bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robotic Totally Endoscopic Off-Pump Unroofing of Myocardial Bridge: Early Experience and Midterm Outcomes
Authors: Nisivaco Sarah , Blair John , Patel Amit , Kitahara Hiroto , Allan Tess , Patel Brooke , Coleman Charocka , Balkhy Husam H.
Published: September 2024

Objective:

Myocardial bridging (MB) occurs when a coronary artery, commonly the left anterior descending (LAD), has an intramyocardial course. In symptomatic patients who fail medical therapy, surgical unroofing can provide symptomatic relief by improving coronary blood flow. We present a series of patients undergoing robotic totally endoscopic beating-heart MB unroofing.

Methods:

There were 34 patients with an LAD-MB who failed medical therapy and underwent robotic totally endoscopic, off-pump unroofing between January 2017 and October 2023. Patients were evaluated by a multidisciplinary team and underwent provocative coronary angiography to confirm hemodynamic significance. We reviewed perioperative outcomes and contacted patients for midterm follow-up, including completion of a modified Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ).

Results:

The mean age was 48 ± 8 years, and 56% were female patients. One patient had prior septal myectomy via sternotomy. All patients had significant dobutamine Pd/Pa reduction on preoperative coronary angiography. One patient had atrial fibrillation and underwent concomitant ablation with left atrial appendage ligation. The mean procedure time was 140 ± 69 min. All were completed totally endoscopically off-pump without intraoperative conversions. The mean MB length was 4.5 ± 1.4 cm, and the mean depth was 1.6 ± 0.9 cm. Of the patients, 76% were extubated in the operating room. The mean intensive care unit and hospital length of stay were 0.97 ± 0.58 and 1.73 ± 1.1 days, respectively. There were no mortalities or strokes. There was 1 postoperative take-back for bleeding. At midterm follow-up (19 ± 14 months), 28 patients completed the SAQ; 86% reported “much less angina” during activity compared with before surgery, and 93% reported taking no antianginal medication since surgery.

Conclusions:

In appropriate patients with hemodynamically significant LAD-MB who fail medical therapy, robotic beating-heart unroofing is possible with good outcomes. Further studies are warranted.
Coping With Intoxicated Masculinity: Queer Young Adults’ Experiences and Narratives of Sexual Victimization and Gender in Nightlife
Authors: Bogren Alexandra , Sanders Emile , Antin Tamar , Petersen Margit Anne , Hunt Geoffrey
Published: September 2024

While research on intoxication and violence has been prolific, including research on sexual violence, little of the existing work has examined sexual victimization among sexual and gender minorities (SGM), especially in drinking settings where violence and aggression may be commonplace. Using data from interviews with 200 SGM young adults in the San Francisco Bay Area, we examine SGM young adults’ narratives of sexual victimization within drinking settings, exploring their discussions of objectifying gendered and sexual(ized) encounters and focusing specifically on the respondents’ experiences of cisgender men’s stranger intrusions, and the strategies they adopt in managing and coping with such intrusions.
Support Needs, Barriers, and Facilitators for Fathers With Fear of Childbirth in Sweden: A Mixed-Method Study
Authors: Nordin-Remberger Carita , Johansson Margareta , Lindelöf Karin S. , Wells Michael B.
Published: September 2024

The aim of this mixed-method study was to identify support needs, as well as barriers and facilitators to seeking support in a sample of Swedish fathers with a fear of childbirth (FOC). Participants completed an anonymous quantitative online survey ( N = 131), with three free-text items for those self-identifying as having an FOC ( N = 71) and five individual in-depth interviews. Data analysis included descriptive and chi-square analyses for quantitative data, and manifest content analysis for qualitative data. Those with a severe FOC were more likely to report having on-going mental health difficulties ( p = .039) and one fifth (21%) of the participants with severe FOC wanted to receive professional treatment, but only 8.1% received treatment. Most participants either preferred individual support or to receive support together with their partner. Fathers with severe FOC were more likely to report one or more barriers than those without FOC ( p = .005), where unwanted social stigma was the single largest barrier. Qualitative findings identified one main category: Expectant fathers missing and wishing for support for FOC composed four generic categories: (1) support in developing an understanding of their fear, (2) coping by being aware of feelings, (3) professional support through trust and respect, and (4) needing individualized support. To encourage healthy fathers, clinical professionals should find ways to support fathers, such as by providing them with their own perinatal appointments, asking them about their feelings, as well as screening, diagnosing, and treating fathers with severe FOC.
Thermal and physiochemical characterization of bricks incorporating date palm fiber for use as insulation materials in buildings
Authors: Rima Bouhabila , Nadir Bellel
Published: September 2024

