bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving detection and management of atrial fibrillation after ischaemic stroke in Glasgow (IMPROVE-AF): A quality improvement project
Authors: Johnston Fiona C , Cameron Alan C , Colquhoun Elizabeth , Murdoch David L , Dawson Jesse , Abdul-Rahim Azmil H
Published: August 2022

Background:

The use of cardiac monitoring to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) is routine after ischaemic stroke but is often delayed leaving patients at risk from undetected AF. We sought to improve the detection of AF by delivering early prolonged ‘in-house’ cardiac monitoring.

Methods:

We collected 3-months of data of people with stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA), but without AF, who underwent cardiac monitoring (Phase 1, pre-quality improvement project (QIP)). We then implemented an ‘in-house’ 7-day cardiac monitoring service for 12 months (Phase 2, during QIP).

Results:

We included 244 people in Phase 1 and 172 in Phase 2. In Phase 1, 232 (95%) people completed cardiac monitoring. Of these, new AF was detected in 10 (4%). Median time from stroke/TIA onset to availability of the monitoring report in Phase 1 was 50 (interquartile range (IQR): 24–123) days. In Phase 2, 166 (97%) of people completed 7-day cardiac monitoring, with new AF detected in 17 (10%). Median time from onset to availability of the report in Phase 2 was 12 (IQR: 9–15) days. In people with AF detected, ‘in-house’ monitoring reduced the time of stroke/TIA onset to anticoagulant commencement from 41 (Phase 1) to 14 (Phase 2) days.

Discussion:

The QIP has improved AF detection, reduced delays associated with conventional cardiac monitoring and prompted early initiation of oral anticoagulation.
Relapse Mechanism and Treatment Strategy After Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy in Treating B-Cell Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Xie Danni , Jin Xin , Sun Rui , Zhang Meng , Wang Jiaxi , Xiong Xia , Zhang Xiaomei , Zhao Mingfeng
Published: August 2022

Over the past few decades, immunotherapy has revolutionized the modern medical oncology field. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has a promising curative effect in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Anti-CD19 CAR-T cells are the most mature CAR-T cells recently studied and in recent years it has achieved a complete remission rate of approximately 90% in the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Although CAR-T cell therapy has greatly alleviated the disease in patients with leukemia or lymphoma, some of them still relapse after treatment. Therefore, in this article, we discuss the factors that may contribute to disease relapse following CAR-T cell therapy and summarize potential strategies to overcome these obstacles, thus providing the possibility of improving standard treatment regimens.
Examining the Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Language, and Severe Disability: In Search of Equitable Schooling
Authors: Dukes Charles , Darling Sharon M. , Rivera Christopher J.
Published: August 2022

In this special section of Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities ( RPSD), the intersection of race, ethnicity, culture, and language influences schooling (i.e., what is taught, how, and where) for students of color with significant cognitive disabilities is explored. Contemporary issues facing people of color with severe disabilities are introduced with attention paid to a call for a “way forward.”
Mental Health Awareness and Counseling Practice of Jamaican Clergy: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Passard Nickiesha N. , Pottinger Audrey M. , Boyne Ashley S.
Published: August 2022

Clergy play a vital role in mental health care in Jamaica but little is known about their mental health awareness and practices. Thirty five Anglican and Baptist clergy were compared to 24 helping professionals and 67 community members using purposive sampling. Clergy's awareness exists with spiritualized beliefs about the etiology of mental illness as well as with effective and unethical counseling practices. Findings indicate the need for more training in mental health sensitization and practice.
Supporting teacher knowledge sharing in China: The effect of principal authentic leadership, teacher psychological empowerment and interactional justice
Authors: Zhang Sen , Long Runtian , Bowers Alex J
Published: August 2022

Teacher knowledge sharing plays a critical role in teacher professional development and education reforms, and principal leadership acts as a facilitator in this process. The current study investigates how and under what conditions principal authentic leadership contributes to teacher knowledge sharing. Data collected from 890 teachers in 29 primary schools in mainland China were analysed using regression analysis and bootstrapping tests. This research tested a moderated mediation model of principal authentic leadership effects on teacher knowledge sharing in which teacher psychological empowerment was included as the mediator and interactional justice as the moderator. The results affirmed the partial mediation model and found significant direct and indirect effects of principal authentic leadership on teacher knowledge sharing. Moreover, interactional justice positively moderated the relationship between authentic leadership and psychological empowerment and further strengthened the whole mediating mechanism. When teachers perceived higher interactional justice, the effects of principal authentic leadership on teacher knowledge sharing were stronger than on counterparts who perceived low interactional justice. Our discussion highlights the benefits of understanding the roles of psychological empowerment and interactional justice involved in the effectiveness of authentic leadership on teacher knowledge sharing and offers recommendations for school leadership practices.
Not All Effects Are Indispensable: Psychological Science Requires Verifiable Lines of Reasoning for Whether an Effect Matters
Authors: Anvari Farid , Kievit Rogier , Lakens Daniël , Pennington Charlotte R. , Przybylski Andrew K. , Tiokhin Leo , Wiernik Brenton M. , Orben Amy
Published: August 2022

