bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcome of intraocular lens exchange for the management of myopic shift in pseudophakic children
Authors: Zedan Rasha , Farag Christina S. , Gouda Jylan , Awadein Ahmed , Elhilali Hala , Hassanein Dina H
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the visual outcome of intraocular lens (IOL) exchange for the management of myopic shift in pseudophakic children.

Methods

The medical records of children who underwent IOL exchange for myopic shift were examined. The preoperative data, operative details and the postoperative outcome were analyzed.

Results

Twenty-one eyes (16 patients) were identified. Mean age at cataract extraction was 20 ± 26 months (range, 2–84 months). Twelve patients (6 unilateral, 6 bilateral) had primary IOL implantation. Mean age at IOL exchange was 7.3 ± 3.2 years. Mean spherical equivalent (SE) at IOL exchange was −14 ± 5 D (range, −7 to −21 D): Mean SE at IOL exchange was −13.64 ± 4.99 D, −12 ± 1.53 D, and −15.5 ± 4.7 D in unilaterally pseudophakic cases (8 patients), in the eye that underwent unilateral IOL exchange (3 patients) in bilaterally pseudophakic cases, and in bilateral IOL exchange cases (5 patients), respectively. Mean axial length at IOL exchange was 24 ± 1.3 mm (range, 23 to 27 mm). Following IOL exchange, mean SE was reduced to −2 ± 1.8 D (range, −4 to +2.5 D). An average of three logMAR line improvement in the best-corrected visual acuity was observed in 12/16 eyes of patients for whom pre- and post-exchange visual acuity were available, while visual acuity remained unchanged in 4 eyes. Mean logMAR visual acuity improvement was 0.35 and 0.49 in unilateral and bilateral pseudophakic cases, respectively.

Conclusions

IOL exchange is a safe procedure that should be considered to improve visual rehabilitation in pseudophakic patients with myopic shift.
Analysis of tip malposition and correction of peripherally inserted central catheters under ultrasound-guidance: 5-year outcomes from a single center
Authors: Jang Eunju , Son Soo Mi , Moon Ki-yoon , Lee Seunghoon , Han Hong Seok , Park Sun Cheol , Kim Jang Yong , Yun Sang Seob
Published: December 2023

Background:

Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) has become a common procedure. Although ultrasound (US)-guidance has improved success rates, a small percentage of malposition is inevitable. The purpose of our study is to evaluate malposition rates of US-guided bedside PICC catheter insertion, and the clinical factors associated with malposition.

Methods:

This is a retrospective cohort study evaluating 5981 patients who had undergone ultrasound-guided bedside PICC placement from January 2017 to December 2021 at a single tertiary center. Final tip location was confirmed on chest radiograph.

Results:

Patients were categorized into optimal, suboptimal, and malposition groups according to final tip location. 4866 cases (81.7%) showed optimal tip position, 790 (13.3%) were suboptimal, and 299 (5.0%) were malpositioned. Logistic regression analysis identified six variables associated with tip malposition; height (odds ratio (OR) 1.044; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.028–1.061; p < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.051; 95% CI, 1.017–1.087; p = 0.003), prior failure at accessing peripheral intravenous (IV) access (OR 1.718; 95% CI, 1.215–2.428; p = 0.002), side of the arm (OR 3.467; 95% CI, 2.457–4.891; p < 0.001), length of the catheter (OR 0.763; 95% CI, 0.734–0.794; p < 0.001), and number of previous central catheter insertions (OR 1.069; 95% CI, 1.004–1.140; p = 0.038). Malpositioned catheters were corrected by either bedside repositioning, bedside reinsertion, fluoroscopic reinsertion, switching to jugular catheters or catheter removal. No patient related factors were significantly associated with malposition or success of reposition.

Conclusion:

US-guidance can help reduce catheter malposition during bedside PICC insertion. Patients with risk factors such as multiple previous central vein insertions, failed peripheral line insertions, left arm insertion, or high BMI should undergo thorough sonographic evaluation of the arm vessels to prevent malposition.
A modified single-catheter approach for improving adrenal venous sampling in patients with primary aldosteronism
Authors: Wan Jindong , Wang Xinquan , Liu Sen , Hou Jixin , Zhou Peng , Xue Qiang , Wang Peijian
Published: December 2023

Objectives:

Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is an established procedure for assessing subtype patients with primary aldosteronism (PA). However, it is technically challenging, with high failure rates, which limits its application in clinical practice. Our study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single-catheter modified approach for AVS.

Methods:

The clinical, angiographic, and procedural data of 182 consecutive patients who underwent AVS procedures between May 2020 and May 2023 were collected and analyzed. The single-catheter modified approach was performed as a single 5 F Tiger catheter with only one-time manual reshaping, which was recommended for sequential bilateral adrenal cannulations.

