bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reclassification and risk stratification of embolic stroke of undetermined source by ASCOD phenotyping
Authors: Hoshino Takao , Mizuno Takafumi , Nishimura Ayako , Ishizuka Kentaro , Toi Sono , Takahashi Shuntaro , Wako Sho , Kitagawa Kazuo
Published: April 2022

Background:

Common vascular diseases underlying stroke, including atherosclerosis, small-vessel disease (SVD), and cardioembolic pathology, can be present in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), although these are not direct causes of stroke.

Aims:

To describe the frequency and degree of the three major diseases using atherosclerosis, SVD, cardiac pathology, other causes, and dissection (ASCOD) phenotyping and to assess their prognostic implications in ESUS.

Methods:

In this prospective observational study, 221 patients with ESUS within 1 week of onset were consecutively enrolled and followed up for 1 year. Vascular diseases associated with stroke were assessed using the ASCOD classification. The primary outcome was a composite of nonfatal stroke, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and vascular death.

Results:

Among 221 patients (mean age, 69.6 years; male, 59.7%), 135 (61.1%), 102 (46.2%), and 107 (48.4%) had any grade of atherosclerosis (A2 or A3), SVD (S3), and cardiac pathology (C2 or C3), respectively. ESUS patients graded as A2 or A3 (i.e. ipsilateral atherosclerotic plaque, contralateral ⩾ 50% stenosis, or aortic arch plaque) were at a significantly higher risk of composite vascular events than those graded as A0 (i.e. no atherosclerotic disease) (adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval), 2.40 (1.01–5.72). No differences were observed in the event risk between patients with S3 (i.e. magnetic resonance imaging evidence of SVD) and S0 (i.e. no SVD) and between those with C2 or C3 (i.e. presence of any cardiac pathology) and C0 (i.e. no cardiac abnormalities).

Conclusions:

Atherosclerotic diseases corresponding to ASCOD grade A2 or A3 were predictive of recurrent vascular events in ESUS patients. Reclassification of ESUS using ASCOD phenotyping provides important clues for risk prediction and may guide optimal management strategies.
Mechanical thrombectomy after acute ischemic stroke in patients with left ventricular assist devices: A nationwide analysis
Authors: Ibeh Chinwe , Mandigo Grace K , Sisti Jonathan A , Lavine Sean D , Willey Joshua Z
Published: April 2022

Introduction:

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an established, durable, and life-saving treatment option for patients with advanced heart failure. However, large vessel occlusions (LVOs) remain one of its most devastating embolic complications. Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is safe and effective in the management of LVOs in the general population, but LVO trials largely excluded patients on mechanical circulatory support, and large-scale analyses of outcomes following these interventions in the LVAD population are lacking.

Methods:

Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified all adult patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) from 2005 to 2018. Regression models adjusting for patient demographics, hospital factors, and clinical severity were used to compare outcomes following MT in patients with and without LVAD. Subgroup analyses were also performed in LVAD patients experiencing stroke in the post-operative setting and stroke in the setting of pre-existing devices.

Results:

Of the 1,633,234 AIS hospitalizations identified, 794 occurred in patients with LVADs. Around 61% were post-operative. Post-stroke in-hospital mortality was higher among patients with LVADs (23.3% vs 7.23%, P < 0.001). Among those receiving MT, mortality was also higher in the LVAD population (31.0% vs 14.1%, P = 0.009), though this was largely driven by the post-operative LVAD subgroup. In multivariable analysis, only post-operative LVAD patients experienced greater odds of in-hospital death after MT (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 8.66, confidence interval (CI):1.46–51.3); patients with pre-existing LVADs demonstrated no difference in post-MT mortality (aOR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.29–3.91) or in odds of discharge home after MT (aOR 0.63, CI: 0.17–2.32).

Conclusion:

Our data suggest MT is not a futile treatment approach in patients with pre-existing LVADs and may result in similar rates of good outcomes. Additional research is needed to evaluate the long-term benefits of endovascular therapy after stroke in patients on LVAD support.
Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights into effective training strategies for physical development in football
Authors: Anderson Liam , Flannigan Craig , Polychronopoulos Paraskevas , MacKenzie Robbie , Drust Barry , Milsom Jordan
Published: April 2022

