bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Buccal transposition flap for closure of maxillary lip defects in 5 dogs
Authors: Hildebrandt Isabella M. , Skinner Owen T. , Souza Carlos H. de M. , Karnia James J. , Reeves Lauren A. , Mickelson Megan A.
Published: November 2022

Objective

To describe the technique and outcomes of the closure of maxillary lip defects using a buccal transposition flap and to identify potential routes of vascular supply to the flap.

Animals

Five dogs treated clinically and 1 cadaveric dog head.

Study design

Short case series and cadaveric study.

Methods

A left maxillary labial defect and a buccal transposition flap were created on a cadaver head. Iodinated contrast was injected into the left common carotid artery and computed tomography was performed to assess the vascular supply. Medical records were reviewed for all dogs that underwent tumor excision with maxillary lip resection, reconstructed with a buccal transposition flap.

Results

The buccal transposition flap was perfused by branches of the angularis oris artery and superior labial artery. Five dogs were included in this study. All flaps survived. Three dogs developed postoperative complications, including oronasal fistula (n = 2) and partial flap dehiscence (n = 1). The cosmetic and functional outcomes were considered satisfactory in all cases.

Conclusion

Buccal transposition flaps for the closure of large maxillary lip defects provided adequate functional and cosmetic outcomes. The buccal transposition flap had vascular contributions from the angularis oris artery and the superior labial artery.
Efficacy of an Audio-Based Biofeedback Intervention to Modify Running Gait in Female Runners
Authors: Augustine Jacqueline A. , Rothstein Sarah , True Larissa , Dames Kevin D.
Published: November 2022

Context: A variety of gait retraining interventions are available to modify running mechanics associated with musculoskeletal injuries. These often require specialized equipment and/or personnel to prompt the runner toward specific strategies. Objective: To determine whether instructing female recreational runners to “run quietly” could decrease impact force characteristics. Design: Cohort. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: Fifteen healthy female recreational runners (24 [7] y) volunteered. Interventions: Baseline testing occurred on day 1 (baseline), a posttraining assessment occurred on day 2 (training), and a final assessment occurred 1 week after training on day 3 (follow-up). A smartphone decibel measuring app was used to provide biofeedback on the decibel level of foot strike on day 2 (training). Main Outcomes: Peak vertical force, impact transient, peak and average vertical loading rate, ground contact time, and running economy were collected on each day and compared via repeated-measures analyses of variance. Results: Vertical ground reaction force was lower at follow-up (2.30 bodyweights [BW]) versus baseline (2.39 BW, P = .023) and training (2.34 BW, P = .047). Maximal loading rate decreased from baseline (69.70 BW·s−1) to training (62.24 BW·s−1, P = .021) and follow-up (60.35 BW·s−1, P = .031). There was no change in running economy. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that simple instructions to “run quietly” can yield immediate and sustained reductions in impact force profiles, which do not influence running economy.
Superconductivity in a Dilute Array of Sites with Strong Onsite Electron Attraction
Authors: Zyuzin A. Yu.
Published: November 2022

Superconductivity in a conducting material with a dilute array negative-U sites with strong electron−electron attraction is studied. It is shown that at the attraction exceeding a certain threshold value, Cooper pairs arise at the sites. At low temperatures, a global coherent superconducting state emerges due to the intersite Andreev scattering. The dependences of the superconducting transition temperature and of the second critical magnetic field on the magnitude of attraction are calculated.
Prediction of Heart Disease Using a Hybrid XGBoost-GA Algorithm with Principal Component Analysis: A Real Case Study
Authors: Ozcan Tuncay , Ozmen Ebru Pekel
Published: November 2022

