bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Efficacy and Safety of the Shouzu Ning Decoction Treatment Versus Halometasone Plus Celecoxib Treatment in Patients With Grade 2 HFSR: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Shou Liumei , Shao Tianyu , Chen Jialu , Zhang Yao , Shu Qijin
Published: April 2023

Objectives:

To compare the effects of the Shouzu Ning Decoction (SND) and Halometasone plus Celecoxib (Hal/Cxb) as therapy in patients with grade 2 hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR).

Materials and Methods:

Fifty patients with grade 2 HFSR participated in a randomized, single-center, open-label study. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive the SND or Hal/Cxb treatment, twice daily for 4 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of post-treatment follow-up. The primary endpoint was clinical remission of HFSR at the end of the fourth week (W4). The secondary endpoints were recurrence rate, quality of life (QoL), pain intensity, and safety.

Results:

In this study, 46 patients successfully completed the study, and 4 patients were excluded. There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups on demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. In the SND group, 56.52% of patients showed clinical remission at W4, which was significantly superior to that achieved in the Hal/Cxb group (26.09%, P = .036). In addition, the HF-QoL score was statistically lower in the SND group compared to the Hal/Cxb group at W2 ( P = .007), W3 ( P = .005), and W4 ( P = .005), respectively. In line with this, the inter-group difference in NRS score was statistically significant ( P = .004).

Conclusion:

In the present study, SND treatment has been observed to be effective and well tolerated for patients with grade 2 HFSR. Thus, SND treatment could be considered a suitable option for HFSR patients.

Trial registration:

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900027518. Registered on 17 Nov 2019.
Will the new FDA Human Factors Guidance Help Curb Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare Usability Testing?
Authors: Singer Josh , Abts Natalie , Wolpert Lawrence , Gosbee John , Hoste Shannon , McNew Sara Waxberg
Published: April 2023

While the FDA provides guidance documents on the application of human factors and usability engineering (HF/UE) to medical devices, the non-specific, recommendatory nature of these documents can lead to varying interpretation by the different entities involved in the HF/UE process. While appropriate HF/UE processes are beneficial to all stakeholders, whether it be the end user, the patient, the medical device manufacturer, a third party HF/UE consultant, or the FDA, the lack of a common understanding of the process combined with the differing perspectives, constraints, and drivers of each party, can lead to inconsistent, and less-than-ideal, implementation of HF/UE. This is exacerbated by the fact that financial incentives may not be aligned with optimizing safety and usability at the expense of development time. This presents the potential for business and ethical conflicts among the involved parties. Our expert panel will review the perspectives of the various stakeholders involved in the HF/UE process and facilitate a meaningful discussion on how a common understanding of HF/UE as it relates to medical device development and regulatory approval can be achieved across the medical device industry. We will focus on the implications of improper application of HF/UE processes and methods to better manage discrepancies in HF/UE implementation, and discuss the impact of the recently-released FDA final guidance.
Older Adults’ Perceptions of Memory Aid Use and Meta-Memory Accuracy
Authors: Crumley-Branyon Jessica J. , Pak Richard
Published: April 2023

The aging literature suggests that there is little to no relationship between older adults’ subjective memory beliefs and their objective memory performance. This suggests that overall, older adults do not necessarily hold accurate perceptions of their own memory abilities or that there is a lot of variability among older adults’ perceptions. In an applied context, the consequences of such mis-calibration may include an overreliance on objective memory measures when designing memory performance aids, and a reduced emphasis on the users’ subjective memory beliefs, which could influence usage and acceptance. Although the effectiveness of memory strategies has been widely studied, little research has been done on the relationship between older adults’ subjective and objective memory and their utilization of memory strategies, specifically, technological aids. We addressed the question of the connection between memory beliefs and memory aid usage and preferences using focus groups with 24 older adults.
The Arctic Paleontological Collections in the V.I. Vernadsky State Geological Museum (Moscow, Russia)
Authors: Starodubtseva Iraida Alexandrovna , Soroka Irina Leonidovna
Published: April 2023

The collection of the V.I. Vernadsky State Geological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SGM RAS) is over 260 years old, and during this period it has constantly expanded. The first Arctic collections, mainly invertebrates, entered the museum in the middle of the twentieth century. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the type collections from the Russian Arctic began to be actively developed in the museum holdings. Arctic collections of the SGM RAS are represented mainly by Jurassic and Cretaceous cephalopods and bivalves, but also by some crinoids and several parts of ichthyosaur skeleton from the New Siberian Islands, Svalbard, Taimyr, northern Siberia, and Franz Josef Land.
Paleontological Aspects of Austrian Arctic Endeavors
Authors: Harzhauser Mathias , Weinmann Anna E. , Krenn Martin , Mandic Oleg
Published: April 2023

