with ischaemic stroke while on treatment with a DOAC in the two trials are consistent with the ratio of bleeds to strokes seen in the pivotal DOAC vs. warfarin trials in patients with clinical AF. Prior research has concluded that patients place a higher emphasis on stroke prevention than on bleeding. Further research is needed to identify the characteristics that will help identify patients with device-detected AF who will receive the greatest benefit from DOAC treatment.
Caregiving for patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review of the scientific literature
Authors: Bouchard Karen , Chiarelli Alexandra , Dozois Sophie , Reed Jennifer , Visintini Sarah , Tulloch Heather
Published: August 2024

Aims

Caregiving processes and outcomes have been increasingly articulated in the cardiovascular literature, particularly in heart failure and coronary artery disease, but there has been no synthesis on caregiving for a patient with atrial fibrillation (AF). This review synthesizes scientific evidence that describes caregiving in the context of AF, with the aim of informing future research priorities for AF caregiving or clinical approaches that may support caregivers.

Methods and results

Informed by PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a mixed-methods systematic review with a data-based convergence design using a thematic synthesis approach. All studies that examined factors related to caregiving for patients with AF, as either a descriptive, predictor, or outcome variable, were included. After the search, data from 13 studies were abstracted; half of the studies (53%) were of low-to-moderate quality. Changes to the family unit and feelings of uncertainty are common post-AF; a subset of caregivers struggle with mental health challenges, particularly those who are unwell themselves or those who provide several hours of care to patients with more advanced symptoms or limitations. Informational support for caregivers appears to be lacking but is desired to better adapt to the changes or consequences incurred from AF.

Conclusion

This review complements findings from previous reviews conducted in other cardiovascular disease subgroups. As there is still limited high-quality research on caregiving in an AF context, additional research is required to adequately inform supportive programming for caregivers of patients with AF, if indicated.

Registration

PROSPERO: CRD4202339778.
Cardioneuroablation for the treatment of reflex syncope and functional bradyarrhythmias: A Scientific Statement of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the ESC, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS) and the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS)
Authors: Aksu Tolga , Brignole Michele , Calo Leonardo , Debruyne Philippe , Di Biase Luigi , Deharo Jean Claude , Fanciulli Alessandra , Fedorowski Artur , Kulakowski Piotr , Morillo Carlos , Moya Angel , Piotrowski Roman , Stec Sebastian , Sutton Richard , van Dijk J Gert , Wichterle Dan , Tse Hung-Fat , Yao Yan , Sheldon Robert S , Vaseghi Marmar , Pachon Jose C , Scanavacca Maurício , Meyer Christian , Amin Reshma , Gupta Dhiraj , Magnano Massimo , Malik Varun , Schauerte Patrick , Shen Win-Kuang , Acosta Juan Carlos Zerpa
Published: August 2024

Cardioneuroablation has emerged as a potential alternative to cardiac pacing in selected cases with vasovagal reflex syncope, extrinsic vagally induced sinus bradycardia-arrest or atrioventricular block. The technique was first introduced decades ago, and its use has risen over the past decade. However, as with any intervention, proper patient selection and technique are a prerequisite for a safe and effective use of cardioneuroablation therapy. This document aims to review and interpret available scientific evidence and provide a summary position on the topic.
Digest: Cooperative breeding strategies in birds are shaped by avian predator richness
Authors: Mutchler Marquette
Published: August 2024

Despite their prevalence, family-living and cooperative breeding in birds have received little examination as to how and why they vary across species. Investigating the evolution of these social systems, Bliard et al. (2024) found that the presence of avian predators is associated with birds’ social systems, with increases in predator presence corresponding to multiple shifts from non-family-living to cooperative breeding. Phylogenetic comparative analyses indicate that factors outside the breeding season can be selected for family-living and cooperative breeding.
Managing harvesting residues: a systematic review of management treatments around the world
Authors: Udali Alberto , Chung Woodam , Talbot Bruce , Grigolato Stefano
Published: August 2024

