bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of neural mobilization on pain intensity, disability, and physical performance in adults with musculoskeletal pain—A protocol for a systematic review of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials and planned meta-analysis
Authors: Baptista Frederico Mesquita , Cruz Eduardo Brazete , Afreixo Vera , Silva Anabela G.
Published: March 2022

Recent studies show that musculoskeletal conditions contribute significantly to years lived with disability considering the entire global population. Pain and functional disability are the main problems that people with these conditions suffer. Neural mobilization has been shown to be an effective intervention in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain within individual trials, also contributing to improved functionality. Some systematic reviews have been carried out during the last years with the aim of synthesizing the scientific evidence on the use of neural mobilization techniques in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. However, they varied a lot in the methodological approaches and, consequently, in the findings and conclusions. Thus, this document is a planned protocol of a comprehensive systematic review with meta-analysis that we intend to carry out to review the scientific literature regarding up-to-date evidence on the use of neural mobilization in the management of people suffering from musculoskeletal pain disorders. The study designs that we will consider as inclusion criteria will be randomized and quasi-randomized clinical trials. The target population will be adults and older adults with musculoskeletal pain. Any controlled trial using any neural mobilization technique as an intervention in one of the trial groups will be included. The main outcomes of interest will be pain, functional status, and physical performance tests (muscle strength, flexibility, and balance). There will be no restrictions on follow-up time or type of setting. The risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed by the RoB 2 tool and the certainty of the evidence will be evaluated using the comprehensive Assessment, Development and Assessment of Assessment Recommendation (GRADE) approach. We intend to present the findings through narrative descriptions and, if possible, through meta-analytic statistics.

Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number. CRD42021288387.
The kinetic profiles of copeptin and mid regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in pediatric lower respiratory tract infections
Authors: Baumann Philipp , Fuchs Aline , Gotta Verena , Ritz Nicole , Baer Gurli , Bonhoeffer Jessica M. , Buettcher Michael , Heininger Ulrich , Szinnai Gabor , Bonhoeffer Jan ,   for the ProPAED study group
Published: March 2022

Background

Kinetics of copeptin and mid regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) during febrile pediatric lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) are unknown. We aimed to analyze kinetic profiles of copeptin and MR-proADM and the impact of clinical and laboratory factors on those biomarkers.

Methods

This is a retrospective post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial, evaluating procalcitonin guidance for antibiotic treatment of LRTI (ProPAED-study). In 175 pediatric patients presenting to the emergency department plasma copeptin and MR-proADM concentrations were determined on day 1, 3, and 5. Their association with clinical characteristics and other inflammatory biomarkers were tested by non-linear mixed effect modelling.

Results

Median copeptin and MR-proADM values were elevated on day 1 and decreased during on day 3 and 5 (-26%; -34%, respectively). The initial concentrations of MR-proADM at inclusion were higher in patients receiving antibiotics intravenously compared to oral administration (difference 0.62 pmol/L, 95%CI 0.44;1.42, p<0.001). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was associated with a daily increase of MR-proADM (increase/day 1.03 pmol/L, 95%CI 0.43;1.50, p<0.001). Positive blood culture in patients with antibiotic treatment and negative results on nasopharyngeal aspirates, or negative blood culture were associated with a decreasing MR-proADM (decrease/day -0.85 pmol/L, 95%CI -0.45;-1.44), p<0.001).

Conclusion

Elevated MR-proADM and increases thereof were associated with ICU admission suggesting the potential as a prognostic factor for severe pediatric LRTI. MR-proADM might only bear limited value for decision making on stopping antibiotics due to its slow decrease. Copeptin had no added value in our setting.
A psychometric investigation of the multiple-choice version of Animated Triangles Task to measure Theory of Mind in adolescence
Authors: Andersen Naja Kirstine , Rimvall Martin Køster , Jeppesen Pia , Bentz Mette , Jepsen Jens Richardt Møllegaard , Clemmensen Lars , Jacobsen Rikke Kart , Olsen Else Marie
Published: March 2022

The Animated Triangles Task (AT) is commonly used to measure Theory of Mind (ToM). AT can be scored by clinicians based on participants’ verbal responses (AT-verbal) or using a multiple-choice paradigm (AT-MCQ). This study aimed to evaluate the validity of the less time-consuming AT-MCQ. To do this, we examined agreement and correlations between the AT-MCQ and the original AT-verbal scores in 1546 adolescents from a population-based sample. As a supplementary analysis of known-groups validity, we examined if AT-MCQ was as sensitive as AT-verbal in detecting ToM-limitations in 54 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using register-data. The agreement between AT-verbal and AT-MCQ varied markedly across test items. Scores on the two scoring methods were weakly correlated. Both scoring methods weakly detected differences between adolescents with and without ASD in this population-based sample. Most participants had appropriate responses on both AT-MCQ and AT-verbal, which yielded overall acceptable agreement. However, the feasibility of using either scoring methods to measure ToM-limitations in adolescents from the general population is questionable.
Abacavir antiretroviral therapy and indices of subclinical vascular disease in persons with HIV
Authors: Martinez Claudia A. , Rikhi Rishi , Pester Mollie S. , Parker Meela , Gonzalez Alex , Larson Michaela , Chavez Jennifer , Mendez Armando , Raines Jeffrey K. , Kolber Michael A. , Schulman Ivonne H. , Alcaide Maria L. , Hurwitz Barry E.
Published: March 2022

