bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conjunctivitis associated with capecitabine treatment in a patient with colon cancer: The importance on educating patients into identifying adverse reactions
Authors: Bello Crespo Marta , Trujillano Ruiz Abel , Gajete Pablos María A. , Roa García Diana Marcela , Gioseffi Hernán Andrés
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, a thin translucent mucous membrane, characterized by a dilatation of the conjunctival vessels. Causes leading to conjunctivitis are diverse, being drug related one of them.

Case report

We report a case of an 80-year-old man with a diagnosis of relapsed stage IV colon cancer who developed a severe conjunctivitis, scar ectropion with lack of tissue and eversion of the subconjunctival conjunctiva after being treated with capecitabine.

Management and outcome

Capecitabine was discontinued and pharmacological treatment was initiated with a complete resolution of the symptoms.

Discussion

Ocular toxicity derived from the use of systemic fluorouracil has been widely described in the literature, as well as the relationship between the use of capecitabine and the appearance of conjunctivitis. However, the development of severe conjunctivitis with other complications has not been previously reported. Monitor patients closely and perform full medication assessment should be undertaken when a patient reports visual changes to manage toxicity in the early stages. Following the patient evaluation and evolution and based on the Karch Lasanga algorithm modified by Naranjo, the adverse reaction is considered as probable.
A simple extemporaneous oral suspension of aprepitant yields sufficient pharmacokinetic exposure in children
Authors: Nijstad A Laura , de Vos-Kerkhof Evelien , Enters-Weijnen Catherine F , van de Wetering Marianne D , Tissing Wim J E , Hanff Lidwien M , Lange Rogier , Tibben Matthijs M , Rosing Hilde , Lalmohamed Arief , Zwaan C Michel , Huitema Alwin D R
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Aprepitant is used for the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. A liquid formulation is needed for treatment of young children. However, the commercial (powder for) suspension was not available worldwide for a prolonged period of time and, therefore, a 10 mg/mL aprepitant oral suspension was extemporarily prepared to prevent suboptimal antiemetic treatment. The current pharmacokinetic study was developed to investigate whether this extemporaneous oral suspension offers an appropriate treatment option.

Methods

From 49 pediatric patients (0.7–17.9 years) 235 plasma concentrations were collected. Patients were either treated with our extemporaneous oral suspension (n = 26; 53%), commercially available capsules (n = 18; 37%), or the intravenous prodrug formulation of aprepitant (fosaprepitant, n = 5; 10%). Pharmacokinetic analyses were performed using nonlinear mixed effects modelling.

Results

A one-compartment model adequately described the pharmacokinetics of aprepitant in children. The bioavailability of the extemporaneous oral suspension was not significantly different to that of the capsules (P = 0.26). The observed bioavailability throughout the total population was 83% (95% CI 69%-97%). The absorption of the extemporaneous oral suspension was 39.4% (95%CI 19.5–57.4%) faster than that of capsules (mean absorption time of 1.78 h (95%CI 1.32–2.35), but was comparable to that of the commercial oral suspension. The median area under the curve after (fos)aprepitant was 22.2 mg/L*h (range 8.9–50.3 mg/L*h) on day 1.

Conclusion

Our extemporaneous oral suspension is an adequate alternative for the commercially (un)available oral suspension in young children. An adequate exposure to aprepitant in children was yielded and the bioavailability of the extemporaneous suspension was comparable to capsules.
Acoustic radiation from a sphere pulsating near an impedance plane using a boundary integral equation method
Authors: Üstündağ Burak , Yildizdag M Erden , Uğurlu Bahadır , Ergin Ahmet
Published: April 2022

In this study, a boundary integral equation method is proposed for investigating acoustic pressure radiation from a sphere pulsating near a free surface or an impedance plane. The half-space and free-space problems are investigated for the acoustic radiation of pulsating sphere. The effects of free surface and impedance boundaries are introduced into the mathematical model by employing three different half-space Green’s functions, respectively. These Green’s functions are derived, respectively, using the single image-source method, multiple equivalent-source method, and complex equivalent-source method. Green’s functions are implemented into the boundary element (BE) formulation. The surface of the pulsating sphere is discretized with linear and quadratic BEs, and the Combined Helmholtz Integral Equation Formulation (CHIEF) is employed to overcome the non-uniqueness problem. Four different case studies are considered for the sphere pulsating near a free surface or an impedance plane. The first case study involves the sphere pulsating near a free surface (perfectly reflective) and the single image-source method is used in the boundary element method (BEM) formulation. In the second case study, the sphere is assumed as pulsating near a perfectly reflecting and perfectly absorbing impedance planes, respectively. The multiple equivalent-source method is employed for the perfectly reflecting plane, but the multiple equivalent-source method and complex equivalent-source methods for the perfectly absorbing plane. The third case study involves a general impedance plane, and all the methods are employed, respectively, in the BE formulation. The final case study assumes a general impedance plane forming a perpendicular incidence and the complex equivalent-source method is used in this particular case. It is observed that there is a very good comparison between the results obtained from all these methods.
Disruptor Recognition and Market Value of Incumbent Firms: Airbnb and the Lodging Industry
Authors: Bianco Simone , Zach Florian J. , Singal Manisha
Published: April 2022