Dead woody materials are naturally part of the forest ecosystem introduced through the process of tree mortality or intentionally through stand management practices which result in harvesting residues. The management of harvesting residues includes a range of solutions that vary from site to site, from context to context. The purpose of this review is to determine the current state-of-the-art of harvesting residue management treatments at a global scale. Our review indicates that there are few studies that compare residue management and treatment options, considering the variety of impacts and effects that can be generated. This is surprising as residue management affects residue quantity and distribution and is relevant for numerous ecological processes. The retention of fine and coarse residues can generate positive effects and impacts on various aspects of forest ecosystems including (i) biodiversity, by promoting stand regeneration and providing habitats for fauna at different levels; (ii) soil properties, by decreasing the risk of erosion and soil compaction while retaining moisture at ground level; and (iii) soil nutrients, by replenishing C, N, and micronutrient stocks. On the contrary, harvesting residues can provide material for bioenergy production and potentially other fiber industries. The removal of residues can also reduce wildfire risks and dampen insect outbreak dynamics. In this work, we provide a general outline of the role of residues as well as a summary of current management options adopted around the world. The intention of the work is to provide an information base for stakeholders including forest managers and policymakers in identifying and assessing potential alternatives for their current local practices.
Novel sialidase inhibitors suppress mumps virus replication and infection
Authors: Takahashi Tadanobu , Kurebayashi Yuuki , Otsubo Tadamune , Ikeda Kiyoshi , Konagaya Kobun , Suzuki Shunsuke , Yamazaki Mika , Suzuki Kenya , Narimichi Yutaka , Minami Akira , Takeuchi Hideyuki
Published: August 2024

The prevalent human pathogen, mumps virus (MuV; orthorubulavirus parotitidis) causes various complications and serious sequelae, such as meningitis, encephalitis, deafness, and impaired fertility. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) targeting MuV which can prevent mumps and mumps-associated complications and sequelae are yet to be developed. Paramyxoviridae family members, such as MuV, possess viral surface hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein with sialidase activity which facilitates efficient viral replication. Therefore, to develop DAAs targeting MuV we synthesized MuV sialidase inhibitors. It is proposed that the viral HN has a single functional site for N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) binding and sialidase activity. Further, the known MuV sialidase inhibitor is an analog of Neu5Ac—2,3-didehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid (DANA)—which lacks potency. DANA derivatives with higher MuV sialidase inhibitory potency are lacking. The MuV-HN–Neu5Ac binding site has a hydrophobic cavity adjacent to the C4 position of Neu5Ac. Exploiting this, here, we synthesized DANA derivatives with increasing hydrophobicity at its C4 position and created 3 novel sialidase inhibitors (Compounds 1, 2, and 3) with higher specificity for MuV-HN than DANA; they inhibited MuV replication step to greater extent than DANA. Furthermore, they also inhibited hemagglutination and the MuV infection step. The insight—that these 3 novel DANA derivatives possess linear hydrocarbon groups at the C4-hydroxyl group of DANA—could help develop highly potent sialidase inhibitors with high specificity for MuV sialidase, which may function as direct-acting MuV-specific antivirals.
Legal issues in the implementation of Maternal Death Surveillance and Response: a scoping review
Authors: Kidanemariam Mulu Beyene , Miljeteig Ingrid , Moland Karen Marie , Melberg Andrea
Published: August 2024

The Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) system is designed to continuously identify and review all maternal deaths. It aims to help countries understand the scale and distribution of maternal deaths, identify their causes, and inform corrective measures to address the challenge. Despite the growing adoption of the MDSR by numerous low- or middle-income countries, its implementation faces various challenges, including legal ones. This scoping review was conducted to map legal issues and challenges that arise during the implementation of the MDSR. It adapted the Bain and Kongnyuy framework, categorizing legal issues into data, people, use of findings, and legal regulation. Literature was retrieved from seven databases, complemented by additional online searches. We included studies published in English between 2010 and November 2022 that report on legal issues arising during the implementation of MDSR. Out of 1174 studies screened, 31 were selected for review. The review highlighted the limited attention given to the legal dimension of the MDSR by the research community. It also documented the lack of adequate legal framework essential for the system’s effective implementation. Inadequate safeguards for informational privacy and the lack of confidentiality reinforce a prevalent sense of being blamed, mainly among health workers. Consequently, widespread under-reporting and intentional misattribution of causes of maternal death, defensive referrals, and disengagement from the MDSR process were reported. We recommend that implementing countries regulate the gathering and use of MDSR data through appropriate laws and legally ensure that the MDSR data are only used for the intended purpose. Appropriate complaint-handling mechanisms are needed in health systems to prevent the misuse of the MDSR. Future studies on MDSR implementation would benefit from involving legal experts, considering the multifaceted legal dimensions of the MDSR.
9. Trade and Development
Authors: Bièvre Dirk De
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines trade and development in line with European trade politics. It explains that the European Union holds full sway over external trade policy, a truly supranational competency equivalent to the powers of a federal state. Most European political economy scholars have engaged with the substantive area with an Open European Economy Politics approach, privileging society-centred instead of a state-centred analysis. The chapter covers the advantages of a more generic, socio-economic actor preference approach distinguishing different types of trade. It looks into how new global challenges have occasioned the EU to engage in a declared policy of strategic autonomy.
Global Political Economy
Authors: Hannah Erin , Ravenhill John
Published: August 2024

What constitutes Global Political Economy? In whose interest is GPE constructed, and by whom? How can inequalities in GPE best be redressed? These are some of the key questions addressed in the 7th edition of this title.

