bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant peptides from silver carp steak by alkaline protease and flavor enzyme hydrolysis: Characterization of their structure and cytoprotective effects against H2O2‐induced oxidative stress
Authors: Yue Wei , Xie Junhong , Ran Hong , Xiong Shangbai , Rong JianHua , Wang Pengkai , Hu Yang
Published: November 2024

Silver carp steak is a rarely utilized silver carp processing byproduct. This study aimed to optimize a dual enzymatic method to extract antioxidant peptide components from silver carp steak and characterize their structure and in vitro antioxidant activity through ultrafiltration purification, response surface methodology, molecular docking, and radical scavenging activity analysis. The optimal extraction conditions for silver carp steak antioxidant peptides (SCSAP) were determined as 1:6 solid–liquid ratio, 1500 U/g alkaline protease addition, 4 h alkaline protease hydrolysis time, 1946 U/g flavor enzyme addition, and 2.5 h flavor enzyme hydrolysis time. The <3 kDa SCSAP component (SCSAP‐3kDa) showed the strongest antioxidant activity, with its 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐trinitrophenyl hydrazine (DPPH) radical scavenging rate, ABTS radical scavenging rate, hydroxyl radical scavenging rate, metal ion chelating rate, and reducing capacity reaching 88.75%, 91.21%, 67.02%, 69.07%, and 0.985, respectively. Moreover, the three peptides (PF‐7, GP‐8, and YF‐10) of 100 µg/mL could protect HepG2 cells from oxidative stress damage by reducing the oxidative damage level and activating Keap1‐Nrf2‐ARE pathways, enabling an increase of superoxide dismutases (SOD) activity, and a decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. The integrated results indicate the enormous potential of SCSAP‐3kDa as a functional food ingredient in the food industry.

Practical Application

This study selected the antioxidant capacity of silver carp steak peptides as the index and developed a facile dual enzymatic hydrolysis method to obtain three antioxidant peptides (PF‐7, GP‐8, and YF‐10) with biological activity, providing a theoretical basis for bioavailability of antioxidant peptides from silver carp steak and contributing to their application in new functional foods.
Detection of mussels contaminated with cadmium by near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy based on RELS‐TSVM
Authors: Liu Yao , Qiao Fu , Xu Zhen
Published: November 2024

Eating mussels contaminated with cadmium (Cd) can seriously harm health. In this study, a non‐destructive and rapid detection method for Cd‐contaminated mussels based on near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy was studied. The spectral data of Cd‐contaminated and non‐contaminated mussels were collected in the range of 950–1700 nm. The model based on a robust energy‐based least squares twin support vector machine (RELS‐TSVM) was established to detect Cd‐contaminated mussels. The influence of parameters on the RELS‐TSVM model was analyzed, and the most suitable parameters were determined. The average accuracy of the proposed RELS‐TSVM model in detecting Cd‐contaminated mussels reached 99.92%, which was better than other twin support vector machine‐derived models. For test datasets with different kinds of spectral noises (Gaussian noise, baseline shift, stray light, and wavelength shift), the RELS‐TSVM model had a high robustness for noise disturbance. The results show that near‐infrared spectroscopy combined with the RELS‐TSVM model can realize the detection of Cd‐contaminated mussels, which can provide technical support for the monitoring of heavy metals in shellfish.

Practical Application

The method of detecting Cd‐contaminated mussels by the NIRS has important practical significance for ensuring the safety of consumers. It provides a new way for the quality assessment and safety detection of shellfish and provides a technical basis for the marine environment assessment and management.
Comparative analysis of rotary versus manual instrumentation in paediatric pulpectomy procedures: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Padmawar Neeta , Pawar Neha , Tripathi Vandana , Banerjee Satyabrat , Tyagi Garima , Joshi Sourabh R.
Published: November 2024

The use of rotary file in permanent teeth is well‐documented, but there is limited scientific evidence for its effectiveness in primary teeth. A meta‐analysis was conducted to compare rotary and manual tools in primary tooth pulpectomy procedures. Ten databases were searched from 2000 to 2024 to find relevant literature. The Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) tool assessed bias in randomised control trials. STATA software version 18 conducted the meta‐analysis. A random‐effects model was used for instrumentation time and obturation quality evaluation while sensitivity analysis followed high heterogeneity detection. Twenty RCTs were included after screening 723 studies. Publication bias and heterogeneity were found for instrumentation time, leading to removal of nine studies. Significant difference in mean instrumentation time (1.42) was noted. Obturation quality assessment showed an odds ratio of 1.82. Use of rotary instrumentation yielded superior outcomes compared with manual instrumentation for pulpectomy for primary teeth.
“We're tired of this Weber guy!”—Force experts, police reforms, and the violence of standardization
Authors: Akarsu Hayal
Published: November 2024

