bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance profiling: A systematic approach to the enhancement of music practice and peak performance
Authors: Hatfield Johannes Lunde
Published: August 2024

Performance profiling (PP) has been used by elite athletes and their coaches and/or trainers for more than three decades to identify, select, and implement the qualities they believe are most important for them to achieve peak performance in their own sport. It thus enhances athletes’ awareness and ability to establish task-relevant goals contributing to their pursuit of excellence. Given the similarities between athletes and musicians, and in particular the psychological, physiological, and technical requirements of their professions, I believe that PP could usefully be applied in the context of higher music education, with benefits for music students and their teachers. In this article I provide an overview of the theories on which PP is based and, review the ways in which it has been implemented, adapted for use with populations other than athletes, and evaluated. To date, musicians have used PP only to a limited extent, and research on its effectiveness for musicians is therefore scarce. I propose specific adaptations of existing approaches to PP for athletes with a protocol that can be used by music students with their peers and/or teachers.
Travels of a Buddhist Mind: Lake of a Thousand Wordless Words
Authors: Brummans Boris H. J. M.
Published: August 2024

On July 12, 2012, I traveled to Tso (Lake) Moriri in Ladakh, the highest altitude plateau region of India, which crosses part of the Himalayas (see Rizvi, 1996), where I was continuing my ethnographic fieldwork on everyday interactions in a Buddhist monastery by living with monks in the remote monastery of Rizong, participating in their life, and increasingly experiencing my mind as traveling within itself (see also Brummans, 2007, 2009, as well as Baker, 2006). What follows is my poetic account of this experience, deriving new insights, and again drawing on field notes and diary entries, as well as a five-minute video recording of this magical lake, situated at an altitude of over 4,500 m (14,764 ft).
The Kokoro in Japanese Spiritual Care
Authors: Benedict Timothy O.
Published: August 2024

This article explores the meaning of the kokoro (Chn: xin), meaning “heart” or “mind,” in the context of spiritual care for those facing the end of life in Japan. Care for the kokoro of hospice patients is widely seen as indispensable to the practice of spiritual care in Japan. What is less clear, however, is how care for the “ kokoro” and “spirituality” of patients differ in psychotherapeutic settings. This article first reviews different ways the kokoro is defined and invoked in religious activities, psychotherapeutic settings, and especially in the writings of the modern Buddhist scholar D.T. Suzuki. It then draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Japanese Buddhist and Christian hospices to illustrate how the kokoro is operationalized as both the agent and object of spiritual care. Finally, it considers how recent Japanese scholarship on the Buddhist idea of “ mushin care” (no minded care) simultaneously asserts and subverts the centrality of the kokoro in the practice of spiritual care.
National Cultures in Times of Digital Transformation of the Travel Industry: Qualitative Exploration of Effects on Digital Business Models
Authors: Perelygina Mariia , Kucukusta Deniz , Law Rob
Published: August 2024

Globalization and digitalization raise questions about the contemporary role of national culture. Investigating digital business models (BMs) in the travel industry, this study clarifies the effects of national cultures on them. Thirty-nine impactful aspects of national cultures— 25 institutional and 14 ideational—are identified based on qualitative research. These aspects are derived from various cross-cultural frameworks and include three newly suggested cultural dimensions. The proposed model clarifies the mechanism of the impact. The study restates the significance of national cultures in the digital era and places emphasis on the importance of both institutional and ideational sides of national cultures. The study would be helpful to practitioners in deciding on suitable places for a business opening and localizing BMs across international borders.
Professionalising patient safety? Findings from a mixed-methods formative evaluation of the patient safety specialist role in the English National Health Service
Authors: Martin Graham , Pralat Robert , Waring Justin , Peerally Mohammad Farhad , Lamont Tara ,   on behalf of the Patient Safety Specialist Formative Evaluation Study Group
Published: August 2024

Objectives: While safety-dedicated professional roles are common in other high-risk industries, in health care they have tended to have a relatively narrow, technical focus. We present initial findings from a mixed-methods evaluation of a novel, senior role with responsibility for leadership of safety in English National Health Service organisations: the patient safety specialist. Methods: We conducted interviews with those responsible for designing, developing and overseeing the introduction of the role. We also carried out a national survey of current patient safety specialists. Data collection and analysis focused on the rationale for the role, its theory of change, and experiences of putting the theory into practice. Results: Interview participants articulated a clear theory of change for the role, highlighting ways in which the focus of the role, the seniority, responsibility and influence of role holders, and the expertise they brought might result in better safety management and speedier implementation of initiatives to manage risk and improve safety. Survey respondents had mixed experiences of the role to date, particularly in terms of material and symbolic support from their organisations. Together, findings from the two datasets indicated the need for a careful balance between strategic and operational activities to secure impact for patient safety specialists while ensuring they were embedded in the realities of clinical work as done—a balance that not all role holders found easy to achieve. Conclusions: The vision for the patient safety specialist role is clear, and supported by a plausible account of how the work of role holders might result in the intended objectives. The degree to which specialists are supported and resourced to deliver on these ambitions, however, varies markedly across organisations.
The effect of task-based peer interaction and pre-task instruction on young EFL learners’ explicit and implicit knowledge of past tense: An intervention study
Authors: Pladevall-Ballester Elisabet , Puig-Mayenco Eloi , Capdevila Montserrat
Published: August 2024