As an ever-evolving field, subject to constant changes and developments, Global Political Economy provides a comprehensive introduction to GPE written by leading experts in the field. Under the direction of new editor Prof. Erin Hannah, the 7th edition surveys major contemporary issues and debates in GPE while being attuned to silences, marginalizations, and exclusions that predominate the field. By integrating a wide range of theoretical approaches, rich empirical material, non-western viewpoints and diversity of contributors, the 7th edition provides enhanced coverage of the central axes of inequality in GPE and centers topics such as colonialism, race, gender, North-South divides and everyday life throughout chapters on GPE theory, global trade and production, global money and finance, the resurgence of the state, development and inequality, the environment, and digital technologies.
10. Global Finance and the Everyday
Authors: Chris Clarke , Adrienne Roberts
Published: August 2024

This work uses ‘the everyday’ as a lens to explore the worlds of finance, debt and money. It offers a ‘bottom up’ perspective on broader structural trends in the world economy, showing both how these affect the day-to-day experiences of individuals and households, and how everyday financial practices are constitutive of the world economy. The work uses debt and money as entry points for this discussion. It discusses how and why households have come to rely on debt as part of everyday life and shows how debt reliance has unequal consequences. It also surveys the use of money by ordinary people and the everyday political economy of monetary governance.
11. Ideologies of Globalism, Populism, and Economic Nationalism
Authors: Adam Harmes
Published: August 2024

The issues at the core of the global political economy are complex and multidimensional, but must be dealt with in a clear and decisive way. This work examines how political ideologies can help to explain the contemporary politics of globalisation, anti-globalisation, and global governance including new forms of populism and economic nationalism. It outlines the main ideologies of international relations and economic policy including liberal internationalism, progressivism, neoliberalism, populist conservatism and, to a lesser extent, realism and neoconservatism. It also shows how these ideologies influenced the preferences of political actors and contributed to a globalisation/anti-globalisation sequence that has been strongly consistent across Anglo-American countries.
16. The Political Economy of the Environment
Authors: Ervine Kate
Published: August 2024

The global community is confronted with an unprecedented array of overlapping environmental crises, threatening humanity and non-human species, though the impacts remain highly uneven, with nations and communities least responsible for contemporary ecological problems paying the highest cost. With widespread climate disruption projected to intensify in the coming years and decades, this work illustrates the critical need for effective and democratic governance. It unpacks the prevailing relations of power connected to the global political economy of advanced capitalism, dominant debates and disagreement about how environmental crises are understood, and how governments and various actors respond to climate crises based on these understandings and power structures. It pays particular attention to how uneven development and colonialism have shaped inequality and ecological decline, showing that effective and meaningful responses to planetary crises will also need to respond to the deep injustices and inequalities that mark the contemporary GPE.
1. Introduction
Authors: Brummer Klaus , Oppermann Kai
Published: August 2024

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the field of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). It presents theory-guided explanations of foreign policy to establish the foundations of foreign policy. FPA is a distinct subfield of International Relations (IR) that draws on insights from other disciplines to provide theory-driven explanations of foreign policy. Additionally, foreign policy covers a range of different issue areas, such as questions of war and peace, and states' decisions on the use of force. The chapter notes how the book is structured to address the thematic blocks of major IR theories, the interplay between domestic and international influences, psychological and cognitive approaches, and further development of FPA.
Foreign Policy
Authors: Smith Steve , Dunne Tim , Hadfield Amelia , Kitchen Nicholas , Smith Steve
Published: August 2024

This text examines the dynamics that shape foreign policy using international relations (IR) theory. Combining theories and case studies with actors, it explores the grand principles at work in foreign policy, both as a form of state behaviour and as an intellectual field. Chapters illustrate the complementarity between individual, state, and structural dynamics of IR, and levels of analysis found in foreign policy analysis. They discuss the relevance to foreign policy of the main IR theories: realism, liberalism, and constructivism, alongside the tool of discourse analysis. This introduction provides an overview of the contemporary relevance of the study of foreign policy; some of the definitional issues concerning the study of foreign policy; and the book’s updated organization.
4. Constructivism and foreign policy
Authors: Flockhart Trine
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines the basic assumptions and foreign policy relevance of constructivism. Although constructivism is viewed by many as one of the main theories in international relations, it is still viewed with some scepticism from within the discipline and from foreign policy making circles alike, where many have questioned its utility and its ability to say anything about ‘the real world of policy’. This chapter aims to show that although some of its concepts and propositions may seem unsettling at first, constructivism is a useful tool not only for understanding foreign policy, but also as a guide for prescribing foreign policy, and that practitioners over the past quarter of a century often have made policy in accordance with the constructivist perspective.
18. India and the world
Authors: Narlikar Amrita
Published: August 2024