Results:

Of the 182 consecutive patients, 174 (95.6%) had successful bilateral adrenal cannulation. The single-catheter modified approach was successfully performed to cannulate the right adrenal vein in 176 (96.7%) patients, while another six (3.3%) patients needed at least a second manual reshaping for 5 F Tiger catheters. For left adrenal cannulation, a single-catheter modified approach was successfully used in 179 (98.4%) patients, whereas 5 F Tiger catheters with at least second-time manual reshaping were used in the remaining three (1.6%) patients. The procedural period was 15.6 ± 10.8 min, the fluoroscopy time was 4.2 ± 1.5 min, and the diagnostic contrast was 15.5 ± 4.8 mL. The incidence of procedure-related complications associated with AVS was 1.1%. The cumulative summation assessment illustrated that the learning curve for the operating procedure required up to 29 cases, indicating that the procedure time was shortened after 29 cases.

Conclusions:

The single-catheter modified approach is an effective, safe, and feasible technique for AVS treatment. In particular, this improved method is not difficult for beginners with high technical success rates.
Sensing Playgrounding: Playful Design Workshops to Reimagine the City as Playground
Authors: Hjorth Larissa , Lammes Sybille
Published: December 2023

Cities are complex spaces of contesting infrastructures, media, humans and more-than-human interactions. They are places that house multiple visible and invisible cartographies that draw on multisensorial ways of being in the world. In the city, our senses are amplified and intensified in ways that reorient our processes of worlding. Cities have, more recently, been defined and approached as spaces for play. In this article, we explore how understanding the city as a playground—or through the activity of playgrounding—can invite new ways of designing urban games and playful interventions that acknowledge the uneven and multisensorial ways we inhabit the world. We reflect upon dominant, innovative, and interventionist ideas of playgrounds and notions such as the playful or playable city. We then reflect on findings from a placemaking game workshop designed around the Spanish Superillas (superblocks) in Barcelona. Superillas are playgrounds designed into street intersections that have transformed specific sections of the city in a playground. What does it mean to think about the city as a playground? Can this speculation/ provocation help us rethink the city in more inclusive and sensorial ways?
Role of noninvasive ocular imaging as a biomarker in peripheral artery disease (PAD): A systematic review
Authors: Prem Senthil Mallika , Kurban Chroran , Thuy Nguyen Ngoc , Nguyen Anh-Phuong , Chakraborty Ranjay , Delaney Christopher , Clark Robyn , Anand Saumya , Bhardwaj Heena
Published: December 2023

This study aimed to review the current literature exploring the utility of noninvasive ocular imaging for the diagnosis of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Our search was conducted in early April 2022 and included the databases Medline, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, and others. Five articles were included in the final review. Of the five studies that used ocular imaging in PAD, two studies used retinal color fundus photography, one used optical coherence tomography (OCT), and two used optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to assess the ocular changes in PAD. PAD was associated with both structural and functional changes in the retina. Structural alterations around the optic disc and temporal retinal vascular arcades were seen in color fundus photography of patients with PAD compared to healthy individuals. The presence of retinal hemorrhages, exudates, and microaneurysms in color fundus photography was associated with an increased future risk of PAD, especially the severe form of the disease. The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) was significantly thinner in the nasal quadrant in patients with PAD compared to age-matched healthy individuals in OCT. Similarly, the choroidal thickness in the subfoveal region was significantly thinner in patients with PAD compared to controls. Patients with PAD also had a significant reduction in the retinal and choroidal circulation in OCTA compared to healthy controls. As PAD causes thinning and ischemic changes in retinal vessels, examination of the retinal vessels using retinal imaging techniques can provide useful information about early microvascular damage in PAD. Ocular imaging could potentially serve as a biomarker for PAD. PROSPERO ID: CRD42022310637
The intimate thing that makes her feel at home: An analysis of the diasporic objects of women migrants
Authors: Zeng Hong
Published: December 2023

Accelerating globalisation and transnational migration in recent decades has led to an increasing number of women migrants. This phenomenon calls for an investigation of women’s identities as migrants. This article examines women migrants’ sense of belonging through their everyday material practices. I draw on the concept of diasporic objects to examine the material objects that women migrants take with them, which function as prisms for their relationships to their national cultures. I adopt a theoretical framework of intimacy – including national intimacy, intimate culture and diasporic intimacy – to examine how women relate to their nations via a nation–family continuum. Through an analysis of 18 women migrants’ narratives about their diasporic objects, I argue that the diasporic objects of women migrants articulate their domestic and familial life and connect them with their imagined national cultures. Their concept of ‘home’ is haunted by memories of war, patriarchal oppression and authoritarianism. I conclude by discussing how they use their diasporic objects to transform the idea of home into a rooted and transitive concept.
Study on resonance of multi-degree-of-freedom structure based on modal orthogonal basis
Authors: Qi Sun , Kaiyin Zhang
Published: December 2023

