bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID‐19 did not delay time from referral to definitive management for head and neck cancer patients in a regional Victorian centre
Authors: Tan Hannah , Preston Joel , Hunn Samuel , Kwok Matthew , Borschmann Michael
Published: June 2021

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had widespread impacts on health services, particularly regarding the provision of urgent elective surgical services. It has influenced the evaluation of surgical patients, patient willingness to consult with medical services, and the ability to provide timely care to these patients. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the time to definitive management for head and neck cancer in a regional setting.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed through the University Hospital Geelong Head and Neck Unit records and electronic medical records. Ethics approval for quality assurance was attained. The primary outcome was time from the first clinic appointment to commencement of definitive management. Statistical analysis was performed using Prism (version 8.0, GraphPad).

Results

A total of 127 patients were identified, 64 in the pre‐COVID and 63 in the post‐COVID period. In the post‐COVID period, more patients (14.3%) had their first clinic appointment with telehealth compared to the pre‐COVID period (1.6%). There was also no significant difference in time from referral to first clinic appointment or time from first clinic appointment to date of definitive treatment decision or multidisciplinary meeting. There was no significant difference in definitive treatment modality between groups.

Conclusion

Despite increased adoption of telemedicine and increased public health considerations, there was no increase in time to definitive treatment from the time of referral to a regional head and neck cancer service.
Russia and North Korea: Ups and downs in relations
Authors: Toloraya Georgy , Yakovleva Lyubov
Published: June 2021

Diplomatic settlement on the Korean peninsula demonstrates Russian capacity, despite decrease in influence in 1990s, to de‐escalate tensions when relations among the other parties in the region are at its absolute worst. This is a testimony to Moscow’s little‐publicized ability to exercise leverage on North Korea and to break the deadlocks. The first Kim Jong‐un–Vladimir Putin summit in April 2019 and Moscow’s good relations with Moon Jae In administration of South Korea created an opportunity for a greater Russia’s role in resolving Korean peninsula issues. North Korea’s new diplomacy towards South Korea and the United States and the start of the search for a negotiated solution to the Korean issue created a window of opportunity for Russia to achieve cooperative security and economic interaction in the region. This article suggests options on how Russia can evaluate the stakeholders’ chances to converge their approaches and how Moscow can contribute to them.
Restoration of ecosystem functions: Seed production in restored and ancient grasslands
Authors: Albert Ágnes‐Júlia , Götzenberger Lars , Jongepierová Ivana , Konečná Marie , Lőkkösné‐Kelbert Bernadett , Májeková Maria , Mudrák Ondřej , Klimešová Jitka
Published: June 2021

Questions

Evaluating seed production as a community function in species‐rich temperate grasslands, we asked: (a) do ancient and restored grasslands differ in the composition of seed‐producing species; (b) do seed‐producing species of ancient and restored grasslands differ in their functional traits and habitat origin of their species; and (c) how does seed production change during the season considering management and is seed production different for the whole community and for the subset of species occurring in both types of grasslands?

Location

White Carpathian Mountains (Czech Republic).

Methods

We assessed the species composition of flowering and fruiting species and collected propagule samples from three ancient and three restored grasslands. From the measured parameters, we estimated seed production for particular fruiting species. We combined these reproductive parameters with data on plant traits and plant status.

Results

Flowering species in restored grasslands produced three times higher seed numbers and three times lower seed mass than flowering species in ancient grasslands. At ancient sites, most seeds belonged to meadow specialist species; at restored sites, seeds of ruderal and generalist species prevailed. Prior to mowing, in both grassland types the seed‐producing species were characterised by a high capability of clonal reproduction, high leaf dry matter content, and wind pollination. After mowing, seed‐producing species were insect‐pollinated species at ancient sites. This reflects the dominance of grasses before mowing and of forbs after mowing.

Conclusions

Higher seed number, lower seed mass and lower reliance on pollinators in restored grasslands indicate a different ecosystem functionality related to these parameters, in comparison with ancient grasslands. Specifically, seeds act as source for generative regeneration of resident species while resources for pollinators and seed herbivores are reduced. This maintains a differentiation of restored and ancient grasslands not only in terms of species composition but also in their effect on other trophic levels.
The fragility of origin essentialism: Where mitochondrial ‘replacement’ meets the non‐identity problem
Authors: Lewens Tim
Published: June 2021

Few discussions of the ethics of mitochondrial ‘replacement’ techniques have drawn significant ethical distinctions between the two approaches now legal in the U.K. However, Anthony Wrigley, Stephen Wilkinson and John Appleby have together argued that under some circumstances pronuclear transfer (PNT) may be in better ethical standing than maternal spindle transfer (MST). They base their conclusion on what they allege to be different implications of the techniques with respect to non‐identity considerations, which they ground on a version of origin essentialism. I raise a series of problems for their argument, which have cautionary implications for invocations of origin essentialism that go beyond specialized debates regarding MST and PNT. I argue that (i) origin essentialism is a fragile foundation for non‐identity considerations; (ii) gametic essentialism, which Wrigley et al. believe licenses their claims, is more questionable than origin essentialism; (iii) gametic essentialism does not straightforwardly justify their conclusion; and (iv) their conclusion in fact relies on an especially dubious position that we can call chromosomal origin essentialism. No good reasons have yet been supplied to distinguish PNT from MST on ethical grounds, and one should be wary of basing claims with practical impact on fragile foundations relating to origin essentialism.
Self‐rated health before pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in Sweden: A population‐based register study
Authors: Viirman Frida , Hesselman Susanne , Wikström Anna‐Karin , Skoog Svanberg Agneta , Skalkidou Alkistis , Sundström Poromaa Inger , Wikman Anna
Published: June 2021