Objective

Indices of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, vascular endothelial dilation, arterial stiffness and endothelial repair were examined in persons with HIV (PWH) on an antiretroviral therapy (ART) that included abacavir (ABC+) in comparison with PWH on ART without abacavir (ABC-), and with HIV seronegative (HIV-) individuals.

Approach

The 115 participants (63% men), aged 30–50 years, did not have CVD, metabolic, endocrine, or chronic renal conditions. PWH were on stable ART for six-months or more. Vascular assessments included flow-mediated dilation (FMD), aortic, radial and femoral arterial stiffness (cAIx, crPWV, cfPWV), and thigh and calf arterial compliance (Vmax50). Endothelial repair was indexed by endothelial progenitor cell colony forming units (EPC-CFU). Traditional CVD risk measures included blood pressure, central adiposity, lipids, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), CRP and ASCVD score. Analyses controlled for demographics (age, sex, education), medications (antihypertensive, statin/fibrate, antipsychotic), and substance abuse (ASSIST).

Results

No group differences were observed in central adiposity, HOMA-IR, CRP, or ASCVD risk score. However, the ABC- group displayed greater dyslipidemia. The ABC+ group displayed no difference on FMD, cAIx, cfPWV or calf Vmax50 compared with other groups. When CD4 count and viral load were controlled, no additional differences between the ABC+ and ABC- groups emerged. Analyses of crPWV and thigh Vmax50 suggested supported by a trend toward lower EPC-CFU in the HIV+ groups than the HIV- group.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that ABC treatment of 30–50 year-old PWH on stable ART is not likely to contribute in a robust way to higher CVD risk.
Sim2Ls: FAIR simulation workflows and data
Authors: Hunt Martin , Clark Steven , Mejia Daniel , Desai Saaketh , Strachan Alejandro
Published: March 2022

Just like the scientific data they generate, simulation workflows for research should be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). However, while significant progress has been made towards FAIR data, the majority of science and engineering workflows used in research remain poorly documented and often unavailable, involving ad hoc scripts and manual steps, hindering reproducibility and stifling progress. We introduce Sim2Ls (pronounced simtools) and the Sim2L Python library that allow developers to create and share end-to-end computational workflows with well-defined and verified inputs and outputs. The Sim2L library makes Sim2Ls, their requirements, and their services discoverable, verifies inputs and outputs, and automatically stores results in a globally-accessible simulation cache and results database. This simulation ecosystem is available in nanoHUB, an open platform that also provides publication services for Sim2Ls, a computational environment for developers and users, and the hardware to execute runs and store results at no cost. We exemplify the use of Sim2Ls using two applications and discuss best practices towards FAIR simulation workflows and associated data.
Effects of the healthy start randomized intervention on psychological stress and sleep habits among obesity-susceptible healthy weight children and their parents
Authors: Olsen Nanna Julie , Larsen Sofus Christian , Rohde Jeanett Friis , Stougaard Maria , Händel Mina Nicole , Specht Ina Olmer , Heitmann Berit Lilienthal
Published: March 2022

Poor sleep and psychological stress are obesity determinants that are rarely included in obesity prevention programs. The aim was to report the effects of the Healthy Start randomized intervention on the secondary outcomes psychological stress and sleep duration and onset latency. Data was obtained from the Healthy Start randomized intervention conducted in 2009–2012 among Danish healthy weight children aged 2–6 years, who had either a high birth weight (>4,000 g), high maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (>28 kg/m2), or low maternal educational level (≤10 years of schooling) and their parents. The intervention was designed to deliver improvements in diet and physical activity habits, optimization of sleep habits, and reduction of psychological family stress. The average intervention period was 15 months. Children with information on a 7-day sleep record, sleep onset latency, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and a modified version of Parenting Stress Index (PSI) were included. The effects of the intervention on sleep habits, PSI scores, SDQ Total Difficulties (SDQ-TD) and Pro-social Behavior scores, and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) were analyzed using linear regression intention-to-treat (n = 543 (intervention group n = 271, control group n = 272)) analyses. No statistically significant effects on sleep duration, sleep onset latency, PSI score, or SDQ Pro-social Behavior score were observed. Values both before and after the intervention were within the normal range both for children in the intervention and children in the control group. Mean change in SDQ-TD was 0.09 points (95% CI -0.57;0.59) in the intervention group, and -0.69 points (95% CI -1.16; -0.23) in the control group (p = 0.06). In conclusion, there were no intervention effects in relation to sleep duration, sleep onset latency, PSI score, or SDQ Pro-social behavior. There was an indication that children in the intervention group had slightly more behavioral problems than the control group after the intervention, but values were within normal range both before and after the intervention, and the difference is not considered to be clinically meaningful.
Effects of word familiarity and receptive vocabulary size on speech-in-noise recognition among young adults with normal hearing
Authors: Braza Meredith D. , Porter Heather L. , Buss Emily , Calandruccio Lauren , McCreery Ryan W. , Leibold Lori J.
Published: March 2022

