bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electro-flexure response of multi-functional natural fiber hybrid composites
Authors: Meninno Christopher , Chalivendra Vijaya , Kim Yong
Published: September 2020

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the electro-flexure response of conductive natural fiber hybrid laminate composites. The composites were composed of laminates of jute and flax fibers, and the composites were subjected to flexural loading for the electrical and bending response. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes were shear mixed and ultrasonicated into the epoxy matrix. Short carbon fibers were reinforced in-between the laminates using “wet flocking” technique. To measure the electrical response under flexural loading, a four-point circumferential probe method was used. A parametric study was conducted to investigate flexural performance and damage sensing by varying carbon fiber lengths (150 and 350 µm) and the carbon fiber densities (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 fibers/mm2). The addition of carbon fibers decreased the flexural strength for most of the cases, however increased the flexural strain at break for all composites of carbon fiber length of 150 µm. During the nonlinear deformation, the composites of carbon fiber length of 150 µm demonstrated a linear increase in resistance; however, that of carbon fiber length of 350 µm showed increasing slope of resistance. Overall, the composites of carbon fiber length of 350 µm showed lower resistance change at break compared to that of carbon fiber length of 150 µm.
Responding to a COVID-19 Outbreak at a Long-Term Care Facility
Authors: Shrader Carl D. , Assadzandi Shauna , Pilkerton Courtney S. , Ashcraft Amie M.
Published: September 2020

This article describes an outbreak of COVID-19 in a long-term care facility (LTCF) in West Virginia that was the epicenter of the state’s pandemic. Beginning with the index case, we describe the sequential order of procedures undertaken by the facility including testing, infection control, treatment, and communication with facility residents, staff, and family members. We also describe the lessons learned during the process and provide recommendations for handling an outbreak at other LTCFs.
Long-Term Inhalative Sedation in Children With Pulmonary Diseases
Authors: Meyburg Jochen , Frommhold David , Motsch Johann , Kuss Navina
Published: September 2020

Objectives:

To describe safety and feasibility of long-term inhalative sedation (LTIS) in children with severe respiratory diseases compared to patients with normal lung function with respect to recent studies that showed beneficial effects in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Design:

Single-center retrospective study.

Setting:

12-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in a tertiary-care academic medical center in Germany.

Patients:

All patients treated in our PICU with LTIS using the AnaConDa® device between July 2011 and July 2019.

Measurements and Main Results:

Thirty-seven courses of LTIS in 29 patients were analyzed. LTIS was feasible in both groups, but concomitant intravenous sedatives could be reduced more rapidly in children with lung diseases. Cardiocirculatory depression requiring vasopressors was observed in all patients. However, severe side effects only rarely occured.

Conclusions:

In this largest cohort of children treated with LTIS reported so far, LTIS was feasible even in children with severely impaired lung function. From our data, a prospective trial on the use of LTIS in children with ARDS seems justified. However, a thorough monitoring of cardiocirculatory side effects is mandatory.
Living the Art of Nursing: Lessons From a Pandemic
Authors: Milton Constance L.
Published: September 2020

Living the art of nursing during the challenging times of a pandemic has profound implications for the discipline of nursing. Opportunities and limitations coexist with persons who shelter in place while others continue to practice amid personal risk in institutions where vital healthcare services are provided. This article illustrates potential lessons to be learned for future nurse practice and the ethos or straight-thinking implications for living quality during a global health crisis.
V.I. Lenin’s Theory of Socialist Revolution
Authors: Lane David
Published: September 2020

Lenin transposed Marx’s analysis of capitalism from the advanced capitalist economies to the dependent colonial countries. He combined political economy, geopolitics, political organisation and a sociology of social structure to form an innovative revolutionary praxis. The expansion of Western capitalism shifted the social and political contradictions to countries moving from feudalism to capitalism. Lenin was correct in his appraisal of the social forces in support of a bourgeois revolution. But he provided an over-optimistic prediction for the disintegration of monopoly capitalism and only a partial analysis of the working classes in the advanced capitalist countries. His political approach requires a redefinition of countervailing forces and class alliances and a shift of focus from the semi-periphery to the ‘strongest links’ in the capitalist chain. A ‘return to Lenin’ is not to adopt his policies but a prompt to reinvent a socialist sociological vision derived from the expectations of the Enlightenment and Marx’s analysis of capitalism.
Adhesively bonded joints in components manufactured via selective laser melting
Authors: Koch C , Richter J , Vollmer M , Kahlmeyer M , Niendorf T , Böhm S
Published: September 2020