The present study explores whether a focused task-based peer interaction pedagogical intervention leads to increased explicit and implicit knowledge of past simple tense among young learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) and whether adding pre-task explicit grammar instruction or explicit interactional instruction or both has any impact on the results. Four groups of 6th grade EFL learners aged 11–12 years participated in an 8-week pedagogical intervention (50 minutes per week) while a fifth control group only participated in the testing sessions ( n = 36). Groups were divided according to the intervention received: grammar+interaction strategy ( n = 26), grammar ( n = 26), interaction strategy ( n = 24) and task-only ( n = 24). The four groups who underwent treatment also participated in past tense focused task-based peer interaction in the second part of the weekly intervention session. All groups completed a bi-modal untimed grammaticality judgement task (GJT) (explicit knowledge) and a self-paced reading task (SPR) (implicit knowledge) before and after the intervention. Results show that the use of pre-task instruction of both linguistic and interactional type together with focused peer-interaction tasks contributes to the children’s explicit learning of past tense. Children’s implicit knowledge of past tense did not show any significant development in any of the intervention types. Findings are discussed in relation to the pedagogical intervention carried out and the development of implicit and explicit knowledge.
Psychosocial safety and conflict management as resources for reducing workplace bullying of immigrants working in Sweden
Authors: Rosander Michael , Blomberg Stefan
Published: August 2024

The study investigates the risk of bullying for immigrants working in Sweden and resources as possible ways to reduce the risk. Based on self-categorization theory, the concept of nonprototypicality, and conservation of resources theory, we test hypotheses about risks and resources to alleviate the risks. The study is based on a longitudinal probability sample drawn from the whole Swedish workforce ( N = 921). Country of birth was taken from the Swedish population register and categorized as either Swedish-born or foreign-born. The results showed a higher risk for immigrants to be exposed to person-related bullying behaviours, typically insulting remarks, and rumours, and to being humiliated, excluded, and ignored. A strong conflict management climate reduces the risk for immigrants to be exposed to bullying. Person-related bullying behaviours become the means to push a target away from the group, creating the perception of prototypical clarity. A strong conflict management climate, together with psychosocial safety, may form a resource caravan where one may strengthen the other. They may be seen as parts of informal systems building up an ethical infrastructure. Creating conditions for a well-developed ethical infrastructure could be a way for organizations to reduce the risk of bullying for all employees, but especially for immigrants.
The ‘electoral presidentialization’ of Silvio Berlusconi and Boris Johnson: Chaos, controversy, and lost chances
Authors: Bennister Mark , Worthy Ben
Published: August 2024

This article tests Poguntke and Webb’s theory of ‘electoral presidentialization’ through a comparison of Silvio Berlusconi and Boris Johnson. Johnson and Berlusconi stand as particular examples of ‘electoral presidentialization’, where dominance lies in power as an election ‘winner’ and ‘mediatised leader’. This approach is highly contingent and reliant on continuous validation, and, as a result, both leaders failed to translate electoral ‘autonomy’ into concrete and lasting change. Utilising the three presidentialization ‘faces’, we identify three crucial weaknesses. First, their own electoral and mediatized focus created a pressure to permanently campaign and generate conflict, driving a ‘politics of spectacle’ that distracted from the politics of governing. Second, the centrality of their personality left them exposed to personal scrutiny, which increasingly focused on corruption, wrongdoing, and irregularities. Third, despite electoral command, their ‘presidentialized’ style rested on fragile party and coalition dynamics, leading to volatility and internal conflict.
Arresting movement: The history of German immigration detention beyond the camp
Authors: Axster Sabrina
Published: August 2024

Across the globe, immigration detention has been marked by physical and psychological abuse. Researchers and activists alike have sought to understand why a seemingly administrative practice such as immigration detention is so violent. To answer this question, the existing scholarship situates immigration detention within the space of legal exceptionalism where the safeguards of regular law do not apply. This, the literature argues, causes the violent nature of immigration detention. In contrast, I provide a different genealogy of immigration detention by tracing its history through vagrancy and anti-Roma laws and the use of prisoner-of-war camps in World War I and how they gave rise to the institutionalization of immigration detention targeting Jewish migrants from Eastern Europe in 1920s Germany. This brings to the fore the colonial, capitalist, and racist underpinnings of immigration detention and reveals that immigration detention was designed to exclude or exploit the “racial other” and is thus by default violent. What this ultimately shows is that immigration detention is not a space of exception which allows for the inhumane treatment of those inside it, but rather that processes of racialized dehumanization render people excludable from the state's legal protections and allows for the abuse they experience in immigration detention.
Belonging between precarity and hope: immigration, tourism, and violence in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Krause Keegan C
Published: August 2024

