bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Congenital glaucoma as a presenting feature of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome in an infant with a novel pathogenic variant in theCREBBPgene
Authors: Snehi Sagarika , Kaur Anupriya , Chaudhry Chakshu , Kaushik Sushmita
Published: January 2023

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, also known as broad thumb-hallux syndrome, is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder. This multiorgan syndrome is linked to a pathogenic mutation in theCREBBPorEBP300genes.

We present a patient with a hitherto unreported constellation of anterior segment abnormalities, including congenital glaucoma, congenital corneal keloid, cataract, and distinct facial and systemic features including a high-arched palate, low-set posteriorly rotated ears, Café-au-lait spots on the back, broad terminal phalanges of hands and feet, and bilateral cryptorchidism. The characteristic dysgenetic angle features and ultrasound biomicroscopic findings described in this case report show the occurrence of concomitant congenital keloid with glaucoma.

Genetic testing revealed a heterozygous one-base pair duplication in exon 3 of theCREBBPgene (c.886dupC), a novel frameshift pathogenic mutation in theCREBBPgene that has not been previously reported in a clinical setting.
Bilateral primary breast Burkitt’s lymphoma in pregnancy
Authors: Altshuler Ellery , Wheeler Sarah , Daily Karen
Published: January 2023

Pregnancy-associated cancer is defined as malignancy diagnosed during gestation or up to 1 year post partum. Treatment of cancer during pregnancy is complicated by the risk of harm to the fetus and limitations in safety data. Postpartum patients receiving chemotherapy, tyrosine-kinase inhibitors or hormonal agents should avoid breast feeding to avoid drug excretion in breast milk. Patients who will receive cytotoxic chemotherapy should be advised of the potential impact on their future fertility and offered fertility-preservation options. Breast cancer is the most common pregnancy-associated malignancy and is most frequently either invasive ductal or lobular carcinoma. Breast lymphoma is an exceedingly rare diagnosis that typically presents with unilateral disease in the seventh decade of life. Here, we present the case of a woman who presented with bilateral breast masses during the second trimester of pregnancy and was ultimately diagnosed with primary breast Burkitt’s lymphoma.
Monkeypox-associated proctitis and rectal wall perforation
Authors: Brown Lottie , Delaney Christopher , Hainsworth Alison
Published: January 2023

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic infection which has rapidly increased in incidence and spread globally since May 2022. There have been reports of rectal complications of monkeypox but so far these are not well not understood. Here, we describe a case of rectal pain in HIV-positive man with confirmed monkeypox. MRI on day 5 of hospital admission revealed proctitis with localised perforation. The patient was treated with tecovirimat, antibiotics, analgesia and laxatives and improved without requiring surgical intervention. All patients presenting with new rectal symptoms and deemed high-risk for monkeypox should be isolated and screened for the disease, and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn by healthcare professionals caring for them. Clinicians should have a low threshold for cross-sectional imaging in patients with confirmed or suspected monkeypox who experience persistent and severe rectal symptoms or who become systemically unwell to investigate for complications such as perforation and abscess formation. The vast majority of monkeypox cases do not require antibiotics and their use should be reserved for patients who show signs of secondary bacterial infection or sepsis.
Silica associated systemic sclerosis: an occupational health hazard
Authors: Shivakumar Dhyana S , Kamath Navaneeth Sadananda , Naik Anand
Published: January 2023

A middle-aged male working in the sandblasting and stone-cutting industry was brought to the medicine department with skin tightness, dysphagia and discolouration of the skin for the last 1 year. On examination, he had skin thickening over the face and the extremities with restricted mouth opening. His hands were cold and showed peripheral cyanosis. Systemic examination was suggestive of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, further confirmed by the antinuclear antibody testing. Further, CT of the chest showed mediastinal lymphadenopathy with eggshell calcification and interstitial fibrosis consistent with silicosis and fibrotic non-specific interstitial pneumonitis. The patient was started on pulse monthly cyclophosphamide for six cycles, and steroids were given for 4 weeks and tapered. Tadalafil and amlodipine were given for his pulmonary artery hypertension and Raynaud’s phenomenon, respectively. This case also highlights the importance of periodic screening of the workers exposed to silica dust to prevent silicosis.
London International Consensus and Delphi study on hamstring injuries part 2: operative management
Authors: Plastow Ricci , Kerkhoffs Gino M M J , Wood David , Paton Bruce M , Kayani Babar , Pollock Noel , Court Nick , Giakoumis Michael , Head Paul , Kelly Sam , Moore James , Moriarty Peter , Murphy Simon , Read Paul , Stirling Ben , Tulloch Laura , van Dyk Nicol , Wilson Mathew , Haddad Fares
Published: January 2023

