bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using “Real-World Data” to Study Cleft Lip/Palate Care: An Exploration of Speech Outcomes from a Multi-Center US Learning Health Network
Authors: Dunworth Kristina , Sharif-Askary Banafsheh , Grames Lynn , Jones Carlee , Kern Jennifer , Nyswonger-Sugg Jillian , Suárez Arthur , Thompson Karen , Ching Jessica , Golden Brent , Merrill Corinne , Nguyen Phuong , Patel Kamlesh , Rogers-Vizena Carolyn R. , Rottgers S. Alex , Skolnick Gary B. , Allori Alexander C.
Published: October 2023

Objective

To assess the ability of a cleft-specific multi-site learning health network registry to describe variations in cleft outcomes by cleft phenotypes, ages, and treatment centers. Observed variations were assessed for coherence with prior study findings.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of prospectively collected data from 2019–2022.

Setting

Six cleft treatment centers collected data systematically during routine clinic appointments according to a standardized protocol.

Participants

714 English-speaking children and adolescents with non-syndromic cleft lip/palate.

Intervention

Routine multidisciplinary care and systematic outcomes measurement by cleft teams.

Outcome Measures

Speech outcomes included articulatory accuracy measured by Percent Consonants Correct (PCC), velopharyngeal function measured by Velopharyngeal Competence (VPC) Rating Scale (VPC-R), intelligibility measured by caregiver-reported Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS), and two CLEFT-Q™ surveys, in which patients rate their own speech function and level of speech distress.

Results

12year-olds exhibited high median PCC scores (91–100%), high frequency of velopharyngeal competency (62.50–100%), and high median Speech Function (80–91) relative to younger peers parsed by phenotype. Patients with bilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate reported low PCC scores (51–91%) relative to peers at some ages and low frequency of velopharyngeal competency (26.67%) at 5 years. ICS scores ranged from 3.93–5.0 for all ages and phenotypes. Speech Function and Speech Distress were similar across phenotypes.

Conclusions

This exploration of speech outcomes demonstrates the current ability of the cleft-specific registry to support cleft research efforts as a source of “real-world” data. Further work is focused on developing robust methodology for hypothesis-driven research and causal inference.
Evaluating SWAG and Its Validity When Compared to 3D Imagery of Secondarily Grafted Cleft Sites
Authors: Briss David S , Long Ross E , Peterman John B , Doucet Jean Charles , Daskalogiannakis John , Hathaway Ron R , Mercado Ana M , Russell Kathy , Stauffer Lexi
Published: October 2023

Objective

To test validity of 2D Standardized Way to Assess Grafts (SWAG) ratings to assess 3D outcomes of bone grafting (ABG).

Patients

43 patients (34 UCLP, 9 BCLP) with non-syndromic complete clefts, bone-grafted at mean age 9yrs/3mos, with available post-graft occlusal radiographs and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (taken mean 4yrs/9mos post-ABG).

Main Outcome Measures

2D occlusal radiographs rated twice using SWAG by 6 calibrated raters. 12 scores were averaged and converted to a percentage reflecting bone-fill. Weighted Kappas were assessed for SWAG reliability. 3D cleft-site bone volume was calculated by 1 rater using ITK-SNAP. 13 cleft sites were re-measured by the ‘one rater’ for 3D reliability using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). 2D versus 3D ratings were compared using paired t-test, independent samples t-test, Bland-Altman and Linear Regression. Significance level was P = .5.

Results

2D reliability was 0.724 (intra-rater) and 0.546 (inter-rater). 3D reliability was 0.986. Bland-Altman plot comparing 2D vs 3D showed for 45 of 47 graft-sites were within 2 SD's. Mean % bone-fill was 64.11% with 2D and 69.06% with 3D (mean difference = 4.95%) that was a non-significant difference in both t-tests. Regression showed a statistically significant relation between the two methods (r2 = 0.46; P = .0001).

Conclusion

2D SWAG systematically and non-significantly underestimated bone-fill. There was a significant correlation between 2D/3D methods. Bland-Altman analysis illustrated the similarity of the two methods. For comparisons of group (cleft treatment Centers’) bone grafting outcomes, the 2D method may suffice as a proxy for the 3D method. However, with individual variation up to 40% in 2D estimates of actual 3D volume, 2D SWAG method cannot be used in place of 3D images.
Exploring the Relationship Between Self-Compassion and Compassion for Others: The Role of Psychological Distress and Wellbeing
Authors: García-Campayo Javier , Barceló-Soler Alberto , Martínez-Rubio David , Navarrete Jaime , Pérez-Aranda Adrián , Feliu-Soler Albert , Luciano Juan V. , Baer Ruth , Kuyken Willem , Montero-Marin Jesus
Published: October 2023