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common causes of death in the world. At this point, early diagnosis of heart diseases is critically important. The aim of this study is to predict the heart disease using feature selection, classification and optimization algorithms. Firstly, principal component analysis (PCA) is used to create the feature selection model and to determine the effective attributes. Then, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classification model is proposed to predict the heart disease. Finally, genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to optimize the parameters of XGBoost to improve the classification accuracy. The developed hybrid PCA-XGBoost-GA approach is compared with XGBoost, PCA-XGBoost, XGBoost-GA, artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM). The effectiveness of these approaches is illustrated with a case study with the actual data taken from a university hospital in Turkey. The numerical results show that the proposed PCA-XGBoost-GA model outperforms the other classification models in terms of accuracy rate, recall, precision and F-measure. Moreover, feature selection and parameter optimization improve the classification performance of the XGBoost model.
Benefit Evaluation of Preventive Maintenance of Highway Bridges Based on Fuzzy Neural Network
Authors: Zou Yiquan , Fang Jialin , Liu Zedong
Published: November 2022

Aiming at the deficiencies in the existing bridge preventive maintenance evaluation, this paper constructs a concrete bridge preventive maintenance benefit evaluation index system based on the common preventive maintenance methods of concrete bridges. The comprehensive evaluation vector is used as the training data of the neural network to construct a preventive maintenance benefit evaluation model of concrete bridges based on a fuzzy neural network, and use the model to evaluate the maintenance benefit of specific construction cases. The results show that the model has high accuracy and practicability for the evaluation of preventive maintenance benefits of concrete bridges.
Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Surface Proteins Polymorphisms and Treatment Outcomes among Patients with Uncomplicated Malaria in Mwanza, Tanzania
Authors: Marwa Karol J. , Lyimo Eric , Konje Eveline T. , Kapesa Anthony , Kamugisha Erasmus , Swedberg Göte
Published: November 2022

Background. The severity of malaria infection depends on the host, parasite and environmental factors. Merozoite surface protein (msp) diversity determines transmission dynamics, P. falciparum immunity evasion, and pathogenesis or virulence. There is limited updated information on P. falciparum msp polymorphisms and their impact on artemether-lumefantrine treatment outcomes in Tanzania. Therefore, this study is aimed at examining msp genetic diversity and multiplicity of infection (MOI) among P. falciparum malaria patients. The influence of MOI on peripheral parasite clearance and adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was also assessed. Methods. Parasite DNA was extracted from dried blood spots according to the manufacture’s protocol. Primary and nested PCR were performed. The PCR products for both the block 2 region of msp1 and the block 3 regions of msp2 genes and their specific allelic families were visualized on a 2.5% agarose gel. Results. The majority of the isolates, 58/102 (58.8%) for msp1 and 69/115 (60.1%) for msp2, harboured more than one parasite genotypes. For the msp1 gene, K1 was the predominant allele observed (75.64%), whereas RO33 occurred at the lowest frequency (43.6%). For the msp2 gene, the 3D7 allele was observed at a higher frequency (81.7%) than the FC27 allele (76.9%). The MOIs were 2.44 for msp1 and 2.27 for msp2 (

p
=
0.669

). A significant correlation between age and multiplicity of infection (MOI) for msp1 or MOI for msp2 was not established in this study (rho = 0.074,

p
=
0.521

and rho = −0.129,

p
=
0.261

, respectively). Similarly, there was no positive correlation between parasite density at day 1 and MOI for both msp1 (rho = 0.113,

p
=
0.244

) and msp2 (rho = 0.043,

p
=
0.712

). The association between MOI and ACPR was not observed for either msp1 or mps2 (

p
=
0.776

and 0.296, respectively). Conclusions. This study reports high polyclonal infections, MOI and allelic frequencies for both msp1 and msp2. There was a lack of correlation between MOI and ACPR. However, a borderline significant correlation was observed between day 2 parasitaemia and MOI.
Design Improvement of a BWB Aerodynamic Performance at Cruise and Take-Off Speeds
Authors: Yu Gang , Duan Yuling
Published: November 2022