We present a journey through the history of the Austrian Arctic collections stored in Geological-Paleontological Department of the Natural History Museum Vienna (NHMW). The NHMW-material was mainly acquired during four expeditions. The first was an Isbjørn expedition designed as a test cruise by Julius Payer and Carl Weyprecht in 1871. One year later, there was a second Isbjørn expedition under the command of Count Johann Wilczek. In 1873, Richard von Drasche, an industrial magnate with geological expertise, organized a private trip to eastern Spitzbergen (Svalbard). The fourth one was from 1872 to 1874, when Payer and Weyprecht led the Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition on the ship Admiral Tegetthoff. The latter, which almost ended in a catastrophe, discovered Franz-Josef-Land. After these expeditions, Austria took part in the First International Polar Year (1882–1883), with its own research station at Jan Mayen. There are numerous types provided by these expeditions that make this collection and its archival material an important source for the geological history of the Arctic region.
Toxic Tomes: Understanding the Use and Risks of Heavy Metals in Nineteenth-Century Bookcloth
Authors: Tedone Melissa , Grayburn Rosie
Published: April 2023

The Poison Book Project is an ongoing investigation into the use of heavy metal pigments in nineteenth-century bookbinding cloth and the risks associated with handling books bound in such cloth. A spectrum of pigment colors and toxicities are briefly explored. The most toxic heavy metals identified in bookcloth include arsenic, chromium, lead, and mercury, with arsenic being the most acutely toxic. The primary methods of analysis used by project researchers are X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy; however, non-instrumental identification methods for confirming the presence of arsenic are also considered. Bookcloth production techniques evolved over the course of the century and may influence the friability of finished bookcloth. Considerations about the varying friability of differently colored bookcloths inform handling advice.
Machine Learning Model for Assessment of Risk Factors and Postoperative Day for Superficial vs Deep/Organ-Space Surgical Site Infections
Authors: Rafaqat Wardah , Fatima Hafiza Sundus , Kumar Ayush , Khan Sadaf , Khurram Muhammad
Published: April 2023

Background. Deep and organ space surgical site infections (SSI) require more intensive treatment, may result in more severe clinical disease and may have different risk factors when compared to superficial SSIs. Machine learning (ML) algorithms provide the opportunity to analyze multiple factors to predict of the type and time of development of SSI. Therefore, we developed a ML model to predict type and postoperative week of SSI. Methodology. A case-control study was conducted among patients who developed a SSI after undergoing general surgery procedures at a tertiary care hospital between 2019 to 2020. Patients were followed for 30 days. Six ML algorithms were trained as predictors of type of infection (superficial vs deep/organ space) and time of infection, and tested using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). Results. Data for 113 patients with SSIs was available. Of these 62 (54.8%) had superficial and 51 had (45.2%) deep/organ space infections. Compared with other ML algorithms, the XG boost univariate model had highest AUC-ROC (.84) for prediction of type of SSI and Stochastic gradient boosting univariate, logistic regression univariate, XG boost univariate, and random forest classification univariate model had the highest AUC-ROC (.74) for prediction of week of infection. Conclusions. ML models offer reasonable accuracy in prediction of superficial vs deep SSI and time of developing infection. Follow-up duration and allocation of treatment strategies can be informed by ML predictions.
Clinical Safety of a Pharmaceutical Formulation Containing an Extract of Acmella oleracea (L.) in Patients With Premature Ejaculation: A Pilot Study
Authors: Batista Lecildo Lira , Koga Rosemary de Carvalho Rocha , Teixeira Abrahão Victor Tavares de Lima , Teixeira Thiago Afonso , de Melo Ester Lopes , Carvalho José Carlos Tavares
Published: April 2023

Acmella oleracea (L.) R. K. Jansen (Asteraceae) is a plant species widely used in traditional Amazonian medicine to treat sexual dysfunction. The use of this plant has gained popularity because of its sensory properties, such as a tingling sensation. In this study on patients with premature ejaculation, we evaluated the clinical action of a nano-formulation containing an ethanolic extract of A. oleracea inflorescences. Major constituents in the extracts were identified based on gas chromatographic analysis. Participants used a spray preparation based on the A. oleracea extract for 12 weeks, during which they were instructed to apply the product 5 min prior to sexual intercourse. To assess therapeutic efficacy, participants were required to record the mean intravaginal latency time for ejaculation (IELT). During the period of spray treatment, the nano-formulation of A. oleracea increased participant IELT values ( M = 293 s) compared with the baseline values (193 s). This nano-formulation reported clinical action in patients with premature ejaculation. It is accordingly considered to have potential application as a therapeutic alternative with benefits for both patients and their partners. Given the small number of participants in this study, further multicenter studies involving a larger number of participants are needed to confirm these observations.
Biphasic Dose-Response of Mn-Induced Mitochondrial Damage, PINK1/Parkin Expression, and Mitophagy in SK-N-SH Cells
Authors: Zhang Yue , Hu Hong-Tao , Cao Yu-Min , Jiang Zhi-Gang , Liu Jie , Fan Qi-Yuan
Published: April 2023