To help move researchers away from heuristically dismissing “small” effects as unimportant, recent articles have revisited arguments to defend why seemingly small effect sizes in psychological science matter. One argument is based on the idea that an observed effect size may increase in impact when generalized to a new context because of processes of accumulation over time or application to large populations. However, the field is now in danger of heuristically accepting all effects as potentially important. We aim to encourage researchers to think thoroughly about the various mechanisms that may both amplify and counteract the importance of an observed effect size. Researchers should draw on the multiple amplifying and counteracting mechanisms that are likely to simultaneously apply to the effect when that effect is being generalized to a new and likely more dynamic context. In this way, researchers should aim to transparently provide verifiable lines of reasoning to justify their claims about an effect’s importance or unimportance. This transparency can help move psychological science toward a more rigorous assessment of when psychological findings matter for the contexts that researchers want to generalize to.
Global Diversity of Authors, Editors, and Journal Ownership Across Subdisciplines of Psychology: Current State and Policy Implications
Authors: Lin Zhicheng , Li Ningxi
Published: August 2022

Diversity is the fuel of innovation. Global diversity—geographical or international diversification—is indispensable for developing a true psychological science of human beings but remains poorly understood. We surveyed 68 top psychology journals in 10 subdisciplines and examined the global diversity of authors, editors (i.e., members of academic editorial teams), and journal ownership. Results show that (a) the global diversity of authorship, editorship, and ownership is low in top psychology journals, with the United States boasting outsized influences; (b) disparity intensifies along the hierarchy of authors, editors, and journal ownership and substantially differs between subdisciplines and journal types; (c) removing the United States markedly increases global diversity and eliminates differences in diversity between subdisciplines and between authorship and editorship; and (d) more authors and editors are from the journal’s home country (vs. a foreign journal) and from the editor-in-chief’s home country (vs. a journal with a foreign editor-in-chief), and the home-country biases are most pronounced in the United States—journals from the United States or with U.S. editors-in-chief have the lowest global diversity in authorship and editorship. These results provide substantial novel insights into the global diversity of psychology journals, with implications for a new diversity policy to stimulate the generation of variety and, by extension, innovation.
Clinical characteristics in adult patients with somatic cough syndrome
Authors: Lai Kefang , Peng Wen , Zhan Wenzhi , Xie Jia-xing , Tian Jing , Zuo Xiao-ping , Long Li , Tang Jia-man , Pan Jia-yu , Jiang Mei , Zhong Nan-Shan
Published: August 2022

Objective:

The data in regard of the clinical characteristics and diagnosis of somatic cough syndrome in adults were limited. The aim of this study was to fill that gap.

Methods:

This was a retrospective analysis of patients with somatic cough syndrome. We described clinical characteristics of adult patients with somatic cough syndrome.

Results:

Twenty-three somatic cough syndrome patients were identified in 543 adult patients with chronic cough. Psychiatric disorder of these patients was identified as anxiety ( n = 8), obsessive-compulsive ( n = 7), somatoform ( n = 6), depression ( n = 3), and cognitive bias ( n = 1). Twelve patients showed abnormal results of investigations related with common causes of chronic cough, including gastroesophageal reflux, sputum eosinophilia, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, or signs of sinusitis but did not respond to the treatments directed to those conditions. All these patients were ever misdiagnosed as other causes of chronic cough. Compared to 520 non-somatic cough syndrome patients, patients with somatic cough syndrome were younger (32 (29.0–43.0) vs 42.0 (32.0–55.0) years, p = 0.013), longer disease duration (48.0 (19.5–102.0) vs 24.0 (9.0–72.0) months, p = 0.037), more common in dry cough (100% vs 57.6%, p < 0.001), and lower proportion of nocturnal cough (13.0% vs 40.2%, p = 0.009). Common cold (60.9%) was the most common initial trigger of cough and itchy throat (60.9%) was the most common accompanying symptom in patients with somatic cough syndrome. Notably, there were similar distribution in cough triggers and accompanying symptoms between two groups.

