bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sonic Meanings of the Life and Death of My Disabled Brother: Listening as a Method for Qualitative Research
Authors: Ikonen Essi
Published: October 2022

Long neglected listening is an underdeveloped element in western epistemology in general and in qualitative research in particular. However, recent developments in philosophy, sound art, anthropology, and qualitative research open promising pathways for mastering listening as a method and metaphor of inquiry also in health research, where understanding multiple layers of emotionally challenging experiences is crucial, yet often elusive. Through a sonic analysis of autobiographical data about life, death, and my disabled brother, I will try to demonstrate how paying attention to listening and sounds in research can add evolving layers of meaning to the data gathering and analyzing processes. Ultimately, such an analysis provides insights into a sibling’s role as a caregiver by revealing mechanisms of nonconscious emotional coping and also into the acts of a disabled sibling as a teacher of subtle ways of listening.
Does Differential Maxillary Expansion Prior to Alveolar Cleft Bone Grafting Affect Nasal Width?
Authors: Green Mark A. , Zoida Joseph C. , Padwa Bonnie L.
Published: October 2022

Objective

Determine the effects of differential maxillary expansion on nasal width in patients with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus with or without cleft of the secondary palate (UCLA ± P).

Design

Retrospective radiographic study.

Setting

Institutional.

Participants

Forty patients with UCLA ± P who had alveolar bone grafting (ABG) between 2015 and 2020 and available preexpansion and postexpansion cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Twenty patients with UCLA ± P who underwent ABG without expansion were included as controls.

Main Outcome Measure

Percent change in width at the nasal pyriform, inferior turbinates, and alar base on cleft and noncleft sides.

Results

The study included 40 patients (24 males, mean age 9.6 years) and 20 controls (10 males, mean age 10.1 years). After maxillary expansion, there was an increase in width on the cleft and noncleft sides compared to nonexpanded controls at nasal pyriform (10.9% cleft side, P ≤ 0.001 and 4.3% noncleft side, P ≤ .001), inferior turbinate (8.7%, P ≤ .001 and 4.5%, P = .01), and alar base (6.7%, P = <.001 and 0.8% P = .54). The increase in width was greater on the cleft side than the noncleft side at the nasal pyriform (7.1%, P ≤ .001), inferior turbinate (4.3%, P ≤ .001), and alar base (7.0%, P ≤ 0.001) in the expansion group. There was good to excellent intra-rater and inter-rater agreement for measurements.

Conclusion

Patients with UCLA ± P who undergo differential maxillary expansion before ABG exhibit greater nasal widening on the cleft side.
Person-centered Maternity Care Among Mothers Who Gave Birth in South Wollo Zone Public Hospitals, Northeastern Ethiopia: A Mixed-method Study
Authors: Dagnaw Fentaw Teshome , Kehali Kiddus Yitbarek , Agago Tesfamichael Alaro , Hailemeskel Habtamu Shimels
Published: October 2022

Background:

Globally, less attention has been given to the abuse and disrespect observed during maternity care. Person-centered maternity care is providing care that is respectful and responsive to individual women’s preferences and needs and that their values guide all clinical decisions during childbirth. In Ethiopia, person-centered health care is one of the factors that increase client satisfaction and health service utilization. Therefore, we aimed to determine the level of person-centered maternity care among mothers who gave birth in health facilities of South Wollo Zone public hospitals, Northeastern, Ethiopia, 2019 using a mixed-method study.

Methods:

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Three hundred sixty-nine study participants were selected for the quantitative study using simple random sampling. Twelve study participants were selected for the qualitative study using purposive sampling. The quantitative data was coded and entered into Epi data 4.4 version and the analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. Descriptive statics was presented using tables and figures. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data and presented with the quantitative result through triangulation.

Result:

The Percentage mean score of the person-centered maternity care scale of the respondents was 64% of the total expected score. Whereas, the percentage means score sub-scales were 81.9%, for dignity and respect, 56.4% for communication and autonomy and 61.6% for supportive care. Most mothers who participated in an in-depth interview reported that there is not enough bed, delivery coach and bedpan in government hospitals.

Conclusion and recommendations:

Person-centered maternity care in health facilities of South Wollo Zone public hospitals is low. Therefore, responsible health sectors should work to improve the quality of care through effective communication between clients and providers and a supportive environment is crucial to succeeding in increasing the uptake of high-quality facility-based births.
Race, nation and empire; the forgotten sociology of Herbert Adolphus Miller
Authors: Balon Jan , Holmwood John
Published: October 2022

