bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Everyday politics of care and exclusion: Conceptualising agency in rural south India
Authors: Arora Saurabh , Menon Ajit , Vijayabaskar M , Sharma Divya , Gajendran V
Published: December 2022

Confronting social exclusion is considered critical for grappling with poverty, livelihoods, inequality and participation in rural India. Studies highlight how exclusion is produced through hierarchical relations of caste, gender, class, religion, disability and ethnicity, while documenting people's agency to confront exclusions. However, the making of such agency through people's relations with ecologies and technologies is currently neglected. To address this neglect, we focus on different sociomaterial ways of relating – care and exclusion – which constitute people's agency. We argue that giving close attention to multiple ways of relating that coexist and interweave with each other, may be crucial for supporting grassroots transformations for justice and sustainability. To illustrate this ways-of-relating approach to agency, we rely on oral history narratives with three elderly people from rural Tamil Nadu, while building on insights from feminist scholars as well as science and technology studies. Central to the people's histories narrated in this article are uncertainties that yield non-linearities and loose ends. They foreground plural and flexible dimensions of each of our core concepts, from care and exclusion to intersections and relational agency. This open-ended plurality of dimensions, we conclude, may be crucial for concepts to find relevance in widely different settings.
Surprise! Why enactivism and predictive processing are parting ways: The case of improvisation
Authors: Gallagher Shaun
Published: December 2022

Can we explain how the various factors of knowledge, skill, habit, environmental constraints and affordances interact or integrate in improvisational performance? In attempting to explain how this integration takes place, I’ll consider two possible approaches: predictive processing (PP) and enactivism. I’ll argue that PP, which, on a neuroscientific view, conceives of the mind as set up to avoid surprise, will not be able to explain improvisation if it remains true to its own principles. In contrast, I’ll argue, enactivism, as a form of embodied cognition that takes the explanatory unit to be the brain-body environment, can offer a better explanation of improvisation. I’ll also argue that the notion of habit is central to this account.
Political plasticity and possibilities for political change
Authors: Moghaddam Fathali M.
Published: December 2022

This brief paper explores possibilities for change in political behavior through what I term “political plasticity.” Revolutions provide a suitable context in which to critically examine political plasticity, particularly when the revolutionaries who come to power attempt to bring about radical political changes. The examples of the Bolsheviks who attempted to implement collectivization after the 1917 revolution in Russia, and the Shi’a Muslim fundamentalists, who attempted to create a healthy dictatorial society under velayat-e-faghih after the 1979 revolution in Iran, are used to illustrate limitations to political plasticity, shedding light on possibilities for changes in political behavior.
Life cycle assessment of MycoWorks’ Reishi™: the first low-carbon and biodegradable alternative leather
Authors: Williams Ellie , Cenian Katarzyna , Golsteijn Laura , Morris Bill , Scullin Matthew L.
Published: December 2022

Background

Over the past few years, several alternative leather technologies have emerged and promise advantages over incumbent leathers with respect to sustainability despite most containing enough plastic to prevent safe and effective biodegradation. Of the alternative leathers in production or advanced development, few fit the dual criteria of low-carbon and near-zero plastic. Reishi™ is a leather alternative, grown using MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium™ technology, with less than 1% polymer content and satisfies the same performance, quality, and hand feel as animal leather. We present here the first Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Reishi™, detailing its “cradle-to-gate” carbon footprint and broader environmental profile. The pilot- and full-scale production of 1 m2 of post-processed, finished, and packaged Reishi™ both before and after production improvement implementations is modeled, and the environmental footprint impact assessment method is performed.

Results

It was found that Reishi’s™ carbon footprint is as low as 2.76 kg CO2-eq per m2, or 8% of the value of the bovine leather benchmark modeled. Furthermore, it was found that Reishi™ has a lower impact compared to bovine leather modeled across a number of impact categories, including eutrophication, ecotoxicity, human health effects, and others. Reishi’s™ impact “hotspots” were determined, with the largest opportunity for further reduction being improved energy efficiency in the growth of mycelium, in particular, the process’s sterilization of raw material inputs via autoclave tools. It is also shown that MycoWorks’ passive process for growing mycelium has a carbon footprint two orders of magnitude lower than incumbent mycelium growth processes that actively consume carbon dioxide gas, which MycoWorks’ process does not require.

Conclusions

Reishi™ is shown to be a promising sustainable material through its unique combination of natural quality, low-carbon footprint as determined by this LCA, and biodegradability due to its lack of plastic or crosslinked content. Its manufacturing process is low impact even when produced at a scale of tens of thousands of square meters per year—a miniscule fraction of the billions of square meters of bovine leather already sold per year. With further use of this leather alternative, additional efficiency gains are likely to be realized.
A role for worm cutl-24 in background- and parent-of-origin-dependent ER stress resistance
Authors: Wang Wenke , Flury Anna G. , Rodriguez Andrew T. , Garrison Jennifer L. , Brem Rachel B.
Published: December 2022

Background

Organisms in the wild can acquire disease- and stress-resistance traits that outstrip the programs endogenous to humans. Finding the molecular basis of such natural resistance characters is a key goal of evolutionary genetics. Standard statistical-genetic methods toward this end can perform poorly in organismal systems that lack high rates of meiotic recombination, like Caenorhabditis worms.

