bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the digital welfare state: Contestations, considerations and entanglements
Authors: van Toorn Georgia , Henman Paul , Soldatić Karen
Published: July 2024

This article introduces a special issue of the Journal of Sociology focused on critical analysis of the digital welfare state. The digitalisation of welfare policy, institutions and service delivery has led to increased scrutiny, social sorting and surveillance of welfare recipients and other marginalised groups. This collection of papers contributes to current debates about digital welfare using sociological approaches which foreground the role of power relations and human agency in shaping these dynamics. We provide introductory insights into themes explored within the collection, including the connection of digitalisation with ‘the social’, the role of digital technologies in truth-making, and the importance of humans and their labour in operationalising digital welfare. In addition, we highlight the value of sociological research in revealing the various processes and relationships through which state power is constituted and expressed digitally.
Social media platforms for politics: A comparison of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp
Authors: Boulianne Shelley , Hoffmann Christian P. , Bossetta Michael
Published: July 2024

Citizens have increasingly diversified their use of social media platforms, raising questions about which platforms are adopted and for what purposes. We use survey data from four countries (Canada, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom) gathered in 2019 and 2021 ( n = 12,302) about Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Political ideology predicts the adoption and political uses of all platforms, but Reddit, Snapchat, and WhatsApp are distinctive. Right-wing users are more likely to report exposure to and posting of political content on these platforms; this pattern is consistent across all four countries. We relate these findings to the distinct network features compared to other platforms. Our large sample size allows us to document a funnel process where large numbers adopt a platform, fewer see political content, and even fewer post. In this funnel process, ideological differences become larger. The findings have implications for the formation of homogeneous communities.
“Check this out! ”: Collective functions of instant messaging about media content
Authors: Schindler Johanna , Bartsch Anne , Bürgel Christal , Rockenstein Carla
Published: July 2024

People regularly use and discuss media content with others, such as partners, family, and friends. Such conversations increasingly occur virtually. However, few studies have examined the content and characteristics of mobile messenger communication about media content. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 128 messenger chats about media content donated by 49 diverse groups. Based on the theoretical concept of group information processing, our analysis revealed six main collective functions of such conversations: (1) discourse, (2) shared emotions, (3) support, (4) joint activities, (5) group positivity, and (6) group identity. We show how these functions are associated with the affordances of messenger communication, group characteristics, and types of media content. Ruptures in the group process occurred only occasionally and were usually followed up by repair attempts. Our research demonstrates that messenger communication about media content not only serves as a substitute for face-to-face conversations but rather complements and enriches them.
Relearning Black presence in Amsterdam through guided tours: teaching beyond the classroom
Authors: Johnston Caleb , Bagelman Jen ,   in conversation with Jennifer Tosch
Published: July 2024

This article features an interview with Jennifer Tosch, the founder of Amsterdam’s Black Heritage Tours. Since 2013, Tosch has offered walking and boat tours, leading thousands of people through a colonial reading of Amsterdam’s topography and celebrated institutions. As a cultural historian, Tosch deploys ‘critical fabulation’ to redress the erasures of historical archives. These efforts are part of a wider Mapping Slavery project that brings together Dutch scholars, activists, and artists who are revealing the Netherland’s links to slavery and reclaiming early Black presence. As geographers, we hope this conversation informs collaborative anti-racist work in our field (and elsewhere) and furthers anti-colonial practices in the teaching of cultural geography beyond the classroom.
Theorising Later-Career as a Basis for Enhancing Inclusion and Extending Working Lives Through Human Resource Development
Authors: Warhurst Russell P , Black Kate
Published: July 2024

Population ageing in developed economies has prompted national level policies for extending working lives (EWL). However, these policies have typically failed to reduce age discrimination or premature workforce exit. Therefore, organisational policies for EWL are currently to the fore and human resource development (HRD) ‘activation’ policies are evaluated here. However, these policies are found to be of only limited effectiveness in ensuring social justice, equity, and inclusion in later-career and beyond. A Critical-HRD lens is adopted to show how the established HRD narrative of lifelong learning can inadvertently contribute to workers being disadvantaged in later-career. Social-constructionist identity theorising is developed to better understand later-career and to explain older-workers’ behaviour. The theorisation is then applied to discuss HRD interventions with potential for developing a positive sense-of-self among older-workers and retirees to thereby improve equity, inclusion, and social justice. Implications for HRD researchers and professionals and for HRD policy for EWLs are detailed.
Leveraging Podcasts as Academic Resources: A Seven-step Methodological Guide
Authors: Kulkov Ignat , Kulkova Julia , Rohrbeck Rene , Menvielle Loick
Published: July 2024