Herbert Adolphus Miller (1875–1951) is a neglected figure within North American sociology, yet he made a distinctive contribution to the sociology and politics of race relations. He was one of the first sociological critics of eugenics and developed a distinctive approach to race relations and the position of subject minorities derived from a critical analysis of European empires. His approach was complementary to that of Du Bois with whom he had a close relationship. In this article, we trace Miller’s critique of eugenics and the idea of ‘Americanisation’ as a policy of immigrant assimilation, showing the distinctiveness of his approach within North American sociology, including the milieu of Chicago sociology with which he was associated. We also examine the connection between his sociology of race and Park’s position on race relations as being a process of gradual assimilation. We conclude with discussion of the Chicago school influence over Gunnar Myrdal’s The American Dilemma and the alternative approach to race relations that both Du Bois and Miller had already outlined in the 1920s.
‘I know how it sounds on paper’ risk talk, the use of documents and epistemic justice in child protection assessment home visits
Authors: Bostock Lisa , Koprowska Juliet
Published: October 2022

Social workers carry much of the frontline authority to define risk to children and discuss it with families. Assessment reports and other institutional documents record professional views about family information, and also have the potential to convey the ‘voice’ of the family to institutions. Social workers have responsibility for sharing these documents with families, yet little is known about how they do this. This paper focuses on episodes when social workers introduce institutional documents in home visits, and on the family responses elicited. These are high-stakes encounters which, when they go seriously wrong, emerge in the press as tragedies and scandals. For families, these documents carry an emotional depth-charge as intimate, potentially shaming and sometimes inaccurate details of their lives are inscribed in them by and for others. Latour’s (1996) concept of interobjectivity sheds light on the use of documents, while concepts of epistemic authority ( Heritage and Raymond, 2005 ) and epistemic injustice ( Fricker, 2007 ) are employed to examine how social workers respond to parental testimony about themselves and their children. Learning how to present institutional documentation in ways that reduce the risk of emotional reactivity and treating family perspectives with epistemic justice may enhance social work practice. At a policy level, the design of documents warrants review, so that they facilitate rather than obstruct social workers’ efforts to build what are already fragile relationships with families.
Swayed by prior interactions? How government contracting acts as a substitute for lobbying activity
Authors: Mbaraonye Izuchukwu , Abdurakhmonov Mirzokhidjon , Ridge Jason W
Published: October 2022

We argue that because one of the key intentions of lobbying is to develop knowledge about the inner workings of the government, a crucial type of governmental interaction—government contracting—is associated with firms’ level of lobbying activity. We argue that firms’ contract scope (the number of governmental agencies in which they contract) is negatively related to firms’ lobbying activity because it provides firms with broader knowledge of the government. We further argue that the relationship between government contract scope and firms’ lobbying activity is moderated by the extent of government contract dispersion (distribution of contracts across government agencies), firms’ government contract dependence (proportion of firms’ revenue that is derived from the government), and firms’ industry contract scope (availability of new government agencies for contracting). We find support for most of our theoretical arguments in a sample of S&P 1500 firms for years 2008–2018.
Preparation and physical properties of conductive silk fabrics used in wearable clothes and flexible supercapacitors
Authors: Khairy M , Kamal R , Mousa MA
Published: October 2022

The present work was designed to study several functions of Silk coated with polyaniline (PANI), graphene oxide (GO), and a composite of PANI@GO. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, and thermal analysis. The investigated fabrics' resistivity, weight gain, tensile strength, elongation, and antimicrobial efficiency were monitored according to ASTM procedures. The FTIR spectra show the presence of the GO and PANI functional groups in the treated fabrics, and the SEM images show the formation of coating materials on the silk surface. The electrical conductivity of the coated silk with composite PANI@GO is 29 times higher than that of the uncoated one. The heat generation efficiency of the studied fabrics is in the order: of PANI@GO-SL > PANI-SL > GO-SL > SL. All coated silk samples have antimicrobial activity in the order: PANI@GO-SL > PANI-SL > GO-SL > SL. The results showed that the PANI@GO-SL sample exhibits the highest specific capacitance of all the coated silk electrodes with 450 Fg−1 at 10 mVs−1, which renders PANI@GO-SL fabric a promising electrode material for supercapacitors. The capacitance value of the symmetric capacitor of PANI@GO-SL/PVA/PANI@GO-SL using PVA-H3PO4 gel as an electrolyte is 71.2 Fg−1 at a current density of one Ag−1 and 87.4% retention at 5000 cycles. The Ragone plot of the symmetric cell showed the highest energy density is 25.31 Wh/kg and a power density of 8018 W/kg. The results suggest using coated silk (PANI@GO-SL) prepared via low-cost processing as smart textiles for different applications.
Why Populist Leaders Succeed
Authors: Duina Francesco
Published: October 2022

We have recently witnessed the rise of populist leaders across the world. What makes those leaders so successful? We still do not quite know. This article offers an answer. The public and private spheres are typically kept distinct and apart in contemporary societies. Populist leaders, however, behave in the public sphere as if they were in the private sphere: they say and do things that are normally only said and done in private. This unorthodox approach resonates strongly with those who feel like the public sphere has left them behind.
Soviet (In)finite Jest: Leonid Yengibarov’s Pantomime and State Erasure
Authors: Movsesian Arpi
Published: October 2022