Additive manufacturing has gained increasing attention in recent years in numerous industrial sectors due to its inherent characteristics, e.g. tool-free production and unprecedented freedom of design. However, in some applications such as heat exchangers the design has to follow certain restrictions, e.g. to allow for the removal of unfused powder, which can be enclosed in cavities. Moreover, in case multi-material parts are considered, the use of different powders during processing is often uneconomical since powder recycling is highly challenging. Therefore, the production of complex structures being characterized by limited accessibility and components made of different materials often require a subsequent joining process. Based on an analysis of state-of-the-art joining technologies employed for additively manufactured metal components, research gaps related to adhesive bonding are deduced. In light of the prevailing gaps, the influence of selective laser melting process parameters like laser power and build direction on the surface topography and, thus, on the bondability of the substrates are investigated. The mechanical tests reveal a high bond strength for the vertically oriented samples and the samples manufactured with a laser power of 400 W. Furthermore, a laser post-treatment of the SLM samples lead to an improvement of lap shear strength. Finally, results reporting on the ageing behaviour of these joints and an outlook on further research activities are given.
Actual Situations and Factors Related to Nursing Activities in Supporting the Transition to Homecare Settings for End-Stage Cancer Patients in General Wards in Japan
Authors: Yoshioka Saori , Katayama Harumi
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to investigate actual situations of nursing activities in supporting the transition to homecare settings for end-stage cancer patients and to determine factors related to executing such nursing activities from the perspectives of communication skills and interprofessional collaboration. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 513 nurses who worked at designated cancer care hospitals in Japan. A total of 318 valid responses were obtained (valid response rate: 62.0%). Scores for nursing activities were higher for the following items: sharing information regarding the transition to homecare settings, intentionally engaging with patients after their medical conditions were explained, providing care for families, and understanding a patient's will about the transition to homecare settings. On the other hand, scores were lower for items that were related to guiding juniors and self-improvement. A multiple regression analysis was performed with nursing activities as the dependent variable. 8 factors related to nursing activities were determined: experience in supporting the transition to homecare settings as a primary nurse, contribution to a team (Team Approach Assessment Scale [TAAS]), years of nursing experience, function of a team (TAAS), regulation of interpersonal relationship (ENDCOREs communication skills scale), experience of participation in homecare nursing education or seminars, verbal communication skills for good communication (End-of-life Care Nurses’ Communication Skills scale), and educational background. Future challenges include developing an educational program based on the results of the present study and promoting educational intervention studies.
TRENDS: The Supreme Court’s (Surprising?) Indifference to Public Opinion
Authors: Johnson Ben , Strother Logan
Published: September 2020

Does the Supreme Court care what the public thinks? For decades, published articles have consistently reported a significant, positive relationship between public opinion and Supreme Court output. However, these studies posit mutually contradictory theories and report irreconcilable results. We advance this literature in two ways. First, we show that the empirical “fact” driving the search for a workable theory is actually illusory. Second, we defend a theory of judicial independence. To be clear, we do not attempt to prove the Court does not respond to the public’s opinions on policy. We argue that there is little reason the Court should respond and demonstrate that, contrary to twenty-five years of scholarship, there is no good empirical evidence suggesting it does.
Copyright, Transformativeness, and Protection for Internet Memes
Authors: Mielczarek Natalia , Hopkins W. Wat
Published: September 2020

Internet memes have become popular artifacts of mass communication in digital culture. They are, by definition, reiterative as they remix already existing content to produce new communicative statements. This theoretical study, which lies at the intersection of media technologies, society, and media law, explores the legal implications of such memetic appropriation vis-à-vis the U.S. copyright law. With the help of legal research analysis and theoretical framework of remix culture and internet memes, the study shows how and why memes deserve legal protection as transformative work.
Cross-National Examination of the Relationship Between Gender Equality and Female Homicide and Rape Victimization
Authors: Chon Don Soo , Clifford Janice E.
Published: September 2020

This study is the first cross-national work to examine the impact of gender equality on both female homicide and rape victimization. The data set from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was analyzed for 70 countries. Several gender equality measures were significantly and positively related to rape victimization, but were mostly not significant to female homicide. Findings for rape victimization were consistent with the backlash hypothesis, but such findings may be related to the limitations of police rape rates, such as different legal definitions and police-reporting behaviors across countries.
Play, secrecy and consent: Theorizing privacy breaches and sensitive data in the world of networked sex toys
Authors: Sundén Jenny
Published: September 2020

Based on a new materialist analysis of “vibrant matter” to understand the liveliness of sexual objects in toy-based sexual play, in this article I investigate the politics of thinking digital technologies as operating partly beyond human forms of agency and control. I use as my core examples privacy breaches and data leaks in the world of networked sex toys – such as a vibrator which allegedly audio recorded its clients’ play sessions without express permission – to engage with questions of intimacy and privacy in digital networks of humans and nonhumans. In particular, the discussion focuses on the consequences of new forms of publicness for how we can understand sexual intimacy and sexual play. What does it mean to have an intimate moment when connected to a device, a medium and a network that is by definition public, corporate and leaky? And how could we imagine other ways of being sexually intimate and exposed – yet safe – in public digital networks? Drawing on discussions of queer intimacy, sexual consent and queer BDSM, I suggest that current understandings of privacy and sensitive data (as per GDPR) may need unconventional sources to further ways of knowing what consent might mean, and how it feels.
Tumor-Treating Fields Inhibit the Metastatic Potential of Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Oh Ju Yeon , Lee Yeon-Joo , Kim Eun Ho
Published: September 2020