India under Modi’s leadership has been treated as an almost textbook case to highlight the dangers of illiberalism and democratic erosion associated with "civilizational states". This chapter focuses on the impact that an evolving civilizational narrative has had on Indian foreign policy. Investigating India’s record in global and regional governance, it argues that scholars may have overestimated the impact of Modi’s civilizational narrative: there are key continuities in India’s negotiation positions across different issue-areas. Critics may also have been somewhat hasty in proclaiming its effect as being necessarily detrimental for both India itself and also the world at large. The chapter demonstrates that despite important continuities in its foreign policy, India has, in recent years, begun to take on a role of greater responsibility in global governance. This role, interestingly, is more aligned with the liberal orientation of many western democracies, while also working in tandem with the country’s concerns and priorities.
8. Parties in Government
Authors: Kostadinova Petia , Thomson Robert
Published: August 2024

This chapter explores a cornerstone of democratic theory: the idea that parties mediate the effect of public opinion on government policies. It begins by discussing whether elections give parties a mandate to pursue their campaign promises, a supposition that many political theorists find problematic. The chapter then reviews theories that predict and explain post-election coalition formation, as the type of government formed affects parties’ success in shaping government policies. Finally, the chapter reviews three of the main approaches to studying the impact of parties on public policies: welfare state models, public spending, and the keeping of election campaign promises.
9. Parliaments
Authors: Martin Shane
Published: August 2024

Parliaments are the cornerstone of representative democracy. This chapter examines the role and performance of national parliaments in European democracies. The chapter begins with a review of how parliaments are designed, including the number of chambers and the power of parliamentary committees. It discusses parliaments’ roles and functions, including law-making, government formation, oversight, and political representation, and assesses whether parliaments reflect the make-up of the citizenry at large. The chapter then discusses the possibility of strong parties and dominant executives within the legislative arena leading to weak parliaments, as well as recent attempts to strengthen the capacity of national parliaments.
17. Democracy and the EU
Authors: Raunio Tapio
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines the relationship between European integration and democracy. The continuous transfer of policy-making powers from European Union (EU) member states to the European level has raised serious concerns about democratic legitimacy. The chapter assesses the claims that European integration undermines national democracy, and that decision-making at the EU level is not sufficiently democratic. It argues that while significant challenges remain, European integration has definitely become more democratic over the years. But there is perhaps a trade-off, with stronger input legitimacy potentially an obstacle to efficient European-level decision-making. It also underlines the multilevel nature of the EU polity and the importance of public debates about European integration.
1. Introduction: Diversity and Disciplinarity in International Relations Theory
Authors: Smith Steve
Published: August 2024

This text argues that theory is central to explaining International Relations (IR) and that the discipline of IR is much more relevant to the world of international relations than it has been at any point in its history. Some chapters cover distinct IR theories ranging from realism/structural realism to liberalism/neoliberalism, the English school, constructivism, Marxism, critical theory, feminism, poststructuralism, green theory, and postcolonialism. Other chapters explore International Relations theory and its relationship to history of international relations thinking in different parts of the world, social sciences more widely, normative theory, globalization, and the discipline’s identity. This introduction explains why this edition has chosen to cover these theories, reflects on international theory and its relationship to the world, and considers the kind of assumptions about theory that underlie each of the approaches.
17. International Relations Theory and Globalization
Authors: Hay Colin
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines the existing debate on the extent and nature of globalization and its implications for contemporary International Relations theory. It first considers the stakes involved in the globalization debate for a range of core theoretical perspectives in IR. It shows how the literature on globalization has developed over time, revealing how the nature of the debate has changed, and illustrates this both theoretically and empirically with a case study of the impact of globalization on the development of the welfare state before and since the global financial crisis. The chapter also considers the empirical case against the globalization thesis, what a competition state is, and how it might confer a competitive advantage upon a national economy in an era of globalization. The chapter suggests that the current level of interdependence within the international system, although considerable, is not easily reconciled with the stronger variants of the globalization thesis.
2. The Liberal ‘Idealist’ Origins Of The International Relations Discipline
Authors: Lawler Peter
Published: August 2024

This chapter provides an overview of liberalism and liberal international relations (IR) thinking. It details the role of liberalism in the founding of the modern IR discipline and its subsequent challenges. Liberalism, which emerged in the aftermath of the First World War, is often known as liberal internationalism or idealism. Idealism is noted for its emphasis on individual rights and freedoms. The chapter acknowledges that the influence of liberal thinking on both the theory and practice of international politics remains substantial and prominent within Western political philosophy. It explains that liberalism can be defined as the combination of individualism, free trade, and democracy.
4. The English School Of International Relations
Authors: Lawler Peter
Published: August 2024