Background

Poor self‐rated health (SRH) at time of childbirth has been associated with adverse birth outcomes. However, it is not known whether prepregnancy SRH contributes to these outcomes or whether SRH is a proxy for some other factors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the associations between poor SRH before pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. In addition, maternal characteristics associated with SRH before pregnancy were explored.

Methods

A population‐based register study encompassing 261 731 deliveries in Sweden between January 2013 and July 2017 was conducted. The associations between poor SRH before pregnancy, rated at first antenatal visit, and the adverse birth outcomes of stillbirth, small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm birth were investigated with logistic regression analyses and presented as crude (OR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Poor SRH before pregnancy was largely characterized by a history of psychiatric care and was associated with stillbirth (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.04‐1.79), SGA birth (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.19‐1.39), and preterm birth (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.32‐1.50). Adjusting for established risk factors for adverse birth outcomes, poor SRH remained associated with SGA birth (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07‐1.26) and preterm birth (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.17‐1.33), but not with stillbirth (aOR 1.08, 95% CI 0.81‐1.43).

Conclusions

SRH assessments could be used in early pregnancy to identify women in need of more extensive follow‐up, as SRH appears to capture something beyond currently known risk factors for adverse birth outcomes.
Reappraising the role of the vagus nerve in GLP‐1‐mediated regulation of eating
Authors: Brierley Daniel I. , de Lartigue Guillaume
Published: June 2021

Here, we provide a focused review of the evidence for the roles of the vagus nerve in mediating the regulatory effects of peripherally and centrally produced GLP‐1 on eating behaviour and energy balance. We particularly focus on recent studies which have used selective genetic, viral, and transcriptomic approaches to provide important insights into the anatomical and functional organisation of GLP‐1‐mediated gut‐brain signalling pathways. A number of these studies have challenged canonical ideas of how GLP‐1 acts in the periphery and the brain to regulate eating behaviour, with important implications for the development of pharmacological treatments for obesity.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on GLP1 receptor ligands (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.4/issuetoc
Beyond CGRP: The calcitonin peptide family as targets for migraine and pain
Authors: Rees Tayla A. , Hendrikse Erica R. , Hay Debbie L. , Walker Christopher S.
Published: June 2021

The CGRP system has emerged as a key pharmacological target for the treatment of migraine. However, some individuals who suffer from migraine have low or no response to anti‐CGRP or other treatments, suggesting the need for additional clinical targets. CGRP belongs to the calcitonin family of peptides, which includes calcitonin, amylin, adrenomedullin and adrenomedullin 2. These peptides display a range of pro‐nociceptive and anti‐nociceptive actions, in primary headache conditions such as migraine. Calcitonin family peptides also show expression at sites relevant to migraine and pain. This suggests that calcitonin family peptides and their receptors, beyond CGRP, may be therapeutically useful in the treatment of migraine and other pain disorders. This review considers the localisation of the calcitonin family in peripheral pain pathways and discusses how they may contribute to migraine and pain.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on Advances in Migraine and Headache Therapy (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.3/issuetoc
Low‐dose decitabine plus venetoclax is safe and effective as post‐transplant maintenance therapy for high‐risk acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome
Authors: Wei Yunxiong , Xiong Xia , Li Xin , Lu Wenyi , He Xiaoyuan , Jin Xin , Sun Rui , Lyu Hairong , Yuan Ting , Sun Tongtong , Zhao Mingfeng
Published: June 2021