Conclusion:

In spite of much higher proportion of dry cough and smaller proportion of nocturnal cough, adult patients with somatic cough syndrome show similar clinical characteristics with other chronic cough patients, in regard of cough triggers, accompanying symptoms as well as abnormal results of investigations, which should be an important reason for misdiagnosis of somatic cough syndrome. Psychiatric disorder should be addressed in clinical management of chronic cough.
Investigation of the added value of CT-based radiomics in predicting the development of brain metastases in patients with radically treated stage III NSCLC
Authors: Keek Simon A. , Kayan Esma , Chatterjee Avishek , Belderbos José S. A. , Bootsma Gerben , van den Borne Ben , Dingemans Anne-Marie C. , Gietema Hester A. , Groen Harry J. M. , Herder Judith , Pitz Cordula , Praag John , De Ruysscher Dirk , Schoenmaekers Janna , Smit Hans J. M. , Stigt Jos , Westenend Marcel , Zeng Haiyan , Woodruff Henry C. , Lambin Philippe , Hendriks Lizza
Published: August 2022

Introduction:

Despite radical intent therapy for patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), cumulative incidence of brain metastases (BM) reaches 30%. Current risk stratification methods fail to accurately identify these patients. As radiomics features have been shown to have predictive value, this study aims to develop a model combining clinical risk factors with radiomics features for BM development in patients with radically treated stage III NSCLC.

Methods:

Retrospective analysis of two prospective multicentre studies. Inclusion criteria: adequately staged [18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18-FDG-PET-CT), contrast-enhanced chest CT, contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging/CT] and radically treated stage III NSCLC, exclusion criteria: second primary within 2 years of NSCLC diagnosis and prior prophylactic cranial irradiation. Primary endpoint was BM development any time during follow-up (FU). CT-based radiomics features ( N = 530) were extracted from the primary lung tumour on 18-FDG-PET-CT images, and a list of clinical features ( N = 8) was collected. Univariate feature selection based on the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic was performed to identify relevant features. Generalized linear models were trained using the selected features, and multivariate predictive performance was assessed through the AUC.

Results:

In total, 219 patients were eligible for analysis. Median FU was 59.4 months for the training cohort and 67.3 months for the validation cohort; 21 (15%) and 17 (22%) patients developed BM in the training and validation cohort, respectively. Two relevant clinical features (age and adenocarcinoma histology) and four relevant radiomics features were identified as predictive. The clinical model yielded the highest AUC value of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.58–0.84), better than radiomics or a combination of clinical parameters and radiomics (both an AUC of 0.62, 95% CIs of 0.47–076 and 0.48–0.76, respectively).

Conclusion:

CT-based radiomics features of primary NSCLC in the current setup could not improve on a model based on clinical predictors (age and adenocarcinoma histology) of BM development in radically treated stage III NSCLC patients.
Front-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and ALK fusion: a network meta-analysis
Authors: Wen Yaokai , Jiang Tao , Wu Xiangrong , Peng Haoxin , Ren Shengxiang , Zhou Caicun
Published: August 2022

Background:

It remains unknown what is the optimal front-line choice for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized phase III clinical trials comparing two or more treatments as the front-line setting for patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC.

Results:

Nine phase III randomized clinical trials with 2367 patients were included. As to efficacy, lorlatinib had the most favorable progression-free survival [PFS; surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) = 98.4%] in the first-line setting, with noticeable outcome benefits versus chemotherapy [hazard ratio (HR): 0.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08–0.19], crizotinib (HR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.19–0.41), ceritinib (HR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.13–0.37), and brigatinib (HR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35–0.96), as well as beneficial trends when compared with alectinib (HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.41–1.04) and ensartinib (HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.36–1.08). Meanwhile, alectinib showed the optimal overall survival (OS; SUCRA = 91.2%), with significant improvements over chemotherapy (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.30–0.72) and crizotinib (HR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.41–0.82). Similarly, brigatinib also displayed prolonged OS compared with crizotinib after adjustment for crossover by the marginal structural model (HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.31–0.92). In terms of safety, alectinib had the fewest grade 3–5 adverse events (SUCRA = 98.9%), with marked advantages versus crizotinib [odds ratio (OR): 0.67; 95% CI: 0.46–0.97], ceritinib (OR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.10–0.43), brigatinib (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.20–0.69), ensartinib (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27–0.89), and lorlatinib (OR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.16–0.54).

Conclusions:

Lorlatinib may have advantageous PFS compared with other agents but a greater risk of severe toxicity. Second-generation inhibitors, including alectinib, brigatinib, and ensartinib, provide major efficacy with less toxicity and remain appropriate regimens in the front-line setting.
Relationship between onset of psoriasis and spondyloarthritis symptoms with clinical phenotype and diagnosis: data from REGISPONSER registry
Authors: Gómez-Garcia Ignacio , García-Puga Teresa , Font-Ugalde Pilar , Puche-Larrubia Maria Angeles , Barbarroja Nuria , Ruiz-Limón Patricia , Escudero-Contreras Alejandro , Collantes-Estévez Eduardo , López-Medina Clementina
Published: August 2022

Background:

The relationship of psoriasis and spondyloarthritis (SpA) is well-known, and the age of appearance of different manifestations has been described as a determinant of SpA phenotype. However, differences between Spa with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are still controversial.