Professional soccer players typically perform regular training sessions and match play for most of the yearly macrocycle with limited time focused on solely developing physical development. The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 caused mass disruption to professional soccer but provided an opportunity for an alternative approach to training in attempt to develop professional soccer players physical fitness levels. In a non-randomised and non-controlled study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of a 13-week remote based physical training programme on physical fitness levels in elite professional soccer players. Twenty professional soccer players undertook body composition assessments, a countermovement jump (CMJ) test, eccentric hamstring strength test and a submaximal 30–15 intermittent fitness test (IFT) pre- and post-remote based training programme. Body mass (79.3 ± 6.7 vs. 80.0 ± 7.3 kg), skinfold thickness (54.1 ± 14.8 vs. 56.7 ± 15.2 mm), maximum CMJ height (38.4 ± 3.4 vs. 40.9 ± 4.1 cm), eccentric hamstring strength (1035 ± 158 vs. 1009 ± 140 n) and percentage max heart rate reached in submaximal 30–15 IFT (81.3 ± 5.2 vs. 82.3 ± 7.3%) were maintained (all P > 0.05) from pre- to post training programme, respectively. Although team-based soccer specific training load was removed, and the training programmes prescribed had an increased physical focus, fitness levels were maintained. This suggests that alternative modes of training can potentially be used in instances where team-based soccer specific training load isn’t required or is unavailable, without negatively impacting physical development.
From Statistics to Stories: Indices and Indicators as Communication Tools for Social Change
Authors: Kogen Lauren
Published: April 2022

The terms ‘indices’ and ‘indicators’ may immediately cause eyelids to droop. How, then, might they serve to impassion publics and, ultimately, promote social change? This paper examines the extent to which indices and indicators can be considered communication tools for social movements and social change. The analysis is based on a 2018 evaluation of one index based in the United States – the Ranking Digital Rights Index, which assesses privacy and freedom of expression in the ICT space – and incorporates interviews with civil society stakeholders. Bringing theory from the fields of journalism and social movements together with the data from the evaluation, the findings suggest indices can serve as useful communication resources for social movements under certain circumstances. In particular, the analysis suggests three communication resources – legitimate information, newsworthy information, and flexible information – that human rights indices are most likely to provide.
Supporting Children on the Autism Spectrum as They Experience the Challenges of COVID-19
Authors: Obst Barbara , Roesler Megan , Fato Patricia , Goff Carrie
Published: April 2022

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified stress and social isolation for many children, but those children living with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been disproportionately affected. Prior to the pandemic, children with ASD often faced social isolation due to struggles with their social communication and social development. Planning for children with ASD to return to community experiences, including school, appointments, and even recreational activities, will require an understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the child and their family. As the child and family are working to adjust to changes like new routines, sleep patterns, and sensory issues as a result of the pandemic, the pediatric nursing community should be knowledgeable and prepared to develop creative opportunities to meet the needs of this vulnerable population.
Open banking and regulation: Please advise the government
Authors: Babin Ron , Smith Donna
Published: April 2022

Open Banking allows consumers to take advantage of data-driven financial services by sharing data held at one organization with another organization, typically between financial institutions and trusted third parties. Open Banking is consumer controlled, secure, and protects privacy. These new services represent an innovative and growing market. Clear and fair rules, industry coordination, and technical standards are needed to avoid fragmentation and to build a robust market that serves all consumers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). International developments in jurisdictions such as the UK and Australia have demonstrated the expected benefits that Open Banking can deliver to consumers. The challenge to governments in North America is to adopt a consistent framework that provides the security and protections consumers need while at the same time providing flexibility for innovation and streamlining of banking services using the Open Banking model.

A key question for implementation of Open Banking will be the balance of activity and involvement between government and the private sector. An unbalanced Open Banking model will likely fail; a balanced Open Banking model can bring tremendous value to society.

This teaching case asks students to first understand the benefits and challenges of Open Banking for many stakeholders, and then to recommend on how to proceed (or not) with implementation. The case is written from a North American perspective, that is, the USA and Canada.
Lichenoid granulomatous dermatitis: A case with dramatic desquamation and multiple potential causes
Authors: Odeshi Oluwatosin , Kenny Bret , Kogilwaimath Siddharth , Oroz Irina , Osmond Allison
Published: April 2022

Lichenoid granulomatous dermatitis, also known as giant cell lichenoid dermatitis, represents an uncommon mixed-pattern dermatitis with histopathologic features of interface dermatitis with band-like lymphocytic inflammation of the dermal-epidermal junction, with thinning of the epidermis or lichen planus-like changes, and granulomatous inflammation involving the dermis. Lichenoid granulomatous dermatitis can manifest with a variety of primary lesions and has various clinical associations. We present a challenging clinicopathologic case of lichenoid granulomatous dermatitis in a 58-year-old woman with dramatic cutaneous desquamation in the context of a complex medical history and multiple potential triggers.
Choriocarcinoma transmitted with the transplant: Case study
Authors: Aghsaeifard Ziba , Latifi Marzieh , Bagherpour Farzaneh , Rahbar Maryam , Rahimzadeh Hormat , Namdari Farshad , Dialameh Hossein , Taheri Mahmoudi Mohsen , Dehghani Sanaz
Published: April 2022