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are usually associated with poor outcomes, especially in high‐risk AML/MDS. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) is the only curative option for patients suffering from high‐risk AML/MDS. However, many patients relapse after allo‐HSCT. Novel therapy to prevent relapse is urgently needed. Both the BCL‐2 inhibitor venetoclax (VEN) and the hypomethylating agent decitabine (DEC) possess significant antitumor activity effects against AML/MDS. Administration of DEC has been shown to ameliorate graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) and boost the graft‐versus‐leukemia (GVL) effect post‐transplantation. We therefore conducted a prospective study (ChiCTR1900025374) to examine the tolerability and efficacy of a maintenance therapy of low‐dose decitabine (LDEC) plus VEN to prevent relapse after allo‐HSCT for high‐risk AML/MDS patients. Twenty patients with high‐risk AML (n = 17) or high‐risk MDS (n = 3) post‐transplantation were recruited. Approximately day 100 post‐transplantation, all patients received LDEC (15 mg/m2 for 3 d) followed by VEN (200 mg) on d 1‐21. The cycle interval was 2 mo, and there was 10 cycles. The primary end points of this study were rates of overall survival (OS) and event‐free survival (EFS). The secondary endpoints included adverse events (AEs), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), incidences of acute GVHD (aGVHD) and chronic GVHD (cGVHD), and incidences of viral infection after allo‐HSCT. Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan‐Meier analysis. The median follow‐up was 598 (149‐1072) d. Two patients relapsed, 1 died, and 1 is still alive after the second transplant. The 2‐y OS and EFS rates were 85.2% and 84.7%, respectively. The median 2‐y EFS time was 525 (149‐1072) d, and 17 patients still had EFS and were alive at the time of this writing. The most common AEs were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenic fever, and fatigue. Grade 2 or 3 AEs were observed in 35% (7/20) and 20% (4/20) of the patients, respectively. No grade >3 AEs were observed. aGVHD (any grade) and cGVHD (limited or extensive) occurred in 55% and 20% of patients, respectively. We conclude that LDEC + VEN can be administered safely after allo‐HSCT with no evidence of an increased incidence of GVHD, and this combination decreases the relapse rate in high‐risk AML/MDS patients. This novel maintenance therapy may be a promising way to prevent relapse in high‐risk AML/MDS patients.
Guided Stable Dynamic Projections
Authors: Vernier E. F. , Comba J. L. D. , Telea A. C.
Published: June 2021

Projections aim to convey the relationships and similarity of high‐dimensional data in a low‐dimensional representation. Most such techniques are designed for static data. When used for time‐dependent data, they usually fail to create a stable and suitable low dimensional representation. We propose two dynamic projection methods (PCD‐tSNE and LD‐tSNE) that use global guides to steer projection points. This avoids unstable movement that does not encode data dynamics while keeping t‐SNE's neighborhood preservation ability. PCD‐tSNE scores a good balance between stability, neighborhood preservation, and distance preservation, while LD‐tSNE allows creating stable and customizable projections. We compare our methods to 11 other techniques using quality metrics and datasets provided by a recent benchmark for dynamic projections.
Public Data Visualization: Analyzing Local Running Statistics on Situated Displays
Authors: Coenen J. , Moere A. Vande
Published: June 2021

Popular sports tracking applications allow athletes to share and compare their personal performance data with others. Visualizing this data in relevant public settings can be beneficial in provoking novel types of opportunistic and communal sense‐making. We investigated this premise by situating an analytical visualization of running performances on two touch‐enabled public displays in proximity to a local community running trail. Using a rich mixed‐method evaluation protocol during a three‐week‐long in‐the‐wild deployment, we captured its social and analytical impact across 235 distinct interaction sessions. Our results show how our public analytical visualization supported passers‐by to create novel insights that were rather of casual nature. Several textual features that surrounded the visualization, such as titles that were framed as provocative hypotheses and predefined attention‐grabbing data queries, sparked interest and social debate, while a narrative tutorial facilitated more analytical interaction patterns. Our detailed mixed‐methods evaluation approach led to a set of actionable takeaways for public visualizations that allow novice audiences to engage with data analytical insights that have local relevance.
iQUANT: Interactive Quantitative Investment Using Sparse Regression Factors
Authors: Yue Xuanwu , Gu Qiao , Wang Deyun , Qu Huamin , Wang Yong
Published: June 2021

The model‐based investing using financial factors is evolving as a principal method for quantitative investment. The main challenge lies in the selection of effective factors towards excess market returns. Existing approaches, either hand‐picking factors or applying feature selection algorithms, do not orchestrate both human knowledge and computational power. This paper presents iQUANT, an interactive quantitative investment system that assists equity traders to quickly spot promising financial factors from initial recommendations suggested by algorithmic models, and conduct a joint refinement of factors and stocks for investment portfolio composition. We work closely with professional traders to assemble empirical characteristics of “good” factors and propose effective visualization designs to illustrate the collective performance of financial factors, stock portfolios, and their interactions. We evaluate iQUANT through a formal user study, two case studies, and expert interviews, using a real stock market dataset consisting of 3000 stocks × 6000 days × 56 factors.
VisEvol: Visual Analytics to Support Hyperparameter Search through Evolutionary Optimization
Authors: Chatzimparmpas A. , Martins R. M. , Kucher K. , Kerren A.
Published: June 2021

During the training phase of machine learning (ML) models, it is usually necessary to configure several hyperparameters. This process is computationally intensive and requires an extensive search to infer the best hyperparameter set for the given problem. The challenge is exacerbated by the fact that most ML models are complex internally, and training involves trial‐and‐error processes that could remarkably affect the predictive result. Moreover, each hyperparameter of an ML algorithm is potentially intertwined with the others, and changing it might result in unforeseeable impacts on the remaining hyperparameters. Evolutionary optimization is a promising method to try and address those issues. According to this method, performant models are stored, while the remainder are improved through crossover and mutation processes inspired by genetic algorithms. We present VisEvol, a visual analytics tool that supports interactive exploration of hyperparameters and intervention in this evolutionary procedure. In summary, our proposed tool helps the user to generate new models through evolution and eventually explore powerful hyperparameter combinations in diverse regions of the extensive hyperparameter space. The outcome is a voting ensemble (with equal rights) that boosts the final predictive performance. The utility and applicability of VisEvol are demonstrated with two use cases and interviews with ML experts who evaluated the effectiveness of the tool.
SenVis: Interactive Tensor‐based Sensitivity Visualization
Authors: Yang Haiyan , Ballester‐Ripoll Rafael , Pajarola Renato
Published: June 2021