We addressed construct validity and explored the relationship between self-compassion and compassion for others using the two main current operationalizations of compassion (Neff’s and the Sussex-Oxford Compassion Scales, SOCSs). Relationships with psychological distress and wellbeing, and potential differences in the association between self-compassion and compassion for others by level of psychological distress and wellbeing were also explored. Participants ( n = 811) completed the Spanish adaptations of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), the Compassion Scale (CS), the SOCSs (for the self/others), the Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). We fitted bifactor models to estimate the general factor of each construct for the different operationalizations, and calculated correlations between them. Relationships between self-compassion and compassion for others from the same operationalization were intermediate, while those between the same constructs from different operationalizations were large. Both constructs showed positive associations with wellbeing, while only self-compassion was associated with decreased psychological distress. Participants with good mental health showed higher associations between self-compassion and compassion for others than those with poorer mental health. Self-compassion and compassion for others appear to be dimensional constructs that can converge or diverge. When they converge, it is associated with better mental health.
The Graphic and the Grotesque: Doing History With Your Dad’s Violent, Funny (and Possibly Racist) Comic Strips
Authors: Kugler Mike
Published: October 2023

Scholars know little of the inner lives of past children. Discovering a large collection of adolescent art, now older than 80 years old, seems like an archival treasure. James “Jimmy” Kugler (1932–1969) of Lexington, Nebraska, drew more than 120 sheets of comic strips, including retelling the Pacific theater of World War II as a violent confrontation of humanoid “Frogs” and “Toads.” The rest of the collection are gangster horror stories and violently humorous, single-panel drawings. What historical context helps make sense of such art? My father died over 50 years ago, and few if any of his classmates and loved ones are still alive. I describe searching through local newspapers, telephone directories, contemporary American propaganda and comic books, movies, just about anything that my father might have read, watched or seen. I treat the project as a microhistory of adolescent rebellion inspired by wartime propaganda and popular culture. What we may want from the past, I argue, contrasts what the past cannot give us. I hope to depict the necessity, and limits, of historical explanation and speculation.
Dispersive transverse waves for a strain-limiting continuum model
Authors: Erbay HA , Rajagopal KR , Saccomandi G , Şengül Y
Published: October 2023

It is well known that propagation of waves in homogeneous linearized elastic materials of infinite extent is not dispersive. Motivated by the work of Rubin, Rosenau, and Gottlieb, we develop a generalized continuum model for the response of strain-limiting materials that are dispersive. Our approach is based on both a direct inclusion of Rivlin–Ericksen tensors in the constitutive relations and writing the linearized strain in terms of the stress. As a result, we derive two coupled generalized improved Boussinesq-type equations in the stress components for the propagation of pure transverse waves. We investigate the traveling wave solutions of the generalized Boussinesq-type equations and show that the resulting ordinary differential equations form a Hamiltonian system. Linearly and circularly polarized cases are also investigated. In the case of unidirectional propagation, we show that the propagation of small-but-finite amplitude long waves is governed by the complex Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation.
A second-order model of small-strain incompatible elasticity
Authors: Amstutz Samuel , Van Goethem Nicolas
Published: October 2023

This work deals with the modeling of solid continua undergoing incompatible deformations due to the presence of microscopic defects like dislocations. Our approach relies on a geometrical description of the medium by the strain tensor and the representation of internal efforts using zeroth- and second-order strain gradients in an infinitesimal framework. At the same time, energetic arguments allow to monitor the corresponding moduli. We provide mathematical and numerical results to support these ideas in the framework of isotropic constitutive laws.
Mesoscale analysis of fracture process in brick masonry structures
Authors: Koocheki K , Pietruszczak S
Published: October 2023

This paper deals with mesoscale analysis of masonry structures, which involves fracture propagation in brick units as well as along the masonry joints. The brick–mortar interfaces are incorporated in standard finite elements by employing a constitutive law with embedded discontinuity. Macrocracks in bricks are modelled in a discrete way using the same methodology, without any a-priori assumptions regarding their orientation. The proposed approach is computationally efficient as it does not explicitly require the discretization of joints. The accuracy of the approximation is first assessed by comparing the solution with a detailed mesoscale model incorporating interface elements. Later, a numerical study is conducted involving simulation of various experimental tests on small masonry assemblages, as well as single-leaf masonry walls, with running bond pattern, subjected to in-plane loading. The results clearly demonstrate the predictive abilities of the proposed simplified approach.
Sulfites
Authors: Johnson Wilbur , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Peterson Lisa A. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Fiume Monice , Heldreth Bart
Published: October 2023

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety reviewed newly available studies since their original assessment in 1998, along with updated information regarding product types and concentrations of use, and confirmed that Sodium Sulfite, Potassium Sulfite, Ammonium Sulfite, Sodium Bisulfite, Ammonium Bisulfite, Sodium Metabisulfite, and Potassium Metabisulfite are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the practices of use and concentration as described in this report.
Liposomal ozonated oil effectiveness in the signs and symptoms of blepharitis in usual clinical practice
Authors: Benítez-Del-Castillo Jose Manuel
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To analyze the efficacy of liposomal ozonated oil (Ozonest®) treatment, in patients with blepharitis or blepharoconjunctivitis, in improving the signs and symptoms of the pathology.