Resonance of multi-degree-of-freedom system or structure is a basic and important concept in structural vibration theory, but it lacks a complete and rigorous definition. In order to establish an accurate concept of structural resonance, based on the concept of single-degree-of-freedom system resonance and modal orthogonality, this paper discusses the necessary conditions of system resonance by analyzing the displacement response of multi-degree-of-freedom vibration system, that is, while ensuring that the vibration frequency of the system (a certain natural frequency) is equal to the excitation frequency, its displacement response should also present the corresponding modal shape. An example of simply supported beam is used to illustrate its rationality. At the same time, the theoretical method of pure modal resonance of multi-degree-of-freedom system is given by rational allocation of excitation force. The pure modal resonance of multi-degree-of-freedom system or structure can be realized, which can be used to accurately identify the modal parameters of the structure. It is of great theoretical significance and engineering application value to discriminate the concept of multi-degree-of-freedom system or structure resonance.
Ethnographic research of outer space: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Szolucha Anna , Timko Peter , Ojani Chakad , Korpershoek Karlijn
Published: December 2023

The scales and categories of human activity are always evolving. The analytical and practical challenges that they pose for ethnographic theory and practice have the potential to consolidate as well as transform research methods and approaches. Drawing on our preliminary fieldwork, we explore how ethnographic practice can bring novel insights to the study of outer space, and map potential areas for future methodological innovation. We identify four challenges for ethnographic research in this context which coalesce around the themes of difference and controversy; connections and contingencies; absence and remoteness; as well as the local and the extraterrestrial. Our aim is to demonstrate that ethnographic practice is not only well-suited for engaging with outer space, but also useful for a critical analysis of some of the most fundamental paradigms of human understanding.
Learning from newly settled families in an Aotearoa New Zealand playgroup
Authors: Jacobs Mary M
Published: December 2023

Families engage in a range of cultural practices in their everyday lives that shape children’s early literacies. Given the growing number of children who are living outside the country of their birth or their parents’ birth, more research is needed to highlight the under-recognised literacies of young children shaped by their family cultural practices and immigration experiences. This year-long qualitative study in an Aotearoa New Zealand playgroup explored how newly settled families worked to sustain their cultural practices and supported their young children’s understandings of new cultural norms in the context of immigration. Qualitative data collection methods included participant observation in the playgroup and photo-elicitation and semi-structured interview conversations in family languages. Findings highlight family aspirations and tensions regarding children’s participation in family cultural practices over time, sustaining family languages once children transitioned to school, and notions of belonging. Family participation was integral to interpreting children’s meaning-making in the playgroup, including how children flexibly navigated language differences and unfamiliar cultural practices. This study highlights the importance of learning from families about the linguistic and cultural resources young children draw on to represent, communicate and belong in a new country.
Investigation of vibration, flexural, tribological and flame retardant properties on rubber crumb-reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Thangapandian N , Satthiyaraju M , GaneshKumar P , Sivalingam Vinothkumar
Published: December 2023

This research aims to fabricate polymer matrix composites with improved mechanical, flame retardant, and damping properties by incorporating waste rubber crumbs as the reinforcement. The damping characteristics of the polymer matrix composites reinforced with different weight percentages of rubber crumb such as 0, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% were analyzed using a free vibration test. The experimental results confirmed that the addition of rubber crumb significantly improved the damping characteristics of the material. In addition, the rubber crumb-reinforced composites showed improved mechanical and fire-retardant properties. The flexural strength improved exceptionally with the increase in rubber reinforcements up to 7.5%, whereas the tensile strength increased up to 2.5% weight and reduced with the further increase in rubber. Enhanced flame-retardant properties were witnessed in the polymer composites reinforced with rubber crumb than that of the plain Epoxy - Glass fibre composites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were also used to ascertain the thermal properties. The scanning electron microscope was employed to analyze the surface and fractography of the polymeric composites. The overall results showed the contemporary effect of rubber crumbs on polymer composites.
Transfer of strategic task components across unique tasks that share some common structures
Authors: Longman Cai S , Milton Fraser , Wills Andy J
Published: December 2023