Although Airbnb debuted in 2008, incumbent lodging firms did not fully recognize it as a legitimate competitor for several years. However, as Airbnb made inroads into the accommodation business, hotel firms and their investors started to take notice and to legitimize its disruptive role. In this paper, we investigate investors’ awareness of the disruptor Airbnb as a competitor of incumbent lodging firms. Specifically, we assess the effect of awareness on incumbent hotel management and hotel property owner firms. Employing an event study methodology, our analysis finds that Airbnb performance milestones negatively affect incumbents’ market value. This research contributes to our understanding of the role played by investors and financial analysts in shaping competitive markets by legitimizing an industry disruptor and by spurring competitive action among incumbent firms.
Low-vision rehabilitation in Italy: Cross-sectional data from the Device and Aids Registry (D.A.Re)
Authors: Bartolomei Federico , Biagini Ilaria , Sato Giovanni , Falchini Elisabetta , Di Simone Alessia , Mastrantuono Chiara , Micarelli Silvia , Virgili Gianni
Published: April 2022

Objectives

We are reporting on the characteristics of low-vision adults attending large rehabilitation services which provide data to D.A.Re (Devices & Aids REgister) in Italy. D.A.Re aims to gather information about low-vision aids owned by Italian patients with visual impairment.

Methods

We included consecutive patients attending low-vision rehabilitation centres providing data to D.A.Re from 2019 to July 2021. Demographic features, self-reported use of technology and aids, vision performance, and the Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) score were collected.

Results

720 patients were included in the D.A.Re. About half of the patients were affected by Age-related Macular Degeneration (389, 54.9%). Patients reported a long interval between onset of vision disability and access to low-vision rehabilitation, which was over two years in almost 30% of cases. Blindness registration status was almost complete when reported, but almost 40% were unable to report on this. IADL scores were higher for younger people and those with better visual acuity and critical print size (CPS), and lower for visual field restriction ( p < 0.01 for all predictors). Of interest, better IADL scores were recorded for those with computer knowledge who used optical aids and software in univariate analyses and multivariate analyses, adjusting for level of visual disability and employment status ( p < 0.01 for all predictors).

Conclusions

We report on the profile of low-vision patients using rehabilitation services in Italy. Longitudinal data during and after vision rehabilitation were collected. Our results support the validity of the D.A.Re to monitor the use of low-vision devices in Italy.
The effectiveness of cardiac telerehabilitation in comparison to centre-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes: A literature review
Authors: Owen Olivia , O’Carroll Veronica
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an effective, yet under-utilised, form of secondary prevention in cardiac patients. Telemedicine is one method of overcoming barriers to accessing CR. Previous systematic reviews highlight variation in the effectiveness of telerehabilitation programmes and current literature lacks identification of which telemedicine interventions are most effective, despite differences in the results of primary studies. The objectives of this literature review were to: evaluate the effectiveness of cardiac telerehabilitation compared to centre-based programmes for managing cardiac risk factors, satisfaction and adherence in cardiac patients; identify the technologies used to deliver CR; identify the key components of effective interventions.

Methods

A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving an intervention group that received telerehabilitation and a control group that attended a CR centre were included.

Results

Twelve RCTs met the inclusion criteria. There is evidence to suggest that telerehabilitation programmes have similar effectiveness to centre-based CR. Phones were the most commonly used technology. Most studies used a combination of technologies including personal computers and self-monitoring equipment. Phase III telerehabilitation programmes using self-monitoring, motivational feedback and education were more effective than centre-based CR for increasing physical activity and functional capacity.