This article presents Leonid Yengibarov’s innovations to Soviet pantomime and the ways in which his interdisciplinarity prompted philosophical reflection and dialogue. Yengibarov’s performances emphasized the tragicomic, a move away from traditional clowning and toward the recognition of and reflection on ethical responsibility. This unconventionality marked him as unpredictable in the decidedly curated reality of Soviet entertainment and often led him to deviate from what the state considered acceptable. As such, this article likewise explores the underlying reasons, particularly the socio-political, for why the custodians of public order, opinion, and law ultimately worked toward the erasure of his art, and perhaps even his life.
Specific personality traits and psychosocial adjustment in people with intellectual disability
Authors: Gacek Michal , Krzywoszanski Lukasz
Published: October 2022

In this study we examined how specific personality traits are related to psychosocial adjustment in people with intellectual disability. We studied 73 students with mild intellectual disability and 25 students with moderate intellectual disability who attended special schools in Poland. Personality traits were assessed with the Revised Edward Zigler-Yale Questionnaire (EZPQ-16R) and to assess adjustment we used a total-difficulties score in Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We hypothesized a predictive relationship between the specific personality traits and adjustment. The relation between personality and adjustment was stronger in people with moderate intellectual disability than in people with mild intellectual disability. In students with moderate intellectual disability the relation between personality and adjustment was significant for each of the studied traits and in students with mild intellectual disability it was significant for negative-reaction tendency, and assignment alacrity. Obtained results indicate that specific traits are important to adjustment of people with intellectual disability.
Risks of long-term use of proton pump inhibitor on ischemic vascular events: A distributed network analysis of 5 real-world observational Korean databases using a common data model
Authors: Kim Yerim , Seo Seung In , Lee Kyung Joo , Kim Jinseob , Yoo Jong Jin , Seo Won-Woo , Shin Woon Geon
Published: October 2022

Background:

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frequently prescribed drugs. However, it has been suggested that they are associated with an increased risk of ischemic vascular events (IVE) including stroke, although the data are inconsistent.

Aims:

We investigated the association between PPIs use and IVE in five observational Korean databases using a common data model (CDM).

Methods:

This study included patient-based retrospective, observational cohort data of subjects aged over 18 years between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2020, from five medical centers as part of the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) CDM. Subjects who were included in both cohorts or had a previous history of ischemic stroke were excluded. After propensity matching, 8007 propensity-matched pairs between the PPIs and H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) users were included in this study.

Results:

In the 1:1 propensity score matching with 8007 in each group, long-term PPIs use (⩾365 days) was not associated with ischemic stroke (odds ratio (OR) = 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–1.56; I2 = 57%), ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.71–1.48; I2 = 53%), and net adverse clinical events (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 0.83–1.40; I2 = 47%) compared with H2RAs users.

Conclusions:

Our analysis in a large dataset found no evidence that long-term use of PPIs was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke.
Characterization of differences in sleep behaviors between academy, semi-professional and professional levels of competition in rugby union athletes
Authors: Teece Angus R , Beaven Martyn , Argus Christos K , Gill Nicholas , Driller Matthew W
Published: October 2022

Athletes display differing sleep habits to non-athletic populations; similarly, differences occur in sleep habits between athletes from different sports. There is currently limited research investigating the differences in sleep habits and behaviors between different levels of competition within the same sport. A total of 224 rugby union athletes (109 academy, 38 semi-professional, 84 professional) completed the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Professional athletes displayed a significantly longer self-reported sleep duration compared to semi-professional and academy athletes (7 h 52 min ± 51 min vs. 7 h 16 min ± 1 h 15 min vs. 7 h 19 min ± 1 h 12 min, p < 0.01). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global scores revealed a significantly lower ( p = 0.04, d = 0.3) score for professional athletes (5.2 ± 2.5 AU) than academy athletes (6.0 ± 2.7 AU). Individual components of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index revealed significant differences ( p < 0.05) between groups for sleep duration and daytime dysfunction. No significant differences ( p > 0.05) were observed between levels of competition for the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire global score; however, significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed for 6 of the 18 items. This study was the first to investigate sleep behaviors across multiple levels of competition in rugby union athletes. Professional athletes displayed longer sleep duration compared to semi-professional and academy level athletes. Additionally, results highlighted that differences exist between levels of competition for specific sleep behaviors. This study identified that sleep behaviors could be improved for all levels of rugby union athletes.
Police oversight in Ireland: Who complains, who gains?
Authors: Moss Brian
Published: October 2022