Having a large receptive vocabulary benefits speech-in-noise recognition for young children, though this is not always the case for older children or adults. These observations could indicate that effects of receptive vocabulary size on speech-in-noise recognition differ depending on familiarity of the target words, with effects observed only for more recently acquired and less frequent words. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of vocabulary size on open-set speech-in-noise recognition for adults with normal hearing. Targets were words acquired at 4, 9, 12 and 15 years of age, and they were presented at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of -5 and -7 dB. Percent correct scores tended to fall with increasing age of acquisition (AoA), with the caveat that performance at -7 dB SNR was better for words acquired at 9 years of age than earlier- or later-acquired words. Similar results were obtained whether the AoA of the target words was blocked or mixed across trials. Differences in word duration appear to account for nonmonotonic effects of AoA. For all conditions, a positive correlation was observed between recognition and vocabulary size irrespective of target word AoA, indicating that effects of vocabulary size are not limited to recently acquired words. This dataset does not support differential assessment of AoA, lexical frequency, and other stimulus features known to affect lexical access.
Comparing actuarial and subjective healthy life expectancy estimates: A cross-sectional survey among the general population in Hungary
Authors: Zrubka Zsombor , Kincses Áron , Ferenci Tamás , Kovács Levente , Gulácsi László , Péntek Márta
Published: March 2022

Background

Healthy life expectancy (HLE) is becoming an important indicator of population health. While actuarial estimates of HLE are frequently studied, there is scarcity of research on the subjective expectations of people about their HLE. The objective of this study is to compare actuarial and subjective HLE (sHLE) estimates in the ≥50-year-old Hungarian general population. Furthermore, we assessed subjective life expectancy (sLE) and explored determinants of the individual variance of sHLE and sLE.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in 2019. Subjective health expectations were measured at 60, 70, 80 and 90 years of age via the Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI). Point-estimates of sLE and background variables were also recorded. sHLE was estimated from GALI and sLE responses. Actuarial estimates of life expectancy (LE) and HLE for 2019 were provided by the Central Statistical Office of Hungary.

Results

Five hundred and four respondents (female 51.6%) were included. Mean (±SD) age was 63 (±7.5) years. Median LE (81.5 years, 95%CI 81.1–81.7) and sLE (82 years, 95%CI 80–85) were similar (p =0.142), while median sHLE (66.8 years, 95%CI 65.5–68.3) was lower than HLE (72.7 years, 95%CI 82.4–82.9) by 5.9 years (p<0.001). Despite the greater median actuarial LE of women compared to men (p<0.001), we found no gender differences between the median sLE (p =0.930), HLE (p =0.417) and sHLE (p =0.403) values. With less apparent gender differences among the predictors when compared to sLE, sHLE was mainly determined by self-perceived health, age and place of residence, while self-perceived health, close relatives’ longevity, social conditions, happiness and perceived lifestyle influenced sLE.

Conclusions

Along subjective life expectancy, subjective healthy life expectancy may be a feasible indicator and provide insights to individuals’ subjective expectations underlying the demographic estimates of the healthy life expectancy of the population.
Nutrition status and morbidity of Ethiopian children after recovery from severe acute malnutrition: Prospective matched cohort study
Authors: Girma Tsinuel , James Philip T. , Abdissa Alemseged , Luo Hanqi , Getu Yesufe , Fantaye Yilak , Sadler Kate , Bahwere Paluku
Published: March 2022

After recovery, children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) remain vulnerable to sub-optimal growth and malnutrition relapse. Although there is an increased interest in understanding these problems, data are scarce, and contextual factors can cause variability. We prospectively followed a cohort of Ethiopian children (215 post-SAM cases and 215 non-wasted controls), monthly for one year. The post-SAM cases were: age 6–59 months at admission into the community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) program and being successfully discharged from CMAM (MUAC>11.0cm, weight gain of 20%, absence of oedema and clinically stable for two consecutive weeks). The controls were apparently healthy children from same village who had no history of an episode of AM and were matched 1:1 to a post-SAM child by age and sex. The primary outcomes were: cumulative incidence of acute malnutrition; growth trajectory; cumulative incidence of reported common morbidities, and cumulative proportion and incidence of deaths. The burden of common morbidities was higher among post-SAM than controls; post-SAM children had more frequent illness episodes (Incidence Rate Ratio of any illness 1.39, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.71; p<0.001). The prevalence of SAM was consistently higher among post-SAM cases than the control group, having a 14 times higher risk of developing SAM (Incidence Rate Ratio: 14.1; 95% CI: 3.5, 122.5; p<0.001). The divergence in weight and growth trajectory remained the same during the study period. Our results advocate for the design of post-discharge interventions that aim to prevent the reoccurrence of acute malnutrition, reduce morbidity and promote catch-up growth. Research is needed to define the appropriate package of post-discharge interventions.
Differential response of physiology and metabolic response to drought stress in different sweetpotato cultivars
Authors: Zhou Zhilin , Tang Jun , Cao Qinghe , Li Zongyun , Ma Daifu
Published: March 2022