This article discusses the contemporary entanglements of a growing immigration-industrial complex and a mass international tourism project in the Dominican Republic. At this nexus, Haitian im/migrant labor, and the labor of policing it, are intricately connected to the tourism economy and facilitated via politics of belonging. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with young male-identifying Haitian and Dominican tourism workers in two coastal communities in the Dominican Republic, here I bring into focus the violence disproportionately faced by Haitian men and elucidate how experiences of belonging and exclusion interface with precarity and hope in a globalized marketplace that privileges the pleasure of international tourists.
Bridging the Self’s worlds: Young girls’ creative TikTok expressions of multimodal literacy during Covid-19
Authors: Wang Jue
Published: August 2024

This study investigates three young Chinese girls’ active play on TikTok as a way to engage in global communication during the Covid-19 lockdown in China. In particular, this paper aims to navigate how the girls position themselves in TikTok multimodal literacy play, as well as to inquire into how they practice literacy to deny, negotiate, and/or accept the beauty norms in TikTok virtual space. Situating and exploring these young girls’ stories, the author shares findings from multiple rounds of virtual interviews during the pandemic that highlight the girls’ creativity through multimodal literacy engagement on TikTok; their playful thinking that adopted the pandemic as a way of life and empowered the girls despite uncertainties, doubts, and tensions; and their complex beauty values negotiations embedded in the experiences of the girls’ vibrant interactions on TikTok. Inspired by the girls' literacy practices and gender negotiations, TikTok’s influences on norms of beauty and feminine appearance are discussed. Interrogating the limits of this platform, this work recognizes the possibilities of young girls’ multimodal literacy experiences while encouraging further negotiations, reimaginations, and growth in their celebrations of social media like TikTok.
Dominion and improvement: The moral ecologies of colonial encounters
Authors: Trigg Heather B , Mrozowski Stephen A
Published: August 2024

Environmental relationships were critical to most early colonial encounters, especially for those involving permanent settlements. The ability to successfully establish a colony required developing relationships with plants, animals, and the land because they were central to providing for the colonists’ basic subsistence needs. The ways European colonizers developed these new relationships rested on their moral ecologies, a mix of beliefs and practices which give a sense of right and wrong to actions that are informed by ontologies. In this paper we use the concept of moral ecologies to explore the relationships that two empires—the British in New England and the Spanish in New Mexico—created as they established colonies that also entangled Indigenous peoples. The differences in moral ecologies between these empires and the peoples they invaded help explain tensions in the past that remain powerful today.
The design of window shades and fenestration for view clarity
Authors: Kent MG , Ko WH , Konstantzos I , Schiavon S , MacNaughton P , Wilkins AJ
Published: August 2024

The ability to discern the content of the view through a window is referred to as view clarity. It is often overlooked in the design process, and the methods of shading daylight can affect window views. We conducted a narrative review of building standards and the scientific literature to better understand how shades can be designed so as to retain the window view. View clarity was characterised by three main dimensions: (1) the shading solution, (2) the view content and (3) the observer. Each dimension and the interactions between them influence view clarity. These interactions make it difficult to predict view clarity for all the situations that can occur in buildings. Nonetheless, we highlighted the effects of different shades on the view clarity. Our insights can help designers consider these impacts within the context of overall window design.
Optimization of lighting design on façades of residential buildings of heritage interest
Authors: Cantizani-Oliva J , Bullejos D , Dorado MP
Published: August 2024

Lighting in architecture is acquiring special relevance in residential buildings, especially in cities of cultural and heritage interest. The objective of this research was to optimize the lighting design of the residential building named Casa de Doña Jacinta, located in Historic Centre of Córdoba (Spain), included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. The analysis of three variables was conducted considering the maintenance of its residential activity. The first one, intrusive light minimization through lighting simulation with DIALux validated using a quasi-real model. The second, spatial contrast maximization, via digital metrics, using MATLAB in the rendering images of DIALux. And the third, energy efficiency maximization through average illuminance, power density and utilization factor. In the main module of the building, 302 different luminaire positions were analysed. The resulting algorithm defines the optimal luminaire position and orientation. Considering façade geometric conditions, type of openings and lighting area, this algorithm can be generalized to other buildings. This constitutes an advance in the optimization of these installations towards a more scientific approach that considers variables related to the perception of the illuminated object and, settles a design strategy based on accent lighting and non-uniform distribution of illuminance, greater in solids than in openings.
Cultural Adaptations, Efficacy, and Acceptability of Psychological Interventions for Mental Health in Adults with Refugees and Asylum-Seeker Status: A Systematic Review
Authors: McDermott Lianne , Hameed Ikra , Lau-Zhu Alex
Published: August 2024

