bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large-scale epidemiological study on feline autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and identification of novel PKD1 gene variants
Authors: Shitamori Fumitaka , Nonogaki Ayaka , Motegi Tomoki , Matsumoto Yuki , Sakamoto Mika , Tanizawa Yasuhiro , Nakamura Yasukazu , Yonezawa Tomohiro , Momoi Yasuyuki , Maeda Shingo
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common inherited disease in cats. In most cases, the responsible abnormality is a nonsense single nucleotide polymorphism in exon 29 of the PKD1 gene (chrE3:g.42858112C>A, the conventional PKD1 variant). The aim of this study was to conduct a large-scale epidemiological study of ADPKD caused by the conventional PKD1 variant in Japan and to search for novel polymorphisms by targeted resequencing of the PKD1 using a next-generation sequencer.

Methods

A total of 1281 cats visiting the Veterinary Medical Center of the University of Tokyo were included in this study. DNA was extracted from the blood of each cat. We established a novel TaqMan real-time PCR genotyping assay for the conventional PKD1 variant, and all cases were examined for the presence of this variant. Targeted resequencing of all exons of the PKD1 was performed on the DNA of 23 cats with the conventional PKD1 variant, six cats diagnosed with cystic kidneys but without this variant, and 61 wild-type normal cats.

Results

Among the 1281 cats examined in this study, 23 (1.8%) harboured the conventional PKD1 variant. The odds of having the conventional PKD1 variant were significantly higher in Persian cats, Scottish Folds and Exotic Shorthairs than in the other breeds, although the number of cases in each breed was small. Furthermore, we identified four variants unique to cats with cystic kidneys that were not found in wild-type normal cats, all of which were in exon 15. In particular, two (chrE:g.42848725delC, pGly1641fs and chrE:g.42850283C>T, pArg2162Trp) were candidate variants.

Conclusions and relevance

This study revealed that the conventional PKD1 variant was prevalent in Scottish Fold, Persian and Exotic Shorthair breeds in Japan, and variants in exon 15 of PKD1, in addition to the conventional variant in exon 29, would be key factors in the pathogenesis of ADPKD in cats.
Understanding Hurley Stage III Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients’ Experiences With Pain: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Johnston Leah , Dupuis Elaine , Lam Lauren , Poelman Susan
Published: July 2023

Background

More than 90% of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) report that pain interferes with their quality of life (QoL) and pain may have a larger impact on QoL than disease severity alone.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of pain on the daily lives of patients with Hurley stage III HS.

Methods

This was a single-center, prospective cross-sectional study that was conducted at Beacon Dermatology in Calgary, AB. Patients ≥ 18 years old with Hurley stage III HS in at least one area of the body were prospectively invited to participate in this study. The study consisted of survey questions on patients’ demographic information, past medical histories, HS-related pain histories, and previous therapies for pain management. Additionally, patients completed a series of standardized rating scales on their pain and overall QoL.

Results

Of the 10 patients that participated in the study, 90% (9/10) expressed a desire for more counselling on pain management options. Many patients (8/10, 80%) reported routine use of over-the-counter pain medications and 70% (7/10) used complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) to manage their pain. Patients’ efficacy ratings of HS treatments in controlling their pain revealed that topical treatments provided minimal or no relief, while surgical interventions had the highest efficacy for reducing pain. Patients’ average worst pain over the preceding 24 hrs was 6.3 +/- 2.5 (2-9) on the Numerical Rating Scale for pain and the mean Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 19.5 +/- 8.2 (5-29).

Conclusions

Patients with Hurley stage III HS report high levels of daily pain and QoL impairment and many individuals use over-the-counter treatments and CAMs to manage their pain. Physicians involved in the care of HS patients should consider implementing routine counselling on pain management into their clinical practices, especially for patients with severe HS.
Greenspace in prison improves well-being irrespective of prison/er characteristics, with particularly beneficial effects for younger and unsentenced prisoners, and in overcrowded prisons
Authors: Moran Dominique , Jordaan Jacob A. , Jones Phil I.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we present evidence of estimated significant associations between greenspace and prisoners’ self-reported well-being, self-harm and violence in prisons in England and Wales. Refining and extending our previous research that estimated the relationship between greenspace and self-harm and violence while controlling for the effects of prison characteristics (e.g. prison size, over-crowding and security level), the findings in the present study show that greenspace remains significantly related to self-harm and violence when we additionally control for prison population characteristics (such as prisoner age, ethnicity, sentence length) and when we use additional self-reported indicators of well-being. Furthermore, our findings also show that the beneficial effects of greenspace appear to be particularly prominent in prison establishments that suffer from overcrowding or hold relatively large shares of younger and un-sentenced prisoners. Finally, our results reveal that greenspace has important impacts on the inter-relationships between self-reported well-being, self-harm and prison violence.
Gender and Sexuality Performances Among LGBT+ Equality Dancers: Photo-Elicitation as a Method of Inquiry
Authors: Wong Yen Nee
Published: July 2023