The prognosis of metastatic osteosarcoma (OS) remains poor with a <20% survival rate, particularly in cases of distant (non-lung) metastases. Tumor-treating field (TTF) therapy is a novel electric field-based treatment that causes metaphase arrest and tumor cell death, with the advantage of reduced side effects compared to radiation and chemotherapy. TTF shows promise in glioblastoma and other solid tumors; however, few studies have examined its potential in the treatment of osteosarcoma. Therefore, we explored the mechanism of TTF-induced metastasis inhibition and cell death using in vitro models. TTF (1.5 V/cm, 150 kHz) was applied to U2OS and KHOS/NP OS cell lines. In addition, a 3-dimensional culture system was established using these OS cell lines. Cell migration and invasion (i.e., metastatic potential) were examined using a wound-healing scratch assay and transwell assay, respectively. Western blotting of metastasis- and angiogenesis-related proteins was performed. TTF suppressed the migration of and invasion by OS cells and inhibited the expression of epithelial markers, thereby preventing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a hallmark of metastasis. Moreover, TTF prevented angiogenesis in human tumor endothelial cells and downregulated matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Therefore, TTF shows potential as an improved treatment for osteosarcoma, warranting further preclinical studies in animal models to support clinical trials.
A novel microRNA-based signature predicts prognosis among nasopharyngeal cancer patients
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Wu Jian , Wu Yun , Cheng Yin , Deng Yue , Liao Jianchun , Liu Huanhai , Peng Hu
Published: September 2020

Nasopharyngeal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the head and neck. Identification of promising miRNA biomarkers might benefit a lot to the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. miRNA expression profile and clinical information were obtained from two microarray profiling data sets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. miRNA signature model was constructed via univariate Cox survival analysis, multivariate Cox survival analysis, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis. Kaplan–Meier curve, area under the curve (AUC), decision curve analysis, Box plot, and nomogram were used to evaluate the prognosis of the model to patients. 67 up-regulated and 93 down-regulated miRNAs were identified from GEO microarray data sets ( P < 0.05). A three-miRNA signature (has-miR-142-3p, has-miR-29c, and has-miR-30e) was obviously associated with the overall survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients ( P  < 0.001). The AUCs for the signature were 0.74, 0.7 for the training set and external validation set. The AUC of disease free survival and distant metastasis-free survival were also high. The model has better clinical independence and has better clinical prediction effect when combined with clinical characteristics ( P < 0.0001). Compared with the published models, our model had a higher AUC. Our results revealed that a three-miRNA signature was a potential novel prognostic biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Impact statement

Nasopharyngeal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the head and neck. Identification of promising miRNA biomarkers might benefit a lot to the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A three-miRNA signature (has-miR-142-3p, has-miR-29c, and has-miR-30e) was obviously associated with the overall survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. The model has better clinical independence and has better clinical prediction effect when combined with clinical characteristics. Our results revealed that a three-miRNA signature was a potential novel prognostic biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Microengineered systems with iPSC-derived cardiac and hepatic cells to evaluate drug adverse effects
Authors: Dame Keri , Ribeiro Alexandre JS
Published: September 2020

Hepatic and cardiac drug adverse effects are among the leading causes of attrition in drug development programs, in part due to predictive failures of current animal or in vitro models. Hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold promise for predicting clinical drug effects, given their human-specific properties and their ability to harbor genetically determined characteristics that underlie inter-individual variations in drug response. Currently, the fetal-like properties and heterogeneity of hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes differentiated from iPSCs make them physiologically different from their counterparts isolated from primary tissues and limit their use for predicting clinical drug effects. To address this hurdle, there have been ongoing advances in differentiation and maturation protocols to improve the quality and use of iPSC-differentiated lineages. Among these are in vitro hepatic and cardiac cellular microsystems that can further enhance the physiology of cultured cells, can be used to better predict drug adverse effects, and investigate drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics to facilitate successful drug development. In this article, we discuss how cellular microsystems can establish microenvironments for these applications and propose how they could be used for potentially controlling the differentiation of hepatocytes or cardiomyocytes. The physiological relevance of cells is enhanced in cellular microsystems by simulating properties of tissue microenvironments, such as structural dimensionality, media flow, microfluidic control of media composition, and co-cultures with interacting cell types. Recent studies demonstrated that these properties also affect iPSC differentiations and we further elaborate on how they could control differentiation efficiency in microengineered devices. In summary, we describe recent advances in the field of cellular microsystems that can control the differentiation and maturation of hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes for drug evaluation. We also propose how future research with iPSCs within engineered microenvironments could enable their differentiation for scalable evaluations of drug effects.
Total Antioxidant Capacity and Frailty in Older Men
Authors: Tembo Monica C. , Holloway-Kew Kara L. , Bortolasci Chiara C. , Sui Sophia X , Brennan-Olsen Sharon L. , Williams Lana J. , Kotowicz Mark A. , Pasco Julie A.
Published: September 2020