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas[L.] Lam) is a widely cultivated food crop with generally good adaptability. However, drought stress can cause a significant decline in yield. To reveal the response mechanism of sweetpotato to drought stress, an integrated physiological, proteomic and metabolomic investigation was conducted in leaves of two sweetpotato varieties with differing responses to drought stress, drought-resistant Wanzishu56 (WZ56) and a more sensitive variety, Ningzishu2(NZ2). Physiological analysis showed that the variety with better drought tolerance had superior performance in water retention capacity and photosynthetic efficiency under drought stress. A total of 1140 proteins were identified within the two varieties. Among them, 192 differentially expressed proteins were detected under drought conditions, including 97 that were up-regulated. Functional analysis showed that these up-regulated proteins were primarily involved in photosynthesis, reactive oxygen species metabolism, organonitrogen compound metabolism, and precursor metabolite catabolism and energy generation. All differentially expressed proteins in WZ56 that were involved in photosynthetic and glutathione metabolic processes were up-regulated. Enzyme activity assays were carried out to validate the proteomics data. Moreover, 75 metabolites were found to have a higher expression level in WZ56 than NZ2 under drought stress. The higher concentration of carbohydrates, amino acids, flavonoids and organic acids found in drought-stressed leaves of WZ56 suggested that these metabolites may improve the drought resistance of sweetpotato. This study uncovered specific-proteins and metabolites associated with drought resistance, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in sweetpotato.
Association between benign prostatic hyperplasia and suicide in South Korea: A nationwide retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lee Sang-Uk , Lee Sang Hyub , So Ah-Hyun , Park Jong-Ik , Lee Soojung , Oh In-Hwan , Oh Chang-Mo
Published: March 2022

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a commonly diagnosed disease in elderly men, but elderly men with benign prostatic hyperplasia are more likely to have a lower quality of life and depressive symptoms. This study aims to examine the association benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with suicide death relative to a control group comprising individuals without benign prostatic hyperplasia. We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort from 2006 to 2015 comprising of 193,785 Korean adults ≥40 years old, and followed-up for suicide death during the 8.7 years period. Cox-proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios for suicide among patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. From 2006 to 2010, a total of 32,215 people were newly diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The suicide rate of people without benign prostatic hyperplasia was 61.6 per 100,000 person-years, whereas that of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia was 97.3 per 100,000 person-years, 1.58 times higher than the control group (p<0.01). After adjusting for covariates, the hazard ratio for suicide among patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia was 1.47 (95% C.I. = 1.21 to 1.78; p<0.01) compared to people without benign prostatic hyperplasia. For men without mental disorders, the hazard ratio for suicide among patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia was 1.36 (95% CI = 1.05 to 1.76) compared to control group after adjusting for multiple covariates. Our study suggests that men with benign prostatic hyperplasia had a higher probability of suicide compared to men without benign prostatic hyperplasia in South Korea. This study suggests that physicians may be aware that men newly diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia had high probability of suicide.
Whole genome sequencing of Neisseria meningitidis Y isolates collected in the Czech Republic in 1993-2018
Authors: Honskus Michal , Okonji Zuzana , Musilek Martin , Krizova Pavla
Published: March 2022

Introduction

The study presents the analysis of whole genome sequencing (WGS) data for Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y isolates collected in the Czech Republic and their comparison to other countries. The aim of the study was to determine whether there are lineages of N. meningitidis serogroup Y in the Czech Republic genetically related to foreign ones that have been causing an increase of the morbidity and the mortality of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) world-wide recently.

Material and methods

The WGS data of 43 Czech N. meningitidis Y isolates, 35 from IMD and 8 from healthy carriers were analysed. Due to the potential of meningococcal B vaccines to induce protection against non-B serogroups, the coverage of Czech isolates of N. meningitidis Y by these vaccines was studied. The WGS data of Czech, European and non-European isolates of N. meningitidis serogroup Y were compared.