Sobol's method is one of the most powerful and widely used frameworks for global sensitivity analysis, and it maps every possible combination of input variables to an associated Sobol index. However, these indices are often challenging to analyze in depth, due in part to the lack of suitable, flexible enough, and fast‐to‐query data access structures as well as visualization techniques. We propose a visualization tool that leverages tensor decomposition, a compressed data format that can quickly and approximately answer sophisticated queries over exponential‐sized sets of Sobol indices. This way, we are able to capture the complete global sensitivity information of high‐dimensional scalar models. Our application is based on a three‐stage visualization, to which variables to be analyzed can be added or removed interactively. It includes a novel hourglass‐like diagram presenting the relative importance for any single variable or combination of input variables with respect to any composition of the rest of the input variables. We showcase our visualization with a range of example models, whereby we demonstrate the high expressive power and analytical capability made possible with the proposed method.
Visual Analysis of Electronic Densities and Transitions in Molecules
Authors: Masood T. Bin , Thygesen S.S. , Linares M. , Abrikosov A. I. , Natarajan V. , Hotz I.
Published: June 2021

The study of electronic transitions within a molecule connected to the absorption or emission of light is a common task in the process of the design of new materials. The transitions are complex quantum mechanical processes and a detailed analysis requires a breakdown of these processes into components that can be interpreted via characteristic chemical properties. We approach these tasks by providing a detailed analysis of the electron density field. This entails methods to quantify and visualize electron localization and transfer from molecular subgroups combining spatial and abstract representations. The core of our method uses geometric segmentation of the electronic density field coupled with a graph‐theoretic formulation of charge transfer between molecular subgroups. The design of the methods has been guided by the goal of providing a generic and objective analysis following fundamental concepts. We illustrate the proposed approach using several case studies involving the study of electronic transitions in different molecular systems.
Visualizing Carotid Blood Flow Simulations for Stroke Prevention
Authors: Eulzer P. , Meuschke M. , Klingner C. M. , Lawonn K.
Published: June 2021

In this work, we investigate how concepts from medical flow visualization can be applied to enhance stroke prevention diagnostics. Our focus lies on carotid stenoses, i.e., local narrowings of the major brain‐supplying arteries, which are a frequent cause of stroke. Carotid surgery can reduce the stroke risk associated with stenoses, however, the procedure entails risks itself. Therefore, a thorough assessment of each case is necessary. In routine diagnostics, the morphology and hemodynamics of an afflicted vessel are separately analyzed using angiography and sonography, respectively. Blood flow simulations based on computational fluid dynamics could enable the visual integration of hemodynamic and morphological information and provide a higher resolution on relevant parameters. We identify and abstract the tasks involved in the assessment of stenoses and investigate how clinicians could derive relevant insights from carotid blood flow simulations. We adapt and refine a combination of techniques to facilitate this purpose, integrating spatiotemporal navigation, dimensional reduction, and contextual embedding. We evaluated and discussed our approach with an interdisciplinary group of medical practitioners, fluid simulation and flow visualization researchers. Our initial findings indicate that visualization techniques could promote usage of carotid blood flow simulations in practice.
Remote (Dis)engagement: Shifting Corporate Risk to the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’
Authors: Roll Kate , Dolan Catherine , Rajak Dinah
Published: June 2021

Untapped markets are often deemed institutional voids, terra incognita ripe with economic possibility. The conversion of institutional voids into viable markets has become the ambition of many corporations today, which view marginal and under‐served areas such as urban slums as opportunities to achieve the dual aims of market growth and poverty reduction, particularly through ‘bottom of the pyramid’ (BoP) programmes. This article examines how firms manage institutional voids and the consequences of these approaches for workers through a case study of a BoP ‘route to market’ programme designed by a global food manufacturer in Kibera, Africa's largest slum, located in Nairobi. Instead of engaging with Kibera by upgrading informal markets or generating formal employment, the corporation focused on harnessing existing informal systems through composite arrangements of NGOs, social networks and informal enterprises, a strategy the authors term ‘remote (dis)engagement’. The article describes the logics and outcome of this strategy of formal engagement with informal markets, concluding that the BoP business model depends on ‘gig practices’ of flexibility, irregular work and insecurity to realize the much‐heralded ‘fortune at the bottom of the pyramid’.
Targeting neuropilins as a viable SARS‐CoV‐2 treatment
Authors: Sarabipour Sarvenaz , Mac Gabhann Feilim
Published: June 2021

The SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic has significantly impacted global health. Research on viral mechanisms, highly effective vaccines, and other therapies is in progress. Neuropilins have recently been identified as host cell receptors enabling viral fusion. Here, we provide context to neuropilin's tissue‐specific role in infection and the potential impact of NRP‐based therapeutics. We conclude that the central roles of neuropilins in vascular, neural, and other pathways may render it a less suitable target for treating SARS‐CoV‐2 than agents that target its binding partner, the viral spike protein.
Trait‐based responses to land use and canopy dynamics modify long‐term diversity changes in forest understories
Authors: Happonen Konsta , Muurinen Lauralotta , Virtanen Risto , Kaakinen Eero , Grytnes John‐Arvid , Kaarlejärvi Elina , Parisot Philippe , Wolff Matias , Maliniemi Tuija
Published: June 2021

Aim

Land use is the foremost cause of global biodiversity decline, but species do not respond equally to land‐use practices. Instead, it is suggested that responses vary with species traits, but long‐term data on the trait‐mediated effects of land use on communities are scarce. Here we study how forest understorey communities have been affected by two land‐use practices during 4–5 decades, and whether changes in plant diversity are related to changes in functional composition.

Location

Finland.

Time period

1968–2019.

Major taxa studied

Vascular plants.

Methods

We resurveyed 245 vegetation plots in boreal herb‐rich forest understories, and used hierarchical Bayesian linear models to relate changes in diversity, species composition, average plant size, and leaf economic traits to reindeer abundance, forest management intensity, and changes in climate, canopy cover and composition. We also studied the relationship between species evenness and plant size across both space and time.

Results

Intensively managed forests decreased in species richness and had increased turnover, but management did not affect functional composition. Increased reindeer densities corresponded with increased leaf dry matter content, evenness and diversity, and decreased height and specific leaf area. Successional development in the canopy was associated with increased specific leaf area and decreased leaf dry matter content and height in the understorey over the study period. Effects of reindeer abundance and canopy density on diversity were partially mediated by vegetation height, which had a negative relationship with evenness across both space and time. Observed changes in climate had no discernible effect on any variable.

Main conclusions

Functional traits are useful in connecting vegetation changes to the mechanisms that drive them, and provide unique information compared to turnover and diversity metrics. These trait‐dependent selection effects could inform which species benefit and which suffer from land‐use changes and explain observed biodiversity changes under global change.
Characterization of chronic overlapping pain conditions in patients with chronic migraine: A CHOIR study
Authors: Barad Meredith J. , Sturgeon John A. , Hong Juliette , Aggarwal Anuj K. , Mackey Sean C.
Published: June 2021

Objective

Chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) represent a co‐aggregation of widespread pain disorders. We characterized differences in physical and psychosocial functioning in patients with chronic migraine (CM) and those with CM and COPCs.

Background

Patients with CM and COPCs have been identified as a distinct subgroup of patients with CM, and these patients may be vulnerable to greater symptom severity and burden.

Methods

Data were extracted from Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (an open‐source learning health‐care system), completed at the patients' first visit at a large tertiary care pain management center and electronic medical records. In 1601 patients with CM, the number of non‐cephalic areas of pain endorsed on a body map was used to examine the differences in pain, physical and psychosocial function, adverse life experience, and health‐care utilization.

Results

Patients endorsing more body map regions reported significantly worse symptoms and function across all domains. Scored on a t‐score metric (mean = 50, SD = 10), endorsement of one additional body map region corresponded with a 0.69‐point increase in pain interference (95% CI = 0.55, 0.82; p < 0.001; Cohen's f = 0.328), 1.15‐point increase in fatigue (95% CI = 0.97, 1.32; p < 0.001; Cohen's f = 0.432), and 1.21‐point decrease in physical function (95% CI = −1.39, −1.03; p < 0.001; Cohen's f = 0.560). Patients with more widespread pain reported approximately 5% more physician visits (95% CI = 0.03, 0.07; p < 0.001), and patients reporting adverse life events prior to age 17 endorsed 22% more body map regions (95% CI = 0.11, 0.32; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with CM and other overlapping pain conditions as noted on the body map report significantly worse pain‐related physical function, psychosocial functioning, increased health‐care utilization, and greater association with adverse life experiences, compared with those with localized CM. This study provides further evidence that patients with CM and co‐occurring pain conditions are a distinct subgroup of CM and can be easily identified through patient‐reported outcome measures.
Nerve block as neuropathic pain treatment for the great auricular nerve neuropathy: A case report
Authors: Moreno Pulido Silvia , Guerrero Peral Ángel Luis , García‐Azorín David
Published: June 2021

Objective/Background

The great auricular nerve (GAN) is a major sensory branch of the cervical plexus. Painful great auricular neuropathy causes pain circumscribed to the inferior preauricular region, the jaw angle, the ventral pinna, and the mastoid region.

Methods

We present a 46‐year‐old woman experiencing facial pain in the bilateral preauricular and infra‐auricular region, constant, of abrasive quality without any other associated symptomatology that is triggered or aggravated with cephalic movements, cervical turn, mandibular movement, and palpation on the affected area.