Choriocarcinoma is a rare kind of cancer, which may be either gestational or non-gestational. Choriocarcinoma is responsible for about a quarter of all documented neoplastic aneurysms. It is a descriptive case report of choriocarcinoma transmission from a donor, following kidney donation. A 45-year-old woman got a kidney from a 25-year-old woman who was taken to the hospital due to a non-traumatic cerebral hemorrhage. She delivered a healthy baby 48 days before her brain death. The transplant was successfully done. Five weeks’ post-transplantation, the recipient had pain and erythema in the surgical area. Regarding the high level of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin in her blood, diagnostic tests were performed. Following the confirmation of the cancer, a five-phase chemotherapy plan with various pharmaceutical regimens was initiated. Liver function test values rose after the final round of chemotherapy, and the patient developed hepatic encephalopathy. Considering the thrombocytopenia, dialysis, or hemoperfusion, which are normally performed to reduce liver enzymes, were not initiated. Finally, she died due to the hepatic failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Although the nephrologists disagree on the optimal course of treatment, it seems that nephrectomy would be helpful in such instances. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of transplant-related choriocarcinoma in female donors of reproductive age who die because of intracerebral brain hemorrhage for unclear reasons. Every donor must undergo a thorough examination. It is critical to get documents, clarify history, and interview relatives.
Curative surgery for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Vithana SMP , Udayakumara EAD , Gunasena MDP , Mushraf MLM
Published: April 2022

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma accounts for 3%–4% of thyroid malignancies worldwide and is aggressive in nature with a median survival of 6 months at diagnosis. A 67-year-old lady with a hard goitre presented with compressive symptoms and mild hypothyroidism. Ultrasound scan revealed a Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System 5 lesion with suspicious left-sided cervical lymphadenopathy. Anaplastic carcinoma was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. Left-sided thyroid tumour with possible carotid sheath infiltration and left-sided cervical lymphadenopathy was seen on contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the neck. She underwent total thyroidectomy with therapeutic bilateral selective central and lateral cervical lymphadenectomy. Involvement of the aero-digestive tract and carotid sheath was not observed intra-operatively. Histology reported anaplastic carcinoma with deposits of papillary carcinoma in affected lymph nodes. Oncological management was commenced thereafter. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma usually presents as advanced disease. However, current guidelines suggest a multimodal approach comprising of curative surgery whenever feasible with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. For patients with stage IVa/IVb loco-regional disease as in our patient, total thyroidectomy with therapeutic lymphadenectomy to achieve R0/R1 resection plus adjuvant therapy is the current accepted practice. For locally advanced disease, surgery maybe opted after down-staging. The aim is to resect tumour wholly and not merely de-bulking. The presence of papillary carcinoma in lymph nodes points towards anaplasia occurring in a background of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in our patient similar to what literature suggests. This has implications in post-operative thyroxine suppression and radioiodine ablative therapies.
Coincidental finding of a giant bladder calculus and squamous cell carcinoma of bladder: A case report
Authors: Subba Sonu , Dorji Namkha , Tshering Sangay
Published: April 2022

Chronic irritation of bladder by urinary bladder calculus is a known risk factor for bladder cancer. The use of Wrigley’s obstetrical forceps in general surgical practice is a rare event. Herein, we report a case of a giant urinary bladder calculus which was removed by Wrigley’s obstetrical forceps during open cystolithotomy. The bladder biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. With this report, we aim to create an awareness among surgeons about the role of the Wrigley’s obstetrical forceps during open cystolithotomy, and the role of taking urinary bladder biopsy from chronically inflamed/unhealthy sites.
Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita treated with ustekinumab: A case report
Authors: Prosty Connor , Guirguis Justina , Chergui May , Afif Waqqas , Netchiporouk Elena
Published: April 2022

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is a rare autoimmune disease involving cutaneous blistering and scarring associated with collagen VII autoantibodies. Similarly, collagen VII autoantibodies are present in the majority of Crohn’s disease patients and approximately a quarter of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita patients have coexisting Crohn’s disease. Treatment options for epidermolysis bullosa acquisita are limited and are largely ineffective. Here, we describe a 36-year-old female with a history of Crohn’s disease presenting with a 7-year history of severe blistering and scarring of acral surfaces. Diagnostic workup revealed subepidermal cleavage on skin biopsy and elevated serum collagen VII autoantibodies, indicative of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. She was given ustekinumab for her coexisting Crohn’s disease and, afterwards, her epidermolysis bullosa acquisita resolved as evidenced by a lack of new blisters or scarring. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of ustekinumab on epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.
Influence of interaction between community health workers and adults with chronic diseases on risk mitigation through care coordination
Authors: Chiyaka Edward T , Lanese Bethany , Bruckman David , Redding Mark , Filla Joshua , Ferguson Pamela , Hoornbeek John
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Addressing health disparities and barriers to care requires a comprehensive approach that involves participation of health care providers, multiple organizations, and service providers in the communities affected. Given the importance of using community health workers to help address the complex and overlapping medical, social, and behavioral needs of high-risk individuals, it is of utmost importance to understand their impact on health outcomes. This study examines how in-person interaction between community health workers and their clients influence the client's level of risk mitigation achieved through care coordination using the Pathways Community HUB model.