This article introduces a novel seven-step methodology designed to incorporate podcasts as qualitative data sources in academic research, addressing a notable gap in current literature. The purpose of this methodology is to harness the unique and timely insights offered by podcasts, thereby enriching academic studies with diverse, real-time perspectives. The design of this approach includes a meticulous selection of podcasts based on relevance and credibility, comprehensive ethical considerations, strategic sampling methods, robust data collection and analysis techniques, and recommendations for applying best research practices. Key to this methodology is the use of weighted scoring systems to mitigate biases and the establishment of ethical guidelines specifically tailored for podcast data. The results of this study indicate the high potential of the proposed methodology in employing podcasts as an additional source of data, providing dynamic and current perspectives often absent in traditional research sources. Future studies are encouraged to delve deeper into refining and standardizing the proposed methodology, focusing on enhancing the weight metrics through advanced statistical techniques and exploring new technological tools for more efficient podcast data extraction and analysis.
Moral framing in Ukraine war coverage
Authors: Parmelee John H , Roman Nataliya , Beasley Berrin
Published: July 2024

To understand how coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is being packaged and presented to an international audience, this mixed methods study examines differences in moral framing of the war by English-language international broadcasters in Ukraine, Russia, the UK, and the US. A computational content analysis based on Moral Foundations Theory found the dominant moral domain and sentiment for each article ( N = 935) during the first year of the war, and a qualitative frame analysis shows how framing in the coverage used the moral domains and sentiment to promote a ‘causal interpretation, moral evaluation, and/or treatment recommendation’ (Entman, Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm, 1993: 52) for those involved in the conflict.
The safety and efficacy profile of eculizumab in myasthenic crisis: a prospective small case series
Authors: Song Jie , Huan Xiao , Chen Yuanyi , Luo Yeting , Zhong Huahua , Wang Yuan , Yang Lei , Xi Caihua , Yang Yu , Xi Jianying , Zheng Jianming , Wu Zongtai , Zhao Chongbo , Luo Sushan
Published: July 2024

Eculizumab has improved recovery from ventilatory support in myasthenic crisis (MC) cases. However, the safety and efficacy profiles from prospective studies are still lacking.

This study aimed to explore eculizumab’s safety and efficacy in a prospective case series of patients with refractory MC. We followed a series of anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MG) patients who received eculizumab as an add-on therapy for 12 weeks during MC to facilitate the weaning process and reduced disease activity. Serum anti-AChR antibodies and peripheral immune molecules associated with the complement pathway were evaluated before and after eculizumab administration. Compared to the baseline Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA)-quantitative MG test (QMG) scores (22.25 ± 4.92) and MG-activities of daily living (MG-ADL; 18.25 ± 2.5) scores at crisis, improvements were observed from 4 weeks (14.5 ± 10.47 and 7.5 ± 7.59, respectively) through 12 weeks (7.5 ± 5.74 and 2.25 ± 3.86, respectively) post-treatment. Muscle strength consistently improved across ocular, bulbar, respiratory, and limb/gross domain groups. One patient died of cardiac failure at 16 weeks. Three cases remained in remission at 24 weeks, with a mean QMG score of 2.67 ± 2.89 and ADL score of 0.33 ± 0.58. No significant side effects were reported. Serum CH50 and soluble C5b-9 levels significantly declined, while there were no significant changes in serum anti-AChR antibody levels, C1q, C5a levels, or peripheral lymphocyte proportions. Eculizumab was well tolerated and showed efficacy in this case series. Large prospective cohort studies with extended follow-up periods are needed to further explore the safety and efficacy profile in real-world practice.
Carbohydrate Estimation Accuracy of Two Commercially Available Smartphone Applications vs Estimation by Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes: A Comparative Study
Authors: Baumgartner Michelle , Kuhn Christian , Nakas Christos T. , Herzig David , Bally Lia
Published: July 2024

Background:

Despite remarkable progress in diabetes technology, most systems still require estimating meal carbohydrate (CHO) content for meal-time insulin delivery. Emerging smartphone applications may obviate this need, but performance data in relation to patient estimates remain scarce.

Objective:

The objective is to assess the accuracy of two commercial CHO estimation applications, SNAQ and Calorie Mama, and compare their performance with the estimation accuracy of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods:

Carbohydrate estimates of 53 individuals with T1D (aged ≥16 years) were compared with those of SNAQ (food recognition + quantification) and Calorie Mama (food recognition + adjustable standard portion size). Twenty-six cooked meals were prepared at the hospital kitchen. Each participant estimated the CHO content of two meals in three different sizes without assistance. Participants then used SNAQ for CHO quantification in one meal and Calorie Mama for the other (all three sizes). Accuracy was the estimate’s deviation from ground-truth CHO content (weight multiplied by nutritional facts from recipe database). Furthermore, the applications were rated using the Mars-G questionnaire.

Results:

Participants’ mean ± standard deviation (SD) absolute error was 21 ± 21.5 g (71 ± 72.7%). Calorie Mama had a mean absolute error of 24 ± 36.5 g (81.2 ± 123.4%). With a mean absolute error of 13.1 ± 11.3 g (44.3 ± 38.2%), SNAQ outperformed the estimation accuracy of patients and Calorie Mama (both P > .05). Error consistency (quantified by the within-participant SD) did not significantly differ between the methods.