This work presents a new compound to improve thermal comfort and decrease energy usage. The compound is composed of palm fiber, clay, and sand. The purpose of the paper is to assess the impact of combining sustainable and bio-sourced materials into bricks as heat-insulating materials, in addition to embedding the use of biocomposites in buildings. The composites were prepared by adding date palm fibers (size of 0.4 mm) with varying weight concentrations (from 0 wt% to 5 wt%). On the other hand, this biocomposite has been experimentally verified in terms of thermal and physicochemical characterization and energy economy. The TGA and DSC analyses revealed that including DPF impacted the matrix’s thermal properties. The results of FTIR and XRD indicate that fiber inclusion does not influence the chemical structure of the matrix and the non-emergence of new chemicals. This means chemical stability. SEM microscopy images also showed that palm fiber mergins do not affect the matrix. This is due to the excellent blend between palm fiber and clay, which increases the vacuum volume and porosity. Furthermore, the results showed a noticeable decrease in thermal conductivity as the palm fiber weight increased. As well as the energy economy. Hence, DPF has an excellent impact on the thermal and physicochemical properties of the biocomposite. Therefore, adding palm fiber to biocomposites enhances thermal insulation in construction.
An Innovative Program for Hospital Nutrition
Authors: Morgenstern Samantha , Redwood Mercedes , Herby Anna
Published: September 2024

New York City (NYC) Health + Hospitals implemented a nutrition program making plant-based meals the primary lunch and dinner options for patients at its 11 hospitals. Plant-based and culturally diverse meals are prepared and distributed by a central culinary center, managed by Sodexo. Food service associates visit patient rooms and verbally introduce the featured meals each day. To ensure alignment among all staff members, staff are educated about the health benefits of plant-based nutrition and about the new menu items. The plant-based meals have been well received, with patient acceptance over 95% and patient satisfaction above 90%. Per-tray food costs for plant-based entrees cost $0.59 less compared to trays including animal products. Furthermore, the hospital system has achieved a 36% reduction in calculated carbon emissions as a result of the new plant-based menu. Because dietary choices contribute significantly to health and may influence the likelihood of hospital readmissions, prioritizing plant-based meals and nutrition education during the hospital stay may help improve patient outcomes.
Arthritis in the Regional Cultures of the American Nations: An Overlooked Component of a Larger Unhealthy Lifestyle Syndemic
Authors: Arena Ross , Pronk Nicolaas P. , Gertner Elie , Foucher Kharma C , Woodard Colin
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Health indices vary widely within the United States (U.S.), with clear “belts and epicenters” where the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, chronic disease, and disability are all high. Arthritis is a significant, well-established risk factor for developing chronic disease. In this paper, we hypothesize that the prevalence and patterns of arthritis in the U.S. will mirror that of other leading health issues across the country. Methods: We merged county-level data on arthritis, disability, and depression prevalence, the Lifestyle Health Index (LHI), the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and the American Nations regional cultures schematic. Results: Data was available from 3073 U.S. counties. We found age-adjusted arthritis prevalence has statistically significant and generally strong Pearson product correlations (r ≈ 0.70, P < 0.001) with (1) LHI sub scores and overall score; (2) Depression prevalence; (3) Disability prevalence; and (4) SVI. The geographic distribution of age-adjusted arthritis prevalence according to the American Nations regional cultures model demonstrated clear heterogeneity across regions. Conclusions: The status of population health in the U.S. is disconcerting and the current model of health care delivery, which is often approached from a siloed (condition-specific vs holistic care), reactionary, secondary prevention model, is inadequate to the challenge.
Bringing an Equity Lens to Participant Observation in Critical Ethnographic Health Research
Authors: Horrill Tara C. , Varcoe Colleen , Brown Helen , Stajduhar Kelli I. , Browne Annette J.
Published: September 2024