Methods

The study utilized two years of data extracted from the Care Coordination Systems database for 391 adults who participated in the Northwest Ohio Pathways Community HUB program. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, we assessed how the interaction between community health workers and adults with chronic diseases who participated in the Northwest Ohio Pathways Community HUB program influenced the successful mitigation of their social, behavioral, and other medical risks over a 2-year period.

Results

Our findings show that as the number of in-person contacts between the community health worker and the client increased, the likelihood of completing all Pathways increased by 27% when compared to completing less than 50% of the assigned Pathways, after adjusting for potential confounders (odds ratio: 1.27, 95% confidence interval: 1.07−1.52).

Discussion

Using community health workers as part of care coordination teams may be effective in connecting communities to systems of care, helping individuals manage their health conditions and connecting individuals to needed social services. Their direct in-person interaction with at-risk individuals may increase the extent to which these individuals successfully address risks to their health and well-being.
Experiences of Caregivers of Patients With Conservatively Managed Kidney Failure: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review
Authors: Walavalkar Anisha , Craswell Alison , Gray Nicholas A.
Published: April 2022

Background:

Older people with kidney failure often choose conservative kidney care. The experiences and quality of life (QOL) of caregivers who support them are incompletely characterized.

Objective:

To determine the burden, QOL, and understand experiences of caregivers supporting patients managed conservatively.

Design:

Systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies.

Sources of information:

PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and MEDLINE electronic databases were systematically searched for quantitative and qualitative studies published between January 2000 and July 2020.

Subjects:

Caregivers of adults with kidney failure (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2) managed conservatively.

Methods:

Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers using a prespecified extraction tool. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool.

Measurements:

Descriptive reports of demographics, measurement scales, and outcomes. Thematic synthesis of qualitative data.

Results:

Six studies met inclusion criteria, including 3 quantitative and 3 descriptive qualitative studies. Caregivers of patients receiving conservative kidney management (CKM) experienced significant caregiver burden and similar impacts to their QOL as those caring for patients receiving dialysis. Thematic synthesis revealed 5 themes: Understanding the concept of CKM, Need for involvement in the decision for CKM, Identifying available supports, Uncertainty about the future and negotiating deteriorations and dying, and Burden of care impacting on QOL.

Limitations:

Low numbers of included studies, data collection and recruitment biases in qualitative studies and small caregiver numbers in quantitative studies, limit transferability of findings. Heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures precluded meta-analysis.

Conclusions:

Caregivers of patients with conservatively managed kidney failure suffer significant burden and experience QOL comparable with those caring for patients on dialysis. Limited understanding and involvement in conservative management decision making, and a fear of deterioration and dying, result in anxiety in caregivers. Further research into the experiences of caregivers will help support both caregivers and the patients who choose conservative management.

Registration:

PROSPERO registration number CRD42021209811.
‘Into the Unknown’: Using facet methodology to explore the Disney Princess Phenomenon
Authors: Muir Robyn
Published: April 2022

The Disney Princesses are 18 royal characters featured in Disney and Pixar animated films, merchandise, marketing, and consumer experiences, marketed towards young consumers. Whilst much research has focussed on the representation of gender in Disney Princess films, there has been little focus on the rest of princess culture. This article argues that to understand the Disney Princess Phenomenon in its entirety, a new methodology must be introduced to the field. The article introduces Mason’s facet methodology as a methodological innovation to the fields of Disney and feminist media studies. A creative and innovative approach that allows researchers to ‘play’ with different methods to explore cultural phenomenon. Facet methodology imagines the selected phenomenon as a gemstone, where each ‘element’ or ‘part’ of the phenomenon is a facet of the overall gem. By using different methods to explore each facet, researchers can use findings to refract and reflect ‘light’ on each of the different elements of the phenomenon, demonstrating its entwined nature. The paper firstly outlines Jennifer Mason’s facet methodology. Secondly, it introduces the facets identified in the Disney Princess Phenomenon: films, merchandising and marketing, and consumer experiences. The article then focuses on how facet methodology enabled a creative and holistic approach to studying each facet of the princess phenomenon through a variety of research methods: textual analysis, interviews, content analysis, and autoethnography. The paper then reflects on the approach of facet methodology for research on the Disney Princess Phenomenon and in feminist media studies and media and communication, arguing that facet methodology provides researchers with insights to phenomena we would otherwise not uncover due to its holistic approach.
Clinical Severity on Hospital Admission for COVID-19: An Analysis of Social Determinants of Health From an Early Hot Spot in the Southeastern U.S.
Authors: Chastain Daniel B. , Osae Sharmon P. , Thomas Geren M. , Burt Ashley M. , Rao Amy , Henao-Martínez Andrés F. , Franco-Paredes Carlos , Waller Jennifer L. , Young Henry N.
Published: April 2022