Since the mid‐2000s, the use‐of‐force continuum—a global standard for providing law enforcement with guidelines on the proportionate use of force—has been central in Turkish police training and reporting practices. Liberal police accountability tools, like the use‐of‐force continuum, rely on standardization to prevent police violence. Yet these techniques still result in maimed bodies and psyches and police impunity. Rather than taking the standardization of police force simply as a failed project, a sham, or a mere techno‐fix, I examine how powerful actors like police align with such standards and how they start thinking and acting through them while repurposing them. Drawing on 18 months of fieldwork between 2015 and 2017 among the Turkish National Police, I show how the transnational standardization of police force has in fact enabled police in Turkey to redefine and ultimately reclaim the violence they are professionalized in as what I call “force experts.” Force defies standardization in both theory and practice; however, what sanctions police violence now is not just technical standardization but the expert framing of the democratically reformed police force. This is the violence of standardization, especially in contexts where governments retool reforms to criminalize suspect Others whom they perceive as a “threat” to their rule.
Patient safety incidents in anaesthesia: a qualitative study of trainee experience from a single UK healthcare region*
Authors: Robinson Amelia , Kelsey Amanda , McDouall Sara , Higham Helen
Published: November 2024

Background

Anaesthetic training has always had patient safety as part of the curriculum. However, there is limited emphasis on what happens when things do not go to plan. Our aims were to understand the impact of involvement in patient safety incidents on anaesthetic trainees in our region, to describe the range of support currently offered and put forward suggestions for improvement.

Methods

An initial electronic survey was sent to all anaesthetic trainees in a single UK healthcare region to capture qualitative and quantitative information on patient safety incidents. After completing the questionnaire, participants were asked to consent to involvement in a semi‐structured interview to provide a more detailed understanding of the impact of safety incidents. Data were analysed from the questionnaires and interview transcripts using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results

Thirty‐four completed questionnaires were analysed revealing 27 trainees had been involved in a patient safety incident. Ten semi‐structured interviews were conducted and six themes were identified: team dynamics (including adequacy of staffing and supportive departmental culture); context of the event; reflex immediate support post‐event; working environment pending completion of the investigation; personal impact (including physical and mental health); and suggestions for future support.

Conclusion

This study has shown the significant impact of safety incidents on anaesthetic trainees in one training region in the UK and highlights the importance of implementing early, tailored debriefs led by trained facilitators, the value of a supportive work environment and the need to raise awareness of system‐based approaches to learning from incident investigations. Further research should guide the format and delivery of support for trainees to provide more helpful and timely interventions after patient safety incidents and reduce the risk of future harm to both patients and trainees.
Crisis geographies from above and below: Constructing globality during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Uyheng Joshua , Montiel Cristina Jayme , Sibayan Enrikko
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we posit that the ‘global’ status of the pandemic is not an essentialized feature of the crisis, but a product of social construction by political leaders. More specifically, we examine how political leaders of a superpower and a peripheral nation produce the pandemic's globality through crisis geographies from above and below. Utilizing a mixed methods framework, we analyse public speeches by Donald Trump of the United States and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines through a critical approach to text analytics. Quantitatively, we found that besides mentioning their own homelands, Western countries featured more prominently in Trump's speeches while Asian neighbours were more salient in Duterte's speeches during the pandemic. However, the United States and China were consistently the most central in the crisis geographies of the pandemic of both speakers. Qualitatively, we further characterized the discourses surrounding these global pronouncements as: (a) collective reflexive positioning on the world stage, (b) charting zones of hope and (c) scapegoating zones of blame. Taken together, implications of this work are discussed in terms of understanding pandemic leadership in national and international contexts, recognizing its negotiated embeddedness in global structural hierarchies and enhancing critical approaches to geopolitical psychology.
Investigating heterogeneity in IRTree models for multiple response processes with score‐based partitioning
Authors: Debelak Rudolf , Meiser Thorsten , Gernand Alicia
Published: November 2024

Item response tree (IRTree) models form a family of psychometric models that allow researchers to control for multiple response processes, such as different sorts of response styles, in the measurement of latent traits. While IRTree models can capture quantitative individual differences in both the latent traits of interest and the use of response categories, they maintain the basic assumption that the nature and weighting of latent response processes are homogeneous across the entire population of respondents. In the present research, we therefore propose a novel approach for detecting heterogeneity in the parameters of IRTree models across subgroups that engage in different response behavior. The approach uses score‐based tests to reveal violations of parameter heterogeneity along extraneous person covariates, and it can be employed as a model‐based partitioning algorithm to identify sources of differences in the strength of trait‐based responding or other response processes. Simulation studies demonstrate generally accurate Type I error rates and sufficient power for metric, ordinal, and categorical person covariates and for different types of test statistics, with the potential to differentiate between different types of parameter heterogeneity. An empirical application illustrates the use of score‐based partitioning in the analysis of latent response processes with real data.
Sex influence on serotonergic modulation of the vascular noradrenergic drive in rats
Authors: Terol‐Úbeda Anaïs Clara , Fernández‐González Juan Francisco , Roldán‐Hernández Carlos Andrés , Martín María Luisa , Morán Asunción , García‐Domingo Mónica , García‐Pedraza José Ángel
Published: November 2024

Background and Purpose

In male rats, the serotonergic system modulates sympathetic outflow at vascular levels, causing sympatho‐inhibition and sympatho‐excitation, mainly via 5‐HT1D/1A and 5‐HT3 receptors, respectively. However, sex influence on vascular serotonergic regulation has not yet been elucidated. This study aimed to analyse the 5‐HT sympatho‐modulatory role in female rats, characterising the 5‐HT receptors involved.