The key indications for surgical repair of hamstring injuries (HSIs) remain unclear in the literature due to a lack of high-level evidence and expert knowledge. The 2020 London International Hamstring Consensus meeting aimed to highlight clear surgical indications and to create a foundation for future research. A literature review was conducted followed by a modified Delphi process, with an international expert panel. Purposive sampling was used with two rounds of online questionnaires and an intermediate round involving a consensus meeting. The initial information gathering (round 1) questionnaire was sent to 46 international experts, which comprised open-ended questions covering decision-making domains in HSI. Thematic analysis of responses outlined key domains, which were evaluated by a smaller international subgroup (n=15) comprising clinical academic sports medicine physicians, physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons in a consensus meeting. After group discussion of each domain, a series of consensus statements were prepared, debated and refined. A round 2 questionnaire was sent to 112 international hamstring experts to vote on these statements and determine level of agreement. The consensus threshold was set a priori at 70% agreement. Rounds 1 and 2 survey respondents were 35/46 (76%) and 99/112 (88.4%), respectively. The consensus group agreed that the indications for operative intervention included: gapping at the zone of tendinous injury (87.2% agreement) and loss of tension (70.7%); symptomatic displaced bony avulsions (72.8%); and proximal free tendon injuries with functional compromise refractory to non-operative treatment (72.2%). Other important considerations for operative intervention included: the demands of the athlete/patient and the expected functional outcome (87.1%) based on the anatomy of the injury; the risk of functional loss/performance deficit with non-operative management (72.2%); and the capacity to restore anatomy and function (87.1%). Further research is needed to determine whether surgery can reduce the risk of reinjury as consensus was not reached within the whole group (48.2%) but was agreed by surgeons (70%) in the cohort. The consensus group did not support the use of corticosteroids or endoscopic surgery without further evidence. These guidelines will help standardise treatment of HSIs, specifically the indications and decision-making for surgical intervention.
The effect of health insurance and socioeconomic status on women’s choice in birth attendant and place of delivery across regions in Indonesia: a multinomial logit analysis
Authors: Lee John Tayu , McPake Barbara , Putri Likke Prawidya , Anindya Kanya , Puspandari Diah Ayu , Marthias Tiara
Published: January 2023

Background

Evidence suggests that women gave birth in diverse types of health facilities and were assisted by various types of health providers. This study examines how these choices are influenced by the Indonesia national health insurance programme (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN)), which aimed to provide equitable access to health services, including maternal health.

Methods

Using multinomial logit regression models, we examined patterns and determinants of women’s choice for childbirth, focusing on health insurance coverage, geographical location and socioeconomic disparities. We used the 2018 nationally representative household survey dataset consisting of 41 460 women (15–49 years) with a recent live birth.

Results

JKN coverage was associated with increased use of higher-level health providers and facilities and reduced the likelihood of deliveries at primary health facilities and attendance by midwives/nurses. Women with JKN coverage were 13.1% and 17.0% (p<0.05) more likely to be attended by OBGYN/general practitioner (GP) and to deliver at hospitals, respectively, compared with uninsured women. We found notable synergistic effects of insurance status, place of residence and economic status on women’s choice of type of birth attendant and place of delivery. Insured women living in Java–Bali and in the richest wealth quintile were 6.4 times more likely to be attended by OBGYN/GP and 4.2 times more likely to deliver at a hospital compared with those without health insurance, living in Eastern Indonesia, and in the poorest income quantile.

Conclusion

There are large variations in the choice of birth attendant and place of delivery by population groups in Indonesia. Evaluation of health systems reform initiatives, including the JKN programme and the primary healthcare strengthening, is essential to determine their impact on disparities in maternal health services.
Pandemic preparedness and response: beyond the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator
Authors: Saxena Abha , Baker Brook K , Banda Amanda , Herlitz Anders , Miller Jennifer , Karrar Karrar , Fleurbaey Marc , Chiwa Esther , Atuire Caesar Alimisnya , Hirose Iwao , Hassoun Nicole
Published: January 2023

Nationalism has trumped solidarity, resulting in unnecessary loss of life and inequitable access to vaccines and therapeutics. Existing intellectual property (IP) regimens, trade secrets and data rights, under which pharmaceutical firms operate, have also posed obstacles to increasing manufacturing capacity, and ensuring adequate supply, affordable pricing, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and other health products in low-income and middle- income countries. We propose: (1) Implementing alternative incentive and funding mechanisms to develop new scientific innovations to address infectious diseases with pandemic potential; (2) Voluntary and involuntary initiatives to overcome IP barriers including pooling IP, sharing data and vesting licences for resulting products in a globally agreed entity; (3) Transparent and accountable collective procurement to enable equitable distribution; (4) Investments in regionally distributed research and development (R&D) capacity and manufacturing, basic health systems to expand equitable access to essential health technologies, and non-discriminatory national distribution; (5) Commitment to strengthen national (and regional) initiatives in the areas of health system development, health research, drug and vaccine manufacturing and regulatory oversight and (6) Good governance of the pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord. It is important to articulate principles for deals that include reasonable access conditions and transparency in negotiations. We argue for an equitable, transparent, accountable new global agreement to provide rewards for R&D but only on the condition that pharmaceutical companies share the IP rights necessary to produce and distribute them globally. Moreover, if countries commit to collective procurement and fair pricing of resulting products, we argue that we can greatly improve our ability to prepare for and respond to pandemic threats.
Linkages between malaria and malnutrition in co-endemic regions of India
Authors: Yadav Chander Prakash , Hussain Syed Shah Areeb , Pasi Shweta , Sharma Shweta , Bharti Praveen K , Rahi Manju , Sharma Amit
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Malaria and malnutrition are key public health challenges in India. However, the relationship between them is poorly understood. Here, we aimed to elucidate the potential interactions between the two health conditions by identifying the areas of their spatial overlap.