Frailty, a clinical syndrome characterized by multisystem dysregulation, has been associated with high levels of oxidative stress. We investigated the association between serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and frailty in older men. This cross-sectional study included 581 men (age 60–90 years) enrolled in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Frailty comprised at least three of unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, slowness, and weakness. Serum TAC was measured by quantitative colorimetric determination and expressed as uric acid equivalents (mM). Relationships between TAC (in SD units) and frailty were explored using multivariable logistic regression models. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle variables were tested as potential confounders and effect modifiers. A sensitivity analysis excluded participants ( n = 145) in the upper quartile of TAC, who were likely to have hyperuricemia. Fifty (8.6%) men were frail. There was evidence that higher TAC levels were associated with increased likelihood of frailty ( OR 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.99, 1.80]), and this was attenuated after adjustment for age and body mass index (BMI; OR 1.26, 95% CI [0.93,1.71]). No effect modifiers or other confounders were identified. The sensitivity analysis revealed a positive association between TAC and frailty, before and after accounting for age and BMI (adjusted OR 1.79, 95% CI [1.01, 3.17] p = .038). These results suggest a positive association between TAC levels and frailty, supporting the hypothesis that this biomarker could be useful in identifying individuals at risk of frailty. We speculate that a milieu of heightened oxidative stress in frailty may elevate the oxidative stress regulatory set point, raising antioxidant activity. This warrants further investigation.
First-Time Fathers’ Attitudes Towards, and Experiences With, Parenting Courses in Denmark
Authors: Reinicke Kenneth
Published: September 2020

Several studies report that men, just like women, go through a complex emotional upheaval when they are about to become parents and that men need support to be able to tackle parenthood in the best way possible. This qualitative study addresses the extent to which parenting courses attended by both the mother and the father constitute an appealing institutional service for first-time fathers and whether they find them useful in tackling the challenges they face during the pregnancy and after the birth. The article explores difficulties with recruiting fathers to such courses and ensuring their continued attendance since men’s masculinity dilemmas can affect the extent to which they are willing to seek help and to complete such courses. The findings indicated that fathers’ sense of responsibility and awareness of their role as a father in their child’s life was strengthened, and overall, they were satisfied both with the topics addressed during the course and with the teaching. Strong networks were formed among some of the parents at the parenting course. Caution is called for when drawing general conclusions about the benefits of such courses for first-time parents, as they are seldom attended by parents with minority ethnic backgrounds or by vulnerable and underprivileged parents.
A case of pediatric paraspinal arteriovenous fistula with multiple fistulas
Authors: Sato Shinsuke , Niimi Yasunari , Shima Shougo , Moteki Yousuke , Inoue Tatuya , Kuwamoto Kentarou , Okada Yoshikazu
Published: September 2020

Paraspinal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a rare vascular malformation. This is the first described case of a pediatric paraspinal AVF along nonvertebral segmental nerve with multiple fistulas. An 8 months-old girl was found to have a continuous murmur on the back on chest auscultation. Enhanced computed tomography revealed a segmental nerve AVF of the right thoracic spine. Selective angiography of the right T8 and T9 intercostal arteries demonstrated a high flow fistula at the level of the neural foramen, with drainage to the epidural and azygos veins. The fistulas point was visualized using Volume rendering(VR) and Minimum Intensity Projection(MIP) images. Endovascular treatment from the right T8 and T9 feeding arteries was provided using coils and n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate(NBCA). Postembolization angiography demonstrated complete occlusion of the fistulas. The postoperative course was uneventful. We discuss the first case of a pediatric paraspinal AVF along nonvertebral segmental nerve with double holes of fistulas with literature review.
The vernacular as method for memory and time: A philological and cultural exploration of Filipino concepts for Memory Studies
Authors: Martin Jocelyn S
Published: September 2020