In its classical form, ballroom dancing constitutes heterosexual dance couples enacting conservative forms of masculinity and femininity. A normative focus, both in scholarship and in practice, on the classical form in competitive ballroom dancing (also known as Dancesport) excludes the lived narratives of LGBT + dancers practicing the sport outside of the mainstream. Equality Dancesport is one such example, with dancers performing in diverse partnership typologies and adopting less gender-segregated dance roles and movements. Drawing on the photo-elicitation exercise, embedded within in-depth interviews, conducted as part of a broader ethnographic study on the equality Dancesport scene in the United Kingdom, I demonstrate how the strategy informed a ground-up emergence of a queer theoretical framework for understanding masculinities and femininities across the sex, gender and sexuality categorical divides. Four key opportunities afforded by photo elicitation are identified, namely (1) invoking new queer knowledge which blurs the binary divide in how concepts of masculinities and femininities are investigated in existing dance scholarship, (2) facilitating the development of more egalitarian researcher/participant relationships, (3) enabling affective, detailed and fluid narrations of lived experiences of dancing, and (4) positioning interviewees as dance spectators and inspiring reflections on the community. The paper concludes with three recommendations for negotiating the pitfalls of using a photo elicitation technique in dance studies. First, researchers need to recognise the limits of inclusivity offered by photo elicitation and practice sensitivity towards participants. Second, integrating photographs with other visual methods such as videos can enable researchers to leverage the strengths of different visual tools to inspire talk about broader topics. Third, before using the method, researchers need to develop mental strength for coping with negative talk, to achieve more holistic understanding of participants’ sentiments and motivations and as a duty of accountability towards them.
The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study: A pragmatic clinical trial
Authors: Mangat Pam K , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Perez Jacqueline K , Schilsky Richard L
Published: July 2023

The conceptual framework of pragmatism in clinical trials is explored using the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s pragmatic, non-randomized, phase II, multi-center basket clinical trial, the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study (NCT02693535) as a model. The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study aims to identify signals of drug activity when Food and Drug Administration approved drugs are matched to pre-specified genomic targets in patients with advanced cancer outside of their approved indication(s). The objectives of the study are to generate evidence of potential signals of activity in targeted therapies prescribed in an off-label setting as well as to expose and educate community cancer centers to genomic testing and precision medicine through the study protocol. The principles of pragmatic trial design can be applied across a broad spectrum of evidence-generation strategies, from explanatory trials to real-world evidence studies, and are briefly discussed. American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study falls closer to the pragmatic end of this spectrum as it seeks to assess the efficacy of Food and Drug Administration approved drugs used outside their approved indications under usual care conditions, yielding results generalizable to the population that would likely receive the intervention in practice, while still adhering to rigorous data quality standards. The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study’s pragmatic objectives, characteristics, strengths, and limitations in its implementation are discussed and demonstrate that a large, multi-center, precision medicine basket trial can be mounted in the context of community practice and can generate clinically useful information with minimal burden to patients and clinical trial sites.
Cosmic Zoom, Powers of Ten and the Contested Politics of Sense
Authors: Roberts Spencer
Published: July 2023

This article develops a comparative analysis of Charles and Ray Eames’ Powers of Ten, and Eva Szasz and Robert Verrall’s Cosmic Zoom, seen through the lenses of Bergsonian and Deleuzo-Guttarian philosophy. The author claims that, despite similarities with respect to their subject matter and modes of production, there are significant stylistic differences between these films that are suggestive of divergent ontological, epistemological and political commitments. Of particular importance is the foregrounding of objectivity in the case of Powers of Ten and subjectivity in the case of Cosmic Zoom – a distinction that is reflected in their respectively quasi-indexical and expressive modes of representation. This fundamental tension similarly conditions their differently inflected approaches to time, space and measure, drawing attention to the strange intertwining of representation, abstraction and affect that is characteristic of much animated film. Ultimately, it is proposed that, in the context of Powers of Ten and Cosmic Zoom, animation’s capacities for abstraction and expression are differently distributed, resulting in a cosmopolitical opposition which can be aligned with the Deleuzo–Guattarian distinctions between major and minor language, and royal and nomadic science.
Who reviews what you do at the zoo? Considerations for research ethics with captive exotic animals
Authors: Fernandez Eduardo J , McWhorter Todd J
Published: July 2023