Results

WGS assigned 36 isolates of N. meningitidis Y to five clonal complexes: cc23, cc92, cc167, cc103, and cc174, while seven isolates remained unassigned to any clonal complexes (ccUA). Eighteen invasive isolates belonged to clonal complex cc23, which was detected throughout the studied years. The occurrence of cc23 was recorded in all age groups of IMD patients, with the highest found in those aged 15–19 years. On the phylogenetic network isolates of cc23 form a separate lineage, distinct from all other isolates of N. meningitidis Y. The remaining isolates were assigned to other clonal complexes and have very low relatedness to cc23 isolates and to each other. The comparison with foreign WGS data showed that within the main genetic lineages, which are defined by clonal complexes, Czech isolates of N. meningitidis Y, similar to European ones, mostly cluster together and form geographical sublineages.

Conclusions

WGS analysis showed the population of Czech N. meningitidis Y isolates as relatively heterogeneous, containing a large number of genetic lineages. The Czech isolates of N. meningitidis Y follow the trend observed for European isolates. Our result was one of the bases for updating the recommended vaccination strategy in the Czech Republic.
Efficacy of propylthiouracil in the treatment of pregnancy with hyperthyroidism and its effect on pregnancy outcomes: A meta-analysis
Authors: Miao Yiqun , Xu Yang , Teng Ping , Wang Aihua , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhou Yun , Liu Wenwen
Published: March 2022

Background

Hyperthyroidism affects about 0.2%-2.7% of all pregnancies, and is generally treated with propylthiouracil (PTU). However, previous studies about the effects of propylthiouracil on maternal or foetal are contentious.

Objective

This meta-analysis was carried out to investigate the safety and efficacy of propylthiouracil during pregnancy.

Materials and methods

PubMed, EBSCO, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database were searched from inception until August 31, 2021 for all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies that evaluated the efficacy of propylthiouracil and its effects on pregnancy outcomes. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for binary variables, weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for continuous variables. RevMan5.4 and Stata 16.0 were used for performing the meta-analysis.

Results

The researchers examined data from 13 randomized controlled trials and cohort studies involving 18948 infants. Congenital anomalies were not significantly associated with PTU in the pooled results (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.84–1.25, P = 0.80, I2 = 40.3%). There were no statistically significant differences in neonatal hypothyroidism (OR = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.06–4.92, P = 0.593, I2 = 57.0%) or hepatotoxicity (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.08–1.48, P = 0.151, I2 = 0.0%) exposed to PTU compared to the control group. The serum levels of FT3, FT4, TT3, and TT4 were significantly lower in the propylthiouracil group compared to the control group.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis confirmed the beneficial effects of propylthiouracil treatment, namely the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes were not increased, and it also proved PTU’s efficacy in the treatment of pregnant women with hyperthyroidism. The findings supported the use of propylthiouracil during pregnancy with hyperthyroidism in order to improve clinical pregnancy outcomes in patients with thyroid dysfunction.
Digitally transformed home office impacts on job satisfaction, job stress and job productivity. COVID-19 findings
Authors: Martin Ludivine , Hauret Laetitia , Fuhrer Chantal
Published: March 2022

In these times of successive lockdown periods due to the health crisis induced by COVID-19, this paper investigates how the usages of collaborative and communication digital tools (groupware, workflow, instant messaging and web conference) are related to the evolution of teleworkers’ subjective well-being (job satisfaction, job stress) and job productivity comparing during and before the first lockdown in spring 2020. Using a sample of 438 employees working for firms located in Luxembourg, this analysis enables, first, to highlight different profiles of teleworkers regarding the evolution of usages of these tools during the lockdown compared to before and the frequency of use during. Second, the analysis highlights that these profiles are linked to the evolution of job satisfaction, job stress and job productivity. Our main results show that (1) the profile that generates an increase in job productivity is the one with a combined mastered daily or weekly use of all of the four studied digital tools but at the expense of job satisfaction. On the contrary, (2) the use of the four digital tools both before and during the lockdown, associated with an increase in the frequency of use, appears to generate too much information flow to deal with and teleworkers may suffer from information overload that increases their stress and reduces their job satisfaction and job productivity. (3) The habit of using the four tools on a daily basis before the lockdown appears to protect teleworkers from most of the adverse effects, except for an increase in their job stress. Our results have theoretical and managerial implications for the future of the digitally transformed home office.
Tympanoplasty and adenoidectomy in children: Comparison of simultaneous and sequential approaches
Authors: Shamshudinov Timur , Kassym Laura , Taukeleva Saule , Sadykov Bolat , Diab Hassan , Milkov Mario
Published: March 2022

Background

The authors sought to compare simultaneous and sequential tympanoplasty and adenoidectomy surgery in pediatric patients.

Methods

This retrospective single-center study included 65 children (36 males, 29 females; mean age 9.16 ± 3.82 years; range 3–17 years) requiring both tympanoplasty and adenoidectomy. Simultaneous surgeries were performed on the same day, during single general anesthesia, whereas sequential surgeries were separated at least 12 weeks. The groups were compared with regard to restoration of hearing, tympanic membrane status, and utilization of medical resources. All study participants had a 12-months follow-up period after surgery.