Conclusions:

SNAQ may provide effective CHO estimation support for people with T1D, particularly those with large or inconsistent CHO estimation errors. Its impact on glucose control remains to be evaluated.
Longitudinal Analysis of Knee Articular Cartilage Degeneration After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Comparison of T1rho and T2 Mapping
Authors: Toguchi Kaoru , Watanabe Atsuya , Horii Manato , Watanabe Shotaro , Itoh Ryu , Sakamoto Takuya , Murata Yasuaki , Ohtori Seiji , Sasho Takahisa
Published: July 2024

Objective

To assess articular cartilage degeneration in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed knees as detected by MR T1rho and T2 mapping relative to controls and longitudinally at 3 months and 1 year after ACL reconstruction (ACLR).

Design

Twenty-five patients with acute ACL injury were enrolled (13 women and 12 men; mean age 30.8), and 14 healthy controls were selected by sex and age matching. The affected knees of the ACLR participants were imaged using a 3.0T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner 3 months and 1 year after ACLR. Cartilage T1rho and T2 values were quantified for subcompartments in the full-thickness, superficial, and deep layers and were compared with the matched subcompartments of control knees. The influence of concomitant meniscal tears identified using proton density-weighted imaging (PDWI) was also investigated.

Results

In the posterior lateral tibia, T1rho and T2 values were significantly higher in ACLR participants at 3 months and slightly decreased at 1-year compared to the control group. T1rho values in the medial compartment exhibited a significant increase at 1-year compared with those of control knees, while T2 showed no significance. In cartilage with medial meniscal tears, the T1rho values in multiple medial subcompartments were significantly higher than those in cartilage without medial meniscal tears, and this alteration was relatively detectable by T1rho.

Conclusions

T1rho and T2 mapping is effective in evaluating cartilage degeneration following ACLR. T1rho may exhibit greater sensitivity for assessing the progression of early degeneration in the medial compartment after ACLR.
Barriers and facilitators to pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among Black/African American men who have sex with other men in Iowa: COM-B model analysis
Authors: Adeagbo Oluwafemi
Published: July 2024

Background:

In Iowa, men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 54% of persons with HIV in 2022 and Non-Hispanic Black/African Americans were over 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than Non-Hispanic white Iowans. To address this disparity in HIV incidence and prevalence, the United States (US) government ending the HIV epidemic (EHE) initiative seeks to expand pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage across the United States. Recent data showed that PrEP coverage is suboptimal in Iowa (a rural state), and Black Iowans were less likely to engage with PrEP services.

Objectives:

Using capability, opportunity, motivation and behavior (COM-B) model for behavior change, this study sought to identify the key barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake among Black/African American MSM in small urban areas in Iowa.

Design:

This was a phenomenological study aimed to explore subjective views of Black MSM on PrEP use.

Methods:

In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 Black MSM aged 20–42 years in two small urban counties. Broad themes identified from the interview transcripts were analyzed inductively and mapped onto the COM-B constructs deductively.

Results:

Results showed that barriers to PrEP uptake were closely associated with five (of six) COM-B subcomponents: physical capability, psychological capability, social opportunity, reflective motivation, and automatic motivation. The thematized barriers were (1) lack of medical insurance; (2) limited PrEP awareness; (3) PrEP stigma; (4) fear of distrust among partners; (5) anticipated side effects; and (6) doubt about PrEP effectiveness. Similarly, facilitators to PrEP uptake were aligned with four subcomponents of COM-B model: physical capability, psychological capability, social opportunity, and physical opportunity. The thematized facilitators were (1) increased PrEP awareness; (2) PrEP access without discrimination; (3) state provision of PrEP to uninsured; and (4) physicians buy-in and recommendation. No motivation-related facilitators were reported.

Conclusion:

To reduce the current disparity in HIV incidence and to achieve the EHE goals of expanding PrEP coverage in Iowa, efforts should be directed toward the provision of low-cost or free PrEP services, healthcare providers’ training on cultural competence, and the development of culturally appropriate strategies to deliver PrEP to the Black MSM community.
Carcinoma en cuirasse in a middle-aged woman with a unique spoke-wheel presentation: A case report
Authors: Bandi Satyadeep , Harshini Chintapenta , Harsha T. Sri , Vishwanath Y. , Mushahid Hasan , Shaikh Humaira , Nadeem Abdullah , Sydhom Pishoy
Published: July 2024

Carcinoma en cuirasse is a rare form of cutaneous metastasis characterized by the spread of a primary malignant tumor to the skin, most commonly associated with breast cancer in women. It may present as papulonodular lesions, erysipeloid, sclerodermiform infiltration, or en cuirassed, typically appearing months or years after the initial diagnosis of the primary malignancy. Diagnosis of carcinoma en cuirasse can be challenging, but histology can help distinguish it from other skin conditions. Treatment options for carcinoma en cuirasse are not well-defined due to the limited number of reported cases. Here, we report a case of a 30-year-old female, who presented with invasive ductal carcinoma which presented as carcinoma en cuirasse with a spoke-wheel pattern over the course of 6 months.
Functional neurological symptom disorder in a patient with hemibody weakness: A case report
Authors: Gafaranga Jean Pierre , Kayitesi Marie Louise
Published: July 2024

Functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD) is a complex condition with multifactorial etiology in which psychological factors may play a significant role in some patients, and they are not universally present or necessary for the diagnosis. FNSD can occur in the absence of psychological distress and each patient’s presentation should be evaluated individually, considering a wide range of potential contributing factors. This is the first report related to prevalence data from Rwanda. This report presents a case study of a 15-year-old female patient who presented hemibody weakness without a structural neurological explanation on the background of the direct exposure to parental conflict. she was ultimately diagnosed with an FNSD and responded effectively to five sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy. Additionally, follow-up appointments were conducted every 4 months over the course of 1 year. During this period, the patient successfully resumed her studies and demonstrated normal functioning in all essential areas of daily life. This is the first reported case in Rwanda among similar cases. Addressing these specific stressors played a crucial role in the patient’s overall outcome, leading to improved quality of care and prevention of unnecessary medical costs and interventions.
Nurses’ Interventions in Minimizing Adult Patient Vulnerability During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation: An Integrative Review
Authors: Costa Nuno , Henriques Helga Rafael , Durao Candida
Published: July 2024

Introduction

People during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to lung transplantation find themselves in a high degree of physical and psychological vulnerability, which could cause additional problems for their health status. Therefore, this review aims to identify the interventions that shape critical nursing care to minimize patient vulnerability during ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation.

Method

A literature review was performed using CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases with searches conducted in March 2023, with temporal restriction of articles published between 2013 and 2023. After selecting articles involving adults in critical situations on ECMO, their quality was assessed using the critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Articles with the pediatric population, reviews, and opinion articles were excluded. A spreadsheet was built for data extraction and a narrative analysis was performed.

Results

Three articles were included involving 40 participants in total. Interventions that shape critical nursing care to minimize a person's vulnerability are in the physical domain (basic precautions to prevent infection) and in the psychological domain (trusting relationships, consistent and clear communication, physical presence of nurses and family members and the use of advocacy). The Awake ECMO strategy was identified as beneficial for reducing vulnerability.

Conclusion

By recognizing and identifying the person's vulnerability during ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation, nurses can implement effective interventions to minimize vulnerability in this population, thus contributing to the person's well-being through personalization and individualization of care. Additionally, the results of this review could be useful for developing tools to assess the degree of vulnerability and for implementing person-centered care measures and policies. However, further research is warranted given the scarcity of literature on these topics.
Simultaneous stochastic optimisation of mining complexes with equipment uncertainty: Application at an open-pit copper mining complex
Authors: Jiang Yi , Dimitrakopoulos Roussos
Published: July 2024

A mining complex or mineral value chain is an integrated system composed of mines, stockpiles, waste disposal and tailings facilities, processing destinations and transportation, that leads to generating sellable products delivered to customers and/or the spot market. To deal with such a system, conventional approaches optimise the related components independently and sequentially, while ignoring the related uncertainties. This article extends the simultaneous stochastic optimisation of mining complexes, so as to incorporate equipment uncertainties in addition to supply uncertainty. The inclusion of multiple components and different sources of uncertainty empowers the optimisation to capitalise on the synergies between the different components of a mining complex, while also managing the related technical risk and maximising the net present value. An application at a copper mining complex demonstrates the applied aspects of the proposed approach that jointly considers supply and equipment uncertainty to generate life-of-asset production schedules with a 2% higher net present value, when compared to the results considering only supply uncertainty.
A modified approach for cut-off grade and production rate optimization in block caving projects
Authors: Shami-Qalandari Mohammad , Rahmanpour Mehdi , Bakhshandeh Amnieh Hassan
Published: July 2024

Optimization of mining projects is often aimed at maximizing the net present value (NPV). Cut-off grade along with production rate determines the quantity and destination of material that is mined and processed. Thus, the cash flows and the NPV of a mining project are directly affected by the cut-off grade, the mineable reserve and the production rate. In order to achieve the maximum NPV, these factors must be evaluated. Block caving is a non-selective mass mining method. In block caving method, as the cut-off grade changes, the amount of mineable reserve, and the correlated mining envelope changes consequently. Determining the optimum cut-off grade and production rate for block cave mining is a complex task, therefore, artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface method (RSM) approaches are utilized in this paper. According to the results, a combination of RSM and ANN models is able to determine the best configuration of cut-off grade and production rate that leads to the maximum NPV.
The growth of social work in palliative and end-of-life care in the United States: how did we get here?
Authors: Csikai Ellen L. , Bullock Karen
Published: July 2024