Excessive manganese (Mn) exposure produces neurotoxicity with mitochondrial damage. Mitophagy is a protective mechanism to eliminate damaged mitochondria to protect cells. The aim of this study was to determine the dose-response of Mn-induced mitochondria damage, the expression of mitophagy-mediated protein PINK1/Parkin and mitophagy in dopamine-producing SK-N-SH cells. Cells were exposed to 0, 300, 900, and 1500 μM Mn2+ for 24 h, and ROS production, mitochondrial damage and mitophagy were examined. The levels of dopamine were detected by ELISA and neurotoxicity and mitophagy-related proteins (α-synuclein, PINK1, Parkin, Optineurin, and LC3II/I) were detected by western blot. Mn increased intracellular ROS and apoptosis and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in a concentration-dependent manner. However, at the low dose of 300 μM Mn, autophagosome was increased 11-fold, but at the high dose of 1500 μM, autophagosome was attenuated to 4-fold, together with decreased mitophagy-mediated protein PINK1/Parkin and LC3II/I ratio and increased Optineurin expression, resulting in increased α-synuclein accumulation and decreased dopamine production. Thus, Mn-induced mitophagy exhibited a novel biphasic regulation: at the low dose, mitophagy is activated to eliminate damaged mitochondria, however, at the high dose, cells gradually loss the adaptive machinery, the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy weakened, resulting in neurotoxicity.
From therapeutic nihilism to armamentarium: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials assessing safety and efficacy of endovascular therapy for acute large ischemic strokes
Authors: Doheim Mohamed F , Hagrass Abdulrahman Ibrahim , Elrefaey Mohamed , Al-Bayati Alhamza R , Bhatt Nirav R , Lang Michael , Starr Matthew , Rocha Marcelo , Gross Bradley , Nogueira Raul G
Published: April 2023

Background

Three recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigated the potential benefit of endovascular therapy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke patients presenting with large infarcts. We aimed to confirm the safety and efficacy of EVT in patients presenting with large infarcts and provide more precise estimations of the treatment effects using study-level meta-analysis.

Methods

Comprehensive search of MEDLINE database through PubMed till February 2023 was performed including RCTs only. The data were then extracted from the selected studies and pooled as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

There were a total of 1005 patients across the three qualifying RCTs. Regarding the functional outcomes assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, the analyzed data demonstrated statistically significant differences in favor of thrombectomy for both independent ambulatory status (mRS 0–3: RR = 1.78, 95% CI [1.28, 2.48], p = 0.0006) and functional independence (mRS 0–2: RR = 2.54, 95% CI [1.85, 3.48], p < 0.001). The analyzed data did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences between EVT and medical management alone in terms of 90-day mortality (RR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.78, 1.16], p = 0.61), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (RR = 1.83, 95% CI [0.95, 3.55], p = 0.07), and need for hemicraniectomy (RR = 1.22, 95% CI [0.43, 3.41], p = 0.71).

Conclusion

This study confirms the benefit of EVT on functional outcomes of patients presenting with large ischemic infarcts without significant differences in the rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, hemicraniectomy, or 90-day mortality.
Co-Designing a Farm Safety Gamified Educational Resource With Secondary School Students and Their Teachers: Qualitative Study Protocol
Authors: Peden Amy E. , Alonzo Dennis , McMillan Faye , Tran Tich Phuoc , Hawke Catherine , Ivers Rebecca , Franklin Richard C.
Published: April 2023

Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of preventable harm among adolescents. Adolescents also experience an increased risk of farm injury, and in Australia, injury-related farm fatalities among adolescents have remained largely unchanged over the past two decades. A third of all incidents involve farm visitors, indicating the need for population-level safety information. This project uses qualitative data to inform a co-design process with adolescents, and their teachers, to develop a game-based farm injury prevention online educational resource. This protocol describes the multi-phase co-design project. Focus group discussions regarding farm injury prevention will be held with students (Year 7 & 8; ∼12–14 years of age) and teachers at high schools with an agricultural focus across two Australian states. Inductive thematic analysis of discussion transcripts, and analysis of farm injury data, will inform the development of the modules and content of the game. User experience testing of the prototype will form the final phase of the project. This process is supported by a Stakeholder Advisory Group, which includes representatives of youth farming organisations, agricultural educators, and national child safety organisations. This group will assist in interpretation and dissemination of findings and promoting the resultant educational resource in schools. Ethical approval has been granted by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, mass media releases, academic conferences, and the agricultural education sector in Australia via the stakeholder advisory group. This study will provide useful insights into co-designing injury prevention resources for adolescents using gamification and result in a co-designed farm injury prevention educational resource for schools and the general community via mobile and web-based applications.
“And Then COVID Hit”: (Re)flexibility of Digital Storytelling in Qualitative Health Research
Authors: Durant Keri-Lyn , Kortes-Miller Katherine
Published: April 2023