Research in zoos is an important scientific endeavor that requires several complex considerations in order to occur. Among those many considerations are the ethics involved in conducting zoo research. However, it is not always clear how zoo researchers should go about resolving any research ethics matters, even determining when some type of research ethics committee should be involved in those deliberations. Our paper attempts to provide some resolutions for these issues, namely in three sections: (1) a brief history of human and animal research ethics, (2) general guidelines for zoo research ethics applications, and (3) theoretical, ethical dilemmas at the zoo. In each section, we consider pragmatic attempts to resolve any issues, as well as provide examples to illustrate our points. The primary focus of the paper is to facilitate consideration of the wide array of ethical factors any zoo researcher might encounter, as well as provide a basic set of ethical guidelines for zoo research. We also emphasize the importance of the welfare of the animals for all zoo research projects.
Peak physical demands of elite women's soccer: Assessing playing position and post-goal locomotor patterns
Authors: Datson Naomi , Dello Iacono Antonio , Doncaster Greg , Page Richard Michael , McKeown Andy , Unnithan Viswanath B
Published: July 2023

It has recently been identified that the assessment of peak periods of activity better considers the stochastic nature of match-play and the influence that contextual factors have on these peak periods. Limited research exists attempting to link the tactical and physical aspects of performance, especially in female players. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess post-goal locomotor patterns and positional differences on peak match demands in elite female soccer players. Using 10 Hz global positioning system units, a total of 133 player match observations were recorded from 14 matches played by an elite Scottish women's professional soccer team. The total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (>18 km/h) (HSRD) and PlayerLoad™ (PL) were assessed for 1, 3 and 5-minute peak periods using a rolling epoch approach. Playing position and post-goal activity were used as modulating factors. Linear mixed models established a main effect for playing position for the HSRD at peak 1-minute ( p<.001), 3-minute ( p < .001) and 5-minute ( p < .001) epochs. There were also main effects for the playing position for TD at peak 1-minute ( p= .001) and PL at peak-3minute ( p = .002). Team-level data showed a main effect for condition (score vs. concede) for 3-minute TD data and main effects for time (pre vs. post) for 1,3 and 5-minute epochs for PL data. The average and peak values were shown to differ across playing positions for all variables. Likewise, potentially indicative of tactical adjustments significant differences were observed at both a team and player level following scoring or conceding a goal.
Relationship between judo coaches’ authentic leadership and judo athletes’ perceived performance: Mediating effect of self-management
Authors: Nam KwangWoo , Kim CheolYong , Yoon SangJin
Published: July 2023

In Judo, one of the combat sports, athletes must endure high intensity, long-term training sessions that extend for long durations to achieve outstanding performances. Authentic leadership plays an essential role in this combat sport by supporting players who may experience slower growth and in enduring the rigorous and long-term training. Despite this leadership type being essential for fostering development and success in judo, few studies have been conducted on authentic leadership in the context of sports. This study investigated the relationship between judo coaches’ authentic leadership and judo athletes’ self-management and perceived performance; it also investigated the mediating effects of self-management on the relationship between authentic leadership and perceived performance. We used a convenience sampling method to recruit 274 Korean judo athletes. We conducted frequency analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. The results showed that judo coaches’ authentic leadership had a significant effect on athletes’ self-management, but no significant effect on their perceived performance. Additionally, judo athletes’ self-management had a significant effect on perceived performance. Further, self-management had a mediating (complete) effect on the relationship between judo coaches’ authentic leadership and athletes’ perceived performance. Our results show that judo coaches’ authentic leadership does not directly affect athletes’ perceived performance, but has an indirect effect through the mediating effect of self-management. In other words, judo coaches’ authentic leadership can directly enhance athletes’ self-management and indirectly enhance athletes’ perceived performance, thereby suggesting that it is an important factor in athletes’ performance progress.
“We Have Outgrown Our Space; Our Facility Is Old and Falling Apart”: Physical Design Implications to Address the Needs and Priorities of a Critical Access Hospital (CAH)
Authors: Zamani Zahra , Joy Teri , Gobel Daniel
Published: July 2023

Objective:

This exploratory study examines a rural critical access hospital (CAH) staff’s perception of current obstacles and needs concerning the physical environment.

Background:

CAH intends to improve access to healthcare, coordinate with experts and providers, and serve as the rural population’s healthcare hub. It is imperative to understand environmental qualities that impact the quality of care to develop effective policies and design guidelines for rural healthcare. Nevertheless, a limited number of studies have focused on user or organizational outcomes related to the physical environment of rural healthcare settings.

Methods:

This cross-sectional exploratory qualitative case study was conducted as part of the facility planning process for a CAH in rural North Carolina. Hospital staff participated in a survey exploring their satisfaction with the overall physical environment privacy, space allocation, and department adjacency. An open-ended question asked staff to elaborate on needed improvements and changes in their department.