Experimental Approach

Female Wistar (14‐ to 16‐week‐old) rats were prepared for sympathetic stimulation. Mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate (HR) were continuously measured. Vasopressor responses were obtained by electrical stimulation of the sympathetic outflow (0.1–5 Hz) or i.v. noradrenaline (0.01–0.5 μg·kg−1). 5‐HT‐related drug effects on adrenergic system were determined. Age‐matched male rats were used as control.

Key Results

Basal MBP in females was lower than in male rats, whereas electrical‐induced increases in MBP were similar. In females, 5‐HT exerted a dose‐dependent inhibition on the sympathetic‐evoked vasoconstrictions, that was reproduced by some agonists; 5‐CT (5‐HT1/5/7) and L‐694,247 (5‐HT1D), whereas the selective 5‐HT2A/2B/2C (α‐methyl‐5‐HT) and 5‐HT3 agonist (1‐PBG) increased the electrically‐produced vasopressor responses. None of the other drugs tested (targeting 5‐HT1A/1B/1F, 5‐HT2B/2C, 5‐HT4, 5‐HT5A or 5‐HT7) modified these vasoconstrictions. Only 1‐PBG (5‐HT3) modified the vasoconstrictions induced by exogenous noradrenaline.

Conclusions and Implications

In female rats, vascular serotonergic sympatholytic effects are due to prejunctional 5‐HT1D receptor activation, whereas pre and/or postjunctional 5‐HT3 and prejunctional 5‐HT2A receptor activation is involved in the potentiating effect of vascular sympathetic neurotransmission. These findings may open novel sex‐differential therapeutic strategies for treating cardiovascular conditions.
Camrelizumab combined with gemcitabine and apatinib in treating advanced PD‐L1‐positive biliary tract cancers
Authors: Tian Yitong , Li Changxian , Jin Ke , Ma Ling , Zhang Jiaguang , Zhang Xinyi , You Wei , Shen Haoyang , Ding Yuting , Qian Hao , Li Xiangcheng , Chen Xiaofeng
Published: November 2024

The efficacy of combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy has previously been demonstrated in patients with biliary tract cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab in combination with gemcitabine and apatinib as a first‐ or second‐line treatment for advanced programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1)‐positive biliary tract cancer. This prospective, single‐arm, and exploratory clinical trial aimed at recruiting 20 PD‐L1‐positive patients (tumor proportion score ≥1% or combined positive score ≥1) who met the inclusion criteria. Camrelizumab (200 mg) was administered in combination with gemcitabine (800 mg/m2) and apatinib (250 mg). The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR), and the secondary endpoints were progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), and safety. Fourteen patients were enrolled between September 2, 2020, and December 15, 2022. At the data cutoff on August 16, 2023, the median follow‐up time was 11.4 months (interquartile range, 4.5–15.4), with one patient still undergoing treatment. Among the enrolled patients, six achieved a partial response, and four had stable disease. The ORR was 42.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.7–71.1), and the DCR was 71.4% (95% CI, 41.9–91.6). The median PFS was 5.4 months (95% CI, 2.8–not reached), and the median OS was 13.5 months (95% CI, 5.7–not reached). The most frequent grade 3 or 4 treatment‐related adverse event was neutropenia (n = 4, 29%). The combination of camrelizumab, gemcitabine, and apatinib showed promising efficacy and acceptable safety in patients with advanced PD‐L1‐positive biliary tract cancer.
Integrated machine learning to predict the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients based on SARS‐COV‐2 and lung adenocarcinoma crosstalk genes
Authors: Wu Yanan , Cui Yishuang , Zheng Xuan , Yao Xuemin , Sun Guogui
Published: November 2024

Viruses are widely recognized to be intricately associated with both solid and hematological malignancies in humans. The primary goal of this research is to elucidate the interplay of genes between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), with a preliminary investigation into their clinical significance and underlying molecular mechanisms. Transcriptome data for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and LUAD were sourced from public databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection were identified and subsequently overlapped with TCGA‐LUAD DEGs to discern the crosstalk genes (CGs). In addition, CGs pertaining to both diseases were further refined using LUAD TCGA and GEO datasets. Univariate Cox regression was conducted to identify genes associated with LUAD prognosis, and these genes were subsequently incorporated into the construction of a prognosis signature using 10 different machine learning algorithms. Additional investigations, including tumor mutation burden assessment, TME landscape, immunotherapy response assessment, as well as analysis of sensitivity to antitumor drugs, were also undertaken. We discovered the risk stratification based on the prognostic signature revealed that the low‐risk group demonstrated superior clinical outcomes (p < 0.001). Gene set enrichment analysis results predominantly exhibited enrichment in pathways related to cell cycle. Our analyses also indicated that the low‐risk group displayed elevated levels of infiltration by immunocytes (p < 0.001) and superior immunotherapy response (p < 0.001). In our study, we reveal a close association between CGs and the immune microenvironment of LUAD. This provides preliminary insight for further exploring the mechanism and interaction between the two diseases.
Fasudil Alleviates Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders in Mice by Downregulating the Surface Expression of α5GABAAR in Hippocampus
Authors: Dong Jinpeng , Wang Zhun , Li Lixuan , Zhang Mengxue , Wang Sixuan , Luo Yuan , Dong Ying , Wang Xiaokun , Wang Yongan , Wang Kaiyuan , Yin Yiqing
Published: November 2024