Conclusion

Cardiac telerehabilitation is delivered by a range of technologies and has a similar effectiveness to centre-based programmes. While evidence suggests that additional health benefits are seen in patients who receive a telemedicine intervention in Phase III of CR, further evidence would be required to confidently draw this conclusion.
The link between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), body image and activity on social networking sites among female adolescents with an eating disorder
Authors: Gómez-Castillo María D , Escrivá-S Verónica , Tolosa-Pérez María T , Navarro-Bravo Beatriz , Plateau Carolyn R , Ricarte Jorge J , Cuesta-Zamora Cristina
Published: April 2022

The link between engagement in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)–related activities on SNS (e.g. viewing, commenting, sharing and uploading NSSI content) with body image and NSSI behaviour remains under researched in adolescents with EDs. The main aim of the current research was to examine associations between NSSI-related activities on SNS with body image and NSSI behaviour severity among female adolescents diagnosed with an ED. A total of 52 female adolescents (mean age = 15.35 years, SD = 1.49) diagnosed with an ED completed self-report questionnaires related to NSSI behaviour, SNS usage and body image. Participants were divided into two groups: low NSSI behaviour severity (from 0 to 10 NSSI behaviours; n = 28) and high NSSI behaviour severity (more than ten NSSI behaviours; n = 24). Within the high NSSI severity group, individuals that comment and share NSSI online content significantly reported higher negative body image. A hierarchical binary logistic regression showed that the frequency of NSSI online content on SNS emerged as significant predictor of NSSI behaviour severity within last year after controlling for body image and searching for ED content on SNS. Our findings suggest that not only searching for ED content, but also being daily engaged in NSSI online activities may increase the risk of NSSI behaviour severity in female adolescents with EDs.
Analysis of sound transmission loss characteristics of aircraft composite panel under variable temperature environment
Authors: Peng Tao , Dong Ningjuan , Yan Qun
Published: April 2022

An improved sound transmission loss (STL) experimental technique based on the sound pressure method (SPM) and acoustic box method is proposed to investigate the temperature influence on the STL of the ribbed carbon fiber reinforced plastics aircraft panel. SPM principle is given. The measurement procedure of the improved STL technique is presented and its reliability is verified. STL variable characteristics of the panel within −40°C–40°C were measured. Results showed that temperature had a significant effect on the panel’s STL. The overall STL varied nonlinearly with temperature, whereas STL exhibited a fluctuation or monotony trend at a single center frequency. Temperature variation caused changes of STL peak/dip frequencies and redistribution of stiffness-controlled, resonance-controlled, coincidence-controlled, and damping-controlled regions. The causes of the aforementioned are given. This study reveals the relationship between temperature, thermomechanical parameters and STL. The findings have applications in the design, measurement, analysis, and theoretical development of composite structure acoustics.
Strategies to engage with involuntary clients
Authors: Al Ketbi Rashed , Bukhari Faheem , Khurram Sara , Hussain Saima
Published: April 2022

This study explored strategies for dealing with involuntary social service clients of Social Services Centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 21 social workers engaged with involuntary clients from three cities in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Gharbia), representing different regions and demographic variables. Data was collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis (TCA) and Leximancer software Version 4.5 to validate the results.

Findings

During the interviews, participants described emerging strategies that they found effective for engaging involuntary clients: effective communication, a conducive atmosphere, a positive attitude, client profile/history, freedom of speech, openness, comfort, confidence building, rapport building, supportive environment and empathy.

Applications

This study created new understandings about social work in the Middle East, relevant for other parts of the world, about tactics that can be used to develop effective communication with involuntary clients.
Influence of individualism and collectivism on talent management practices
Authors: Etoom Dergam
Published: April 2022

As the world becomes more globalized, it is increasingly necessary to be aware of the limitations of a universalistic approach to talent management. Talent management practices are considered to be among the three most important topics explored in talent management literature. However, there is a dearth of studies investigating the influence of national culture on talent management practices. The current article seeks to make a conceptual contribution to talent management practice literature through reviewing previous talent management practices, individualist, and collectivist literature then synthesizes the literature to provide a framework for examining the different talent management practices in individualistic and collectivistic societies. Talent management practices originated in Anglo-Saxon countries and align with their individualistic culture, which leads to the question of whether these practices can be implemented effectively in collectivistic societies. This study attempts to answer this question by exploring talent management practices in individualist and collectivist cultures and providing a framework for effective talent management practices in both. This research opens the door for more research to explore the gaps between what happens in talent management practices and what should happen according to talent management practices theory.
Implementation of Interdisciplinary Health Technologies as Active Learning Strategies in the Classroom: A Course Redesign
Authors: Urizar Guido G. , Miller Karissa
Published: April 2022