Flexible, adaptive behaviour depends on the application of prior learning to novel contexts (transfer). Transfer can take many forms, but the focus of the present study was on “task schemas”—learning strategies that guide the earliest stages of engaging in a novel task. The central aim was to examine the architecture of task schemas and determine whether strategic task components can expedite learning novel tasks that share some structural components with the training tasks. Groups of participants across two experiments were exposed to different training regimes centred around multiple unique tasks that shared some/all/none of the structural task components (the kinds of stimuli, classifications, and/or responses) but none of the surface features (the specific stimuli, classifications, and/or responses) with the test task (a dot-pattern classification task). Initial test performance was improved (to a degree) in all groups relative to a control group whose training did not include any of the structural components relevant to the test task. The strongest evidence of transfer was found in the motoric, perceptual  +  categorization, and full schema training groups. This observation indicates that training with some (or all) strategic task components expedited learning of a novel task that shared those components. That is, task schemas were found to be componential and were able to expedite learning a novel task where similar (learning) strategies could be applied to specific elements of the test task.
How to Reduce Hotel Employees’ Workplace Deviant Behavior? The Roles of Paternalistic Leadership and Regulatory Foci
Authors: Zhuang Wen-Long , Yeh Shih-Shuo , Yeh Giun-Ting , Huan Tzung-Cheng
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the impact of paternalistic leadership on workplace deviant behavior among employees in five-star international tourist hotels in six municipalities under the Central Government of Taiwan. In addition, it examined whether employees’ regulatory foci mediate this relationship. The data were collected through purposive sampling, targeting individuals knowledgeable about deviant behaviors. A total of 600 questionnaires (one supervisor per 10 employees) were distributed, resulting in 374 valid matched responses (374 employees and 52 supervisors), with a valid response rate of 62.33%. The findings indicate that paternalistic leadership significantly reduces workplace deviant behavior in employees. Furthermore, regulatory foci were found to partially mediate the relationship between paternalistic leadership and workplace deviant behavior. The article concludes with management implications and research recommendations.
Arthroscopic Electromechanical Assessment of Human Articular Cartilage Injury Correlates with ICRS Scores
Authors: Rimkunas Augustinas , Gudas Rimtautas , Mickevicius Tomas , Maciulaitis Justinas , Malinauskas Mantas , Smailys Alfredas , Staskunas Mantas , Usas Arvydas
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to conduct arthroscopic evaluation of cartilage electromechanical properties and establish their correlation with International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grading scores.

Methods

In 18 patients, quantitative parameter (QP) measurements were taken on the weight-bearing surface of the medial femoral condyle. Adjacently, the same site was graded using ICRS scores (0-4). Electromechanical QPs for ICRS grades 0 to 3 were obtained during arthroscopy, while complete grade 4 injuries were assessed using femur cartilage-bone blocks from knee arthroplasty. The QP values for ICRS grades 0 to 2 were compared with grades 3 and 4 using Welch t test. The corresponding QP values were assigned to ICRS grades 0 to 4 and compared using Welch ANOVA (analysis of variance). Pearson’s coefficient evaluated QP-ICRS grade relationship.

Results

Healthy grade 0 cartilage displayed a mean QP value of 10.5 (±2.8 SD, n = 4). The ICRS grade 1 and grade 2 injuries were associated with QP values of 12 (±0.7, n = 2) and 13.25 (±1.77, n = 2), respectively. The grade 3 defects had QP values of 20.43 (±4.84, n = 4), whereas complete grade 4 defects showed electromechanical values of 30.17 (±2.19, n = 6). Significant differences in QP values were observed between ICRS grades 0 to 2 (mean QP 11.56 ± 2.3, n = 8) and grades 3 and 4 (26.27 ± 6, n = 10; P < 0.0001). Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.9 indicated a strong association between higher ICRS cartilage injury grades and elevated QP values ( P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Arthroscopic electromechanical QP assessment robustly correlates with ICRS scores. The QP values for ICRS grades 0 to 2 are significantly lower, compared with grades 3 and 4.
Water that will (never) forget itself: Tracing the knowledge politics of the spacetimeunconscious
Authors: Landau-Donnelly Friederike
Published: December 2023

This commentary engages with Secor’s intriguing proposition of the spacetimeunconscious as a supplement to quantum physicist and philosopher Karen Barad’s spacetimematter, which puts forth a non-linear conception of time, irreducibly linked with a discontinuous notion of space, and a vibrant, multi-agential perspective onto matter. By interconnecting new feminist materialisms and psychoanalytic geographies, Secor nuances existing approaches in psychoanalytic geographies by placing emphasis on the elemental, material paradoxes of the unconscious – existing in/as/from the same fabric but also outside of themselves, in different aggregate states. With the aim to draw urban studies scholars and geographers closer to psychoanalytic thought, I make use of my own non-expert point of departure to first shed light on the offerings towards the academic politics of knowledge production that Secor's text holds. Second, I specify conceptual alignments between psychoanalytic and hydrofeminist geographical thought. Third, I mobilize the disjointed trope of hauntology to assist Secor's call for a more ambivalence-embracing and poetic approach to the production of geographical texts, knowledge and epistemologies.
Winner-Take-All? Visibility, Availability, and Heterogeneity on Webcam Sex Platforms
Authors: Jokubauskaitė Emilija , Rieder Bernhard , Burkhardt Sarah
Published: December 2023

