bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Myofibroblastoma in the Liver: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Narasimhamurthy Mohan , Savant Deepika , Shreve Lauren , Rosen Mark A. , Lee Major Kenneth , Cooper Kumarasen , Furth Emma E. , Zhang Paul J. , Yang Zhaohai
Published: March 2023

Myofibroblastoma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor first described in the breast. It is also known as mammary-type myofibroblastoma outside of the breast, more frequently located along the embryonic milk line. Exceptionally, myofibroblastoma can occur at visceral locations. We present a case of myofibroblastoma detected incidentally in the liver. A well-circumscribed mass, grossly measuring 6.2 cm in the liver parenchyma, was found on imaging studies. Histologically, the lesion is characterized by benign spindle cells in a hyalinized collagenous stroma, with positive staining for SMA and ER, focal positivity for CD34, negative for desmin, and loss of RB1. This rare tumor at such an unusual location makes it diagnostically challenging, especially on core biopsy of the lesion. To our knowledge, this is the second case of myofibroblastoma in the liver reported in the English literature and the first such case with a detailed pathology description.
A harmonic balance solution for the intrinsic 1D nonlinear equations of the beams
Authors: Siami Ali , Nitzsche Fred
Published: March 2023

In this paper, a harmonic balance method is introduced to solve the intrinsic 1D nonlinear equations presented by Hodges for analyzing initially curved and twisted anisotropic rotating beams. First, the nonlinear first-order partial differential equations are discretized in space domain using the Galerkin approach. Then, the time response of the system of equations is approximated by using first and the second harmonic terms under the harmonic excitations applied to the structure. The harmonic balance algorithm has been developed for the linearized system of equations about the steady-state solution and for fully nonlinear equations. The differences between these two systems have been addressed under consideration of different levels of external loads. Fully analytical formulae have been presented for the HB solution of the linearized equations in this work. In the proposed approach for the nonlinear system, the Jacobian matrix utilized in the numerical solution part is obtained analytically to increase the time efficiency of the solution method. The results of the proposed approach for an initially twisted and curved blade are compared with a different algorithm based on a finite difference approach to discretize the equations and a time marching method to solve the system of equations in time domain. The comparison between the outputs of the harmonic balance method and the time marching method demonstrate high correlations between these distinct methods. It should be noted that the accuracy of the time marching method solution has been evaluated in another publication by the authors using the output of FLIGHTLAB for a blade with different types of boundary conditions. The proposed harmonic balance-based method delivers a very time-efficient approach for time analysis of twisted/curved beams and blades under harmonic loads in comparison with other employed methods. The developed approach can be a powerful computational tool for design optimization of composite blades.
Clinical Experience with Drotrecogin Alfa in Treating Gram-Positive and -Negative Pathogens in Patients with Severe Sepsis
Authors: Cone Lawrence A. , Stone Richard A. , Jesser Kenneth , Nelson Richard
Published: March 2023

Background

Newer concepts in the management of severe sepsis and, in particular, in the understanding of the relationship between proinflammatory and procoagulant activities during severe infection have led to the introduction of activated protein C (drotrecogin) into the therapeutic program. The combination of effective antimicrobial therapy, aggressive supportive care, and efforts to antagonize procoagulants and inhibitors of fibrinolysis was used in this study.

Methods

We treated 12 patients with severe sepsis using this combination of antimicrobial agents and drotrecogin. All patients presented with hypotension and organ failure and some with multiple organ failure. Infected patients were separated into those with gram-positive and those with gram-negative infections.

Results

In contrast to an expected mortality rate of nearly 40% in this group of patients, only 2 (9%) expired. Both deaths were due to infection by gram-negative organisms in patients with complicated abdominal infections and concurrent cancer. All patients with gram-positive organisms survived.

Conclusion

Those patients with infections caused by gram-positive organisms seemed to have a better prognosis than those with gram-negative infections, perhaps because their illnesses are less complicated by local disease. Although our study is small, it suggests that activated protein C will have a significant beneficial effect on the future treatment of severe sepsis and can reduce the mortality rate significantly. Further improvement in survival rates will require more effective treatment of local disease and associated noninfectious ailments.
Can immigration moderate the adverse effects of political instability on international tourism? A case study of Australia
Authors: Bassil Charbel , Yap Ghialy
Published: March 2023

We estimate the impact of political instability and the population of immigrants in Australia on the flow of international tourist arrivals. We hypothesize that political instability has a short-term negative effect while the population of immigrants in Australia may have a positive or negative effect depending on time span. Moreover, we postulate that the population of immigrants resorbs in the short run partially or totally the adverse effect of political instability. Our empirical strategy takes into consideration potential heterogeneity among cross-sections and differentiates between short-term and long-term effects. For this purpose, we use the Pooled Mean Group estimator in a panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. Findings from the pooled estimations suggest that, in the short run, the population of immigrants in Australia reduces the negative effect of political instability on international tourism flows. However, its effect is negative in the long run. We also find evidence for heterogeneity across countries.
Researching (im)mobile lives during a lockdown: Reconceptualizing remote interviews as field events
Authors: Cabalquinto Earvin , Ahlin Tanja
Published: March 2023