Methods

We have analysed the district-wise undernutrition and malaria data of 638 districts of India across 28 states and 8 union territories. Data on malnutrition parameters viz. stunting, wasting, underweight and anaemia, sourced from the fourth National Family Health Survey (2015–2016), and malaria Annual Parasite Index (API) data of the same year (i.e, 2015), sourced from National Center of Vector Borne Diseases Control were analysed using local Moran’s I Index and logistic regression.

Results

Among all the malnutrition parameters, we found underweight in children and anaemia in men to co-occur with malaria in the districts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Further, districts with more than 36% underweight children (OR (95% CI): 2.31 (1.53 to 3.48)) and/or more than 23.6% male population with anaemia (OR (95% CI): 2.06 (1.37 to 3.11)) had higher odds of being malaria endemic districts (ie, Annual Parasite Index >1).

Conclusion

Malaria and malnutrition co-occur in the malaria-endemic parts of India. The high prevalence of undernutrition in children and anaemia among men may contribute to malaria endemicity in a particular region. Therefore, future research should be prioritised to generate data on the individual level. Further, malaria control interventions could be tailored to integrate nutrition programmes to disrupt indigenous malaria transmission in endemic districts.
Door-in-door-out times for patients with large vessel occlusion ischaemic stroke being transferred for endovascular thrombectomy: a Victorian state-wide study
Authors: Wong Joseph Zhi Wen , Dewey Helen M , Campbell Bruce C V , Mitchell Peter J , Parsons Mark , Phan Thanh , Chandra Ronil V , Ma Henry , Warwick Alexandra , Brooks Mark , Thijs Vincent , Low Essie , Wijeratne Tissa , Jones Sharon , Clissold Ben , Ngun Mei Yan , Crompton Douglas , Sriamareswaran Rumes Kanna , Rupasinghe Jayantha , Smith Karen , Bladin Chris , Choi Philip M C
Published: January 2023

Background

Time to reperfusion is an important predictor of outcome in ischaemic stroke from large vessel occlusion (LVO). For patients requiring endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), the transfer times from peripheral hospitals in metropolitan and regional Victoria, Australia to comprehensive stroke centres (CSCs) have not been studied.

Aims

To determine transfer and journey times for patients with LVO stroke being transferred for consideration of EVT.

Methods

All patients transferred for consideration of EVT to three Victorian CSCs from January 2017 to December 2018 were included. Travel times were obtained from records matched to Ambulance Victoria and the referring centre via Victorian Stroke Telemedicine or hospital medical records. Metrics of interest included door-in-door-out time (DIDO), inbound journey time and outbound journey time.

Results

Data for 455 transferred patients were obtained, of which 395 (86.8%) underwent EVT. The median DIDO was 107 min (IQR 84–145) for metropolitan sites and 132 min (IQR 108–167) for regional sites. At metropolitan referring hospitals, faster DIDO was associated with use of the same ambulance crew to transport between hospitals (75 (63–90) vs 124 (99–156) min, p<0.001) and the administration of thrombolysis prior to transfer (101 (79–133) vs 115 (91–155) min, p<0.001). At regional centres, DIDO was consistently longer when patients were transported by air (160 (127–195) vs 116 (100–144) min, p<0.001). The overall door-to-door time by air was shorter than by road for sites located more than 250 km away from the CSC.

Conclusion

Transfer times differ significantly for regional and metropolitan patients. A state-wide database to prospectively collect data on all interhospital transfers for EVT would be helpful for future study of optimal transport mode at regional sites and benchmarking of DIDO across the state.
Risk factors for imaging abnormalities after the first febrile urinary tract infection in infants ≤3 months old: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Chong Siew Le , Leow Esther Huimin , Yap Celeste Jia Ying , Chao Sing Ming , Ganesan Indra , Ng Yong Hong
Published: January 2023

Objectives

To assess the association of clinical factors and investigation results (blood and urine) with imaging abnormalities (ultrasound of the kidneys, ureters and bladder; dimercaptosuccinic acid scan; and/or micturating cystourethrogram) and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in infants ≤3 months old presenting with their first febrile UTI.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants ≤3 months old with first febrile UTI admitted from 2010 to 2016. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyse the association of imaging abnormalities and recurrent UTI with covariates selected a priori: age at presentation, maximum temperature, duration of illness at presentation, interval between start of antibiotics and fever resolution, C-reactive protein, total white cell count on the full blood count, bacteraemia, white cell count on the urinalysis and non-Escherichia coligrowth in the urine culture (non-E. coliUTI).