The number of health psychology courses offered in higher education institutions has dramatically increased over the past 30 years. Health psychology courses provide students a unique opportunity to learn about important public health issues and health disparities affecting our society from a biopsychosocial perspective. Prior research indicates that students taking these courses, many of whom are non-biology majors, often report feeling anxious about learning the underlying biological mechanisms that affect health outcomes, particularly as they relate to stress and disease. Therefore, innovative teaching strategies, such as the use of active learning approaches, are needed to promote student confidence and engagement in learning these interdisciplinary models of health. Despite rapid advancements and innovations in health technologies, few health psychology courses have integrated these technologies as a modality of active learning. This article describes the implementation of health technologies (e.g., biosensors, biofeedback equipment, wearable technologies) as an active learning modality and innovative teaching approach to promote student engagement and learning outcomes in an undergraduate health psychology course taught in the U.S. Eighty students from a minority-serving university participated in this pilot course redesign. Student responses to the use of health technologies in their course were very positive. A description of the course curriculum is provided and results from student responses and feedback are presented. Implications and recommendations for implementing these technologies and pedagogies in future health courses are also discussed, including university support for sustaining these high impact teaching practices.
The benefits, risks and alternatives of mitochondrial replacement therapy – bringing proportionality into public policy debate
Authors: Pike Gregory K
Published: April 2022

Mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) utilises nuclear transfer technology to replace defective mitochondria with healthy ones and thereby minimise the risk of a mitochondrial disease passing from a mother to her child. It promises much but comes with ethical controversy, significant risk of harm and many unknowns. Forming a position on MRT requires accurate information about the current state of knowledge, and an appreciation of the ethical issues at stake. Ethical deliberations will vary depending on the framework used. There are in principle objections to MRT on the grounds of direct harm to human embryos and germline genetic modification. But even without these objections MRT can be weighed in terms of the balance between risks and benefits, alternatives and uncertainties. This paper explores the evidence and lays out the relevant issues to assist such a deliberation.
Members of the European Parliament on Social Media: Why Do They Use Facebook and Twitter?
Authors: Haman Michael , Školník Milan , Čopík Jan
Published: April 2022

In this article, we analyze the use of social media by the members of the European Parliament. More specially, we examined whether members of the European Parliament use Facebook and Twitter for different purposes. To reach our goal, we contacted all 705 members of the European Parliament by email. The vast majority of members of the European Parliament who decided to participate in our survey replied that they use Facebook and Twitter for different purposes. One of the main differences most often mentioned was that Twitter is used for an international audience, and Facebook, for a national audience. Therefore, we decided to examine Facebook and Twitter posts on the accounts of all members of the European Parliament to see what languages predominate in their communication. We analyzed 253,660 Facebook posts and 485,862 tweets. We found that members of the European Parliament use their national languages almost exclusively on Facebook. On Twitter, the use of English significantly varies from country to country, and in some countries, members of the European Parliament only rarely use their national languages, as they aim for an international audience.
Structural Racism in America: A Summative Content Analysis of National Nursing Organization Statements
Authors: Russell Naila C. , Flynt Wallington Sherrie
Published: April 2022

The public and brutal death of Black American George Floyd was a tragedy that had the potential to push the profession of nursing toward a perspective transformation. A summative content analysis of 49 professional nursing organization statements served as a pilot to explore the research question: Did the nursing profession experience a perspective transformation relating to racial justice and health equity following the death of George Floyd? Texts from the statements were analyzed for the presence of an equity lens, which is necessary for a perspective transformation. Each statement was assigned a rating score to determine the organization's readiness for a perspective transformation based on equity competencies adapted from CommonHealth Action. Findings demonstrated that the nursing profession is beginning to articulate the issue of racism in health care and is committed to advocating for patients of color; however, further understanding of the historical context of structural racism and the development of meaningful policy remains necessary for the profession to experience a perspective transformation.
Digital Intimacy in Real Time: Live Streaming Gender and Sexuality
Authors: Ruberg Bo , Brewer Johanna
Published: April 2022

This article serves as the guest editors’ introduction to the Television and New Media special issue dedicated to gender and sexuality in live streaming. Live streaming is a key part of the contemporary digital media landscape; it sits at the center of wide-reaching shifts in how culture, entertainment, and labor are expressed and experienced online today. Gender and sexuality are crucial elements of live streaming. Across live streaming’s many forms, these elements manifest in myriad ways: from gendered performances to gender-based harassment, from LGBTQ community building to real-time sex work. This special issue models an interdisciplinary approach to studying gender and sexuality in live streaming, featuring scholarship from the humanities, social sciences, and human-computer interaction. It also serves as an impassioned call to those who study technological tools and platforms like live streaming to pay attention to the crucial roles that identity, power, embodiment, and intimacy play in these technologies. There can be no full cultural understanding of live streaming that does not address its entanglements with sexuality and gender.
Effects of D-lactide content and molecular weight on the morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties of electrospun nanofiber polylactide mats
Authors: Palak Handan , Güler Ece , Nofar Mohammadreza , Karagüzel Kayaoğlu Burçak
Published: April 2022