Introduction:

Disparities in COVID-19 infection, illness severity, hospitalization, and death are often attributed to age and comorbidities, which fails to recognize the contribution of social, environmental, and financial factors on health. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between social determinants of health (SDOH) and COVID-19 severity.

Methods:

This multicenter retrospective study included adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Southwest Georgia, U.S. The primary outcome was the severity of illness among patients on hospital admission for COVID-19. To characterize the effect of biological and genetic factors combined with SDOH on COVID-19, we used a multilevel analysis to examine patient-level and ZIP code-level data to determine the risk of COVID-19 illness severity at admission.

Results:

Of 392 patients included, 65% presented with moderate or severe COVID-19 compared to 35% with critical disease. Compared to moderate or severe COVID-19, increasing levels of Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.24), tobacco use (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.10-3.11), and unemployment or retired versus employed (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.04-3.50 and OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.17-4.02, respectively) were associated with increased odds of critical COVID-19 in bivariate models. In the multi-level model, ZIP codes with a higher percentage of Black or African American residents (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91-0.97) were associated with decreased odds of critical COVID-19.

Conclusion:

Differences in SDOH did not lead to significantly higher odds of presenting with severe COVID-19 when accounting for patient-level and ZIP code-level variables.
Pre-Existing Frailty is Unrelated to Progression of Diffuse Subcortical Damage of Vascular Origin: A Longitudinal Prospective Study in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Del Brutto Oscar H. , Recalde Bettsy Y. , Rumbea Denisse A. , Mera Robertino M.
Published: April 2022

Background:

Both frailty and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) of presumed vascular origin are associated with enhanced expression of inflammatory biomarkers. Therefore, it is possible that pre-existing frailty predisposes to WMH progression. However, this relationship has not been explored. This population-based longitudinal prospective study aimed to assess the impact of frailty on subsequent progression of WMH in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador.

Methods:

Participants of the Atahualpa Project Cohort received baseline frailty assessment and brain MRIs. Frailty was evaluated by means of the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS). WMH were graded according to the modified Fazekas scale. Individuals who received a follow-up brain MRI were included. Poisson regression models were fitted to assess the differential rate of WMH progression according to EFS score, after adjusting for demographics, level of education, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Results:

The study included 263 individuals aged ≥60 years (mean age: 65.7 ± 6.2 years; 57% women). The mean EFS score at baseline was 4 ± 2.3 points. Follow-up MRIs after a median follow-up of 6.5 years showed WMH progression in 103 (39%) individuals. The EFS score at baseline was associated with WMH progression in unadjusted analysis ( P = .006). However, significance was not achieved in a multivariate Poisson regression model adjusted for relevant covariates (IRR: 1.07; 95% C.I.: 0.97-1.18; P = .192).

Conclusions:

Study results do not support an independent relationship between frailty and WMH progression, adjusting for the confounding effect of aging.
Surgical Management of Paediatric Thoracolumbar Tuberculosis by a Combination of Anterior and Posterior Versus Posterior Only Approach: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Upadhyaya Gaurav Kumar , Sami Abdus , Patralekh Mohit Kumar , Agarwal Anil , Iyengar Karthikeyan P. , Aryal Aayush , Bhagwati Pragya , Garg Bhavuk , Jain Vijay Kumar
Published: April 2022

Study Design

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objectives

This systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed to assess effectiveness, safety, clinical, functional and radiological outcome of either combined anteroposterior or posterior-only approach in the surgical management of active tubercular disease of paediatric thoracolumbar spine.

Methods

A systematic literature search through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library database was performed. Data extraction was undertaken following methodological quality assessment.

Results

9 out of the 182 publications identified, were included for analysis. A total of 247 patients were analysed. Two amongst the 9 studies were retrospective comparative studies evaluating posterior approach with combined anteroposterior approach and were considered for comparative meta-analysis. Blood loss and duration of surgery was significantly higher in the anteroposterior group, as compared to the posterior-only group. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of post-operative kyphosis angles, final kyphosis angles, number of complications, functional outcome and spinal fusion time. However, all the included studies were non-randomised and retrospective. Only 2 of them had a control group with a high heterogeneity amongst these 2 studies.