Results

Here we discovered unique ER stress resistance in a wild Kenyan C. elegans isolate, which in inter-strain crosses was passed by hermaphrodite mothers to hybrid offspring. We developed an unbiased version of the reciprocal hemizygosity test, RH-seq, to explore the genetics of this parent-of-origin-dependent phenotype. Among top-scoring gene candidates from a partial-coverage RH-seq screen, we focused on the neuronally-expressed, cuticlin-like gene cutl-24 for validation. In gene-disruption and controlled crossing experiments, we found that cutl-24 was required in Kenyan hermaphrodite mothers for ER stress tolerance in their inter-strain hybrid offspring; cutl-24 was also a contributor to the trait in purebred backgrounds.

Conclusions

These data establish the Kenyan strain allele of cutl-24 as a determinant of a natural stress-resistant state, and they set a precedent for the dissection of natural trait diversity in invertebrate animals without the need for a panel of meiotic recombinants.
Bacterial dynamics during the burial of starch-based bioplastic and oxo-low-density-polyethylene in compost soil
Authors: Wicaksono Joshua Abednego , Purwadaria Tresnawati , Yulandi Adi , Tan Watumesa Agustina
Published: December 2022

Background

Plastic waste accumulation is one of the main ecological concerns in the past decades. A new generation of plastics that are easier to degrade in the environment compared to conventional plastics, such as starch-based bioplastics and oxo-biodegradable plastics, is perceived as a solution to this issue. However, the fate of these materials in the environment are unclear, and less is known about how their presence affect the microorganisms that may play a role in their biodegradation. In this study, we monitored the dynamics of bacterial community in soil upon introduction of commercial carrier bags claimed as biodegradable: cassava starch-based bioplastic and oxo-low-density polyethylene (oxo-LDPE). Each type of plastic bag was buried separately in compost soil and incubated for 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. Following incubation, soil pH and temperature as well as the weight of remaining plastics were measured. Bacterial diversity in soil attached to the surface of remaining plastics was analyzed using Illumina high-throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 region of 16SrRNA gene.

Results

After 120 days, the starch-based bioplastic weight has decreased by 74%, while the oxo-LDPE remained intact with only 3% weight reduction. The bacterial composition in soil fluctuated over time with or without the introduction of either type of plastic. While major bacterial phyla remained similar for all treatment in this study, different types of plastics led to different soil bacterial community structure. None of these bacteria were abundant continuously, but rather they emerged at specific time points. The introduction of plastics into soil increased not only the population of bacteria known for their ability to directly utilize plastic component for their growth, but also the abundance of those that may interact with direct degraders. Bacterial groups that are involved in nitrogen cycling also arose throughout burial.

Conclusions

The introduction of starch-based bioplastic and oxo-LDPE led to contrasting shift in soil bacterial population overtime, which may determine their fate in the environment.
Working towards arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) from fruit: carbohydrate composition and impact on fungal growth
Authors: Leszczuk Agata , Zając Adrian , Cybulska Justyna , Stefaniuk Dawid , Zdunek Artur
Published: December 2022

Background

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are extracellular matrix constituents involved in plant response to fungal infection. The aim of the current study was to investigate the antifungal effect of AGPs ex situ and to determine the structural features of AGPs that may have an influence on this activity. The features of AGPs isolated from fruit were investigated with molecular tools based on specific monoclonal antibodies recognizing carbohydrate AGP epitopes. The Antifungal (well-diffusion) Susceptibility Test and the Agar Invasion Test were used to assess the impact of AGPs on Penicillium notatum culture.

Results

The results definitely ruled out the influence of AGPs on fungal growth. The immunochemical analyses revealed that AGPs consist mainly of carbohydrate chains composed of β-linked glucuronosyl residues recognized by LM2 and GlcA-β(1 → 3)-GalA-α(1 → 2) Rha recognized by JIM13, which do not have the same functional properties outside the plant cell in in vitro experimental conditions.

Conclusions

The action of a single cell wall component does not elicit any influence ex situ. The extensive accumulation of glycan chains of AGPs in infected tissue as a result of a complex mechanism occurring in the cell wall emphasizes the importance of dependencies between particular components of the extracellular matrix in response to fungal attack.
The REACT study: design of a randomized phase 3 trial to assess the efficacy and safety of clazosentan for preventing deterioration due to delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Bruder Nicolas , Higashida Randall , Santin-Janin Hugues , Dubois Cécile , Aldrich E. François , Marr Angelina , Roux Sébastien , Mayer Stephan A.
Published: December 2022

Background

For patients presenting with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The REACT study is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of clazosentan in preventing clinical deterioration due to DCI in patients with aSAH.