As a high-performance aircraft, BWB (blended wing body) has attracted the attention of many countries around the world. A 300-seat BWB design is proposed by the Airplane Concept Design Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, which is also called SWB. The aerodynamic performance of it is evaluated by CFD (computational fluid dynamics). The CFD calculation method is based on RANS (Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes), and it is verified by wind tunnel test results at take-off speed. However, the aerodynamic design of the SWB needs to be improved to meet the market demand to increase its cruise Mach number from 0.8 to 0.85. To achieve this goal, firstly, based on the previous calculation and analysis results, the basic shape of SWB is improved by using “aft-body extending” technology and discrete adjoint optimization method. Then, the winglets are applied to the improved basic shape to improve its cruise speed aerodynamic performance, and the Krueger flaps are applied as its high-lift device to improve its take-off and landing aerodynamic performance. The CFD calculation and wind tunnel test results show that these improvements make SWB-2 have a good aerodynamic performance at the Mach number of 0.85. Therefore, these design improvements are appropriate and effective for improving the aerodynamic performance of BWB.
Physical, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties and Characterization of Natural Fiber Composites Reinforced Poly(Lactic Acid): Miswak (Salvadora Persica L.) Fibers
Authors: Nur Diyana A. F. , Khalina A. , Sapuan M. S. , Lee C. H. , Aisyah H. A. , Nurazzi M. N. , Ayu R. S.
Published: November 2022

7000 years ago, miswak fiber (MF) was used as a toothbrush for oral care. However, since the emergence of plastic materials, it monopolized the oral care industry. The increment of plastic products also promotes accumulation of plastic wastes after its disposal. Thus, many researchers have turn to biodegradable products to reduce this problem. The aim of this study is to investigate the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of MF as reinforcement in composites that are suitable to replace the toothbrush materials. The MF was reinforced in PLA composite with different weight percentage (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) and undergoes several types of testing. The chemical results show that there were high presence of cellulose in the fiber which could act as medium to transfer stress load equally from fiber to matrix. However, the results show low cellulosic contents in MF that affects the poor interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix. Physical properties shows a positive indication to be used as a toothbrush handle. As the fiber content increases, the density also increased. SEM micrographic illustrated the presence of voids as the cause for reduction in mechanical properties of composites. The mechanical results show the proposed material is comparable to the materials used in commercial applications. As for the thermal result, the TGA test melting point of the proposed composite material was comparable to the pure PLA, which means the proposed material can use similar processing temperature as PLA. DSC shows that Tg of PLA/MF composite is found to be similar to Tg in loss modulus of composites. DMA finding found that PLA/MF30 have the highest storage modulus 2062 MPa and the lowest tan δ 0.6 among PLA/MF composites. This concludes that there is a possibility of using these materials as an alternative in composites and increase the fiber strength by using pretreatments and/or compatibilizer.
Actitudes lingüísticas en el ámbito hispanohablante chileno. Revisión Sistemática de la Literatura (RSL)
Authors: Falorni Silvia
Published: November 2022

En este artículo se presentan los resultados de una Revisión Sistemática de la Literatura de los estudios de actitudes lingüísticas en el ámbito hispanohablante chileno, realizados entre 2010 y 2020, con el afán de determinar los temas tratados, las metodologías, los resultados de los estudios, y si existe algún vacío en la literatura. La revisión se ha hecho en las bases de datos WoS, Scopus y SciELO a través del descriptor Linguistic attitudes y ha generado un total de 12 artículos. Se concluye que la mayoría de los estudios se ha llevado a cabo en Santiago y con técnica directa; además, se plantean algunos temas que no han sido abordados y que podría ser interesante averiguar, como las actitudes hacia el lenguaje no sexista.
Progressive Interpretation Synthesis: Interpreting Task Solving by Quantifying Previously Used and Unused Information
Authors: He Zhengqi , Toyoizumi Taro
Published: November 2022