Conclusion

The inference from the studies included in this review suggests that equivalent results can be achieved with posterior-only approach for thoracolumbar tuberculosis in children as compared to anteroposterior approach, with much lower complexity, reduced blood loss and shorter surgical time. However, due to the high risk of bias and considerable heterogeneity among the studies included, we cannot conclude whether one approach is better than the other.
Successful Diagnosis of Epithelial Thymic Cancer Case Using EBUS-TBNA
Authors: Issa Tammy , Sharma Rupam , Aboaid Shatha , Polineni Rahul D. , Aboeed Ayham
Published: April 2022

Mediastinal masses are relatively uncommon. Surgical approach is often needed to diagnose mediastinal masses. Using endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) toward approaching a mediastinal mass has yet to be established. Here, we present a case of successful diagnosis of thymic cancer with the use of EBUS-TBNA.
Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation Following Treatment of HNSCC With Cisplatin
Authors: Crosby James , Smith Forrest , Ganti Subramanya Shyam , Moka Nagabhishek , Bailey Samuel
Published: April 2022

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) reactivation is a known complication of intense immunosuppression with B-cell depleting monoclonal antibody therapy and transplantation immunosuppression. HBV reactivation has occurred following treatment with chemotherapy regimens for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. There are 2 prior case reports of HBV reactivation following cisplatin monotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, we present a case of a 49-year-old Caucasian male with a past medical history of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There are no consensus guidelines on how to define hepatitis B reactivation. There are guidelines on when to initiate prophylaxis with Entecavir while on immunosuppressive therapy with risk according to medication category and hepatitis B surface antigen/hepatitis B core antibody IgG serology. CDC recommends screening everyone. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) now with a recent update in 2020 recommends screening everyone. There is a definite role of immunosuppression in HBV reactivation, however, there is also direct enhancement by cisplatin of viral replication by creating endoplasmic reticulum stress which increases HBV DNA indirectly. Finally, cytotoxicity enhances HBV reactivation and immune reconstitution post withdrawing immunosuppressive treatment. Because of the effects of chemotherapy, aka cisplatin goes beyond immunosuppression-related reactivation of HBV, our recommendations are in line with CDC and ASCO to screen all patients for HBV before onset of chemotherapy and start Entecavir/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate before the onset of chemotherapy for HBV-positive patients.
Dual Certification in Special and Elementary Education and Associated Benefits for Students With Disabilities and Their Teachers
Authors: Kirksey J. Jacob , Lloydhauser Michael
Published: April 2022

Researchers and policymakers use certification as a metric of teaching quality in subject areas as well as subfields of education. We examined the association between having a teacher with dual certification in elementary and special education and math and reading achievement for students with disabilities (SWDs). We also examined whether dual certification related to teachers’ efficacy and job satisfaction. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011, we employed ordinary least square regression models supplemented with school and child fixed effects to examine differences for children with disabilities based on certification type of their teachers in kindergarten, first, and second grades. After controlling for confounding variation at the school and child levels, we find that SWDs with teachers with dual certification score better in math. Results also suggest that teachers with dual certification exhibit more positive dispositions related to teaching SWDs.
Assessing School Communities Using Google Street View: A Virtual Systematic Social Observation Approach
Authors: McCoy Dana Charles , Sabol Terri J. , Hanno Emily C. , Odgers Candice L.
Published: April 2022

Little research in education has focused on school neighborhoods. We employ a novel systematic social observation tool—the internet-based School Neighborhood Assessment Protocol (iSNAP)—within Google Street View to quantify the physical characteristics of 291 preschool communities in nine U.S. cities. We find low to moderate correlations (r = −.03 to −.57) between iSNAP subscales and Census tract poverty, density, and crime, suggesting that the characteristics captured by the iSNAP are related to, yet ultimately distinct from, existing neighborhood structural measures. We find few positive associations between iSNAP community characteristics and 1,230 low-income preschoolers’ end-of-year outcomes. Specifically, resources for outdoor play (e.g., playgrounds, open fields) on school grounds predicted stronger child self-regulation skills, whereas global ratings of safety and care for both the school grounds and surrounding neighborhood predicted stronger approaches to learning skills. Indicators of physical order were not associated with child outcomes.
Who Gets Deported? Immigrant Removal Rates by National Origin and Period, 1998 to 2021
Authors: Farrell-Bryan Dylan , Peacock Ian
Published: April 2022