This article proposes the vernacular as a discursive methodological entry point to Memory Studies. A bottom-up approach, this article theorizes memory and time starting from a close-reading of signifiers from the Filipino language, thus allowing its culture to be considered in its own terms first. The first part of the essay examines a set of terms that show equivalences with Western conceptions of memory. The second set of signifiers—( ma)tandà(an), agam, limot/limót and panahon—reveal that they are actually more illustrative of the current trend of movement in Memory Studies; and that they translate more accurately both the non-linear and linear dimensions of time. The third part of the article considers cultural concepts namely, kapwa, utang-na-loob, bayanihan, Manilaner, and desaparesidos, which challenge and enrich Trauma Studies’ Freudian and Holocaust-based history. With a perspective of memory and time from the Global South, this study also demonstrates how one can share space and time with (the wrath of) nature in a society of impunity while emphasising the importance of spirituality, humour, group culture, and hospitality. The existence of the Manilaners and the desaparecidos also shifts the perspective and experience of the Holocaust and the disappeared to a Filipino context.
Infectious Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis Presenting as Temporal Arteritis—A Case Report
Authors: Sabir Rizwan , Kirkpatrick McNeill , Watts Jonathan , Xu Jindong
Published: September 2020

Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is rare and can present with various nonspecific symptoms. The high mortality rate of this disease is largely due to delayed recognition and treatment. We report a case who presented with unrelenting headache and was diagnosed with temporal arteritis (TA) but did not respond to steroids. Imaging helped make the CST diagnosis and the patient responded well to treatment. This case reiterates the importance of early recognition and treatment of CST, and reminds physicians to include CST as an essential differential diagnosis of TA.
When the Wells Run Dry: Reimagining Azerbaijan’s Post-Oil Futures
Authors: Dolan Timothy E.
Published: September 2020

Azerbaijan is a case study of the issue of nations with non-renewable natural resource-based economies, usually fossil fuels, facing depletion of what was deemed to be their principal resource. Azerbaijan’s petroleum wealth has been a defining feature of its national economy, social development, and national character for 150 years. It has also manifested what is commonly known as the “resource curse” for its entropic effect on all of the other sectors of the economy. This main driver of its economy is projected to be exhausted roughly within the next 30 years. The focus of this piece is on assessing the prospects of developing a national economy that can create a more equitable and sustainable economic public benefit over the next generation. Each of the pathways summarized herein are from capstone project research reports of graduate students on this issue. It is ultimately intended to be a demonstration of conducting applied future-oriented anticipatory action learning.
Both Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography Are Reliable and Valid in Evaluating Cystic Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
Authors: Deng En , Gao Lixiang , Shi Weili , Xie Xing , Jiang Yanfang , Yuan Huishu , Guo Qinwei
Published: September 2020

Background:

Compared with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might overestimate the condition of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) owing to subchondral bone marrow edema and the overlying cartilage defect. However, no study has compared MRI and CT directly in evaluating OLTs with subchondral cysts.

Purpose:

To compare the reliability and validity of MRI and CT in evaluating OLTs with subchondral cysts.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

An institutional radiology database was queried for inpatients diagnosed with OLTs with subchondral cysts who had undergone surgical treatment between May 2015 and October 2019. A total of 48 patients met the inclusion criteria. Based on our measurement method, 2 experienced observers who were blinded to the study independently measured the length, width, and depth of the cysts using MRI and CT. The classification of cystic lesions was also performed based on MRI and CT findings.

Results:

Interobserver reliability was almost perfect, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranging from 0.935 to 0.999. ICCs for intraobserver reliability ranged from 0.944 to 0.976. The mean size of cysts measured on MRI (length, 13.38 ± 4.23 mm; width, 9.28 ± 2.28 mm; depth, 11.54 ± 3.69 mm) was not significantly different to that evaluated on CT (length, 13.40 ± 4.08 mm; width, 9.25 ± 2.34 mm; depth, 11.32 ± 3.54 mm). The size of subchondral cysts was precisely estimated on both MRI and CT. The MRI classification and CT classification revealed almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.831).

Conclusion:

With our measurement method, both MRI and CT were deemed to be reliable and valid in evaluating the size of subchondral cysts of OLTs, and the MRI classification was well-correlated with the CT classification. The presented measurement method and classification systems could provide more accurate information before surgery.
Tracking the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Risk Misinformation: An Explorative Study to Examine How the Misinformation Has Spread in User-Generated Content
Authors: Chin Jessie , Chin Chieh-Li , Panday Sakshi , Ghazanfari Anoosheh , Jagadeesan Ganesh , Wang Ziyi , Ontengco Ana , Chang Amy , Liu Bing , Schwartz Alan , Caskey Rachel
Published: September 2020

The goal of the study is to identify and track the dissemination patterns of true and false information about Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines on twitter from 2013 to 2017. We applied a patient-driven HPV-vaccine risk lexicon combining with natural language processing (NLP) models and network analyses to explore the spread of verified true and false HPV-vaccine information. The explorative analyses showed different dissemination patterns of the most popular verified true and false messages about HPV vaccines, which false messages went viral than the true messages. Implications on detecting false HPV-vaccine related information were also discussed.
Impact of Aging and the Electrode-to-Neural Interface on Temporal Processing Ability in Cochlear-Implant Users: Gap Detection Thresholds
Authors: Shader Maureen J. , Gordon-Salant Sandra , Goupell Matthew J.
Published: September 2020

