bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EMHD flow of second-grade fluid through a heated permeable disk with space dependent heat source
Authors: Gangadhar Kotha , Rupa Lavanya M. , Chamkha Ali J.
Published: March 2023

In this article, von Kárman MHD viscoelastic fluid flow with second-grade model through a heated permeable disk on electric field is examined thoroughly. The effects of viscous dissipation and elasticity on fluid motion around the disk, temperature and space-dependent heat source/sink are also examined. Governing partial differential equations are transmitted into ordinary differential equations with similarity functions. Later, nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations was solved with the help of Galerkin finite element method. Accuracy and validity of the method were noticed by comparing our results with the previous literature. Simulations are performed in order to capture the dynamics of the physical situations against the variation of the pertinent parameters. Nature of heat flux and stresses of the physical parameters are discussed. Physical influence of heat flux, heat transfer is exhibited graphically at the surface of disk and increases when the values of Prandtl number are increased, whereas there is a decreasing trend in the rate of heat transfer when the value of Eckert number is increased.
Pastiche, protest, and the politics of reception in “the J’irai cracher Affair”
Authors: Curtis Ian Williams , Davenport Andrew M.
Published: March 2023

In The Devil Finds Work (1976), James Baldwin presents a remarkably generous review of Boris Vian's controversial novel, J’irai cracher sur vos tombes (1946). Vian's book was exceptionally sensitive to the “rage and pain” of African Americans, Baldwin thought. Baldwin's words seem surprising today: Vian, a white Frenchman, published the work as a protest novel under the false identity of a fictional African American, whom he called Vernon Sullivan. The novel was a hoax, a prank. J’irai cracher sur vos tombes tends to be viewed today in North America, rightly, as an egregious instance of cultural appropriation. The present study argues, however, that the French pastiche of a Black American protest novel baited the reading public into a debate that ignored racism, colonialism, and protest. We argue to view J’irai cracher sur vos tombes and the ensuing scandal it provoked, as an historical archive that allows us to chart a certain ideological climate in France. The public reception of the novel makes abundantly clear that, on the subject of J’irai cracher, Paris wanted to talk about sex, youth morality, and the threats of American cultural hegemony—not racism. Read as an historical affaire, the scandal exposes an extended moment of collective blindness in France. When examined as an historical incident, “the J’irai cracher Affair” reads like a dramatic ironic pronouncement, as if Vian were making a joke only he and a select audience—Baldwin, for one—would understand.
The state-of-the-art of practice of traffic noise regulations in Ghana
Authors: Ibili Fidelma , Adams Charles A , Adebanji Atinuke O , Andam-Akorful Samuel A
Published: March 2023

Noise pollution is one of Ghana’s environmental risks and it has become the norm in metropolitan areas to the point where residents in these locations experience noise nuisance and may be at risk of hearing loss. Most developed and developing countries have established traffic noise standards as a control mechanism to reduce traffic noise exposure emissions. This study aims to investigate current practices of traffic noise regulations and policy. Various agencies responsible for the control of noise pollution and the urban road sector were interviewed about traffic noise standards and practices, and it was observed that these agencies’ noise practices were based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established guidelines, which did not include transportation noise regulation. Except for a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), regulation that allows a certain vehicle horning system for specific vehicle users, this study discovered that this policy is not fully implemented. A preliminary survey was conducted to collect traffic field data and inhabitants’ perceptions of traffic noise. Of the 30 respondents, 26 respondents (86.7%) affirmed that they experience traffic noise pollution at various locations, while 23 respondents (76.7%) reported various health effects due to exposure to traffic noise. This can be related to the observed noise levels which exceeded the dissatisfaction score of 5 (89 dB(A)), and also Leq value (109.1 dB(A)) was greater than the environmental permissible limit of the EPA standard of 70 dB(A). This indicates that roadside residents suffer from noise annoyance. It is recommended that transport, and environmental-related agencies work unanimously to ensure that effective control of traffic noise pollution is developed, enforced, and implemented.
Bringing personality disorder in from the cold: Why personality disorder is a fundamental concern for youth mental health
Authors: Chanen Andrew M
Published: March 2023

Objective

Personality disorder (PD) has its peak incidence between puberty and young adulthood. By any measure, it is among the most severe mental health problems occurring in young people, uniquely predicting debilitating current problems and acting as a ‘gateway’ to diverse and serious future problems. Yet, PD still struggles for legitimacy and parity of access to services, including early intervention.

Conclusion

Addressing PD is fundamental to youth mental health, and early intervention for PD has reached ‘proof of concept’. Yet, reform is hindered by bigotry and sectarianism. Successful early intervention calls for a shift in the culture of services, countering damaging myths, addressing bigotry, and fostering hope. Such reforms are well within the reach of youth mental health.
Urinary tract trauma in cats: stabilisation, diagnosis and management
Authors: Robakiewicz Paula , Halfacree Zoë
Published: March 2023

Practical relevance:

Traumatic injury of the urinary tract may be caused by external accidental trauma or due to iatrogenic injury (typically as a result of catheterisation procedures). Thorough patient assessment and careful attention to patient stabilisation are essential, with diagnosis and surgical repair delayed until the patient is stable, if necessary. Treatment depends on the location and severity of the trauma. If diagnosed and treated promptly, the chance of survival of a patient without other concurrent injuries is good.