A historical look back at the ‘beginnings’ of palliative social work in the United States provides a lens through which to view current areas of focus and future trends in hospice and palliative care with the objective of emphasizing the need for equitable practice approaches. The background and formative efforts to establish palliative social work in the United States as a specialty field of practice were scaffolded by the Project on Death in America, Open Society Institute’s Social Work Leadership Development Award Program, and two Social Work Leadership Summits on End-of-Life and Palliative Care, which help to explain how we got here. In the development of the social work role in providing palliative and end-of-life care for individuals who are seriously ill and their families, several important functions unfolded naturally as part of our practice repertoire as professionals. Practitioners, researchers, advocates, policy developers, and more have advanced the field and strengthened palliative social work, especially as the profession addresses inequities and promotes quality of life. Social workers’ administrative reports, academic literature, professional standards and educational programs, assessment tools, and evidence-informed practice interventions contribute to illuminating the roles that social workers have on interdisciplinary palliative care teams, while emphasizing the importance of leadership development. Social workers in palliative and end-of-life care are on a firm ground from which to move forward into the ever-evolving future of providing essential quality care at such a critical time in life.
Composite conditioning risk, gambling disorder, and gender: A cross-sectional survey among Chinese married couples
Authors: Man Pui Kwan , Cheung Nicole W.T.
Published: July 2024

Agnew's revised conditioning hypothesis tests in general strain theory have received considerable attention in delinquency studies. Yet, rarely has past research focused particularly on correlations among Composite Conditioning Risk (CCR), perceptions of Traditional Gender Norms (TGN), and problem gambling. This study adds a gender perspective to the revised conditioning hypothesis in a wider spectrum of deviant acts. Through a cross-sectional survey of 1,620 Chinese married couples in Hong Kong, we investigate the role of CCR in moderating the relationships between social strain/strain-induced negative emotions and disordered gambling among married couples and how this confluence is governed by TGN perceptions. Results indicate that CCR exacerbates the effect of composite strain on gambling disorder specifically among traditional men. However, TGN does not affect the risk and link between strain-induced negative emotions and disordered gambling for either gender.
Depressive Symptoms Among Caregivers of Older Adults With Both Diabetes and Functional Limitations and Moderation by Caregiver Expressive Social Support
Authors: Quach Ha-Linh , Visaria Abhijit , Iversen Marjolein Memelink , Malhotra Rahul
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to explore how caring for older adults with both diabetes and functional limitations impacts caregiver depressive symptoms and whether this impact is moderated by caregivers’ expressive social support and psychological resilience.

Method

Cross-sectional data of 278 dyads, each comprising an older adult with functional limitations and his/her primary family caregiver were analyzed. Older adult diabetes status (yes/no) was based on ever-diagnosis of diabetes. Caregiver depressive symptoms, expressive social support, and psychological resilience were measured using standard scales. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the association of interest and its moderation by caregiver expressive social support and psychological resilience.

Results

Caregivers of older adults with both diabetes and functional limitations had a higher depressive symptoms score compared to caregivers of older adults with only functional limitations. This association was inversely moderated by caregiver expressive social support. As caregiver expressive social support increased, the difference in depressive symptoms between caregivers of older adults with diabetes and functional limitations and caregivers of older adults with only functional limitations reduced.

Conclusion

Family caregivers of older adults with functional limitations and diabetes have a higher depressive symptoms score. However, enhancing caregiver expressive social support could mitigate this risk. Service providers should prioritize support for caregivers in such vulnerable situations and strive to enhance their expressive social support.
Becoming augmented: The latent possibilities of ethnographyin a pandemic
Authors: Ryder Craig
Published: July 2024

For all its wretched ways, COVID:19 has installed new possibilities to the way we do ethnographic research. Due to pandemic restrictions, my research on how digital activists in Sri Lanka acquire influence on social media fell into three distinct phases: (i) digital ethnography from London, (ii) datafied approaches in Helsinki and (iii) traditional fieldwork in Colombo. The article’s objective is not to provincialise the three cases, but to demonstrate how each phase is tightly bound together and serve to imagine new possibilities in research design. Vlad Glăveanu contents that ‘human beings live “amphibious” lives – at once in the realm of the actual and the possible’ to emphasis the misty line between what is real and what can be manifested by innovation and action. Not dissimilar to this amphibiousness, I argue that human beings also live ‘augmented’ lives, at once in the realm of in real life (IRL) and online spaces and experiences mediated by digital technologies. My fingers, ears and eyes, while in London, Helsinki or Colombo, were always partly submerged in digital worlds, and it was this augmentation that enabled the long-term engagement that good ethnography demands.
Treatment of relapsed/refractory MCL
Authors: Silkenstedt Elisabeth , Dreyling Martin
Published: July 2024

