bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Narratives of Change to Platform Governance on DTube, an Emerging Blockchain-Based Video-Sharing Platform
Authors: Nagappa Ashwin
Published: September 2023

Several blockchain-based social media (BSM) platforms have emerged as alternatives to mainstream social media (MsSM) platforms in the recent past. Using blockchain architecture as a mechanism for governance and economics, these second-generation alternative social media (ASM) platforms aim to create social media platforms without advertising revenue or algorithmic governance. BSM platforms are relatively new and less popular than other platforms. They are, therefore, understudied in the disciplines of media studies, communication studies, platform studies, or cultural studies. This article traces changes to platform governance on DTube, a blockchain-based video-sharing platform. Using platform biography as a systematic framework and methodological approach, this article aims to understand the ever (re)configuring assemblage of technology, people, media, and economics on DTube, between 2019 and 2022. Platform governance on DTube changed from being manually driven by community members to a semi-automated process using bots. Although characteristics of blockchain technology influenced platform governance, the changes over time reiterated that user practices (not the technology itself) determined the platform’s functions. In the reconfiguration of platform governance, DTube articulated minor structures of feeling that aimed to produce an inclusive space over rapid scaling. Furthermore, it hints toward “agonistic pluralism” to govern a (transactional) community with differential ties.
Does Social Media Use Polarize or Depolarize Political Opinion in China? Explaining Opinion Polarization Within an Extended Communication Mediation Model
Authors: Guo Jing , Hu Yang
Published: September 2023

In a major policy overhaul, China now allows couples to have up to three children, sparking a firestorm of contested opinions on social media. Drawing on an online survey of 802 Chinese social media users’ opinions toward this policy shift and guided by an extended communication mediation model, this study reveals the relationship between social media news exposure and opinion polarization. The analyses show that social media news exposure cannot directly affect opinion polarization, but it can indirectly affect polarization via several pathways. Overall, we argue that expression and interaction following news exposure and news elaboration can depolarize people’s political views.
Parents’ Perceptions of Online Teaching During the Pandemic: A Shanghai Survey Report
Authors: Rong (荣佳妮) Jiani , Chen (陈霜叶) Shuangye , Yang (杨晓哲) Xiaozhe
Published: September 2023

Highlights

This survey report outlined parents’ evaluation of the Shanghai online learning program during the pandemic. According to the survey results, most parents favorably accepted the Shanghai online learning initiative, while some parents held some concerns about the forms and impacts. This report reveals nuanced analysis of parents’ perception and their education backgrounds, stresses, and expectations.
Role of Primary Care in Bridging Gaps in the Health Care System for Vulnerable Children in the United States of America: A Sickle Cell Disease Case Study
Authors: Weston Natalie , Chang Alicia , Malbari Alefiyah , Dokania Gunjan
Published: September 2023

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a life-threatening condition. Given the nature of the disease and associated complications with high mortality and morbidity rates, it is imperative that patients are diagnosed in early infancy, are established with specialists and general pediatric care immediately, and receive continuity in care. A percentage of patients diagnosed with SCD fall within a vulnerable, at-risk population. This population may face greater social barriers that lead to missed or late diagnosis and therefore delayed management, significantly increasing the risk of morbidity and mortality. Screening tools such as state newborn screens help to identify the diagnosis early. However, patients in vulnerable, at-risk populations who are not established in the health care system may not receive timely communication about their illness and necessary next steps for care. We present a case of a 12-month-old female who is an example of one of the many patients who despite having undergone newborn screening, fell through the cracks due to social barriers including housing instability, food insecurity, and lack of access to transportation. This paper emphasizes the need for and provides a real example of the benefit of access to longitudinal primary care for vulnerable patients. We also demonstrate the role of primary care in clearing the care gaps and coordinating services quickly to ultimately prevent life-threatening complications specifically for children with previously undiagnosed chronic illnesses.
Identifying Drivers and Hindrances to the Disposal of Used Mobile Phones: A Study of User Behavior in the UAE
Authors: Patrao Gayle , Karnik Ajit
Published: September 2023

The use of mobile phones is ubiquitous around the world. Alongside the usage of mobile phones has been the rapid growth of related electronic waste, mainly aided by the very low rates of recycling of used phones. This study investigates the reasons behind the low rates of recycling of mobile phones in the United Arab Emirates, one of the heaviest users of mobile phones and one with very high e-waste generation. The study also has an important practical dimension in view of the policy initiative of the government in moving toward a circular economy. A significant contribution of this study is that we report the responses of phone users with respect to their usage patterns and factors that inhibit or enable them to recycle their phones. Our results show that environmental awareness about recycling and knowledge of the environmental consequences of improperly disposed of phones encourage recycling. However, personal, and external barriers prevent responsible disposal. We recommend strong government intervention, especially in school education, to enhance awareness about recycling. Further, the infrastructure for recycling needs to be made more user friendly and incentives should be offered to overcome personal barriers to recycling.
Does Music Encourage Residents to Purchase Commercial Insurance? Evidence From China
Authors: Gao Lifei , Wang Li , Sun Shouji , Wang Guojun , Ding Xuemeng
Published: September 2023