Accurate processing of temporal information is critical to understanding speech through a cochlear implant (CI). This has potential implications for the growing population of CI users who are ≥65 years of age because of age-related auditory temporal processing deficits. The goal of this study was to measure temporal processing ability in a gap detection task in younger, middle-aged, and older CI users and to determine the relative contributions of chronological age and peripheral neural survival to performance. Single-electrode gap detection thresholds (GDTs) were measured using direct stimulation at five electrode locations and three electrical stimulation rates. The relationship between peripheral status (e.g., electrode-to-neural interface) and GDTs was assessed by the slope of the electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) amplitude growth function. Results showed that ECAP slope was the strongest subject-level predictor of GDTs. Steeper ECAP slopes, which are partially indicative of better peripheral function, were associated with better GDTs in younger participants. However, ECAP slope significantly interacted with stimulation rate and age, suggesting that ECAP slopes were not predictive of GDTs in middle-aged and older participants at some stimulation rates. ECAP slope was also related to age, with middle-aged and older participants exhibiting relatively shallow slopes and smaller ranges of slopes compared with younger participants. This pattern of ECAP results limited the evaluation of the independent effects of aging per se and peripheral status on temporal processing ability.
Associations between Household Water Fluoridation Status and Plain Tap or Bottled Water Consumption
Authors: Lin M. , Griffin S.O. , Park S. , Li C. , Robison V. , Espinoza L.
Published: September 2020

Introduction:

The benefits of community water fluoridation for preventing dental caries are attenuated if people do not consume tap water.

Objectives:

We examined associations between household water fluoride content and consuming plain tap or bottled water among US youth.

Methods:

We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for 2013 to 2016 for 5,193 youth aged 2 to 19 y. Fluoride content in youth’s household tap water samples was measured electrometrically with ion-specific electrodes and designated low (<0.6 mg/L) or about optimal (0.6 to 1.2 mg/L). Plain tap and bottled water consumption was obtained from one 24-h dietary recall. We used binomial regression models to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) and 95% CIs for consuming plain tap water (including tap only or both tap and bottled) and consuming only bottled water as related to household water fluoride content (low or about optimal) and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results:

On a given day, 52.6% of youth consumed plain tap water (43.8% exclusively and 8.8% both tap and bottled) and 28%, only bottled water. Neither tap water (APR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.10) nor only bottled water (APR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.22) consumption was associated with household water fluoride content. Non-Hispanic Black youth and Hispanic youth were about 30% relatively less likely to consume tap water and 60% to 80% relatively more likely to consume only bottled water than non-Hispanic Whites. Low income, low parental education, and no past-year dental visit were associated with not consuming tap water.

Conclusion:

Half of youth consumed plain tap water on a given day. Consuming plain tap water was not associated with community water fluoridation status. This study is the first to find that up to 50% of the population served by fluoridated water may not receive its full caries-preventive benefits due to not consuming plain tap water.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

Half of US youth consumed plain tap water on a given day. Consuming plain tap water was not associated with community water fluoridation status. This finding suggests that up to 50% of the population served by fluoridated water systems may not receive its full caries-preventive benefits due to not consuming plain tap water. Our findings add support for the need to identify and address barriers to tap water consumption and promote health benefits of fluoridation.
Clinical trial protocol: PRednisolone in early diffuse cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis (PRedSS)
Authors: Herrick Ariane L , Griffiths-Jones Deborah J , Ryder W David , Mason Justin C , Denton Christopher P
Published: September 2020

Background:

Many of the painful, disabling features of early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis have an inflammatory component and are potentially treatable with corticosteroid therapy. These features include painful and itchy skin, fatigue and musculoskeletal involvement. Yet many clinicians are understandably reluctant to prescribe corticosteroids because of the concern that these are a risk factor for scleroderma renal crisis. The aim of PRedSS (PRednisolone in early diffuse cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis) is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of moderate dose prednisolone in patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, specifically whether moderate dose prednisolone is (a) effective in terms of reducing pain and disability, and improving skin score and (b) safe, with particular reference to renal function.

Methods:

PRedSS is a Phase II, multicentre, double-blind randomised controlled trial which aims to recruit 72 patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis. Patients are randomised to receive either prednisolone (dosage approximately 0.3 mg/kg) or placebo therapy for 6 months. The two co-primary outcome measures are the difference in mean Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index at 3 months and the difference in modified Rodnan skin score at 3 months. Secondary outcome measures include patient reported outcome measures of itch, hand function, anxiety and depression, and helplessness.