The purpose of our qualitative health research study was to understand the experiences of Ontarians who accompanied someone throughout their dying process using medical assistance in dying (MAiD). The second phase used digital stories as a method to examine and share these experiences at the end of life. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and we faced a pivot to our original plan. This pivot resulted in reinforcing the myriad benefits of using digital storytelling in qualitative health research. And rather than detracting from the initial study, we also learned that digital storytelling is a flexible method that can be creatively, compassionately, and effectively conducted in virtual spaces. We will employ digital storytelling in future qualitative health research as both a component of studies but also as a conduit for explorations of other tools of data collection and dissemination.
Pharmacists’ knowledge, perceptions and practices regarding frailty: A cross-sectional survey across practice settings in Canada
Authors: Malik Paul , Nakhla Nardine , Guo Yanling , Tadrous Mina , Duqoum Areen , Hogan David B. , Maxwell Colleen J.
Published: April 2023

Background:

Data on Canadian pharmacists’ knowledge and perceptions about frailty in older adults and its assessment in pharmacy practice are scarce.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey of 349 Canadian pharmacists was conducted to evaluate pharmacists’ knowledge, perceptions and practices regarding frailty. Descriptive analyses summarized responses by practice setting, and a multivariable logistic regression model examined associations between respondent characteristics and the likelihood of assessing frailty.

Results:

Most respondents were female (70%), aged ≤34 years (47%), Canadian graduates (83%), from Ontario/Quebec (51%) and from urban centres (58%). Although a significant proportion agreed it is important for pharmacists to know (80%) and assess (56%) patient frailty status, only 36% reported assessing frailty in practice. Respondents exclusively practising in a community pharmacy were significantly less likely to agree that it is important for a pharmacist to know or assess frailty status and to report assessing it. Factors associated with a greater likelihood of assessment included positive beliefs about the importance of knowing a patient’s frailty status and having a greater proportion of older patients with cognitive or functional impairment in practice.

Discussion:

Findings suggest that pharmacists generally agree with the importance of understanding frailty as it relates to the appropriate use of medications, but most do not assess it. Further research is needed to identify the barriers to assessing frailty, while guidance is needed on which of the available screening tools can best be integrated into a clinical pharmacy practice.

Conclusion:

There is an opportunity to improve pharmaceutical care for older adults by providing pharmacists the means and resources to assess frailty in practice.
Temporal distortion for angry faces: Testing visual attention and action preparation accounts
Authors: Tipples Jason , Lupton Michael , George David
Published: April 2023

When asked to judge the duration of a face people typically overestimate the duration of angry compared with neutral faces. A novel feature of the current research was the inclusion of secondary manipulations designed to distort timing performance namely the effects of visual cues (Experiment 1) and action preparedness (Experiment 2). Furthermore, to establish whether the effects are multiplicative with duration, the effects were examined across two duration ranges (200–800 and 400–1,600 ms). Visual cues and instructions to prepare to act increased the tendency to judge faces as lasting longer. Experiment 1 revealed an unexpected underestimation effect for angry faces presented for short durations (200–800 ms). However, the effect was not replicated in Experiment 2 where the results were generally consistent with either an increase the speed of a pacemaker mechanism that resides within an internal clock or the widening of an attentional gate—the temporal overestimation effect for angry faces grew in magnitude from the short to long duration. Experiment 2 also showed that the temporal overestimation for angry faces was reduced in magnitude when participants were asked to prepare to either push or pull a joystick.
Implant-related and medical complications in patients with sarcopenia undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty: A retrospective matched-cohort analysis
Authors: Alex Albright J , Testa Edward J , Chang Kenny , Scott Paxton E , Daniels Alan H
Published: April 2023

Background

In the continually aging United States population, the number of patients with sarcopenia who undergo shoulder arthroplasty may concomitantly increase. This retrospective cohort study aims to evaluate the rates of short-term implant-related and medical complications following shoulder arthroplasty in patients with and without a recent diagnosis of sarcopenia.

Methods

An exact 1:3 matched analysis of 4177 patients was performed using the PearlDiver database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare complications, Kaplan–Meier failure analysis was used to compare the cumulative hospital readmission rates. Two-sample T-testing was used to compare the 90-day cost of care.

Results

Sarcopenic patients were significantly more likely to experience postoperative shoulder instability (odds ratio (OR) = 2.32, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.21−4.39) and periprosthetic infection (OR = 3.83, 95% CI, 1.74–8.67) within 1 year of their arthroplasty. Sarcopenic patients were at 25% and 41% greater risk of emergency department presentation and hospital readmission 1-year post-arthroplasty, respectively. Ninty-day total costs were greater among sarcopenics ($16 112.23 vs. 10 679.58, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

These results are important for orthopaedic surgeons counselling patients with a low muscle mass on the potential for increased complications after undergoing a total shoulder arthroplasty procedure.
Nursing Perspectives on the Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Faulds Eileen R. , Dungan Kathleen M. , McNett Molly , Jones Laureen , Poindexter Norma , Exline Matthew , Pattison Jillian , Pasquel Francisco J.
Published: April 2023

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid implementation of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in the intensive care unit (ICU). Although rarely reported, perceptions from nursing staff who used the systems are critical for successful implementation and future expanded use of CGM in the inpatient setting.