Results:

Findings show low satisfaction levels for space allocations for emergency department, lab, surgery, and wound care. Safety and quality were the two emerging outcomes of the physical environment’s shortcomings. Two clusters emerged from the content analysis, representing facility needs (rightly sized spaces, functional needs, COVID-19 needs, and improved access) and ambient conditions (clutter, visibility, flooring quality, noise, privacy, cleanliness, aesthetics, and temperature).

Conclusion:

The findings from this study suggest that the interior and exterior facility and ambient conditions of the CAH play a key role in quality and safety outcomes.
Are courts “different?” Experimental evidence on the unique costs of attacking courts
Authors: Driscoll Amanda , Nelson Michael J
Published: July 2023

U.S. courts have long been thought to be held in special regard by the American public, and public support is theorized to protect institutions from interbranch aggression. At the same time, recent research underscores that institutional fealty and public reaction to court curbing is shaped by partisan concerns. Drawing on a survey experiment fielded in the U.S., we evaluate whether (1) the public is uniquely punitive toward incumbents who seek to undermine a court rather than an agency and (2) the extent to which these penalties are dependent upon shared partisanship with the proposer. We demonstrate that the public is less supportive of efforts to strip judicial power than analogous efforts to strip power from an executive agency, but that this penalty for court curbing dissipates in the face of copartisanship. This substantiates previous claims regarding the role of partisanship on shaping public attitudes about high courts but underscores that the American public may still hold the courts in unique regard.
Novel prosthetic ligament repair of a shoulder luxation in a cat using a bone anchor and ligament prosthesis
Authors: Wong Nadia , Yu Jane , McCracken Blaine D
Published: July 2023

Case summary

A 7-year-old male castrated Ragdoll cat was presented for chronic shoulder instability after a previous medial luxation of the right shoulder. Upon examination, there was palpable instability of the glenohumeral joint and an increased abduction angle. Surgical stabilisation was elected due to lameness and instability after closed reduction, rest and medical management. A low-profile bone-anchor and a ligament prosthesis were used to stabilise the glenohumeral joint with minimal disruption to the cat’s natural shoulder stabilisers. Clinical signs resolved after surgery and the cat remained non-symptomatic at the 12-month follow-up.

Relevance and novel information

Feline shoulder luxation is rarely described in the veterinary literature. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report describing stabilisation of the glenohumeral joint in a cat using a bone anchor and a ligament prosthesis.
Household Vulnerability and Childhood Immunization Status in Nigeria
Authors: Kolawole Ojewumi Titus , Akinyemi Akanni , Solanke Bola L.
Published: July 2023

Immunization is considered one of the most cost-effective public health interventions for reducing childhood morbidity, mortality, and disability globally. However, while global achievement of over 70% coverage rates was sustained in 1990s, wide variations exist between and within countries. In some developing countries, immunization rates increased substantially, but in sub-Saharan Africa, immunization rates plummeted, leaving millions of children vulnerable to life-threatening diseases. In Nigeria, coverage rates for routine immunization for all antigens still fall below 50%. The study examined the overall influence of household vulnerability dimensions, maternal health practices on childhood immunization status in Nigeria. The study used secondary data from 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS). The analytical weighted sample size was 5,824women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) with a live birth in the past 3 years, whose children were within age 12 to 23 months at the time of the survey. The data was analyzed using frequency distribution, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression. The results showed a decreasing regional variation in the proportion of fully immunized children from high of 23.6% in South-West, to a low of 9.1% in North-East. The overall household vulnerability status showed that children in more and most vulnerable households were 62% (OR = 0.38; p < .001; CI [0.32-0.46]) and 89%less likely (OR = 0.11; p < .001; CI [0.08-0.14]) to receive full vaccination compared with their counterpart in non-vulnerable households. The study revealed significant relationship between mothers’: (i) number of antenatal visits (OR = 1.66; p < .05; CI [0.25-1.77]); (ii) quality of antenatal care (OR = 2.61; p < .05; CI [1.45-4.67]); (iii) place of delivery (OR = 0.62; p < .05; CI [0.45-0.86]); (iv) assistance during delivery (OR = 0.41; p < .001; CI [0.28-0.57]); (v) time of postnatal check (OR = 1.81; p < .001; CI [1.49-2.19]) and full childhood immunization status.
Consequences of Psychological Aspects: From Jordanian Heart Failure Patients’ Beliefs
Authors: Sumaqa Yasmeen Abu , Hayajneh Ferial A. , Alhamory Sajeda , Rayan Ahmad , Alnaeem Mohammad , Al Tarawneh Tamador Raked , Assaf Alrida Nour Ali , Abu-abbas Manar , Suhemat Aida , Ayasreh Ibrahim R.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Psychological aspects are common in patients with heart failure (HF). Psychological aspects have negative consequences in patients with HF.

Objective

This study was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the consequences of psychological aspects in Jordanian patients with HF.

Methods

This study is a qualitative study conducted with the participation of 24 patients with HF. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews.