This article foregrounds the benefits and challenges of deploying remote interviews to investigate the digital practices of older adults from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds during a series of stay-at-home orders in in 2020 and 2021 in Victoria, Australia. By critically examining the employment of technologically mediated data collection (via video and phone call), we reconceptualize remote fieldwork as a collection of ethnographically significant field events. We draw on the socio material approach to map the impact of human–digital assemblage on the processes, possibilities and limits of collecting data remotely. The study reveals the ways participants' differing digital access, competencies, and social relations engender and undermine methodological interventions. Indeed, it offers a nuanced perspective on deploying remote fieldwork especially among older migrants in an increasingly digital world.
Early childhood tracking application: Correspondence between crowd-based developmental percentiles and clinical tools
Authors: Ben-Sasson Ayelet , Jacobs Kayla , Ben-Sasson Eli
Published: March 2023

Barriers to child developmental screening lead to delayed diagnosis and intervention. babyTRACKS, a mobile application for tracking developmental milestones, presents parents their child’s percentiles computed relative to crowd-based data. This study evaluated correspondence between crowd-based percentiles and traditional development measures. Research analyzed babyTRACKS diaries of 1951 children. Parents recorded attainment age for milestones across Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Language, Cognitive, and Social domains. Fifty-seven parents completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), and 13 families participated in the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) expert assessment. Crowd-based percentiles were compared with: Centers for Disease Control (CDC) norms for comparable milestones, ASQ-3 and MSEL scores. babyTRACKS percentiles correlated with the percentage of unmet CDC milestones, and with higher ASQ-3 and MSEL scores across several domains. Children who did not meet CDC age thresholds had lower babyTRACKS percentiles by about 20 points and those at ASQ-3 risk had lower babyTRACKS Fine Motor and Language scores. Repeated measures tests showed significantly higher MSEL versus babyTRACKS percentiles in the Language domain. Although ages and milestones in diary varied, the app percentiles corresponded with traditional measures, particularly in fine motor and language domains. Future research is needed for determining referral thresholds while minimizing false alarms.
Speculative spaces: Children exploring socio-ecological worlds with mythical nature spirits
Authors: Byman Jenny , Kumpulainen Kristiina , Renlund Jenny , Wong Chin-Chin , Renshaw Peter
Published: March 2023

Drawing on Donna Haraway's notion of speculative fabulation, in this study the authors investigate how a pedagogy grounded in mythical nature spirits, children's imaginative explorations and storying activities created spaces for children to explore socio-ecological worlds. Their inquiry draws on an ethnographic case study of three children (aged seven to eight) in a Finnish primary school who participated in a cross-curricular unit framed by a set of pedagogical materials called ‘The Riddle of the Spirit’. Their inquiry shows how speculative fabulations emerged into performing spaces, in which imaginary fabulations of humans, spirits and places created alternative narratives about more-than-human relations. Such fabulations emerged when the children became spirits, when the spirits were transformed from kings to queens, and when trees that humans had cut down could be revived and returned to the forest. Thus, the authors’ inquiry suggests that myths embedded in storying activities can offer unexplored educational opportunities to invite children to attend to and imagine socio-ecological worlds.
Creative and visual communication of health research: development of a graphic novel to share children’s neighbourhood perspectives of COVID-19 lockdowns in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Ma Catherine , Green Carol , Zhao Jinfeng , Egli Victoria , Clark Terryann , Donnellan Niamh , Smith Melody
Published: March 2023

Research dissemination to target stakeholders including communities, policymakers and practitioners is a fundamental element of successful research projects. For many of these stakeholders, however, barriers to access and uptake exist, including time taken to publish, academic jargon, language barriers, paywalled articles and time taken to consume and understand academic outputs. Ultimately these barriers could prevent research from reaching target audiences or could severely delay the uptake of key research messages. Creative and visual dissemination approaches as a complement to traditional academic outputs offer numerous advantages and may improve real-world uptake in a timely manner. In this practitioner piece, the authors present detailed methods for the development of a graphic novel using research findings from an online survey that asked children what they liked about their neighbourhood during COVID-19 lockdowns in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here, they share critical reflections from the process of developing and disseminating this creative communication, with the aim of informing and supporting future creative and visual dissemination of research findings.
MicroRNA-592 Inhibits the Growth of Ovarian Cancer Cells by Targeting ERBB3
Authors: Jin Qiong , Zhang Ning , Zhan Yang , Xu Xiaohong , Han Chao , Zhao Hui , Hu Xiaodi , Tang Hongbo , Wu Yumei
Published: March 2023