Results

Symptomatic treatment with analgesics, anti‐inflammatories, and neuropathic preventive medications was ineffective. However, nerve block anesthetic treatment resulted in complete pain remission.

Conclusion

Great auricular neuropathy is an uncommon cause of facial pain; our case report is the first bilateral occurrence reported to date. It should be suspected in patients with circumscribed shooting or lancinating paroxysmal pain in the territory of the GAN. It is characterized by the aggravation of pain with cervical movements and complete relief after anesthetic blockade.
First population estimates of the vulnerable southeast Iberian endemic tiger beetle Cephalota (Taenidia) deserticoloides
Authors: Herrera‐Russert José , López‐López Alejandro , Serrano José , Cordero‐Rivera Adolfo , Galián José
Published: June 2021

The tiger beetle Cephalota deserticoloides is a species found in a few localised sites in south‐eastern Iberia, where it is a highly specialised inhabitant of the arid saline steppe habitat. Although regarded as vulnerable, very little is known about the actual population dynamics and degree of endangerment of this taxon, which may be worse than previously reported.

In this work, mark‐recapture estimates of total population size are presented for one of the main known populations of C. deserticoloides. Additionally, some further remarks on seasonality and co‐occurring tiger beetle species are made.

At the seasonal peak of adult activity, the area under consideration holds a relatively dense tiger beetle population with around 865 simultaneously active adult beetles, which is numerically comparable to those of other endangered cicindelids. These results will help assess the conservation status of C. deserticoloides and set the stage for more long‐term efforts, which are clearly needed to analyse population viability, and the priority of C. deserticoloides and its habitat as targets for protective measures.

Our observations indicate that a reconsideration of the current International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing of C. deserticoloides is strongly justified, from its current status as ‘vulnerable’ to a new listing as ‘endangered’.
Sintering behavior of Ni–Zn ferrite powders prepared by molten‐salt synthesis
Authors: Yang Pao , Qi Hongbin , Fu Xiuli , Peng Zhijian
Published: June 2021

Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 powders were prepared by a novel molten‐salt synthesis method. The effects of calcination processes of the powders on their sintering behaviors were investigated. Compared with the synthesis by traditional solid‐state reaction, the proposed molten‐salt method can significantly reduce the synthesis temperature of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 from 800 to 550°C below, and the prepared powders have relatively high sintering activity at low temperature, which can thus decrease the sintering temperature. However, the abnormal growth of grains is easy to occur during sintering, thus resulting in uneven grain size. In particular, during the molten‐salt synthesis, the holding time for calcination is a dominant factor affecting the activity and crystallization degree of the resultant powders. From the point of view of increasing the density of sintered bodies, the optimal conditions for synthesizing Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 powder by the proposed molten‐salt synthesis is 400°C for 6 h. In addition, the saturate magnetization of the finally obtained ferrite ceramics has nothing to do with the preparation processes, while their coercivity depends on their densification and grain size caused by their different processing routes.
Glass‐ceramics in the CaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 system as potential dental restorative materials
Authors: Dimitriadis Konstantinos , Moschovas Dimitrios , Tulyaganov Dilshat U. , Agathopoulos Simeon
Published: June 2021

This paper reports on development of novel alumina‐containing glass‐ceramics (GCs) with a high content of Al2O3 (12.5 wt.%) in the CaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 system aimed for dental restorations. The thermal properties of the parent glasses, the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the produced sintered and crystallized GCs along with bio‐inertia performance were experimentally studied. Dense, white, and bio‐inert GCs, comprised of melilite, either as a single‐phase or with diopside, were produced. The values of flexural strength ranged between 120 and 171 MPa, the modulus of elasticity varied between 28 and 42 GPa, while the values of the hardness and the fracture toughness (measured by the indentation–Niihara equation) ranged from 6.3 to 7.0 GPa, and from 2.6 to 2.8 MPa m0.5, respectively. The mechanical properties of the produced GCs, after being meticulously compared with the mechanical properties of GCs of various compositions reported in literature, including commercial ones, are a good match to the properties of dental hard tissues, and satisfy the requirements of the ISO 6872 “Dentistry‐Ceramic Materials”.
Preparation of Ag‐Al₂O₃ nano structures by combustion method and investigation of photocatalytic activity
Authors: Einafshar Elham , Khodadadipoor Zahra , Fazli Mostafa , Einafshar Nafiseh , Mohebbi Zinab Javad , Asaei Sogol
Published: June 2021

In this research, Ag‐Al2O3 nanostructures have been prepared via combustion synthesis and ammonium acetate and urea have been applied as fuels. The prepared Ag‐Al2O3 nanostructures were characterized by DTA, XRD, SEM, TEM, and BET spectroscopy. The effect of different ratios of silver to alumina and fuel percentage on morphology and particle size of prepared products were investigated. The results showed that using ammonium acetate fuel led to the production of Ag‐γ‐Al2O3 nanocompounds, while using urea produced Ag‐α‐Al2O3. Also, the photocatalytic activity of Ag‐Al2O3 nanostructures for Congo red degradation was evaluated by UV‐Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of Ag‐Al2O3 was examined under UV‐Vis irradiation and showed significant photocatalytic efficiency.
Establishment of pediatric reference intervals for complete blood count parameters in capillary blood in Beijing
Authors: Song MeiYan , Dai ShuZhi , Li Jing , Liu WeiJie , Zhang Min , Ma LiJuan
Published: June 2021