This chapter explores the English School of international relations (IR). It details the significance of the work of Martin Wight and Hedley Bull in the establishment and development of the English School. The English School is a theoretical perspective that resonates with core themes in both classical realist and liberal IR scholarship while also offering a basis for critiquing both. The chapter highlights a number of strands of pluralism and solidarism, and also looks at the notion of an anarchical society of states as key features of the English School. It also considers the key aspects and overlapping themes of Barry Buzan's reappraisal of the English School.
8. Constructivism And International Relations
Authors: Lawler Peter
Published: August 2024

This chapter focuses on constructivism relates it to international relations (IR). The core argument of the constructivist perspective revolves around the idea that the world people find themselves in is socially constructed rather than simply given. Moreover, constructivism underscores the ideational aspects of international politics. The chapter compares this to the predominantly materialist explanations offered by mainstream IR theory. The chapter examines the application of constructivism to the analysis of international politics. It then highlights the importance of identity and norms, which are emphasized within constructivism and international politics, before considering the nuclear weapons debate as related to the perspective of constructivism.
9. Postcolonialism And International Relations
Authors: Lawler Peter
Published: August 2024

This chapter introduces the concepts of postcolonialism and international relations (IR) to the debate. Postcolonialism revolves around colonialism and its complex legacy in contemporary global politics. The chapter traces the history of imperialism and colonialism to show how the concept of race emerges from the processes of colonization and how racism becomes endemic to the practices of imperial control and colonization. It also considers the interplay between Eurocentrism and racism and the decolonial approaches which seek to expose and challenge colonialist assumptions which still underpin much of contemporary IR thinking. Frantz Fanon, Edward Said, and Homi K. Bhabha are some of the most notable contributors to the emergence and development of contemporary postcolonial thought.
10. Feminisms, Gender, And International Relations
Authors: Lawler Peter
Published: August 2024

This chapter unpicks the correlation between feminism, gender, and international relations (IR). It outlines the historical development of feminist and gender-focused IR perspectives before defining key concepts, such as patriarchy, to further elaborate feminist and gender-focused thinking. Due to its diversity, contemporary gender-focused IR scholarship provides distinctive critical contributions to some of the core debates and issues in discipline of IR. Gender-focused IR, as of recent times, includes analysis of men and masculinities and queer IR theory, which revolves around the fluidity of identities and international Western politics. The chapter argues how gender has always, and will continue to, matter in international politics.
The Utility of Intestinal Ultrasound in a Case of Microscopic Colitis
Authors: Gamboa Haley N , Abellana Heather , Chugh Rishika
Published: August 2024

Lay Summary

This case demonstrates the utility of intestinal ultrasound in inflammatory bowel diseases outside of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. We describe the utility of intestinal ultrasound in monitoring disease activity and treatment response in a patient with microscopic colitis.
The impact of trade liberalization on firms’ product and labor market power
Authors: Dobbelaere Sabien , Wiersma Quint
Published: August 2024

This paper examines the impact of trade liberalization on firms’ product and labor market power. We estimate the prevalence and intensity of price-cost markups and either wage markups or wage markdowns, taking the dependence between these model-consistent measures of product and labor market power into account. Exploiting reductions in tariffs upon China’s World Trade Organization accession, we find that trade liberalization has not switched firms away from exercising product and labor market power. Reducing input tariffs has widened price-cost markups, narrowed wage markdowns, and widened wage markups at the firm level. We reveal heterogeneous trade liberalization effects on the intensity of firms’ product and labor market power.
First look at the distribution of deactivated dFADs used by the French Indian Ocean tropical tuna purse-seine fishery
Authors: Lau-Medrano Wencheng , Gaertner Daniel , Marsac Francis , Guéry Loreleï , Kaplan David M
Published: August 2024

The presence of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gears, including drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs), in marine ecosystems poses significant ecological and socioeconomic concerns. The estimation of the number of dFADs in the marine environment is challenging due to the loss of tracking information when dFAD tracking buoys are remotely deactivated. For the first time, a data set of dFADs buoy positions, including those that had previously been remotely deactivated, has been made available for the period July–August 2020. Data from this period provide valuable insights into the life expectancy, spatial distribution, and status of deactivated dFAD buoys, enabling a more accurate assessment of dFAD presence and impacts. Deactivated buoys represented a 17.2% increase in the total number of tracked objects, and we estimate the in-water half-life of deactivated dFAD tracking buoys to be 101 days. Including deactivated buoys increases the number of strandings during the SP by 23.7%. Nevertheless, the representativity of these results is unknown given the limited spatio-temporal and numerical extent of our data, highlighting the importance of availability of comprehensive data on dFADs to effectively estimate their total numbers and mitigate their environmental impacts.
Obesity, Diabetes, Plasmodium Infection, and Severe Malaria in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Lee Hyelan , Choi Yongyeon , Park Sangshin
Published: August 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate existing evidence regarding the associations of obesity and diabetes with Plasmodium infection and severe malaria in adults.