Results

There were 190 infants but 12 did not undergo any imaging. Median age at presentation was 63 days (IQR 41–78). Twenty-four patients had imaging abnormalities. Non-E. coliUTI (adjusted OR (aOR) 5.01, 95% CI 1.65 to 15.24, p=0.004) was independently associated with imaging abnormalities, while bacteraemia (aOR 4.93, 95% CI 1.25 to 19.43, p=0.022) and non-E. coliUTI (aOR 5.06, 95% CI 1.90 to 13.48, p=0.001) were independently associated with recurrent UTI.

Conclusion

Non-E. coliUTI at the first febrile UTI in infants ≤3 months old may be useful in predicting imaging abnormalities while bacteraemia and non-E. coliUTI may be useful to predict recurrent UTI.
Strength Training Rehabilitation Incorporating Power Exercises (STRIPE) for individuals with patellofemoral pain: a randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Glaviano Neal R , Mangum L Colby , Bazett-Jones David M , DiStefano Lindsay J , Toland Michael D , Boling Michelle
Published: January 2023

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a chronic condition that presents with patellar pain during various daily and recreational activities. Individuals with PFP have a wide range of impairments that result in long-term disability and reduced quality of life. Current interventions target hip muscle weakness with strength-based exercises, but recurrence rates are as high as 90%. A single feasibility study demonstrated success with power-based exercises; however, there is limited evidence evaluating pain or self-reported function in larger cohorts, and no study has assessed recurrence rates. This protocol details a study evaluating a strength-based rehabilitation programme compared with a strength-based programme incorporating power-based exercises in individuals with PFP. This single-blinded randomised controlled trial will evaluate 88 participants with PFP, aged 18–40 years old. Participants will be recruited from three universities, the surrounding community and sports medicine clinics. Participants will receive three telemedicine rehabilitation sessions a week for 6 weeks. The rehabilitation programme will consist of either strength-based exercises or a combination of power and strength-based exercises. Pain, subjective function and recurrence rates will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention and at four follow-up time points: 6-month, 12-month, 18-month and 24-month postintervention. We will also assess neuromuscular function of the hips and global rating of change at each postintervention time point. Trial registration numberNCT05403944.
Negotiating a new chair package: context and considerations
Authors: Weidner Amanda , Elwood Samantha , Koopman Richelle , Phillips Julie , Schmitz David , Li Li , Catinella A Peter , Robinson Jehni , Rianon Nahid , Peek C J , Asif Irfan
Published: January 2023

Negotiating a resource package as a potential new department chair is common practice in academic medicine. The foundations for this negotiation include the historical presence of the department in relation to the broader institution, projections for future growth, accounting for mission/vision, resource needs (space, personnel, finances, etc), faculty and staff development, and external partnerships within and outside the institution. Despite similarities in this process across departments, many nuances influence the development of a specific new chair package, such as, department size; desires, perspectives and talents of the incoming chair, the department faculty, the medical school and dean; prevailing agendas and mission imperatives; and the overall priorities of the institution. With strategy and forethought, a new chair package can promote a successful chair tenure and departmental growth. Assembled through the Association of Departments of Family Medicine with input from several dozen department chairs and senior leaders, this is intended to serve as a practical guide to new chair packages for chair candidates.
Subcostal transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia in liver transplant recipients: a before-and-after study
Authors: Assefi Mona , Trillaud Emma , Vezinet Corinne , Duceau Baptiste , Baron Elodie , Pons Stephanie , Clavieras Noemie , Quemeneur Cyril , Selves Agathe , Scatton Olivier , Monsel Antoine , Constantin Jean-Michel
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Postoperative pain management after orthotopic liver transplantation is complex due to impaired liver function and frequent acute kidney dysfunction. Subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block may be of interest in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of subcostal TAP block on opioid consumption after liver transplantation.

Methods

We conducted a before-and-after single center study. During the first period, we included patients whom did not receive an analgesic TAP block. During the second period, we included those with bilateral ultrasound-guided subcostal TAP block (20 mL ropivacaïne 0.2% each side). Patients requiring sedation within 48 hours of surgery as well as patients with combined liver and kidney transplants or skin-only closures were excluded. The primary outcome was cumulative oral morphine consumption within 48 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes included pain scores and TAP block-related complications.

Results

A total of 132 patients were included in the non-TAP block group and 78 patients in the TAP block group. The median oral morphine equivalent consumption (IQR) within 48 hours following surgery was 74 mg (39; 112) for the non-TAP block group and 50 mg (20; 80) for the TAP block group (p<0.001). There was no difference in pain scores between the two groups. No complications related to the TAP block were reported.

Conclusion

Subcostal TAP block appears to have a small opioid reducing effect after orthotopic liver transplantation surgery.
Comparison of cooled versus conventional radiofrequency treatment of the genicular nerves for chronic knee pain: a multicenter non-inferiority randomized pilot trial (COCOGEN trial)
Authors: Vanneste Thibaut , Belba Amy , Kallewaard Jan Willem , van Kuijk Sander M J , Gelissen Marloes , Emans Peter , Bellemans Johan , Smeets Kristof , Terwiel Chris , Van Boxem Koen , Sommer Micha , Van Zundert Jan
Published: January 2023

Background

Radiofrequency (RF) treatment of the genicular nerves has the potential to reduce chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis or persistent postsurgical pain, however, a direct comparison between the two main modalities used, conventional and cooled, is lacking.