Methods

Exploratory, open-label, prospective, single-arm, pre-post comparative pilot study in usual clinical practice, in 20 patients with blepharitis/blepharoconjunctivitis, receiving treatment with liposomal ozonated oil, one drop in each eye, 4 times a day, for 28 days. Main purpose was to assess whether there was a clinically improvement in the blepharitis specific BLISS questionnaire score. Changes in the 12-item OSDI, in eyelid signs of blepharitis assessed by the physicians were also evaluated among other tests, and there was also a subjective evaluation of the treatment by patients.

Results

The BLISS score significantly improved from 16.4 before treatment to 11.8 after treatment ( p < 0.05). The OSDI score was also significantly improved from 27.5 before treatment to 20.5 after treatment ( p < 0.05). All tests conducted before and after treatment showed significant improvement ( p < 0.05), except for NIBUT. The treatment received a score of 7 out of 10 by the patients. There were no adverse events in any patient.

Conclusion

Liposomal ozonated oil treatment showed good efficacy in improving the signs and symptoms of blepharitis/blepharoconjunctivitis, satisfaction of patients, and good safety and tolerability.
Multiomic Approaches for Cancer Biomarker Discovery in Liquid Biopsies: Advances and Challenges
Authors: Diaz Paola Monterroso , Leehans Ashton , Ravishankar Prashanth , Daily Anna
Published: October 2023

Cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease that poses a significant threat to global health. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical for improving patient outcomes, and the use of liquid biopsies has emerged as a promising approach for cancer detection and monitoring. Traditionally, cancer diagnosis has relied on invasive tissue biopsies, the collection of which can prove challenging for patients and the results of which may not always provide accurate results due to tumor heterogeneity. Liquid biopsies have gained increasing attention as they provide a non-invasive and accessible source of cancer biomarkers, which can be used to diagnose cancer, monitor treatment response, and detect relapse. The integration of -omics technologies, such as proteomics, genomics, and metabolomics, has further enhanced the capabilities of liquid biopsies by introducing precision oncology and enabling the tailoring of treatment for individual patients based on their unique tumor biology. In this review, we will discuss the challenges and advances in the field of cancer liquid biopsies and the integration of -omics technologies for different types of liquid biopsies, including blood, tear, urine, sweat, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid.
Wear mechanism and leakage failure analysis of the mechanical seal end face of an oil transfer pump
Authors: Qiao Lin Feng , Mo Li , Mao Liangjie , Zeng LingXiang
Published: October 2023

The John Crane 48 V mechanical seal is a long-distance oil transfer pump station shaft end seal; its sealing effect directly affects pipeline production safety. However, it has been found that there is oil leakage at the shaft end of the pump station. In order to explore the oil transfer pump mechanical seal abnormal leakage failure causes, to ensure the safety and stability of production, the end face of the 48 V mechanical seal was analyzed by white light interference and scanning electron microscope technology. The failure mechanism of the 48 V mechanical seal was explored from the perspective of the wear mechanism of moving and stationary rings. Results showed that the wear mechanism of the 48 V mechanical seal stationary ring was mainly abrasive wear, and substantial furrows, bulges, and depressions existed on the wear surface. The material removal mechanism was brittle spalling, and the roughness of the wear surface increased with the increase in wear depth and decreased with the increase in wear average width. Uneven wear occurred on the end face of the stationary ring of the mechanical seal, resulting in the leakage of the sealing medium from the end cover of the mechanical seal. The working condition could be improved by adding a spring compensation device to the stationary ring or increasing the gap between the stationary ring and the shaft sleeve.
Establishing the consistency of a voice recognition symbol digit modalities test analogue
Authors: Wishart Margaret , Everest Marina R. , Morrow Sarah A. , Rose Jonathan , Shen Lingkai , Feinstein Anthony
Published: October 2023

Background:

We previously demonstrated the convergent validity of a fully automated voice recognition analogue of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (VR-SDMT) for evaluating processing speed in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Objective/Methods:

We aimed to replicate these results in 54 pwMS and 18 healthy controls (HCs), demonstrating the VR-SDMT’s reliability.

Results:

Significant correlations were found between the VR-SDMT and the traditional oral SDMT in the multiple sclerosis (MS) ( r = −0.771, p < 0.001) and HC ( r = −0.785, p < 0.001) groups.