Aim

Postoperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) refers to the cognitive impairment experienced by patients after surgery. As a target of sevoflurane, a kind of inhalation anesthetic, the balance of the GABAergic system can be disrupted during the perioperative period. In this study, we explored the promoting effect of abnormal elevation of the α5 subtype of γ‐aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors caused by sevoflurane and surgical trauma on PND, as well as the therapeutic effect of fasudil on PND.

Methods

Eight‐week‐old mice were pretreated with fasudil, and after 10 days, sevoflurane‐induced femoral fracture surgery was performed to establish an animal model of PND. The Morris water maze and fear conditioning tests were used to evaluate PND induced by this model. Biochemical and electrophysiological analyses were conducted to assess the protective effect of fasudil on the GABAergic system.

Results

Following artificial fracture, the hippocampus‐dependent memory was damaged in these mice. Fasudil pretreatment, however, ameliorated cognitive function impairment in mice induced by sevoflurane and surgery. Mechanistically, fasudil was found to restore the increased hippocampus expression and function of α5GABAARs in mice with PND. In addition, pretreatment with Fasudil inhibited the enhancement in the calcium ion concentration and phosphorylation of Camk2, as well as the activation of the Radixin pathway which led to increased phosphorylation of the ERM family in the hippocampal CA1 region of the PND model.

Conclusion

Preadministration of fasudil improved postoperative cognitive function in PND mice by inhibiting the activation of Camk2 and Radixin pathways and finally downregulating the surface expression of α5GABAAR in hippocampus neurons.
Overlooked biocrust impacts on surface soil thermal properties: Evidence from heat‐pulse sensing on large volume samples
Authors: Chen Junru , Xiao Bo , Heitman Joshua
Published: November 2024

Biocrusts are a critical surface cover in global drylands, but knowledge about their influences on surface soil thermal properties are still lacking because it is quite challenging to make accurate thermal property measurements for biocrust layers, which are only millimetres thick. In this study, we repacked biocrust layers (moss‐ and cyanobacteria‐dominated, respectively) that had the same material as the original intact biocrusts but was more homogeneous and thicker. The thermal conductivity (λ), heat capacity (C) and thermal diffusivity (k) of the repacked and intact biocrusts were measured by the heat pulse (HP) technique at different mass water contents (θm) and mass ratios (Wt), and the differences between repacked and intact biocrusts were analysed. Our results show that biocrusts substantially alter the thermal properties of the soil surface. The average λ of moss (0.37 W m−1 K−1) and cyanobacteria biocrusts (0.90 W m−1 K−1) were reduced by 63.0% and 10.3% compared with bare soil (1.00 W m−1 K−1), respectively. Edge effects including heat loss and water evaporation caused the λ and k of the biocrusts to be underestimated, but the C to be overestimated. The differences in thermal properties were significant (p <0.001), except for the differences in thermal conductivity between repacked and intact cyanobacteria biocrusts, which were not significant (p = 0.379). Specifically, in the volumetric water content (θv) range of 0 to 20%, the λ and k of the repacked moss biocrusts were underestimated by 59.1% and 61.8%, respectively, and the C was overestimated by 23.9% compared with the intact moss biocrusts. The λ and k of the repacked cyanobacteria biocrusts were underestimated by 15.8% and 79.2%, respectively, and the C was overestimated by 34.8% compared with the intact cyanobacteria biocrusts at the θv range of 0 to 30%. Typically, this difference increased as the θv rises between repacked and intact biocrusts. Our new measurements provide evidence that the thermal properties of biocrusts were previously misjudged due to the measurement limitations imposed by their limited thickness when measured in situ. Biocrusts are likely more significant in regulating soil heat and temperature in drylands than was previously assumed.
Married and cohabiting women's financial empowerment: A study on women's bank account ownership in Spain
Authors: Çineli Beyda , González M. José
Published: November 2024

Objective

The goal was to examine the conditions under which young adult women (aged 25–50) in heterosexual couples maintain their economic independence through a personal bank account.

Background

Research has shown that in Spain, the pooling of economic resources is seen as an important aspect of being a couple and as a symbol of togetherness. However, in practice, joint management can be characterized by inequalities on several levels, such as access to money, control over money, and personal spending. Few studies have focused on household financial organization in Spain, and studies of women's financial autonomy are lacking.