Commercial insurance is an important risk management tool whose demand is affected by psychological factors. Music can promote consumption by evoking non-random emotional and behavioral responses in consumers . Using data from the China Comprehensive Social Survey, we examined the impact of music on commercial insurance purchase behavior using a probit model, an instrumental variable, propensity score matching, and other methods. The results indicate that music can significantly increase the probability of residents purchasing commercial medical insurance and endowment insurance by 2.569% and 1.869%, respectively. Regarding the mechanism, music encourages residents to purchase insurance by increasing their general cognition, risk cognition, insurance cognition, and ability to manage risk. Furthermore, an analysis of heterogeneity shows that music plays a greater role in promoting the aforementioned behavior of residents with lower levels of education, lower frequencies of social interaction, internet usage, an agricultural household registration, and of residents with jobs.
How Does Transformational Leadership Stimulate Employee Innovative Behavior? A Moderated Mediation Analysis
Authors: Rehmani Mahmood , Farheen Nazia , Khokhar Munnawar Naz , Khalid Afia , Dalain Ali F. , Irshad Huda
Published: September 2023

Leadership is about having the capacity to make a vision a reality. In the context of transformational leadership, this study examines creative behavior as a key factor in Pakistan’s IT sector. Examining the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative behavior is the main goal of this study. While transformational leadership affects people because it inspires them, fosters morale, and boosts productivity. A moderated mediation model based on social cognitive theory was provided in this study. In contrast, the functions of mediation and moderation were played by knowledge sharing, organizational identification, and learning goal orientation. In this cross-sectional study, we implemented the convenience sample method and gathered 391 valid responses from the IT sector. Using the use of AMOS 26 and SPSS 23, the authors measured the latent variables and discussed their connection using a descriptive and correlational approach. The findings showed that transformational leadership has a favorable and substantial impact on innovative behavior. As a result, the mediation of knowledge exchange unites innovative behavior with transformational leadership. When two moderators’ organizational identification and learning goal orientation are effective, knowledge sharing mediates transformational leadership and innovative behavior. By highlighting the mediating function of knowledge sharing in promoting particular traits of innovative behavior, this research has broadened the scope of social cognition theory.
“I’m Worried They Will Come Back to Haunt Me”: Examining How Retired National Football League Players Make Sense of Concussion Risks
Authors: McGlynn Joseph , Cassilo David
Published: September 2023

This qualitative study examines how former National Football League (NFL) players retrospectively make sense of concussion risks post-retirement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with retired NFL players ( N = 10) who sustained at least one official concussion during their professional career. Guided by sensemaking theory and reflexive thematic analysis, themes were generated to characterize player attitudes toward concussion risks. Themes identified include concussions represent an invisible threat, concussions create more concern than other injuries, and head injuries change player outlooks on career longevity. Player strategies to mitigate concussion risks included avoid thinking about the risks by focusing on the moment or on the financial rewards, rely on teammates to look out for each other’s health, and recognize the fine line between valor and discretion. The findings inform risk communication efforts geared toward reducing head injuries in football, as players must balance competing goals of elite performance and sustaining their football career versus prioritizing their long-term health.
Development of pregnancy class with husband’s assistance on the outcome of teenage pregnancy
Authors: Riyanti  , Salim Lutfi Agus , Heriteluna Marselinus , Legawati
Published: September 2023

Background:

Teenage pregnancy is an international phenomenon without a definite solution to date. Globally, an estimated 16 million girls aged 15–19 give birth each year. Husbands need to play their assistance role in order to thwart the negative impact of the outcome of teenage pregnancy.

Research objective:

To identify the effect of the development of Pregnancy Classes with the Husband’s Assistance on the Outcome of Teenage Pregnancy in the Dayak community, Central Kalimantan.

Research methods:

This was a quasi-experimental study with the posttest-only non-equivalent control group design involving the husband’s assistance in pregnancy classes. The respondents were 60 individuals where 30 of them were given the pregnancy class assistance intervention while the other 30 were not given any intervention (control group).

Results and discussion:

Pregnancy class with Assistance by the husband increases positive pregnancy outcomes 2.4 times compared to without the husband’s assistance. Family support increases positive pregnancy outcomes 2.5 times compared to pregnant women without support from the family. Pregnant women that are highly motivated regarding antenatal care are likely to have positive pregnancy outcomes 5.4 times greater than pregnant women with low motivation. Based on the analysis, then the variables that have no effect are the history of antenatal care, frequency of antenatal care, and support from health workers.