Methods

We comprehensively searched relevant studies using Embase, Medline, Global Health, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The primary exposures were obesity and diabetes. The primary outcomes were Plasmodium infection and severe malaria. We performed meta-analyses to pool unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios using a random-effects model.

Results

We found 9 studies that met our inclusion criteria; all of these studies were eligible for the meta-analysis. None of the 9 studies investigated the potential link between obesity and Plasmodium infection. The meta-analysis results showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between obesity and severe malaria (2 studies), diabetes and Plasmodium infection (5 studies), or diabetes and severe malaria (3 studies).

Conclusions

Our study findings showed that obesity was not associated with severe malaria, and diabetes was not associated with either Plasmodium infection or severe malaria. Additional epidemiological studies should be conducted to elucidate the relationships between obesity, diabetes, and Plasmodium infection.
The Co-Ontological Securities of Gated Lifeworlds: Atmospheres and Foamed Immunologies under Late Modernity
Authors: Weinfurter Jaroslav
Published: August 2024

This article returns to the existentialist roots of ontological security theory (OST) and proposes a phenomenological re-reading of ontological security through the theoretical language of spherology and immunology in order to bring OST into a more substantive engagement with the spatial and immunological realities and practices of the globalizing world. Departing from the work of Peter Sloterdijk, the article advances three principal claims. Firstly, it shows that under the spatio-immunological dislocations of late modernity, the processes of ontological security are better understood as matters of “co-ontological security,” reflecting the highly relational and co-dependent character by which human lifeworlds are organized and juxtaposed. Secondly, it explores the ways in which technologies and life-support systems of ontological security may have negative ramifications for the ontological integrities of other neighboring lifeworlds. And lastly, the article investigates the autoimmunological processes that are at work in all immunological systems and that are capable of turning the mechanisms of ontological security into the very sources of insecurity. In exploring these themes, the text examines the retirement community known as The Villages to show how protected living in an expanding and gated lifestyle community produces the very conditions of ontological insecurity for the self and for others.
Whole-body distribution of tenofovir, emtricitabine and dolutegravir in non-human primates
Authors: Gelé Thibaut , Gouget Hélène , Dimant Nastasia , Furlan Valérie , Collins Jon , Scholz Erin M B , Parry Chris M , Le Grand Roger , Lambotte Olivier , Desjardins Delphine , Barrail-Tran Aurélie
Published: August 2024

Background

One major barrier to HIV cure is the persistence of virus, possibly linked to an insufficient antiretroviral drug (ARV) distribution into tissues.

Objectives

To draw the whole-body distribution of three antiretroviral drugs—tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine and dolutegravir—in non-human primates (NHPs).

Methods

Eight uninfected NHPs received a single injection of a solution containing the three ARVs. Forty-five different tissues were sampled 24 h after injection.

Results

Median tissue penetration factors (TPFs) were 45.4, 5.8 and 0.5 for tenofovir, emtricitabine and dolutegravir, respectively, and were statistically different between the three ARVs. Tissues were grouped by system, because TPFs were consistent according to these groups, and ranked in order of decreasing TPFs. The digestive system was the system with the highest tissue concentrations. Next came the two main sites of elimination, the liver and the kidney, as well as the tissues of the cardiopulmonary and urinary systems. Then, it was the whole lymphatic system. The next group included the reproductive system, the adipose tissue and the skin. The last two systems were the muscle and the CNS. The intra-tissue variability was rather low with a median coefficient of variation of the concentrations around 15% and no value greater than 80%.

Conclusions

Overall, this study determines the first whole-body distribution in a validated NHP model. These data have important implications for future preclinical and clinical studies for the development of novel HIV therapies towards an HIV cure.
Characterization of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec in Staphylococcus haemolyticus ST3 and ST42 isolates from bovine mastitis milk: identification of novel variant in class C1 mec complex
Authors: Thanasak Jitkamol , Wongsurawat Thidathip , Jenjaroenpun Piroon , Phumthanakorn Nathita
Published: August 2024

Background

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH) is an important pathogenic agent of bovine mastitis. Among the prominent clone lineages in dairy cows are MRSH sequence types ST3 and ST42. Little information is available on the complete characterization of SCCmec elements in MRSH.

Objective

In this study, two clinical isolates of MRSH ST3 and ST42 from bovine mastitis milk were selected, and their nontypable SCCmec structures were compared.

Methods

Two MRSH strains, MRSH-ST3 strain M62.3 and MRSH-ST42 strain M81.1, were identified from bovine mastitis milk in Thailand in 2022. Minimum inhibitory concentration was used to screen for antimicrobial resistance susceptibility. Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Illumina sequencing were performed in combination to complete the genome. Their gene organization and structure of SCCmec types were analysed and compared with the whole sequences of other strains in the same sequence types.