A deep neural network is a good task solver, but it is difficult to make sense of its operation. People have different ideas about how to interpret its operation. We look at this problem from a new perspective where the interpretation of task solving is synthesized by quantifying how much and what previously unused information is exploited in addition to the information used to solve previous tasks. First, after learning several tasks, the network acquires several information partitions related to each task. We propose that the network then learns the minimal information partition that supplements previously learned information partitions to more accurately represent the input. This extra partition is associated with unconceptualized information that has not been used in previous tasks. We manage to identify what unconceptualized information is used and quantify the amount. To interpret how the network solves a new task, we quantify as meta-information how much information from each partition is extracted. We implement this framework with the variational information bottleneck technique. We test the framework with the MNIST and the CLEVR data set. The framework is shown to be able to compose information partitions and synthesize experience-dependent interpretation in the form of meta-information. This system progressively improves the resolution of interpretation upon new experience by converting a part of the unconceptualized information partition to a task-related partition. It can also provide a visual interpretation by imaging what is the part of previously unconceptualized information that is needed to solve a new task.
Which Patients Receive Diagnostic Angiography? An EAST Multicenter Study Analysis of Internal Carotid Artery Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury
Authors: Ardeshna Sohil , Esposito Emily , Spalding Chance , Dunn Julie , Nahmias Jeffry , Grigorian Areg , Harmon Laura , Gergen Anna , Young Andrew , Pascual Jose , Murry Jason , Ong Adrian , Appelbaum Rachel , Bugaev Nikolay , Tatar Antony , Zreik Khaled , Scalea Thomas M. , Stein Deborah , Lauerman Margaret
Published: November 2022

Background

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the gold standard radiologic modality in blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI). However, computerized tomography angiography (CTA) is primarily used in modern practice with CTA’s widespread availability and the decreased stroke rate with CTA use. The frequency and indications for DSA in BCVI is undefined. We hypothesized that DSA use in internal carotid artery (ICA) BCVI would be infrequent and dependent on radiologic features.

Methods

This was a post hoc analysis of an EAST multicenter, prospective, observational trial of 16 trauma centers for stroke factors in BCVI. ICA BCVI was divided into those undergoing DSA and not undergoing DSA (no-DSA). Only ICA BCVI was included.

Results

332 ICA BCVI were included, 221 (66.6%) no-DSA and 111 (33.4%) DSA. Lower hospital trauma volume, non-urban environment, and non-academic status were associated with DSA use (all P ≤ .001). BCVI grade ( P = .02) and presence of luminal stenosis ( P = .005) were associated with DSA use while pseudoaneurysm presence was not. Median time to DSA was 1 hour. The most common indication for angiography was to determine the presence of injury in 71 (64%) ICA BCVI, followed by determining grade of injury in 16 (14.4%) and concerning imaging characteristics in 12 (10.8%). BCVI grade on initial imaging and on DSA were equivalent in 94 (84.7%) ICA BCVI.

Discussion

DSA is frequently used in ICA BCVI, primarily early in the hospital course for injury diagnosis and grade determination. DSA appears primarily driven by hospital type, BCVI grade, and luminal stenosis.
An Exploration of the Subtypes of Male Youth Adjudicated for Sex Offenses: A Latent Class Analysis Based on Personal, Offense, and Victim Characteristics
Authors: Buker Hasan , Cohen Achraf , Erbay Ayhan
Published: November 2022

This study intended to explore possible variations among youth adjudicated for sexual offenses based on personal criminogenic factors, offense, and victim characteristics. Utilizing a data set collected from the juvenile court files in Turkey ( n = 460), the Latent Class Analysis revealed that the study sample included three different subgroups with distinct features: “non-delinquent, peer victim-targeting,” “non-delinquent, younger victim-targeting,” and “delinquent, versatile” youth adjudicated for sex offenses. The first two of these groups were similar in terms of having low levels of delinquency, while the third group included the lowest number of youth with significantly broad delinquent activity patterns. These findings were in line with the results of previous studies, and the implications were discussed for future research and policy development.
Social Support is a Balancing Act: Mitigating Attachment Anxiety by Supporting Independence and Dependence
Authors: Jakubiak Brett K , Fuentes Julian D , Sun Elina R , Feeney Brooke C
Published: November 2022