Objectives:

To evaluate whether the time of onset of psoriasis relative to the appearance of rheumatic symptoms in patients with SpA is associated with a clinical phenotype, a rheumatologist’s diagnosis and the evolution of the disease.

Design:

This was a cross-sectional study with data extracted from the REGISPONSER (Spondyloarthritis Registry of the Spanish Rheumatology Society) registry.

Methods:

All patients had data available for both psoriasis and SpA dates of onset. Patients were classified into two groups depending on the time of appearance of psoriasis: psoriasis before or after rheumatic symptoms. The clinical characteristics, disease activity, radiographic damage, functional ability and received treatments were compared between the two groups. Moreover, the rheumatologists’ diagnoses were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate the factors associated with each group.

Results:

A total of 433/2367 (18.3%) patients included in the REGISPONSER database had psoriasis: 330 (76.2%) patients had psoriasis before rheumatic symptoms, and 103 (23.8%) had psoriasis after rheumatic symptoms. Patients with psoriasis before rheumatic symptoms had a shorter disease duration and a lower body mass index, a lower prevalence of both HLA-B27 antigens and anterior uveitis, a higher prevalence of dactylitis and an increase in levels of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Furthermore, a higher prevalence of PsA diagnoses (78.1% versus 56.4%) and a more frequent fulfilment of the CASPAR criteria (57.5% versus 42.2%) were found in these patients. The use of DMARDs was not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusion:

The time of appearance of psoriasis is associated with the clinical phenotype of SpA and could determine a diagnosis of PsA by rheumatologists.
COVID-19-related stressful experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among college students in China: A moderated mediation model of perceived control over the future and empathy
Authors: Ye Zhi , Zeng Chengbo , Yang Xueying , Tam Cheuk Chi , Wang Yuyan , Qiao Shan , Li Xiaoming , Lin Danhua
Published: August 2022

The current study aims to investigate the mediating effect of perceived control over the future and the moderating effect of empathy on the association between stressful experiences and PTSD symptoms among college students in China in response to COVID-19. A sample of 1,225 college students (70.69% were female, M age = 20.22 years, SD = 2.02) were recruited using web-based surveys at wave 1 (W1) and wave 2 (W2) longitudinally. Results showed that COVID-19-related stressful experiences were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. Perceived control over the future partially mediated the relationship between these two variables ( indirect effect size = 0.09, p < 0.01). Empathy significantly moderated the path from perceived control over the future to PTSD symptoms, suggesting that the association was stronger for individuals with higher levels of empathy. Findings suggest a protective effect of perceived control over the future on college students’ PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a protective effect was intensified by empathy. Future intervention to manage PTSD symptoms should be tailored to positive future expectations and empathy.
Exploring the Mechanism of Action of Xinfeng Capsule in Treating Hypercoagulable State of Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Data Mining and Network Pharmacology
Authors: Wang Fanfan , Liu Jian , Fang Yanyan , Wen Jianting , He Mingyu , Han Qi , Li Xu
Published: August 2022

Objective: To explore the effect of Xinfeng Capsule (XFC) on hypercoagulable state in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using data mining and network pharmacology. Methods: The data were collected of 524 inpatients with RA who were treated with XFC in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) before October 2021. The changes of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), complement component 3 (C3), C4, platelet (PLT), fibrinogen (FBG), thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were observed before and after the treatment. By implementing the Apriori module, the association rules between XFC and immune-inflammation indexes and coagulation indexes were analyzed. XFC and disease targets were obtained through traditional chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform, Genecards, OMIM, and other databases. The cross targets and core targets were screened, and the network diagram of TCM—active ingredients—potential targets was constructed using Cytoscape3.7.2 software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed through Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database. AutoDock Vina software was used for molecular docking between active ingredients and core targets. The docking results were visualized using PyMOL2.3.0 software. Results: (1) Data mining results showed that the inflammation and coagulation indexes of RA patients were significantly improved after XFC treatment, and there was a strong correlation between XFC and the improvement of CRP, ESR, RF, C3, C4, PLT, FBG, TT, PT, and APTT. (2) Network pharmacology results showed that prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), CASP3, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), AKT1, and JUN, the main targets of XFC in the treatment of RA, were closely related to apoptosis and were mainly involved in interleukin 17 (IL-17), TNF, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κb), and other apoptotic and inflammatory signaling pathways. (3) Molecular docking results showed that the active components of XFC, β- sitosterol, and stigmasterol, had good docking with TNF and PTGS2, which might be the key active components of XFC in the treatment of RA-related hypercoagulable state. Conclusion: XFC can improve the hypercoagulable state of patients with RA by promoting cell apoptosis and improving immune inflammatory response.
Functional Outcomes and Complications Associated With Total Talus Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bischoff Alex , Stone Ryan , Dao Tung , Anderson Steven , Hill Zachary , Steginsky Brian , Mendicino Robert
Published: August 2022