People with refugees and asylum seeker status (R/AS) have been forced to leave their home and resettle in new countries due to political unrest, conflict, and violence. This review aimed to describe the nature and extent of cultural adaptations to psychological interventions for adults with R/AS experiencing clinically significant psychological distress, and the acceptability and efficacy of these interventions. A search was conducted in October 2023 and February 2024 across five electronic databases: PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials of psychological interventions conducted in any geographic context. Studies reporting on interventions with minimal adaptations only to facilitate treatment access, with no clear evidence for cultural adaptation, were excluded. Eighteen studies were identified, and cultural adaptations were described in line with the Ecological Validity Model. Studies investigating transdiagnostic interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions, and other psychotherapies were synthesized. Analysis and reporting of acceptability were limited across intervention groups, highlighting a need for more robust research in this area. CBT interventions and other psychological therapies were found to be most efficacious with moderate to large effects across validated psychological measures. Small to moderate effect sizes were observed across transdiagnostic interventions. The evidence quality was generally of some concerns. While the evidence requires further developments, the current review provides a timely synthesis of culturally adapted interventions for adults with R/AS to inform intervention development and clinical practice. Strengths, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Reliability modelling for systems degrading in Markovian environments with protective auxiliary components
Authors: Shen Jingyuan , Xu Jiahui , Duan Yao , Zhang Fengxia , Ma Yizhong
Published: August 2024

Systems with dependent main and auxiliary components have been extensively investigated in the reliability field recently, but the influence of the changing environment has been less taken into consideration. Motivated by some real applications, when the protective auxiliary component fails, the degradation/failure rate of the main component varies as it is exposed to different environments. To bridge the gap between research and practice, in this paper the influences of the dynamic environments and the component dependencies are both incorporated to develop a new reliability model for systems with main and auxiliary components. A continuous-time homogeneous Markov process is used to model the evolution of the environments. When the auxiliary component works, it could protect the main component from the negative impact of the environment. Once the auxiliary component fails, the main component would degrade at different rates according to different environment states. Based on the proposed model, first the reliability of the system is derived in a recursive way. Besides, an opportunistic inspection and maintenance policy is designed for the system, and some important indexes such as the limiting average availability and the long-run average cost are derived. Finally, through numerical examples, the applicability of the proposed model and sensitivity analysis of the model parameters are discussed.
The Burden of Road Traffic Accidents on Facial Fractures: National Trends, Injury Patterns, and Disparities in 154,185 Patients
Authors: Wang Carol Y. , Kwon Daniel Y. , Oleru Olachi , Seyidova Nargiz , Shamamian Peter E. , Montalmant Keisha E. , Sarosi Alex , Taub Peter J.
Published: August 2024

Study Design

National database study.

Objective

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a common and challenging cause of facial fractures in the United States. The present study sought to utilize the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) to investigate national trends, injury patterns and disparities in facial fractures secondary to RTAs. To date, this is the first study to do so.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with primary facial fractures secondary to RTAs using the 2018-2021 HCUP-NIS. Patients were classified into the RTA and non-RTA group. Demographics, injury patterns, and inpatient outcomes were compared.

Results

In total, 154,185 primary facial fractures were identified, of which 17% (n = 26,115) were associated with RTAs. RTAs commonly involved cars (41%), followed by motorcycles (15%), pedestrians (11%), and bicyclists (10%). The RTA group was younger (34% vs 24% < 25 years, P < .01) and more frequently Hispanic (18% vs 15%, P < .01). The most common fracture types were mandibular (23%), frontal (14%), and orbital fractures (14%). The RTA group was 50% more likely to have multiple facial fractures (OR = 1.5, P < .01). The RTA group had a longer length of stay (5.3 vs 4.0 days, P < .01), admission charge ($127,932 vs $79,414, P < .01), and mortality rate (1.9% vs 1.4%, P < .01) than the non-RTA group.

Conclusions

The present findings provide valuable insights, informing early involvement of craniofacial surgeons for the assessment of combination facial fractures and tailored treatment approaches for RTA patients.
A clinician survey on the current practices within the prostate cancer diagnostic pathway in the United Kingdom
Authors: Walters Uma , Winkler Mathias , Heer Rakesh , Rockall Andrea , Gabe Rhian , Ahmed Hashim U , Shah Taimur T
Published: August 2024

Objectives:

To assess current clinical practice of prostate biopsies among UK Urologists and Radiologists, to guide future strategy with regard to diagnostic studies.

Methods:

An online questionnaire was administered to 210 UK Urologists and Radiologists, between January 2020 and December 2020.