Online platforms have profoundly changed the organization of work in many economic sectors, and the sex industry is no exception. Webcam sex platforms, in particular, host large and heterogeneous populations of workers who are not formally employed and rely heavily on algorithmic systems to manage this workforce. These systems are often said to produce or reinforce unpredictable and unequal winner-take-all effects, contributing to economic pressure and precarity. Most research trying to empirically assess these claims has focused on single platforms and on the experiences of limited samples of regular workers, excluding more sporadic performers that nonetheless compete for visibility within the same ranking systems. In this article, we seek to address these limitations through a multi-platform study based on systematic ranking data collected by scraping the complete homepages of five webcam platforms over 11 weeks. The article proceeds in four steps. We first discuss existing work on algorithmic workplace management and webcam sex platforms. We then introduce the case studies, present our empirical approach, and discuss ethical considerations. The findings section is organized around two complementary lines of inquiry: an examination of visibility distributions across our sample of websites, as well as their connection with viewer numbers, and an exploration of the relationship between visibility and labor practices, which allows us to link performer availability to ranking outcomes. We conclude by highlighting the substantial differences between these designed marketplaces and discuss repercussions for both webcam sex research and the broader field of platform studies.
The Influence of Olfactory and Visual Stimuli on Students’ Performance and Mood in Virtual Reality Environment
Authors: Moon Hayoun , Freidouny Mohammadreza , Rajabi Mohammad Sadra , Bozorgmehrian Shokoufeh , Sangwan Ankit , Jeon Myounghoon
Published: December 2023

Exposure to sensory stimuli such as aromatherapy and immersion in Virtual Reality (VR) has shown impacts on task performance and emotional state. In this study, we examined the effects of stimuli types (olfactory, visual, and both) and themes (forest and café) in a VR environment to improve students’ performance and mood. While both the stimuli type and theme had no influence on the performance of the Stroop Test, providing olfactory with visual stimuli did increase the level of awakeness compared to providing visuals only or olfactory only. The choice of theme was an important factor in affecting mood; presenting the forest theme made participants feel better, more awake, and calmer compared to presenting the café theme. No interaction effect of stimuli and the theme was observed in any of the studied measurements. More complex tasks should be further tested to see whether aforementioned stimuli can have effects on students’ performance.
Dewan Chaman Lall: From Trade Unions to the Indian Union, 1946–1966
Authors: Ankit Rakesh
Published: December 2023

This article is about the afterlife of Dewan Chaman Lall’s interwar internationalism. Exploring the trajectory of his public career from 1946, it shows how Lall, an Oxford-educated trade unionist, and an ally of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, took a nationalist turn in his later political interventions on/after (a) Partition of British India, (b) the dispute on the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, and (c) on the government of India’s worsening border relations with the People’s Republic of China. Simultaneously, his understandings on issues like press freedom/official secrets, evacuee property exchange/sale, Sikh linguistic autonomy and labour/capital equation turned status quo-ist. By putting together his contributions on these national questions and juxtaposing them vis-à-vis his earlier avatar, this article also signifies the shift that took place in the perspectives of those who, like Lall, hitherto enveloped by empire, emerged in nation-statehood post-1945.
Book review: Atul Mishra, The Sovereign Lives of India and Pakistan: Post-partition Statehood in South Asia
Authors: Mizo Robert
Published: December 2023

Atul Mishra, The Sovereign Lives of India and Pakistan: Post-partition Statehood in South Asia. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2021, 300 pp., ₹1,495.
Book review: Amit Ahuja and Devesh Kapur (Eds), Internal Security in India: Violence, Order and the State
Authors: Purkayastha Sharmila
Published: December 2023

Amit Ahuja and Devesh Kapur (Eds), Internal Security in India: Violence, Order and the State. New York: Oxford University Press, 2023, 393 pp., ₹525.
Mapping Class and Electoral Participation in India from 1996 to 2019
Authors: Vaid Divya
Published: December 2023

This article studies the relation between class and electoral participation. While the relation between political participation and many demographic variables such as caste, gender, age and location has been well researched in India, the same is not the case for the relation between class and electoral participation. Multiple measures of class (income, asset-wealth, occupation and education) are explored and conceptualized in this article, following which these measures of class are operationalized using the National Election Study datasets covering a twenty-three-year period (1996–2019). Each of these measures is used to trace the relation of class with two outcomes of electoral participation (turnout and party vote share) over time. Disaggregation by gender, locality and caste is provided. Finally, regression analysis to study the impact of these variables on turnout and vote share reveals the complexity of class. We find a complex picture of turnout and party choice with variation across different class measures. More significantly, variations in results raise questions about the usefulness of existing class indices. Further, we find that the type of measure being used affects different outcomes differently. For turnout, income and wealth seem to be better predictors, and for party vote share, subjective class is a better fit, whereas asset-wealth displays opposite patterns to income and subjective class in some instances.
Economic Ideology in Indian Politics: Why Do Elite and Mass Politics Differ?
Authors: Verma Rahul , Chhibber Pradeep K.
Published: December 2023