Critically-oriented health research often engages participants whose lives are shaped by structural inequities and structural violence. As scholars who engage in critical theoretical, praxis-oriented research, including research with social justice and decolonizing aims, we are cognizant of the histories of exploitation and structural violence often perpetuated through research. To engage in research that effectively promotes health equity, we are increasingly aware of the necessity of critical research approaches that include processes for engaging in data collection that are respectful, affirming, and minimize harm, and that illuminuate unequal relations of power, challenge the status quo, and contribute to social change. The aim of this paper is to explore participant observation as a method of data collection in critical ethnographic health research with people impacted by structural violence and inequity. Our premise is that it is not possible to conduct research that exposes structural violence, marginalization and social injustices without also critically examining our research processes. To illustrate, we weave together our experiences of conducting critical ethnographic work in diverse contexts to examine the complexities of conducting participant observation with people impacted by structural violence, surfacing the tensions between the potential for harm in research, and strategies for promoting equity. Specifically, we present our collective analysis of how observational practices can reproduce stigma, exacerbate harms associated with methodological and academic colonialism, thereby contributing to epistemic violence, and how participant observation can be deployed in ways that prevent and mitigate such harms. Despite the inherent challenges and complexities, we see immense value in critical ethnographic research that includes participant observation, and we join others in advocating for trauma-, violence-, and justice-informed approaches to critical ethnographic research.
Conference is Ceremony: The Centrality of Process in Community-Based Participatory Research in Music Education With Indigenous Partners
Authors: Prest Anita , Goble Scott , Vazquez-Cordoba Hector
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we highlight the centrality of process in Indigenist community-based participatory research in music education to offer new methodological insights, using a recent investigation that employed conference as research method as a case study. From our perspective as university researchers who are non-Indigenous or Indigenous but not to the land now known as Canada, we describe in detail the process of co-creating a conference grounded in local First Nations Protocols as a research method for our most recent study with Indigenous partners, also showing how the process is related to ceremony. This knowledge creation and sharing conference involved more than 200 Knowledge Keepers, School District Indigenous leaders, and music educators in British Columbia endeavouring to effectively embed Indigenous knowledge in K-12 music classes. We highlight ways we found to be relationally accountable, including providing adequate time to arrive at consensus in all decisions; developing and maintaining trust throughout pandemic lockdowns and restrictions; and locating additional sources of funding to facilitate all Protocols, which led Indigenous participants to report feeling that the conference was a culturally safe place and non-Indigenous participants to report that they found it to be a culturally immersive experience. We became more aware that the very process of discussion and decision making that took place at the many committee and subcommittee meetings leading up to the conference was part and parcel of the ceremonial aspect of this research. Indigenous participants deemed the outcomes and effects of the research/conference credible and trustworthy because they emerged from a planning process that was culturally informed and that had been deemed ethical, legitimate, and appropriate by all planning parties through consensus.
Bone-Deep Engagement: Black Methodological Intonations and Ethical Response-Making to Black Living
Authors: Okello Wilson Kwamogi
Published: September 2024

What constitutes an ethical analytical response to Black living? This manuscript thinks with theories of Blackness to explicate how the question of the human, specifically, what it means to be human, interrupts traditional methodological discourse, and requires a critical form of labor to account for the breadth and depth of Black liveliness and living. Diverging from traditional distance-oriented research practices, the author puts forth “Black methodological intonations” as methodological praxes. Unlike conventional methods that prioritize detachment, this manuscript advocates for a transformative attunement that actively engages with and alongside Black liveliness. Grounded in the embodied and relational concept of hapticity, the manuscript outlines the theoretical framework of Black methodological intonations, emphasizing the necessity of transcending mere spectatorship in research on Black life. In conversation with Arthur Jafa’s film, “Love is the Message, the Message is Death” (2016), the manuscript employs haptic reflexivity to consider profound listening, viewing, and feeling experiences in connection with the Black quotidian. Jafa’s film serves as a compelling example of reshaping the white gaze’s racialized power dynamics. The analysis of the film through the lens of hapticity yields valuable insights, culminating in essential considerations for Black methodological intonations as methodological response-making. Key themes include attunement, impressions, slowness, and emanation, contributing to a nuanced understanding of methodological practices that engage with the precarity of Black liveliness and living.
A review of complex window-glazing systems for building energy saving and daylight comfort: Glazing technologies and their building performance prediction
Authors: Li Xue , Wu Yupeng
Published: September 2024

The increasing energy consumption and detrimental CO2 emissions contributing to global warming underscore the urgent necessity for energy conservation, especially within buildings. Among different building components, fenestration plays a pivotal role as it accounts for the majority of heat transfer across the building envelope. This emphasises the significance of window-glazing technologies in enhancing their thermal performance. Furthermore, window-glazing systems can lead to overheating issues, particularly in summer, and glare issues, especially in winter. These challenges have spurred the development of various advanced glazing systems. This paper provides a comprehensive review of these advanced glazing technologies based on their functionalities and working principles, with a focus on parameters such as U-value, solar heat gain coefficient and visible transmittance. Among these technologies, vacuum and aerogel glazing systems exhibit superior thermal insulation properties, with U-values below 1 W/m2 K, making them suitable for heating-dominated climates. Smart window systems, such as electrochromic windows, are ideal for cooling-dominated climates due to their low solar heat gain coefficient (0.09–0.47) and visible transmittance (0.02–0.62). Photovoltaic window systems not only provide effective thermal insulation and solar shading but also produce additional power for on-site use. Some of these glazing systems feature complex structures, which present challenges when integrating them into existing building simulation software to assess their impact on building performance. Therefore, this paper also examines techniques for conducting energy and daylight performance simulations for buildings that make use of complex window systems. Ultimately, the authors propose an approach to characterise the thermal, optical and electrical properties of a complex photovoltaic window system within existing building simulation software, such as EnergyPlus. This approach facilitates a thorough investigation into the effects of complex window systems on building energy efficiency and indoor comfort.
Graphic Paper: Empowering refugee families in transit: the development of a culturally competent and compassionate training and support package
Authors: Brenchley Alex
Published: September 2024

Background:

Refugee parents who fled conflicts suffered violence and traumas and face huge challenges in supporting the health and welfare of their children while in transit.