Accounts of police complainants and their experiences of oversight largely reflect North American data. This article examines how complainants fare in Ireland, where police crisis and reform have repeatedly occurred since 2005. Quantitative analysis of the independent police oversight agency’s complaint processing highlights patterns in allegations submitted, complaint-handling mechanism applied, and outcomes realised. In doing so, this article draws attention to the experiences of Irish Travellers, the homeless and prisoners. Findings show that socially marginal complainants submitted more serious allegations, secured higher investigation designations but were less likely to have complaints substantiated. Overall, substantiation was below international levels and police investigations were more likely to substantiate complaints than was the oversight agency. Consequently, the article then considers the frequent theoretical characterisation of police oversight in term of ‘justice’ or ‘agency’, arguing for inclusion of ‘agency self-interest’ by the oversight body in future research.
Intraoperative hypotension during surgical treatment for Marfan syndrome scoliosis in children
Authors: Li Jiayi , Zhao Mengqi , Yao Ziming , Zhang Xuejun , Guo Dong , Zhao Xin , Zhang Weiping
Published: October 2022

Purpose:

To explore the occurrence and risk factors of intraoperative hypotension during children’s Marfan syndrome scoliosis surgery and summarize the associated hemodynamic features and handle measures.

Methods:

Twenty-two Marfan syndrome scoliosis patients who underwent spinal surgery at Beijing Children’s Hospital were retrospectively reviewed between January 2001 and January 2020. Intraoperative hypotension is defined as the minimum mean arterial pressure ≤ 60 mm Hg. The patients were divided into the hypotension group and the control group. Clinical, radiographic, and operative data were compared between the two groups. The risk factors, hemodynamic features, and handle measures for intraoperative hypotension in Marfan syndrome scoliosis surgery were analyzed and summarized.

Results:

Twenty-two patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 11.4 years at initial surgery. The follow-up period ranged from 24 to 152 months. Intraoperative hypotension occurred in 14 cases, with an incidence of 63.6%. The proportion of pulmonary dysfunction in the hypotension group was higher than in the control group (100.0% vs 50.0%, p < 0.05). The spinal flexibility was significantly lower in the hypotension group (28.3% ± 14.2% vs 46.5% ± 11.5%, p < 0.05). Fourteen patients with intraoperative hypotension had decreased intraoperative systolic blood pressure 21.0%–50.0% compared with baseline. One patient had a transient decrease in the muscle strength of the lower limbs. No complications were observed during the follow-up.

Conclusion:

The incidence of intraoperative hypotension in Marfan syndrome scoliosis children who underwent surgery was 63.6%. The risk factors included preoperative pulmonary dysfunction and poor spinal flexibility. Comprehensive preoperative evaluation and effective hemodynamic handling measures should be undertaken to prevent further complications in children with Marfan syndrome scoliosis.
Treatment of Insertional Achilles Tendinosis With Polyurethane Urea–Based Matrix Augmentation
Authors: Cuttica Daniel J. , Neufeld Steven K. , Baird Michael , Levy Jeffrey A.
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Surgical treatment for insertional Achilles tendinosis (IAT) sometimes requires tendon repair augmentation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of polycaprolactone-based polyurethane urea (PUUR) matrix augmentation in the treatment of IAT.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed in surgically treated IAT. Repairs were augmented with a PUUR matrix. Factors evaluated included date of full weightbearing, patient satisfaction, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, strength, and ankle motion. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare baseline and final follow-up VAS scores.

Results

A total of 18 cases were included in the study. The mean patient age was 54.61 ± 8.25 (40-75) years with a mean follow-up of 163.61 ± 57.81 (92-314) days. Patient satisfaction was obtained on 15 of 18 patients, with 14 patients satisfied with their outcome. Mean VAS for pain significantly decreased from 6.19 ± 1.97 (2.5-9) to 0.83 ± 1.54 (0-5) postoperatively, which was statistically significant (P < .01).

Conclusion

Achilles tendon augmentation with the PUUR matrix is a viable option in the treatment of IAT. Its use in this condition has minimal morbidity and can be an alternative to other forms of augmentation.

Levels of Evidence:

Level IV: Retrospective case series
The digital rainbow: Digital determinants of health inequities
Authors: Jahnel Tina , Dassow Hans-Henrik , Gerhardus Ansgar , Schüz Benjamin
Published: October 2022

The widely used socioecological rainbow model from Dahlgren and Whitehead specifies determinants of health inequity on multiple hierarchical levels and suggests that these determinants may interact both within and between levels. At the time of its inception, digital determinants only played a minor role in tackling inequities in public health and were therefore not specifically considered. This has dramatically changed: From today's perspective, health inequities increasingly depend on digital determinants. In this article, we suggest adapting the Dahlgren-Whitehead model to reflect these developments. We propose a model that allows formulating testable hypotheses, interpreting research findings, and developing policy implications against the background of the global spread of digital technologies. This may facilitate the development of a new line of research and logic models for public health interventions in the digital age. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, we illustrate how the digitization of all aspects of life affects the different levels of determinants of health inequities in the Dahlgren–Whitehead model. In doing so, we deliberately argue for not introducing a separate digital sphere in its own right, but for understanding digitization as a phenomenon that permeates all levels of determinants of health inequities. As a result, we present a digital rainbow model that integrates Dahlgren and Whitehead's 1991 model with digital environments to identify current health promotion and research issues without changing the rainbow model's initial structure.
Are News Effects Necessarily Asymmetric? Evidence from Bangladesh Stock Market
Authors: Bose Shekar , Rahman Hafizur
Published: October 2022