Methods:

A 22-item survey focused on CGM use was distributed to ICU nurses at two large academic medical centers in the United States in 2022. Both institutions initiated inpatient CGM in the spring of 2020 using the same CGM+point of care (POC) hybrid protocol. The survey employed a 1- to 5-point Likert scale regarding CGM sensor insertion, accuracy, acceptability, usability, training, and perceptions on workload.

Results:

Of the 71 surveys completed, 68 (96%) nurses reported they cared for an ICU patient on CGM and 53% reported they had independently performed CGM sensor insertion. The ICU nurses overwhelmingly reported that CGM was accurate, reduced their workload, provided safer patient care, and was preferred over POC glucose testing alone. Interestingly, nearly half of nurses (49%) reported that they considered trend arrows in dosing decisions although trends were not included in the CGM+POC hybrid protocol. Nurses received training through multiple modalities, with the majority (80%) of nurses reporting that CGM training was sufficient and prepared them for its use.

Conclusion:

These results confirm nursing acceptance and preference for CGM use within a hybrid glucose monitoring protocol in the ICU setting. These data lay a blueprint for successful implementation and training strategies for future widespread use.
The Zadek Osteotomy for Surgical Management of Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Black Alexandra T. , So Eric , Combs Austin , Logan Daniel
Published: April 2023

Background

The calcaneal dorsal closing wedge osteotomy, otherwise known as the Zadek or Keck and Kelly osteotomy, is used to treat insertional Achilles tendinopathy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical outcomes affiliated with the Zadek technique for insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) as reported in the literature.

Methods

An English literature search on PubMed was performed yielding 8 level IV retrospective case series.

Results

The weighted mean of preoperative and postoperative Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment—Achilles Questionnaire (VISA-A) scores was 52.7 and 87.8, respectively. The weighted mean of preoperative and postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores was 56.3 and 92.9, respectively. Majority of the reported complications were minor events, including symptomatic hardware (2.8%; n = 7/247), sural nerve paresthesia (2%; n = 5/247), and superficial infection (3.2%; n = 8/247). There was 1 reported event of hardware failure resulting in re-operation. Deep vein thrombosis occurred at a rate of 0.8% (n = 2/247), complex regional pain syndrome at 0.4% (n = 1/247) and nonunion at a rate of 1.2% (n = 3/247).

Conclusion

The Zadek osteotomy is a viable option for insertional Achilles tendinopathy based on significantly improved outcome measures and minor complication rates.

Level of Evidence:

4
Regulating algorithmic management: A blueprint
Authors: Adams-Prassl Jeremias , Abraha Halefom , Kelly-Lyth Aislinn , Silberman Michael ‘Six’ , Rakshita Sangh
Published: April 2023

The promise—and perils—of algorithmic management are increasingly recognised in the literature. How should regulators respond to the automation of the full range of traditional employer functions, from hiring workers through to firing them? This article identifies two key regulatory gaps—an exacerbation of privacy harms and information asymmetries, and a loss of human agency—and sets out a series of policy options designed to address these novel harms. Redlines (prohibitions), purpose limitations, and individual as well as collective information rights are designed to protect against harmfully invasive data practices; provisions for human involvement ‘in the loop’ (banning fully automated terminations), ‘after the loop’ (a right to meaningful review), ‘before the loop’ (information and consultation rights) and ‘above the loop’ (impact assessments) aim to restore human agency in the deployment and governance of algorithmic management systems.
Recurrent Aggressive Fibromatosis Coexisting With Papillary Carcinoma Thyroid – Case Report
Authors: BG Bharath , Rastogi Sameer , Dhamija Ekta , Adarsh Barwad
Published: April 2023

Background

Aggressive fibromatosis (AF) is a benign tumor that usually has a locally aggressive and recurrent disease course. Reports of association between AF and malignancies have been reported infrequently.

Case

We report a case of a 49-years lady who had papillary thyroid carcinoma associated with a distinct desmoid tumor occurring concurrently on the right side of the neck. Initial management comprised of total thyroidectomy followed by radio-iodine therapy and desmoid tumor resection. Recurrent AF developed at the same site as before after 2 years of resection. The recurrent tumor was managed with sorafenib, the patient responded with a resolution of symptoms, and the tumor remained stable. Beta-catenin mutation done by Sanger sequencing was negative in the tumor specimen.