Conclusion:

Taken collectively, our two studies demonstrate the reliability and validity of the VR-SDMT for assessing processing speed in pwMS.
Liberalism and illiberalism in Myanmar’s National League for Democracy
Authors: David Roman , Myat Aung Kaung , Holliday Ian
Published: October 2023

The National League for Democracy (NLD) was largely synonymous with Myanmar’s semi-democratic intermezzo in 2016–21. For 2 years after the military coup in 2021, it resumed the role of major opposition party performed from 1988 to 2015. Although it was dissolved by the military junta in 2023, it remains a dominant political force inside the country. This article examines the commitment of NLD leaders and voters to liberal agendas. It reviews existing literature, draws on our dataset of Facebook posts by NLD members of parliament, analyses our 2017 survey, and triangulates it with 2020 World Values Survey data. It argues that the NLD was a relatively liberal force in Myanmar’s democratisation in the 2010s, though its liberal commitments were coupled with rising illiberal values. It is thus possible that even if the NLD were reconstituted and re-elected under a future democratic settlement, that democracy would not be liberal.
Going beyond boundaries: A collaborative autoethnographic study of three teachers’ negotiation of cognitive/emotional dissonances
Authors: Kim Miso , Cho Eunhae , Kim Sungwoo
Published: October 2023

Teachers undergo various cognitive/emotional dissonances along their professional journeys. These dissonances may provide growth points for teachers to develop further if they receive responsive mediation, which guides them toward the higher levels of professional development. Thus, understanding how these dissonances interact with contexts along the axis of time and place plays an important role in charting teachers’ developmental trajectories and providing relevant mediation for them. Using collaborative autoethnography (CAE), this study delves into the cognitive/emotional dissonances of three teachers at different career stages across various geographic locations, and investigates what institutional, geographical, or socioeconomic factors facilitate or impede their efforts to resolve these dissonances. A thematic analysis of biweekly individual multimodal narratives and meeting transcripts over 16 months revealed three strands of cognitive-emotional dissonances involved in teaching practices, transnational movement, and institutional and socioeconomic precarity. The present inquiry provides three important lessons regarding the ways in which teachers in liminal spaces can receive relevant responsive mediations. First, it is necessary to build a network of teachers that goes beyond their immediate institutional environment. Second, teacher identity development needs to be understood as a dynamic nexus of domain-specific phenomena and a whole person enterprise encompassing multiple sociocultural dimensions along their lifelong journey. Third, CAE itself can be a way of (re)connecting with fellow teachers and function as a safe place for addressing contingent cognitive/emotional dissonances and encouraging mutual growth. This suggests that the mediation-enabling, space-making power of CAE needs to be examined further in various contexts, such as graduate training or professional development programs.
Establishing priorities in child health: Giving parents and youth a voice
Authors: Elliott Sarah A , Scott Shannon D , Wright Kelsey S , Hartling Lisa
Published: October 2023

Parents and youth across Alberta were engaged to identify specific research questions that are a priority to them. Two lists, containing 27 topics were developed with local parent and youth advisory groups, and sent to participants via online questionnaires. Topics were rated from one (least important) to five (most important) and ranked in order of priority. Initial questionnaires were completed by 263 (46%) parents and 308 (54%) youth. Parents rated five topics (behaviour, learning, and developmental disorders; mental health; food, environment and lifestyle; quality of health care; and vaccines) and youth rated four topics (brain and nerve health; mental health; quality of health care; and vaccines) as a high priority. Research questions stemming from 4 parent (12 [5%]) and 6 youth (21 [7%]) focus group discussions were then ranked in a second questionnaire, completed by 43 (43%) parents and 56 (56%) youth. Parents’ highest ranked research question was ‘What is the effect of screen time on cognition and neurodevelopment for children and adolescents?’, while the highest ranked question from youth was ‘What are the early signs of anxiety and depression and when should an individual seek help?’. These topics highlight areas that are important to parents and youth where funding, research, and knowledge mobilization efforts should be directed.
Experimental study with DIC technique on the bond failure of structural concrete under repeated reversed loading with different amplitude
Authors: Li Xinxin , Zhang Xiangping , Wang Zhao , Zheng Dan , Li Pengfei
Published: October 2023

The bond between deformed steel rebar and concrete plays a critical role against seismic action, thus it is important to capture the dynamic bond loss and establish the bond-slip model with cyclic loading. To explain the macroscale performance such as bond-slip relationship and establish the bond strength model, it is meaningful to capture the mesoscale and local behaviors between ribs and concrete. In this paper, pull-out specimens with rebar embedded in concrete and small windows excavated in the cover concrete are adopted with DIC technique to monitor the strain variation and crack development along the interfaces under static and reversed loading of different amplitude. From the test, it is found that DIC is an effective approach to obtain the localized characteristics including the normal and shear deformations. Through parametric study, the effects of concrete cover depth and the existence of stirrups on bond deterioration in terms of both global and local behaviors are studied. Interestingly, the global slip and local crack-width show synchronically increase under the pulling-out action, which demonstrates that the macroscale behaviors could be clarified from mesoscale measurement with the aid of DIC technique.
Numerical analysis and validation on the phased evacuation time in high-rise buildings
Authors: Wu Guan-Yuan , Mizuno Masayuki , Park SeongKyung
Published: October 2023