The primary objective of this paper is to empirically examine the nature and statistical significance of the news effect on conditional volatility of unpredictable components of stock returns. Daily stock return data of 12 local and multinational companies on Dhaka Stock Exchange Ltd., Bangladesh, for the period 1990 to 2011 were used in this study. The likelihood of asymmetric effects of news on conditional volatility was tested using a set of diagnostics under the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) framework. The results fail to reject the null hypothesis of symmetric effects, thereby suggesting that the conditional volatility of unpredictable components of stock returns is affected equally by positive and negative news. The robustness of the results was further checked by using three widely used asymmetric models, namely exponential GARCH (EGARCH), Glosten, Jagannathan & Runkle (GJR)-GARCH, and a partially non-parametric Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedastic (PNP-ARCH) models. Yet again, the results do not provide any evidence of significant asymmetric effects in the volatility process. In addition, the descriptive results confirm the stylized facts of unpredictable return series such as non-normal distribution, time variant conditional volatility, and persistence in return volatility. Collectively these findings, perhaps, indicate the adequacy of the GARCH (1,1) model in representing the data generating process. A number of regulatory and behavioral factors that are anticipated to be accountable for the absence of asymmetric news effects are underlined. Finally, some policy implications of the results and possible extensions of the present paper are also conveyed.

JEL codes: G10, G12, G14
Safety of Same-Day Discharge Posterior Lumbar Decompression and/or Discectomy: An Observational Study Using Administrative Data From England
Authors: Gray William K. , Day Jamie , Briggs Tim W. R. , Hutton Mike
Published: October 2022

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives

Same-day discharge is widely used in many surgical specialities. If carefully planned, it can improve patient outcomes whilst using resources efficiently. We aimed to investigate the safety of same-day discharge following a posterior lumbar decompression and/or discectomy (PLDD).

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of administrative data. We extracted data from the Hospital Episodes Statistics database for the 5 years from 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2019. Patients undergoing an elective one or two level PLDD aged 19-54 years during the index stay were included. The primary exposure variable was same-day discharge or post-surgery overnight stay and the primary outcome was emergency hospital readmission within 90 days post-discharge.

Results

Data were available for 45,814 PLDD performed across 103 hospital trusts of which 7914 (17.3%) were performed as same-day discharge. Same-day discharge rates varied from 87.7% to 0% across the 90 hospital trusts that operated on more than 50 patients during the study period. Fourteen (15.6%) trusts had same-day discharge rates above 30% and 57 (63.3%) trusts had same-day discharge rates below 10%. The odds of emergency hospital readmission within 90 days were lower for same-day discharge patients (odds ratio .72 (95% confidence interval .61 to .85). There was no difference in outcomes for patients seen at trusts with a same-day discharge rate of ≥30% compared to trusts with a same-day discharge rate of ≤10%.

Conclusions

Same-day discharge low-complexity elective PLDD is safe in adult patients below the age of 55 years. There is potential for many providers to substantially increase their rates of same-day discharge.
Barriers to Access: The Unencumbered Client in Private Food Assistance
Authors: Haynes Stein Alana
Published: October 2022

The private food assistance network has expanded amidst a receding welfare state, signaling the privatization of food assistance and other social services. Simultaneously, the cultural association of poverty with morality characterizes some individuals as more “deserving” of assistance than others. As people seek social services, they must navigate programs embedded with these ideas of deservingness. I use data from 21 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with food bank clients and over 225 hours of participant observation at a California food bank and its partner agencies to examine how clients experience barriers to accessing private food assistance. I find that nonprofit program structures are designed to serve an unencumbered client, yet even populations characterized as “deserving” do not meet the characteristics of the unencumbered client. This nearly unattainable status of unencumbered client contributes to inequity emerging from the structural level that manifests as individuals try to access and use private food assistance. These structural barriers manifest in four ways at the food bank: material resources, nonprofit infrastructure and coordination, communication channels, and policing. Based on these findings, organizational practices of nonprofits are of key importance when considering the reproduction of inequality in society.
Proportions of Biologic Discontinuation Among Psoriasis Patients With Metabolic Comorbidities
Authors: Enos Clinton W. , Ramos Vanessa L. , McLean Robert R. , Lin Tin-Chi , Foster Nicole , Dube Blessing , Van Voorhees Abby S.
Published: October 2022

Background

Among psoriasis patients, the presence of metabolic comorbidities associates with poorer response to biologics. How the presence of comorbidity impacts treatment patterns with biologics is not fully understood.