Clinical challenges:

Following accidental trauma, at the initial presentation urinary tract injury can be overshadowed by other injuries, but if left undiagnosed or untreated it can lead to serious morbidity and potentially mortality. Many of the surgical techniques described for management of urinary tract trauma can be associated with complications, and so comprehensive communication with the owners is necessary.

Patient group:

The main population affected by urinary tract trauma is young, adult male cats, owing to their roaming behaviour, as well as their anatomy and the resulting increased risk of urethral obstruction and its associated management.

Aims:

This article aims to serve as a guide to all veterinarians who treat cats for the diagnosis and management of urinary tract trauma in cats.

Evidence base:

This review summarises the current knowledge available from a number of original articles and textbook chapters in the literature that cover all aspects of feline urinary tract trauma, and is supported by the authors’ own clinical experience.
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of an explanted opacified hydrophilic IOL after over two years from cataract surgery
Authors: Tripodi Sarah , Toro Mario Damiano , Rejdak Robert , Costagliola Ciro , Avitabile Teresio , Carnevali Adriano , Bruzzichessi Donatella , Gambaro Stefano , Porta Alessandro
Published: March 2023

Opacification of hydrophilic intraocular lenses (IOLs) is an uncommon complication, that can appear after uneventful cataract surgery. We report a case of opacified Hydroview® IOL in a 76-year-old woman, with a previous history of pars plana vitrectomy with silicon oil tamponade in her right eye for a proliferative diabetic retinopathy, who developed an opacification of the IOL after over two years from a silicon oil/BSS exchange in combination with an uneventful phacoemulsification. The patient complained about a progressive decrease in her visual acuity. The slit-lamp examination confirmed the opacification of the IOL. Therefore, because of blurred vision, a combined procedure of explant and exchange of the IOL was performed in the same eye. Qualitative (Optic microscope, X-Ray powder Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)) and quantitative (Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA)) analysis of the IOL material were performed. Here, our aim is to report the acquired data of the explanted Hydroview® H60M IOL.
Accounting for inequalities: divided selves and divided states in International Relations
Authors: Innes Alexandria
Published: March 2023

Ontological security studies have added complexity to the state level of analysis in International Relations (IR) by embracing an approach that permits moving across and between levels of analysis without calcifying an assumption as to who or what constitutes the key actors of international politics. I draw on a case study of gender-based violence and subsequent responses to argue that ontological security studies in IR have thus far failed to fully account for intersectional inequalities within social narratives of security. I argue that the state is incapable of providing ontological security because of inherent inequalities that underlie national identity. It is only in attending to those inequalities that we can attend to the biases at the heart of the state. Looking to ontological insecurity in the context of trauma provides a delineated means of accessing these dynamics in a way that is formulated around a pathologised ontological insecurity (rather than an existential, and therefore normalised, process of ontological insecurity). Through the case study of the murder of Sarah Everard and the responses, the value and necessity of an intersectional approach is made clear: trauma responses that are positioned as transgressive by the patriarchal and White supremacist dominating narrative are used within that narrative to undermine the credibility of alternative narratives of security. The state adopts a technique of dividing identity and constructing normatively oppressed identities as transgressive to consolidate the state narrative of security.
Principals’ attitudes and intentions toward supporting adapted physical education
Authors: McNamara Scott WT , Rizzo Terry L
Published: March 2023

Public school administrators in the United States are required to supervise special education services, which include physical education and adapted physical education (APE). Although school administrators supervise and provide resources to support APE services, APE teachers have indicated that school administrators often interfere with their day-to-day practices and instruction. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine school administrators’ beliefs, attitudes, and intentions toward supporting APE within their school. Using a qualitative description approach, guided by the theory of planned behavior, nine building principals from California were interviewed about their perceptions and past experiences with APE. A thematic analysis enabled the authors to construct three interconnected themes: (1) APE teachers and services are valued, yet not prioritized, (2) stakeholders’ support of APE can impact principals’ attitudes and support of APE; yet, many remain indifferent regarding support of APE, and (3) lack of knowledge, resources, and funding prevents principals from providing adequate support to APE services and teachers. These findings emphasize both the support and barriers building principals often contribute to APE teachers’ service delivery. Additionally, these findings highlight the important role administrators have in supporting APE teachers and creating a culture where APE services and teachers are valued. Future research designed to improve attitudes among school administrators toward APE is necessary. Moreover, to provide essential resources for effective APE service delivery, systematic and theoretically driven interventions that link knowledge to fill the APE knowledge gap among school administrators are warranted.
Experimental and finite element analysis: Out-of-plane mechanical performance of infill walls with flexible connection
Authors: Zhou Xiao-jie , Zhao Wen-de , Chen Pei-qi , Jin-peng Du , Chang-yun Cheng , Kang Chen
Published: March 2023