The main aim of this study is to investigate the numerical analysis of phased evacuation and validate the feasibility of high-rise buildings using the control volume model. Based on the same spatial configuration, the number of participants on each floor, and four-phased evacuations of an actual fire drill conducted by a Japanese academic group in 2018, the numerical analysis results for these phased evacuations of this high-rise building have been investigated. The numerical results are in good agreement with the fire drill data in the aspects of the total number of people reaching the ground floor, the space-time feature curve and the first participant on each floor descending to the ground floor. The changes in the number of waiting participants versus time on each floor were obtained and compared in this study with the fire drill data to comprehend the transient situations of the internal participants in this high-rise building during the phased evacuation. Furthermore, the results of the first-order approximation method of NFPA, the Melinek and Booth method and the Route B calculation of the Japanese Building Center Verification Method for the total building evacuation are presented to discuss the differences between the phased evacuation and the total building evacuation.
Participatory action research: The woven collective analysis approach to recognize experiential knowledge of poverty
Authors: Gélineau Lucie , Dupéré Sophie , Richard Julie ,   VAATAVEC Collective
Published: October 2023

When conducting Participatory Action Research (PAR), we risk invalidating the experiential knowledge of people in poverty. Their contributions might only be seen as legitimate when put through a formal PAR process. We have thus developed a “woven collective analysis” approach, intertwining experiential, practical and academic knowledge. Diverse stakeholders reflect together and combine their voices, while ensuring that the experiential knowledge of people living in poverty remains the primary focus. Using the weaving process as a metaphor and a food-autonomy project as an example, we explore the steps involved in this data analysis approach: warping (or the need to recognize different types of knowledge and identify the actions required to use and communicate them); threading (or how to put into place a series of frameworks to allow information on social patterns to emerge, while combining varied knowledge); and sleying (or using targeted collective analysis to tighten up the information, in a recurring and systematic way). These combined operations contribute to the weaving process and the emergence of a new fabric of complex, social and transformational Common knowledge.
Presidential Activism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Explaining Variation Among Semi-Presidential Countries
Authors: Moestrup Sophia , Sedelius Thomas
Published: October 2023

This article seeks to explain variations in presidential activism in semi-presidential countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa is one of the continents where semi-presidentialism is most prevalent, but the dynamics of intra-executive relations are severely understudied. The four case studies discussed here—the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Cabo Verde, and São Tomé e Príncipe—belong to the premier-presidential subtype. In this exploratory study, we aim to examine how institutional dimensions of premier-presidentialism interact with contextual factors to explain variations in presidential activism among Sub-Saharan African countries. In addition to fundamental contextual differences among the two pairs of countries, francophone and lusophone, there are specific institutional factors associated with the design and operation of premier-presidentialism that contribute to greater presidential activism in the two francophone cases. Taken together, these contextual and institutional factors skew effective executive power heavily toward the president in our francophone countries. We also find that the degree of political institutionalization matters for the impact of presidential activism on intra-executive conflict and government policymaking capacity. The article increases our understanding of the operation of semi-presidentialism in this understudied region, underscoring the importance of both contextual and constitutional factors for explaining variations in presidential activism in Africa.
Exploration of Chick Embryo and Chorioallantoic Membrane on Imaging Navigated Platforms for Anticancer Pharmaceutical Evaluations
Authors: Chen Lei , Yuan Mingyuan , Zhang Xinqi , Li Yongsheng , Feng Yuanbo , Yu Jie , Coudyzer Walter , Xie Yiyang , Xu Jiayue , Li Yuzhen , Li Yue , Ni Yicheng
Published: October 2023

Conforming to the current replace–reduce–refine 3Rs’ guidelines in animal experiments, a series of explorative efforts have been made to set up operable biomedical imaging-guided platforms for qualitative and quantitative evaluations on pharmacological effects of tumor vascular-disrupting agents (VDAs), based on the chick embryos (CEs) with its chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), in this overview. The techniques and platforms have been hierarchically elaborated, from macroscopic to microscopic and from overall to specific aspects. A protocol of LED lamplight associated with a new deep-learning algorithm was consolidated to screen out weak CEs by using the CAM vasculature imaging. 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) to monitor the evolution of CE and vascular changes in CAM are introduced. A LSCI–CAM platform for studying the effects of VDAs on normal and cancerous vasculature of CAM and possible molecular mechanisms has been demonstrated. Finally, practical challenges and future perspectives are highlighted. The aim of this article is to help peers in biomedical research to familiarize with the CAM platform and to optimize imaging protocols for the evaluation of vasoactive pharmaceuticals, especially anticancer vascular targeted therapy.
Is There a Role for Heli-FX Endoanchors in Treating Type 1B Common Iliac Artery Endoleaks?
Authors: Saricilar Erin C. , Dinh Krystal , Chui Juanita N. , Banzic Igor , Puttaswamy Vikram
Published: October 2023