Methods

Adult patients in the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry were included if they initiated biologic therapy between 5/2015–12/2019 and had a 6-month follow-up visit. The frequency of biologic discontinuations by 6-months were calculated by metabolic comorbidity status (current obesity and histories of hypertension [HTN], diabetes [DM], and hyperlipidemia [HLD]) for all patients and by drug class (tumor necrosis factor inhibitors [TNFi], interleukin-17i [IL-17i], and IL-23i or IL-12/23i).

Results

Among the 2924 participants, discontinuations were more frequent in those with obesity (17%, P < .01) or DM (20%, P < .001) compared to those without these (13% and 14%, respectively). Discontinuations were similar for those with and without histories of HTN or HLD. Frequencies of discontinuation for each biologic class were: TNFi (26%), IL-17i (16%), and IL-23i or IL-12/23i (9%). Among TNFi initiators, the proportions of discontinuations were greater in the presence of obesity (30%, P < .05), DM (34%, P < .05), or HTN (34%, P < .01) compared to those without (22%, 24%, and 22%, respectively). Of the IL-23i or IL-12/23i initiators, discontinuations were more frequent in those with obesity (11%, P < .01) or with DM (13%, P < .05) compared to those without (7% and 8%, respectively). Discontinuations did not statistically differ between comorbidity groups in IL-17i initiators.

Conclusion

Comorbid disease status, especially obesity and DM, should be assessed at biologic initiation as it may predict a less optimal clinical outcome.
Radical reassemblages: The life history of a Nile Delta pumping collective
Authors: Rap Edwin , de Bont Chris , Molle Francois , Bolding Alex , Ismail Ahmed
Published: October 2022

This article investigates how people, technology, and water flows act together in using and transforming infrastructure to improve water access. Analytically, we propose to study collective action over time through the relationships between humans and non-humans as they collaborate to mediate water and other flows. Our case-study lies in Egypt. Over four decades, the Irrigation Improvement Project has introduced various sociotechnical and institutional measures to improve water management in the Nile Delta. By establishing collective pumping infrastructure and Water User Associations, water users were compelled to collaborate to reduce water extraction and over-irrigation. For heuristic purposes, we examine in detail the life history of one pumping collective facing increasing water scarcity. The article presents four life phases of the pumping collective and analyses what drives the assemblage and its transformations. Through time, we understand pumping collectives as heterogeneous and shifting assemblages of human and non-human agents that provide differentiated access to multiple resource flows. We describe the surprising stream of events that unfolds. The pumping collective radically dismantles the standard technological and organizational set-up and replaces it with a more flexible and disaggregated form of irrigation. By tracking this trajectory, the article demonstrates the remarkable agency of a pumping collective in renewing and reassembling itself. On this basis, we argue that the complex entanglement of material objects, human actors, water (and other resource flows) can explain this. Hence, it is important to look beyond the society-nature dichotomy to understand the transformational capacity of collectives.
“I am not exaggerating, literally a monster … a Jekyll and Hyde type thing”: Understanding the lived experience of adoptive fathers whose children display violence and aggression
Authors: Barrow Victoria , Grey Ben , Essau Cecilia
Published: October 2022

The caregiving of fathers, especially adoptive fathers, is currently under-researched. This study explored the experience of adoptive fathers whose children displayed aggression and violence. Six Parent Development Interviews from a larger study were analysed using an attachment-informed Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Attachment discourse analysis derived from the Meaning of the Child Interview (MotC) and Parental Reflective Functioning Scale acted as ‘third voice’ in dialogue with the researchers’ and participants’ to explore the fathers’ experience interpersonally, in the context of their family relationships. Four superordinate themes were identified, with these fathers feeling ‘The Problem is in the Child’, at times sensing themselves persecuted by their child and lacking agency as a parent. ‘Confusion and Comparison’ highlighted the fathers’ sense of helplessness and longing for the ‘normal’ family life they associated with being a biological parent. The fathers also talked of ‘The Mixed Blessing of Feeling like a Father’, expressing extremes of anger but also fondness for their children. Participants engaged in ‘Looking Back’ both at their child’s trauma history and their own history of being parented, which in all but one father, also involved trauma. This left the fathers searching for answers to questions around biological versus relational origins of difficulties, and also pain arising from their own frustrated intention to create a better family life than they had experienced themselves in childhood. Common to all of this was the fathers’ sense of helplessness in being unable to contain or influence their child’s difficult behaviour, that negated or challenged their sense of fatherhood. We suggest a more relational approach that explicitly includes the father’s past and present experience, rather than treating the child’s aggressive behaviour in isolation. This could support fathers in recovering an internal experience of a shared relationship with, and being a father to, their adopted child.
Interactions of CDKAL1 rs7747752 polymorphism and serum levels of L-carnitine and choline are related to increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wang Hui , Li Jing , Liu Jinnan , Leng Junhong , Li Weiqin , Yu Zhijie , Tam Claudia H. T. , Hu Gang , Ma Ronald C. W. , Fang Zhongze , Wang Ying , Yang Xilin
Published: October 2022

Background

Interactions between genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors lead to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We aimed to examine interactive effects of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit-associated protein1-like 1(CDKAL1) rs7747752 polymorphism with low serum levels of L-carnitine, choline, and betaine for GDM.