Flexible connection between the wall and the frame can improve the seismic performance of the structure, thus minimizing the pushing effect of the infill wall on the main frame. Masonry infill walls with flexible connection have lower out-of-plane stability than walls with rigid connection. However, local collapses are more likely to occur. A comparative study was conducted on the load-carrying capacity, initial stiffness, deformation and ductility of different wall structures based on a monotonous static load test, and the out-of-plane mechanical properties exhibited by flexible masonry infill walls were investigated. A simplified separated finite element model of masonry infill wall was built in accordance with the test results, and then the monotone out-of-plane static loading was performed. The structural configuration, the wall-frame connection method, and the spacing between structural columns were found to have significant effects on the out-of-plane mechanical behavior of the infill wall. The wall structural configuration was found to have the strongest effect, followed by the wall-frame connection method. Under the conditions of flexible connection, when the wall structure was in the “grid-beam” form, and the spacing between structuring columns was 2.5–3.0 m, the frame-infill wall was found with the best restraint effect, so the optimal out-of-plane comprehensive mechanical performance would be achieved.
Influence of thermal effect in piston skirt lubrication considering thermal deformation of piston and cylinder liner
Authors: Wang Yongqiang , Ma Xuan , Li Tongyang , Lu Xiqun , Li Wanyou
Published: March 2023

With the development of high-strength marine diesel engines, piston skirt lubrication plays an increasingly important role. In this study, to ensure that the mixed lubrication can be applied, the contact of the PS corner and CL is simplified to a spring–damper system. A coupled dynamical–tribological numerical model of a piston skirt is proposed by combining mixed lubrication and the secondary motion of the piston. The model is then used to study how the thermal effect of the piston skirt-cylinder liner friction pair affects (i) the secondary motion of the piston, (ii) the contact force of the piston-skirt corner points, and (iii) the lubrication characteristics, while considering ring friction, friction moment of piston pin and three-dimensional thermal deformation of the piston and cylinder liner. The results show that the secondary motion under the thermal condition is less than that under the cold condition, and the reverse rotation of the piston under the thermal condition occurs earlier. Asperity contact and corner points contact appear under the thermal condition, and the friction mean effective pressure under the cold condition is 47.7% greater than that under the thermal condition. Overall, it is necessary to consider the thermal effect of the piston skirt-cylinder liner friction pair.
New Collaborative Research on Suicide Prevention, Practice, and Policy With American Indian and Alaska Native Communities Holds Promise for All Peoples
Authors: Barlow A. , Haroz E. E. , O’Keefe V. M. , Brockie T. , Manson S. M. , Allen J. , Wexler L. , Buchwald D. , Rasmus S. , Goklish N. , Ivanich J. , Stifter M. , Cwik M.
Published: March 2023

Youth suicide is increasing in the United States, with deaths among younger people of color driving this upward trend. For more than four decades, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities have suffered disproportionate rates of youth suicide and years of productive life lost compared to other U.S. Races. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently funded three regional Collaborative Hubs to carry out suicide prevention research, practice, and policy development with AIAN communities in Alaska and rural and urban areas of the Southwestern United States. The Hub partnerships are supporting a diverse array of tribally-driven studies, approaches, and policies with immediate value for increasing empirically driven public health strategies to address youth suicide. We discuss unique features of the cross-Hub work, including: (a) long-standing Community-Based Participatory Research processes that led to the Hubs’ innovative designs and novel approaches to suicide prevention and evaluation, (b) comprehensive ecological theoretical approaches that contextualize individual risk and protective factors in multilevel social contexts; (c) unique task-shifting and systems of care approaches to increase reach and impact on youth suicide in low-resource settings; and (d) prioritization of strengths-based approaches. The work of the Collaborative Hubs for AIAN youth suicide prevention is generating specific and substantive implications for practice, policy, and research presented in this article at a time when youth suicide prevention is a dire national priority. Approaches also have relevance for historically marginalized communities worldwide.
Fractured Sealing Rings in a Fenestrated Anaconda Stent-Graft
Authors: Patel Shaneel , Ninkovic-Hall George , McWilliams Richard , Neequaye Simon
Published: March 2023

An 81 year-old man presented with an asymptomatic juxtrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and was subsequently treated with a fenestrated endovascular Anaconda stent-graft. Surveillance imaging within the first postoperative year demonstrated a lower proximal sealing ring fracture. In the second postoperative surveillance year, the upper proximal sealing ring was also fractured with extension of the wire into the right paravertebral space. Despite these sealing ring fractures, there were no endoleak nor visceral stent complications and the patient continued on standard surveillance protocols. There are an increasing number of reports of fractured proximal sealing rings with the fenestrated Anaconda platform. Those analysing the surveillance scans of patients treated with this device should stay vigilant for the development of this complication.
Globalizing the City Creative
Authors: Schalliol David , Carriere Michael
Published: March 2023