Results

The main theme of the findings can be expressed as “Consequences of psychological aspects of HF.” The following four sub-themes emerged from the data: social isolation, disturbance of feelings, being non-compliant, and growing burden on the health care system.

Conclusion

The findings revealed the need for informing healthcare providers about the negative consequences of psychological aspects and develop clinical guidelines to evaluate psychological aspects to support these patients.
Parallel Development: Medicalization and Decriminalization in the Changing Media Framing of the Opioid Overdose Crisis
Authors: Wu Xinyan
Published: July 2023

Drawing on content analysis of 517 New York Times news reports published between 1995 and 2016, the author examines the institutionalization of opioid responses in terms of changing media framing of opioid use. The findings indicate that news frames were situated between the lenses of medicalization and decriminalization. Modes of penal social control shifted as early as the 1990s because of budgetary concerns. Drug reform efforts pushed law enforcement agencies to criminalize doctors and big pharma. Consequently, medical professionals and social activists advocated for new cultural frameworks about opioid use. However, the expansion of medical concepts alone did not medicalize opioid use, as evidenced by persistent news frames opposing opioid maintenance treatments. Instead, medicalization materialized as part of the public health solution when law enforcement agencies adopted new modes of medical social control. This article illustrates the making of a new penal-medical nexus regulating drug use.
Creation and Succession: Storytelling to Promote Experiential Learning in Family Business Education
Authors: Swab R. Gabrielle , Sherlock Chelsea , Mercer Ian S. , Harris John N.
Published: July 2023

In this manuscript, we introduce a semester-long activity where students create a family firm to write about over the span of 100 years. Scenarios are considered from the perspective of the firm, as the object, reflecting on the life of the family business, rather than from the viewpoint of the founders or family members. Along with the introduction of the activity, we detail how this influences the family business classroom as a novel learning experience through greater engagement, in refining and considering decision-making, and by practicing creative writing skills through storytelling.
Tenecteplase real-world data: A three phase sequential comparison
Authors: Ranta Anna , Tyson Alicia , Lallu Bhavesh , Wu Teddy Y , Punter Martin , Manoczki Csilla , Chalissery John , Pillai Akesh , Mahawish Karim , Conde Roldan , Falconer Marianne , Wills Karyn , Gunawardana Chaminda , Busch Suzanne , Gommans John
Published: July 2023

Introduction:

The New Zealand (NZ) Central Region Stroke Network, serving 1.17 million catchment population, changed to tenecteplase for stroke thrombolysis in 2020 but was forced to revert to Alteplase in 2021 due to a sudden cessation of drug supply. We used this unique opportunity to assess for potential before and after temporal trend confounding.

Patients and methods:

In NZ all reperfused patients are entered prospectively into a national database for safety monitoring. We assessed Central Region patient outcomes and treatment metrics over three time periods: alteplase use (January 2018–January 2020); during switch to tenecteplase (February 2020–February 2021) and after reverting to alteplase (February 2021–December 2022) adjusting regression analyses for hospital, age, onset-to-needle, NIHSS, pre-morbid mRS and thrombectomy.

Results:

Between January 2018 and December 2022, we treated 1121 patients with Alteplase and 286 with tenecteplase. Overall, patients treated with tenecteplase had greater odds of favorable outcome ordinal mRS [aOR = 1.43 (95% CI = 1.11–1.85)]; shorter door-to-needle (DTN) time [median 52 (IQR 47–83) vs 61 (45–84) minutes, p < 0.0001] and needle to groin (NTG) times [118 (74.5–218.5) vs 185 (118–255); p = 0.02)]. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) rate was lower in tenecteplase group [aOR 0.29 (0.09–0.95)]. Findings similarly favored tenecteplase when comparing tenecteplase to only the second alteplase phase. There was no inter-group difference when comparing the two alteplase phases.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that previously reported benefits from tenecteplase in a real-world setting were not likely attributable to a temporal confounding.
Is national border weakening in technology space? Analysis of inter-urban hierarchy with Chinese patent licensing data
Authors: Kang Suyoung , Sonn Jung Won , Seo Ilwon
Published: July 2023

The literature on the diffusion of innovation from the 1970s has found that a domestic inter-urban hierarchy was the most common conduit for the innovation diffusion. Has this hierarchy become obsolete in today’s globalized economy? As less-developed cities within a developing country absorb technological innovation directly from overseas, is the nationality of cities becoming less important? Contemporary economic geography literature tends to answer these questions in the affirmative. This study challenges that resounding yes. Through our analysis of Chinese patent licensing data, we find evidence not only for the survival but also for the reinforcement of the domestic inter-urban hierarchy. While it is true that the number of cities licensing patents to import technology from overseas has been increasing, it is being outmatched by the domestic patent licensing from the top-tier cities within China. This development demonstrates that the role of the nation as a spatial unit of knowledge production and application has remained constant throughout, even as the technological level of its cities has improved under the increasing globalization of the national economy.
Republication of “The Utilization of Internet Resources by Foot and Ankle Patients”
Authors: Rosenbaum Andrew J. , Jones Mackenzie T. , Marinescu Anca , Ellis Scott J.
Published: July 2023

Background:

It is critical for patients seeking foot and ankle care to have access to quality online resources, as the treatment of their conditions may involve the use of a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities with which they are unfamiliar. This study was performed to enhance our understanding of if and why patients use Internet-based educational materials, to identify trends in utilization, and to delineate the patient-perceived attributes of quality resources.