Aims:

To describe the development of a culturally competent and compassionate training and support package (TSP) for nurses, social and healthcare workers and volunteers, with a focus on parenting needs among unsettled refugees fleeing conflict.

Methods:

The multi-method approach included: a scoping review covering parenting needs of refugees fleeing conflict zones; collection of stories from refugee parents, healthcare workers and volunteers via a mobile application; discussions between team members; a piloted and evaluated curriculum.

Results:

High levels of family distress and deterioration of parental identity were identified. Informed by these results, the curriculum is articulated along 20 bite-sized learning units, covering four age stages of childhood as well as targeting adults’ well-being. Pilot training was evaluated positively, confirming feasibility and usefulness of the TSP.

Conclusions:

Unsettled refugee parents fleeing conflicts face psycho-social and practical difficulties negatively affecting their parenting skills. The care workforce should be trained in order to provide culturally competent and compassionate support to help these families. Open access digital platforms are promising as autodidactic and self-help tools among hard-to-reach populations.
Language structure reflects biases in pattern learning across domains and modalities
Authors: Culbertson Jennifer , Compostella Arianna , Kirby Simon
Published: September 2024

A central goal for psychological science is the explanation of variation in human behaviour. In the domain of language, patterns of cross-linguistic variation have been extensively documented, but there has been vigorous debate over how to explain them. A particularly contentious question is whether constraints on linguistic variation are driven by properties of the human mind that are specific to language or domain-general. In this paper, we present four pattern-learning experiments ( N = 306 English- and Italian-speaking adults) across domains (linguistic and nonlinguistic) and modalities (visual, auditory, and tactile) to show that the patterns that are more easily learned are precisely the ones that are found most frequently across languages. This supports a domain-general, cognitive explanation for cross-linguistic variation. However, we suggest that the general/specific dichotomy is ultimately misleading because language structure arises when domain- and modality-general biases meet domain-specific representations.
Binding of the feature stimulus duration in the auditory domain: S-R or S-S binding; or both?
Authors: Köllnberger Katrin , Bogon Johanna , Dreisbach Gesine
Published: September 2024

Perceiving and reacting to multidimensional objects creates so-called event files via feature binding. Bogon, Thomaschke, and Dreisbach provided the first evidence for the integration of the feature stimulus duration into such event files. However, their paradigm did not allow for differentiation between stimulus-stimulus and stimulus-response binding. This study used a classification task with many-to-one mappings to examine the integration of stimulus and response features independently. Experiment 1 used a pitch classification task. Participants had to respond with a left keypress to a low and a very low sine tone and with a right keypress to a high and very high sine tone. The four sine tones were presented for either a short or long duration, resulting in a total of eight stimuli. As an indicator of binding, we used partial repetition costs (better performance when both pitch/response and duration repeat or shift relative to partial repetitions). Results of Experiment 1 indicate stimulus-response binding and no stimulus-stimulus binding. In Experiment 2, instead of classifying the pitch of artificial sine tones, participants had to classify the type of musical instruments that produced the stimulus tones. Results replicated evidence for stimulus-response binding but also provided indications for stimulus-stimulus binding. Potential reasons for this result pattern and the relevance of duration in a musical context as one potential moderator of stimulus-stimulus bindings are discussed.
Clinical characteristics, in-hospital management, and outcomes among patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke in rural versus urban hospitals in China: A nationwide hospital-based study
Authors: Zhu Zhi-Kai , Jiang Ying-Yu , Yang Xin , Wang Chun-Juan , Chen Ying-Xi , Li Zi-Xiao , Wang Yong-Jun , Jiang Yong , Gu Hong-Qiu
Published: September 2024

Background:

Efforts to improve rural stroke care have intensified in China. However, high-quality comprehensive data on the differences in care and outcomes between rural and urban hospitals are limited.

Methods:

We analyzed data on patients with acute ischemic stroke hospitalized in the China Stroke Center Alliance hospitals from 2015 to 2022. The in-hospital management measures assessed included nine acute and five discharge management measures. Outcomes evaluated included death or discharge against medical advice (DAMA), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), disability at discharge, and in-hospital complications.