Background

Reference intervals (RIs) are normal ranges of clinical indicators established from healthy subjects, and comparing test results with RIs is the first step for clinicians in differentiating between healthy and diseased subjects. Capillary blood is widely used in complete blood count (CBC) tests in children; however, capillary blood‐based RIs for the CBC parameters are still lacking for all pediatric populations. The aim of this study was to establish capillary blood‐based RIs for the CBC parameters in children aged 3 months to 18 years in Beijing.

Methods

A total of 6799 capillary blood specimens from children were collected, including 3832 males and 2967 females aged 3 months to 18 years, and CBC parameters were analyzed. Data analysis, RI calculations, and 90% confidence interval (CI) calculations were performed according to CLSI C28‐A3 guidelines.

Results

Capillary blood RIs for 22 CBC parameters were established in children aged 3 months to 18 years. The levels of most red blood cell‐related parameters increased with age and were generally higher in males than in females. White blood cell counts were relatively stable, with no obvious upward or downward trends from 3 months to 18 years of age. Platelet levels decreased within the first year and tended to be stable thereafter. Further validation with 458 healthy children illustrated that the verified results were within the established RIs with a 90%‐100% proportion.

Conclusion

We established capillary blood RIs for 22 CBC parameters in children across a broad age range in Beijing.
BCR‐ABL1 p210 screening for chronic myeloid leukemia in patients with peripheral blood cytoses
Authors: Fenu Elena , O’Neill Stacey S. , Insuasti‐Beltran Giovanni
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) usually presents with leukocytosis with neutrophilia, left shift, and basophilia. Documentation of the BCR‐ABL1 fusion is required for diagnosis, and this is often achieved via p210 BCR‐ABL1 real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR).

Methods

Patients undergoing first‐time testing for p210 BCR‐ABL1 at our institution were retrospectively identified. The medical record was reviewed, and the patient age, sex, clinical indication for testing, and concurrent CBC with differential were identified for 518 patients. BCR‐ABL1 p210 testing had been performed using a laboratory‐developed quantitative RT‐PCR assay. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using an unpaired t test, and P values of <.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Twenty‐four patients received a new diagnosis of CML (4.6%). As compared to patients with a negative PCR, these patients were more likely to have a markedly elevated white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophilia, and a mild anemia. Ninety‐two percent (22/24) of new CML patients had a WBC ≥20 × 109/L, and the two new CML patients with WBC <20 × 109/L had basophilia in the peripheral blood. By contrast, 92% (449/490) of non‐CML patients had a WBC <20 × 109/L.

Conclusion

The peripheral blood parameters of total WBC ≥20 × 109/L and absolute basophil count can help guide the need for BCR‐ABL1 PCR testing, which can lead to more judicious test utilization, decreased healthcare costs, and decreased false positives, while keeping a high sensitivity for CML. This study also underscores the importance of obtaining a complete differential in patients for whom CML is suspected.
A tale of two frames: Exploring the role of framing in the use discontinuance of volitionally adopted technology
Authors: Soliman Wael , Tuunainen Virpi Kristiina
Published: June 2021

The discontinuance of volitional IS (i.e., information systems adopted, used and discontinued at will) has recently attracted remarkable attention from academics and practitioners alike. However, most research to date has been ahistorical. Ignoring the temporal progression can be problematic when the phenomenon under investigation is dynamic and evolving. To balance this, we adopt a stage modelling approach to understand the process ending with the technology use being discontinued by users of a popular crowdsourcing platform. Two questions guided our investigation: (1) Why do users discontinue using an IS they have volitionally adopted and used? (2) How does IS discontinuance occur over time in such context? We develop a stage model demonstrating that five stages are critical in understanding IS discontinuance: IS framing, goal pursuit, frame disruption, dormancy and quitting, after which possible switching denotes a new cycle. Furthermore, we identify two frames that help us understand why different users interpret and evaluate the technology differently – namely, the gain frame and the hedonic frame. On one hand, a gain frame is linked to the goal of improving one's resources and thus directs the user's attention to the technology's instrumental value. On the other hand, a hedonic frame is linked to the goal of having fun and thus directs the user's attention to the technology's enjoyment value. But, most importantly, we show that the technology's use lifecycle as a whole from initial use to discontinuance is shaped and guided by the user's dominant frame. Our insights elicit a number of important theoretical and practical implications.
Clinical outcomes in cirrhotics with variceal or nonvariceal gastrointestinal bleeding: A prospective, multicenter cohort study
Authors: Zullo Angelo , Soncini Marco , Bucci Cristina , Marmo Riccardo ,   Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio dell'Emorragia Digestiva (GISED) (Appendix)
Published: June 2021

Background and Aim

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is associated with a distinct mortality in cirrhotics. We evaluated whether the rate of mortality and other outcomes differs between variceal and nonvariceal UGIB.