DIY activists creating change in communities around the world.
Nigerian Intermarriage: Making Black Diversity Visible
Authors: Okigbo Karen Amaka
Published: March 2023

Karen Amaka Okigbo on making Black diversity visible.
Working from Home: Before and After the Pandemic
Authors: Silver Hilary
Published: March 2023

Hilary Silver on pandemic trends.
Biological flow of thermally intense cilia generated motion of non-Newtonian fluid in a curved channel
Authors: Shakib Arslan Muhammad , Abbas Zaheer , Rafiq Muhammad Yousuf
Published: March 2023

The energy loss during the beating cilia phenomenon in the human stomach causing acidity in the blood flow under certain conditions has been a serious topic in the modern medical field. Therefore, the current study intends to exhibit a theoretical analysis of mixed convective transport of non-Newtonian Casson fluid observed by ciliary motion walls in the curved channel. The flow of constitutive equations is used to modify in curvilinear coordinates into a wave frame for two-dimensional flow due to the complication of the flow regime. The attributes of biological ciliary approximation are revealed through the control of viscous and inertial impacts utilizing the long-wavelength assumption and obtained the analytical closed form solutions for the normalized equations. The impacts of physical parameters on the velocity profile and heat flow phenomena are discussed. It is observed that the flow velocity, the momentum bolus and the trapped bolus are reduced in the cilia transport channel by enhancing the channel curvature. A validity of admirable comparison is also noticed with previously results.
The Perceived Support From Light and Color Before and After an Evidence-Based Design Intervention in an Emergency Department Environment: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Lindahl Jeanette , Thulesius Hans , Wijk Helle , Edvardsson David , Elmqvist Carina
Published: March 2023

Aim:

To evaluate patients’ and family members’ perceived support from light and color before, compared with after an evidence-based design (EBD) intervention at an emergency department (ED) using a validated instrument—the Light and Color Questionnaire (LCQ).

Background:

EDs offer acute care day and night. Thus, a supportive physical environment where light and color is crucial for how the milieu is experienced is vital. Research is limited on how care settings are perceived as supportive by users.

Methods:

Quasi-experimental evaluation of the refurbishing and remodeling of an ED by an expert group of nurse managers, nursing staff, nursing researchers and architects in south Sweden. LCQ includes dimensions “maximizing awareness and orientation,” “maximizing safety and security,” “supporting functional abilities,” “providing privacy,” “opportunities for personal control” (not for LCQ-Color), and “regulation and quality of stimulation.” LCQ was analyzed and compared in 400 surveys from 100 patients and 100 family members before the intervention and 100 patients and 100 family members after the intervention.

Results:

The LCQ total score significantly improved after the intervention for both patients and family members. Four of the six dimensions of LCQ Light subscale scores were significantly higher for family members, and three of the six dimensions were significantly higher for patients after the intervention. The LCQ Color subscale score showed significant improvements for all five dimensions for both patients and family members after the intervention.

Conclusion:

This study showed improved perceived support from light and color in the physical environment for patients and family members after an EBD intervention at an emergency department using a validated instrument—the Light and Color Questionnaire.
Geographies of nationalism
Authors: Koch Natalie
Published: March 2023

This review article considers recent scholarship on the geographies of nationalism by focusing on three key binaries that have defined the field of nationalism studies: inclusive/exclusive (geographies of community), love/hate (geographies of emotion), and past/future (geographies of time). It argues that asking who participates in constructing such conceptual dualisms, geographers can offer important insights about how nationalist discourses underpin contemporary practices of governing ourselves and others as political subjects—and their multifarious spatial dimensions. Geographers are well positioned to investigate the drawing of conceptual boundaries as political acts, with real effects in the world, rather than intellectually “wrong.” As such, this article calls for nationalism scholars not to outright reject binaries, but to take them seriously as a way to open up broader questions about the geographies of nationalism that all subjects of today's state system must confront.
COVID-19 topics and emotional frames in vaccine hesitation: A social media text and sentiment analysis
Authors: Sussman Kristen L. , Bouchacourt Lindsay , Bright Laura F. , Wilcox Gary B. , Mackert Michael , Norwood Aliza Steinberg , Allport Altillo Brandon Shaun
Published: March 2023

Objective

Addressing gaps in COVID-19 vaccine-hesitancy research, the current study aimed to add depth and nuance to the exploratory research examining vaccine-hesitant groups. Using a larger, but more focused conversation occurring on social media, the results can be used by health communicators to frame emotionally resonant messaging to improve COVID-19 vaccine advocacy while also mitigating negative concerns for vaccine-hesitant individuals.