Methods

REACT is a prospective, multicenter, randomized phase 3 study that is planned to enroll 400 patients with documented aSAH from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, randomized 1:1 to 15 mg/hour intravenous clazosentan vs. placebo, in approximately 100 sites and 15 countries. Eligible patients are required to present at hospital admission with CT evidence of significant subarachnoid blood, defined as a thick and diffuse clot that is more than 4 mm in thickness and involves 3 or more basal cisterns. The primary efficacy endpoint is the occurrence of clinical deterioration due to DCI up to 14 days post-study drug initiation. The main secondary endpoint is the occurrence of clinically relevant cerebral infarction at Day 16 post-study drug initiation. Other secondary endpoints include the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) score at Week 12 post-aSAH, dichotomized into poor and good outcome. Radiological results and clinical endpoints are centrally evaluated by independent committees, blinded to treatment allocation. Exploratory efficacy endpoints comprise the assessment of cognition status at 12 weeks and quality of life at 12 and 24 weeks post aSAH.

Discussion

In the REACT study, clazosentan is evaluated on top of standard of care to determine if it reduces the risk of clinical deterioration due to DCI after aSAH. The selection of patients with thick and diffuse clots is intended to assess the benefit/risk profile of clazosentan in a population at high risk of vasospasm-related ischemic complications post-aSAH.

Trial registration (Additional file 1)

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03585270). EU Clinical Trial Register (EudraCT Number: 2018–000241-39).
Interactions of the chemokines CXCL11 and CXCL12 in human tumor cells
Authors: Koch Christian , Fischer Nina Charlotte , Puchert Malte , Engele Jürgen
Published: December 2022

Background

The chemokines, CXCL12 and CXCL11, are upregulated in tumors from many organs and control their progression. CXCL12 and CXCL11 affect tumor cell functions by either binding their prime receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR3, respectively, and/or CXCR7 as a common second chemokine receptor. In humans, CXCR3 exists in the functional splice variants, CXCR3A and CXCR3B, which either have pro- or anti-tumor activity, respectively. Despite the intimate crosstalk between the CXCL12- and CXCL11-system, the impact of a combination of CXCL12 and CXCL11 on tumor progression remains vague.

Methods

In the present work, we have analyzed CXCL12 and CXCL11 for combined effects on migration, invasion, proliferation, and cytostatic-induced apoptosis of the human tumor cells, A549, A767, A772, DLD-1, and MDA-MB-231.

Results

We demonstrate that the mode of interaction differs with respect to cell type and function and allows for either potentiation, attenuation or no changes of cellular responses. The divergent responses are not the result of the distinct use of different CXCL12- and CXCL11-receptors by the respective tumor cells, but in case of cell migration seem to be associated with the activation of p38 signaling pathways.

Conclusions

Our findings point to therapeutic limitations of ongoing efforts to selectively target CXCR3, CXCR4, or CXCR7 in cancer patients, and rather favor individualized targeting strategies.
Assessment of outer retinal thickness and function in mice after experimental optic nerve trauma
Authors: Lypka Karin Rose , Carmy-Bennun Tal , Garces Kimberly N. , Venanzi Alexander W. , Hackam Abigail S.
Published: December 2022

Background

Optic nerve trauma caused by crush injury is frequently used for investigating experimental treatments that protect retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and induce axonal regrowth. Retaining outer retinal light responses is essential for therapeutic rescue of RGCs after injury. However, whether optic nerve crush also damages the structure or function of photoreceptors has not been systematically investigated. In this study, we investigated whether outer retinal thickness and visual function are altered by optic nerve crush in the mouse.

Methods

Wildtype mice underwent optic nerve crush and intravitreal injection of a control solution in one eye with the fellow eye remaining uninjured. Two weeks after injury, the thickness of the ganglion cell region (GCL to IPL) and photoreceptor layer (bottom of the OPL to top of the RPE) were measured using OCT. Retinal function was assessed using flash ERGs. Immunodetection of RGCs was performed on retinal cryosections and RGCs and ONL nuclei rows were counted. Multiple comparison analyses were conducted using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s post hoc test and P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Optic nerve crush injury induced RGC death as expected, demonstrated by thinning of the ganglion cell region and RGC loss. In contrast, outer retinal thickness, photopic and scotopic a-wave and b-wave amplitudes and photoreceptor nuclei counts, were equivalent between injured and uninjured eyes.

Conclusions

Secondary degeneration of the outer retina was not detected after optic nerve injury in the presence of significant RGC death, suggesting that the retina has the capacity to compartmentalize damage. These findings also indicate that experimental treatments to preserve the GCL and rescue vision using this optic nerve injury model would not require additional strategies to preserve the ONL.
Reference role of middle turbinate axilla in lacrimal sac localization assisted by computed tomographic dacryocystography-reference value of middle turbinate in locating lacrimal sac
Authors: Yang Lihong , Li Hongxun , Yin Zhi , Zhang Lei , Yang Zhenhai
Published: December 2022

Background

The middle turbinate axilla (MTA) has always been used as a stable anatomic landmark for endoscopic surgeons to locate the lacrimal sac on the lateral nasal wall. Yet, little is known about whether the lacrimal sac size will affect the positioning effect of MTA on lacrimal sac. The aim of this study was to investigate the regularity of lacrimal sac size and lacrimal sac localization through the reference position of the MTA on computed tomographic dacryocystography (CT-DCG) images.