Results:

We enrolled 1,583,271 patients with acute ischemic stroke from 1930 hospitals, comprising 1086 (56.3%) rural sites with 735,452 patients and 844 (43.7%) urban sites with 847,891 patients. Patients in rural hospitals demonstrate suboptimal management measures compared to those in urban hospitals, including lower rates of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator within 4.5 h (26.0% vs 28.3%; difference: –2.3% (–2.5% to −2.0%)), endovascular treatment (0.6% vs 1.9%; difference: –1.3% (–1.3% to −1.2%)), vessel assessment (88.5% vs 92.0%; difference: –3.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): –3.6% to −3.4%)), and anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation at discharge (42.9% vs 47.7%; difference: –4.8% (95% CI: –5.4% to −4.2%)). Overall, the rural-urban disparity in in-hospital outcomes was small. Rural patients had a slightly higher rate of in-hospital death/DAMA (9.0% vs 8.0%; adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.22 (95% CI: 1.20–1.23); adjusted risk difference (aRD): 1.3% (95% CI: 1.2%–1.4%)) and a slightly lower rate of complications (10.9% vs 13.0%; aOR: 0.83 (95% CI: 0.82–0.84); aRD: –1.3% (95% CI: –1.3% to –1.3%)). No notable rural-urban differences were observed in MACE and disability at discharge.

Conclusion:

Patients in rural hospitals demonstrated suboptimal management measures and had higher rates of in-hospital death/DAMA compared to those in urban hospitals. Prioritizing the allocation of health resources to rural hospitals is essential to improve healthcare quality and outcomes.

Data access statement:

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Interactive probes: Towards action-level evaluation for dialogue systems
Authors: Liesenfeld Andreas , Dingemanse Mark
Published: September 2024

Measures of ‘humanness’, ‘coherence’ or ‘fluency’ are the mainstay of dialogue system evaluation, but they don’t target system capabilities and rarely offer actionable feedback. Reviewing recent work in this domain, we identify an opportunity for evaluation at the level of action sequences, rather than the more commonly targeted levels of whole conversations or single responses. We introduce interactive probes, an evaluation framework inspired by empirical work on social interaction that can help to systematically probe the capabilities of dialogue systems. We sketch some first probes in the domains of tellings and repair, two sequence types ubiquitous in human interaction and challenging for dialogue systems. We argue interactive probing can offer the requisite flexibility to keep up with developments in interactive language technologies and do justice to the open-endedness of action formation and ascription in interaction.
TV news on Instagram: Affordances, genres, journalistic cultures
Authors: Luginbühl Martin
Published: September 2024

TV news programmes use social media intensively to promote and distribute their content. Instagram has become integral in this field, as all major players have their own account and Instagram has become a widely used news source. This article analyzes the news coverage of TV news shows on Instagram as a designed space, asking which genres are used, how they are positioned in regard to the technical and social affordances of the platform, and what implications their form and style have for journalism culture(s). Underpinned by the concepts of platformization, digital mediality, and media affordances, the analysis will focus on the characteristic stylistic forms of Instagram news coverage, comparing the Instagram accounts of six German speaking private and public TV news stations from Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. The corpus includes 100 posts and reels from each account collected in September 2023. The analysis identifies different genre profiles of the accounts and then focuses on the question of how different common genres (like headlines, newsbites, news briefs, and reports) as well as reels are designed multimodally, including different structural parts and their patterned style.
Personalized, war and peace journalism on Twitter: The Russo-Ukrainian War through the lens of political journalists
Authors: Schumacher Nina Fabiola , Shi-Kupfer Kristin , Nuernbergk Christian
Published: September 2024

This study compares communication patterns of German political journalists with correspondents assigned in covering Russia/Ukraine regarding the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War discourse on Twitter (now X). During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Twitter has been an important platform for (European) politicians, journalists and other stakeholders to share their views on the war. In general, journalists differ largely in terms of Twitter activity and in posting individual contributions. This comparative research delves into the analysis of journalistic communication in 4,460 tweets, focusing on war and peace journalism framing. The study also investigates the personalization characteristics present in these tweets, considering individual-level influences through the hierarchy of influence model. Specifically, the work employs both peace journalism theoretical framework and the hierarchy of influence model to scrutinize the communication strategies of German political journalists and correspondents covering Russia/Ukraine on Twitter amidst the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War discourse. So far, both approaches have not been combined for the analysis of conflict and war communication in social media. We tracked journalistic tweets for five months from September 2022 to February 2023. Our content analysis shows that, within the journalistic contributions, a peace journalism framework dominates. More than three-quarters of the tweets contain an expression of opinion and around one-third evaluations. Personalization characteristics of politicians are present in almost one-quarter of the tweets.
Lived queer memorials: How socially inclusive are queer sites of memory?
Authors: Zebracki Martin , Kolar Tilen , Collis Phoebe
Published: September 2024