Methods

Social media mentions were collected using a social media listening software, Brandwatch, to examine topics and sentiments in COVID-19 hesitancy discourse during a period of September 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. The results from this query included publicly available mentions on two popular social media sites, Twitter and Reddit. The dataset of 14,901 global, English language messages were analyzed using a computer-assisted process in SAS text-mining and Brandwatch software. The data revealed eight unique topics before being analyzed by sentiment.

Results

Among the COVID-19 hesitancy data, trust-related topics emerged that included declining vaccine acceptance, a parallel pandemic of distrust, and a call for politicians to let the scientific process work, among others. Positive sentiment revealed interest in the sources which included healthcare professionals, doctors, and government organizations. Pfizer was found to elicit both positive and negative emotions in the vaccine-hesitancy data. The negative sentiment tended to dominate the hesitancy conversation, accelerating once vaccines hit the market.

Conclusions

Relevant topics were identified to help support targeted communication, strategically accelerate vaccine acceptance, and mitigate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the public. Strategic methods of online and offline messaging tactics are suggested to reach diverse, malleable populations of interest. Topics of personal anecdotes of safety, effectiveness, and recommendations among families are identified as persuasive communication opportunities.
Regionalization or Access to Care? A Joint Pediatric Heart Care Program That Achieves Both: One Program-Two Sites
Authors: Katz David A. , Mohan Shaun , Bacon Matthew , McGovern Eimear , Wallen W Jack , Preston Geneva M. , Schneider Douglas , Bezold Louis , Day Scottie , Redington Andrew N. , Quintessenza James , Backer Carl L.
Published: March 2023

Background: Regionalization of care for children with congenital heart disease has been proposed as a method to improve outcomes. This has raised concerns about limiting access to care. We present the details of a joint pediatric heart care program (JPHCP) which utilized regionalization and actually improved access to care. Methods: In 2017, Kentucky Children's Hospital (KCH) launched the JPHCP with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). This unique satellite model was the product of several years of planning, leading to a comprehensive strategy with shared personnel, conferences, and a robust transfer system; “one program-two sites.” Results: Between March 2017 and the end of June 2022, 355 operations were performed at KCH under the auspices of the JPHCP. As of the most recent published Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) outcome report (through the end of June 2021), for all STAT categories, the JPHCP at KCH outperformed the STS overall in postoperative length of stay, and the mortality rate was lower than expected for the case mix. Of the 355 operations, there were 131 STAT 1, 148 STAT 2, 40 STAT 3, and 36 STAT 4 operations, with two operative mortalities: an adult undergoing surgery for Ebstein anomaly, and a premature infant who died from severe lung disease many months after aortopexy. Conclusions: With a select case mix, and by affiliating with a large volume congenital heart center, the creation of the JPHCP at KCH was able to achieve excellent congenital heart surgery results. Importantly, access to care was improved for those children at the more remote location utilizing this one program-two sites model.
Congenital Mitral Regurgitation Repair Based on Carpentier's Classification: Long-Term Outcomes
Authors: Miwa Koji , Iwai Shigemitsu , Kanaya Tomomitsu , Kawai Shota
Published: March 2023

Background

There are few reports of the outcomes of standardized surgical management addressing the etiologic and morphologic aspects of mitral valve malformation according to Carpentier's classification. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of mitral valve repair in children according to Carpentier's classification.

Methods

Patients who underwent mitral valve repair at our institution between 2000 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative data, surgical techniques, and outcomes were analyzed according to Carpentier's classification. The proportion of patients free of mitral valve replacement and reoperation was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Results

Twenty-three patients (median operative age, four months) were followed up for 10 (range, 2-21) years. Preoperative mitral regurgitation was severe in 12 patients and moderate in 11 patients. Eight, five, seven, and three patients had Carpentier's type 1, 2, 3, and 4 lesions, respectively. Ventricular septal defect (N = 9) and double outlet of the great arteries from the right ventricle (N = 3) were the most commonly associated cardiac malformations. There were no cases of operative mortality or deaths during the follow-up. The overall five-year rate of freedom from mitral valve replacement was 91%, whereas the five-year rates of freedom from reoperation were 74%, 80%, 71%, and 67% in type 1, 2, 3, and 4 lesions, respectively. Postoperative mitral regurgitation at the last follow-up was moderate in three patients and less than mild in 20 patients.

Conclusions

Current surgical management of congenital mitral regurgitation is generally considered adequate; however, more complicated cases required a combination of various surgical techniques.
A Whole Spine MRI Based Study of the Prevalence, Associated Disc Degeneration and Anatomical Correlations of Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebra
Authors: Bhagchandani Chintan , Murugan Chandhan , Jakkepally Sridhar , Shetty Ajoy Prasad , Kanna Rishi Mugesh , Rajasekaran Shanmuganathan
Published: March 2023

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective

Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) results in numerical alterations of the lumbar and sacral segments. Literature concerning true prevalence, associated disc degeneration, and variation in numerous anatomical landmarks concerning LSTV is lacking.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study. The prevalence of LSTV was determined in whole spine MRIs of 2011 poly-trauma patients. LSTV was identified as sacralization (LSTV-S) or lumbarization (LSTV-L) and further sub-classified into Castellvi’s and O’Driscoll’s type respectively. Disc degeneration was evaluated using Pfirmann grading. Variation in important anatomical landmarks was also analysed.