Results

No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups regarding pre- and post-operative ABG values and average hearing gains. However, the post-operative ABG was significantly lower than the pre-operative ABG in both groups (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between simultaneous and sequential groups with respect to complete healing rates and complications (all p>0.355). Simultaneous tympanoplasty and adenoidectomy surgery management is associated with a significantly decreased cumulative hospital stay, cumulative operating room time, and cumulative pure surgical time (all p≤0.016).

Conclusions

The results of first comparative study of simultaneous versus sequential tympanoplasty and adenoidectomy surgery managements demonstrate no advantages for the sequential approach. The same-day surgery can show the clinical outcomes comparable to those in the sequential group. The simultaneous surgery approach appears to be associated with reduced medical resources consumption. Therefore, simultaneous surgery management is an effective and safe option for children with chronic otitis media and adenoid hypertrophy.
Facilitators and barriers for clinical implementation of a 30-minute point-of-care test for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis into clinical care: A qualitative study within sexual health services in England
Authors: Pacho Agata , Harding-Esch Emma M. , Heming De-Allie Emma G. , Phillips Laura , Furegato Martina , Sadiq S. Tariq , Fuller Sebastian S.
Published: March 2022

Point-of-care tests (POCTs) to diagnose sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have potential to positively impact patient management and patient perceptions of clinical services. Yet there remains a disconnect between development of new technologies and their implementation into clinical care. With the advent of new STI POCTs arriving to the global market, guidance for their successful adoption and implementation into clinical services is urgently needed. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with professionals prior to and post-implementation of a Chlamydia trachomatis/Neisseria gonorrhoeae POCT into clinical services in England to define key stakeholder roles and explore the process of POCT integration. Participants self-identified themselves as key stakeholders in the STI POCT adoption and/or implementation processes. Data consisted of interview transcripts, which were analysed thematically using NVIVO 11. Six sexual health services were included in the study; three of which have implemented POCTs. We conducted 40 total interviews: 31 prior to POCT implementation and 9 follow-up post-implementation. Post-implementation data showed that implementation plans required little or no change during service evaluation. Lead clinicians and managers self-identified as key stakeholders for the decision to purchase, while nurses self-identified as “change champions” for implementation. Many identified senior clinical staff as those most likely to introduce and drive change. However, participants stressed the importance of engaging all clinical staff in implementation. While the accuracy of the POCT, its positive impact on patient management and the ease of its integration within existing pathways were considered essential, costs of purchasing and utilising the technology were identified as central to the decision to purchase. Our study shows that key decision-makers for adoption and implementation require STI POCTs to have laboratory-comparable accuracy and be affordable for purchase and ongoing use. Further, successful integration of POCTs into sexual health services relies on supportive interpersonal relationships between all levels of staff.
Do conspiracy theories efficiently signal coalition membership? An experimental test using the “Who Said What?” design
Authors: Mus Mathilde , Bor Alexander , Bang Petersen Michael
Published: March 2022

Theoretical work in evolutionary psychology have proposed that conspiracy theories may serve a coalitional function. Specifically, fringe and offensive statements such as conspiracy theories are expected to send a highly credible signal of coalition membership by clearly distinguishing the speaker’s group from other groups. A key implication of this theory is that cognitive systems designed for alliance detection should intuitively interpret the endorsement of conspiracy theories as coalitional cues. To our knowledge, no previous studies have empirically investigated this claim. Taking the domain of environmental policy as our case, we examine the hypothesis that beliefs framed in a conspiratorial manner act as more efficient coalitional markers of environmental position than similar but non-conspiratorial beliefs. To test this prediction, quota sampled American participants (total N = 2462) completed two pre-registered Who-Said-What experiments where we measured if participants spontaneously categorize targets based on their environmental position, and if this categorization process is enhanced by the use of a conspiratorial frame. We find firm evidence that participants categorize by environmental position, but no evidence that the use of conspiratorial statements increases categorization strength and thus serves a coalitional function.
Modelling of human torso shape variation inferred by geometric morphometrics
Authors: Thelwell Michael , Bullas Alice , Kühnapfel Andreas , Hart John , Ahnert Peter , Wheat Jon , Loeffler Markus , Scholz Markus , Choppin Simon
Published: March 2022