Conclusions:

Pregnancy class with husband’s assistance affects positive outcomes of teenage pregnancy. Other factors with meaningful influence on pregnancy outcomes include family support and motivation to seek teenage antenatal care. Furthermore, other factors that have no influence include the teenager’s age, history of antenatal care, frequency of antenatal care, and support from health workers. An intervention is needed that involves the husband/partner in the form of active assistance.
Successful Treatment of SCD-Related Priapism With Crizanlizumab: A Case Series
Authors: Idowu Modupe , Garcia Roberto L. , Sule Oluwatosin B.
Published: September 2023

Priapism, an unwanted, painful, prolonged erection that is unrelated to sexual stimulation, is a common complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Priapic events in SCD are stuttering, meaning they occur repeatedly with intervening periods of detumescence. Without health care intervention, repeated episodes can lead to erectile dysfunction. There are limited treatment options for SCD-related priapism and no approved targeted therapies. Crizanlizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to P-selectin and is used to reduce the frequency of vaso-occlusive crises in patients with SCD. Here, we report the cases of 3 patients with SCD-related priapism who were treated with crizanlizumab. All patients were African American men who experienced numerous priapic episodes that interfered with their daily lives. Upon treatment with crizanlizumab, priapic events were reduced in all 3 patients. These successful cases suggest a potential role for crizanlizumab in the prevention of SCD-related priapism.
Gastric Electrical Stimulation as a New Treatment Modality for Refractory Nausea and Vomiting with Normal Gastric Emptying
Authors: Taclob Jeff Angelo , Lee Brian J. , Ortega Andrew J. , Sarosiek Irene , McCallum Richard W.
Published: September 2023

Nausea and vomiting are cardinal symptoms affecting many patients with delayed or normal gastric emptying. The current therapies are very limited and less than optimal. Therefore, gastrointestinal symptoms persist despite using all the standard approaches for gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, or unexplained nausea and vomiting. It is well established that gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is effective in reducing nausea and vomiting in gastroparesis, but there are essentially no data available that detail the efficacy of GES in symptomatic patients without gastroparesis. We present a unique case of a female patient diagnosed with functional dyspepsia, whose nausea and vomiting which were refractory to all standard therapies were successfully addressed with the implantation of a GES system.
Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes After Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Treating Articular Cartilage Defects: Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-analysis of Studies From 2001 to 2020
Authors: Wang Xueding , Ren Zhiyuan , Liu Yang , Ma Yongsheng , Huang Lingan , Song Wenjie , Lin Qitai , Zhang Zhipeng , Li Pengcui , Wei Xiaochun , Duan Wangping
Published: September 2023

Background:

Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) treats symptomatic focal cartilage defects with satisfactory clinical results.

Purpose:

To comprehensively analyze the characteristics and clinical outcomes of OCA for treating articular cartilage defects.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

We searched Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Database, and Web of Science for studies published between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2020, on OCA for treating articular cartilage defects. Publication information, patient data, osteochondral allograft storage details, and clinical outcomes were extracted to conduct a comprehensive summative analysis.

Results:

In total, 105 studies involving 5952 patients were included. The annual reported number of patients treated with OCA increased from 69 in 2001 to 1065 in 2020, peaking at 1504 cases in 2018. Most studies (90.1%) were performed in the United States. The mean age at surgery was 34.2 years, and 60.8% of patients were male and had a mean body mass index of 26.7 kg/m2. The mean lesion area was 5.05 cm2, the mean follow-up duration was 54.39 months, the mean graft size was 6.85 cm2, and the number of grafts per patient was 54.7. The failure rate after OCA was 18.8%, and 83.1% of patients reported satisfactory results. Allograft survival rates at 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years were 94%, 87.9%, 80%, 73%, 55%, and 59.4%, respectively. OCA was mainly performed on the knee (88.9%). The most common diagnosis in the knee was osteochondritis dissecans (37.9%), and the most common defect location was the medial femoral condyle (52%). The most common concomitant procedures were high tibial osteotomy (28.4%) and meniscal allograft transplantation (24.7%). After OCA failure, 54.7% of patients underwent revision with primary total knee arthroplasty.