Objectives

The management of type 1B endoleaks following endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) can be challenging. The Heli-FX Endoanchor system effectively treats proximal type 1A endoleaks but has not been used for type 1B common iliac artery endoleaks. This study demonstrates that it is both safe and effective in being used in the common iliac artery (CIA) limb of an EVAR.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients identified through coding and medical records was performed to extract information on demographics, aneurysmal features, operative features, and postoperative outcomes. This was then collated and analysed thoroughly and compared to existing research.

Results

Four patients with six type 1B CIA endoleaks were treated with Heli-FX Endoanchors in the CIA limbs of EVAR grafts. There was 100% technical success rate with complete exclusion of the endoleaks at 6 months. With mean follow up of 714 days, there were no Endoanchor-specific complications. One patient required explantation of the aortic endograft due to contralateral limb fracture, where it was found that an Endoanchor had penetrated the common iliac vein, requiring primary closure.

Conclusions

Heli-FX Endoanchors were effective within this cohort of patients, though key risks were identified. Adjacent anatomy to the CIA must be considered, which also have nearly half the arterial thickness compared to the aorta. Pre-operative planning is essential given the theoretical risk of placing Endoanchors.
Using Social Justice Leadership Theory to Contextualize Detracking in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Thornton Margaret E.
Published: October 2023

Ten years ago, Sunnydale High School leaders worked with teachers and community members to create an international baccalaureate (IB)-for-all model to prevent racially and socioeconomically identifiable class levels. For nearly a decade, the program has been successful with stakeholders largely supporting the model. Following pandemic-related school building closures, faculty at Sunnydale High School are having trouble continuing to support students who had vastly different online school experiences. Some faculty and community members have asked the leadership to reconsider the model because they feel some students need additional support that cannot be provided in pre-IB or IB classes while maintaining high expectations for other students. The author offers learning activities through the lens of social justice leadership.
Building School-Based Health Partnerships: Opportunities and Challenges for Education Leaders
Authors: Ripma Tye A.
Published: October 2023

Ms. Braun, a new Special Education Director in the Baso Unified School District, is under pressure to curtail district expenditures on special education services. In her quest to understand why special education enrollment has increased, Ms. Braun learns about the challenges students face when accessing physical and mental health services at school and in the community. This case illustrates how initiatives for improving special education intersect with other district priorities and sheds light on the challenges education and health administrators face in fostering effective cross-sector collaboration.
An overview of regulatory perspectives of nanoparticles and liposomal products in India and USA
Authors: Dabas Rinshu , Musyuni Pankaj , Aggarwal Geeta
Published: October 2023

Nanoparticles and Liposomal products have significantly contributed for managing various disorders and diseases. Drug delivery system is important and assisting in developing various therapeutic regimen. The present write-up discussed the role of novel drug delivery system, particularly applications of nanoparticles and liposomal products and regulatory requirement for these products. The article emphasises that there are enormous research opportunities and global collaboration is essential for promoting research and drug approval.
Design and synthesis of novel PDE4 inhibitors as potential candidates for antidepressant agents
Authors: Yu Yingcong , Zhao Yan , Wang Yajing , Huang Xianfeng
Published: October 2023

PDE4 inhibitors exhibit anti-stress and antidepressant-like abilities by catalyzing the hydrolysis of cAMP, a primary regulator for intracellular communication in the brain. Herein, novel diarylpyrazole derivatives are synthesized and investigated for their ability to inhibit PDE4. In vitro studies indicate that most of the synthesized compounds show significant potency for the inhibition of PDE4. Specifically, N-(4-(3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1 H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzyl)-2-morpholinoethan-1-amine exhibits the most potent PDE4 inhibition, with an IC50 value of ca. 0.09 μM. It also produces antidepressant-like activities in sugar water consumption and in forced swimming tests in vivo.
A health promoting sports club framework: strategies from the field
Authors: Johnson Stacey , Van Hoye Aurélie , Geidne Susanna , Donaldson Alex , Rostan Florence , Lemonnier Fabienne , Tezier Benjamin , Vuillemin Anne
Published: October 2023

The application of the settings-based approach to sports clubs requires a context-specific framework to develop and operationalize health promotion interventions. Incorporating top-down and bottom-up perspectives into interventions increases their efficiency, success and sustainability. In 2020, the health promoting sports club (HPSC) model and intervention framework were created, including strategies and intervention components. A subsequent concept mapping study generated 35 statements from sports club stakeholders highlighting their needs when developing health promotion initiatives. This commentary integrates the concept mapping results into the HPSC model and intervention framework. The process added new sports club levels, updated existing and developed new intervention components, then classified them into the framework. The revised HPSC model has seven levels while the revised intervention framework includes 13 strategies and 69 intervention components. This revised HPSC framework provides sports club stakeholders, public health experts and researchers a means to develop and implement targeted health promotion interventions.
Politics of Memory, Heritage, and Diversity in Modern China
Authors: Mayer Maximilian , Pawlik Karolina
Published: October 2023