Results

Prevalence of LSTV was 11.6% with 82% having LSTV-S. Castellvi’s type 2A and O’Driscoll type 4 were the commonest sub-types. LSTV patients demonstrated considerably advanced disc degeneration. The median termination level of conus medullaris (TLCM) in non- LSTV and LSTV-L groups was at middle L1 (48.1% and 40.2%) while in the LSTV-S group, it was at upper L1 (47.2%). The median level of right renal artery (RRA) in non- LSTV patients was at middle L1 in 40.0% of individuals while in the LSTV-L and LSTV-S groups, it was at upper L1 level in 35.2% and 56.2% respectively. The median level of abdominal aortic bifurcation (AA) in non-LSTV and LSTV-S patients was at middle L4 in 83.3% and 52.04% respectively. However, in the LSTV-L group, the most common level was middle L5 (53.6%).

Conclusion

The overall prevalence of LSTV was 11.6%, with sacralization accounting for more than 80%. LSTV is associated with disc degeneration and a variation in the levels of important anatomical landmarks.
Determinants of the Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccine in Lima-Peru: Path Analysis and Structural Regression
Authors: Hervias-Guerra Edmundo , Capa-Luque Walter , Bazán-Ramírez Aldo , Cossío-Reynaga Marina
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Research on the effects of COVID-19 has shown that a favorable attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine would help reduce the pandemic's sequelae and avoid lethal variants.

Objective

A theoretical model was tested through the strategy of path analysis and structural equation modeling, seeking to evaluate the direct effect of neuroticism and the indirect effects of risk-avoidance and rule-following behaviors, mediated by attitudes toward science.

Methods

A total of 459 adults, mostly women (61%), mean age 28.51 ( SD = 10.36), living in Lima (Peru), participated. The scales of neuroticism, risk avoidance behavior (RAB), norm following (NF), attitudes toward science, and attitudes toward vaccination were administered.

Results

The path analysis explained 36% of the variance in vaccine attitude, whereas the latent structural regression model achieved a 54% explanation; according to this model attitude toward science ( β=.70, p < .01) and neuroticism ( β=-.16, p < .01) are significant predictors of vaccine attitude. Likewise, risk avoidance behavior and rule-following have indirect effects on attitudes toward vaccination.

Conclusion

Low neuroticism and a positive attitude toward the science that mediates the effects of RAB and NF directly condition the possibility of vaccination against COVID-19 in the adult population.
Integrated analysis identifies oxidative stress-related lncRNAs associated with progression and prognosis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Chen Rui , Wei Jun-Min
Published: March 2023

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Oxidative stress reactions have been reportedly associated with oncogenesis and tumor progression. By analyzing mRNA expression data and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we aimed to construct an oxidative stress-related long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) risk model and identify oxidative stress-related biomarkers to improve the prognosis and treatment of CRC.

Results

Differentially expressed oxidative stress-related genes (DEOSGs) and oxidative stress-related lncRNAs were identified by using bioinformatics tools. An oxidative stress-related lncRNA risk model was constructed based on 9 lncRNAs (AC034213.1, AC008124.1, LINC01836, USP30-AS1, AP003555.1, AC083906.3, AC008494.3, AC009549.1, and AP006621.3) by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis. The patients were then divided into high- and low-risk groups based on the median risk score. The high-risk group had a significantly worse overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves displayed the favorable predictive performance of the risk model. The nomogram successfully quantified the contribution of each metric to survival, and the concordance index and calibration plots demonstrated its excellent predictive capacity. Notably, different risk subgroups showed significant differences in terms of their metabolic activity, mutation landscape, immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity. Specifically, differences in the immune microenvironment implied that CRC patients in certain subgroups might be more responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Conclusions

Oxidative stress-related lncRNAs can predict the prognosis of CRC patients, which provides new insight for future immunotherapies based on potential oxidative stress targets.
RPL11 promotes non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell autophagy
Authors: Chen Jie , Lei Changda , Zhang Huahua , Huang Xiaoyong , Yang Yang , Liu Junli , Jia Yuna , Shi Haiyan , Zhang Yunqing , Zhang Jing , Du Juan
Published: March 2023

Background

Abnormal biogenesis and ribosome free function of ribosomal proteins (RPs) is important for tumorgenesis and development. Ribosomal protein L11 (RPL11) is a component of ribosomal 60 S large subunit with different roles in different cancers. Here, we aimed to unravel the role of RPL11 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially those affecting cell proliferation.