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that is clinically characterized by its heterogeneous behavior, with courses ranging from indolent to highly aggressive cases with limited prognosis. Targeted treatment alternatives in first-line and relapse settings are more and more shaping the therapeutic landscape of MCL. The development and implementation of new targeted and immunotherapeutic approaches have already improved outcomes for patients with MCL with refractory or relapsed disease. However, long-term prognosis is still limited, and patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease, especially those failing Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor treatment, usually have a dismal outcome. This review summarizes the current and emerging treatment options for R/R MCL, focusing on the implementation of combined targeted treatment strategies such as BTK inhibitors and BCL2 inhibitors, as well as immune-therapeutic approaches including chimeric antigen receptor T cells and bispecific antibodies.
What is in a name: defining pediatric refractory ITP
Authors: Nakano Taizo A. , Grimes Amanda B. , Klaassen Robert J. , Lambert Michele P. , Neunert Cindy , Rothman Jennifer A. , Shimano Kristin A. , Amend Christina , Askew Megan , Badawy Sherif M. , Baker Jillian M. , Breakey Vicky , Crary Shelley , Davini Monica , Fritch Lilla Stephanie , Gilbert Megan , Hays Taru , Hege Kerry , Hillier Kirsty , Jacobson-Kelly Amanda , Kaicker Shipra , Kim Taylor O. , Kochhar Manpreet , Leblanc Thierry , Martinelli Marie , Nunez Mara , Remiker Allison , Schultz Corrina , Sharma Ruchika , Grace Rachael F.
Published: July 2024

There are no agreed upon terminology to define “refractory” pediatric immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Guidelines are therefore limited to arbitrary and outdated definitions. The Pediatric ITP Consortium of North America held a meeting in 2023 to define this entity. With 100% agreement, the faculty established that pediatric ITP that is refractory to emergent therapy could be defined as no platelet response after treatment with all eligible emergent pharmacotherapies. With 100% agreement, the working group established that pediatric patients with ITP that continue to demonstrate high disease burden and/or no platelet response despite treatment with multiple classes of disease-modifying therapies represent a challenging subset of ITP. These patients are at higher risk of ongoing disease burden and merit additional investigation as well as consideration for clinical trials or novel therapies. Future efforts to define disease burden and disease response will be completed in collaboration with the ITP International Working Group.
Early respiratory system reactance predicts respiratory outcomes in preterm infants: a retrospective, multicentre study
Authors: Zannin Emanuela , Rigotti Camilla , Schulzke Sven M. , Sindelar Richard , Werther Tobias , Lavizzari Anna , Neumann Roland P. , Wallström Linda , Mosca Fabio , Ventura Maria Luisa , Dellacà Raffaele L. , Veneroni Chiara
Published: July 2024

Background

This multicentre, international, retrospective study aimed to investigate whether respiratory system reactance (Xrs) assessed by respiratory oscillometry on day 7 of life is associated with respiratory outcomes in preterm infants below 32 weeks gestational age (GA).

Methods

Sinusoidal pressure oscillations (2–5 cmH2O peak-to-peak, 10 Hz) were superimposed on the positive end-expiratory pressure. We assessed the association ofXrsz-score with the duration of respiratory support using linear regression and with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) using logistic regression. We used the likelihood ratio test to evaluate whetherXrsz-score adds significantly to clinical predictors, including GA, birthweight (BW) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) BPD prediction model.

Results

137 infants (median (interquartile range) 28.43 (26.11–30.29) weeks GA) were included; 44 (32%) developed BPD.Xrsz-score was significantly associated with the duration of respiratory support (R2=0.35).Xrsz-score was significantly higher in infants who developed BPD (p<0.001); the optimal cut-off value was 2.6, associated with 77% sensitivity and 80% specificity. In univariable analysis, per z-score increase inXrs, the odds ratio for BPD increased by 60% and the respiratory support by 8 days. In multivariable analysis,Xrsz-score added significantly to the NICHD model and to GA and BW z-score to predict respiratory support duration (p=0.016 and p=0.014, respectively) and BPD development (p=0.003 and p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Xrsz-score on the 7th day after birth improves the prediction of respiratory outcome in preterm infants.
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is an uncommon complication of COVID-19: UK national surveillance and observational screening cohort studies
Authors: Reddy S. Ashwin , Newman Joseph , Leavy Olivia C. , Ghani Hakim , Pepke-Zaba Joanna , Cannon John E. , Sheares Karen K. , Taboada Dolores , Bunclark Katherine , Lawrie Allan , Sudlow Cathie L. , Berry Colin , Wild James M. , Mitchell Jane A. , Quint Jennifer , Rossdale Jennifer , Price Laura , Howard Luke S. , Wilkins Martin , Sattar Naveed , Chowienczyk Philip , Thompson Roger , Wain Louise V. , Horsley Alexander , Ho Ling-Pei , Chalmers James D. , Marks Michael , Poinasamy Krisnah , Raman Betty , Harris Victoria C. , Houchen-Wolloff Linzy , Brightling Christopher E. , Evans Rachael A. , Toshner Mark R.
Published: July 2024

Background

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a well-recognised complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease with and without pulmonary hypertension (CTEPD/CTEPH) are potential life-limiting consequences. At present the burden of CTEPD/CTEPH is unclear and optimal and cost-effective screening strategies yet to be established.