Results:

124 responded (59%); urologists (55/77, 71.4%) and radiologists 22/77 (28.5%). 63/76 (83%) clinicians routinely use prebiopsy multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and 13/76 (17.1%) use bpMRI. For an MRI PI-RADS 1-2 score, 96% of clinicians would proceed to prostate biopsy with at least one additional risk factor. For an MRI PI-RADS 3 score, 48.6% would proceed to prostate biopsy with one additional risk factor, while 35.7% would perform a biopsy in all patients. 17.7% would proceed to prostate biopsy with a PSAD ⩽ 0.12 ng/mL/mL even in patients with a PI-RADS 1–2 lesion and 82.4% would for PI-RADS 3 lesions. Transperineal biopsies were most commonly performed (63/72, 88%). Up to nine systematic cores was most common (25/68, 36.8%) with three to four targeted cores (37%). 66/67 (98.5%) of clinicians would be willing to accept a standard operating procedure for participants in an RCT study (with regard to biopsy strategy).

Conclusion:

Our study has provided a glimpse into current UK practice to diagnose patients with prostate cancer and provides evidence for future RCT study designs.
A Systematic Review of Tools and Recommendations Advising on the Use of Qualitative Data to Inform Epidemic Response Efforts in Low- and Middle-Income Settings
Authors: Chisnall Georgia , Kumpunen Stephanie , Manby Louisa , van Susante Hilde , Stevens Emma , Rankl Felicia , Robinson Hannah , Hoernke Katarina , Johnson Ginger , Vindrola-Padros Cecilia
Published: August 2024

This review aimed to identify and critically assess tools and recommendations (collectively referred to as resources) advising on the use of qualitative data to inform epidemic response in low and middle income countries (LMICs). In doing so, we seek to improve the quality of these resources and ultimately support better integration of qualitative data in epidemic response initiatives. Literature were identified through three academic research databases and one gray literature repository. The search was conducted in April 2020 and updated in February 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis checklist was adhered to. Furthermore, quality assessment tools were used for both academic (the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool) and gray literature (the AACODS checklist standing for authority, accuracy, coverage, objectivity, date, and significance). The searches yielded 4,152 articles, of which 65 met the inclusion criteria. Identified tools and recommendations rarely provided sufficient information on how they should be implemented, who their intended audiences were, how they might be adapted across contexts and whether they might be useful to researchers on a longer or shorter timeframe. A significant amount of work remains to further develop the resources available to guide the use of qualitative data within the context of epidemic outbreaks in LMICs. Key considerations and implications based on the review outcomes are discussed.
Book review: Malti Goel, Science Diplomacy for South Asian Countries: Insights and Breakthroughs
Authors: Vats Nikita
Published: August 2024

Malti Goel, Science Diplomacy for South Asian Countries: Insights and Breakthroughs. Springer Singapore, 2021, 214 pp. ISBN: 978-981-16-3024-8 (Hardcover).
Book review: Manoj Mitta, Caste Pride: Battles for Equality in Hindu India
Authors: Sinha Atreyee , Shuchi
Published: August 2024

Manoj Mitta, Caste Pride: Battles for Equality in Hindu India. Context Westland Books: A Division of Nasadiya Technologies Pvt. Ltd., 2023, 596 pp., ₹999 (Hardcover). ISBN: 9789357762946.
Transcriptomic analyses provide molecular insight into the cold stress response of cold-tolerant alfalfa
Authors: Pu Xiaojian , Fu Yunjie , Xu Chengti , Li Xiuzhang , Wang Wei , De Kejia , Wei Xijie , Yao Xixi
Published: August 2024

Background

Daye No.3 is a novel cultivar of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) that is well suited for cultivation in high-altitude regions such as the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau owing to its high yield and notable cold resistance. However, the limited availability of transcriptomic information has hindered our investigation into the potential mechanisms of cold tolerance in this cultivar. Consequently, we conducted de novo transcriptome assembly to overcome this limitation. Subsequently, we compared the patterns of gene expression in Daye No. 3 during cold acclimatization and exposure to cold stress at various time points.

Results

A total of 15 alfalfa samples were included in the transcriptome assembly, resulting in 141.97 Gb of clean bases. A total of 441 DEGs were induced by cold acclimation, while 4525, 5016, and 8056 DEGs were identified at 12 h, 24 h, and 36 h after prolonged cold stress at 4 °C, respectively. The consistency between the RT‒qPCR and transcriptome data confirmed the accuracy and reliability of the transcriptomic data. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that many genes related to photosynthesis were enriched under cold stress. STEM analysis demonstrated that genes involved in nitrogen metabolism and the TCA cycle were consistently upregulated under cold stress, while genes associated with photosynthesis, particularly antenna protein genes, were downregulated. PPI network analysis revealed that ubiquitination-related ribosomal proteins act as hub genes in response to cold stress. Additionally, the plant hormone signaling pathway was activated under cold stress, suggesting its vital role in the cold stress response of alfalfa.