Methods

RPL11 expression in NCI-H1650, NCI-H1299, A549 and HCC827 and normal lung bronchial epithelial cells HBE was detected using western blotting. The function of RPL11 in NSCLC cells were determined by investigating cell viablity, colony formation and cell migration. Mechanism expoloration of RPL11 effect on NSCLC cells proliferation was explored using flow cytometry, and the effect on autophagy was investigated by the additon of autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) inhibitor tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA).

Results

RPL11 was highly expressed in NSCLC cells. Extopic expression of RPL11 promoted NCI-H1299 and A549 cells proliferation, and migration, and promoted the transition from the G1 phase to the S phase of the cell cycle. Small RNA interference of RPL11 (siRNA) suppressed NCI-H1299 and A549 cells proliferation and migration and arrested the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase. Moreover, RPL11 promoted NSCLC cell proliferation by modulating autophagy and ERS. Expression levels of autophagy and ERS markers were induced by RPL11 overexpression and inhibited by siRPL11. CQ partially suppressed RPL11-induced A549 and NCI-H1299 proliferation: CQ addition reduced RPL11-induced cells viability and clone numbers and reversed the cell cycle process. ERS inhibitor (TUDCA) partially reversed RPL11-induced autophagy.

Conclusion

Taken together, RPL11 has a tumor-promoting role in NSCLC. It promotes the cell proliferation of NSCLC cells by regulating ERS and autophagy.
The effect of combining nutrient intake and physical activity levels on central obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity: a population-based cross-sectional study in South Korea
Authors: Park Jong Eun , Lee Seulgi , Kim Kirang
Published: March 2023

Background

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of combining nutritional and physical activity (PA) factors on four different categories, according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia and central obesity.

Methods

From the 2008–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2971 older adults aged ≥ 65 years were included and divided into four groups based on their sarcopenia and central obesity status: healthy control (39.3%), central obesity (28.9%), sarcopenia (27.4%), and sarcopenic obesity (4.4%). Central obesity was defined as a waist circumference of ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 85 cm in women. Sarcopenia was defined as an appendicular skeletal mass index of < 7.0 kg/m2in men and < 5.4 kg/m2in women, and sarcopenic obesity was defined as the coexistence of sarcopenia and central obesity.

Results

Participants who consumed more energy and protein than the average requirement had a lower likelihood of having sarcopenia (odds ratio (OR): 0.601, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.444–0.814) than those who did not consume enough nutrients. The likelihood of central obesity and sarcopenic obesity decreased in groups with recommended PA levels, regardless of whether energy intake met or did not meet the average requirement. Whether PA met or did not meet the recommended level, the likelihood of sarcopenia decreased in groups with energy intake that met the average requirement. However, when PA and energy requirements were met, there was a greater reduction in the likelihood of sarcopenia (OR: 0.436, 95% CI: 0.290–0.655).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that adequate energy intake that meets requirements is more likely to be effective as a major prevention and treatment goal for sarcopenia, whereas PA guidelines should be prioritized in the case of sarcopenic obesity.
Effects of 12-week Tai Chi program on physical function, depression, and quality of life among cognitively impaired older adults: a feasibility study
Authors: Oh Hyunkyoung , Song Rhayun , Kim Seon Joo
Published: March 2023

Background

Older adults with cognitive decline need physical activity for maintaining brain health and mitigating cognitive decline. Tai Chi is a safe and gentle aerobic exercise and has been recommended for people with various health conditions to improve their physical functioning, well-being, and quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to determine the feasibility of a 12-week program of Tai Chi for memory (TCM) among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia; and to determine the pilot effects of TCM on physical functioning, depression, and health-related QoL.

Methods

A quasi-experimental design was used with two groups: MCI and dementia. The feasibility of the 12-week TCM program was assessed after it finished in terms of its acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration, expansion, and limited-efficacy testing. Other health-related outcomes, physical functioning, depression, and health-related QoL were measured before and after the TCM program. Outcome measures consist of a digital hand dynamometer for grip strength, the standard sit-and-reach test, the one-leg-standing balance test, timed up and go (TUG) test, the Korean version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the 12-item Short Form survey (SF-12). Paired and independent t-tests were used to compare the effects of TCM within and between groups.

Results

The TCM program was completed by 41 participants with MCI (n = 21) or dementia (n = 20), and its accepted feasibility was assessed. After TCM, the MCI group exhibited significant enhancements in right-hand grip strength (t = − 2.13, p = .04) and physical-health-related QoL (t = − 2.27, p = .03). TUG scores improved in both groups (MCI, t = 3.96 p = .001; dementia, t = 2.54 p = .02). The adopted form of the TCM program was effectively and safely applied to those with various levels of cognitive impairment. The program was well accepted by the participants with a mean attendance rate of 87%. No adverse events were reported during the program.