Methods

A nested case-control study of 207 GDM women and their one-to-one, age-matched controls was organized from a prospective cohort of pregnant women in Tianjin, China. Conditional logistic regressions were used to test associations between CDKAL1 rs7747752 and serum levels of L-carnitine, choline, and betaine, and the risk of GDM. Additive interactions were performed to examine interactive effects of rs7747752 and low serum levels of L-carnitine, choline, and betaine on the risk of GDM.

Results

The CDKAL1 rs7747752 G > C was associated with GDM in additive, dominant, and recessive model (P <0.05). The rs7747752 CC genotype enhanced the OR of L-carnitine ≤ vs. > 150 nmol/mL for GDM from 6.14 (2.61–14.4) to 19.6 (5.65–68.1) and the OR of choline ≤ vs. > 110 nmol/mL from 2.37 (1.07–5.28) to 12.1 (3.22–45.6), with significant additive interactions. Similarly, CG genotype also enhanced the OR of L-carnitine ≤ vs. > 150 nmol/mL for GDM from 4.70 (2.01–11.0) to 11.4 (3.98–32.9), with a significant additive interaction. However, the additive interaction between rs7747752 and betaine ≤ 200 nmol/mL on the risk of GDM was not significant.

Conclusions

The CC or CG genotype carriers in rs7747752 of CDKAL1 who have a low serum level of L-carnitine or choline are at a particular high risk of GDM. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to test the effect of supplement of L-carnitine or choline on the risk of GDM in the high-risk group.
Breast cancer prediction with transcriptome profiling using feature selection and machine learning methods
Authors: Taghizadeh Eskandar , Heydarheydari Sahel , Saberi Alihossein , JafarpoorNesheli Shabnam , Rezaeijo Seyed Masoud
Published: October 2022

Background

We used a hybrid machine learning systems (HMLS) strategy that includes the extensive search for the discovery of the most optimal HMLSs, including feature selection algorithms, a feature extraction algorithm, and classifiers for diagnosing breast cancer. Hence, this study aims to obtain a high-importance transcriptome profile linked with classification procedures that can facilitate the early detection of breast cancer.

Methods

In the present study, 762 breast cancer patients and 138 solid tissue normal subjects were included. Three groups of machine learning (ML) algorithms were employed: (i) four feature selection procedures are employed and compared to select the most valuable feature: (1) ANOVA; (2) Mutual Information; (3) Extra Trees Classifier; and (4) Logistic Regression (LGR), (ii) a feature extraction algorithm (Principal Component Analysis), iii) we utilized 13 classification algorithms accompanied with automated ML hyperparameter tuning, including (1) LGR; (2) Support Vector Machine; (3) Bagging; (4) Gaussian Naive Bayes; (5) Decision Tree; (6) Gradient Boosting Decision Tree; (7) K Nearest Neighborhood; (8) Bernoulli Naive Bayes; (9) Random Forest; (10) AdaBoost, (11) ExtraTrees; (12) Linear Discriminant Analysis; and (13) Multilayer Perceptron (MLP). For evaluating the proposed models' performance, balance accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) were used.

Results

Feature selection procedure LGR + MLP classifier achieved the highest prediction accuracy and AUC (balanced accuracy: 0.86, AUC = 0.94), followed by an LGR + LGR classifier (balanced accuracy: 0.84, AUC = 0.94). The results showed that achieved AUC for the LGR + LGR classifier belonged to the 20 biomarkers as follows: TMEM212, SNORD115-13, ATP1A4, FRG2, CFHR4, ZCCHC13, FLJ46361, LY6G6E, ZNF323, KRT28, KRT25, LPPR5, C10orf99, PRKACG, SULT2A1, GRIN2C, EN2, GBA2, CUX2, and SNORA66.

Conclusions

The best performance was achieved using the LGR feature selection procedure and MLP classifier. Results show that the 20 biomarkers had the highest score or ranking in breast cancer detection.
Novel lipometabolism biomarker for chemotherapy and immunotherapy response in breast cancer
Authors: Zhang Lei , She Risheng , Zhu Jianlin , Lu Jin , Gao Yuan , Song Wenhua , Cai Songwang , Wang Lu
Published: October 2022