Traditional body measurement techniques are commonly used to assess physical health; however, these approaches do not fully represent the complex shape of the human body. Three-dimensional (3D) imaging systems capture rich point cloud data that provides a representation of the surface of 3D objects and have been shown to be a potential anthropometric tool for use within health applications. Previous studies utilising 3D imaging have only assessed body shape based on combinations and relative proportions of traditional body measures, such as lengths, widths and girths. Geometric morphometrics (GM) is an established framework used for the statistical analysis of biological shape variation. These methods quantify biological shape variation after the effects of non-shape variation–location, rotation and scale–have been mathematically held constant, otherwise known as the Procrustes paradigm. The aim of this study was to determine whether shape measures, identified using geometric morphometrics, can provide additional information about the complexity of human morphology and underlying mass distribution compared to traditional body measures. Scale-invariant features of torso shape were extracted from 3D imaging data of 9,209 participants form the LIFE-Adult study. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were created to determine the extent to which variations in human torso shape are explained by existing techniques. The results of this investigation suggest that linear combinations of body measures can explain 49.92% and 47.46% of the total variation in male and female body shape features, respectively. However, there are also significant amounts of variation in human morphology which cannot be identified by current methods. These results indicate that Geometric morphometric methods can identify measures of human body shape which provide complementary information about the human body. The aim of future studies will be to investigate the utility of these measures in clinical epidemiology and the assessment of health risk.
Tuft cells are key mediators of interkingdom interactions at mucosal barrier surfaces
Authors: Strine Madison S. , Wilen Craig B.
Published: March 2022

Although tuft cells were discovered over 60 years ago, their functions have long been enigmatic, especially in human health. Nonetheless, tuft cells have recently emerged as key orchestrators of the host response to diverse microbial infections in the gut and airway. While tuft cells are epithelial in origin, they exhibit functions akin to immune cells and mediate important interkingdom interactions between the host and helminths, protists, viruses, and bacteria. With broad intra- and intertissue heterogeneity, tuft cells sense and respond to microbes with exquisite specificity. Tuft cells can recognize helminth and protist infection, driving a type 2 immune response to promote parasite expulsion. Tuft cells also serve as the primary physiologic target of persistent murine norovirus (MNV) and promote immune evasion. Recently, tuft cells were also shown to be infected by rotavirus. Other viral infections, such as influenza A virus, can induce tuft cell–dependent tissue repair. In the context of coinfection, tuft cells promote neurotropic flavivirus replication by dampening antiviral adaptive immune responses. Commensal and pathogenic bacteria can regulate tuft cell abundance and function and, in turn, tuft cells are implicated in modulating bacterial infiltration and mucosal barrier integrity. However, the contribution of tuft cells to microbial sensing in humans and their resulting effector responses are poorly characterized. Herein, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of microbial activation of tuft cells with an emphasis on tuft cell heterogeneity and differences between mouse and human tuft cell biology as it pertains to human health and disease.
Transmitted HIV-1 is more virulent in heterosexual individuals than men-who-have-sex-with-men
Authors: James Ananthu , Dixit Narendra M.
Published: March 2022

Transmission bottlenecks introduce selection pressures on HIV-1 that vary with the mode of transmission. Recent studies on small cohorts have suggested that stronger selection pressures lead to fitter transmitted/founder (T/F) strains. Manifestations of this selection bias at the population level have remained elusive. Here, we analysed early CD4 cell count measurements reported from ∼340,000 infected heterosexual individuals (HET) and men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM), across geographies, ethnicities and calendar years. The reduction in CD4 counts early in infection is reflective of the virulence of T/F strains. MSM and HET use predominant modes of transmission, namely, anal and penile-vaginal, with among the largest differences in the selection pressures at transmission across modes. Further, in most geographies, the groups show little inter-mixing, allowing for the differential selection bias to be sustained and amplified. We found that the early reduction in CD4 counts was consistently greater in HET than MSM (P<0.05). To account for inherent variations in baseline CD4 counts, we constructed a metric to quantify the extent of progression to AIDS as the ratio of the reduction in measured CD4 counts from baseline and the reduction associated with AIDS. We found that this progression corresponding to the early CD4 measurements was ∼68% for MSM and ∼87% for HET on average (P<10−4; Cohen’s d, ds = 0.36), reflecting the more severe disease caused by T/F strains in HET than MSM at the population level. Interestingly, the set-point viral load was not different between the groups (ds<0.12), suggesting that MSM were more tolerant and not more resistant to their T/F strains than HET. This difference remained when we controlled for confounding factors using multivariable regression. We concluded that the different selection pressures at transmission have resulted in more virulent T/F strains in HET than MSM. These findings have implications for our understanding of HIV-1 pathogenesis, evolution, and epidemiology.
Targeting the tsetse-trypanosome interplay using genetically engineered Sodalis glossinidius
Authors: De Vooght Linda , De Ridder Karin , Hussain Shahid , Stijlemans Benoît , De Baetselier Patrick , Caljon Guy , Van Den Abbeele Jan
Published: March 2022