Methods

A series of 192 endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgeries were performed. All the patients had been diagnosed as unilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction and received CT-DCG examinations. According to the maximum transverse diameter of the lacrimal sac on CT-DCG, the patients were classified into three groups. Measurements were taken on CT-DCG parasagittal images.

Results

The average distance from the sac superior fundus (SSF) to the MTA was 7.52 mm ± 3.23 mm, and it increased with the increase of the maximum transverse diameter of the sac among groups (p < 0.01). The average distance from the common canaliculus (CC) to the MTA was 3.95 mm ± 2.49 mm. No significant difference was observed among the groups (p = 0.11). The average distance from the CC to the SSF was 3.41 mm ± 1.31 mm, and it increased with the increase of the sac transverse diameter among groups (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The lacrimal sac can be accurately located on the lateral nasal wall by the reference position of the MTA on CT-DCG images. The distance of the SSF to the MTA and the SSF to the CC is related to the lacrimal sac size. The relative position of the CC to the MTA is relatively stable on CT-DCG images, which make it possible to locate the lacrimal sac of different sizes and the corresponding nasal mucosa incision design in endoscopic DCR.
Lactate/albumin ratio as a predictor of in-hospital mortality in critically ill children
Authors: Wang Guan , Liu Junhui , Xu Rui , Fu Yanan , Liu Xinjie
Published: December 2022

Objective

Managing critically ill patients with high mortality can be difficult for clinicians in pediatric intensive care units (PICU), which need to identify appropriate predictive biomarkers. The lactate/albumin (L/A) ratio can precisely stratify critically ill adults. However, the role of the L/A ratio in predicting the outcomes of critically ill children remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prognostic performance of the L/A ratio in predicting in-hospital mortality in unselected critically ill patients in the PICU.

Methods

This was a single-center retrospective study. Clinical data of 8,832 critical patients aged between 28 days and 18 years were collected from the pediatric intensive care (PIC) database from 2010 to 2018. The primary outcome was the in-hospital mortality rate.

Results

There was a higher level of L/A ratio in non-survivors than survivors (P < 0.001). Logistic regression indicated that the association between the L/A ratio and in-hospital mortality was statistically significant (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.31–1.59, P < 0.001). The AUROC of the L/A ratio for predicting in-hospital mortality was higher than lactate level alone (0.74 vs 0.70, P < 0.001). Stratification analysis showed a significant association between the L/A ratio and in-hospital mortality in the age and primary disease groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our study suggested that the L/A ratio was a clinical tool to predict in-hospital mortality in critically ill children better than lactate level alone. However, given that the study was retrospective, more prospective studies should be conducted to test the predictive value of the L/A ratio in critical illness.
ADHD Remote Technology study of cardiometabolic risk factors and medication adherence (ART-CARMA): a multi-centre prospective cohort study protocol
Authors: Denyer Hayley , Ramos-Quiroga J Antoni , Folarin Amos , Ramos Carolina , Nemeth Petra , Bilbow Andrea , Woodward Euan , Whitwell Susannah , Müller-Sedgwick Ulrich , Larsson Henrik , Dobson Richard JB , Kuntsi Jonna
Published: December 2022

Background

Emerging evidence points at substantial comorbidity between adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cardiometabolic diseases, but our understanding of the comorbidity and how to manage cardiometabolic disease in adults with ADHD is limited. The ADHD Remote Technology study of cardiometabolic risk factors and medication adherence (ART-CARMA) project uses remote measurement technology to obtain real-world data from daily life to assess the extent to which ADHD medication treatment and physical activity, individually and jointly, may influence cardiometabolic risks in adults with ADHD. Our second main aim is to obtain valuable real-world data on adherence to pharmacological treatment and its predictors and correlates during daily life from adults with ADHD.

Methods

ART-CARMA is a multi-site prospective cohort study within the EU-funded collaboration ‘TIMESPAN’ (Management of chronic cardiometabolic disease and treatment discontinuity in adult ADHD patients) that will recruit 300 adults from adult ADHD waiting lists. The participants will be monitored remotely over a period of 12 months that starts from pre-treatment initiation. Passive monitoring, which involves the participants wearing a wrist-worn device (EmbracePlus) and downloading the RADAR-base Passive App and the Empatica Care App on their smartphone, provides ongoing data collection on a wide range of variables, such as physical activity, sleep, pulse rate (PR) and pulse rate variability (PRV), systolic peaks, electrodermal activity (EDA), oxygen saturation (SpO2), peripheral temperature, smartphone usage including social connectivity, and the environment (e.g. ambient noise, light levels, relative location). By combining data across these variables measured, processes such as physical activity, sleep, autonomic arousal, and indicators of cardiovascular health can be captured. Active remote monitoring involves the participant completing tasks using a smartphone app (such as completing clinical questionnaires or speech tasks), measuring their blood pressure and weight, or using a PC/laptop (cognitive tasks). The ART system is built on the RADAR-base mobile-health platform.