Methods

This double blind, non-inferiority, pilot, randomized controlled trial compared the effects of cooled and conventional RF in chronic knee pain patients suffering from osteoarthritis or persistent postsurgical pain after total knee arthroplasty. Patients were randomized following a 1:1 rate. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with ≥50% pain reduction at 3 months postintervention. Other outcomes were knee pain, functionality, quality of life, emotional health, and adverse events up to 6 months postintervention. Conventional RF treatment was tested for non-inferiority to cooled in reducing knee pain at 3 months follow-up.

Results

Forty-nine of 70 patients were included, of which 47 completed a 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome was achieved in 4 of 23 patients treated with conventional RF (17%) vs in 8 of 24 with cooled (33%) (p=0,21). Results from the non-inferiority comparison were inconclusive in relation to the non-inferiority margin. There was no statistically significant difference between secondary outcomes. There were no serious adverse events.

Conclusions

Both conventional and cooled RF treatment reduced pain in the osteoarthritis and persistent postsurgical pain population. This pilot study did not demonstrate statistically significant differences in the proportion of patients experiencing ≥50% pain reduction between techniques. The non-inferiority analysis was inconclusive. These results warrant further research.

Trial registration number

NCT03865849.
Acute right insular ischaemic lesions and poststroke left ventricular dysfunction
Authors: Winder Klemens , Villegas Millar Carolina , Siedler Gabriela , Knott Michael , Dörfler Arnd , Engel Anna , Achenbach Stephan , Hilz Max J , Kallmünzer Bernd , Schwab Stefan , Seifert Frank , Fröhlich Kilian
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Myocardial injury related to acute ischaemic stroke is common even without primary cardiac disease. We intended to determine associations between values of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and ischaemic stroke lesion sites.

Methods

Of a local database, patients with acute first-ever ischaemic stroke confirmed by brain imaging but without pre-existing heart disease were included. The cardiac morphology and LVEF were obtained from transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography, and impaired LVEF was categorised as mild (35%–50%), moderate (34%–25%) and severe (<25%). Patient age, stroke severity, ischaemic lesion volume, prevalence of troponin I increase (>0.1 ng/mL), atrial fibrillation and cardiac wall motion abnormalities were assessed and compared between patients with and without impaired LVEF after stroke (significance: p<0.05). A multivariate voxelwise lesion analysis correlated LVEF after stroke with sites of ischaemic lesions.

Results

Of 1209 patients who had a stroke, 231 (mean age 66.3±14.0 years) met the inclusion criteria; 40 patients (17.3%) had an impaired LVEF after stroke. Patients with impaired LVEF had higher infarct volumes (53.8 mL vs 30.0 mL, p=0.042), a higher prevalence of troponin increase (17.5% vs 4.2%, p=0.006), cardiac wall motion abnormalities (42.5% vs 5.2%, p<0.001) and atrial fibrillation (60.0% vs 26.2%, p<0.001) than patients with LVEF of >50%. The multivariate voxelwise lesion analysis yielded associations between decreased LVEF and damaged voxels in the insula, amygdala and operculum of the right hemisphere.

Conclusion

Our imaging analysis unveils a prominent role of the right hemispheric central autonomic network, especially of the insular cortex, in the brain–heart axis. Our results support preliminary evidence that acute ischaemic stroke in distinct brain regions of the central autonomic network may directly impair cardiac function and thus further supports the concept of a distinct stroke-heart syndrome.
Risks to the Public
Authors: Neumann Peter G.
Published: January 2023

Edited by PGN (Risks Forum Moderator, with contribu- tions by others as indicated. Opinions are individual rather than organizational, with usual disclaimers implied. We ad- dress problems relating to software, hardware, people, and other circumstances relevant to computer systems. Ref- erences (R i j) to the online Risks Forum denote RISKS vol i number j. Cited RISKS items generally identify contributors and sources, together with URLs. Official RISKS archives are available at www.risks.org, with nice html formatting and search engine courtesy of Lindsay Mar- shall at Newcastle: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/i.j.html (also ftp://www.sri.com/risks). CACM Inside Risks: http://www.csl.sri.com/neumann/insiderisks.html
Component Comprehension in Context
Authors: Heinonen Ava
Published: January 2023

A large number of commercial software solutions contain some functionality achieved using different APIs. To use these APIs correctly, programmers must understand what they do and how they work. However, research into the comprehension of APIs has so far been limited. The aim of this research is to expand the current knowledge of program comprehension to include APIs and to analyze API comprehension in the context of software engineering work.
13th Workshop on Automating Test Case Design, Selection and Evaluation (A-TEST 2022) co-located with ESEC/FSE conference
Authors: Kiss Akos , Marín Beatriz , Saadatmand Mehrdad
Published: January 2023