Conclusion:

The annual reported number of patients who underwent OCA showed a significant upward trend, especially from 2016 to 2020. Patients receiving OCA were predominantly young male adults with a high body mass index. OCA was more established for knee cartilage than an injury at other sites, and its best indication was osteochondritis dissecans. This analysis demonstrated satisfactory long-term postoperative outcomes.
Unveiling coding of prediction and sharpening of perceptual features through multivariate pattern analysis
Authors: Lee Sung-Mu , Raykov Petar , Greve Andrea
Published: September 2023

A recent study by Blank, Alink and Büchel, uses multivariate neuroimaging to investigate how the human brain processes the strength of face-related expectations and explores whether these expectations are represented in the same regions that process facial stimuli. In line with predictive coding theories, their study presents compelling evidence that the brain adjusts its processing based on the certainty of expectations. This occurs exclusively within high-level face-sensitive regions, rather than across the entire processing hierarchy. Here we critically discuss these findings and outline potential directions for future research to better understand how the human brain expects, processes, and perceives images.
Frayed social safety: Social networks, stigma, and COVID-19 – The case of Sri Lankan garment workers
Authors: Ruwanpura Kanchana N
Published: September 2023

Sri Lankan garment workers have navigated a terrain where their initial status as stigmatized labour were re-casted as empowered workers through various industry-led initiatives in the recent past. Rearticulation from disposable to empowered workers, however, did not rest upon living wages or a hike in wage packets; instead, various management interpellations were attempted onsite and offsite factories. Without a material basis for these initiatives in the pre-CoVID-19 period, the vacuity of these tropes became particularly evident during the pandemic. Workers had to come to terms with shabby social support and stigma that worsened their economic lives, with tattered social safety systems compelling labour rights organizations and kin to step up. Using worker testimonies, I speak to the politics of empowerment to underline how the recasting of workers as stigmatized resulted in the cost of social reproduction to borne by kin networks and labour activists too. These frayed social safety nets and public support continue to echo against the country’s worst economic crisis.
Can Free Food Attract Attendees to Political Meetings? An Analysis of Attendance Buying to Political Meetings Using Multi-method Approaches with a Particular Emphasis on Scheduled Caste
Authors: Mitra Debashis
Published: September 2023

Vote-buying has become such a frequent kind of electoral ‘malpractice’ in India that it has become conspicuous in election culture. Despite this, we know very little about how it operates, its consequences, and how voters perceive it. While there is a significant body of literature on vote-buying in Indian elections, the research focuses specifically on attendance buying and its impact on diverse demographic groups and caste categories. By examining attendance buying, the research adds to the existing literature on vote-buying tactics, which can inform future studies and policy interventions to reduce electoral malpractice. We investigate and add to the contemporary literature on vote buying by analysing attendance buying and how it relates to diverse perspectives like low income, age, gender and education or regarding it, focusing on two different categories of caste, that is, dominant and Scheduled Caste. We conducted a survey experiment in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal to seek the effect of attendance-buying in the municipalities of Ashokenagar. The focus is on attending middle-sized political meetings rather than smaller meetings, where we thought its efficacy was prominent because of the number of free food and drinks. We found that the effect of the free foods and drinks over the larger meetings is more prominent than in local-level meetings. Our survey could not state that Scheduled Castes voluntarily engage at local-level meetings regardless of free food and drinks.
Locating DIY in the digital shift: Exploring grassroots activist responses to COVID-19 in Indonesia and the Philippines
Authors: Imray Papineau Elise
Published: September 2023

This article explores opportunities and obstacles encountered by activists in Indonesia and the Philippines when forced to adapt to COVID-19 regulations. Although digital activism pre-dated the pandemic, mobility restrictions and social isolation have prompted a greater dependence on the virtual realm for protest tactics. The pandemic provides a unique temporal lens to highlight the role of DIY in activist communities in Indonesia and the Philippines, and the challenges of translating the material into the digital. Considering existing inequalities in the digital divide across the Global South and government responses to dissidents, the article critically interrogates the matters of digital literacy and surveillance risks in virtual activism. Findings throughout the article are supported by interview data from online fieldwork with activists in both Indonesia and the Philippines in 2021.
When we were young: Inequality revisited, a commentary on Geoffrey Deverteuil's essay
Authors: Dorling Danny
Published: September 2023

Not very long ago, the world had a different shape. The cities were shaped differently too. Anglophone geographies brought into life theories about what all this meant. Global Urban Studies was a little prince world. A world in which each prince, each scholar, created their own theory. Theories were plentiful. In Le Petit Prince the Geographer is ‘…too important to go wandering about. He never leaves his Study.’ 1 He believes that geography books are ‘…the finest books of all. They never go out of fashion.’ The geographical scholar (who Antione de Saint-Exupéry had brought to life) distained the ephemeral, that ‘which is threatened by imminent disappearance.’ That particular little prince world is no more. The 1990s theories turned out to be ephemeral. Geoffrey DeVerteuil's essay breathes a little life back into some of them, arguing for not forgetting – not becoming too distracted by the new, especially not by the more obviously ephemeral ideas that often dominate today.
The association of weather conditions with day-to-day variability in physical activity in patients with COPD
Authors: Blondeel Astrid , Hermans Fien , Breuls Sofie , Wuyts Marieke , De Maeyer Nikolaas , Verniest Thessa , Derom Eric , Van Calster Ben , Janssens Wim , Troosters Thierry , Demeyer Heleen
Published: September 2023

Background

While patients with COPD often cite weather conditions as a reason for inactivity, little is known about the relationship between physical activity (PA) and weather conditions. The present study investigated the association of day-to-day weather changes on PA in patients with COPD and investigated patient characteristics related to being more or less influenced by weather conditions.