Due to the personal and relationship costs associated with attachment anxiety, there has been substantial interest in identifying factors that reduce attachment anxiety over time and buffer attachment anxiety in the moment. We integrated the Attachment Security Enhancement Model (ASEM) and the dependency paradox based in attachment theory to derive novel predictions about how perceived partner support predicts attachment anxiety prospectively (one year later) and concurrently. Newlyweds ( N = 326) reported their perceptions that their partners support their personal goals (i.e., perceived support for independence needs) and their perceptions that their partners provide reassurance/responsiveness (i.e., perceived support for dependence needs). We found that greater perceived support for personal goals predicted decreases in attachment anxiety over one year only among people who also perceived high partner reassurance/responsiveness, consistent with the idea that support for independence is most effective when partners also support dependence needs. We also observed evidence that this pattern was most pronounced among people with higher attachment anxiety. Regarding concurrent links, we found that perceiving greater partner reassurance/responsiveness predicted lower concurrent attachment anxiety, whereas perceived support for independent goals did not. Together, these findings extend the ASEM by highlighting that attachment anxiety declines over time when partners are perceived to support one’s needs for independence and dependence simultaneously.
Rape Myth Acceptance and Other Barriers to Formally Reporting Sexual Assault Among College Students With and Without Sexual Assault Histories
Authors: Lathan Emma C. , Koon-Magnin Sarah , Selwyn Candice N. , Isaak Hope , Langhinrichsen-Rohling Jennifer
Published: November 2022

Low rates of reporting sexual assault to law enforcement have been attributed to a culture of rape myth acceptance. Yet, rape myth acceptance rates and specific barriers to reporting have not been examined by sexual assault and reporting histories. This study compared the rape myth acceptance levels of reporting survivors, non-reporting survivors, and individuals without sexual assault histories. The sample consisted of 579 undergraduate students (68.0% White, 72.5% women) at a public university in the southeastern U.S. Differences in non-reporting survivors’ experienced barriers to reporting and the perceived barriers of those without sexual assault histories were also examined. Results indicate differences in rape myth endorsement by sexual assault and reporting status, with the highest rape myth adherence rates endorsed by individuals without a sexual assault history and the lowest endorsed by reporting survivors. While non-reporting survivors and those without sexual assault histories shared two of the top three barriers to reporting (i.e., wanted to avoid thinking or talking about it, did not want family or friends to find out), non-reporting survivors were more likely to endorse personal reasons for not reporting, and those without sexual assault histories were more likely to endorse concerns about the law enforcement response to rape. Several barrier factors were identified among non-reporting survivors (i.e., fear of law enforcement involvement, personal reasons, ambiguity of the event, responsibility) and among individuals without sexual assault histories (i.e., risks outweigh benefits, victim blaming, ambiguity). Although both survivors and individuals without sexual assault histories acknowledge the personal, social, and legal risks of reporting a sexual assault to law enforcement, survivors’ experienced barriers differed in nuanced ways from the presumed barriers of individuals without sexual assault histories. Findings may enhance sexual assault prevention trainings and awareness campaigns by targeting both rape myth beliefs and specific barriers to reporting of those with and without sexual assault histories.
Photodynamic therapy in the treatment of condyloma acuminata: A systematic review of clinical trials
Authors: Prayogo Stephanie Amabella , Andrew Hubert , Cong Stefanny , Intaran Kadek Devi Aninditha
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Condylomata acuminata (CA) is a sexually transmitted infection with a high prevalence associated with psychosexual morbidity in both men and women of various age. Up to now, treatment modalities yield low clearance and recurrence rate (RR) and are also deemed low quality evidence-wise. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel and promising therapy to effectively cure and prevent CA recurrence.

Method

This systematic review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and registered to the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO) (CRD42022332760).

Results

Ten studies were included in this systematic review. A significant value of complete response (CR) ranging from 63–100% in patients with genital warts after receiving several sessions of PDT. A relatively low recurrence rate was seen in all 10 studies, with an RR of less than 17%. Quality assessment of included studies reported mostly high-quality research.

Conclusions

PDT therapy resulted in a higher CR with significantly lower RR compared to other therapies. Thus, PDT can be an alternative treatment of CA with low RR and minimal side effects. Additional research, especially randomized clinical trials in various countries, is needed to further substantiate this treatment and formulate definitive protocols.
Blueprint for Social Work Blended Learning Curriculum in the Chinese Context
Authors: Chan T.M.S. , Yu H.W.C. , Bruce N. , Lam C.M.
Published: November 2022