The Workshop on Automating Test Case Design, Selection and Evaluation (A-TEST) has provided a venue for researchers and industry members alike to exchange and discuss trending views, ideas, state of the art, work in progress, and scientific results on automated testing. Up until now it has run 13 editions since 2009. The 13th edition of the A-TEST workshop has been performed as an in-person workshop in Singapore during 17 to 18 of November, 2022. This edition of the A-TEST workshop was co-located with ESEC/FSE 2022 conference.
GE@ICSE
Authors: Jaccheri Letizia , Jamal Lafifa , Lenarduzzi Valentina
Published: January 2023

The software engineering community is realising that diversity plays a key role to the creation of a successful and competitive context for software development and research. Such diversity refers to the combination many aspects such as gender, culture, religion and geographical distribution. The purpose of this workshop is to discuss with software engineering researchers and external experts about gender issues and their interplay with the other diversity aspects. The overall goal of the workshop is to improve the state of gender equality, and in general increase of inclusion and diversity principles in the software engineering community. The 3rd Workshop edition (GE@ICSE2022) on Gender Equality in Software Engineering1 was s fully online due to COVID pandemic. We had more than 30 participants who attended all the sessions. In this edition, the workshop featured a keynote from prof. Alexander Serebrenik (Gender and Community Smells in Software Engineering) and prof. Anita Sarma (Engineering Inclusivity into Your Products). We received 20 papers from 10 countries, underscoring the international importance of this topic. 13 papers were accepted for the proceedings.
Contrastive Learning for Legal Judgment Prediction
Authors: Zhang Han , Dou Zhicheng , Zhu Yutao , Wen Ji-Rong
Published: January 2023

Legal judgment prediction (LJP) is a fundamental task of legal artificial intelligence. It aims to automatically predict the judgment results of legal cases. Three typical subtasks are relevant law article prediction, charge prediction, and term-of-penalty prediction. Due to the wide range of potential applications, LJP has attracted a great deal of interest, prompting the development of numerous approaches. These methods mainly focus on building a more accurate representation of a case’s fact description in order to improve the performance of judgment prediction. They overlook, however, the practical judicial scenario in which human judges often compare similar law articles or possible charges before making a final decision. To this end, we propose a supervised contrastive learning framework for the LJP task. Specifically, we train the model to distinguish (1) various law articles within the same chapter of a Law and (2) similar charges of the same law article or related law articles. By this means, the fine-grained differences between similar articles/charges can be captured, which are important for making a judgment. Besides, we optimize our model by identifying cases with the same article/charge labels, allowing it to more effectively model the relationship between the case’s fact description and its associated labels. By jointly learning the LJP task with the aforementioned contrastive learning tasks, our model achieves better performance than the state-of-the-art models on two real-world datasets.
Pride: The Emotional Foundation of Social Rank Attainment
Authors: Tracy Jessica L. , Mercadante Eric , Hohm Ian
Published: January 2023

Pride is a self-conscious emotion, comprised of two distinct facets known as authentic and hubristic pride, and associated with a cross-culturally recognized nonverbal expression. Authentic pride involves feelings of accomplishment and confidence and promotes prosocial behaviors, whereas hubristic pride involves feelings of arrogance and conceit and promotes antisociality. Each facet of pride, we argue, contributes to a distinct means of attaining social rank: Authentic pride seems to promote prestige—a rank based on earned respect—whereas hubristic pride seems to promote dominance—a rank based on aggression and coercion. Both prestige and dominance are effective routes to power and influence in human groups, so both facets of pride are likely to be functional adaptations. Overall, the reviewed research suggests that pride is likely to be a human universal, critical for social relationships and rank attainment across human societies.
The role of preproglucagon peptides in regulating β-cell morphology and responses to streptozotocin-induced diabetes
Authors: Arble Deanna M. , Hutch Chelsea R. , Hafner Hannah , Stelmak Daria , Leix Kyle , Sorrell Joyce , Pressler Joshua W. , Gregg Brigid , Sandoval Darleen A.
Published: January 2023

We examined the role of Gcg on β-cell function under normal and high glucose conditions. GcgNull mice had decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, increased β-cell mass, and partial protection against STZ-induced hyperglycemia. Expression of Gcg within the pancreas normalized these endpoints. Intestinal expression of Gcg only normalized β-cell mass and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Increased β-cell mass in GcgNull mice likely compensated for decreased insulin secretion normalizing physiological glucose levels and conferring some protection after STZ-induced diabetes
Corrective saccades in acute vestibular neuritis: studying the role of prediction with automated passively induced head impulses
Authors: Kerkeni Hassen , Zee David S. , Korda Athanasia , Morrison Miranda , Mantokoudis Georgios , Ramat Stefano
Published: January 2023

We successfully used a LATER (linear approach to threshold with ergodic rate) analysis of the latencies of corrective saccades in patients with acute vestibular neuritis. We found two types of covert saccades: early (<90 ms) and late (>90 ms) covert saccades. Predictability led to an increase in VOR gain and a decrease in saccade latency.
Short-term effects of visuomotor discrepancies on multisensory integration, proprioceptive recalibration, and motor adaptation
Authors: Debats Nienke B. , Heuer Herbert , Kayser Christoph
Published: January 2023