Total talus arthroplasty (TTA) is a motion sparing procedure which can be utilized in specific and unique cases of talar necrosis and/or collapse. Literature on TTA is limited and predominantly composed of case studies or case reports. The purpose of this publication is to compile a systematic review of functional outcomes and complications associated with TTA. A search of current literature on TTA with >1-year follow-up was performed. Studies that described talar body implants or talonavicular implants were excluded. Twenty articles met inclusion criteria, which represented 161 TTAs. The average follow-up was 37.35 months (9-60 months). The indication for a TTA was predominately avascular necrosis of the talus, comprising 75.78% (122/161) of cases. The overall complication rate was 9.32% (15/161), with wound healing complications (5/161), replacement or implantation of a tibial component (4/161), and medial malleolus fracture (3/161) being the most common. One patient required proximal amputation due to residual pain and deformity. Functionally, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score increased from 27.93 preoperative to 81.99 postoperative and Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot Score increased from 43.2 preoperative to 89.34 postoperative. Visual analog scale pain score decreased from 6.44 to 2.60. Total ankle range of motion increased from 36.60° to 46.74°. Ankle plantarflexion increased by 3.45° and ankle dorsiflexion increased by 6.69°. Overall, available literature on TTA appears to be in favor of the procedure when indicated.

Levels of Evidence: 4
Association of Barrett’s esophagus with Helicobacter pylori infection: a meta-analysis
Authors: Ma Shaoze , Guo Xiaozhong , Wang Chunmei , Yin Yue , Xu Guangqin , Chen Hongxin , Qi Xingshun
Published: August 2022

Background and Aims:

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the only recognized precursor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection is a major contributing factor towards upper gastrointestinal diseases, but its relationship with BE remains controversial. Some previous studies suggested that H. pylori infection negatively correlated with BE, while others did not. This may be attributed to the difference in the selection of control groups among studies. The present meta-analysis aims to clarify their association by combining all available data from well-designed studies.

Methods:

The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled by a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Cochran’s Q test and I2 statistics. Meta-regression, subgroup, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses were employed to explore the sources of heterogeneity.

Results:

Twenty-four studies with 1,354,369 participants were included. Meta-analysis found that patients with BE had a significantly lower prevalence of H. pylori infection than those without (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.45–0.64; p < 0.001). The heterogeneity was statistically significant ( I² = 79%; p < 0.001). Meta-regression, subgroup, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses did not find any source of heterogeneity. Meta-analysis of 7 studies demonstrated that CagA-positive H. pylori infection inversely correlated with BE (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.15–0.44; p = 0.000), but not CagA-negative H. pylori infection (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.90–1.67; p = 0.206). Meta-analysis of 4 studies also demonstrated that H. pylori infection inversely correlated with LSBE (OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.18–0.86; p = 0.019), but not SSBE (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.30–1.77; p = 0.484).

Conclusion:

H. pylori infection negatively correlates with BE. More experimental studies should be necessary to elucidate the potential mechanisms in future.
Can You Feel it? – Correlation Between Intraoperatively Perceived Bone Quality and Objectively Measured Bone Mineral Density
Authors: Oberthür Swantje , Roch Paul Jonathan , Klockner Friederike , Jäckle Katharina Blanka , Viezens Lennart , Lehmann Wolfgang , Sehmisch Stephan , Weiser Lukas
Published: August 2022

Study Design

clinical study.

Objectives

Loosening of pedicle screws is a frequent complication in patients with osteoporosis. The indication for additional stabilization, such as cement augmentation, is more often based on the subjective intraoperative feeling of the surgeon than on a preoperative bone mineral density (BMD) measurement. Aim was to evaluate the correlation of the intraoperative perceived bone quality in comparison to the objectively measured BMD.

Methods

A total of 62 patients undergoing dorsal stabilization using pedicle screws at a level-1 trauma center were analyzed. The preoperative CT scan measured each instrumented vertebra's pedicle size and BMD. During the surgery, the perceived screw stability was graded by the respective surgeon for each screw.

Results

204 vertebral bodies were evaluated. Looking at all implanted screws a significant correlation between the measured BMD and the perceived screw stability was found (Resident r = .450; R2 = .202; P < .001/Attending r = .364; R2 = .133; P < .001), but there was no significant correlation in the osteoporotic patients (Resident P = .148 / Attending P = .907). The evaluation of the screws implanted in osteoporotic vertebrae showed that the surgeons considered a total of 31% of these screws to be sufficiently stable.