A long line of scholarship has argued that ideological division structures party politics in many parts of the world. In India, however, there is a long-held consensus that the parties do not sort themselves ideologically, especially regarding economic policymaking. The paper analyses National Election Studies data between 1996 and 2019 by Lokniti-CSDS, and shows that voters cluster around the centre-left position on economic issues. Nevertheless, there are discernible ideological differences among the party members. The Bhartiya Janata Party members are more likely to favour privatisation, and members of Left parties prefer labour rights. These ideological differences are also evident in our analysis of the manifestos of political parties since 1952 and an expert survey conducted in 2022. We argue that these elite differences in economic policy do not translate into mass politics because all political parties present the State as the solution to economic deprivation. The rise of welfare populism in Indian politics in the past two decades, we suggest, is a result of centralisation within political parties in which the welfare promises are directly linked to the party leaders.
Review of Design of Process Parameters for Squeeze Casting
Authors: Deng Jianxin , Xie Bin , You Dongdong , Huang Haibin
Published: December 2023

Squeeze casting (SC) is an advanced net manufacturing process with many advantages for which the quality and properties of the manufactured parts depend strongly on the process parameters. Unfortunately, a universal efficient method for the determination of optimal process parameters is still unavailable. In view of the shortcomings and development needs of the current research methods for the setting of SC process parameters, by consulting and analyzing the recent research literature on SC process parameters and using the CiteSpace literature analysis software, manual reading and statistical analysis, the current state and characteristics of the research methods used for the determination of SC process parameters are summarized. The literature data show that the number of publications in the literature related to the design of SC process parameters generally trends upward albeit with significant fluctuations. Analysis of the research focus shows that both “mechanical properties” and “microstructure” are the two main subjects in the studies of SC process parameters. With regard to materials, aluminum alloys have been extensively studied. Five methods have been used to obtain SC process parameters: Physical experiments, numerical simulation, modeling optimization, formula calculation, and the use of empirical values. Physical experiments are the main research methods. The main methods for designing SC process parameters are divided into three categories: Fully experimental methods, optimization methods that involve modeling based on experimental data, and theoretical calculation methods that involve establishing an analytical formula. The research characteristics and shortcomings of each method were analyzed. Numerical simulations and model-based optimization have become the new required methods. Considering the development needs and data-driven trends of the SC process, suggestions for the development of SC process parameter research have been proposed.
Clinical effectiveness of pharmacological interventions for managing chronic migraine in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Naghdi Seyran , Underwood Martin , Madan Jason , Brown Anna , Duncan Callum , Matharu Manjit , Aksentyte Aiva , Davies Natasha , Rees Sophie , Cooklin Andrew , Grove Amy , Mistry Hema
Published: December 2023

Background

Chronic migraine can be a profoundly disabling disorder that may be treated with preventive medications. However, uncertainty remains as to which preventive medication is the most effective. We present a network meta-analysis to determine the effectiveness and rank of preventive drugs for chronic migraine in adults.

Methods

We identified, reviewed, and extracted data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of preventive drugs for chronic migraine with at least 200 participants. Data were analysed using network meta-analysis.

Findings

We included 12 RCTs of six medications (Eptinezumab, Erenumab, Fremanezumab, Galcanezumab, Onabotulinumtoxin A, and Topiramate) compared to placebo or each other. All drugs effectively reduced monthly headache and migraine days compared with placebo. The most effective drug for monthly headache days was Eptinezumab 300mg, with a mean difference of -2.46 days, 95% Credible Interval (CrI): -3.23 to -1.69. On the Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Area (SUCRA) analysis, the probability that Eptinezumab 300mg was ranked highest was 0.82. For monthly migraine days, the most effective medication was Fremanezumab-monthly, with a mean difference: -2.77 days, 95% CrI: -3.36 to -2.17, and 0.98 probability of being ranked the highest. All included drugs, except Topiramate, improved headache-related quality of life. No eligible studies were identified for the other common preventive oral medications such as Amitriptyline, Candesartan, and Propranolol. The main reasons were that the studies did not define chronic migraine, were undertaken before the definition of chronic migraine, or were too small.

Interpretation

All six medications were more effective than the placebo on monthly headache and migraine days. The absolute differences in the number of headache/migraine days are, at best, modest. No evidence was found to determine the relative effectiveness of the six included drugs with other oral preventive medications.

Registration

PROSPERO (number CRD42021265990).
The association between cardiovascular health and cognition in adults with Down syndrome
Authors: Frank Lauren , Helsel Brian , Dodd Danica , Bodde Amy E. , Danon Jessica C. , Sherman Joseph R. , Forsha Daniel E. , Szabo-Reed Amanda , Washburn Richard A. , Donnelly Joseph E. , Ptomey Lauren T.
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Evidence in the general population suggests that predictors of cardiovascular health such as moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), cardiorespiratory fitness, and systolic blood pressure are associated with cognitive function. Studies supporting these associations in adults with Down syndrome (DS) are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognition in adults with DS.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from a trial in adults with DS. Participants attended a laboratory visit where resting blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 Peak), and cognitive function (CANTAB® DS Battery) were obtained. The cognitive battery included tests measuring multitasking, episodic memory, and reaction time. Physical activity (accelerometer) was collected over the week following the laboratory visit. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to measure the impact of systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and MVPA on cognitive outcomes.