In this study, the effects of both D-lactide content, that is, the change in PLA crystallizability, and molecular weight of polylactide (PLA) on its electrospinning behavior, along with thermal and mechanical properties of the electrospun mats were investigated. Although the effect of D-lactide content on processability of PLA has been studied in extrusion, thermoforming, foaming, and melt spinning, it has not been explored in electrospinning. The current study aimed to analyze electrospinnability of three different PLA grades; two amorphous with high and low molecular weights (i.e., aPLA-H and aPLA-L) and a semicrystalline with a high molecular weight (cPLA-H). PLAs were dissolved at different concentrations in chloroform (CHL)/dimethylformamide (DMF) at various volume ratios. Due to its high crystallizability and molecular weight, coarser nanofibers of cPLA-H were produced from solvents with high CHL content (≥75%), resulting in highest water vapor transmission rate (50,000 g/m2.day) of mats. aPLA-H revealed coarser nanofibers than that of aPLA-L due to its higher molecular entanglement. Although the increase in DMF content in the solvent hindered dissolving and electrospinning of cPLA-H, it caused the refinement of nanofibers in amorphous PLAs. Despite similar tensile strength, cPLA-H showed higher elongation at break (∼69%) than that of aPLA-H (∼59%) possibly due to the existence of some beads within the fibers in aPLA-H. Storage modulus of electrospun cPLA-H was also higher (∼15MPa) than that of other samples (∼10–12 MPa) due to high content of crystallinity (∼37%) while aPLA-L revealed the lowest storage modulus (∼10MPa) due to its amorphous structure and low molecular entanglement.
Heidegger and the Technocratic Warping of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Anisin Alexei
Published: April 2022

Martin Heidegger notably argued that modern technology differs from technology of the past because it constitutes an ontological condition that is shaped by technological structures which determine our views of the world as being scientifically dependent on ordering. This study engages with Heidegger’s philosophy on technology to investigate the basis of the COVID pandemic response in liberal democratic contexts. It argues that attempts at controlling the virus represent a newfound technocratic effort to re-optimize human beings as resources and fungible raw materials based on their biological characteristics. In the trajectory of responding to public health crises, governments carried out tech-aided restrictions and policies that produced (and will continue to produce) adverse outcomes for large portions of society that will likely end up surpassing the virus in total hazard ratio.
Theorizing the “Public”—Recognizing Ephemeral and Migrating Publics and the Educative Agent
Authors: Charman Karen , Dixon Mary
Published: April 2022

As the parameters of social mobility decrease in light of COVID 19, we are turning away from the global to smaller iterations of community. These communities have always been there, but our collective gaze has, over a long period of time, persistently turned outward. Taking the term public, this article examines how iterations of the public realm reveal authority and the circulation of knowledge. We suggest two instances of the public realm “ephemeral” and “migrating” to draw attention to the inherent possibilities for communities to speak on their own authority. In so doing, this article draws on Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault, and Nancy Luxon to offer a particular theoretical framework to recognize the appearance of what we term the educative agent. We are concerned with who has the authority and can enact the self as a speaking subject. We argue that power is increasingly standing in place of authority. A new concept is offered, that of the educative agent, which highlights the possibilities of the public. To understand how a sense of authority can be reinstated and recognized, we look to the work of Luxon.
Interventions to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Nicaragua: An Integrative Review of the Literature
Authors: Daniel Dakota , Wickerham Adeline , Fitzgerald Elizabeth A. , Kue Jennifer
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Nicaragua has one of the highest cervical cancer death rates (19.4 per 100,000) compared to other Central American countries. This integrative review of the literature synthesizes cervical cancer prevention interventions in Nicaragua. Methods: The literature search was performed through Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. The six articles included in this integrative review were appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (QAQTS). Results: Greater knowledge of Pap smears, the human papillomavirus (HPV), and cervical cancer was significantly associated with positive screening beliefs. Barriers to cervical cancer screening included access to Pap smears, preference for female providers, and the length of time to receive screening results and treatment. The probability of having a Pap smear was 94% higher among those who had a recent doctor's visit compared to those who had not. While clinician samples are more accurate in detecting HPV or cervical cancer, self-sampling was stated by the participants to be preferred. Conclusion: A focus on the higher efficacy of clinician sampling and providing more factual information about cervical cancer and its screening through trusted community-based efforts, such as charlas, would be more likely to encourage testing and thereby reduce the rate of cervical cancer in Nicaragua.
Is Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE) “Substantially Equivalent” to a Recognized Psychotherapy Program in Ontario?
Authors: Mills Jason
Published: April 2022