Objectives: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, and targeted therapy for different pathological types and molecular phenotypes is urgent to be studied. Studies have shown that MicroRNA-592 (miR-592) plays an important negative regulatory role in the occurrence of gastrointestinal malignancies, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and glioma, but the expression of miR-592 in ovarian cancer and the mechanism of action are still unclear. Methods: The expressions of miR-592 were examined by RT-PCR and Western Blot. Cell viability and migratory capacity were detected by CCK-8 and transwell assay. TargetScan ( http://www.targetscan.org ) was analyzed to predict potential targets of miR-592. Then Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify the targeting relationship between miR-592 and ERBB3. A mouse xenograft model was applied to confirm the effect of miR-592. Results: In our study, we found that the expression of miR-592 is reduced in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues. The exogenous expression of miR-592 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion in epithelial ovarian cancer tumor cells. Furthermore, the exogenous expression of miR-592 inhibits tumor growth in the nude mouse xenograft model. Therefore, miR-592 may play a role of tumor suppressor miRNA in the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer. Further experiments demonstrated that tumor-related ERBB3 is a target gene mediated by miRNA-592. The dual-luciferase reporter system was used to identify miRNA-592 target genes; qPCR and Western Blot were used to detect the expression of ERBB3. Mechanical experiments confirmed that miRNA-592 negatively regulated ERBB3.Conclusion: Together, these findings identify a heretofore unrecognized link between miR-592 and ERBB3 and suggest that targeting on miR-592 warrants attention as a novel and potential therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.
The Novel Use of Rare Earth Magnets for the Extraction of Metallic Soft Tissue Foreign Bodies in Children
Authors: Lukish John T. , Williams Kibileri , Shah Adil , Mon Rodrigo , Lukish Jeffrey R.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Metallic foreign bodies (mFB) are common following penetrating injuries in children. The mFB commonly occur in the head and neck region and extremity soft tissues. Removal may be indicated due to morbidity related to pain or migration. Extraction can be challenging to localize, often requiring wide exposure, and may be difficult to achieve in cosmetically sensitive areas. Different technological adjuncts have been used to facilitate foreign body removal including fluoroscopy, ultrasound, and more recently in adults, surgical magnets. The most powerful commercially available magnets are rare earth magnets comprised of neodymium iron and boron (Ndy). With the goal of reducing radiation exposure and the morbidity of mFB removal with associated soft tissue injury in children, a strategy was introduced utilizing Ndy to optimize extraction with minimal soft tissue surgical dissection.

Materials and Methods

Two children with extremity mFB treated with Ndy between January 2021 and July 2021 were analyzed. We utilized commercially available ring type neodymium-iron-boron magnets with dimensions of 1 3/8-inch outer diameter x 1/8-inch inner diameter and 1/16 inch thick with a power of 13 200 gauss that were processed for use according to our hospital protocols. Our main clinical indication was for the detection and retrieval of small ferromagnetic foreign bodies embedded in superficial extremity soft tissues.

Results

In the operating room under general anesthesia, the mFB were localized utilizing fluoroscopy. A 1.0 cm skin incision was made into the subdermal soft tissues overlying the area of the mFB. No surgical tissue dissection was performed. The mFB could not be visualized in the soft tissue. Using fluoroscopy to localize the mFB, the Ndy was then placed into the wound in close proximity to the mFB. The mFB were immediately magnetized to the Ndy and the mFB were extracted from the soft tissues without any further surgical dissection. Two simple interrupted nylon sutures were placed to close the incision. The total operative time was 2 and 2.5 minutes respectively. The children recovered uneventfully and are without complication.

Conclusions

The use of Ndy to remove extremity soft tissue mFB in children appears to be feasible, safe, and efficient. Use of the Ndy allowed extraction via a small incision, optimizing the aesthetic result and avoiding the need for cross-sectional imaging, extensive surgical dissection, tissue reconstruction and prolonged operative time or x-ray exposure. The development of magnets of increasing energy density may be indicated to further optimize metallic soft tissue foreign body extraction in children in a minimally invasive manner.
Generic drug application and approval process in Vietnam and Philippines
Authors: Kankariya Sayali C , Mundada Atish S
Published: March 2023

A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that is equivalent to a brand-name product in dosage, strength, route of administration, quality, performance, and intended use, but does not carry the brand name. Generic medicines are those where the original patent has expired and which may now be produced by manufacturers other than the original innovator company. A generic drug must contain the same active ingredients as the original brand-name formulation. The present review article describes the generic drug registration and approval process for two ASEAN countries Vietnam and Philippines.
The effect of dance workshops participation on reaction time in persons with moderate intellectual disabilities - pilot study
Authors: Kałużny Olga
Published: March 2023