Methods:

Questionnaires were distributed to 150 adult foot and ankle patients. The questionnaire consisted of demographic and Internet utilization questions. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the frequency of responses for each question and the relationship between demographics and Internet usage.

Results:

Younger patients were more likely to use the Internet ( P= .006). However, there were no other significant differences in demographic attributes between patients who did (76%) and did not (24%) utilize the Internet ( P <.05). Of the participants who didn’t search the Internet about their condition, the most commonly cited reason was they preferred to receive information directly from their physician (47%). Among Internet users, most found the quality of resources to be good or very good (75%). However, many patients were unsure of the specific websites they accessed (66%) and if materials were AOFAS sponsored (18%). When asked about the attributes of a reliable website, patients felt that physician and/or medical society endorsement were most important (52% and 46%, respectively).

Conclusion:

Although physician and medical society endorsement positively shape patients’ opinions of online education materials, patients often struggle in remembering the site they visited and if it was sponsored by a certain society. Despite this, patients are generally satisfied with online foot and ankle education resources. Future works must assess whether patient and physician perceptions of quality Internet resources are correlated.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Republication of “Fracture Through a Distal Fibular Tunnel Used for an Anatomic Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction”
Authors: Roward Zachary , Latt L. Daniel
Published: July 2023

Anatomic lateral ankle ligament reconstruction using free tendon graft with osseous tunnels has become a popular technique for revision reconstruction of the lateral ankle ligaments. With the procedure’s burgeoning popularity, an accompanying increase in postoperative complications is likely to occur. We report on one such complication: traumatic distal fibula fracture through the transosseous tunnels.
Emodin and aloe-emodin, two potential molecules in regulating cell migration of skin cells through the MAP kinase pathway and affecting Caenorhabditis elegans thermotolerance
Authors: Gunaydin-Akyildiz Aysenur , Yanikoglu Rabia Sare , Gulec Meltem , Alim-Toraman Gulbahar Ozge , Kuran Ebru Didem , Atasoy Sezen , Olgun Abdullah , Topcu Gulacti
Published: July 2023

Background

Emodin and aloe-emodin are two anthraquinones having positive effects in wound healing. However, their mechanism of action of wound healing is not fully understood. The MAP kinase family, which plays an active role in wound healing, is a well-characterized large family of serine/threonine kinases and regulates processes such as proliferation, oncogenesis, differentiation, and inflammation in the cell. The aim of this study is to comparatively elucidate the mechanisms of action of emodin and aloe-emodin, which are potential agents in wound healing.

Methods

The mechanism of the effects of emodin and aloe-emodin on cell viability and cell migration was examined using the human skin fibroblast (CCD-1079Sk) cell line. The gene expression levels of the MAP kinases (JNK, P38, ERK) in the skin fibroblast cells along with a molecular docking study analyzing their interaction potential were evaluated. Furthermore, the molecules’ effects on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans were studied.

Results

Emodin and aloe-emodin inhibited the ATP content of the cells in a concentration dependent manner and accelerated cell migration at the lower concentrations while inhibiting cell migration in the higher concentration treatment groups. The expressions of JNK and P38 were upregulated at the low concentrations and downregulated at the higher concentrations. The molecular docking studies of the molecules gave high docking scores indicating their interaction potential with JNK and P38. C. elegans lifespan under heat stress was observed longer after 75 µM emodin and was significantly reduced after 150 µM aloe-emodin treatment.

Conclusion

Aloe-emodin was found to be more potent on cell viability, cell migration, gene expression levels of the MAP kinases in healthy fibroblastic skin cells, and on the lifespan of C. elegans. This study reveals the functional effects and the biological factors that interact in the wound healing process of emodin and aloe-emodin, and give a possible treatment alternative to shorten the duration of wound care.
Predawn leaf water potential of grapevines is not necessarily a good proxy for soil moisture
Authors: Groenveld Thomas , Obiero Charles , Yu Yingxue , Flury Markus , Keller Markus
Published: July 2023

Background

In plant water relations research, predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) is often used as a proxy for soil water potential (Ψsoil), without testing the underlying assumptions that nighttime transpiration is negligible and that enough time has passed for a hydrostatic equilibrium to be established. The goal of this research was to test the assumption Ψpd = Ψsoil for field-grown grapevines.