Discussion

The long-term goal is to use these data to improve the management of cardiometabolic disease in adults with ADHD, and to improve ADHD medication treatment adherence and the personalisation of treatment.
The effect of therapeutic drug monitoring of risperidone and aripiprazole on weight gain in children and adolescents: the SPACe 2: STAR (trial) protocol of an international multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hermans Rebecca A. , Ringeling Lisa T. , Liang Kajie , Kloosterboer Sanne M. , de Winter Brenda C. M. , Hillegers Manon H. J. , Koch Birgit C. P. , Dierckx Bram
Published: December 2022

Background

Antipsychotic drugs are an important part of the treatment of irritability and aggression in children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, significant weight gain and metabolic disturbances are clinically relevant side effects of antipsychotic use in children. In the SPACe study, we showed positive correlations between both risperidone and aripiprazole plasma trough concentrations and weight gain over a 6-month period. The trial SPACe 2: STAR is designed as a follow-up study, in which we aim to research whether therapeutic drug monitoring in clinical practice can prevent severe weight gain, while retaining clinical effectiveness.

Methods

SPACe 2: STAR is an international, multicentre, randomised controlled trial (RCT). One hundred forty children aged 6 to 18 who are about to start risperidone or aripiprazole treatment for ASD related behavioural problems will be randomised into one of two groups: a therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) group, and a care as usual (CAU) group. Participants will be assessed at baseline and 4, 10, 24, and 52 weeks follow-up. In the TDM group, physicians will receive dosing advice based on plasma levels of risperidone and aripiprazole and its metabolites at 4 and 10 weeks. Plasma levels will be measured in dried blood spots (DBS). The primary outcome will be BMI z-score at 24 weeks after start of antipsychotic treatment. Among the secondary outcomes are effectiveness, metabolic laboratory measurements, levels of prolactin, leptin and ghrelin, extrapyramidal side effects, and quality of life.

Discussion

This will be the first RCT evaluating the effect of TDM of antipsychotic drugs in children and adolescents. Thus, findings from SPACe 2: STAR will be of great value in optimising treatment in this vulnerable population.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05146245. EudraCT number: 2020–005450-18. Sponsor protocol name: SPACe2STAR. Registered 8 June 2021. Protocol Version 6, Protocol date: 18 august 2022.
The duty of confidentiality during family involvement: ethical challenges and possible solutions in the treatment of persons with psychotic disorders
Authors: Hansson Kristiane Myckland , Romøren Maria , Weimand Bente , Heiervang Kristin Sverdvik , Hestmark Lars , Landeweer Elleke G. M. , Pedersen Reidar
Published: December 2022

Background

Family involvement during severe mental illness is still poorly implemented, contrary to evidence-based recommendations. Confidentiality issues are among the most prominent barriers, with mental health professionals facing complex ethical, legal, and practical challenges. However, research focusing on this barrier is very sparse. Nested within a cluster-randomised trial to implement guidelines on family involvement for persons with psychotic disorders in community mental health centres, the aim of this sub-study was to explore ethical challenges related to the duty of confidentiality as experienced by mental health professionals, and to explore key measures that might contribute to improving the handling of such challenges.

Methods

In total 75 participants participated in 21 semi-structured focus groups, including implementation team members at the initial and late phase of the intervention period and clinicians who were not on the implementation teams, at late phase of implementation. We used purposive sampling and manifest content analysis to explore participants’ experiences and change processes.

Results

Ethical challenges related to the duty of confidentiality included 1) Uncertainty in how to apply the legislation, 2) Patient autonomy versus a less strict interpretation of the duty of confidentiality, 3) Patient alliance and beneficence versus a less strict interpretation of the duty of confidentiality, 4) How to deal with uncertainty regarding what relatives know about the patients’ illness, and 5) Relatives’ interests versus the duty of confidentiality. Measures to facilitate better handling of the duty of confidentiality included 1) Training and practice in family involvement, and 2) Standardisation of family involvement practices.

Conclusion

When health professionals gained competence in and positive experiences with family involvement, this led to vital changes in how they interpreted and practiced the duty of confidentiality in their ethical reasoning and in clinical practice. Especially, the need to provide sufficient information to the patients about family involvement became evident during the study. To improve the handling of confidentiality issues, professionals should receive training in family involvement and confidentiality statutes followed by practice. Furthermore, family involvement should be standardised, and confidentiality guidelines should be implemented in the mental health services.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03869177. Registered 11.03.19.
Explore the influencing factors and construct random forest models of post-stroke depression at 3 months in males and females
Authors: Qiu Xiuli , Wang He , Lan Yan , Miao Jinfeng , Pan Chensheng , Sun Wenzhe , Li Guo , Wang Yanyan , Zhao Xin , Zhu Zhou , Zhu Suiqiang
Published: December 2022

Background

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common neuropsychiatric complications after stroke. The occurrence, development and prognosis of PSD have long been different between males and females. The main purpose of this study was to explore the influencing factors of PSD at 3 months in males and females, and construct random forest (RF) models to rank the influencing factors.