Results:

Recruitment commenced in December 2017 and after a slow start (due to delays in opening centres) 25 patients have now been recruited.

Conclusion:

PRedSS should help to answer the question as to whether clinicians should or should not prescribe prednisolone in early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis.
Ocular Toxocariasis Presenting as Endophthalmitis in a Young Adult Intravenous Drug User
Authors: Singh Pali P. , Robbins Cason B. , Feng Henry L. , Borkar Durga S. , Fekrat Sharon
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

This report describes the diagnosis of ocular toxocariasis presenting as endophthalmitis in an adult intravenous drug user.

Methods:

A case is reported.

Results:

Fundus imaging showed numerous white opacities obscuring the macula. Toxocara canis serology was reactive with an enzyme immunoassay titer of 1:2 (positive ≥ 1:32). Findings from bacterial and fungal cultures were negative, and vitrectomy cytology revealed no organisms. Postoperatively, serial optical coherence tomography imaging demonstrated a slight decrease in size of an intraretinal hyperreflective lesion in the macula.

Conclusions:

Owing to a variety of presentations, ocular toxocariasis can be challenging to diagnose. In a patient with a history of intravenous drug use where fungal and bacterial organisms are more common causes of endophthalmitis, it is important to have a wide differential of causative organisms, particularly in the context of negative culture results and a worsening clinical examination.
A Case of Traumatic Choroidopathy With Subretinal Fluid
Authors: Mishra Kapil , Iftikhar Mustafa , Channa Roomasa
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

We report a unique case of blunt ocular trauma with subretinal fluid (SRF), presumed to be traumatic choroidopathy as evidenced by multimodal imaging.

Methods:

A case report is presented.

Results:

A 22-year-old woman involved in a motor vehicle accident presented 1 day later to our emergency department with blurred vision in the left eye. Visual acuity was 20/40, significant SRF was present throughout the macula, and fluorescein angiography showed diffuse pooling and leakage. There were no retinal tears or intraocular inflammation. Indocyanine green angiography performed a week later showed patchy hypofluorescence in the affected area. One month later, visual acuity had improved to 20/20 and the SRF and the hypofluorescence on indocyanine green angiography had resolved.

Conclusions:

Subfoveal collection of SRF may be a cause of decreased vision following blunt ocular trauma. We hypothesize that in our case choroidal hypoperfusion and retinal pigment epithelial dysfunction contributed to the SRF collection.
Long-Term Outcomes After Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Treated Acutely With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A Case Series
Authors: John Blegen Halward Martin , Reed Donovan Stephen , Giles Gregory Bryant , Wedel Marissa L. , Hobbs Samuel David
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

This study assesses the long-term outcomes, including neovascular complications, of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) treated acutely with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

Methods:

Four cases of CRAO treated acutely with HBOT were reviewed. Visual and structural outcomes were reviewed. Ocular complications including neovascularization were assessed and risk factors determined.

Results:

Two patients with a history of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) developed early-onset ocular neovascularization within 1 month following treatment, with final vision of light perception over 1 year after injury. One patient with NIDDM and 1 patient without NIDDM did not develop ocular neovascularization; both had improvement in final visual acuity to 20/400 and 20/250, respectively.

Conclusions:

Patients treated acutely with HBOT for CRAO may require more frequent and earlier monitoring for complications, especially in patients with diabetes. Further research is needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of HBOT for CRAO, especially in the setting of systemic disease such as diabetes.
A Sonographer’s Step-by-Step Approach for Preventing Transmission of COVID-19
Authors: Wessner Corinne E. , Nelson JoAnn , Mott Sarah , Francesco Maria , Needleman Laurence
Published: September 2020

The 2019 novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has greatly affected the way sonographers care for their patients. Sonography can be a useful imaging tool for surveillance and diagnosis of various conditions associated with COVID-19 patients or patients under investigation (PUIs). Currently, there are limited resources and protocols for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 from ultrasound equipment. Our institution has created a detailed protocol for scanning COVID-19 patients or PUIs to address this important issue.
Exposure to household air pollution over 10 years is related to asthma and lung function decline
Authors: Dai Xin , Bui Dinh S. , Perret Jennifer L. , Lowe Adrian J. , Frith Peter A. , Bowatte Gayan , Thomas Paul S. , Giles Graham G. , Hamilton Garun S. , Tsimiklis Helen , Hui Jennie , Burgess John , Win Aung K. , Abramson Michael J. , Walters E. Haydn , Dharmage Shyamali C. , Lodge Caroline J.
Published: September 2020

Introduction

We investigated if long-term household air pollution (HAP) is associated with asthma and lung function decline in middle-aged adults, and whether these associations were modified by glutathioneS-transferase (GST) gene variants, ventilation and atopy.