Background: Persons with intellectual disabilities who are physically active have faster reaction time compared to the physically inactive persons with intellectual disabilities (Yildirim et al. 2010). Aim: To recognize how participation in a series of hip-hop dance workshops can improve reaction time in persons with intellectual disabilities. Methods: 13 persons with moderate intellectual disabilities aged 14-22 ( M = 17,30; SD = 2,52). A quasi-experiment was prepared using a single-group plan (nine dance workshops). Study design applied: pre-test - post-test. Measurement Tool - Optogait - acoustic response test. Results: Reaction time measured prior to dance workshops was M = 1,58; SD = 0,48 and after workshops was M = 1,34; SD = 0,69. The analysis using Wilcoxon signed-ranks test showed that this difference is statistically significant, Z = 2,06; p < .05. Conclusions: Hip-hop dance classes improve response times in persons with moderate intellectual disabilities.
Early knee OA definition–what do we know at this stage? An imaging perspective
Authors: Li Xiaojuan , Roemer Frank W. , Cicuttini Flavia , MacKay Jamie W. , Turmezei Tom , Link Thomas M.
Published: March 2023

While criteria for early-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA) in a primary care setting have been proposed, the role of imaging has been limited to radiography using the standard Kellgren–Lawrence classification. Standardized imaging and interpretation are critical with radiographs, yet studies have also shown that even early stages of radiographic OA already demonstrate advanced damage to knee joint tissues such as cartilage, menisci, and bone marrow. Morphological magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows degenerative damage earlier than radiographs and definitions for OA using MRI have been published though no accepted definition of early OA based on MRI is currently available. The clinical significance of structural abnormalities has also not been well defined, and the differentiation between normal aging and structural OA development remains a challenge. Compositional MRI of cartilage provides information on biochemical, degenerative changes within the cartilage matrix before cartilage defects occur and when cartilage damage is potentially reversible. Studies have shown that cartilage composition can predict cartilage loss and radiographic OA. However, while this technology is most promising for characterizing early OA it has currently limited clinical application. Better standardization of compositional MRI is required, which is currently work in progress. Finally, there has been renewed interest in computed tomography (CT) for assessing early knee OA as new techniques such as weight bearing and spectral CT are available, which may provide information on joint loading, cartilage, and bone and potentially have a role in better characterizing early OA. In conclusion, while imaging may have a limited role in diagnosing early OA in a primary care setting, there are advanced imaging technologies available, which detect early degeneration and may thus significantly alter management as new therapeutic modalities evolve.
An update on the use of conventional and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in hand osteoarthritis
Authors: Tenti Sara , Bruyère Olivier , Cheleschi Sara , Reginster Jean-Yves , Veronese Nicola , Fioravanti Antonella
Published: March 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent condition worldwide associated with pain, progressive disability, reduced participation in social activities, and impaired quality of life. Despite its growing burden, the therapeutic options are still limited and almost exclusively addressed to symptoms’ management, while no disease-modifying OA drugs able to prevent or retard disease progression are actually available. For these reasons, in the last decades, relevant efforts to find new potential therapeutic targets in OA have been made and a number of existing conventional and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), methotrexate (MTX), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-6 inhibitors, commonly used to treat inflammatory rheumatic diseases, have been repurposed for the treatment of OA and explored also in hand osteoarthritis (HOA). The current narrative review was aimed to provide a comprehensive and updated understanding of the possibilities and the criticisms related to the treatment of HOA with conventional and biological DMARDs. Unfortunately, therapy with conventional and biologic drugs in HOA has not achieved the expected success, despite a rationale for their use exists. Thus, our findings outline the urgent need to enhance the exploration of HOA basic molecular mechanisms to find new potential therapeutic targets, personalized for each patient, and appropriate for the different subsets of HOA and for the different phases of disease.
Lymphangitic carcinomatosis as the initial manifestation of primary signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the lung: A case report
Authors: Corredor-Orlandelli David , Vargas Lina
Published: March 2023

Signet-ring cell carcinomas are an aggressive, poorly differentiated, and highly invasive adenocarcinoma carrying a poor prognosis. Most of these tumors originate in gastrointestinal organs; however, primary lung signet-ring cell adenocarcinomas can rarely occur. Tumoral lymphatic infiltration is a complication of these tumors and can cause phenomena such as lymphangitic carcinomatosis, characterized by a nodular thickening of the pleura, pleural effusions, and mediastinal lymphadenopathies. We report a case of a 63-year-old ex-smoker with a 2-week clinical course of dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain in which a nodular thickening of the pleura and pleural effusion were documented and led to the diagnosis of a primary signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the lung with lymphangitic carcinomatosis. This complication has never been described in the context of a primary lung tumor of this subtype. Both entities carry a high mortality and have no therapeutical options. This report adds to the information available about them.
Previous corticosteroid exposure associates with an increased Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia mortality among HIV-negative patients: a global research network with a follow-up multicenter case-control study
Authors: Vargas Barahona Lilian , Molina Kyle C. , Pedraza-Arévalo Laura C. , Sillau Stefan , Tagawa Alex , Scherger Sias , Chastain Daniel B. , Shapiro Leland , Tuells Jose , Franco-Paredes Carlos , Hawkins Kellie L. , Maloney James P. , Thompson George R. , Henao-Martínez Andrés F.
Published: March 2023

Background:

HIV-negative patients have substantial mortality from Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). We lack predictors of HIV-negative PJP-associated mortality.