This article delves into queer memorials: public artworks dedicated to, and commonly designed to commemorate, LGBTQ + people’s lives. As part of a broader international multisite project, we present the first comprehensive case-study survey ( N = 343) of its kind, examining how everyday members of the public experience the Amsterdam Homomonument as an inclusive site of memory. As the world’s first publicly commissioned monument inaugurated for the gay community in 1987, our study shows how Amsterdam Homomonument currently occupies a realm intersecting gay and ‘post-gay’ public memories and imaginings. Through analysing Amsterdam Homomonument as a lived queer memorial, our study reveals the ambiguous experiences of inclusion and exclusion that publics derive from its place and community roles. We argue that queer sites of memory attain inclusiveness through establishing space that embraces broader arrays of gender and sexual differences, amid an era marked by heightened visibility of LGBTQ + communities (though not necessarily).
Enhancing self-management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease: the role of autonomy support in health goal pursuit
Authors: Horvát Barbara , Orbán Kata , Dávid Anett , Sallay Viola , Rafael Beatrix , Njers Sanela , Molnár Tamás , Csabai Márta , Csordás Georgina , Martos Tamás
Published: September 2024

Background:

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition that significantly affects patients’ physical, mental, and social health, as well as their overall quality of life. Effective management of the disease demands self-management skills, enabling patients to navigate the daily challenges associated with IBD, such as unpredictable flare-ups, frequent hospitalization, severe symptoms, pain, and physical changes.

Objectives:

This study examines the motivational aspects of self-management for patients with IBD and focuses on the role of autonomy and directive support from healthcare professionals in enhancing their self-concordance and self-efficacy.

Design:

From November 2022 to February 2023, a cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted at the IBD Center of Internal Medicine Clinic in Szeged, Hungary.

Methods:

A total of 374 adult patients with IBD completed the paper–pencil questionnaire, of whom 241 patients (64.4%) had Crohn’s disease, and 133 patients (35.6%) had ulcerative colitis.

Results:

Based on the findings of the path analysis (χ2 (8) = 18.914, p = 0.01, comparative fit index = 0.935, TLI = 0.837, root mean squared error of approximation = 0.06), autonomy support positively predicted self-concordance (β = 0.48) and self-efficacy (β = 0.02), particularly during disease relapse. In addition, self-concordance and self-efficacy predicted more positive (βs = 0.28 and 0.35) and fewer negative emotional experiences (βs = −0.09 and −0.20). The model’s associations varied between the relapse and remission groups, indicating distinct impacts on different states of the disease.

Conclusion:

Overall, autonomy support from healthcare professionals has been shown to enhance self-management in patients with IBD, particularly during disease relapse. Meanwhile, self-concordance and self-efficacy act as positive internal factors, thus reducing negative emotional experiences, especially during remission. In sum, this study underscores the need for further exploration of the motivational aspects of self-management and provides insights into developing interventions that promote the health behaviors of patients with IBD.
The Canadian Prospective Cohort Study to understand progression in multiple sclerosis: baseline characteristics
Authors: Oh Jiwon , Arbour Nathalie , Giuliani Fabrizio , Guenette Melanie , Kolind Shannon , Lynd Larry , Marrie Ruth Ann , Metz Luanne M. , Prat Alexandre , Schabas Alice , Smyth Penelope , Tam Roger , Traboulsee Anthony , Yong Voon Wee , Patten Scott B.
Published: September 2024

Background:

Disease progression is observed across the spectrum of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and identification of effective treatment strategies to halt progression remains one of the greatest unmet clinical needs.

Objectives:

The Canadian Prospective Cohort Study to Understand Progression in MS (CanProCo) was designed to evaluate a wide range of factors associated with the onset and rate of clinical disease progression in MS and to describe the interplay between these factors.

Design:

A prospective cohort study.

Methods:

CanProCo is a national, prospective, observational cohort study that has recruited 944 individuals from 5 large academic MS centers in Canada. Participants include people with radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), early relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS (RRMS, PPMS), and healthy controls (HCs). Annually, participants complete self-reported questionnaires, undergo clinical evaluation and, if clinically indicated, magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the brain and cervical spinal cord; in a subset of participants ( n = 399), blood, and research MRIs of the brain and cervical spinal cord are collected. Linkages to health administrative databases are available at three sites.

Results:

Overall, 944 participants were recruited (53 HCs, 63 RIS, 751 RRMS, 77 PPMS). RIS and MS participants had a mean age of 39.0 years and 70.5% female. The mean time since diagnosis was 2.7 years. There were differences observed in the Expanded Disability Status Scale score and components of the MS performance test (walking speed test, manual dexterity test, processing speed test, and low-contrast visual acuity) between RIS and MS subtypes. Questionnaires revealed more symptoms of depression and anxiety and impaired physical and mental quality of life in people with RIS/MS versus HCs and differences across RIS/MS subtypes.