Results

Both MRSH-ST3 strain M62.3 and MRSH-ST42 strain M81.1 possessed the class C1 mec complex but lacked the ccr gene complex. Notably, MRSH-ST42 strain M81.1 contained a novel variant of C1 mec complex, which consisted of IS431-mecA-ISSha1-paaZ-upgQ-IS431, with IS431 organized in the same orientation. Apart from class C1 mec and the heavy metal-resistant cluster, the gene composition and order of the SCCmec element varied. In ST3, variations in the SCCmec type, gene content and organization were observed.

Conclusions

The distinct evolution of the MRSH lineage was indicated by the various SCCmec elements. The insertion of ISSha1 resulted in a unique variant of class C1 mec complex that demonstrated the important role of the insertion sequence in SCCmec diversification.
Designing visual hierarchies for the communication of health data
Authors: Saw Jessica J , Gatzke Lisa P
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Visual hierarchy underlies all visual design decisions related to information presentation. This manuscript describes the experience of a multidisciplinary health data visualization and software design team in using visual hierarchy to redesign a hereditary colorectal cancer lab report.

Materials and Methods

A series of interviews with representative users were conducted to identify target user groups and determine information hierarchy for each user type. Visual elements (eg, size, color, contrast, etc.) were then assigned to mirror the information hierarchy and workflow for each user type.

Results

User research identified 2 distinct user groups as consumers of the redesigned lab report. An interactive design employing a 2-level page hierarchy was developed, which stratified the content to support the needs of each user type.

Conclusions

The challenges related to displaying the complex nature of digital and personal health data can be addressed by applying foundational design methods such as visual hierarchy.

Discussion

Visual hierarchy, a foundational design principle, can be used by visualization teams to clearly and efficiently present complex datasets associated with healthcare.
Effect of standardized EHR-integrated handoff report on intraoperative communication outcomes
Authors: Abraham Joanna , King Christopher R , Pedamallu Lavanya , Light Mallory , Henrichs Bernadette
Published: August 2024

Objectives

We evaluated the effectiveness and implementability of a standardized EHR-integrated handoff report to support intraoperative handoffs.

Materials and Methods

A pre-post intervention study was used to compare the quality of intraoperative handoffs supported by unstructured notes (pre) to structured, standardized EHR-integrated handoff reports (post). Participants included anesthesia clinicians involved in intraoperative handoffs. A mixed-method approach was followed, supported by general observations, shadowing, surveys, and interviews.

Results

One hundred and fifty-one intraoperative permanent handoffs (78 pre, 73 post) were included. One hundred percent of participants in the post-intervention cohort utilized the report. Compared to unstructured, structured handoffs using the EHR-integrated handoff report led to: (1) significant increase in the transfer of information about airway management (55%-78%, P < .001), intraoperative course (63%-86%, P < .001), and potential concerns (64%-88%, P < .001); (2) significant improvement in clinician satisfaction scores, with regards to information clarity and succinctness (4.5-4.7, P = .002), information transfer (3.8-4.2, P = .011), and opportunities for fewer errors reported by senders (3.3-2.5, P < .001) and receivers (3.2-2.4, P < .001); and (3) significant decrease in handoff duration (326.2-262.3 s, P = .016). Clinicians found the report implementation highly acceptable, appropriate, and feasible but noted a few areas for improvement to enhance its usability and integration within the intraoperative workflow.

Discussion and Conclusion

A standardized EHR-integrated handoff report ensures the effectiveness and efficiency of intraoperative handoffs with its structured, consistent format that—promotes up-to-date and pertinent intraoperative information transfer; reduces opportunities for errors; and streamlines verbal communication. Handoff standardization can promote safe and high-quality intraoperative care.
Effects of perinatal exposure to daily maximum THI and THI fluctuations on serum total proteins and health of preweaned Holstein heifers raised in a dry climate
Authors: Manriquez Diego , Jannat Afrin , Velásquez-Munoz Ana , Pinedo Pablo
Published: August 2024