Conclusions

There was no significant correlation between the measured BMD and the perceived pedicle screw stability in the group with osteopenic / osteoporotic bone (<100 mg/cm³). The results indicate that it is not possible to reliably determine the bone quality and the resulting screw stability in patients with reduced BMD. The preoperative measurement of the BMD should become a crucial part of preoperative planning.
Populism in power—A comparative analysis of populist governance
Authors: Muno Wolfgang , Pfeiffer Christian
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we seek to explore whether populism, when in power, is guided by a particular logic of governance that can be derived from the logic of populism itself. To this end, we develop an ideal type of populist governance and apply it to case studies of India, the United States, Venezuela, and Hungary. Methodologically, the cross-regional comparison with a Most Different Systems Design is carried out through a structured, focused comparison. We conclude that populism in power has a tendency toward autocracy that is inherent in populist governance logic. This may manifest itself “only” in democratic backsliding or regression, that is, in a deterioration of the quality of democracy, but it can also lead to autocratization.
Do international rents bolster democratic backsliding under populist governments? Evidence from Latin America
Authors: Leon Daniel S.
Published: August 2022

The political science literature often points to populism as the cause of democratic backsliding. The literature purports that populism undermines democracy's liberal component, meaning the horizontal checks and balances on executive power by legislatures and courts and the vertical checks and balances by civil society, such as a free press and social movements. Populists promote political polarization to build sustainable ruling coalitions during and between elections that legitimize and support the illiberal policies above. However, this debate often ignores the economic tools that populists in power possess, such as capturing direct and indirect international rents to finance clientelist mechanisms to co-opt political support. This paper contributes to the rich literature on how economic rent conditions the negative relationship between populism and liberalism by disaggregating the moderating effects of direct and indirect international rents through panel regression models in 18 Latin American countries from 1991 to 2019. I find that direct international rents, such as natural resource rents, moderated a deepening in processes of democratic backsliding. Contrastingly, indirect international rents, such as remittances, moderately mitigated democratic backsliding.
Comparison of Rotatory and Sagittal Laxity After Single-Bundle Versus Double-Bundle ACL Reconstruction: Outcomes at 7-Year Follow-up
Authors: Severyns Mathieu , Mallet Julien , Plawecki Stéphane
Published: August 2022

Background:

Biomechanical studies have shown excellent anteroposterior and rotatory laxity control after double-bundle (DB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, but no clinical studies have compared midterm (>5-year) residual laxity between the DB and single-bundle (SB) techniques.

Purpose:

To clinically compare sagittal and rotatory laxities and residual sagittal laxity on the KT-1000 arthrometer between patients treated with an SB ACL reconstruction and those treated with a DB ACL reconstruction at the 7-year follow-up.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 110 patients were included between January 2006 and December 2007. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups: those treated with SB ACL reconstruction (n = 63) and those treated with the DB technique (n = 47). All patients were then reviewed at a minimum of 7 years of follow-up; patients with ACL rerupture (n = 3 in the SB group and n = 2 in the DB group) were excluded from the postoperative comparative analysis. Residual anterior laxity (Lachman test), rotatory laxity (pivot-shift test), and sagittal laxity (KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side difference) were measured and compared between the 2 groups.

Results:

The mean age at surgery was 23.0 ± 5.1 years for the DB group and 28.1 ± 7.0 years for the SB group, and the mean follow-up was 7.4 ± 0.8 years. No statistically significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of age, sex, preoperative laxity on KT-1000, preoperative Tegner score, or concomitant meniscal lesions. Residual postoperative laxity via Lachman testing ( P < .01), pivot-shift testing ( P = .042), and the KT-1000 arthrometer ( P < .01) was statistically significantly in favor of DB reconstruction.

Conclusion:

DB ACL reconstruction allowed better control of anterior stability during the evaluation via the Lachman test and via objective measurement on the KT-1000, as well as rotatory stability at a minimum of 7 years of follow-up.
Failure Rates of Suture Anchor Fixation Versus Transosseous Tunnel Technique for Patellar Tendon Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Biomechanical Studies
Authors: Imbergamo Casey , Sequeira Sean , Bano Joseph , Rate William R. , Gould Heath
Published: August 2022

Background:

Transosseous tunnel (TO) repair is considered the gold standard for patellar tendon rupture; however, suture anchor (SA) repair has emerged as a viable alternative in recent years. Although both these techniques are used widely in clinical practice, the most biomechanically optimal construct for patellar tendon repair remains unknown.

Purpose:

To examine published studies on the biomechanical properties of TO and SA fixation for patellar tendon repair in terms of ultimate load to failure and cyclic gap formation. The null hypothesis was that there would be no significant difference in either outcome measure between the groups.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

A systematic review using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines was performed by searching PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase to identify studies that analyzed the biomechanical properties of SA and TO techniques for repair of a ruptured patellar tendon. The search phrase implemented was “patellar tendon repair.” Meta-analysis was performed to provide a quantitative comparison of the 2 techniques with regard to ultimate load to failure and cyclic gap displacement. Weighted averages were calculated for all quantitative outcomes, and outcomes were summarized in a forest plot. A random-effects model was used to account for the heterogeneity among the included studies in the final statistical analysis.