Objective:

We aim to characterize the role of prior corticosteroid exposure in PJP-related mortality.

Methods:

We queried a global research network to identify adult HIV-negative patients with PJP with or without corticosteroid exposure in the preceding year before diagnosis ( n = 8,021). We performed a propensity score-matched analysis to adjust baseline patient characteristics and analyzed outcomes. We follow-up the results with a multicenter ten years retrospective case-control cohort of HIV-negative patients tested for PJP by PCP Direct Fluorescent Antigen. We used a Cox proportional hazards model for survival analysis.

Results:

1822 HIV-negative propensity-scored matched patients with prior corticosteroid exposure had significantly increased 10 weeks (16% versus 9%, p < 0.0001) and one-year mortality after PJP diagnosis (23% versus 14%, p < 0.0001). (1→3)-β-D-glucan (197.6 ± 155.8 versus 63 ± 0 pg/ml, p = 0.014), ferritin levels (1227 ± 2486 versus 768 ± 1060 mcg/l, p = 0.047), lymphopenia (1.5 ± 1.5 versus 2.0 ± 1.6 103 cells/µl, p < 0.0001) and hypoxia (SatO2: 86.7% versus 91.6%, p < 0.0001) were higher or worse in those with prior steroid use. Patients who died were more likely to have previously received dexamethasone (35% versus 16%, p < 0.001) or prednisone (49% versus 29%, p < 0.001). Adjusted Cox proportional-hazard model validation showed an independently increased mortality at 10 weeks (HR: 3.7, CI: 1.5–9.2, p = 0.004) and 1 year (HR: 4.5, CI: 2.0–10.4, p < 0.0001) among HIV-negative patients with previous corticosteroid exposure.

Conclusion:

Preceding corticosteroids in HIV-negative patients with PJP are associated with higher mortality. A higher fungal burden may influence corticosteroid-mediated mortality. Assessment of PJP prophylaxis must become a standard clinical best practice when instituting corticosteroid therapy courses.
Anti-G protein antibodies targeting the RSV G protein CX3C chemokine region improve the interferon response
Authors: Bergeron Harrison C. , Kauvar Lawrence M. , Tripp Ralph A.
Published: March 2023

Background:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a poor inducer of antiviral interferon (IFN) responses which result in incomplete immunity and RSV disease. Several RSV proteins alter antiviral responses, including the non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2) and the major viral surface proteins, that is, fusion (F) and attachment (G) proteins. The G protein modifies the host immune response to infection linked in part through a CX3 C chemokine motif. Anti-G protein monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), that is, clones 3D3 and 2D10 that target the G protein CX3C chemokine motif can neutralize RSV and inhibit G protein-CX3CR1 mediated chemotaxis.

Objectives:

Determine how monoclonal antibodies against the RSV F and G proteins modify the type I and III IFN responses to RSV infection.

Design:

As the G protein CX3 C motif is implicated in IFN antagonism, we evaluated two mAbs that block G protein CX3C-CX3CR1 interaction and compared responses to isotype mAb control using a functional cellular assay and mouse model.

Methods:

Mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE-15 cells) and BALB/c mice were infected with RSV Line19 F following prophylactic mAb treatment. Cell supernatant or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were assayed for types I and III IFNs. Cells were interrogated for changes in IFN-related gene expression.

Results:

Treatment with an anti-G protein mAb (3D3) resulted in improved IFN responses compared with isotype control following infection with RSV, partially independently of neutralization, and this was linked to upregulated SOCS1 expression.

Conclusions:

These findings show that anti-G protein antibodies improve the protective early antiviral response, which has important implications for vaccine and therapeutic design.