Conclusion

AF can occur as a separate tumor in association with PTC. If symptoms are not life-threatening medical management may be a better choice in management.
Caloric vestibular stimulation induces vestibular circular vection even with a conflicting visual display presented in a virtual reality headset
Authors: Kirollos Ramy , Herdman Chris M.
Published: April 2023

This study explored visual-vestibular sensory integration when the vestibular system receives self-motion information using caloric irrigation. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine if measurable vestibular circular vection can be induced in healthy participants using caloric vestibular stimulation and (2) determine if a conflicting visual display could impact vestibular vection. In Experiment 1 (E1), participants had their eyes closed. Air caloric vestibular stimulation cooled the endolymph fluid of the horizontal semi-circular canal inducing vestibular circular vection. Participants reported vestibular circular vection with a potentiometer knob that measured circular vection direction, speed, and duration. In Experiment 2 (E2), participants viewed a stationary display in a virtual reality headset that did not signal self-motion while receiving caloric vestibular stimulation. This produced a visual-vestibular conflict. Participants indicated clockwise vection in the left ear and counter-clockwise vection in right ear in a significant proportion of trials in E1 and E2. Vection was significantly slower and shorter in E2 compared to E1. E2 results demonstrated that during visual-vestibular conflict, visual and vestibular cues are used to determine self-motion rather than one system overriding the other. These results are consistent with optimal cue integration hypothesis.
Cheating in Extensive Reading: Myth or Reality?
Authors: Mikami Hitoshi , Shiozawa Tadashi
Published: April 2023

This study addresses the question of whether the use of problematic strategies is a threat to the effectiveness of a specific form of extensive reading. Extensive reading has been considered an effective way to receive comprehensible input in second language learning, and its benefits on the development of second language reading skills have been well documented. Meanwhile, it is also common that extensive reading is implemented as a part of existing language courses. In such courses, learners’ performance on comprehension tasks could affect their course grades. A potential concern here is that problematic strategies, including cheating, are employed to increase task performance. Interview and questionnaire surveys were conducted in the English department of a Japanese university, where active efforts are made to realize principle-based extensive reading, and extensive reading performance (i.e., the amount of reading) affects students’ course grades. While there were large individual and group differences in the students’ behavior, the results provide evidence that the use of problematic strategies is a real threat to the effectiveness of extensive reading. Based on our observations, we also propose some possible ways of promoting positive engagement with extensive reading.
Do I Like Me Now? An Analysis of Everyday Sudden Gains and Sudden Losses in Self-Esteem and Nervousness
Authors: Eckes Theresa , Nestler Steffen
Published: April 2023

Although rapid changes in symptom severity, or sudden gains and losses, are well known in psychotherapeutic research, much about the underlying processes that lead to them is still unclear. The revised theory of sudden gains and the complexity theory of psychopathology offer explanations of why sudden gains and sudden losses occur and how they can be predicted. To test the implications of these two theories, we investigated sudden gains and losses in a daily diary study focusing on their frequency, stability, and association with certain statistical indicators. To this end, we examined the daily self-esteem and nervousness ratings of 98 young adults over 82 consecutive days. Generally supporting the theoretical frameworks above, our findings suggest that everyday sudden gains and losses seem to be a common but unstable phenomenon associated with increased within-person variance.
Hearing Through Bone Conduction Headsets
Authors: Surendran Sudeep , Prodanovic Srdan , Stenfelt Stefan
Published: April 2023

Bone conduction (BC) stimulation has mainly been used for clinical hearing assessment and hearing aids where stimulation is applied at the mastoid behind the ear. Recently, BC has become popular for communication headsets where the stimulation position often is close to the anterior part of the ear canal opening. The BC sound transmission for this stimulation position is here investigated in 21 participants by ear canal sound pressure measurements and hearing threshold assessment as well as simulations in the LiUHead. The results indicated that a stimulation position close to the ear canal opening improves the sensitivity for BC sound by around 20 dB but by up to 40 dB at some frequencies. The transcranial transmission ranges typically between −40 and −25 dB. This decreased transcranial transmission facilitates saliency of binaural cues and implies that BC headsets are suitable for virtual and augmented reality applications. The findings suggest that with BC stimulation close to the ear canal opening, the sound pressure in the ear canal dominates the perception of BC sound. With this stimulation, the ear canal pathway was estimated to be around 25 dB greater than other contributors, like skull bone vibrations, for hearing BC sound in a healthy ear. This increased contribution from the ear canal sound pressure to BC hearing means that a position close to the ear canal is not appropriate for clinical use since, in such case, a conductive hearing loss affects BC and air conduction thresholds by a similar amount.
Disrupting prison managerialism: Managing prisons in an age of pandemic
Authors: Bennett Jamie
Published: April 2023