Conclusion:

Physical and mental neurological disability is prevalent even in the earliest stages of MS. Transdisciplinary approaches such as those used in CanProCo are needed to better characterize clinical progression in MS. Additional CanProCo results, including MRI, biological, and pharmaco-economic data will be forthcoming. Going forward, CanProCo’s data sharing and collaborative vision will facilitate numerous global collaborations, which will inform the development and implementation of effective interventions for people with MS around the world.
LC-MS/MS Profiling, Antioxidant Potential and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Citrus reticulata Albedo
Authors: Aftab Javaid , Abbas Mazhar , Sharif Sumaira , Mumtaz Aqsa , Zafar Kinza , Ahmad Naveed , Mohammed Osama A. , Nazir Arif , Iqbal Shahid , Iqbal Munawar
Published: September 2024

Background: The massive production of agro-industrial waste has become a global concern. Approximately 3.6 million tons of citrus waste are disposed of annually after processing, despite most bioactive molecules being found in fruit peels. Objectives/methodology: This work explored the biochemical and carbohydrate polymer profile of methanolic extract of the soft, spongy Citrus reticulata ( C. reticulata) albedo through proximate analysis, antioxidant and scavenging potential analysis, carbohydrate analysis, antioxidant enzyme and genotoxicity analysis, which were further quantified by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Results: The results revealed that the citrus albedo comprised an ample amount of ash (3.30 g/100−g of fresh weight (FW), moisture (52.67 g/100−g FW), fiber (30.80 g/100−g FW), lipid (5.58 g/100−g FW), protein (9.62 Kcal/ 100−g FW) and carbohydrate contents, ie, pectin (18.5 mg/g of dry weight (DW), glucosamine (5.05 mg/g DW), maltose (6.5 mg/g DW), D-xylose (35.5 mg/g DW), cellulose (12.2 mg/g DW), total soluble sugars (13.5 mg/g DW), starch (29% w/w). The antioxidant enzyme exhibited excellent activities (23.06 IU/mL for superoxide dismutase, 37.10 IU/mL for catalase and 1.27 IU/mL for peroxidase). The bioactive molecules of the citrus albedo showed maximum total phenolic content (TPC) (2.30 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/ g DW), total flavonoid contents (TFC) (1.71 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/ g DW) and scavenging potential (50.67% inhibition) when used at a higher concentration of 100 mg/mL. FTIR and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) findings concluded that the citrus albedo was rich in polysaccharides including pectin, glucosamine and antioxidants like caffeic acid, quercitin, naringenin, hesperidin and resveratrol. Moreover, the MTT assay showed that the hepatoblastoma cell line (HepG2) underwent apoptosis after 72-h exposure to C. reticulata albedo extract at varied concentrations. Conclusion: These findings suggest that citrus albedo can be a potential chemotherapeutic agent against hepatocellular carcinoma.
NingXueShengBan Decoction Regulates Immune Homeostasis by PI3 K/Akt/mTOR and TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathways in Immune Thrombocytopenia Patients
Authors: Wang Haijin , Wang Mengxiao , Yang Wuxia , Ni Runfeng , Ma Lin , Wang Dan , Yan Chao , Wu Yuhong , Liu Baoshan , Wang Aidi
Published: September 2024

Objective

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune hemorrhagic disease. The immune imbalance of T cells is an essential pathological mechanism of ITP, more specific, the balance of Effector T cells (Teff)/Regulatory T cell (Treg) maintains T cell immune homeostasis. Dendritic cells (DC), the largest antigen-presenting cell, interfere with T cell differentiation pathways and exert immune regulatory functions. Our team created and applied the “ NingXueShengBan” (NXSB) decoction. According to our prior studies, we found that NXSB decoction could restore Th17/Treg balance in ITP mice by regulating protein expression in Notch pathway. Therefore, we further research the mechanism of NXSB decoction that regulates ITP immune homeostasis through affecting the interaction between DC and T cells.

Methods

In this study, we collected peripheral blood from health donors and ITP patients and extracted DC and CD4 + T cells then grouped in control group, model group and NXSB group. Moreover, we established a co-culture model simulating the immune environment in ITP patient to further investigate whether NXSB had therapeutic effects by the interaction between DC and CD4 + T cells.

Results

In the current study, we found that NXSB decoction potently regulated interaction between DC and T cells by inhibiting DC development and function, specifically, the differentiation of CD4+ T cells was inhibited after NXSB decoction intervened. Our data showed that NXSB decoction inhibited Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), reduced the expression of Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and led to the reduction of downstream inflammatory factors, thereby inhibiting the inflammatory response. More importantly, NXSB decoction reduced the DC surface expression of activation and maturation markers. Moreover, we detected that the decreased expression of the phosphorylated Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 K), Protein kinase B (Akt), Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and their downstream effectors indicated, we found that NXSB decoction could inhibit PI3 K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways significantly.