Conclusions

Ubiquitination-related ribosomal proteins induced by cold acclimation play a crucial role in early cold signal transduction. As hub genes, these ubiquitination-related ribosomal proteins regulate a multitude of downstream genes in response to cold stress. The upregulation of genes related to nitrogen metabolism and the TCA cycle and the activation of the plant hormone signaling pathway contribute to the enhanced cold tolerance of alfalfa.
Patient-reported symptoms and burden of eosinophilic esophagitis: evidence from real-world clinical practice
Authors: Xu Xiao , Kwiatek Justin , Siddall James , Genofre Eduardo , Stirnadel-Farrant Heide , Katial Rohit
Published: August 2024

Background

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the esophagus. This real-world study used patient and physician surveys to describe the clinical characteristics and disease burden of eosinophilic esophagitis—overall and in a subgroup of patients with dysphagia despite treatment.

Methods

Data analyzed in this study were collected in 2020 from US and EU patients with eosinophilic esophagitis. Eligible patients were aged ≥ 12 years with a diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis, had an esophageal count of ≥ 15 eosinophils/high-power field at diagnosis, and were currently prescribed treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis.

Results

Overall, 1001 patients were included, of whom 356 (36%) had dysphagia despite treatment. Demographics and clinical characteristics were similar in both populations. The severity of eosinophilic esophagitis was mild in more patients overall (69%) versus those with dysphagia despite treatment (48%). Patient disease history was similar in both populations, with some exceptions: common patient-reported symptoms were dysphagia (70% and 86%) and heartburn/acid reflux (55% and 49%), and common physician-reported symptoms were dysphagia (75% and 91%) and food impaction (46% and 52%). Treatment history was similar in both populations; overall, the most common treatments were proton pump inhibitors (83%) and topical corticosteroids (51%). Patients reported slightly more days with symptoms, higher impacts on activities of daily living, and slightly higher anxiety or depression in the dysphagia-despite-treatment population versus the overall population.

Conclusions

Eosinophilic esophagitis presents severe symptoms and comorbidities that substantially impact patients’ well-being and quality of life. Greater awareness of and novel treatments for eosinophilic esophagitis are needed.
Amplify Gait to Improve Locomotor Engagement in Spinal Cord Injury (AGILE SCI) trial: study protocol for an assessor blinded randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gordon Keith E. , Dusane Shamali , Kahn Jennifer H. , Shafer Anna , Brazg Gabrielle , Henderson Heather , Kim Kwang-Youn A.
Published: August 2024

Background

Among ambulatory people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), balance deficits are a primary factor limiting participation in walking activities. There is broad recognition that effective interventions are needed to enhance walking balance following iSCI. Interventions that amplify self-generated movements (e.g., error augmentation) can accelerate motor learning by intensifying sensorimotor feedback and facilitating exploration of motor control strategies. These features may be beneficial for retraining walking balance after iSCI. We have developed a cable-driven robot that creates a movement amplification environment during treadmill walking. The robot applies a continuous, laterally-directed, force to the pelvis that is proportional in magnitude to real-time lateral velocity. Our purpose is to investigate the effects of locomotor training in this movement amplification environment on walking balance. We hypothesize that for ambulatory people with iSCI, locomotor training in a movement amplification environment will be more effective for improving walking balance and participation in walking activities than locomotor training in a natural environment (no applied external forces).

Methods

We are conducting a two-arm parallel-assignment intervention. We will enroll 36 ambulatory participants with chronic iSCI. Participants will be randomized into either a control or experimental group. Each group will receive 20 locomotor training sessions. Training will be performed in either a traditional treadmill environment (control) or in a movement amplification environment (experimental). We will assess changes using measures that span the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework including 1) clinical outcome measures of gait, balance, and quality of life, 2) biomechanical assessments of walking balance, and 3) participation in walking activities quantified by number of steps taken per day.

Discussion

Training walking balance in people with iSCI by amplifying the individual’s own movement during walking is a radical departure from current practice and may result in new strategies for addressing balance impairments. Knowledge gained from this study will expand our understanding of how people with iSCI improve walking balance and how an intervention targeting walking balance affects participation in walking activities. Successful outcomes could motivate development of clinically feasible tools to replicate the movement amplification environment within clinical settings.

Trial registration

NCT04340063.
A nomogram model for predicting postoperative prognosis in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage using preoperative biochemical indices
Authors: Sun Zhen , Xue Fei , Wang Kunpeng , Zhang Dongbo , Dong Mengning , Zhang Jiandang
Published: August 2024

Objective

The nutritional status and inflammatory responses of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) play a vital prognostic role. We investigated the relationship between preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI)、neutrophil/albumin ratio (NAR)、platelet/albumin ratio (PAR) and other factors and the clinical prognosis of patients who underwent clipping for aSAH and its predictive model.