Purpose: This study explored the conceptual framework and procedures of course design and then optimal evaluation tools for blended learning in social work education in the Chinese context. Method: Fifteen courses of five social work programs in Hong Kong are used to create a blueprint for blended learning in the social work curriculum in the Hong Kong Chinese context. Videos, virtual tours, online games, and an e-forum are components of the course design while pre-test and post-test multiple measurements are used for course evaluation. Parameters are provided for the blended learning blueprint and framework that integrate face-to-face instruction and virtual learning elements. Results: A prominent conceptual framework and important protocols in social work higher education in China is introduced. Discussion: The results of this study contribute to current understanding of the applicability and pedagogical aspects of blended learning in social work in the Chinese context, especially in the post-pandemic era.
Be(com)ing other-oriented: Mindfulness-trained leaders’ experiences of their enhanced social awareness
Authors: Urrila Laura Ilona , Mäkelä Liisa
Published: November 2022

The potential significance of mindfulness for social relations at work has been recognized in the recent management literature, yet a thorough investigation has been lacking into how mindfulness may help leaders tap into their other-orientation. In this study, we examine whether and how mindfulness training contributes to the development of leaders’ social awareness by studying the experiences of 62 leaders who participated in an 8-week-long mindfulness training program. Our study contributes to the literature on management learning and mindfulness in leadership in three ways. First, it identifies how the leaders who participated in mindfulness training see themselves developing toward becoming more socially aware in situations involving followers across the three interlinked domains of human functioning—the cognitive, affective, and behavioral—clarifying mindfulness as an interpersonal phenomenon. Second, it highlights mindfulness as a value-based developmental practice instead of merely a personal stress reduction and attention-enhancement technique. Third, it proposes mindfulness training as a viable approach to enhance leaders’ social awareness through a combination of a formal program and continuous self-development, departing from the views of mindfulness as a “quick fix.” It also provides a conceptual framework that illustrates the pathway with the potential to build social leadership capacity.
‘BEING A FANGIRL OF A SERIAL KILLER IS NOT OK’: Gatekeeping Reddit’s True Crime Community
Authors: Fathallah Judith
Published: November 2022

All fandoms engage in gatekeeping. Whether or not we agree that contemporary media fandoms comprise something like ‘communities’, the ‘-dom’ suffix to the term ‘fan’ necessitates some conception of a group, and groups have boundaries. These boundaries are always in tension, and self-defined true crime fans are a tricky case. True crime is mainstream, an endlessly profitable and staple of the media landscape. However, true crime fans must negotiate and police a boundary that separates them from the posited figure of the Bad Fan. This article examines the Reddit subforums r/TrueCrime and r/SerialKillers, analysing posts that discuss and police the boundaries separating the right kind of interest in true crime from this posited Bad Fan. I argue that while true crime enthusiasts tend to present their gatekeeping work as an ethical practice, it is often more to do with maintaining gendered norms than it is about morality or propriety.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Advocacy Successes, Failures, and Needs in the United States: Perspectives From Key Stakeholders
Authors: Manze Meredith , Kwan Amy , Jones Heidi , Roberts Lynn , Romero Diana
Published: November 2022

Physician advocates for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care have been active in the United States for decades. Despite such activism, access to SRH services has been fraught with persistent restrictions, particularly for abortion care. We sought the perspectives of key stakeholders on what makes for an effective SRH physician advocate and thoughts about the successes, failures, and needs of the abortion advocacy movement. We interviewed 15 SRH key informants (KIs) in sectors with expertise in organizational policy and advocacy (n = 6); clinical leadership and education (n = 3), media (n = 3), and reproductive justice (n = 3). The analytic team coded repeating ideas and conducted a thematic analysis, organizing findings within KI perspectives on the role of physician advocates in the field of abortion and contraception; successes, failures, and needs in abortion and contraception advocacy; and recommendations on the composition and components of an ideal clinician advocacy training program. KIs relayed that skill building related to communication, developing relationships with changemakers, and understanding political systems was critical for effective advocacy. They felt clinician advocacy training programs should include providers other than physicians and be designed for trainees to build relationships with one another over time. KI perspectives can be valuable in informing advocacy training programs and for contributing strategic approaches to increasing equitable and widespread access to SRH services.
Anatomical acromioclavicular joint stabilization with chemically sterilized tendon allografts: A retrospective study
Authors: Vogt Wolfgang , Borchert Gudrun H , Ahmed Norus , Brune Jan C
Published: November 2022

Background

The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze whether chemically sterilized tendon allografts perform as well as other non-sterilized allografts and autografts as described in the literature for anatomical acromioclavicular joint stabilization for the treatment of Rockwood III–V. Allografts are still described as a factor for higher re-rupture rates.