The coronavirus pandemic swept across the world in 2020, having widespread and dramatic impacts on social life. Prisons in England and Wales implemented a lock down regime for public health purposes that suppressed the spread of coronavirus but continues to have an impact on the quality of life for prisoners. This article is based on a small-scale ethnographic study of prison managers in an English prison. This builds upon studies that have documented the experiences of prison managers in England during 21st century. These studies have illustrated that prior to the pandemic, prison management was dominated by the neoliberal practices of managerialism, including an architecture of surveillance through targets, audits and inspections and the nurturing of a more compliant professional culture. The pandemic disrupted managerialism and initially saw the total dismantling of the system of monitoring and an altered relationship between the central and local levels of the organisation. Managers had to operate with greater agency and developed a stronger sense of place, focussing on the internal and local community. As the threat from the pandemic receded, there was a process of ‘managerial clawback’ with the re-establishing of the managerial architecture and a general acceptance of managerialism as a ‘return to normality’ in prisons. Yet this process was incomplete as the pandemic left complex problems including the best way to operate prison regimes that balanced ongoing health risks, maintaining order and offering constructive activity. These complex problems could not be resolved through centralised managerialism and instead required localised initiative. The pandemic had disrupted managerialism and although the architecture had largely been re-established intact, space had been created for greater autonomy in responding to the legacy. The emerging ‘new normal’ is therefore a mixed managerial economy in prison that navigates a path between managerial control and local autonomy.
The dynamics of peer support work in a UK adult male prison: A way of performing positive masculinities?
Authors: Nixon Sarah
Published: April 2023

This article explores how peer support work gives male prisoners opportunities to develop and perform positive masculinities within prison. As a former prison officer, I returned to the same prison (a category B local in England) in 2014/2015 to conduct a qualitative/ethnographic study with ( n = 19) male prisoners around engagement with peer support work. Data was analysed thematically to extract narratives relating to expressions of masculinity that challenge existing assumptions of hegemonic masculinity. ‘Insider’ positionality is a key aspect of this article when exploring the dynamics between researcher and researched, especially around building trust and rapport with male prisoners who express emotions and vulnerability. Findings suggest that peer support workers adopt a range of strategic and healthy masculinities, including protective approaches to support vulnerable prisoners. Peer support workers form homosocial bonds with each other and flows of male intimacy and generativity are evident in the care and concern shown towards others. However, there are challenges for peer support workers who have to negotiate multiple audiences to ensure personal safety and survival in prison, thus placing them in a precarious liminal position. In addition, peer support workers can be exploited by staff through neoliberalist policies and practices. Recommendations to support and develop male peer support work schemes concludes this article, which has relevance for prisons internationally that may model progress made within His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service.
Charcoal politics in Africa: Value chains, resource complexes, and energopolitics
Authors: Branch Adam , Phillips Jon , Agyei Frank Kwaku
Published: April 2023

Charcoal is a primary urban energy source throughout Africa; it is also blamed for massive environmental harm, in particular deforestation and forest degradation. Despite its centrality to urbanization, rural economies, and contemporary environmental transformations, however, charcoal's politics have been relatively underexplored. This article develops three approaches to the study of charcoal politics in Africa by critically assessing the existing literature on charcoal and drawing on studies of the politics of other forms of energy. First, charcoal can be understood as a commodity within value chains, generative of profits and rents. Formal and informal institutions govern charcoal's distribution, and the relative power of actors determines access, control, and proceeds. Second, charcoal is a material object manufactured from trees and distributed through socio-technical infrastructures. It is embedded within “resource complexes” involving political contestation around land, trees, labor, transport, and legitimacy, determining where, how, and by whom charcoal is produced and traded. Third, charcoal is a source of energy within specific energy regimes that underlie political-ecological systems, a form of “energopolitics.” Uganda provides a case study illustrating the energopolitics of charcoal as it shapes the state, state–society relations, and visions of development and modernization.
Inequalities in Consumption Expenditure on Pharmaceuticals: Evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Ang Wei Chern , Cheah Yong Kang
Published: April 2023

Pharmaceuticals play an important role in health improvements. This study is the first of its kind to examine the influences of household heads’ sociodemographic characteristics and household profiles on pharmaceuticals expenditure among households of different income levels. The country of interest is a fast-growing developing country. Data from the Malaysian Household Expenditure Surveys 2014 and 2016 were used in the pooled cross-sectional analyses. Double-hurdle models were used to analyze consumption and amount decisions of pharmaceuticals. Analyses stratified by income were conducted. Results showed that households headed by younger adults (<60 years), males, less educated individuals, Bumiputera, and divorced/widowed adults were less likely to consume and spent less on pharmaceuticals compared with households headed by older adults (≥60 years), females, more educated individuals, non-Bumiputera, and single adults. These differentials varied across income groups. In conclusion, household heads’ age, gender, educational levels, ethnicity, marital status, and household profiles are important determining factors of expenditure on pharmaceuticals among low-, middle- and high-income households.
Comparison of Tertiary Drug Information Resources With the CDC Guideline for Oxycodone Dosing: Are Patients at Risk?
Authors: Ellsworth Allyson , Veronin Michael A.
Published: April 2023