Methods

We evaluated the CTEPD/CTEPH referral rate to the UK national multidisciplinary team (MDT) during the 2017–2022 period to establish the national incidence of CTEPD/CTEPH potentially attributable to COVID-19-associated PE with historical comparator years. All individual cases of suspected CTEPH were reviewed by the MDT for evidence of associated COVID-19. In a separate multicentre cohort, the risk of developing CTEPH following hospitalisation with COVID-19 was calculated using simple clinical parameters at a median of 5 months post-hospital discharge according to existing risk scores using symptoms, ECG and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.

Results

By the second year of the pandemic, CTEPH diagnoses had returned to the pre-pandemic baseline (23.1versus27.8 cases per month; p=0.252). Of 334 confirmed CTEPD/CTEPH cases, four (1.2%) patients were identified to have CTEPH potentially associated with COVID-19 PE, and a further three (0.9%) CTEPD without PH. Of 1094 patients (mean age 58 years, 60.4% male) hospitalised with COVID-19 screened across the UK, 11 (1.0%) were at high risk of CTEPH at follow-up, none of whom had a diagnosis of CTEPH made at the national MDT.

Conclusion

A prioririsk of developing CTEPH following COVID-19-related hospitalisation is low. Simple risk scoring is a potentially effective way of screening patients for further investigation.
Characterizing the journey of Rett syndrome among females in the United States: a real-world evidence study using the Rett syndrome natural history study database
Authors: May Damian , Kponee-Shovein Kalé , Neul Jeffrey L. , Percy Alan K. , Mahendran Malena , Downes Nathaniel , Chen Grace , Watson Talissa , Pichard Dominique C. , Kennedy Melissa , Lefebvre Patrick
Published: July 2024

Background

With the advent of the first targeted therapy for Rett Syndrome (RTT), a comprehensive assessment of the journey of RTT is needed to elucidate on present unmet needs in this population. This study characterized females with RTT in the United States and their disease journey with respect to longitudinal treatment patterns, RTT-related outcomes, and changes in disease severity.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used registry data of females with RTT from the 5211 RTT Natural History Study (RNHS) (November 2015–July 2021). Pharmacological and supportive therapy use, RTT-related outcomes, and RTT severity, as measured by the Clinical Severity Scale and Motor Behavioral Assessment scale, were evaluated following the first RNHS visit. Analyses were conducted overall and in subgroups by RTT type (classic and atypical RTT) and age at first visit (pediatric and adult).

Results

A total of 455 females with RTT were included in the study, of whom 90.5% had classic RTT and 79.8% were pediatric individuals. Over a median follow-up of 4 years, use of pharmacological therapies, including prokinetic agents (42.7% vs. 28.3%), and supportive therapies, including physical therapy (87.3% vs. 40.2%) and speech-language therapy (86.8% vs. 23.9%), were more common in pediatric than adult individuals (all p < 0.05). Nearly half (44.6%) of all individuals had a hospital or emergency room visit, with a higher proportion of visits in individuals with classic RTT than atypical RTT and pediatric than adult individuals (both p = 0.001). An increasing trend in clinical severity was observed in pediatric individuals (mean change per year: 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03, 0.44), while an increasing trend in motor-behavioral dysfunction was observed in pediatric individuals (mean change per year: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.63, 1.60) and those with classic RTT (mean change per year: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.53, 1.41).

Conclusions

Findings from this study highlight the considerable burden of RTT across disease subtype and age. Despite reliance on supportive therapies and healthcare encounters, individuals with RTT experience increasing disease severity and motor-behavioral dysfunction in childhood and adolescence, underscoring the unmet needs of this population and the value of early intervention to manage RTT in the long-term.
Estimation of genetic variation in vitiligo associated genes: Population genomics perspective
Authors: Bharti Neeraj , Banerjee Ruma , Achalare Archana , Kasibhatla Sunitha Manjari , Joshi Rajendra
Published: July 2024

Background

Vitiligo is an auto-immune progressive depigmentation disorder of the skin due to loss of melanocytes. Genetic risk is one of the important factors for development of vitiligo. Preponderance of vitiligo in certain ethnicities is known which can be analysed by understanding the distribution of allele frequencies across normal populations. Earlier GWAS identified 108 risk alleles for vitiligo in Europeans and East Asians. In this study, 64 of these risk alleles were used for analysing their enrichment and depletion across populations (1000 Genomes Project and IndiGen) with reference to 1000 Genomes dataset. Genetic risk scores were calculated and Fisher’s exact test was performed to understand statistical significance of their variation in each population with respect to 1000 Genomes dataset as reference. In addition to SNPs reported in GWAS, significant variation in allele frequencies of 1079 vitiligo-related genes were also analysed. Two-tailed Chi-square test and Bonferroni’s multiple adjustment values along with fixation index (≥ 0.5) and minimum allele frequency (≥ 0.05) were calculated and used to prioritise the variants based on pairwise comparison across populations.