Interpretations and memorialisations of China's long history, in service of political aspirations of the present and towards the future, have long attracted scholarly attention. This special issue addresses how the curation, performance, and consumption of collective memory provide valuable insight into the interplay between the reconstruction of Chinese identity, cultural modernisation, and the shifting role of heritage and memory in Chinese domestic and international politics. Touching on issues around diversity in, for instance, personal/collective memory or community-based/state-led heritage, we consider how state–society relations inform local memory practices. Furthermore, the articles enclosed discuss pertinent and far-reaching impacts of China's cultural-material changes, transformations, and destructions in service of memory re-formation. Investigating the politicisation of heritage and the material solidification of strategically selected representations of the past, we consider how the notion of “memory infrastructure” contributes to an academic understanding of the interaction between history, memory, and politics.
Pseudohypoparathyroidism versus signaling disorder: A case report
Authors: Imam Ahmad Abdullah
Published: October 2023

Pseudohypoparathyroidism is a terminology used to describe a group of metabolic disorders characterized by parathyroid hormone resistance. Patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism have hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and elevated serum parathyroid hormone. This methylation defect leads to signaling abnormalities in the parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor. We present a 40-year-old African American male who was referred to our endocrinology clinic for hypocalcemia. On physical examination, his body mass index was 34.3 kg/m2 and he was found to have a round face, and several subcutaneous nodules on his scalp, hands, and legs. Laboratory findings revealed hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and elevated levels of intact parathyroid hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). His hand X-ray showed brachydactyly of all metacarpal bones, and soft tissue calcifications. Brain CT indicated dense calcifications in the subcortical region, bilateral basal ganglia, bilateral thalami, bilateral cerebellum and vermis, and soft tissue calcifications in the scalp. The “inactivating parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide signaling disorder” diagnostic approach suggested by the Euro pseudohypoparathyroidism network was applied to the patient, who was diagnosed with parathyroid hormone signaling disorder. Compared to the old pseudohypoparathyroidism classification and the 2018 Pseudohypoparathyroidism International Consensus Statement Report, the inactivating parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide signaling disorder cluster classification appears to be more flexible, and easier to use. It also accommodates future inclusion of genetic mutations associated with hormonal signaling disorders. Adoption of the inactivating parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide signaling disorder classification remains limited, and further larger studies are needed to compare the three approaches.
Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome with associated necrotising fasciitis necessitating amputation of the lower extremity – A case report
Authors: Strecker Thomas , Treutlein Christoph , Agaimy Abbas , Wehrfritz Andreas
Published: October 2023

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a severe, invasive and life-threatening infection associated with a high risk of rapid multiorgan failure. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is very commonly caused by group A- Streptococcus pyogenes, ß-haemolytic streptococcus, a typical human-specific gram-positive bacterial pathogen. We present here the case report of a 54-year-old man with a rapidly progressive streptococcal toxic shock syndrome due to necrotising fasciitis of the left lower limb and describe the successful treatment through close interdisciplinary care.
Rhinolithiasis misdiagnosed as intranasal osteoma: Diagnostic challenges in the telehealth era
Authors: Kiessling Patrick , Hwang Peter , Chang Michael
Published: October 2023

Rhinolithiasis is a rare clinical presentation and may be a diagnostic challenge, often mimicking other intranasal pathologies and difficult to differentiate based on imaging alone. We present the case of a 50-year-old patient with rhinolithiasis who presented with chronic left nasal obstruction and unilateral cyclic pain with foul discharge. After review of her imaging, she was initially misdiagnosed with an intranasal osteoma via telehealth and scheduled for surgical resection. Her true pathology of rhinolithiasis was subsequently identified and treated during an in-person pre-operative clinic visit. In this case report, we review the key characteristic elements of rhinolithiasis presentation, and in doing so, we reveal the limitations inherent to telehealth evaluations, and the considerations needed to be taken into account by providers evaluating intranasal lesions. Specifically, in-person assessment with a detailed endoscopy is critical as part of the complete workup of nasal cavity lesions.
Firefly-SVM predictive model for breast cancer subgroup classification with clinicopathological parameters
Authors: Sarkar Suvobrata , Mali Kalyani
Published: October 2023

Background

Breast cancer is a highly predominant destructive disease among women characterised with varied tumour biology, molecular subgroups and diverse clinicopathological specifications. The potentiality of machine learning to transform complex medical data into meaningful knowledge has led to its application in breast cancer detection and prognostic evaluation.