Method

We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of couples aged 25–50 in Spain (N = 1,281) using data from the 2020 National Survey on Family Life.

Results

The findings reveal that women are significantly less likely to have a personal bank account if either partner does not endorse values of economic autonomy, the couple is married with children, or, if the male partner earns significantly more.

Conclusion

The results suggest that there is still a long way to go for Spain to reach the levels of women's account ownership seen in countries such as those in Northern Europe. It is important to incorporate women's account ownership into the investigation of financial organization, given its substantial implications for women within couples and those navigating relationship dissolution.

Implications

Government programs should promote women's account ownership. Also, policies targeting financial literacy can incorporate dimensions such as basic budgeting, saving, and debt management so that women can gain further financial skills.
Building Engagement‐Capable Environments for Health System Transformation: Development and Early Implementation of a Capability Framework for Patient, Family and Caregiver Engagement in Ontario Health Teams
Authors: Abelson Julia , Tripp Laura , Abdelhalim Reham , Hives Lotje , Kristy Betty‐Lou , Smith Maureen , Tenhagen Laura , Wingham‐Smith Lindsay ,   the Engagement Capable OHT Working Group
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Despite widespread calls to involve patients, families and caregivers (PFCs) as partners at all levels of health system planning and design, there is unevenness in how engagement efforts are supported across these settings. The concept of ‘engagement‐capable environments’ offers a way forward to uncover the key requirements for sustainable, high‐quality engagement, but more work is needed to identify the specific competencies required to create these environments. We addressed this gap by developing a capability framework for Ontario Health Teams (OHTs), a newly established structure for planning, designing, organizing and delivering care in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

The framework was co‐developed by a Working Group of OHT staff and leaders, PFC partners, researchers and government personnel. Project activities occurred over four phases: (1) planning, (2) evidence review and surveying of intended users to identify key competencies, (3) framework design and (4) implementation.

Results

An evidence review identified more than 90 potential competencies for this work. These results were contextualized and expanded through a survey of OHT stakeholders to brainstorm potential competencies, supports and enablers for engagement. Surveys were completed by 69 individuals; 689 knowledge and skill competency statements, 462 attitude and behaviour competency statements and 250 supports and enablers were brainstormed. The statements were analysed and organized into initial competency categories, which were reviewed, discussed and iteratively refined by Working Group members and through broader consultations with the OHT community. The final framework includes six competency domains and four support and enabler domains, each with sub‐domain elements, mapped across a three‐stage maturity model. The framework has been disseminated across OHTs, and its adoption and implementation are now requirements within OHT agreements.

Conclusion

The framework combines a strong conceptual foundation with actionable elements informed by the literature and consultations with the intended users of the framework. Although developed for OHTs, the framework should be broadly applicable to other health system organizations seeking similar health system transformation goals.

Patient Contribution

Patient, family and caregiver partners were involved at all stages and in all aspects of the work. As end users of the framework, their perspectives, knowledge and opinions were critical.
Exploring Positive Emotions and Teaching Effectiveness in Language Education: Insights From the PERMA Model
Authors: Leng Lu , Zhang Lawrence Jun
Published: November 2024

Positive emotions play a significant role in facilitating successful language learning by enhancing motivation, engagement, and overall academic achievements. Nonetheless, there remains a paucity of research exploring how language educators perceive and manifest positive emotions in the context of their teaching practices. This study endeavors to fill this gap by exploring the experiences, practices, and beliefs of language educators regarding positive emotions in effective teaching. Additionally, it seeks to elucidate the pedagogical strategies they associate with fostering conducive learning environments through the lens of Seligman's PERMA model. Employing thematic analysis of semi‐structured interviews with 60 Chinese language educators, the study uncovers key positive emotions integral to effective teaching, including passion, trust, joy, and empathy. Despite the prevalence of these positive emotions, teachers reported a diminished sense of meaning and accomplishment when instructing foreign languages in comparison to the engagement and relationship elements outlined in the PERMA model. The findings shed light on a spectrum of teaching strategies embraced by these educators that align with the components of the PERMA model. By illuminating the affective dimension of language teaching, this study not only provides valuable insights into understanding positive emotions, engagement, and relationships in language education but also offers practical implications for integrating PERMA elements into language teaching and learning practices.
Editor's Highlights — December 2024
Authors: Kemény Lajos
Published: November 2024

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over a billion individuals worldwide, predominantly in low‐income countries in tropical and subtropical areas. These diseases frequently result in chronic and debilitating health conditions that significantly diminish the quality of life, often leading to social isolation. The frequent dermatological manifestations underscore the role of dermatologists in managing NTDs. This editorial highlights the crucial role of dermatologists in diagnosing and treating NTDs, focusing on four key diseases: Monkeypox (Mpox) infection, scabies, leprosy, and leishmaniasis.
Paediatric Nurses' Personal Accounts of Being Told Not to Disclose Information to Children With Serious Illness—An Interpretative Phenomenological Study
Authors: El Ali Mandy (Mervat) , O'Neill Jenny , Gillam Lynn
Published: November 2024

Aims

To explore the experiences, and perceptions of nurses who are told to withhold clinical information from children diagnosed with serious illnesses.