Plain Language Summary

RSV is a leading cause of respiratory disease in infants and the elderly. The only Food and Drug Administration-approved prophylactic treatment is limited to an anti-F protein monoclonal antibody (mAb), that is, palivizumab which has modest efficacy against RSV disease. Accumulating evidence suggests that targeting the RSV attachment (G) protein may provide improved protection from RSV disease. It is known that the G protein is an IFN antagonist, and IFN has been shown to be protective against RSV disease. In this study, we compared IFN responses in mouse lung epithelial (MLE-15) cells and in mice infected with RSV Line19 F treated with anti-G protein or anti-F protein mAbs. The levels of type I and III IFNs were determined. Anti-G protein mAbs improved the levels of IFNs compared with isotype-treated controls. These findings support the concept that anti-G protein mAbs mediate improved IFN responses against RSV disease, which may enable improved treatment of RSV infections.
Medical Device Regulations and custom-made device documentation: A further ten frequently asked questions and their answers
Authors: Green James I. J.
Published: March 2023

During the 1990s, three Directives were enacted that aimed to harmonise the regulation of medical devices within the European Union (EU). Custom-made devices (CMDs) were subject to Council Directive 93/42/EEC of 14 June 1993 concerning medical devices (Medical Device Directive [MDD]), which was given effect in the UK by the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (UK MDR 2002). Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (Medical Device Regulation [EU MDR]) replaced the MDD and was transposed into the Medical Devices (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 in the UK. The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 and entered an 11-month implementation period (IP), during which any new EU legislation that was enacted also took effect in the UK. The EU MDR was scheduled to be fully implemented on 26 May 2020 (during the IP) but this was deferred for one year, until 26 May 2021 (after the IP had concluded), as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Consequently, the EU MDR was removed from the UK statute book by a further amendment to the UK MDR 2002, the Medical Devices (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. Since 1 January 2021, CMDs manufactured in Great Britain can conform to either the UK MDR 2002 (as amended) or the EU MDR (until 30 June 2023) while devices manufactured in Northern Ireland are subject to the EU MDR alone. CMDs must be supplied with a statement, a label and, depending on the risk class, instructions for use; this paper answers ten questions regarding this documentation following these legislative changes.
Aesthetic and functional rehabilitation of collapsed occlusal vertical dimension using an advanced digital workflow
Authors: Zhivago Paul , Turkyilmaz Ilser , Yun Sarah
Published: March 2023

This report presents a clinical case that follows a comprehensive digital workflow to increase occlusal vertical dimension of a patient presenting with occlusal wear. A 56-year-old patient with aesthetic and functional problems presented to the authors’ clinic. An intraoral scanner was used to obtain digital models of the patient’s existing maxillary and mandibular arches. Advanced sculpting software and digital tooth libraries were used to design the patient’s ideal smile. A three-dimensional (3D) printer was used to fabricate temporary restorations and resin casts. Full-mouth restoration was successfully completed with zirconia crowns using an advanced digital workflow.
Evidence-based Standard Operating Procedures FoR the Prevention and Management of Sodium Hypochlorite Accidents in Dentistry
Authors: Briggs Elizabeth A. , Toner Rebecca , Kilgariff Julie K.
Published: March 2023

This article aims to reduce harm and improve patient safety in dentistry by providing evidence-based guidance on the prevention, recognition, management, and reporting of sodium hypochlorite injuries occurring in the course of endodontic dental treatment. In contrast to previous publications all types of sodium hypochlorite harm and near-harm events in the dental setting are considered, to offer the reader an all-encompassing clinical guide for reference.
All WARC and no playback: The materialities of data-centered web archives research
Authors: Maemura Emily
Published: March 2023

This paper examines the Web ARChive (WARC) file format, revealing how the format has come to play a central role in the development and standardization of interoperable tools and methods for the international web archiving community. In the context of emerging big data approaches, I consider the sociotechnical relationships between material construction of data and information infrastructures for collecting and research. Analysis is inspired by Star and Griesemer's historical case of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology which reveals how boundary objects and methods standardization are used to enroll actors in the work of collecting for natural history. I extend these concepts by pairing them with frameworks for studying digital materiality and the representational qualities of data artifacts. Through examples drawn from fieldwork observations studying two data-centered research projects, I consider how the materiality of the WARC format influences research methods and approaches to data extraction, selection, and transformation. Findings identify three modalities researchers use to configure WARC data for researcher needs: using indexes to support search queries, constructing derivative formats designed for certain types of analysis, and generating custom-designed datasets tailored for specific research purposes. Findings additionally reveal similarities in how these distinct methods approach automated data extraction by relying upon the WARC's standardized metadata elements. By interrogating whose information needs are being met and taken into account in the design of the WARC's underlying information representation, I reveal effects on the emerging field of web history, and consider alternative approaches to knowledge production with archived web data.
Multi-regional COVID-19 epidemic forecast in Sweden
Authors: Xing Yihan , Gaidai Oleg
Published: March 2023

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease with high transmissibility to spread worldwide, reported to present a certain burden on worldwide public health.

This study aimed to determine epidemic occurrence probability at any reasonable time horizon in any region of interest by applying modern novel statistical methods directly to raw clinical data. This paper describes a novel bio-system reliability approach, particularly suitable for multi-regional health and stationary environmental systems, observed over a sufficient period of time, resulting in a reliable long-term forecast of the highly pathogenic virus outbreak probability.

For this study, COVID-19 daily recorded patient numbers in most affected Sweden regions were chosen. This work aims to benchmark state-of-the-art methods, making it possible to extract necessary information from dynamically observed patient numbers while considering relevant territorial mapping.