Most removal proceedings in U.S. immigration courts result in removal, but research has yet to consider how removal rates vary by nationality and period. Using Executive Office of Immigration Review data, the authors examine the removal rates for the 30 most common national-origin groups in removal proceedings. Honduran, Mexican, Guatemalan, and Brazilian nationals have been ordered removed at rates considerably higher than the population average, while Chinese, Albanian, Egyptian, and Ethiopian nationals experience notably low rates of removal. Additionally, the authors find a general decline in removal rates between 1998 and 2021, with a notable jump in removal rates during the Trump administration. Disaggregating removal rates by nationality and period has important implications for understanding disparities in access to legal resources and immigration enforcement practices.
Using Electronic Dental Records to Assess Osteoradionecrosis Risk in Irradiated Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Saenthaveesuk P. , Kiat-amnuay S. , Walji M.F.
Published: April 2022

Objective:

Over the last 2 decades, investigations have demonstrated a decreased trend in the likelihood of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) after extraction. The aim of this study was to explore the potential risk factors for ORNJ in irradiated head and neck cancer by using patients’ electronic dental records (EDRs).

Methods:

Patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer who had irradiation between January 2010 and December 2020 were included in this retrospective cohort analysis. Patient charts showing evidence of “head and neck cancer,” “oral cancer,” “radiotherapy,” “radiation,” and “oral complication” were identified by an informatics analyst querying the EDR. Subsequently, the charts were manually reviewed, and data quality was assessed on 3 dimensions: completeness, accuracy, and consistency. The patient, tumor, systemic condition/drug, oral condition, treatment/trauma, and radiation were all categorized as potential risk factors.

Results:

A total of 359 patients were included. With the exception of radiation-related factors, we found that the data quality was generally sufficient to support the research. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the following factors were significant in predicting the occurrence of ORNJ development in irradiated head and neck cancer: smoking (odds ratio [OR], 9.0; 95% CI, 1.9 to 43.0; P = 0.006), steroid use (OR, 6.4; 95% CI, 1.3 to 30.8; P = 0.021), oral health status (OR, 23.7; 95% CI, 2.7 to 211.0; P = 0.005), and postirradiation extraction (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.0 to 14.4; P = 0.050).

Conclusions:

A 10-y retrospective analysis of data from an EDR revealed that smoking, steroid use, poor oral status, and postirradiation extraction are all factors linked to an increased risk of developing ORNJ. The quality of EDR data may be systematically assessed by determining the completeness, accuracy, and consistency of the underlying data. Radiation-related factors in particular were poorly documented, highlighting the need for collecting or incorporating this information into the EDR.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

EDRs can be used to identify risk factors for developing ORNJ in irradiated head and neck cancer and can help clinicians with selecting treatments by incorporating risk and complication considerations.
I had no idea that Europe had internal borders: Migrants’ ‘secondary movements’ before the EU internal border regime
Authors: Aru Silvia
Published: April 2022

This paper looks at the so-called ‘secondary movements’, namely, migrants’ unauthorized movements across Member States of the European Union (EU). Over the past few years, secondary movements have become a main concern on the EU political agenda because they seem unstoppable, despite the more rigid migration regime designed at different levels to manage them. Secondary movements are a relatively understudied topic within the vast critical migration debate on border regimes. This paper bridges this gap by looking at unauthorized movements within Europe on two levels. Firstly, it explores them by focusing on the emergence, conceptualization and embodiment of the term ‘secondary movements’ within the EU agenda; secondly, it sheds light on this kind of movement from the migrants’ perspective. Based on empirical research carried out along the Italian–French border and in Rome from September 2018 to December 2018, this paper aims to highlight the tensions between unauthorized mobilities and the EU asylum system, which forces migrants to stay in (or move to) specific countries without taking into consideration their personal plans. Thanks to a bottom-up perspective, this analysis shows how complex migrants’ reasons for movements are and it sheds a necessary light on how EU asylum policies and border control mechanisms influence migrants’ journey without stopping them. Reading the border regime of Ventimiglia through the lens of ‘secondary movements’ allows for a more nuanced account of the systems of power within which this EU internal border regime takes form.
Reading the ‘Caste’ in the Minds of ‘Aspirant Teachers’
Authors: Sarohe Seema
Published: April 2022

This article explores the notions of caste among the student-teachers 1 of a popular teacher education programme in India. The study attempts to gauge the abilities of the student-teachers to delve into the structures of inequality and address issues from different social, political, economic and philosophical viewpoints. Findings reveal that the common concern for most student-teachers was their discontent with the reservation policy for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes. 2 The majority of the student-teachers believed that economic class should be the single most criterion to define ‘deprivation’ while formulating any affirmative policies. Student-teachers’ narratives reflect how there is a need to engage in dialogue with their notions of caste as well as class. This article argues to take the preparation of teachers seriously as teacher’s own knowledge and beliefs on several issues of identity vis-à-vis caste come to influence their pedagogical interactions with the learners in a great way.
Saikat Majumdar’s The Firebird: A Close Reading
Authors: Datta Ketaki
Published: April 2022