Methods

In this longitudinal analysis, device-based day-by-day step counts were objectively measured in COPD patients for up to 12 months. Daily meteorological data (temperature, precipitation, wind speed, hours of sunlight and daylight) were linked to the daily step count and individual and multivariable relationships were investigated using mixed-model effects. Individual R2was calculated for every subject to investigate the estimated influence of weather conditions on a patient level and its relationship with patient characteristics.

Results

We included 50 patients with a mean±sdfollow-up time of 282±93 days, totalling 14 117 patient-days. Daily temperature showed a positive linear pattern up until an inflexion point, after which a negative association with increasing temperature was observed (p<0.0001). Sunshine and daylight time had a positive association with PA (p<0.0001). Precipitation and wind speed were negatively associated with PA (p<0.0001). The median per-patient R2for overall weather conditions was 0.08, ranging from 0.00 to 0.42. No strong associations between patient characteristics and per-patient R2were observed.

Conclusion

Weather conditions are partly associated with PA in patients with COPD, yet the overall explained variance of PA due to weather conditions is rather low and varied strongly between individuals.
Vitamin C may reduce troponin and CKMB levels after PCI and CABG: a meta-analysis
Authors: Rozemeijer Sander , Hemilä Harri , van Baaren Marlinde , de Man Angélique M.E.
Published: September 2023

Background

Ischemia/reperfusion injury contributes to periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). PMI can be estimated by the elevation of troponin (Tn) and creatine kinase-MB (CKMB) plasma levels, and it is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Vitamin C might have a beneficial effect on PMI by improving endothelial function, improving myocardial perfusion, and by reducing oxidative stress generated during/after reperfusion. In several small animal models of cardiac stress, vitamin C reduced the increase in Tn and CKMB levels. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate whether vitamin C administration may have an effect on Tn and CKMB levels in patients undergoing PCI or CABG.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Scopus databases for controlled clinical trials reporting on Tn and CKMB levels in adult patients who underwent PCI or CABG and received vitamin C. As secondary outcomes we collected data on biomarkers of oxidative stress in the included trials. In our meta-analysis, we used the relative scale and estimated the effect as the ratio of means.

Results

We found seven controlled trials which included 872 patients. All included trials administered vitamin C intravenously, with a range from 1 to 16 g/day, and all initiated vitamin administration prior to the procedure. Vitamin C decreased peak Tn plasma levels in four trials on average by 43% (95% CI: 13 to 63%, p = 0.01) and peak CKMB plasma levels in five trials by 14% (95% CI: 8 to 21%, p < 0.001). Vitamin C also significantly decreased the biomarkers of oxidative stress.

Conclusions

Vitamin C may decrease cardiac enzyme levels in patients undergoing elective PCI or CABG. This may be explained partially by its antioxidant effects. Our findings encourage further research on vitamin C administration during cardiac procedures and in other clinical contexts that increase the level of cardiac enzymes. Future studies should search for an optimal dosing regimen, taking baseline and follow-up plasma vitamin C levels into account.
A single-center prospective study on pain alleviation during peroral upper endoscopy with an ultrathin endoscope
Authors: Aya Iwao , Ichijima Ryoji , Sugita Tomomi , Nakayama Masako , Takasu Ayaka , Ogura Kanako , Gotoda Takuji , Kogure Hirofumi
Published: September 2023

Background

The efficacy of transnasal endoscopy using an ultrathin endoscope has been reported in several studies. However, few studies regarding peroral endoscopy with ultrathin endoscopes with high resolution have been reported. This study investigates the pain alleviation of peroral endoscopy with an ultrathin endoscope.

Methods

Patients with a history of peroral endoscopy using a conventional, normal-diameter scope with no sedation who underwent peroral esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) using a thin scope between April-July 2022 were included in this study. After the procedure, the patients completed a questionnaire evaluating pain during the examination and willingness to repeat the procedure. The physicians were surveyed regarding their level of satisfaction. The primary endpoint was patient satisfaction, which corresponded to the rate of patients who rated the thin endoscope as more comfortable or somewhat more comfortable than the previously-used, conventional endoscope.

Results

One hundred and forty-five patients were included in the analyses. Patient satisfaction was achieved in 86.2% (125/145) of patients. The median visual analog scale pain score was 3 (0–7) points in this study, which is significantly lower than the pain score after the previous endoscopy (5 (0–10) points; p < 0.001). In addition, 96% (24/25) of patients who underwent EGD by an expert and 95.8% (115/120) who underwent EGD by a non-expert were willing to repeat endoscopy using the thin scope (p = 0.69).