The method proposed in this paper opens up the possibility of accurately predicting epidemic outbreak probability for multi-regional biological systems. Based on their clinical survey data, the suggested methodology can be used in various public health applications.

Key findings are: A novel spatiotemporal health system reliability method has been developed and applied to COVID-19 epidemic data. Accurate multi-regional epidemic occurrence prediction is made. Epidemic threshold confidence bands given.
Pathologists’ acceptance of telepathology in the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs Hospitals in Saudi Arabia: A survey study
Authors: Alawashiz Raneem , AlDossary Sharifah Abdullah
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Evaluating users’ attitudes and acceptance of telemedicine in the early phases of implementation is critical in predicting a successful adoption and utilization of the service. Telepathology does not require a patient's presence for intercommunication; therefore, it is essential to focus on the acceptance of the main occupational groups that are involved. This study aimed to assess the attitude and acceptance of telepathology in the pathology departments of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA) hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

Method

A cross-sectional survey was distributed among pathologists and laboratory technologists in the pathology departments of MNGHA hospitals ( N = 78). The data collection instrument was built upon the technology acceptance model’s (TAM's) constructs of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), attitude (ATT), and intention to use (ITU).

Results

In total, 64 questionnaires were completed (response rate of 82%). The acceptance levels represented by the median responses to the TAM constructs, varied from 5.5 (slightly agree) to 6 (agree). The availability of digital pathology services in the workplace was significantly correlated with the participants’ acceptance of telepathology. There was a strong correlation between ITU and PU and a moderate correlation between PEU and PU.

Conclusion

Results suggest that telepathology is more likely to be adopted if it is considered helpful, therefore, it is recommended to focus on its usefulness and direct benefits during the training period. The participants who were familiar with the concept of digital pathology were more receptive to using telepathology, which might emphasize the importance of introducing and familiarizing the resident with digital health during their training period.
Validation of the influence of biosignals on performance of machine learning algorithms for sleep stage classification
Authors: Choi Junggu , Kwon Seohyun , Park Sohyun , Han Sanghoon
Published: March 2023

Background

Sleep stage identification is critical in multiple areas (e.g. medicine or psychology) to diagnose sleep-related disorders. Previous studies have reported that the performance of machine learning algorithms can be changed depending on the biosignals and feature-extraction processes in sleep stage classification.

Methods

To compare as many conditions as possible, 414 experimental conditions were applied, considering the combination of different biosignals, biosignal length, and window length. Five biosignals in polysomnography (i.e. electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyogram (EMG), electrooculogram left, and electrooculogram right) were used to identify optimal signal combinations for classification. In addition, three different signal-length conditions and six different window-length conditions were applied. The validity of each condition was examined via classification performance from the XGBoost classifiers trained using 10-fold cross-validation. Furthermore, results considering feature importance were examined to validate the experimental results in terms of model explanation.

Results

The combination of EEG + EMG + ECG with a 40 s window and 120 s signal length resulted in the best classification performance (precision: 0.853, recall: 0.855, F1-score: 0.853, and accuracy: 0.853). Compared to other conditions and feature importance results, EEG signals showed a relatively higher importance for classification in the present study.

Conclusion

We determined the optimal biosignal and window conditions for the feature-extraction process in machine learning algorithm-based sleep stage classification. Our experimental results inform researchers in the future conduct of related studies. To generalize our results, more diverse methodologies and conditions should be applied in future studies.
Citizen Willingness to Hold a Police Officer Criminally Responsible for the Use of Deadly Force: Examining the Correlates of Finding Guilt
Authors: Ilchi Omeed S. , Hickling Shamma J. , Frank James
Published: March 2023

Despite increased public attention on police killings of citizens and police accountability in recent years, few studies have specifically examined the support for convicting and incarcerating a specific police officer who was accused of wrongfully killing a citizen. The current study examines the attitudes of undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university about a case involving a white police officer who worked for the university police department and recently shot and killed an unarmed Black citizen during a traffic stop. Specifically, it examines support for convicting and incarcerating this officer, who was charged but ultimately went unpunished, and the factors that are related to support for, opposition to, or neutrality towards holding the officer criminally responsible. The findings indicate that respondents who perceive police officers as soldiers in a war on crime and hold symbolically racist attitudes were more likely to oppose or be neutral about the officer being held responsible. White respondents, while not more likely to oppose the conviction and incarceration of the officer, were more likely to be neutral toward the outcome of the case, indicating that white indifference might be a major barrier to holding police officers accountable for their improper use of deadly force.
The Function of Metaphor Modality in Memes on Jordanian Facebook Pages
Authors: ElShami Tarez Hani Simon , Shuaibi Jihad Al , Zibin Aseel
Published: March 2023