The functional relation between multisensory integration and recalibration remains debated. We here refute the notion that they coemerge in an obligatory manner and support the hypothesis that they serve distinct goals of perception.
The Effect of Educational Intervention Based on Theory of Planned Behavior Approach on Complementary Feeding: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Rachmah Qonita , Astina Junaida , Atmaka Dominikus Raditya , Khairani Leli
Published: January 2023

Complementary feeding should be given to infants at 6 months in addition to breastmilk. Mothers’ knowledge and behavior in giving adequate complementary feeding are crucial to prevent malnutrition risk. During the pandemic, conventional nutrition education cannot be maintained and could lead to decreased mothers’ knowledge. This study is aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of nutrition education using online digital platforms (WhatsApp) to improve a mother’s behavior in providing nutritious complementary food based on the theory of planned behavior approach. This was a quasiexperiment with one pretest and posttest design group in the form of education and counselling. Ten educational sessions were developed to improve one or more TPB constructs. Media used for education are PowerPoint, text description, posters, and video tutorials; it is implemented by sending materials through the WhatsApp application. Using 80% power, the sample size was calculated for 155 subjects. Subjects were recruited through the accidental sampling method. Data was collected by the online method using a validated open-ended self-developed questionnaire for knowledge, while attitude, subjective norms, intention, and self-efficacy were measured using a Likert-scale questionnaire, where participants rated the strength of their belief that they could engage in a specific task. The paired

t

-test was used to analyze the difference in outcomes measured. The response rate of this study was accounted for at 77.5%. The mean age of mothers was 28.2 years old; most of them were university graduates (80.2%) and working as private sector workers (40.0%). The average child’s age was 6.6 months old. 78.2% of children were exclusively breastfed. Our study revealed that 10 sessions of nutrition education and counselling covered over 8 days increased the mother’s knowledge (

60.0
±
15.5

vs.

80.3
±
15.0

, respectively, before and after education;

p
<
0.005

) and resulted in psychological changes including mother’s attitude (

64.3
±
4.9

vs.

65.8
±
3.9

), subjective norm (

3.76
±
0.9

vs.

3.87
±
1.0

), perceived behavioral control (

3.78
±
0.9

vs.

4.12
±
0.12

), self-efficacy (

63.3
±
22.5

vs.

77.5
±
19.2

), and intention toward giving nutritious complementary feeding (

4.11
±
1.0

vs.

4.30
±
0.9

;

p
<
0.005

). WhatsApp nutrition education proved to be effective in improving the mother’s knowledge and behavior in providing nutritious complementary food; thus, it has potential for use. In the future, the Ministry of Health from the district to the national level could implement this type of education as an alternative of conventional nutrition education through scheduled classes.
COVID-19 Information on YouTube: Analysis of Quality and Reliability of Videos in Eleven Widely Spoken Languages across Africa
Authors: Narain Kapil , Appiah Bimpong Kingsley , Kosasia Wamukota O’Neil , Ogunfolaji Oloruntoba , Nelson Udeme-Abasi U. , Dutta Anirban , Ogunleye Ayodeji , van der Westhuizen Eileen , Eni Emmanuel , Hamza Abdalrheem Almthani , Mesfin Samuel , Munezero Aimée Bernice , Nxumalo Nazo , Xozwa Okuhle
Published: January 2023

Introduction. Whilst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rollout is well underway, there is a concern in Africa where less than 2% of global vaccinations have occurred. In the absence of herd immunity, health promotion remains essential. YouTube has been widely utilised as a source of medical information in previous outbreaks and pandemics. There are limited data on COVID-19 information on YouTube videos, especially in languages widely spoken in Africa. This study investigated the quality and reliability of such videos. Methods. Medical information related to COVID-19 was analysed in 11 languages (English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Twi, Arabic, Amharic, French, and Swahili). Cohen’s Kappa was used to measure inter-rater reliability. A total of 562 videos were analysed. Viewer interaction metrics and video characteristics, source, and content type were collected. Quality was evaluated using the Medical Information Content Index (MICI) scale and reliability was evaluated by the modified DISCERN tool. Results. Kappa coefficient of agreement for all languages was

p
<
0.01

. Informative videos (471/562, 83.8%) accounted for the majority, whilst misleading videos (12/562, 2.13%) were minimal. Independent users (246/562, 43.8%) were the predominant source type. Transmission of information (477/562 videos, 84.9%) was most prevalent, whilst content covering screening or testing was reported in less than a third of all videos. The mean total MICI score was 5.75/5 (SD 4.25) and the mean total DISCERN score was 3.01/5 (SD 1.11). Conclusion. YouTube is an invaluable, easily accessible resource for information dissemination during health emergencies. Misleading videos are often a concern; however, our study found a negligible proportion. Whilst most videos were fairly reliable, the quality of videos was poor, especially noting a dearth of information covering screening or testing. Governments, academic institutions, and healthcare workers must harness the capability of digital platforms, such as YouTube to contain the spread of misinformation.
Comparative Study of Ectopic Lymphoid Aggregates in Sheep and Murine Models of Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Perera Udari Eshani , Organ Louise , Royce Simon G. , Samuel Chrishan S. , Derseh Habtamu B. , Dewage Sasika N. V. , Koumoundouros Emmanuel , Stent Andrew , Snibson Kenneth J.
Published: January 2023