Materials and methods

Prospective data on HAP (heating, cooking, mould and smoking) and asthma were collected in the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS) at mean ages 43 and 53 years (n=3314). Subsamples had data on lung function (n=897) and GST gene polymorphisms (n=928). Latent class analysis was used to characterise longitudinal patterns of exposure. Regression models assessed associations and interactions.

Results

We identified seven longitudinal HAP profiles. Of these, three were associated with persistent asthma, greater lung function decline and % reversibility by age 53 years compared with the “Least exposed” reference profile for those who used reverse-cycle air conditioning, electric cooking and no smoking. The “All gas” (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.22–5.70), “Wood heating/smoking” (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.21–6.05) and “Wood heating/gas cooking” (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.11–6.11) profiles were associated with persistent asthma, as well as greater lung function decline and % reversibility. Participants with theGSTP1Ile/Ile genotype were at a higher risk of asthma or greater lung function decline when exposed compared with other genotypes. Exhaust fan use and opening windows frequently may reduce the adverse effects of HAP produced by combustion heating and cooking on current asthma, presumably through increasing ventilation.

Conclusions

Exposures to wood heating, gas cooking and heating, and tobacco smoke over 10 years increased the risks of persistent asthma, lung function decline and % reversibility, with evidence of interaction by GST genes and ventilation.
Progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease: a clinical cohort (the PROGRESS study)
Authors: Nasser Mouhamad , Larrieu Sophie , Si-Mohamed Salim , Ahmad Kaïs , Boussel Loic , Brevet Marie , Chalabreysse Lara , Fabre Céline , Marque Sébastien , Revel Didier , Thivolet-Bejui Françoise , Traclet Julie , Zeghmar Sabrina , Maucort-Boulch Delphine , Cottin Vincent
Published: September 2020

In patients with chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD), a progressive fibrosing phenotype (PF-ILD) may develop, but information on the frequency and characteristics of this population outside clinical trials is lacking.

We assessed the characteristics and outcomes of patients with PF-ILD other than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in a real-world, single-centre clinical cohort. The files of all consecutive adult patients with fibrosing ILD (2010–2017) were examined retrospectively for pre-defined criteria of ≥10% fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography and progressive disease during overlapping windows of 2 years. Baseline was defined as the date disease progression was identified. Patients receiving nintedanib or pirfenidone were censored from survival and progression analyses.

In total, 1395 patients were screened; 617 had ILD other than IPF or combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema, and 168 had progressive fibrosing phenotypes. In 165 evaluable patients, median age was 61 years; 57% were female. Baseline mean forced vital capacity (FVC) was 74±22% predicted. Median duration of follow-up was 46.2 months. Annualised FVC decline during the first year was estimated at 136±328 mL using a linear mixed model. Overall survival was 83% at 3 years and 72% at 5 years. Using multivariate Cox regression analysis, mortality was significantly associated with relative FVC decline ≥10% in the previous 24 months (p<0.05), age ≥50 years (p<0.01) and diagnosis subgroup (p<0.01).

In this cohort of patients with PF-ILD not receiving antifibrotic therapy, the disease followed a course characterised by continued decline in lung function, which predicted mortality.
Dynamics in diagnoses and pharmacotherapy before and after diagnosing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Davidsen Jesper Rømhild , Lund Lars Christian , Laursen Christian B. , Hallas Jesper , Henriksen Daniel Pilsgaard
Published: September 2020

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a well-characterised interstitial lung disease. Typically, IPF diagnosis is delayed due to nonspecific symptoms, but can also be delayed due to treatment attempts on false indication or due to treatment targeting common comorbidities. This observational study aimed to assess the dynamics in the medication and diagnosis patterns in the period before and after an IPF diagnosis.

Methods

We identified all Danish patients with IPF between 2002 and 2017. We evaluated new and ongoing drug treatments and incident diagnoses 36 months before and 12 months after an IPF diagnosis by use of Danish nationwide registries. To aid interpretation, 10 random controls were recruited for each case.

Results

A total of 650 IPF patients were identified (median age 73 years (interquartile range 65–78), 70.3% males). Prior to the IPF diagnosis, the most prevalent diagnoses were dyspnoea and non-IPF interstitial lung diseases. For drug use, IPF patients had higher initiation rates for antibiotics, oral corticosteroids and mucolytics. In terms of drug volume, IPF patients used more respiratory drugs, antibiotics, immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, proton pump inhibitors, benzodiazepines and opium alkaloids within the 6 months preceding their IPF diagnosis, compared to the controls. Overall drug use decreased after an IPF diagnosis, mainly due to a reduced glucocorticoid and cardiovascular drug use.

Conclusion

Among IPF patients, an increased drug use was observed for diagnoses with symptoms overlapping those of IPF, particularly this was observed during the last 6 months before an IPF diagnosis. This emphasises the need for an increased IPF awareness.