Conclusion

TCM has the potential to improve physical functioning and QoL. Since there was no comparison group to control for confounding factors and low statistical power in the present study, further studies are warranted with a stronger design that includes longer follow-up periods. This protocol was retrospectively registered on Dec 1, 2022 (NCT05629650) at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Differences in autonomic nervous system activity between long-acting injectable aripiprazole and oral aripiprazole in schizophrenia
Authors: Hattori Saki , Suda Akira , Kishida Ikuko , Miyauchi Masatoshi , Shiraishi Yohko , Noguchi Nobuhiko , Furuno Taku , Asami Takeshi , Fujibayashi Mami , Tsujita Natsuki , Ishii Chie , Ishii Norio , Saeki Takashi , Fukushima Tadashi , Moritani Toshio , Saigusa Yusuke , Hishimoto Akitoyo
Published: March 2023

Background

Distinct oral atypical antipsychotics have different effects on autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. Among them, oral aripiprazole has been linked to dysfunction of the ANS in schizophrenia. Long-acting injectable aripiprazole is a major treatment option for schizophrenia, but the effect of the aripiprazole formulation on ANS activity remains unclear. In this study, we compared ANS activity between oral aripiprazole and aripiprazole once-monthly (AOM) in schizophrenia.

Methods

Of the 122 patients with schizophrenia who participated in this study, 72 received oral aripiprazole and 50 received AOM as monotherapy. We used power spectral analysis of heart rate variability to assess ANS activity.

Results

Patients who received oral aripiprazole showed significantly diminished sympathetic nervous activity compared with those who received AOM. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the aripiprazole formulation significantly influenced sympathetic nervous activity.

Conclusion

Compared with oral aripiprazole, AOM appears to have fewer adverse effects, such as sympathetic nervous dysfunction.
Prevalence and risk factors of anxious and depressive symptoms in first-trimester females and their partners: a study during the pandemic era of COVID-19 in China
Authors: Qin Xuemei , Zhang Weiling , Xu Shuyin , Ma Mohan , Fan Xing , Nie Xueqing , Liu Jin , Ju Yumeng , Zhang Li , Li Lingjiang , Zhang Yan , Liu Bangshan
Published: March 2023

Background

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 lastingly affects public mental health. Many studies have described symptoms of anxiety and depression in pregnant women before the pandemic. However, the limited study focuses on the prevalence and risk factors of mood symptoms among first-trimester females and their partners during the pandemic in China, which was the aim of the study.

Methods

One hundred and sixty-nine first-trimester couples were enrolled. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item, Family Assessment Device-General Functioning (FAD-GF), and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) were applied. Data were mainly analyzed through logistic regression analysis.

Results

17.75% and 5.92% of first-trimester females had depressive and anxious symptoms, respectively. Among partners, 11.83% and 9.47% had depressive and anxious symptoms, respectively. In females, higher scores of FAD-GF (OR = 5.46 and 13.09; P < 0.05) and lower scores of Q-LES-Q-SF (OR = 0.83 and 0.70; P < 0.01) were related to the risk of depressive and anxious symptoms. Higher scores of FAD-GF were associated with the risk of depressive and anxious symptoms in partners (OR = 3.95 and 6.89; P < 0.05). A history of smoking was also related to males’ depressive symptoms (OR = 4.49; P < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study prompted prominent mood symptoms during the pandemic. Family functioning, quality of life, and smoking history increased risks of mood symptoms among early pregnant families, which facilitated the updating of medical intervention. However, the current study did not explore interventions based on these findings.
Spatial associations of long-term exposure to diesel particulate matter with seasonal and annual mortality due to COVID-19 in the contiguous United States
Authors: Mathieu Martine Elisabeth , Gray Joshua , Richmond-Bryant Jennifer
Published: March 2023

Background

People with certain underlying respiratory and cardiovascular conditions might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) exposure may affect the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems. The study aims to assess if DPM was spatially associated with COVID-19 mortality rates across three waves of the disease and throughout 2020.

Methods

We tested an ordinary least squares (OLS) model, then two global models, a spatial lag model (SLM) and a spatial error model (SEM) designed to explore spatial dependence, and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model designed to explore local associations between COVID-19 mortality rates and DPM exposure, using data from the 2018 AirToxScreen database.

Results

The GWR model found that associations between COVID-19 mortality rate and DPM concentrations may increase up to 77 deaths per 100,000 people in some US counties for every interquartile range (0.21 μg/m3) increase in DPM concentration. Significant positive associations between mortality rate and DPM were observed in New York, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and western Connecticut for the wave from January to May, and in southern Florida and southern Texas for June to September. The period from October to December exhibited a negative association in most parts of the US, which seems to have influenced the year-long relationship due to the large number of deaths during that wave of the disease.

Conclusions

Our models provided a picture in which long-term DPM exposure may have influenced COVID-19 mortality during the early stages of the disease. That influence appears to have waned over time as transmission patterns evolved.