Results

Complete data was available for 72 adults with DS (26.8 ± 9.3 years of age, 57% female). At baseline, VO2 Peak(21.1 ± 4.2 ml/kg/min) and MVPA were low (14.4 ± 14.4 min/day), and systolic blood pressure was 118.3 ± 13.3 mmHg. VO2 Peakwas correlated with simple movement time (rho =  − 0.28,p = 0.03) but was not significant using a linear regression controlling for age and sex. Systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with episodic memory (first attempt memory score:β =  − 0.11,p = 0.002; total errors:β = 0.58,p = 0.001) and reaction time (five-choice movement time:β = 4.11,p = 0.03; simple movement time:β = 6.14,p = 0.005) using age- and sex-adjusted linear regressions. No associations were observed between MVPA and multitasking, episodic memory, or reaction time.

Conclusion

Predictors of cardiovascular health, including cardiorespiratory fitness and systolic blood pressure, were associated with some aspects of cognition in adults with DS. While future research should examine the role of improved cardiovascular health on delaying decreases in cognitive function and dementia in adults with DS, we recommend that health care providers convey the importance of exercise and cardiovascular health to their patients with DS.

Trial registration

NCT04048759, registered on August 7, 2019.
Multi-omics analyses of gut microbiota via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, LC-MS/MS and diffusion tension imaging reveal aberrant microbiota-gut-brain axis in very low or extremely low birth weight infants with white matter injury
Authors: Liu Ling , Xiang Min , Cai Xiangsheng , Wu Benqing , Chen Chaohong , Cai Nali , Ao Dang
Published: December 2023

Objective

The goal of this study was to comprehensively investigate the characteristics of gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolites levels in very low or extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW) infants with white matter injury (WMI).

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, preterm infants with gestational age < 32 weeks and weight < 1.5 kg were investigated. Additionally, fecal samples were collected on days zero, 14d and 28d after admission to the intensive care unit. All subjects underwent brain scan via MRI and DTI at a corrected gestational age of 37 ~ 40 weeks. Based on the results of MRI examination, the VLBW/ELBW infants were divided into two groups: WMI and non-WMI. Finally, based on a multi-omics approach, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing, LC-MS/MS, and diffusion tension imaging to identify quantifiable and informative biomarkers for WMI.

Result

We enrolled 23 patients with and 48 patients without WMI. The results of 16S RNA sequencing revealed an increase in the number of Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter species in the fecal samples of infants with WMI, as well as increasing levels of S. caprae and A._johnsonii. LEfSe analysis (LDA ≥ 4) showed that the WMI group carried an abundance of Staphylococcus species including S. caprae, members of the phyla Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota, and Acinetobacter species. A total of 139 metabolic markers were significantly and differentially expressed between WMI and nWMI. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the WMI group showed significant downregulation of 17 metabolic pathways including biosynthesis of arginine and primary bile acids. The WMI group showed delayed brain myelination, especially in the paraventricular white matter and splenium of corpus callosum. Staphylococcus species may affect WMI by downregulating metabolites such as cholic acid, allocholic acid, and 1,3-butadiene. Gut microbiota such as Acinetobacter and Bacteroidetes may alter white matter structurally by upregulating metabolites such as cinobufagin.

Conclusion

Based on 16S RNA sequencing results, severe gut microbiota dysbiosis was observed in the WMI group. The results might reveal damage to potential signaling pathways of microbiota-gut-brain axis in gut microbiota. The mechanism was mediated via downregulation of the bile acid biosynthetic pathway.
Effectiveness of inspector mechanism for the emergency infection prevention and control in the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic period: a self-control real-word study
Authors: Lv Yu , Xiang Qian , Jiang Xiaoyan , Zhang Bo , Wu Jiayu , Cao Hongrong
Published: December 2023

Background

To ensure emergency infection prevention and control (IPC) can be fully supervised and monitored in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic period, a three-level inspector mechanism called "Internal self-check, Departmental cross-check, and Verification of outstanding key and difficult issues" was established in southwest China. The present study aimed to explore the effectiveness of inspector mechanism for the emergency IPC.

Methods

A self-control real-world study was conducted during COVID-19 epidemic period from 2020 to 2022. An innovative designed mobile phone application was used to realize paperless information transmission and data management. Data were compared between inspection levels using SPSS 19.0 software.