Results:

Of 875 studies initially screened, the inclusion criteria were met by 7 studies, including 128 cadaveric specimens (66 SA, 62 TO). The pooled analysis from 6 studies reporting on gap displacement revealed a statistically significant difference in favor of SA versus TO fixation ( P < .001). Pooled analysis from 7 studies reporting on ultimate load to failure did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the use of SA and TO for tendon repair ( P = .465).

Conclusion:

Our systematic review revealed that the use of SA fixation for patellar tendon repair was associated with lower cyclic gap displacement when compared with TO fixation. There was no significant difference in ultimate load to failure between the repair techniques.
Perception of Oral Health–Related Quality of Life in Children with Epidermolysis Bullosa: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study
Authors: Marty M. , Chiaverini C. , Milon C. , Costa-Mendes L. , Kémoun P. , Mazereeuw-Hautier J. , Joseph C.
Published: August 2022

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare skin diseases that can strongly affect the oral mucosa. The aim of the study was to describe the perception of oral health– related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children living with EB. A quantitative and qualitive study was conducted. First, a quantitative analysis was used to compare the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) scores of 23 patients living with EB to normative values. Second, a qualitative approach was taken to help understand the oral health experience of 10 children (aged 5–17 y) living with EB until thematic saturation was reached. For every COHIP domain, the scores were significantly lower in patients living with EB than in healthy patients (P = 0.001). The thematic analysis provided several themes: young patients suffer from EB oral complications, with which they deal in different ways; they experience functional disorders, mainly in eating and speaking; and they also require esthetic dental care. The results of this mixed-method study show that, from the perspective of affected children, that EB affects OHRQoL. Using the children’s own words makes it possible to understand both the difficulties they face and their ability to adapt to these difficulties. Their words also show us what they want from the treatment and help us to identify means of improving practices.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The results of this study confirm the difficulties experienced by patients in the oral sphere. They also show that patients are able to adapt and that their demands go beyond functional rehabilitation. This work should encourage dental practitioners to be part of the overall management of the disease, involving regular checkups, preventive dental measures, and oral hygiene education. Therefore, more effective communication is required, not only between the dental and dermatological teams but also with the parents and caregivers.
Practice Patterns and Career Satisfaction in Recent Head and Neck Oncology Fellowship Graduates
Authors: Hong Scott A. , Bergman Jonathan A. , Walker Ronald J. , Massa Sean T.
Published: August 2022

Objective

Examine the characteristics of recent head and neck (H&N) oncology fellowship graduates and assess their current perceptions of career alignment and satisfaction.

Methods

H&N fellowship graduates from American Head and Neck Society–accredited programs between 2015 to 2020 were surveyed. Two‐sample t tests and analysis of variance tests were used to determine the effect of respondents’ demographics, fellowship characteristics, career preferences, and current practice on their degree of career alignment with expectations and overall job satisfaction.

Results

Fifty‐eight fellowship graduates completed the cross‐sectional survey. Of all respondents, 52 (89.7%) primarily preferred an academic job, of whom 5 (9.6%) went into private practice. Respondents in private practice, those treating general otolaryngology patients, and those who do not work with residents demonstrated significantly poorer job alignment and career satisfaction as compared with those in academic medicine, those treating only H&N patients, and those working with residents, respectively.

Discussion

The majority of graduating H&N fellows prefer a job in academic medicine; however, there may be an insufficient number of desirable academic positions available each year to meet such demand.

Implications for Practice

By setting realistic career expectations, preparing for a mixed scope of practice, and integrating resident involvement into private practice groups, H&N providers may ultimately find more fulfillment in their work. These findings could also be valuable to the American Head and Neck Society and fellowship programs in designing training and in planning for the number of available fellowship positions each year.
Vascular Plugs—Novel Therapeutic Management of Hemoptysis Secondary to Ruptured Rasmussen’s Aneurysm?
Authors: John Thadathilankal-Jess , Silva Michelle da , Weich Hellmuth
Published: August 2022

Hemoptysis from ruptured Rasmussen’s aneurysms is a not an uncommon source of bleeding (5-10%) in patients with active or previous tuberculosis. Previous reports describe the use of coils, glue, covered stents, and detachable balloons as part of the endovascular management of Rassmusen’s aneurysms. Although vascular plugs have been used in the management of other pulmonary aneurysms and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, its use within the inflammatory milieu as well as architectural lung parenchymal changes of tuberculosis has not been reported. We report and describe, to our knowledge, the first case of successful management of a Rasmussen’s aneurysm with a vascular plug with good success.
Congenital disorder of glycosylation – one size does not fit all: a parent’s perspective
Authors: Feinberg Konstantin
Published: August 2022