Background: Inappropriate prescribing of opioids is thought to play a central role in the ongoing opioid health crisis. Tertiary information resources are commonly used by clinicians for obtaining opioid dosing information. To assist health care providers in pain management, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a guideline for prescribing opioids. Objective: To identify discrepancies for dosing information on oxycodone between commonly used tertiary drug information resources and the CDC Guideline. Methods: Searches of the tertiary drug information resources were conducted in the following order: Facts and Comparisons, Lexicomp, Medscape, and Micromedex. The term “oxycodone” was entered in the search box in the tertiary resources’ applications. Drug information items retrieved were organized in tabular format. In the Google Chrome version 106.0.5249.119 search box, the term “CDC guideline for opioid dosing” was entered to retrieve current information on the CDC Guideline. Results: Searches produced drug information on oxycodone for available formulations, dosing regimens, recommended dosing, and maximum daily dose (MDD). Searches revealed discrepancies in dosing recommendations for oxycodone among tertiary drug resources and between tertiary drug resources and the CDC Guideline. Conclusions: When considering maximum daily dosing information for oxycodone from the selected tertiary drug information resources, the potential exists for patients to be at risk of addiction, overdose, and perhaps death. Improving the way opioids are prescribed through the CDC Clinical Practice Guideline can ensure patients have access to safer, more effective chronic pain treatment while reducing the number of people who misuse or overdose from inappropriate dosing information.
Inhibition of MYC translation through targeting of the newly identified PHB-eIF4F complex as therapeutic strategy in CLL
Authors: Largeot Anne , Klapp Vanessa , Viry Elodie , Gonder Susanne , Fernandez Botana Iria , Blomme Arnaud , Benzarti Mohaned , Pierson Sandrine , Duculty Chloé , Marttila Petra , Wierz Marina , Gargiulo Ernesto , Pagano Giulia , An Ning , El Hachem Najla , Perez Hermandez Daniel , Chakraborty Supriya , Ysebaert Loïc , François Jean-Hugues , Cortez Clemente Susan Denisse , Berchem Guy , Efremov Dimitar G , Dittmar Gunnar , Szpakowska Martyna , Chevigne Andy , Nazarov Petr V , Helleday Thomas , Close Pierre , Meiser Johannes , Stamatopoulos Basile , Désaubry Laurent , Paggetti Jerome , Moussay Etienne
Published: April 2023

Dysregulation of mRNA translation, including preferential translation of mRNA with complex 5'-UTRs such as the MYC oncogene, is recognized as an important mechanism in cancer. In this study, we show that both human and murine chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells display a high translation rate, which can be inhibited by the synthetic flavagline FL3, a prohibitin (PHB)-binding drug. A multiomics analysis consisting of pulsed SILAC, RNA sequencing and polysome profiling performed in CLL patient samples and cell lines treated with FL3 revealed the decreased translation of the MYC oncogene and of proteins involved in cell cycle and metabolism. Furthermore, inhibition of translation was associated with a block of proliferation and a profound rewiring of MYC-driven metabolism. Interestingly, contrary to other models, the RAS-RAF-(PHBs)-MAPK pathway is neither impaired by FL3 nor implicated in translation regulation in CLL cells. Here, we rather show that PHBs are directly associated with the translation initiation complex and can be targeted by FL3. Knock-down of PHBs resembled FL3 treatment. Importantly, inhibition of translation was efficient in controlling CLL development in vivo either alone or combined with immunotherapy. Finally, high expression of translation initiation-related genes and PHBs genes correlated with poor survival and unfavorable clinical parameters in CLL patients. In conclusion, we demonstrated that translation inhibition is a valuable strategy to control CLL development by blocking the translation of several oncogenic pathways including MYC. We also unraveled a new and direct role of PHBs in translation initiation, thus creating new therapeutic opportunities for CLL patients.
Novel human cellular model of CDA IV enables comprehensive analysis revealing molecular basis of disease phenotype
Authors: Ferrer-Vicens Ivan , Ferguson Daniel C. J. , Wilson Marieangela C , Heesom Kate J , Bieker James J , Frayne Jan
Published: April 2023

Red blood cell disorders can result in severe anemia. One such disease, congenital dyserythropoietic anemia IV (CDA IV) is caused by heterozygous mutation E325K in the transcription factor KLF1. However, studying the molecular basis of CDA IV is severely impeded by paucity of suitable and adequate quantities of material from anaemic patients and rarity of the disease. We therefore took a novel approach, creating a human cellular disease model system for CDA IV, which accurately recapitulates the disease phenotype. Next, using comparative proteomics we reveal extensive distortion of the proteome and a wide range of disordered biological processes in CDA IV erythroid cells. These include down-regulated pathways governing cell cycle, chromatin separation, DNA repair, cytokinesis, membrane trafficking and global transcription, and upregulated networks governing mitochondria biogenesis. The diversity of such pathways elucidates the spectrum of phenotypic abnormalities that occur with CDA IV and impairment to erythroid cell development and survival, collectively explaining the CDA IV disease phenotype. The data also reveal far more extensive involvement of KLF1 in previously assigned biological processes, along with novel roles in the regulation of intracellular processes not previously attributed to this transcription factor. Overall, the data demonstrate the power of such a model cellular system to unravel the molecular basis of disease and how studying effects of a rare mutation can reveal fundamental biology.