Sodalis glossinidius, a secondary bacterial symbiont of the tsetse fly, is currently considered as a potential delivery system for anti-trypanosomal components interfering with African trypanosome transmission (i.e. paratransgenesis). Nanobodies (Nbs) have been proposed as potential candidates to target the parasite during development in the tsetse fly. In this study, we have generated an immune Nb-library and developed a panning strategy to select Nbs against the Trypanosoma brucei brucei procyclic developmental stage present in the tsetse fly midgut. Selected Nbs were expressed, purified, assessed for binding and tested for their impact on the survival and growth of in vitro cultured procyclic T. b. brucei parasites. Next, we engineered S. glossinidius to express the selected Nbs and validated their ability to block T. brucei development in the tsetse fly midgut. Genetically engineered S. glossinidius expressing Nb_88 significantly compromised parasite development in the tsetse fly midgut both at the level of infection rate and parasite load. Interestingly, expression of Nb_19 by S. glossinidius resulted in a significantly enhanced midgut establishment. These data are the first to show in situ delivery by S. glossinidius of effector molecules that can target the trypanosome-tsetse fly crosstalk, interfering with parasite development in the fly. These proof-of-principle data represent a major step forward in the development of a control strategy based on paratransgenic tsetse flies. Finally, S. glossinidius-based Nb delivery can also be applied as a powerful laboratory tool to unravel the molecular determinants of the parasite-vector association.
Ronchamp, South Wall
Authors: Providência Paulo
Published: March 2022

The Ronchamp Chapel was conceived under the sign of the metamorphoses of memory, appearing as a particular case of memorabilia. Among the memory objects produced by L-C, a plaster model of the first version of the south wall remains as a fragment. Produced through sculpture molding techniques, the perforated surface opens up new possibilities of interpretation of the chapel's analogical design process.
The design method of Ronchamp moves between emotional, unconscious images, in search of an architectural experience in response to the “archaisms surviving in man.” The experience of an architectural journey is no longer the promenade architecturale, determined by visual compositions, but the anthropological experience of contact with surfaces, the recognition of the object by the circumscription, the crossing of the threshold, the spatial compression, the illumination of the concave surface of the apse, and of the dazzling by the backlight, expanding the unconscious archaic.
Alvar Aalto and Cultural Memory
Authors: Niskanen Aino
Published: March 2022

This article examines the meanings of the past which Aalto wanted to transpose into his architecture – what I term cultural memory. I search for their points of origin in Aalto’s education and travels, in particular his impressions of the Acropolis in Athens. For Aalto, a civic centre was “the face of a city”, which should be the citizens’ meeting place. Of particular importance to him was the ritual entry into a theatre. Of the many civic centres that Aalto designed, few were realised in their entirety. Three of them are examined, as well as the Helsinki University of Technology campus, which is interpreted as a city in miniature. Aalto fought against the idea of placing commercial functions in close proximity with his centres – but recent extensions and traffic arrangements have brought a new vibrancy to some of them. The way in which Aalto handled the idea of memory and his use of classical elements is studied. I argue that classicism seemed continuously attractive to Aalto.
The Nine-Square Grid
Authors: Van Acker Wouter
Published: March 2022

Directly influenced by Colin Rowe’s essay “Mathematics of the Ideal Villa” (1947) and the Warburgian art historical tradition, John Hejduk’s nine-square grid studio exercise had an ambiguous relation to the instrumentality of architectural history. When the nine-square grid exercise was copied in many architecture schools around the world as a first-year studio project, initiating the novice student in the realm of architectural composition, the pedagogical interpretation of its relation to architectural history varied. This paper questions the relational model of architectural history to practice in the nine-square grid exercise, and subsequently investigates the reuse and reinterpretation of the exercise at the Versailles school and at Ghent University in the 1980s. It proposes a reading of the survival and return of this diagrammatic figure in studio pedagogy and villa architecture in the late twentieth century by reckoning with the history of its self-referentiality and the temporality of lateness.
Enseñar desde la empatía histórica y la educación para la ciudadanía durante la pandemia. La experiencia del profesorado en una escuela en Chile
Authors: Marolla Gajardo Jesús , Salazar Marta María , Maya Alexandro
Published: March 2022

La investigación se enmarca en analizar las concepciones que expresa el profesorado sobre las ventajas y las limitaciones de enseñar historia y ciencias sociales en contexto de pandemia, además de comprender y contrastar el contenido de los discursos del profesorado de historia y ciencias sociales, sobre la enseñanza de la empatía histórica, la ciudadanía y la participación democrática en tiempos de pandemia. El tipo de estudio se enmarca en el paradigma cualitativo y sigue las estrategias metodológicas del estudio de caso en una escuela de la Región Metropolitana en Chile. Hemos podido recoger las concepciones del equipo de docentes pertenecientes al Departamento de Historia de este centro educativo, que atiende a estudiantes con dificultades socioeconómicas y dentro de un contexto de vulnerabilidad social. Se aprecia en los resultados que el contexto de pandemia agudizó las necesidades y dificultades de los estudiantes y sus familias, destacando los problemas de conectividad a las clases virtuales, la falta de motivación y la ausencia de una perspectiva de futuro. Sin embargo, este contexto sanitario ha permitido al profesorado participante incorporar la empatía histórica y temáticas como la enseñanza de la ciudadanía democrática y la participación del estudiantado como una alternativa a un nuevo escenario educativo.