Methods

The clinical data of 212 patients with aSAH who underwent neurosurgery at Nanyang Central Hospital between 2018 and 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at 6 months postoperatively, the patients were categorized into two groups: poor (GOSI-III) and good (GOSIV-V) prognosis groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive value of preoperative PNI、NAR、PAR、hyperlipidemia and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for prognosis. Furthermore, nomograms and prognostic prediction models were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the curve (AUC) were utilized to determine the predictive values.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PNI (OR = 1.250, 95%CI 1.060 ~ 1.475, P = 0.008), NAR (OR = 0.000, 95%CI 0.000 ~ 0.004, P = 0.000), PAR(OR = 0.515, 95%CI 0.283 ~ 0.937, P = 0.030), hyperlipidemia (OR = 4.627, 95%CI 1.166 ~ 18.367, P = 0.029), and GCS(OR = 1.446, 95%CI 1.041 ~ 2.008, P = 0.028) are independent risk factors for poor postoperative prognosis. The total score of the nomogram was 200, and the AUC value was 0.972.

Conclusions

PNI and NAR can reflect the nutritional status and inflammatory responses of patients.They are significantly associated with the postoperative prognosis of patients with aSAH. Comprehensively analyzing PNI and NAR combined with other clinical indicators can more effectively guide treatment and help predict prognosis.
Remote physical activity intervention to promote physical activity and health in adolescent girls (the HERizon project): a multi-arm, pilot randomised trial
Authors: Cowley Emma S. , Watson Paula M. , Paterson Craig , Wagenmakers Anton J.M. , Thompson Andrew , Belton Sarahjane , Thijssen Dick , Foweather Lawrence
Published: August 2024

Background

Engaging in physical activity (PA) during adolescence is beneficial for health and positive development. However, most adolescent girls have low PA levels, and there is a need for interventions outside of school hours. This pilot randomised controlled trial aimed to explore the preliminary effectiveness of three different remote PA interventions in increasing adolescent girls’ moderate-to- vigorous PA (MVPA), fitness and psychosocial outcomes.

Methods

Girls living in the UK or Ireland, aged between 13 and 16 years old, who wished to increase their activity levels, were eligible for the study. Using a random number generator, participants (n = 153; 14.8y ± 1.4) were randomised into one of three 12-week intervention groups (i) PA programme, (ii) Behaviour change support, or (iii) Combined PA programme and Behaviour change support, or (iv) a Comparison group. Outcome measures included accelerometer and self-reported PA, physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness; 20 m shuttle run, muscular endurance; push up, muscular strength; long jump), and psychosocial assessments (perceived competence; body appreciation; self-esteem; behavioural regulation). Linear mixed models were used to analyse differences between each intervention arm and the comparison group immediately postintervention (12 weeks) and at follow up (3-months post-intervention), while adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Participation in the PA programme group was associated with higher perceived competence (0.6, 95% CI 0.1 to 1.2), identified regulation (0.7, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.1) and intrinsic motivation (0.9, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.6) at post-intervention. Participation in the Behaviour change group was associated with higher perceived competence at post-intervention (0.6, 95% CI 0.1 to 1.2), and higher push-up scores at the 3-month follow-up (4.0, 95% CI 0.0 to 7.0). Participation in the Combined group was also associated with higher perceived competence at post-intervention (0.8, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.4), and higher push-up scores at the 3-month follow-up (5.0, 95% CI 1.0 to 8.0). No other significant differences were found between the intervention arms and the comparison group.

Conclusion

Results suggest perceived competence increased across all intervention arms, while the PA programme group enhanced autonomous motivation in the short term. Intervention arms with behaviour change support appear most promising in improving muscular endurance. However, a larger scale trial is needed for a better understanding of between-group differences and the impact of intervention arms on MVPA and fitness, given the small sample size and short-term follow-up.
Relationship between malnutrition according to the global leadership initiative on malnutrition criteria and oral health among community-dwelling elderly aged 85 years and older: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Nishio Kensuke , Yoshida Takamasa , Arai Yasumichi , Ito Tomoka , Okada Shinji , Ikeda Takayuki , Abe Yukiko , Takayama Michiyo , Iinuma Toshimitsu
Published: August 2024

Background

A new diagnostic criterion for malnutrition, the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, has been proposed. Despite a recognized link between malnutrition and oral health, further clarification is needed regarding this association when using the GLIM criteria. This study examined the association between malnutrition and oral health in community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 85.

Methods

This study was conducted using data from the Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health study, and altogether 519 participants ≥ 85 years were enrolled. Malnutrition was assessed using the GLIM criteria. Oral health information, on the number of teeth, maximum occlusal force (MOF), saliva production, denture-related questions (dissatisfaction and frequency of use), dental visit history in the past year, whether participants enjoyed meals, and oral-related quality of life was assessed using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) were collected. MOF was assessed the average values of three measurements and lower tertile by sex as decline in MOF. For GOHAI, the score for each items (Q1-Q12) was also evaluated, and further, the decline in each item (score: 1–2 points on a 5-point scale) was assessed as a “problem with each items.” Oral health factors differing between those with and without malnutrition were analyzed. For differing items, malnutrition risk was evaluated using Cox regression.