Results

A field trial was conducted with 30 different cultivars of wine grapes grown in a single vineyard in arid southeastern Washington, USA, for two years. The Ψpd and the volumetric soil water content (θv) under each sampled plant were measured multiple times during several dry-down cycles. The results show that in wet soil (Ψsoil >  − 0.14 MPa or relative extractable water content, θe > 0.36), Ψpd was significantly lower than Ψsoil for all 30 cultivars. Under dry soil conditions (Ψsoil <  − 0.14 MPa or θe < 0.36) Ψpd lined up better with Ψsoil. There were differences between cultivars, but these were not consistent over the years.

Conclusion

These results suggest that for wet soils Ψpd of grapevines cannot be used as a proxy for Ψsoil, while the Ψpd = Ψsoil assumption may hold for dry soils.
Hospitalization costs of COPD cases and its associated factors: an observational study at two large public tertiary hospitals in Henan Province, China
Authors: Yu Chengcheng , Xia Qingyun , Li Quanman , Wu Juxiao , Wang Xiangyu , Wu Jian
Published: July 2023

Background

The increasing prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has imposed a considerable economic burden. However, there remains a paucity of relevant evidence regarding the hospitalization costs of COPD cases. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess the hospitalization costs among COPD cases and investigate the factors that contribute to their costs in Henan Province, China.

Methods

We enrolled a total of 1697 cases who were discharged with a diagnosis of COPD from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, into the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the cases were obtained from the hospital information system (HIS) of two large tertiary hospitals in Henan Province, China. The factors associated with hospitalization costs were examined using a multiple linear regression model.

Results

Total hospitalization costs of 1697 COPD cases were $5,419,011, and the median was $1952 (IQR:2031). Out-of-pocket fees accounted for 43.95% of the total hospitalization costs, and the median was $938 (IQR:956). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that hospitalization costs were higher among older cases, cases with more comorbidities, and cases with longer length of stay. Furthermore, hospitalization costs were higher in cases who paid through private expenses compared to those covered by Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance. Additionally, we found that cases admitted through an outpatient clinic had higher hospitalization costs than those admitted through the emergency department.

Conclusion

Hospitalization costs of COPD cases are substantial. Strategies to reduce hospitalization costs, such as shortening LOS, optimizing payment plans, and preventing or managing complications, should be implemented to alleviate the economic burden associated with COPD hospitalizations.
A scoping review of intensive longitudinal methods in informal caregivers of people with dementia
Authors: Gérain P , Wawrziczny E , Antoine P
Published: July 2023

Background

The daily life of informal caregivers assisting individuals with dementia widely varies throughout the day and week. As an answer, an increasing number of researchers have used intensive longitudinal methods (ILMs) such as diary studies, experience sampling methods, or ecological momentary assessment.

Objectives and Methods

The present scoping review aims at synthesizing the use of ILMs in informal dementia caregivers to clarify what is currently done and how, as well as what remains unaddressed.

Results

The screening process identified 48 studies from 22 different datasets. Synthesis of these studies showed the diversity of devices and uses of ILMs in informal care, including the exploration of associations between variables or accompanying an intervention. ILMs showed the important variability of caregiving phenomena, as well as the important association of momentary stress and well-being. Gaps were nevertheless identified, such as transparency in the construction of the tool or the absence of focus on emotions and dyads.

Conclusions

For now, this field of research remains in its infancy and does not seem to have reached its full potential as it has in other fields. Nevertheless, it appears that ILMs are promising tools for informal dementia caregivers as they contribute to understanding the complexity of their daily life, with changing resources and challenges. Future directions include focusing more on (emotion) regulation, temporal lags, and the use of ILMs in interventional designs.

Trial registration

The present review was registered on OSF (osf.io/b2qr4).
Exploring the intersections of structural inequities and health disparities: the challenge and opportunity of recognizing racism as a public health crisis
Authors: Lekas Helen-Maria , López-Cevallos Daniel , Routen Ash
Published: July 2023

Although increasingly being recognized as a driver of poor health and health inequities, there is limited research on the pervasive effects of racism on population health. In this editorial, we set the context and invite contributions for a BMC Public Health Collection of articles titled, “Racism as Public Health Crisis.”
The clinical significance of CD44v6 in malignant and benign primary bone tumors
Authors: Hosseini Ameinh , Eghtedari Amir Reza , Mirzaei Alireza , Babaheidarian Pegah , Nekoufar Samira , Khademian Narges , Jamshidi Khodamorad , Tavakoli-Yaraki Masoumeh
Published: July 2023

Background

The objective of this study was to assess the expression profile of CD44v6, a potential cancer stem cell marker, and its diagnostic and predictive significance in three distinct types of primary bone tumors.