Objective

The emergence of data-driven diagnostic model for assisting clinicians in diagnostic decision making has gained an increasing curiosity in breast cancer identification and analysis. This motivated us to develop a breast cancer data-driven model for subtype classification more accurately.

Method

In this article, we proposed a firefly-support vector machine (SVM) breast cancer predictive model that uses clinicopathological and demographic data gathered from various tertiary care cancer hospitals or oncological centres to distinguish between patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-triple-negative breast cancer (non-TNBC).

Results

The results of the firefly-support vector machine (firefly-SVM) predictive model were distinguished from the traditional grid search-support vector machine (Grid-SVM) model, particle swarm optimisation-support vector machine (PSO-SVM) and genetic algorithm-support vector machine (GA-SVM) hybrid models through hyperparameter tuning. The findings show that the recommended firefly-SVM classification model outperformed other existing models in terms of prediction accuracy (93.4%, 86.6%, 69.6%) for automated SVM parameter selection. The effectiveness of the prediction model was also evaluated using well-known metrics, such as the F1-score, mean square error, area under the ROC curve, logarithmic loss and precision–recall curve.

Conclusion

Firefly-SVM predictive model may be treated as an alternate tool for breast cancer subgroup classification that would benefit the clinicians for managing the patient with proper treatment and diagnostic outcome.
Challenges in e-Health: The effect of digitalisation of frequency voiding charts on compliance in paediatric patients. Randomised controlled trial comparing digital and versus paper frequency voiding charts
Authors: de Wall Liesbeth L , Kragt Elisabeth AM , Van De Wetering Eline HM , Cobussen-Boekhorst Johanna GL , Mantel-van Stel Joyce , Kortmann Barbara BM , Feitz Wout F , Bootsma-Robroeks Charlotte MHHT
Published: October 2023

Objective

Frequency voiding charts are commonly used to gain better insight into the voiding and drinking behaviours of patients with voiding symptoms. Non-compliance when filling out a chart is known to be high. The use of a digital application might increase adherence, but little research has been conducted on this topic. The aim of this study is to compare the quality (number of correctly filled out charts) and quantity (number of complete charts) of digital versus paper frequency voiding charts among children and their parents.

Methods

A multi-centre parallel randomised controlled trial was conducted. Participants were assigned either a 48-h digital frequency voiding chart or a 48-h paper frequency voiding chart. Completion rates were scored based on a predefined scoring method and transcribed into a percentage. Secondary objectives included user friendliness, feasibility, degree of the child's participation, and attractiveness. Trail registry data: NTR NL9383.

Results

Ninety-seven patients were randomised to either a digital ( N = 53) or paper ( N = 44) frequency voiding chart. No significant difference in complete and accurately filled out frequency voiding charts was seen between the groups, with 35% ( N = 18) for digital and 50% ( N = 22) for paper, p = 0.12. Subjects considered the digital application more appealing, more educative, and more inviting compared to the paper chart ( p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In this underpowered study, no significant difference appeared between the groups in the number of complete and accurately filled out frequency voiding charts. Implementation of e-health did not seem to improve compliance. In daily practice, personal preference might offer the best solution.
Assessing Mental Healthcare Worker Experiences of Workplace Fairness and Organizational Value: A National Survey of Peer-Support Specialists
Authors: Collier K. Megan , Halvorsen Cal J. , Fortuna Karen L.
Published: October 2023

Background:

Peer-support specialists—individuals with diagnosed mental illnesses who provide support services to other adults with diagnosed mental health issues—often feel stigmatized and undervalued at work, leading to negative personal- and job-related outcomes. Given their important link to positive service user outcomes, this study assessed how peer-support specialists perceive fairness and feel valued in the workplace.

Methods:

Peer-support specialists ( N = 274) were recruited online from peer-support specialist listservs, social media groups, and patient-run organizations to take a cross-sectional survey that included a 14-item scale on how workplace fairness relates to job satisfaction and four questions on how valued they felt by administrators, clinicians, the people they serve, and fellow peer-support specialists. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to assess total scores and differences by gender and race.

Findings:

Ranging in age from 20 to 77 years and identifying predominantly as White (81.0%) and female (62.9%), respondents noted that fair practices in the workplace would increase their job satisfaction, with no significant differences observed by gender or race. Most peer-support specialists felt valued by the people they serve (97.1%) and fellow peer-support specialists (92.7%). However, fewer reported feeling valued by administrators (64.6%) and clinicians (60.6%).

Conclusions/Application to Practice:

Peer-support specialists value fairness at the workplace and feel undervalued by some staff. This study highlights peer-support specialists’ important role in behavioral health services and suggests that healthcare professionals, including occupational health specialists, are important stakeholders in creating fairer workplaces and increasing peer-support specialists’ sense of being valued, leading to improved personal and organizational outcomes.