Results

Eighty-nine (17.1%) participants experienced malnutrition. Significant differences were observed in the decline in MOF, enjoyment of meals, individual scores for Q2, Q4, and Q6, and the problem with Q3, Q6, Q7, and Q11. Cox regression analysis showed that decline in MOF (odds ratio [OR]: 1.728, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.010–2.959), enjoyment of meals (OR: 0.502, 95% CI: 0.289–0.873), problem with Q3 (OR: 5.474, 95% CI: 1.301–23.028), Q6 (OR: 5.325, 95% CI: 1.026–27.636), and Q7 (OR: 2.867, 95% CI: 1.397–5.882) were associated with ORs of malnutrition.

Conclusion

Decline in MOF, enjoyment of meals, swallowing problem (problem with Q3), limit contact due to oral condition (problem with Q6), and esthetics problem (problem with Q7) were associated with malnutrition as assessed using the GLIM criteria.
What is the impact of nicotine pouches on oral health: a systematic review
Authors: Rungraungrayabkul Dulyapong , Gaewkhiew Piyada , Vichayanrat Tippanart , Shrestha Binit , Buajeeb Waranun
Published: August 2024

Background

Increase in nicotine pouch (NP) users, particularly among the young, is a matter of concern requiring a comprehensive understanding of its short- and long-term oral health implications. The objective of this research was to systematically review potential oral side-effects associated with NP usage.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Databases (Medline via PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Trial, and Google Scholar) were searched for relevant studies up to February 2024. Modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Exposure (ROBINS-E) tool were used to assess the quality and bias of the included studies.

Results

Three studies were included for this review, two from Europe and one from USA, and considered of a total of 190 participants. All studies were deemed to have a high risk of bias. Participants used NP for periods ranging from 1 month to 10 years. Among these studies, only one study provided information on the usage pattern between 1 and 5 units for an average of 11 ± 7 min per session. Oral mucosal changes at the site of placement were common among NP users. Oral lesions varied from slight wrinkling to various white lesions, seemingly related to the NP units consumed per day and their duration of usage. Other oral side effects included dry mouth, soreness, gingival blisters, and a strange jaw sensation.

Conclusions

Research on the use of NP and its effect on oral health are currently limited. The use of NP should take into consideration the short-and-long-term effects, especially on oral health. Further studies are crucial to understand oral health implications associated with NP usage.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO Registration number CRD 42,024,500,711.
Palliative care for patients with heart failure and family caregivers in rural Appalachia: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Piamjariyakul Ubolrat , Smothers Angel , Wang Kesheng , Shafique Saima , Wen Sijin , Petitte Trisha , Young Stephanie , Sokos George , Smith Carol E.
Published: August 2024

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a debilitating disease with worsening symptoms and family caregiving burden. HF affects more than 8 million Americans. West Virginia has the highest HF death rate in the U.S. and limited healthcare services. This study tested whether the family HF palliative and end-of-life care intervention (FamPALcare) improved patient and caregiver outcomes at 3- and 6-month study endpoints.

Methods

This study used a randomized controlled trial design. Patients with HF and their caregivers were randomly assigned together to the intervention (n = 21) or control (n = 18) group. The intervention included five telephone coaching sessions on the HF home, palliative, and end-of-life care. The outcome data collected at baseline and at 3 and 6 months were from the patients’ (a) HF-related health status and depression/anxiety scale scores; and from caregivers’ (b) caregiving burden and depression/anxiety scale scores; and (c) anonymous ratings on the 11-item FamPALcare helpfulness scale, completed by the intervention participants.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 65.66 (SD = 13.72) years, and 67% were White males. The mean age of the caregivers was 62.05 (SD = 13.14) years, and 77% were White females. Compared to the controls, patients in the intervention group had significantly greater scores for HF-related health status (p < .05) and lower depression/anxiety scores at 6 months, the study endpoint. The family caregivers in the intervention group had significantly lower scores on caregiving burden (p < .05) and depression/anxiety (p < .01) at 3 months. The mean helpfulness rating was M = 4.46 out of 5 (SD = 0.49).

Conclusions

The FamPALcare intervention was found to be effective at improving patient HF-related health status and reducing caregiver burden and improving both patient and caregiver depression and anxiety scores. The FamPALcare HF intervention was found feasible and consistently delivered (fidelity). The FamPALcare intervention’s cost-effectiveness and helpfulness ratings information will be used to plan for subsequent clinical trials.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04153890, Registered on 4 November 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04153890.