Conclusions

Collectively, our data suggested that NXSB decoction ameliorates ITP-induced immune imbalance via its anti-inflammation and immunosuppressive by regulating TLR-4/ NF-κB and PI3 K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways.
Essential Oils from Phlomis longifolia Boiss. & C.I. Blanche. Aerial Parts (Flowers, Calyxes, Leaves): GC-MS Analyzes and Biological Properties
Authors: Hasan Muhannad , Hwija Imad , Mossa Yaseer
Published: September 2024

Objective/Background: Phlomis longifolia Boiss. & C.I. Blanche. is one of the significant medicinal plants extensively utilized in folk medicine in Syria. So, this study aimed to identify the chemical components with potential pharmacological properties of essential oils extracted from the aerial parts of the Syrian P. longifolia plant for the first time. Methods: The aerial parts of the plant were collected from a mountainous area in Latakia Province, Syria. Subsequently, the essential oils were obtained using hydrodistillation with a yield of (0.14% for flowers, 0.075% for calyxes, and 0.19% for leaves) using a Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: A total of 63, 61, and 48 compounds, which represent (98.0%, 97.1%, and 97.9%) of the total oils, were identified for flowers, calyxes, and leaves, respectively. The major compounds identified in the flower's essential oil were: widdrol (29.8%), β-caryophyllene (9.7%), and (E)-nerolidyl acetate (5.8%). While in the calyx's essential oil were: (E)-nerolidyl acetate (8.6%), α-humulene (8.1%), and β-caryophyllene (7.7%). As for the leave's essential oil were: (E)-nerolidyl acetate (11.4%), β-caryophyllene (9.5%), α-amorphene (8.8%), caryophyllene oxide (6.7%), α-humulene (5.3%), and 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one (5.2%). Additionally, the majority of the identified compounds have various biological activities, according to the published literature. Conclusion: In this work, the chemical composition of essential oils extracted from the aerial parts of P. longifolia was determined for the first time by GC-MS. Terpenes were the dominant chemical content of essential oils (83.3% for flowers, 72.7% for calyxes, and 80.9 for leaves), and sesquiterpenes had the highest concentration among them (77.3% for flowers, 65.7% for calyxes, and 77.1% for leaves). These compounds are known for their diverse biological activities and promote the use of such plants in phytopharmaceuticals.
Exploring the Effects of Different Processing Techniques on the Antitussive Expectorant of Platycodon grandiflorus by Metabonomics and Pharmacologic Methods
Authors: Zhao Shuting , Xv Jingying , Tang Miaomiao , Hou Wei
Published: September 2024

Background and Purpose

Platycodon grandiflorum is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which can disperse lung, promote pharynx, dispel phlegm and expel pus. Its processing history was first seen in the “Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang” of the Jin Dynasty in China. Through processing, effective substances in plants can be enriched and negative substances can be reduced. Therefore, this study explored the effects of different processing methods on the antitussive and expectorant effects of Platycodon grandiflorum through metabolomics and pharmacology, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for clinical application.

Experimental Approach

The changes of metabolites before and after processing of Platycodon grandiflorum were analyzed by Nexera UHPLC LC-30A-HILIC-Orbitrap-Q Exactive HF-X platform. The antitussive and expectorant effects of processed Platycodon grandiflorum were verified by mouse concentrated ammonia induced cough method and tracheal phenol red drainage method.

Key Results

After processing, some metabolites of Platycodon grandiflorum changed, among which 24 kinds of terpenoid metabolites changed significantly. Through the experiment of ammonia-induced cough in mice and phenol red expectorant experiment, it was found that fresh JZI 40%, fresh CZ 80%, dry JZZ 40% and dry JZI 80% had obvious antitussive effect, and dry JZZ 40% had obvious expectorant effect.

Conclusions and Implications

Some processing methods can indeed further improve the antitussive and expectorant effects of Platycodon grandiflorum, which may be due to the effect of increasing the content of triterpenoids after processing, but the mechanism of processing to improve the effect of relieving cough and expectorant needs further study.
Consumer Reactions to Drip Pricing: The Moderating Effect of Price Fairness in the Sharing Economy Accommodation
Authors: Moriuchi Emi , Murdy Samantha
Published: September 2024

With the growth of the sharing economy, consumers are price-shopping for their travel plans. Drip pricing is a concept practiced in specific service industries but is understudied in the sharing economy. This study aims to examine the effect of pricing presentation on consumer’s intention to stay at an accommodation in a sharing economy context. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 tests the research framework and the effect of drip pricing versus partitioned pricing. Study 2 investigates the effect of perceived price fairness. Consistent in all two studies, consumers prefer partitioned pricing over drip pricing in the sharing economy context. Perceived price fairness moderates the hypothesized relationships, suggesting this moderating factor can be used to overcome the provider-imposed pricing presentations and attenuate the negative effect it has on staying intentions. The findings in this study help sharing economy hosts to better understand how to overcome the dictated pricing presentations on the platform. Based on the results, the pricing of the service fee is an important factor to ensure that customers will book their stay. This research advances the investigation of pricing presentation in a sharing economy context. A new moderator perceived fairness was identified as a strong moderator for consumers to stay in a sharing economy.