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disease characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in the interstitial lung parenchyma, often manifested by dyspnea and progressive loss of lung function. The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of IPF is not well understood. This study evaluated the histopathological and inflammatory components of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mouse and sheep models, in terms of their ability to translate to the human IPF. Merino sheep (n = 8) were bronchoscopically administered with two bleomycin infusions, two weeks apart, into a caudal lung segment, with a saline (control) administered into a caudal segment in the opposite lung. Balb/c mice were twice intranasally instilled, one week apart, with either bleomycin (n = 7); or saline (control, n = 7). Lung samples were taken for the histopathological assessment 28 days in sheep and 21 days in mice after the first bleomycin administration. We observed tertiary lymphoid aggregates, in the fibrotic lung parenchyma of sheep, but not in mouse lung tissues exposed to bleomycin. B-cell and T-cell infiltration significantly increased in sheep lung tissues compared to mouse lung tissues due to bleomycin injury. Statistical analysis showed that the fibrotic score, fibrotic fraction, and tissue fraction significantly increased in sheep lung tissues compared to murine lung tissues. The presence of tertiary lymphoid aggregates in the lung parenchyma and increased infiltration of T-cells and B-cells, in the sheep model, may be useful for the future study of the underlying inflammatory disease mechanisms in the lung parenchyma of IPF patients.
Lattice Boltzmann Method for the Generalized Black-Scholes Equation
Authors: Wu Fangfang , Xu Duoduo , Tian Ming , Wang Yingying
Published: January 2023

In this paper, an efficient lattice Boltzmann model for the generalized Black-Scholes equation governing option pricing is proposed. The Black-Scholes equation is firstly equivalently transformed into an initial value problem for a partial differential equation with a source term using the variable substitution and the derivative rules, respectively. Then, applying the multiscale Chapman-Enskog expansion, the amending function is expanded to second order to recover the convective and source terms of the macroscopic equation. The D1Q3 lattice Boltzmann model with spatial second-order accuracy is constructed, and the accuracy of the established D1Q5 model is greater than second order. The numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and numerical accuracy of the proposed models and indicate that our proposed models are suitable for solving the Black-Scholes equation. The proposed lattice Boltzmann model can also be applied to a class of partial differential equations with variable coefficients and source terms.
Using a Clinical Decision Support System to Improve Anticoagulation in Patients with Nonvalve Atrial Fibrillation in China’s Primary Care Settings: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Ru Xueying , Wang Tianhao , Zhu Lan , Ma Yunhui , Qian Liqun , Sun Huan , Pan Zhigang
Published: January 2023

Background. To primarily investigate the effect of using a clinical decision support system (CDSS) in community health centers in Shanghai, China, on the proportion of patients prescribed guideline-directed antithrombotic therapy. This study also gauged the general practitioner (GP)’s acceptance of the CDSS who worked in the atrial fibrillation (AF) special consulting room of the CDSS group. Methods. This was a prospective cohort study that included a semistructured interview and a feasibility study for a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients who sought medical care in the AF special consulting rooms in two community health centers in Shanghai, China, between April 1, 2020, and October 1, 2020, were enrolled, and their medical records from the enrollment date, up to October 1, 2021, were extracted. Based on whether the GPs in the AF special consulting rooms of the two sites used the CDSS or not, we classified the two sites as a software group and a control group. The CDSS could automatically assess the risks of stroke and bleeding and provide suggestions on treatment, follow-up, adjustment of anticoagulants or dosage, and other items. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients prescribed guideline-directed antithrombotic therapy. We also conducted a semistructured interview with the GP in the AF special consulting rooms of the software group regarding the acceptance of the CDSS and suggestions on the optimization of the CDSS and the study protocol of the cluster-randomized controlled trial in the future. Results. Eighty-four patients completed the follow-up. The mean age of these subjects was 75.71 years, the median time of clinical visits was six times per person, and the follow-up duration was 15 months. The basic demographics were similar between the two groups, except for age (t = 2.109,

p

 = 0.038) and the HAS-BLED score (χ2 = 4.363,

p

 = 0.037). The primary outcome in the software group was 8.071 times higher than that in the control group (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 8.071, 95% confidence interval (2.570–25.344),

p

 < 0.001). The frequency of consultation between groups was not significantly different (

p

 = 0.981). It seemed that the incidence of adverse clinical events in the software group was lower than that in the control group. The main reason for dropouts in both groups was “following up in other hospitals.” The GP in the AF special consulting rooms of the software group accepted the CDSS well. Conclusions. The findings indicated that it was feasible to further promote the CDSS in the study among community health centers in China. The use of the CDSS might improve the proportion of patients prescribed guideline-directed antithrombotic therapy. The GP in the AF special consulting room of the software group showed a positive attitude toward the CDSS.