Conclusion

Peroral endoscopy using a thin scope reduces patient pain regardless of the endoscopist’s experience.
The long-term efficacy of tick-borne encephalitis vaccines available in Europe - a systematic review
Authors: Miazga Wojciech , Wnuk Katarzyna , Tatara Tomasz , Świtalski Jakub , Matera Adrian , Religioni Urszula , Gujski Mariusz
Published: September 2023

Background

Despite the availability of vaccination, TBE (tick-borne encephalitis) remains a global public health problem. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the long-term efficacy of vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis using vaccines available on the European market.

Methods

The analysis was conducted on the results of a systematic review conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The search was performed in three databases, namely Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE (via Ovid), and the Cochrane Library database. The authors followed the PRISMA method and the selection of the articles was performed with two independent researchers.

Results

From a total of 199 citations, 9 studies were included in this review. According to the primary studies identified in the search, the efficacy of available anti-TBE vaccines ranges from 90.1% to 98.9%; however, in individuals above the age of 60, the protection wanes as early as one year after vaccination. Administration of a booster dose 3 years after completion of the basic vaccination schedule significantly extended the period of protection against TBE.

Conclusions

Anti-TBE vaccines available in Europe have a high level of efficacy. However, the level of protection against TBE is decreasing after vaccination. Therefore, in addition to the conventional schedule, booster vaccines should be administered every 5 years in individuals before the age of 60 and more frequently, e.g. every 3 years, in individuals aged 60 and beyond.
Risk factor analysis for adverse prognosis of the fetal ventricular septal defect (VSD)
Authors: Shan Wang , Yuanqing Xia , Jing Zhu , Xi Wu , Huifeng Guo , Yi Wu
Published: September 2023

Background

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common subtype of congenital heart disease. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether chromosome aberration was associated with the occurrence of VSD and evaluate the association of VSD size, location and chromosome aberration with adverse outcomes in the Chinese fetuses.

Methods

Fetuses with VSD and comprehensive follow-up data were included and evaluated retrospectively. Medical records were used to collect epidemiological data and foetal outcomes. For VSD fetuses, conventional karyotype and microarray analysis were conducted. After adjusting confounding factors by using multivariable logistic regression analyses, the association between chromosome variations and VSD occurrence was explored. The association between defect size, location and chromosome aberrations and adverse foetal outcomes was also investigated.

Results

Chromosome aberration was the risk factor for VSD occurrence, raising 6.5-fold chance of developing VSD. Chromosome aberration, peri-membranous site and large defect size of VSD were significant risk factors of adverse fetal outcome. Chromosome aberrations, including pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) and variations of uncertain significance (VUS), were both risk factors, increasing the risk of the adverse fetal outcome by 55.9 times and 6.7 times, respectively. The peri-membranous site would increase 5.3-fold risk and defects larger than 5 mm would increase the 7.1-fold risk for poor fetal outcome.

Conclusions

The current investigation revealed that chromosomal abnormalities, large defects, and the peri-membranous site were all risk factors for poor fetal outcomes. Our study also indicated that chromosome aberration was one of risk factors for the VSD occurrence.
“We are not there yet”: perceptions, beliefs and experiences of healthcare professionals caring for women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain in Australia
Authors: Ceprnja Dragana , Chipchase Lucy , Liamputtong Pranee , Gupta Amitabh
Published: September 2023

Background

Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) is a common condition worldwide. Women report being unprepared about PPGP, and state they receive little recognition and support from healthcare professionals. Situated within the Common-Sense Model and Convergent Care Theory, this study sought to gain a conceptual understanding of the perceptions, beliefs and experiences of healthcare professionals who provide routine care for women with PPGP in Australia.

Methods

A qualitative research design, using individual, semi-structured interviews with purposive sampling of healthcare professionals (N=27) consisting of doctors (N=9), midwives (N=9) and physiotherapists (N=9). Most participants were female (22/27) with a range of professional experience. An interview guide consisting of open-ended questions was used with a flexible and responsive approach. Thematic analysis was performed where interview data were transcribed, coded, grouped into meaningful categories and then constructed into broad themes.

Results

Four themes were identified: 1. Identity and impact of PPGP; 2. What works well?; 3. What gets in the way?; and 4. Quality care: What is needed? Healthcare professionals recognised PPGP as a common and disabling condition, which created a large impact on a woman’s life during pregnancy. Stepped-level care, including education and physiotherapy intervention, was seen to be helpful and led to a positive prognosis. Barriers at patient, clinician and organisation levels were identified and led to consequences for women with PPGP not receiving the care they need.