After completing their Supervised Pastoral Education units provided by the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care, two soon-to-be-certified Spiritual Care Practitioners applied to the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. Both were rejected because their Supervised Pastoral Education program was not deemed to be “substantially equivalent” to a recognized psychotherapy program. This came as a surprise since similarly qualified Canadian Association for Spiritual Care Practitioners in Ontario are also members of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario through a process called “grandparenting.” Using the 10 characteristics of a College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario recognized program, this paper examines Canadian Association for Spiritual Care's SPE program in detail, showing how closely it aligns with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario's description of an equivalent psychotherapy program. I conclude by suggesting the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario should embrace Supervised Pastoral Education as an equivalent program and grant memberships, not just to those grand parented in, but to future Canadian Association for Spiritual Care Practitioners.
The Role of Sleep in Cognitive Function: The Value of a Good Night’s Rest
Authors: Gilley Ronald R.
Published: April 2022

As a universal, evolutionarily conserved phenomenon, sleep serves many roles, with an integral role in memory. This interplay has been examined in a variety of research. The purpose of this article will be to review the literature of sleep, aging, cognition, and the impact of two common clinical conditions (obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia) on cognitive impairment. This article will review data from meta-analyses, population studies, smaller cohort studies, neuropsychological studies, imaging, and bench data. Considerations are given to the current data trends and their limitations. This paper will explore the impact of sleep on cognitive impairment. Finally, we will conclude with integrating the separate mechanisms towards more generalized common pathways: disruption of sleep quality and reduction in sleep quantity lead to excessive neuronal activity without sufficient time for homeostasis. Sleep apnea and chronic insomnia can lead to oxidative stress and neuronal damage. These changes predispose and culminate in the development of cognitive impairment.
Quercetin exerts an ameliorative effect in the rat model of diclofenac-induced renal injury through mitigation of inflammatory response and modulation of oxidative stress
Authors: Izak-Shirian Farzad , Najafi-Asl Maryam , Azami Behzad , Heidarian Esfandiar , Najafi Mohammad , Khaledi Mansoor , Nouri Ali
Published: April 2022

Diclofenac (DIC) is administrated to treat pain, inflammatory disorders, and dysmenorrhea but kidney problems are the main worries of the agent. The literature has revealed that quercetin (QR) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant attributes. This study aims to highlight the possible nephroprotective effects of QR on DIC-exposed rats.

In this study, the animals after exposure to DIC (50 mg/kg, i.p) were administrated to QR (100 mg/kg, p.o). Then, the levels, as well as the activity of several oxidant and anti-oxidant mediators, were evaluated.

Our results showed that DIC treatment was coupled with the elevation in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and some pro-inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, NF-κB, and IL-1β, suggesting that probably this agent exert its toxicity in the kidney tissue through inducing both oxidative stress and inflammation. Interestingly, QR was successful in restoring the activity of antioxidant compounds such as GSH, GPx, SOD, and CAT in the kidney tissue of DIC-treated rats. Moreover, in the presence of QR, DIC was unable to increase the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that perhaps QR might have anti-inflammatory properties. In agreement with this, the results of the histopathological evaluation also showed that while DIC increased the lymphocyte infiltration into the kidney tissue, QR reduced the number of lymphocytes in DIC-treated rats.

The results revealed that QR exerted a supportive effect against diclofenac-induced renal injury in male rats through modulation of oxidative stress and mitigation of inflammatory response.
Augmentation index, but not pulse wave velocity, is associated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Choe Jung-Yoon , Park Seo-Hyeon , Kim Seong-Kyu
Published: April 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with premature atherosclerosis and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between disease activity and arterial stiffness indexes for CVD in RA patients. Two hundred twenty-two female RA patients were retrospectively recruited. Non-invasive arterial stiffness was assessed by brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) using pulse wave analyses and the augmentation index (AIx). The AIx was classified into two groups of normal (grade 0) and abnormal (grade 1, 2, and 3). The baPWV was associated with only age and rheumatoid factor titer, but not disease activity index, DAS28-ESR. Univariate analysis indicated that AIx was related to body mass index, disease duration, and DAS28-ESR. In addition, the baPWV was associated with DAS28-ESR and disease duration after adjusting for confounding factors (β = 0.147, p = 0.032 and β = 0.183, p = 0.034, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the tendency for abnormal AIx increased as DAS28-ESR increased, and the result was significant ( p for trend = 0.026). The results of this study indicated that the relationship between AIx and DAS28-ESR suggests that disease activity could affect arterial stiffness in RA.
New perspectives on middle leadership in schools in England – Persistent tensions and emerging possibilities
Authors: Ainsworth Steph , Costa Marta da , Davies Caroline , Hammersley-Fletcher Linda
Published: April 2022