Methods

This is a prospective multicenter cohort study (Registration number: ChiCTR-ROC-17013993). Stroke patients hospitalized in the department of Neurology of three hospitals in Wuhan were enrolled from May 2018 to August 2019. Scale assessments were performed 24 hours after admission and 3 months after stroke onset. Binary logistic regression analysis was used for univariate and multivariate (stepwise backward method) analysis, when p was less than 0.05, the difference between groups was considered statistically significant. Lastly, the RF models were constructed according to the results of multivariate regression analysis.

Results

This study found that several baseline variables were associated with PSD at 3 months in males and females. RF model ranked them as stroke severity (OR [odds ratio] =1.17, p < 0.001, 95%CI [confidence interval]:1.11–1.24), neuroticism dimension (OR = 1.06, p = 0.002, 95%CI:1.02–1.10), physical exercise (OR = 0.62, p = 0.007, 95%CI:0.44–0.88), sleeping time < 5 h (OR = 1.91, p = 0.006, 95% CI:1.20–3.04) and atrial fibrillation (OR = 4.18, p = 0.012, 95%CI:1.38–12.68) in males. In females, RF model ranked them as psychological resilience (OR = 0.98, p = 0.015, 95%CI:0.96–1.00), ability of daily living (OR = 0.98, p = 0.001, 95%CI:0.97–0.99), neuroticism dimension (OR = 1.11, p = 0.002, 95%CI:1.04–1.18) and subjective support (OR = 1.11, p < 0.001, 95%CI:1.05–1.78).

Conclusion

The study found influencing factors of PSD at 3 months were different in males and females, and construct RF models to rank them according to their importance. This suggests that clinicians should focus their interventions on sex-specific influencing factors in order to improve the prognosis of PSD patients.

Trial registration

ChiCTR-ROC-17013993.
Prevalence, pattern, and predictors of formal help-seeking for intimate partner violence against women: findings from India’s cross-sectional National Family Health Surveys-3 (2005–2006) and 4 (2015–2016)
Authors: Kanougiya Suman , Sivakami Muthusamy , Daruwalla Nayreen , Osrin David
Published: December 2022

Background

Help-seeking for intimate partner violence (IPV) requires women to disclose their experiences. For policymakers, low help-seeking threatens the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of gender equality, good health, and wellbeing. In India, the Prevention of Domestic Violence Against Women Act (PWDVA 2005) was implemented in 2006. Using two rounds of the India National Family Health Survey (NFHS), one before and one after implementation, we examined the prevalence, pattern, and sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors associated with formal help-seeking for IPV.

Methods

We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression models to assess the prevalence of help-seeking for IPV in the past 12 months and examined associations with different forms of IPV and sociodemographic factors.

Results

The proportion of ever-married women aged 15–49 years who reported physical, sexual, or emotional IPV in the last 12 months increased from 23% in NFHS-3 (2005–2006) to 25% in NFHS-4 (2015–2016). In both surveys, few women sought help. Informal sources of help were preferred over formal sources, which declined from NFHS-3 to NFHS-4 (any help: 24.5 to 13.8%; informal help: 24.1 to 13.4%; and formal help: 1.2 to 1.1%). Women from lower castes and women with children were less likely to seek formal help. Over the two surveys, the odds of formal help-seeking for sexual IPV in the past 12 months remained similar (NFHS-3 aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4, 2.5. NFHS-4 aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4, 2.6). The odds were slightly higher for emotional IPV (NFHS-3 aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.8, 3.3. NFHS-4 aOR 2.7, 95% CI 2.0, 3.7) and spousal control (NFHS-3 aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4, 3.0. NFHS-4 aOR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.7).

Conclusions

Low disclosure and help-seeking impact a country’s social, cultural, economic, and political progress. The PWDVA did not appear to result in increases in help-seeking among women in India who experienced IPV. Further work is needed to understand barriers to help-seeking in the presence of public policy efforts to support women affected by IPV. These may include poor implementation and enforcement of Policy, as well as normalization and justification of gender-based violence. We recommend a deeper understanding of help-seeking across all systems to establish a barometer of help-seeking. An increase in formal or informal help-seeking is an indicator of reduced tolerance of IPV and the enabling environment of the PWDVA 2005 for tracking progress toward the SDGs of gender equality and the eradication of all forms of gender-based violence and discrimination.
Sugar-sweetened beverage purchases in urban Peru before the implementation of taxation and warning label policies: a baseline study
Authors: Lowery Caitlin M. , Saavedra-Garcia Lorena , Diez-Canseco Francisco , Cárdenas María Kathia , Miranda J. Jaime , Taillie Lindsey Smith
Published: December 2022

Background

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with obesity and chronic disease. In 2018, Peru increased the tax on high-sugar beverages (≥6 g of sugar per 100 mL) from 17 to 25%, yet little is known about pre-existing beverage trends or demographic characteristics associated with purchases in the country. The aim of this study was to explore beverage purchasing trends from 2016 to 2017 and examine variation in purchase volume by sociodemographic characteristics among urban households in Peru.