Conclusion

This study elucidates important implications for health care delivery. Acknowledging that PPGP is a common condition causing difficulty for many women, healthcare professionals identified strong teamwork and greater clinical experience as important factors in being able to deliver appropriate healthcare. Whilst healthcare professionals reported being committed to caring for women during pregnancy, busy workloads, attitudes towards curability, and a lack of formal education were identified as barriers to care. The findings suggest timely access, clear referral pathways and an integrated approach are required for best care practice for women with PPGP. A greater emphasis on the need for multidisciplinary models of care during pregnancy is evident.
Sex steroid hormones and allergic diseases in children: a pilot birth cohort study in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study cohort
Authors: Miyaji Yumiko , Yamamoto-Hanada Kiwako , Yang Limin , Saito-Abe Mayako , Sato Miori , Mezawa Hidetoshi , Nishizato Minaho , Ochiai Masayuki , Ohga Shouichi , Oda Masako , Mitsubuchi Hiroshi , Shimono Masayuki , Suga Reiko , Mise Nathan , Sekiyama Makiko , Nakayama Shoji F. , Ohya Yukihiro ,   the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)
Published: September 2023

Background

Numerous studies suggest that sex steroids might play a role in sex disparity observed in allergic diseases in adults. However, whether sex hormones influence allergic diseases in children remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of sex steroid hormones with allergic disease in Japanese children.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study included 145 6-year-old children participating in a pilot birth cohort study in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Data on allergic diseases were obtained from questionnaires, and serum levels of sex steroid hormones and allergen-specific IgE were measured. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of sex hormones with allergic diseases.

Results

After adjusted sex, amount of body fat at 6 years, parental history of allergic disease, and exposure to tobacco smoke, serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level was significantly associated with reduced odds of any allergic disease (adjusted odds ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.36–0.93; P = 0.024) and serum follicle-stimulating hormone level was significantly associated with increased odds of any allergic disease (adjusted odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–4.11, P = 0.046). Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level showed a significant association with number of allergic diseases.

Conclusions

The current study findings suggest that sex hormones may play an important role in the development of allergic diseases in prepubertal children.
Alterations of brainstem volume in patients with first-episode and recurrent major depressive disorder
Authors: Chen Yue , Jia Lili , Gao Weijia , Wu Congchong , Mu Qingli , Fang Zhe , Hu Shaohua , Huang Manli , Zhang Peng , Lu Shaojia
Published: September 2023

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes in a substantial proportion of patients. The number of previous episodes is one of the most crucial predictors of depression recurrence. However, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. To date, there have been limited neuroimaging studies investigating morphological changes of the brainstem in patients with first-episode MDD (FMDD) and recurrent MDD (RMDD). This study aimed to examine volumetric changes of individual brainstem regions in relation to the number of previous episodes and disease duration.

Method

A total of 111 individuals including 36 FMDD, 25 RMDD, and 50 healthy controls (HCs) underwent T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. A Bayesian segmentation algorithm was used to analyze the volume of each brainstem region, including the medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain, and superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP), as well as the whole brainstem volume. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed to obtain brain regions with significant differences among three groups and then post hoc tests were calculated for inter-group comparisons. Partial correlation analyses were further conducted to identify associations between regional volumes and clinical features.

Results

The ANOVA revealed significant brainstem volumetric differences among three groups in the pons, midbrain, SCP, and the whole brainstem (F = 3.996 ~ 5.886, adjusted p = 0.015 ~ 0.028). As compared with HCs, both groups of MDD patients showed decreased volumes in the pons as well as the entire brainstem (p = 0.002 ~ 0.034), however, only the FMDD group demonstrated a significantly reduced volume in the midbrain (p = 0.003). Specifically, the RMDD group exhibited significantly decreased SCP volume when comparing to both FMDD (p = 0.021) group and HCs (p = 0.008). Correlation analyses revealed that the SCP volumes were negatively associated with the number of depressive episodes (r=-0.36, p < 0.01) and illness duration (r=-0.28, p = 0.035) in patients with MDD.

Conclusion

The present findings provided evidence of decreased brainstem volume involving in the pathophysiology of MDD, particularly, volumetric reduction in the SCP might represent a neurobiological marker for RMDD. Further research is needed to confirm our observations and deepen our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying depression recurrence.
Adoption of community-based strategies for sustainable vector control and prevention
Authors: Rivera Elizabeth Pellecer , Arrivillaga Margarita Rivera , Juárez José G. , De Urioste-Stone Sandra M. , Berganza Elsa , Pennington Pamela Marie
Published: September 2023