To afford school middle leaders meaningful opportunities to initiate change, we must provide them with the space and flexibility to engage with agentic and creative responses to policy and practice. Whilst we argue that the tensions identified in Bennett’s seminal reviews persist, there may, nonetheless, be opportunities for school middle leaders to creatively influence educational agendas. Through engaging in a critical interpretative synthesis of school middle leadership literature, we consider how the subjectivities of such leaders are discursively constructed. We argue that a culture of performativity has diminished opportunities for middle leaders in English schools to develop a strong sense of agency, educational ideology and authentic professional responsibility. However, a current governmental focus on subject knowledge may have opened spaces for a collegial agency, despite the prevailing neo-conservative policy discourse. We thus identify, the potential for movement beyond a discursive position to one where school middle leaders take greater responsibility for developing practice to align more closely with their educational values. Utilising a dialogic theoretical perspective we examine how middle leadership in English schools is currently practiced and mediated in relation to the changing political landscape, and suggest that seemingly contradictory positions provide a fruitful site for new research.
Paired vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of upper extremity impairment after stroke
Authors: Dawson Jesse , Abdul-Rahim Azmil H
Published: April 2022

The use of a paired vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) system for the treatment of moderate-to-severe upper extremity motor deficits associated with chronic ischemic stroke has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This treatment aims to increase the task-specific neuroplasticity through the activation of cholinergic and noradrenergic networks during rehabilitation therapy. A recent pivotal Phase III trial showed that VNS paired with rehabilitation led to improvements in upper extremity impairment and function in people with moderate-to-severe arm weakness for an average of 3 years after ischemic stroke. The between-group difference following 6 weeks of in-clinic therapy and 90 days of home exercise therapy was three points on the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer score. A clinically meaningful response defined as a greater than or equal to six-point improvement was seen in approximately half of the people treated with VNS compared to approximately a quarter of people treated with rehabilitation alone. Further post-marketing research should aim to establish whether the treatment is also of use for people with intracerebral hemorrhage, in people with more severe arm weakness, and for other post-stroke impairments. In addition, high-quality randomized studies of non-invasive VNS are required.
Integrated evaluation of team strategy, training practices and game performance of a basketball team
Authors: Rangel Wellington , Fellingham Gilbert , Santana Felipe , Lamas Leonardo
Published: April 2022

An important task of a basketball coach is to transfer information between game performance and team preparation. Therefore, the goals of this study were twofold: i) to define a framework encompassing the steps of team strategy, training practices, and game performance – the Team Learning Cycle (TLC); ii) to test TLC’s support for evaluation of team preparation-competition coherence with a junior basketball team. Team plays were assigned as an independent variable, systematically measured along the TLC. Frequency, diversity, and efficiency (points per possession) of plays performed in a game were compared both with alternatives of plays in the team strategy and emphasis during practices. TLC was implemented in a customized software for improving data acquisition reliability. We used a cluster analysis to group team plays according to similarities of offensive features and we applied Bayesian methods to compute the posterior distributions of the parameters describing minutes planned for team plays and training variables. Plays proportions were compared between practices and game. The 25 plays variations were grouped in seven clusters suggesting strategic diversity. Training presented significant tendencies towards offense phase, with opposition (emphasis on tactics) and situational practices (games and competition) – p(robability) > .90. The seven clusters of plays had a large variance in their training volume. The most frequently performed plays in the game were not those most trained but they had the most points per possession in the game. Results evidence the TLC may help coaches interpret the ongoing learning process of the team, improving team’s preparation.
Development and validation of a non-invasive biomarker-based model to identify endoscopic recurrences of Crohn’s disease
Authors: Zhou Gaoshi , Chen Rirong , Jiang Yueyun , Li Li , Zheng Jieqi , Li Chao , Zhang Shenghong , Chen Minhu
Published: April 2022

Background:

Endoscopic recurrence is common in postoperative patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Monitoring endoscopic recurrence is important for selecting an appropriate treatment to prevent the development of postoperative disease. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a diagnostic model to identify endoscopic recurrence.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study recruiting postoperative CD patients who underwent endoscopy at the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University from January 2016 to June 2020. Endoscopic recurrence was defined as Rutgeerts score > i1. Thirty non-invasive biomarkers, including C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, vitamin D, complete blood count, and biochemical blood indices, were used as candidate predictors to build a multivariate logistic regression diagnostic model. The predictive ability of the diagnostic models was assessed by receiving the area under the characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plots, and internal validation was performed by the bootstrap method.