Emerging proof shows that abnormal lipometabolism affects invasion, metastasis, stemness and tumor microenvironment in carcinoma cells. However, molecular markers related to lipometabolism have not been further established in breast cancer. In addition, numerous studies have been conducted to screen for prognostic features of breast cancer only with RNA sequencing profiles. Currently, there is no comprehensive analysis of multiomics data to extract better biomarkers. Therefore, we have downloaded the transcriptome, single nucleotide mutation and copy number variation dataset for breast cancer from the TCGA database, and constructed a riskScore of twelve genes by LASSO regression analysis. Patients with breast cancer were categorized into high and low risk groups based on the median riskScore. The high-risk group had a worse prognosis than the low-risk group. Next, we have observed the mutated frequencies and the copy number variation frequencies of twelve lipid metabolism related genes LMRGs and analyzed the association of copy number variation and riskScore with OS. Meanwhile, the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms assessed tumor immune fraction and degree of immune cell infiltration. In immunotherapy, it is found that high-risk patients have better efficacy in TCIA analysis and the TIDE algorithm. Furthermore, the effectiveness of six common chemotherapy drugs was estimated. At last, high-risk patients were estimated to be sensitive to six chemotherapeutic agents and six small molecule drug candidates. Together, LMRGs could be utilized as a de novo tumor biomarker to anticipate better the prognosis of breast cancer patients and the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
Isolated traumatic aniridia with full and partial iris expulsion in pseudophakic eyes
Authors: Ichioka Sho , Ishida Akiko , Sugihara Kazunobu , Sano Ichiya , Tanito Masaki
Published: October 2022

Background

Total aniridia after ocular trauma without disruption of the intraocular lens (IOL) has been reported in patients with a history of small-incisional cataract surgery. We report one case each of total and partial aniridia after accidental falls experienced by two elderly Japanese women.

Case presentations

Case 1. A 76-year-old woman with a history of small-incisional cataract surgery more than 10 years previously fell onto concrete and had a contusion that affected the left side of her face. At the initial visit, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was hand motions and the intraocular pressure (IOP) was 38 mmHg in her left eye (OS). A blood clot was present in the well-formed anterior chamber and expulsed iris tissue was seen beneath the conjunctiva. Exploratory surgery showed no scleral laceration other than the previous sclerocorneal tunnel. After hyphema removal, total aniridia and an intact in-the-bag fixed IOL were seen. By 4 months, the BCVA was 1.2 and the IOP was 13 mmHg OS. Case 2. An 88-year-old woman with a history of small-incisional cataract surgery more than 10 years previously had a fall that resulted in right-sided zygomatic and maxillary bone fractures. The BCVA was light perception and the IOP was 29 mmHg in her right eye (OD). Exploratory surgery showed no scleral laceration and the previous sclerocorneal tunnel was found; iris strand prolapsing from the sclerocorneal tunnel was seen. After hyphema removal, partial iris loss and an intact lens position were seen. By 1 week postoperatively, the BCVA was 0.05 OD and the IOP was 12 mmHg OD.

Conclusions

It has been postulated that previously created small-incision tunnels can function as release valves during blunt trauma by preventing further global rupture and limiting IOL prolapse or retinal injury. Our cases suggested this can happen even long periods after cataract surgery. The case with partial aniridia demonstrated the process of the expulsive aniridia, and its findings do not contradict the postulated mechanisms.
Relationship between sperm NAD + concentration and reproductive aging in normozoospermia men:A Cohort study
Authors: Bai Xueyan , Wang Peng
Published: October 2022

Background

The mechanisms of age-dependent reproductive decline in men are largely overlooked. An age-dependent reduction in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels has been reported in multiple somatic and female reproductive tissues, including oocytes and ovarian tissue. However, the relationship between NAD + levels and male reproduction has not yet been studied. In the current study, the association between sperm NAD + level and paternal age was investigated. In addition, we also investigated whether sperm NAD + levels were related to semen quality.

Methods

In this pilot observational cohort study, semen samples from 51 male subjects who visited a university-affiliated reproductive medical center for preconception consultation (< 30 years: n = 13, 30–40 years: n = 19, > 40 years: n = 19) were recruited. Their anthropometric characteristics were recorded, and semen analysis was performed. Their sperm NAD + levels were evaluated spectrophotometrically.

Results

There were significant differences among the three age groups in the major parameters of semen quality. The sperm NAD + level was, however, similar among the three groups (< 30 years: 91.61 ± 15.59 nmol/106 sperm, 30–40 years: 125.60 ± 16.28 nmol/106 sperm, > 40 years: 115.59 ± 16.55 nmol/106 sperm). Additionally, linear regression also revealed no correlation between sperm NAD + concentration and the age of the participants (r2 = 0.018, p = 0.35). Noticeably, a negative correlation was found between the sperm NAD + concentrations and the sperm quality parameters, including sperm concentration (r2 = 0.78, p < 0.0001), sperm count (r2 = 0.47, p < 0.0001), mobile sperm number (r2 = 33, p < 0.0001), and DFI (r2 = 0.35, p < 0.0001). The semen volume and mobility rate were not related to the sperm NAD + concentration.

Conclusion

Unlike the age-related decrease of NAD + levels in oocytes and ovarian tissue, the sperm NAD + concentration is not age dependent. Sperm NAD + levels are negatively correlated with sperm quality, suggesting a unique role of NAD + in spermatogenesis, which warrants further study and opens opportunities for pharmaceutical interventions for oligozoospermia.