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the exposure to daily maximum and temperature-humidity index (THI) and to daily THI fluctuations (∆THI = maximum THI–minimum THI) at exposure periods comprising 2 d before birth to birth (−2 d), birth date (0 d), birth to 2 d of age (+2 d), and birth to 7 d of age (+7 d) on serum total proteins (STP), transfer of passive immunity (TPI), and the occurrence of scours and respiratory disease. A total of 841 Holstein heifer calves were retrospectively observed from −2 d until 65 d of age. Colostrum quality was assessed using a colostrometer to ensure a minimum globulin concentration of 52 mg/mL in the colostrum fed to the study calves. Two temperature and relative humidity sensors were installed at the calf yard. Maximum, minimum, and ∆THI values were obtained for each exposure period, and thermal exposure categories were defined as heat stress (HS: maximum THI > 70 units; non-HS: THI ≤ 70 units) and ∆THI (low < 20 units, medium ≥ 20 to ≤30 units, high > 30). The TPI was classified as poor (STP < 5.1 g/dL), fair (5.1 and 5.7 g/dL), good (>5.7 and 6.1 g/dL), and excellent (≥6.1 g/dL). Associations between the thermal exposure categories and the study outcomes were examined using ANOVA, logistic regression, and survival analyses. No differences in STP at −2 d were observed between HS and non-HS calves (6.83 ± 0.05 vs. 6.91 ± 0.05 g/dL), whereas HS-exposed calves at 0 d tended to have lower STP compared with non-HS calves (6.82 ± 0.05 vs. 6.92 ± 0.05 g/dL). Calves exposed to small ∆THI at 0 d had greater STP compared with calves exposed to medium ∆THI (7.00 ± 0.06 vs. 6.75 ± 0.05 g/dL). No association was found between HS, and ∆THI categories and the TPI category. The odds of scours were about 2 times greater in HS calves compared with non-HS calves at all exposure periods. In addition, HS calves were affected by scours between 9 and 15 d earlier than non-HS calves. Furthermore, high ∆THI favored the development of respiratory problems compared with medium and low ∆THI. Assessment of extreme THI values and THI fluctuations provides a research opportunity for assessing thermal stress in dairy heifer calves raised in dry climate.
Loss of the long form of Plod2 phenocopies contractures of Bruck syndrome—osteogenesis imperfecta
Authors: Kot Alexander , Chun Cora , Martin Jorge H , Wachtell Davis , Hudson David , Weis MaryAnn , Marks Haley , Srivastava Siddharth , Eyre David R , Duran Ivan , Zieba Jennifer , Krakow Deborah
Published: August 2024

Bruck syndrome is an autosomal recessive form of osteogenesis imperfecta caused by biallelic variants in PLOD2 or FKBP10 and is characterized by joint contractures, bone fragility, short stature, and scoliosis. PLOD2 encodes LH2, which hydroxylates type I collagen telopeptide lysines, a critical step for collagen crosslinking. The Plod2 global knockout mouse model is limited by early embryonic lethality, and thus, the role of PLOD2 in skeletogenesis is not well understood. We generated a novel Plod2 mouse line modeling a variant identified in two unrelated individuals with Bruck syndrome: PLOD2 c.1559dupC, predicting a frameshift and loss of the long isoform LH2b. In the mouse, the duplication led to loss of LH2b mRNA as well as significantly reduced total LH2 protein. This model, Plod2fs/fs, survived up to E18.5 although in non-Mendelian genotype frequencies. The homozygous frameshift model recapitulated the joint contractures seen in Bruck syndrome and had indications of absent type I collagen telopeptide lysine hydroxylation in bone. Genetically labeling tendons with Scleraxis-GFP in Plod2fs/fs mice revealed the loss of extensor tendons in the forelimb by E18.5, and developmental studies showed extensor tendons developed through E14.5 but were absent starting at E16.5. Second harmonic generation showed abnormal tendon type I collagen fiber organization, suggesting structurally abnormal tendons. Characterization of the skeleton by μCT and Raman spectroscopy showed normal bone mineralization levels. This work highlights the importance of properly crosslinked type I collagen in tendon and bone, providing a promising new mouse model to further our understanding of Bruck syndrome.
Chorological abductive inferring: case studies of tracing spatial dissemination of COVID-19
Authors: Werner Piotr A
Published: August 2024

COVID-19 did not disappear in the third year (2022) of the global pandemic. On the contrary, the number of infected people several times exceeded the highs of previous years, but the greater morbidity was not accompanied by a relatively comparable number of deaths. Some studies showed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus impact, e.g. in CEE EU countries, characterizes the seasonal intensity as temperatures fall or rise in relative humidity. All researchers agree that the number of COVID-19-infected people is only an estimate based on the volume of tests performed and that the true numbers are usually much higher. The implementation of spatial interaction modeling could potentially aid in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the inherently spatial nature of its diffusion. The gravity models used in this investigation to simulate the regional spread of the COVID-19 epidemic are based methodologically on previous empirical studies. The proposed methodology uses techniques for modeling spatial interactions due to the epidemics described above, which are a direct result of the number of contacts between individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic can be studied regionally using spatial diffusion methods as well as population potential models (spatial interaction models) and visualized using geographic information system software. Empirical verification and geovisualizations are based on available recent population and pandemic statistics that are possible to acquire from national health services. Methodologically, this type of modeling and simulation aimed at reconstructing a factual situation can be defined as abductive chorological inferring.