Methods

This study used monthly household purchase data from a panel of 5145 households from January 2016–December 2017 from Kantar WorldPanel Peru. Beverage purchases were categorized by type and tax status under the 2018 regulation (untaxed, lower-sugar taxed, high-sugar taxed). To assess beverage purchasing trends, per-capita volume purchases were regressed on a linear time trend, with month dummies for seasonality and clustered standard errors. Mean volume purchases by beverage tax status (total liters purchased per month), overall and by key demographic characteristics (education, socioeconomic status, and geographic region), were calculated. Mean volume by beverage type was assessed to identify the largest contributors to total beverage volume.

Results

The trends analysis showed a decline in total beverage volume of − 52 mL/capita/month (95% CI: − 72, − 32) during the 24-month study period. Over 99% of households purchased untaxed beverages in a month, while > 92% purchased high-sugar taxed beverages. Less than half of all households purchased low-sugar taxed beverages in a month and purchase volume was low (0.3 L/capita/month). Untaxed beverage purchases averaged 9.4 L/capita/month, while households purchased 2.8 L/capita/month of high-sugar taxed beverages in 2017. Across tax categories, volume purchases were largest in the high education and high socioeconomic (SES) groups, with substantial variation by geographic region. The highest volume taxed beverage was soda (2.3 L/capita/month), while the highest volume untaxed beverages were milk and bottled water (1.9 and 1.7 L/capita/month, respectively).

Conclusions

Nearly all households purchased high-sugar taxed beverages, although volume purchases of taxed and untaxed beverages declined slightly from 2016 to 2017. Households with high SES and high education purchased the highest volume of taxed beverages, highlighting the need to consider possible differential impacts of the tax policy change by sub-population groups.
Overcoming barriers and enhancing facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination in the Hispanic community
Authors: Moore Ramey , Rojo Martha O. , Purvis Rachel S. , Marin Luis Paganelli , Yáñez Judith , Reece Sharon , Wells Cheryl , Vaughn Brittany , McElfish Pearl A.
Published: December 2022

Background

Hispanic communities in the United States have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and death. Vaccination against COVID-19 is critical for controlling the pandemic; however, higher levels of vaccine hesitancy and reduced vaccine uptake constrain efforts to mitigate the pandemic and could perpetuate disparities. The aim of this study was to understand barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination through the lived experiences of Hispanic persons living in Arkansas.

Methods

Bilingual community partners facilitated recruitment, made initial contact with potential participants, and scheduled interviews and focus groups. Individuals over the age of 18 who identified as Hispanic were invited to participate. Data was collected from 49 participants in 10 individual interviews and five focus groups. This study used a qualitative exploratory design and thematic analysis.

Results

Five themes emerged as barriers for Hispanic participants: technological literacy and pre-registration, language and literacy, health insurance/health care costs, immigration status, and location and transportation. Three themes emerged as facilitators: workplace vaccination, health care provider recommendations, and engagement through schools.

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, a multi-modal and flexible approach will be implemented by the authors to address barriers to vaccine uptake among the Hispanic community in Arkansas.
ANK2 as a novel predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors and its correlation with antitumor immunity in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Wengang , Shang Xiaoling , Liu Ni , Ma Xinchun , Yang Rui , Xia Handai , Zhang Yuqing , Zheng Qi , Wang Xiuwen , Liu Yanguo
Published: December 2022

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown to significantly improve the survival of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, only limited proportion of patients could benefit from ICIs. Novel biomarkers with strong predictability are needed for clinicians to maximize the efficacy of ICIs. Our study aimed to identify potential biomarkers predicting ICIs efficacy in LUAD.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) PanCancer Atlas studies in cBioportal were used to evaluate the mutation frequency of ANK2 across multiple cancers. Clinical and mutational data for LUAD from ICIs-treated cohorts (Hellmann et al. and Rizvi et al.) were collected to explore the correlation between ANK2 mutation and clinical outcomes. In addition, the relationship between ANK2 expression and clinical outcomes was analyzed using LUAD data from TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus. Furthermore, the impact of ANK2 mutation and expression on the tumor immune microenvironment of LUAD was analyzed using TCGA and TISIDB databases.