Results

A total of 2,800,132 supervision records were collected, including 149,137 comprehensive epidemic IPC projects, 1,410,093 personal protective equipment (PPE) use, 1,223,595 wearing and removing process of PPE and 17,307 ultraviolet light-detectable fluorescent (UV/F) surface marker. During the study period, the inspectors and subjects explored many optimized IPC measures. The compliance rate of check items has exceeded 98%, and internal self-check has a statistically significant higher rate than departmental cross-check (99.95% versus 98.74%, χ2 = 26111.479, P < 0.001). Compare with the failure rate in internal self check, the failure rate of PPE usage and wearing/removing process was statistically higher in departmental cross-check (χ2 = 1957.987, P < 0.001, χ2 = 465.610, P < 0.001, respectively). The overall clearance rate of UV/F surface markers is 87.88%, but there is no statistically significant difference over the three years of the present study (F = 2.902, P = 0.071).

Conclusions

Inspector mechanism for the emergency IPC completed an incredible inspection workload and offered creative assistance to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. These methods and accumulated experiences should be helpful for us to strengthen IPC for future epidemic.
Immunological and biochemical biomarker alterations among SARS-COV-2 patients with varying disease phenotypes in Uganda
Authors: Kato Charles Drago , Nsubuga Julius , Niyonzima Nixon , Kitibwa Annah , Matovu Enock , Othieno Emmanuel , Ssebugere Patrick , Tumwine Amanda Agnes , Namayanja Monica
Published: December 2023

Every novel infection requires an assessment of the host response coupled with identification of unique biomarkers for predicting disease pathogenesis, treatment targets and diagnostic utility. Studies have exposed dysregulated inflammatory response induced by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as significant predictor or cause of disease severity/prognosis and death. This study evaluated inflammatory biomarkers induced by SARS-CoV-2 in plasma of patients with varying disease phenotypes and healthy controls with prognostic or therapeutic potential. We stratified SARS-CoV-2 plasma samples based on disease status (asymptomatic, mild, severe, and healthy controls), as diagnosed by RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2. We used a solid phase sandwich and competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to measure levels of panels of immunological (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10) and biochemical markers (Ferritin, Procalcitonin, C-Reactive Protein, Angiotensin II, Homocysteine, and D-dimer). Biomarker levels were compared across SARS-CoV-2 disease stratification. Plasma IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in the severe SARS-CoV-2 patients as compared to mild, asymptomatic, and healthy controls. Ferritin, Homocysteine, and D-dimer plasma levels were significantly elevated in severe cases over asymptomatic and healthy controls. Plasma C-reactive protein and Angiotensin II levels were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in mild than severe cases and healthy controls. Plasma Procalcitonin levels were significantly higher in asymptomatic than in mild, severe cases and healthy controls. Our study demonstrates the role of host inflammatory biomarkers in modulating the pathogenesis of COVID-19. The study proposes a number of potential biomarkers that could be explored as SARS-CoV-2 treatment targets and possible prognostic predictors for a severe outcome. The comprehensive analysis of prognostic biomarkers may contribute to the evidence-based management of COVID-19 patients.
A population-based analysis of hematological malignancies from a French-West-Indies cancer registry’s data (2009–2018)
Authors: Houpert Rémi , Almont Thierry , Belahreche Rostom , Faro Mamadi , Okouango Jennie , Vestris Mylène , Macni Jonathan , Pierre-Louis Olivier , Montabord Christelle , Beaubrun-Renard Murielle , Soumah Naby , Boisseau Martial , Véronique-Baudin Jacqueline , Joachim Clarisse
Published: December 2023

Background

A worldwide increased incidence of HM has been marked in recent decades. Therefore, to update epidemiological characteristics of HM in a French West Indies territory, we have performed analysis through Martinique's population-based cancer registry database.

Methods

We included cancer case data, from 2009–2018, coded in strict compliance with international standards set by International Agency for Research on Cancer. We calculated standardized incidence rates, cumulative rate (ages 0–74), and temporal trends for cases and deaths using the global population standard, by sex and five age group. Mortality rates were obtained from the French Epidemiology Center on Medical Causes of Death (CépiDc).

Results

One thousand forty seven new cases and 674 deaths from HM were recorded, of which 501 MM (47.8%), 377 LMNH (36%), 123 LAM (11.8%), and 46 LH (4.4%) were reported in both sexes. MM is one of the hematological malignancies with the highest incidence in Martinique among men. Temporal trends of incidence rates for all HM decreased overall in both sexes, except for MM in men. There is significant variability in mortality rates for both sexes. In addition, over the period, the temporal trends of mortality rates for all HMs has decreased overall. Gender-specific rates, between 2009 and 2018, showed that all lymphoid HM have a multimodal distribution curve that increased with age.

Conclusions

Characteristics of HM in Martinique over the reporting periods differ from mainland France. Higher incidences have been observed, particularly for MM, and non-significant sub-mortality is observed compared to mainland France. Moreover, temporal distribution of mortality and incidence trends had decreased over the reporting periods except for MM. Our results showed similarities with African-Americans groups in United States and in particular an equivalence in the frequency distribution of diagnosed HM. However, SMR remains lower compared to US black ethnic groups. Our results contributed to expanding knowledge on the epidemiology of HM with Caribbean data.