Methods

This was a prospective, multicenter, cohort study on UGIB cirrhotics observed in 50 hospitals. Variceal or nonvariceal UGIB were diagnosed at endoscopy. The 6‐week mortality rate, need of blood transfusion, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, radiologic or surgical intervention, rebleeding rate, and length of stay in hospital were the main clinical outcomes compared. Data were analyzed at univariate and multivariate analysis, and odds ratio (OR) with their 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated.

Results

The study enrolled 706 cirrhotics, including 516 (73%) variceal and 190 (27%) nonvariceal UGIB. There were 78 (11%; 95% CI = 8.7–13.4) deceases, without any difference between variceal (11.0%) and nonvariceal (11.0%) groups. Child–Pugh score C (OR: 6.99; 95% CI = 2.58–18.95), and development of either hepatorenal syndrome (OR: 16.5; 95% CI = 7.02–38.9) or hepatic encephalopathy (OR: 2.38; 95% CI = 1.25–4.5) were independent predictors of mortality. Transfusions and onset of hepatic encephalopathy were significantly more frequent in variceal, whereas ICU admission rate was higher in nonvariceal bleedings. Overall, antibiotic prophylaxis was eventually administered in only 392 (55.5%) patients.

Conclusions

Data found that the overall mortality rate in cirrhotics with UGIB seems to be reducing and that the value did not differ between variceal and nonvariceal types. Prevention of both hepatorenal syndrome and hepatic encephalopathy and implementation of antibiotic prophylaxis could improve survival in these patients.
Reply to: Comment on: Variation in propofol induction doses administered to surgical patients over 65
Authors: Akhtar Shamsuddin , Bardia Amit , Schonberger Robert B.
Published: June 2021

This letter comments on the letter by Nirvik Pal.
Comment on: Variation in propofol induction doses administered to surgical patients over age 65
Authors: Pal Nirvik , Butterworth John
Published: June 2021

See the Reply by Akthar et al.
Speaking with virtual humans: Assessing social cognition in traumatic brain injury with a second‐person perspective task
Authors: Moreau Noémie , Taché Emmanuelle , Champagne‐Lavau Maud
Published: June 2021

Objective

This study is one of the first to investigate social cognition in participants with traumatic brain injury (TBI) using a task that actively engaged the participant in a real interaction with a partner. Previous results have reported altered social cognition in TBI patients, but social cognition was mostly assessed through traditional tasks involving conscious and deliberate reasoning about characters’ mental states (i.e., a third‐person perspective). Our goal was to present a new paradigm which allowed the assessment of social cognition in conditions closer to real life meaning that participants were actively engaged in an interaction (i.e., second‐person perspective) in order to capture more implicit use of social cognition processes.

Method

This study used three tasks to evaluate social cognition. We designed a task, called EVICog, in which participants were engaged in real audio‐visual conversations with two virtual humans who expressed emotions and produced speech content that required the participants to make inferences about the characters’ mental states. The two other tasks are standard in the literature; they use photographs to test participants’ recognition of emotions and short comic strips to test their attribution of intentions.

Results

Our results showed that TBI participants presented a significant deficit of social cognition compared to control participants. The ROC analysis showed that EVICog has a high discrimination power compared to the other tests.

Conclusion

These results further confirm that social cognition is altered in TBI participants even in real interactions and further support the use of ecological settings to investigate social cognition.
The utility of shock index and heart rate in the management of postpartum blood loss in pregnant women complicated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
Authors: Mori Hiroshi , Shibata Eiji , Kuwazuru Tomoichiro , Uchimura Takayuki , Kondo Emi , Yoshino Kiyoshi
Published: June 2021

Background

Although the shock index (SI) (heart rate/systolic blood pressure) and heart rate (HR) are a helpful indicator in the management of postpartum blood loss, there are few reports of SI in pregnant women complicated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP). The purpose of this study was to examine whether SI and HR would be a clinically helpful indicator, and to detect the cutoff value for judging abnormal obstetric bleeding.

Methods

This was a retrospective case–control study in 107 patients with HDP in a singleton tertiary perinatal medical facility. The values of postpartum highest SI (peak SI) and highest HR (peak HR), and the amount of bleeding until peak SI and peak HR were retrospectively examined and analyzed. We used the receiver operating characteristic analysis to assess the diagnostic value of peak SI and peak HR for judging abnormal obstetric bleeding.

Results

Peak SI and peak HR were significantly related to the amount of bleeding up to peak SI and up to peak HR. The cutoff values of peak SI with blood loss volumes above 500 ml, 1000 ml, and 1500 ml were 0.77, 0.76, and 0.99, respectively. The cutoff values of peak HR with blood loss volumes above 500 ml, 1000 ml, and 1500 ml were 97, 98, and 103, respectively.

Conclusion

In cases of pregnant women complicated with HDP, both SI and HR were probably useful indicators in the management of postpartum blood loss. Further prospective trials are warranted to confirm these results.