Results

Patients with ANK2 mutation benefited more from ICIs. In ICIs-treated cohort, prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS: NR (not reached) vs. 5.42 months, HR (hazard ratio) 0.31, 95% CI 0.18–0.54; P = 0.0037), improved complete response rate (17.65% vs. 1.85%, P = 0.0402), and improved objective response rate (64.71% vs. 24.07%, P = 0.0033) were observed in LUAD patients with ANK2 mutation compared to their wild-type counterparts. Regarding ANK2 expression, it was observed that ANK2 expression was decreased in LUAD (P < 0.05) and a higher level of ANK2 expression was associated with longer overall survival (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.52–0.92; P = 0.012) in TCGA LUAD cohort. Moreover, ANK2 mutation or higher ANK2 expression correlated with enhanced antitumor immunity and “hot” tumor microenvironment in LUAD, which could be potential mechanisms that ANK2 mutation facilitated ICIs therapy and patients with higher ANK2 expression survived longer.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that ANK2 mutation or increased ANK2 expression may serve as a favorable biomarker for the efficacy of ICIs in patients with LUAD.
The predictive association between radiological findings and lung cancer development in patients exposed to sulfur mustard gas: 4 decades follow up of 719 victims
Authors: Kavousi Shahin , Akbarialiabad Hossein , Mehrabani Davood , Mohamadian Alireza , Ghahramani Aria , Shirkhoda Ali , Jalli Reza
Published: December 2022

Background

Respiratory diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the survivors exposed to Sulfur Mustard (SM). The late abnormalities can be present as chronic bronchitis, tracheobronchial stenosis, asthma, bronchiectasis, airway narrowing, lung fibrosis, and lung cancers. This study aims to investigate the association between radiological findings and lung cancer development in patients exposed to sulfur mustard gas.

Methods

We entered 719 victims exposed to SM during the Iran–Iraq war into our follow-up study in a consensus manner. They were periodically followed with Chest HRCT scans from 2001 to an interval of 2014–2019. The mean year interval between exposure and the last follow-up was 38 years. For confirming the lung cancer in those with evidence of malignancy in their imaging, fine needle aspiration/biopsy and/or surgical intervention were done.

Results

Among 719 patients, 57% were free from any pathologic findings in their HRCT scan. Among the subjects who had the abnormal radiologic findings, Air Trapping (AT), Lung Fibrosis (LF), Bronchiectasis (B), and the evidence of lung cancer were found in 265 (36.9%), 207 (28.8%), 151 (21.0%), and 42 (5.8%), respectively. Adenocarcinoma (38.1%) was the most common type of cancer. The right lung was involved more than the left one regarding LF, B, and cancer (p value < 0.05). Considering the laterality, a significant correlation was found between the side of LF and B and the tumor side. Furthermore, it was shown that the lung lobes with LF were statistically correlated to tumor-involved lobes. The relative risk of AT and B existence for tumor development was 11.73 [4.87–28.26] and 10.14 [5.12–20.090], respectively. The most predictive finding was LF which caused the risk of developing tumor 17.75 [7.35–42.86] times higher in the patient with this pathology. By each increment of the number of LF and B, the risk of developing tumors increased by 51% and 76%, respectively.

Conclusion

In survivors exposed to Sulfur Mustard, those with bronchiectasis and lung fibrosis have a significantly higher risk of developing lung cancers, so a close follow-up of these victims is recommended.

Trial registration This study was confirmed by the institutional review board and ethics committee at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) with the ethical code IR.SUMS.MED.REC.1399.637.
Evaluation of the quality and accuracy of breast cancer knowledge among persian language websites
Authors: Alipour Sadaf , Nikooei Shekoofeh , Hosseinpour Reza , Yavari Barhaghtalab Mohammad Javad
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The internet has become a powerful worldwide information source that revolutionized access to knowledge, especially in the fields of health and medicine (health knowledge). Therefore, providing high-quality, accurate, reliable, and relevant information on dependable websites is a possible way of providing the patient with needed information and, thus, achieving the benefits of informed patients regarding outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and accuracy of breast cancer knowledge among Persian language websites.

Methods

Two search engines were searched in the Persian language about breast cancer. The first 30 websites were selected for further evaluation based on the completeness, correctness, transparency, and accessibility of health knowledge. The DISCERN instrument was used to assess the quality of the Persian language websites on this issue.

Results

Among the 30 websites, about 23% of websites provide completely correct information and about 30% provide mostly correct information. Sixty percent of the websites provided author information, and 46% of them had a healthcare professional or expert as the author. Sixty percent of the websites stated the creation date on the pages, while 40% of them did not provide any health knowledge. Scores on accessibility were always easy for most of the websites. Based on the quality rating system of DISCERN, about 60% of the websites were presented as very poor.

Conclusion

Website rankings enable healthcare professionals to identify and signpost patients to reliable up-to-date websites to ensure that patients receive high-quality knowledge. This review has provided evidence of inadequate and inaccurate health knowledge about breast cancer on the Persian language websites. This issue requires further investigation to understand the barriers and solutions available to provide reliable information about breast cancer and how this information affects the patient's outcomes.

Trial registration

The project was found to be in accordance with the ethical principles and the national norms and standards for conducting research in Iran with the approval ID and date of IR.TUMS.IKHC.REC.1399.379 and 2021–01-01 respectively, and is registered with research project number 49890 in the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Development of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

URL:https://ethics.research.ac.ir/EthicsProposalViewEn.php?id=170978.