Community engagement strategies provide tools for sustainable vector-borne disease control. A previous cluster randomized control trial engaged nine intervention communities in seven participatory activities to promote management of the domestic and peri-domestic environment to reduce risk factors for vector-borne Chagas disease. This study aims to assess the adoption of this innovative community-based strategy, which included chickens’ management, indoor cleaning practices, and domestic rodent infestation control, using concepts from the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. We used questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to understand perceptions of knowledge gained, intervention adoption level, innovation attributes, and limiting or facilitating factors for adoption. The analysis process focused on five innovation attributes proposed by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. Rodent management was highly adopted by participants, as it had a relative advantage regarding the use of poison and was compatible with local practices. The higher complexity was reduced by offering several types of trapping systems and having practical workshops allowed trialability. Observability was limited because the traps were indoors, but information and traps were shared with neighbors. Chicken management was not as widely adopted due to the higher complexity of the method, and lower compatibility with local practices. Using the concepts proposed by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory helped us to identify the enablers and constraints in the implementation of the Chagas vector control strategy. Based on this experience, community engagement and intersectoral collaboration improve the acceptance and adoption of novel and integrated strategies to improve the prevention and control of neglected diseases.
Oral supplementation with fish cartilage hydrolysate in an adult population suffering from knee pain and function discomfort: results from an innovative approach combining an exploratory clinical study and an ex vivo clinical investigation
Authors: Yves Henrotin , Herman Julie , Uebelhoer Melanie , Wauquier Fabien , Boutin-Wittrant Line , Donneau Anne-Françoise , Monseur Justine , Fotso Variance Mokam , Duquenne Marie , Wagner Mélanie , Bouvret Elodie , Costes Bérénice , Wittrant Yohann
Published: September 2023

Background

Aging is frequently associated with impairments of the musculoskeletal system and many elderly people experience joint discomfort or pain which might reduce their ability to move and consequently alter their quality of life. A beneficial effect of fish cartilage hydrolysate (FCH) on pain and joint function has recently been shown in an ACLT/pMMx osteoarthritis rat model.

Methods

We therefore performed an exploratory, non-comparative, multi-centric clinical trial including 33 subjects with moderate knee joint discomfort and loss of functionality to investigate the efficacy of FCH on their algo-functional status. We further determined the potential health benefit of FCH in an original clinical ex vivo study investigating the role of FCH human metabolites on primary human chondrocytes.

Results

FCH significantly improved knee pain and function, as assessed by the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Moreover, FCH significantly reduced pain at rest and while walking, and patient global assessment (PGA), as assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and improved patients’ quality of life (SF-36). FCH metabolites decreased the synthesis of catabolic factors (MMP-13) and pro-inflammatory mediators (NO, PGE2) and limited the inhibitory effect of IL-1β on the synthesis of cartilage matrix components (GAG and collagen).

Conclusions

Thus, these data provide insights on the mode of action of FCH in humans and contribute to explain how FCH may relieve pain and improve joint function in subjects with knee discomfort. Although these preliminary data need to be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial, they strongly support the potential health benefit of such an active ingredient. Trial registration: The study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov with the identifier NCT04420091 (09/06/2020).
Incidence of appendiceal neoplasms in appendectomy patients
Authors: Núñez-Rocha Ricardo E. , Girón Felipe , Rodríguez Lina , Camargo-Gómez Daniela , Restrepo-Bonilla Carolina , Panqueva Rocío Del Pilar López , Cadena Manuel , Nassar Ricardo , Herrera-Almario Gabriel E. , Hernández-Restrepo Juan David
Published: September 2023

Background

Non-operative management has been suggested as a therapy for uncomplicated appendicitis. Notwithstanding, the risk of missing an appendiceal tumor must be considered, being the surgical piece crucial to rule out neoplasms. Therefore, we aim to determine the incidence of appendiceal neoplasms in patients with acute appendicitis, tumor types and the importance of the anatomopathological study of the surgical piece.

Study design

Retrospective study in which we described patients who underwent emergent appendectomy with histopathological findings of appendiceal neoplasms from January 2012 to September 2018. Descriptive analysis included demographic variables, diagnostic methods, and surgical techniques.

Results

2993 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis who underwent an emergency appendectomy. 64 neoplasms of the appendix were found with an incidence of 2,14%. 67.2% were women, the mean age was 46,4 years (± 19.5). The most frequent appendiceal neoplasms were neuroendocrine tumors (42,2%), followed by appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (35,9%), sessile serrated adenomas (18,8%), and adenocarcinomas (3,1%). In 89,1% of the cases, acute appendicitis was determined by imaging, and 14% of cases were suspected intraoperatively. Appendectomy was performed in 78,1% without additional procedures.

Conclusions

Appendiceal tumors are rare and must be ruled out in patients with suspected acute appendicitis. The incidence of incidental neoplasms is higher in this study than in the previously reported series. This information must be included in decision-making when considering treatment options for acute appendicitis.