Design

An interpretative qualitative phenomenological design was used for the study. Sampling was purposive and data were collected using semi‐structured interviews from nurses working in a paediatric setting within the preceding 5 years. Nurse‐participants described their personal experiences of withholding situations (‘non‐disclosure directives’). Their accounts of specific examples of situations (‘personal accounts’) were extracted from the interview transcripts and analysed using inductive content analysis to identify patterns and concepts within the descriptions. Data management was supported using Dedoose.

Setting

Nurse‐participants were interviewed face‐to face and online between November 2019 and December 2020.

Participants

Twenty‐six Australian nurses who have cared for seriously ill children within the preceding 5 years participated in the study.

Results

Thirty‐nine accounts of non‐disclosure situations (personal accounts) were extracted from interview transcripts. Four types of non‐disclosure were identified in the personal accounts: withholding information, temporary withholding, lying and combined withholding/lying. The inductive content analysis identified three key aspects of nurse‐participants' accounts: beliefs and perceptions (about the child and parents), the nature of the experience and feelings about the experience.

Discussion

Moral distress occurred when nurses' actions conflicted with their moral values in response to a non‐disclosure directive, particularly when asked to directly lie to children. Nurses felt disempowered by the parent's authority and the institutional hierarchy that limited their ability to participate in discussions where a non‐disclosure directive was given.

Conclusion and Impact

Nurse‐participants were afforded a platform for reflection which proved valuable in allowing them to process their experiences in a non‐disclosure situation.

Recommendations

Nurses directed to withhold medical information from children should be afforded opportunities for reflection to mitigate moral distress. Nurses should be included in the planning of ethically appropriate responses to withholding directives.
Exosomal miR‐155‐5p promote the occurrence of carotid atherosclerosis
Authors: Yang Wen‐Wen , Li Qing‐Xiang , Wang Fei , Zhang Xin‐Ran , Zhang Xian‐Li , Wang Meng , Xue Dong , Zhao Ying , Tang Lu
Published: November 2024

Periodontitis is a significant independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Yet, the exact mechanism of action is still not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of exosomes‐miR‐155‐5p derived from periodontal endothelial cells on atherosclerosis in vitro and in vivo. Higher expression of miR‐155‐5p was detected in the plasma exosomes of patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) compared to patients with CP. Also, the expression level of miR‐155‐5p was associated with the severity of CP. miR‐155‐5p‐enriched exosomes from HUVECs increased the angiogenesis and permeability of HAECs and promoted the expression of angiogenesis, permeability, and inflammation genes. Along with the overexpression or inhibition of miR‐155‐5p, the biological effect of HUVECs‐derived exosomes on HAECs changed correspondingly. In ApoE−/− mouse models, miR‐155‐5p‐enriched exosomes promoted the occurrence of carotid atherosclerosis by increasing permeable and angiogenic activity. Collectively, these findings highlight a molecular mechanism of periodontitis in CAS, uncovering exosomal miR‐155‐5p derived periodontitis affecting carotid endothelial cells in an ‘exosomecrine’ manner. Exosomal miR‐155‐5p may be used as a biomarker and target for clinical intervention to control this intractable disease in future, and the graphic abstract was shown in Figure .
A Qualitative Service Evaluation of the Introduction of Single Session Therapy for Families in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in England, United Kingdom
Authors: Flynn Kiran , Stimpson Kirsty , Brown Solomon , De Silvo Sarah , Parker Jan
Published: November 2024

Rationale

This service evaluation details the process of introducing Single Session Therapy (SST) with families to a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in the United Kingdom. SST is a model of short‐term psychotherapy intervention which can be applied to family contexts to provide timely mental health support.

Aims and Objectives

This service evaluation had two objectives: (1) Review the existing evidence base and literature for SST. (2) Evaluate the implementation of a new SST treatment pathway in CAMHS, including patient experiences and satisfaction with the service.

Method

SQUIRE Guidelines are used to report on this new knowledge of healthcare. This evaluation used qualitative methods to evaluate the impact of the new service. The team also used existing frameworks within the Trust, namely discharge data, which is collected routinely as part of service evaluation.

Results

This evaluation suggests positive support for this model, and that many families appreciate and value the opportunity to build on strengths and work toward their goals as families. This project outcome appears to support some of Talmon's (1990) findings that the most commonly attended number of sessions is one, and that of those who attended only one session, many perceived the session as useful. Waiting times for our service are extremely long. The pace and structure around goals and solutions could feel both galvanising, as some reported, but others felt it was an insufficient response to the severity of their difficulties.