This article is written by the parent of a child living with PMM2-congenital disorder of glycosylation (abbreviated to PMM2-CDG). It provides a parental perspective of the journey taken from diagnosis to present day and details the effect of off-label treatment with epalrestat.
Universal Design for Learning in a Music Camp: Perspectives and Musical Self-Efficacy of Children With Disabilities
Authors: Yinger Olivia Swedberg , Vasil Martina , Robinson Austin S. , Jaspersen Megan , Eisenbaum Elaine , Mullis Lindsey C.
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate a summer music camp, designed using principles of Universal Design for Learning, for children with disabilities. Data included one parent–child group interview, a children’s musical self-efficacy rating scale, children’s drawings, and children’s explanations of their drawings. Participants were elementary school children with disabilities ( n = 4) and their mothers ( n = 4). The children were all male, aged 5 to 8 years. Three children had Autism Spectrum Disorder; one had a diagnosis not specified by his mother. Three themes for children’s perceptions of the camp (social interaction/play, enjoyment of making music, and positive representation) and three themes for parents’ perceptions (camp structure, camp teachers, and benefits for the children) emerged. Musical self-efficacy ratings did not change, but the children’s explanations of the sources of musical self-efficacy indicated that two children may have experienced positive changes in musical self-efficacy.
Using empirical biological knowledge to infer regulatory networks from multi-omics data
Authors: Pačínková Anna , Popovici Vlad
Published: August 2022

Background

Integration of multi-omics data can provide a more complex view of the biological system consisting of different interconnected molecular components, the crucial aspect for developing novel personalised therapeutic strategies for complex diseases. Various tools have been developed to integrate multi-omics data. However, an efficient multi-omics framework for regulatory network inference at the genome level that incorporates prior knowledge is still to emerge.

Results

We present IntOMICS, an efficient integrative framework based on Bayesian networks. IntOMICS systematically analyses gene expression, DNA methylation, copy number variation and biological prior knowledge to infer regulatory networks. IntOMICS complements the missing biological prior knowledge by so-called empirical biological knowledge, estimated from the available experimental data. Regulatory networks derived from IntOMICS provide deeper insights into the complex flow of genetic information on top of the increasing accuracy trend compared to a published algorithm designed exclusively for gene expression data. The ability to capture relevant crosstalks between multi-omics modalities is verified using known associations in microsatellite stable/instable colon cancer samples. Additionally, IntOMICS performance is compared with two algorithms for multi-omics regulatory network inference that can also incorporate prior knowledge in the inference framework. IntOMICS is also applied to detect potential predictive biomarkers in microsatellite stable stage III colon cancer samples.

Conclusions

We provide IntOMICS, a framework for multi-omics data integration using a novel approach to biological knowledge discovery. IntOMICS is a powerful resource for exploratory systems biology and can provide valuable insights into the complex mechanisms of biological processes that have a vital role in personalised medicine.
Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of Streptomyces strains producing multiple antinematode drugs
Authors: Yi Jeong Sang , Kim Jung Min , Kang Min-Kyoung , Kim Jong Hoon , Cho Hang Su , Ban Yeon Hee , Song Myoung Chong , Son Kwang-Hee , Yoon Yeo Joon
Published: August 2022

Background

Nematodes are parasitic animals that cause over 100 billion US dollars loss in agricultural business. The whole-genomes of two Streptomyces strains, Streptomyces spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, were sequenced. Both strains produce spectinabilin, an antinematode drug. Its secondary metabolism was examined to aid the development of an efficient nematicidal drug-producing host strain.

Results

The whole-genome sequences of S. spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965 were analyzed using PacBio and Illumina sequencing platforms, and assembled using hybrid methodology. The total contig lengths for KCTC9218T and AN091965 were 9.97 Mb and 9.84 Mb, respectively. A total of 8,374 and 8,054 protein-coding genes, as well as 39 and 45 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified in KCTC9218T and AN091965, respectively. 18.4 ± 6.45 mg/L and 213.89 ± 21.30 mg/L of spectinabilin were produced by S. spectabilis KCTC9218T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, respectively. Pine wilt disease caused by nematode was successfully prevented by lower concentration of spectinabilin injection than that of abamectin recommended by its manufacturer. Production of multiple antinematode drugs, including spectinabilin, streptorubin B, and undecylprodigiosin was observed in both strains using high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis.

Conclusions

Whole-genome sequencing of spectinabilin-producing strains, coupled with bioinformatics and mass spectrometry analyses, revealed the production of multiple nematicidal drugs in the KCTC9218T and AN091965 strains. Especially, Streptomyces sp. AN091965 showed high production level of spectinabilin, and this study provides crucial information for the development of potential nematicidal drug producers.