Methods

In this study, we utilized real-time qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry to examine the gene and protein levels of CD44v6 in a total of 138 fresh bone tissues. This included 69 tumor tissues comprising osteosarcoma (N = 23), chondrosarcoma (N = 23), and GCT (N = 23), as well as 69 corresponding non-cancerous tumor margins. Furthermore, we investigated the circulating level of CD44v6 by isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 92 blood samples. Among these, 69 samples were obtained from patients diagnosed with primary bone tumors, while the remaining 23 samples were from healthy donors. The primary objectives of our investigation were to assess the correlation between CD44v6 expression levels and clinic-pathological features of the patients, as well as to evaluate the diagnostic and predictive values of CD44v6 in this context.

Results

In patients with osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma tumors, both the gene and protein expression of CD44v6 were found to be significantly higher compared to the GCT group. Furthermore, the circulating level of CD44v6 was notably elevated in patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma in comparison to the GCT group and patients with malignant tumor characteristics. Additionally, we observed a strong correlation between the gene and protein levels of CD44v6 and important tumor indicators such as tumor grade, metastasis, recurrence, and size at the tumor site. CD44v6 shows potential in differentiating patients with bone tumors from both control groups and tumor groups with severe and invasive characteristics from those with non-severe features. Importantly, the expression level of CD44v6 also demonstrated predictive value for determining tumor grade and the likelihood of recurrence.

Conclusion

CD44v6 is likely to play a role in the development of primary bone tumors and has the potential to serve as a diagnostic biomarker for bone cancer. However, to obtain more accurate and conclusive findings, further mechanistic investigations involving larger population samples are necessary.
Surgical resection of retinoblastoma-associated bladder leiomyosarcoma during pregnancy: a case report
Authors: Hoshina Hayato , Taguchi Satoru , Suyama Hikaru , Kishitani Kenjiro , Akiyama Yoshiyuki , Yamada Yuta , Sato Yusuke , Yamada Daisuke , Akiba Naoya , Kumasawa Keiichi , Mori-Uchino Mayuyo , Osuga Yutaka , Kume Haruki
Published: July 2023

Background

Management of a bladder tumor during pregnancy is an uncommon clinical situation. Leiomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder is a rare histological type of bladder tumor and a rare secondary cancer in survivors of retinoblastoma (RB). However, there has been no report of RB-associated bladder leiomyosarcoma during pregnancy.

Case presentation

A 37-year-old pregnant woman with a medical history of RB in infancy presented with gross hematuria at the 17th week of gestation. Cystoscopy revealed a 40-mm papillary tumor on the left lateral wall of the urinary bladder. At the 25th week of gestation, she underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor, and the pathological diagnosis was bladder leiomyosarcoma with loss of RB1 expression. At the 31st week of gestation, she gave birth by caesarean section. One month after the delivery (to allow for involution of the uterus), she underwent partial cystectomy, and the specimen contained no residual leiomyosarcoma tissue.

Conclusions

We have reported a case of RB-associated bladder leiomyosarcoma that was successfully treated during and after pregnancy.
The effect of training intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on oral and dental health behaviors in pregnant women
Authors: Mohammadkhah Fatemeh , Amirhajelu Razieh Mardani , Bakhtiar Maryam , Salemi Saina Alempour , Kevenjan Marzieh , Jeihooni Ali Khani
Published: July 2023

Background

Pregnancy is a transient physiological condition that causes adverse oral and dental consequences. The present study aimed to determine the effect of a training intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on oral and dental behaviors in pregnant women.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 140 pregnant women (70 in the intervention group and 70 in the control group) supported by comprehensive health centers on the outskirts of Shiraz, Iran, in 2019–2020. The sampling was performed in each center by a simple random method. The tool included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior, a self-care behavior questionnaire, and checklists for recording DMFT(Decayed, Missing due to caries, and Filled Teeth(DMFT)) and dental plaque indices. The questionnaires were completed before and 3 months after the intervention by both groups. The intervention group received six 50-min training sessions. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22, the chi-squared test, independent t-test, paired t-test, and descriptive statistics (p < 0.05).

Results

The mean ages of the intervention and control groups were 32.28 ± 6.14 and 31.84 ± 6.71, respectively. The results showed that the average scores of all constructs of the theory of planned behavior, dental plaque indices (PI), and MDFT in the intervention group significantly changed after the intervention (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

According to the results, training based on the theory of planned behavior was effective on dental and oral health behaviors in pregnant women and improved the clinical results of their self-care behaviors. Therefore, training sessions will increase the knowledge of pregnant women, and providing timely consultations and examinations can be helpful and effective in developing oral and dental health behaviors in pregnant women.