Conclusion

More high‐quality research is needed before judgments can be made around the cost‐effectiveness or efficacy of SST over existing approaches in the United Kingdom. While implementing SST should not be used to justify reduction in existing interventions, it offers a positive additional service for young people experiencing mental health difficulties and their families.
Insulin Injection Technique and Related Complications in Patients With Diabetes in a Northwest City of China
Authors: Zhou Tao , Zheng Yan , Li Juan , Zou Xiangjun
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Appropriate insulin injection technique can help to enhance positive clinical outcomes in insulin‐treated patients. This cross‐sectional survey was undertaken to assess the present state of injection technique practices of patients administering insulin and the incidence of local complications associated with insulin injection.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted at 11 tertiary hospitals in Xi'an City. A total of 1370 patients with diabetes were enroled in the survey. Each patient was asked questions on the Injection Technique questionnaire, demonstrated insulin injection on an injection training pad and had their injection sites inspected by a nurse.

Results

About 98% of participants were type 2 diabetic patients. The 5 mm length needles were used by 640 (46.71%) patients. Around 1286 participants reused pen needles. Only one‐third of patients rotate the injection sites. Around 901 patients had ecchymosis at injection sites, 43 participants suffered rash and or pruritus and 661 patients had lipohypertrophy. About 2.99% of patients reported having infection at the injection sites. Most patients (72.55%) occasionally felt pain when injecting insulin. The results of the multivariable logistict analysis showed that gender (male), needle length, priming the pen before injections and correct site rotation were negatively associated with the incidence of injection site ecchymosis. Lower incidence of lipohypertrophy was associated with needle length 4 mm, needle length 6 mm, single use of pen needles, priming the pen before injections and correct site rotation. Higher incidence of injection site infection was related to not disinfecting injection sites before each injection.

Conclusions

Despite some improvements detected in some aspects of patients' insulin injection practice in recent years, a large gap still exists between insulin injection guidelines and patients' actual injection behaviour. Injection‐related complications at injection sites are still considerably common among our study population. Patients' education regarding insulin injection technique should be conducted repeatedly and regularly to make sure patients' compliance to injection guidelines.
Pathogenicity of CsRV2 and CdPBV1 in Callinectes danae: An Imminent Concern for Crab Production in Brazil
Authors: Tavares Camila Prestes dos Santos , Dal Pont Giorgi , Stica Paula Valeska , da Silva Ubiratan de Assis Teixeira , Westphal Gisela Geraldine Castilho , Schott Eric J. , Ostrensky Antonio
Published: November 2024

Understanding the pathogenicity of viral infections in aquatic organisms is vital due to their substantial impact on aquaculture and wild populations. This study assessed the pathogenicity of Callinectes sapidus Reovirus 2 in Callinectes danae and its effects on the metabolic, immunological and behavioural parameters. CsRV2‐negative specimens were divided into CsRV2 inoculum (n = 10) and saline injection (n = 15). After 14 days, all the crabs that received the inoculum tested positive for CsRV2. However, 11 crabs from the control group also tested positive and were subsequently considered an additional experimental group. The cumulative mortality in the group challenged reached 70% after 14 days. RT–PCR revealed Callinectes danae Portunibunyavirus 1 presence in CsRV2‐injected crabs, explaining heightened mortality. Ammonia flow remained unaffected, but oxygen consumption was significantly impacted (p < 0.05) by CsRV2 and coinfection, suggesting increased metabolic energy expenditure. The coinfection caused an increase in the proportion of crabs with reflex impairment as a likely consequence of physiological exhaustion. Additionally, there was a trend toward reducing the number of granulocytes in coinfected crabs, indicating that granulocytes may be more affected by coinfection. These findings demonstrate the pathogenicity of CsRV2 in C. danae, with coinfection exacerbating metabolic, behavioural and immunological changes, increasing mortality.
Complications of Subcision for Acne Scarring: Experience From Clinical Practice and Review of the Literature
Authors: Sun Cong , Lim Davin
Published: November 2024

Background

Subcision is a surgical technique frequently used in the management of atrophic acne scars. The advent of new instruments, which includes sharp, blunt and energy assisted, have increased the efficacy of the procedure. The aim of this article was to review the safety of subcision in view of the new development in technology.

Objective

To review the safety of subcision procedure for acne scarring and to provide clinicians with both evidence‐based and practical information regarding the complications that can be associated with this procedure.

Methods

A search through MEDLINE and Google Scholar was conducted for articles from January 2000 to January 2023 that involves subcision as a monotherapy for the treatment of acne scarring.

Results

Ten articles involving subcision monotherapy were identified. The main complications of subcision were pain/tenderness, bruising, infection, formation of subcutaneous lumps, and dyspigmentation. Recommendations on how to minimize the complications from subcision have also been provided based on the clinical experience of the authors.

Conclusion

Subcision is a safe treatment for acne scarring and clinicians need to be aware of the associated complication which occurs more with sharp instrumentation.
Effect of Delaying High School Start Time on Teen Physical Activity, Screen Use, and Sports and Extracurricular Activity Participation: Results From START
Authors: Berger Aaron T. , Erickson Darin J. , Johnson Kayla T. , Billmyer Emma , Wahlstrom Kyla , Laska Melissa N. , Widome Rachel
Published: November 2024

Background

We aimed to characterize relationships between delayed high school start time policy, which is known to lengthen school night sleep duration, and patterns in activity outcomes: physical activity, non‐school electronic screen time (non‐schoolwork), and sports and extracurricular activity among adolescents.