Results

Risk alleles rs1043101 and rs10768122 belong to 3 prime UTR of glutamate receptor gene SLC1A2 are found to be highly enriched in the South Asian population when compared with the ‘global normal’ population. Intron variant rs4766578 (ATXN2) was found to be deleted in SAS, EAS and AFR and enriched in EUR and AMR1. This risk allele is found to be under positive selection in SAS, AMR1 and EUR. From the ancillary vitiligo gene list, nonsynonymous variant rs16891982 was found to be enriched in the European and the Admixed American populations and depleted in all others. rs2279238 and rs11039155 belonging to the LXR-α gene involved in regulation of metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (melanocyte precursors) were found to be associated with vitiligo in the North Indian population (in earlier study).

Conclusion

The differential enrichment/depletion profile of the risk alleles provides insight into the underlying inter-population variations. This would provide clues towards prioritisation of SNPs associated with vitiligo thereby elucidating its preponderance in different ethnic groups.
Silver nanoparticle with potential antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficiency against multiple drug resistant, extensive drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates
Authors: Kamer Amal M. Abo , El Maghraby Gamal M. , Shafik Maha Mohamed , Al-Madboly Lamiaa A.
Published: July 2024

Background

The study aims to investigate the effect of combining silver nanoparticles (AGNPs) with different antibiotics on multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and to investigate the mechanism of action of AGNPs.

Methods

AGNPs were prepared by reduction of silver nitrate using trisodium citrate and were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM) in addition to an assessment of cytotoxicity. Clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were collected, and antimicrobial susceptibility was conducted. Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index was calculated, and bacteria were categorized as MDR or XDR. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, and AGNPs were determined. The mechanism of action of AGNPs was researched by evaluating their effect on biofilm formation, swarming motility, protease, gelatinase, and pyocyanin production. Real-time PCR was performed to investigate the effect on the expression of genes encoding various virulence factors.

Results

TEM revealed the spherical shape of AGNPs with an average particle size of 10.84 ± 4.64 nm. AGNPS were safe, as indicated by IC50 (42.5 µg /ml). The greatest incidence of resistance was shown against ciprofloxacin which accounted for 43% of the bacterial isolates. Heterogonous resistance patterns were shown in 63 isolates out of the tested 107. The MAR indices ranged from 0.077 to 0.84. Out of 63 P. aeruginosa isolates, 12 and 13 were MDR and XDR, respectively. The MIC values of AGNPs ranged from 2.65 to 21.25 µg /ml. Combination of AGNPs with antibiotics reduced their MIC by 5–9, 2–9, and 3-10Fold in the case of gentamicin, ceftazidime, and ciprofloxacin, respectively, with synergism being evident. AGNPs produced significant inhibition of biofilm formation and decreased swarming motility, protease, gelatinase and pyocyanin production. PCR confirmed the finding, as shown by decreased expression of genes encoding various virulence factors.

Conclusion

AGNPs augment gentamicin, ceftazidime, and ciprofloxacin against MDR and XDR Pseudomonas isolates. The efficacy of AGNPs can be attributed to their effect on the virulence factors of P. aeruginosa. The combination of AGNPs with antibiotics is a promising strategy to attack resistant isolates of P. aeruginosa.
Mitigating cold stress in rice: a study of genotype performance and sowing time
Authors: El-Refaee Yasser Z. , Gharib Hany S. , Badawy Shimaa A. , Elrefaey Eman M. , El-Okkiah Samira A.F. , Okla Mohamed K. , Maridueña-Zavala María Gabriela , AbdElgawad Hamada , El-Tahan Amira M.
Published: July 2024

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an essential food for half of the global population and is vital in maintaining global food security. Climate change, increasing population and recent incident of COVID pandemic has generated financial burden and threaten the global food security. Due to theses factors rice cultivation also has to face significant challenges. frequent weather changes pose a considerable challenge to agricultural planning, which was previously relaying on consistent seasonal variations. In this context, rice cultivation is particularly sensitive to cold, where its development and productivity inhibited by low temperatures (< 18 °C). Developing rice varietes with low temprature tolerence and good yield potential is one of the major goals of current breeding efforts of plant scientists. For this purpose, short duration and early rice varieties are most favorable to avoid cold stress and yield more in less number of days. this study was designed to investigate the effect of low temperatures on different rice varieties. the study was designed to identify low temprature tolerent genotypes with early and regular cultivation. For this, thirty-four genotypes were evaluated in two gorwing seasons (2018–2019) with four different sowing times. Statistically sowing time showed significant interaction between all yield contributing parameters. The data indicate that exposure to low temperatures during the reproductive phase prolongs the maturation period of the crop, also length of the panicle and the fertility of the spikelets drops, resulting in a significant decrease in the production of sensitive varieties. Some varieties are more sensitive to cold stress compared to others. In the Egyptian context, Giza176, Sakha104, and Sakha107 are recommended for early cultivation, while the genotypes Giza 179, Sakha101, Sakha104, and GZ 9730-1-1-1-1 are indicated for the normal cultivation period. The Sakha104 variety is particularly notable, as it is recommended for both purposes. In addition, the data obtained in this study provide valuable information for selecting rice varieties suitable for double cropping in the North Delta of Egypt. This study also contributes to the existing literature, providing insights into the resilience of rice cultivation in the face of climate change.