Results:

Two hundred and nineteen eligible patients were included in this study, and 135 (61.6%) patients had a postoperative endoscopic recurrence. The final diagnostic model included eight biomarkers with an AUC (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 0.796 (0.737–0.855) to identify endoscopic recurrence. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of this diagnostic model were 0.781 (0.780–0.782), 0.647 (0.643–0.651) and 0.811 (0.807–0.815), respectively, by internal validation. In addition, the diagnostic model exhibited good calibrability with calibration slope, calibration-in-the-large (‘mean calibration’) and Brier scores of 1.00, 0.00, and 0.175, respectively.

Conclusion:

This non-invasive biomarker-based diagnostic model has an excellent ability to identify endoscopic recurrence in patients with CD. Application of the model to clinical practice to monitor postoperative patients may be helpful for patient management.
Economic Governance Building: Assessing the Securities Exchange Regime from a Co-Production Perspective in 2021 Pre-Coup Myanmar
Authors: Soe Phone Pyae , Crumpton Charles David , Bialobrzeski Eva
Published: April 2022

International stakeholders working with domestic entities to co-produce new institutions of economic governance are common in developing settings such as Myanmar. This is exhibited in the case of Myanmar's nascent securities exchange regime, the formation and operation of which has been dominated by extra-national interests in the form of Japanese public, quasi-public, and private entities. Researchers and international organisations involved in developing nations argue that the creation of effective public institutions, including those that comprise national economic governance approaches, is essential to the promotion of sustainable development goals and promotion of the good/sound governance principles of responsiveness and accountability necessary to build effective institutions. The new securities exchange regime is an important component of economic governance required to promote Myanmar's development objectives and the integration of the nation into the international economic community. However, the existing international discourse has not applied concepts such as co-production from the New Public Governance perspective of public administration to consider the implications of external actors guiding the development of securities exchange regime in developing settings such as Myanmar. The current study considers the influence of Japanese interests as they have co-produced Myanmar's securities exchange regime as part of the nation's economic governance. To do this, it utilizes a conceptual and analytic approach that reveals the good governance consequentiality of multiple external organisational interests applied in the co-production and operation of new organisational forms such as securities exchange regime.
Neuroimaging investigation of the intracranial vasculature is warranted in older adults with lacunes of presumed vascular origin
Authors: Del Brutto Oscar H , Mera Robertino M
Published: April 2022

Background and purpose

Lacunes of presumed vascular origin are perceived as biomarkers of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), although they may also be related to other pathogenetic mechanisms. We aimed to assess whether lacunes are more often associated with intracranial artery stenosis (IAS) than with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) of presumed vascular origin (a biomarker of cSVD) in older adults.

Methods

This study included 585 individuals aged ≥60 years living in rural Ecuador. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess the strength of the association between IAS or moderate-to-severe WHM on one side, and lacunes on the other. Mediation analysis was used to estimate the percentage of the effect of IAS on lacunes that was mediated by WMH.

Results

Lacunes were noticed in 62 (11%) individuals, IAS in 39 (7%), and moderate-to-severe WMH in 169 (29%). Fourteen of 39 individuals (36%) with IAS had lacunes, which corresponded to the territory of the stenotic artery in 50% of cases. Lacunes have a larger association with IAS than with moderate-to-severe WMH. The estimated prevalence rate of lacunes independently of any confounder was 10.6% (95% C.I.: 8.3–12.9%), which increased to 22.2% in subjects with IAS, but only to 16.4% among those with moderate-to-severe WMH. Only 24.5% of the effect of IAS on lacunes was mediated by WMH.

Conclusion

Lacunes are more often associated with IAS than with WMH at the population level. Neuroimaging investigation of the intracranial vasculature in individuals with lacunes will provide informed-based decisions for secondary stroke prevention.
Direct pulp capping of carious immature tooth using bioactive material: A case report
Authors: Ouni Marouane , Kallel Ines , Douki Nabiha
Published: April 2022

The management of deep carious lesions in immature tooth and the preservation of its pulp vitality is a real challenge in daily dental practice. Bioactive cements are of interest to deal with such cases. Our case report describes the immediate management and the follow-up of an extensive carious lesion on an immature first right mandibular molar with pulp exposure by direct pulp capping using Biodentine. A 6-month clinical and radiographic follow up showed that the tooth was vital, with dentine-bridge formation in the pulp chamber with continuous root formation. This procedure allowed the protection of pulp complex, preserving at the same time its functional and biologic activities due to the capacities of Biodentine as an effective pulp capping material to induce pulp cells to form hard tissue. The aim of this article is to discuss through the report of this clinical case, the indications, advantages and disadvantages of different procedures and biomaterials used for direct pulp capping.