Methods

We used data from the START study, a multi‐site evaluation of a natural experiment, assessing the effects of a school start time policy change in high schools in the Minneapolis, Minnesota metropolitan area. The study follows students in 2 schools that shifted to a later start time (8:20 or 8:50 am) after baseline year and 3 schools that maintained a consistent, early start time (7:30 am) over the 3‐year study period. Activity was measured by participant self‐report on an in‐school survey. The analysis used a difference‐in‐differences estimator, in which the changes in each outcome observed in the comparison schools estimate the changes in each outcome that would have been observed in the late‐start adopting schools had they not delayed their start times after baseline.

Results

Over 2 years of follow‐up, no changes emerged to suggest that later school start times either interfered with, or promoted, any activity‐related outcome that was measured.

Implications

Communities interested in promoting sleep by delaying start times may do so knowing that there are unlikely to be adverse effects on adolescent physical activity, electronic screen time, or organized sports and activity participation.

Conclusions

A shift to later school start times does not appear to enhance or detract from the healthfulness of students' activity level.
Factors influencing the inclusion of diverse volunteer patients within medical student primary care placements
Authors: Malik Mohammad , Tyson Leanne , Bryant Pauline , Patel Payal , Young Richard , Semlyen Joanna
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Research shows that medical students are graduating with inadequate teaching on diverse patients and insufficient experience of working with diverse patient groups. The inclusion of patients from diverse groups is necessary in healthcare teaching to ensure medical students are adequately prepared for practice. In this study, we explored the perspectives of General Practitioner (GP) tutors on the recruitment of diverse volunteer patients for medical student primary clinical care placements. In particular, we focused on the current representation of diverse volunteer patients, barriers affecting their inclusion and recommendations to help with this.

Methods

Focus groups were carried out with GP tutors involved in the recruitment of volunteer patients from one region in the United Kingdom. Transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis.

Results

Participants acknowledged the importance of ensuring that medical students have clinical experience in assessing and managing patients from diverse populations, but most did not actively think about the diversity of the patients they were recruiting. Instead, recruitment was driven by the need to cover the curriculum and teaching requirements.

To ensure that students' learning was not diminished and recognising time was a significant factor, participants automatically discounted certain patients from being a volunteer patient. They acknowledged that they did not feel comfortable identifying patients based on their demographics and were more likely to invite patients who had been volunteer patients before.

Discussion

Suggested solutions to overcome the factors affecting the recruitment of diverse patients are presented. Patient populations will continue to become more diverse, and therefore, medical schools must prepare their students for this and encourage GP tutors to make a conscious effort to recruit diverse patient volunteers for teaching.
How attitudes towards independence reshaped Scottish elections: A longitudinal analysis (1999–2021)
Authors: Daoust Jean‐François , Gareau‐Paquette Thomas
Published: November 2024

British and Scottish politics are undergoing a period of tumultuous change, leading to what some scholars have labelled ‘electoral shocks’, which have altered the relative importance of the main issues explaining citizens' political behaviour. The conventional wisdom now posits that attitudes towards Scottish independence play an increasing role in structuring citizens' vote choice in Scotland. However, a longitudinal assessment of this claim is lacking. In this research, we seek to fill this gap by making use of data from 1999 to 2021, which covers every Scottish election since devolution, and providing the first‐ever systematic assessment of the strength of attitudes towards Scottish independence in explaining electoral behaviour over time. Our findings reveal a substantial increase in the importance of attitudes towards independence, which we can quantify throughout the 1999–2021 period. We conclude by discussing the implications of this for British and Scottish politics.
Primary intracranial dedifferentiated liposarcoma: An extremely rare site with unusual histopathological findings
Authors: Das Sumanta , Gupta Rakesh Kumar , Sarangi Jayati , Jain Priti , Gogi Ramana , Patir Rana , Ahlawat Sunita
Published: November 2024

Primary intracranial sarcomas constitute a rare group of tumors, with the most common types described in the literature being chondrosarcoma and fibrosarcoma. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS) is a high‐grade sarcoma that sometimes metastasizes to the brain. However, a primary intracranial DDLS is exceedingly rare. A 45‐year‐old patient from the Middle East came to India for treatment. His magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans revealed a space‐occupying lesion at the level of the lateral ventricle T2/fluid attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity with peripheral edema. A T1 perfusion map showed high relative cerebral blood volume values in the peripheral part, suggesting a high‐grade neoplasm. Gross total resection was performed, and histopathology showed a high‐grade tumor composed of sheets of pleomorphic lipoblasts and epithelioid tumor cells arranged in nests and cords. Immunohistochemistry showed diffuse immunopositivity for MDM2, CDK4, and p16, while GFAP and OLIG2 were negative. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed MDM2 amplification. Final diagnosis of DDLS was rendered. The patient had no systemic lesions elsewhere on positron emission tomography computed tomography scan.