This study aims to examine the function of metaphor modality (monomodal and multimodal) in a corpus of 250 memes collected from two Jordanian-based Facebook pages called “مطب – Bump” and “فيل زهري – Feel Zahri [pink elephant].” The 250 memes were shared on these Facebook pages between January 2019 and January 2020. The study adopts Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) by Lakoff and Johnson and Forceville’s Multimodal Metaphor Theory (MMT) as its theoretical framework. The results showed that metaphors used in the target memes were conveyed through the use of common source domains, word-image incompatibility (to create irony and by extension humor), and intertextual links where the intertextual gap is minimized to facilitate understanding. The results also revealed that multimodal metaphors (containing both visual and verbal cues) are more frequent than monomodal metaphors (only visual cues or verbal cues) in the target memes, which could be ascribed to the fact that Jordanian creators of memes may want to achieve maximum contextual effects with minimum processing time. With regard to the nature of the metaphors found in terms of universality, the majority of the metaphors are potentially near universal (e.g., human behavior is animal behavior), yet it was argued that some of them pass through the cultural filter giving rise to specific mappings and, in turn, generating culture-specific metaphors.
The Role of Internet-of-Things for Service Transformation
Authors: Eigner Andreas , Stary Christian
Published: March 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly becoming a key technology for service transformation, that is, the transition from pure product sales to so-called “bundles” of customer-focused combinations of products and services. These combinations are termed product-service systems. They aim to add value for the customer. However, the role of IoT in this context is not quite clear. In this contribution, therefore, we examine the role of IoT in the context of service transformation. Our structured analysis of transformation processes reveals IoT as essential enabler of digital service transformation. We explain IoT-relevance on a strategic and operational level of IoT-capable business models. IoT not only can supplement a portfolio of products on a strategic level, but also completely replace a product. At the operational level, capabilities such as remote monitoring or remote control play a crucial role. IoT also plays a crucial enabling role when the convergence between service transformation and Industry 4.0 is targeted. However, when realizing service transformation, the various IoT capabilities are mutually dependent. Hence, implementation follows in some way a waterfall-like process in which certain results are required to trigger the next development step. We describe these dependencies, and thus facilitate decision making when IoT is used for service transformation processes. Organizations can then take appropriate development actions.
Synthesis of Necessity and Opportunity Motivation Factors in Women Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Lingappa Anasuya K. , Rodrigues Lewlyn L.R.
Published: March 2023

The dichotomy of the Necessity and Opportunity motivation (Push-Pull model) has been frequently used to explain Women Entrepreneurial Motivation (WEM) unvaryingly in most situations. The literature indicates a need for clarity and precision in the context-specific conceptualization of this construct. Understanding the disparities between WEM in developed and developing nations will further clear the ambiguity. The current article addresses this gap in three stages. Systematically analyzing 103 articles published in WEM research, an exhaustive list of all WEM factors is built and categorized as necessity and opportunity motivation using Computer-Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) assisted Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). Subsequently, necessity and opportunity motivation themes are generated and the related sub-themes and their constituents are identified. Finally, the contextual differences in WEM tendencies are highlighted in the light of women entrepreneurship in developed and developing nations. The main contribution of this review, apart from the comprehensive consolidation of WEM factors, is the revelation of the clear contextual difference in the usage and connotation of certain WEM factors in developed and developing countries. These contextual insights of WEM may provide future research scholars as well as policymakers with an improved understanding of necessity and opportunity motivation factors.
Bacteremia With Oral Prevotella Salivae in an 18-Year-Old After a Water Skiing Fall Into a Freshwater Lake
Authors: Avanzato Victoria A. , D’Angelo John , Okolie Jacqueline , Massart Annie
Published: March 2023

Freshwater exposure is associated with a diverse range of infections from pathogens present in soil and water. This includes skin and soft tissue infections and wound infections, gastrointestinal infections, and central nervous system infections acquired through recreational exposure or trauma. Case reports of freshwater-associated infections typically focus on waterborne pathogens as the cause of illness; however, patients who experience significant physical trauma during freshwater exposure may also be at increased risk for infection with their own flora if the nature of the injury allows entry of bacteria through a mechanism such as mucosal injury. Here, we present a case of a healthy 18-year-old man who rapidly developed bacteremia with oral flora following several falls submerging his face into lake water while water skiing, as well as acute polymicrobial sinusitis and subsequent pre-septal cellulitis. Shortly after his water skiing falls, the patient developed sinusitis that rapidly progressed to headaches, emesis, and significant periorbital swelling. Blood cultures grew Prevotella salivae, a bacterium naturally found in the oral cavity. Sinus cultures grew Klebsiella aerogenes and Listeria monocytogenes, which may be associated with lake water. The infection improved with antibiotic therapy, and the patient was discharged on a regimen of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Reports of bacteremia with oral flora following freshwater injury are not typically reported, and to our knowledge, this is the first report describing bacteremia with P salivae.