The article is an insightful and incisive reading of Professor Saikat Majumdar’s second novel, “The Firebird”. In a colloquial style, the critic starts off with her acquaintance with the novel and goes deep into the characters. By way of critically appreciating the work, she also brings up comparison with other novels of similar interests and shows how this novel is different from them. After all, culture and identity matter the most while judging the characters in all their intents and purposes.
Preparing the grounds for emancipation. Explaining commoning as an emancipatory mechanism through dialectical social theory
Authors: Bergame Nathalie , Borgström Sara , Milestad Rebecka
Published: April 2022

While there is evidence that commons have the potential to counteract socio-spatial injustices unleashed by neoliberal and capitalist forms of urbanisation, less is known about how commons lead to emancipatory change. Anchored in dialectical social theory, this article explains commoning as a mechanism through which people reproduce/transform their structural context and agency, arguing that the potential for emancipation through commoning lies in the commoners’ ability to induce processes of structural/agential transformation. Empirically grounded in interviews with urban community gardeners in the City of Stockholm, Sweden, we show that collective gardening conceptualised as practice of commoning contributes to structural change in that female volunteer labour collectivises the mandate over municipally managed public space, transforming socio-spatial relations. Yet, garden commoning proves to reproduce structural whiteness and middle-class agency in public space, fails to establish autonomy from waged-labour relations, and is unable to abolish the separation from the sources of reproduction and subsistence.
Defenestrated endothelium delays liver-directed gene transfer in hemophilia A mice
Authors: Kaminski Tomasz W. , Ju Eun-Mi , Gudapati Shweta , Vats Ravi , Arshad Sanya , Dubey Rikesh K. , Katoch Omika , Tutuncuoglu Egemen , Frank Jonathan , Brzoska Tomasz , Stolz Donna B. , Watkins Simon C. , Chan Stephen Y. , Ragni Margaret V. , Novelli Enrico M. , Sundd Prithu , Pradhan-Sundd Tirthadipa
Published: April 2022

Hemophilia A is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by defective or deficient coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) activity. Until recently, the only treatment for prevention of bleeding involved IV administration of FVIII. Gene therapy with adeno-associated vectors (AAVs) has shown some efficacy in patients with hemophilia A. However, limitations persist due to AAV-induced cellular stress, immunogenicity, and reduced durability of gene expression. Herein, we examined the efficacy of liver-directed gene transfer in FVIII knock-out mice by AAV8-GFP. Surprisingly, compared with control mice, FVIII knockout (F8TKO) mice showed significant delay in AAV8-GFP transfer in the liver. We found that the delay in liver-directed gene transfer in F8TKO mice was associated with absence of liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) fenestration, which led to aberrant expression of several sinusoidal endothelial proteins, causing increased capillarization and decreased permeability of LSECs. This is the first study to link impaired liver-directed gene transfer to liver-endothelium maladaptive structural changes associated with FVIII deficiency in mice.
A predictive model for bone marrow disease in cytopenia based on noninvasive procedures
Authors: Træden Dicte , Tulstrup Morten , Cowland Jack Bernard , Sjö Lene Dissing , Bøgsted Martin , Grønbæk Kirsten , Andersen Mette Klarskov , Hansen Jakob Werner
Published: April 2022

Bone marrow specimens are the core of the diagnostic workup of patients with cytopenia. To explore whether next-generation sequencing (NGS) could be used to rule out malignancy without bone marrow specimens, we incorporated NGS in a model to predict presence of disease in the bone marrow of patients with unexplained cytopenia. We analyzed the occurrence of mutations in 508 patients with cytopenia, referred for primary workup of a suspected hematologic malignancy from 2015 to 2020. We divided patients into a discovery (n = 340) and validation (n = 168) cohort. Targeted sequencing, bone marrow biopsy, and complete blood count were performed in all patients. Mutations were identified in 267 (53%) and abnormal bone marrow morphology in 188 (37%) patients. Patients with isolated neutropenia had the lowest frequency of both mutations (21%) and abnormal bone marrow morphology (5%). The median number of mutations per patient was 2 in patients with abnormal bone marrow morphology compared with 0 in patients with a nondiagnostic bone marrow morphology (P < .001). In a multivariable logistic regression, mutations in TET2, SF3B1, U2AF1, TP53, and RUNX1 were significantly associated with abnormal bone marrow morphology. In the validation cohort, a model combining mutational status and clinical data identified 34 patients (20%) without abnormal bone marrow morphology with a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval: 93%-100%). Overall, we show that NGS combined with clinical data can predict the presence of abnormal bone marrow morphology in patients with unexplained cytopenia and thus can be used to assess the need of a bone marrow biopsy.