Methods

Retrospective data were collected from 21 acromioclavicular joint stabilizations performed by a single surgeon and performed between 2011 and 2014 using sterilized semitendinosus allografts. The primary endpoints were re-rupture and complication rates. Secondary endpoints were AC-joint stability, pain level, return to work and sport and the range of motion.

Results

No re-ruptures occurred during the mean follow-up time of 33 months. Zero complications occurred directly after surgery, but three complications later than three weeks after surgery. All cases resolved without further surgery. After surgery, stability significantly improved for all patients. Post-surgery, 19 patients had stable acromioclavicular joints and only two patients showed minor instabilities. Range of motion returned to the range of the healthy shoulders for all patients.

Conclusion

Chemically sterilized semitendinosus allograft use for anatomic AC-joint stabilization is equivalent to the use of other allografts or autografts and required no hardware removal. No donor age or graft size dependence was observed, due to zero re-ruptures.
Impact of the Weightbearing Line on Cartilage Regeneration of the Medial Knee Compartment after Open-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy, Based on Second-Look Arthroscopy
Authors: Otsuki Shuhei , Ikeda Kuniaki , Ishitani Takashi , Okamoto Yoshinori , Wakama Hitoshi , Matsuyama Junya , Nakamura Kaito , Neo Masashi
Published: November 2022

Objective

Cartilage regeneration is multifactorial. This study aimed to optimize the biomechanical factor of weightbearing loading allowing for cartilage regeneration and elucidate the association between cartilage regeneration and clinical outcomes after medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO).

Design

This was a retrospective, observational study of 142 patients who underwent OWHTO and subsequently underwent second-look arthroscopic assessment at a single orthopedic surgery center in Japan. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were compared between patients with (group R) and without (group D) cartilage regeneration, measured using the International Cartilage Repair Society grading system and the macroscopic staging system at the time second-look arthroscopy was performed. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the optimal weightbearing line ratio (WBLR) for cartilage regeneration.

Results

Group R included 82 knees, and group D 60 knees. The WBLR was higher in group R (60.9% ± 6.7%) than in group D (55.6% ± 7.6%) ( P < 0.001) and was associated with a greater improvement in clinical outcomes, namely the Lysholm scale score and all subscales of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score ( P < 0.01). The WBLR predicted cartilage regeneration with an odds ratio of 1.11 ( P = 0.001) and an area under the curve of 0.718, for a WBLR value of 62%.

Conclusions

A WBLR of 62% was associated with cartilage regeneration after OWHTO and high patient-reported clinical outcomes.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected patients’ experience of pain management therapy?
Authors: French Olivia , Mattacola Emily
Published: November 2022

Objectives

The current service evaluation aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 on patients' experiences of pain management therapy. The study examined the barriers and benefits of the move from face-to-face to eHealth methods of delivery.

Design

A service evaluation was conducted in an outpatient pain clinic in an NHS Trust in the East of England. A qualitative approach was taken using semi-structured interviews.

Methods

Participants were recruited through a health psychology service operating as part of a multidisciplinary pain management clinic. Six patients, aged 39–67, were interviewed one-to-one using the online platform ZoomTM. During COVID-19, participants had individual or group pain management therapy via telephone or video conferencing. All interviews were transcribed using Otter.aiTM and thematic analysis was performed. The study was approved by internal clinical governance for service evaluations and the authors adhered to the BPS Code of Human Research Ethics.

Results

Three key themes emerged from the analysis; Benefits Aside From Pain Relief, Limited Their Experience, and COVID- 19: A D ouble-Edged Sword.

Conclusion

Findings suggested patients were able to benefit from pain management therapy despite the impact of COVID-19 on daily routines and pain experience. Adopting eHealth methods during the pandemic was an effective means of accessing pain management therapy. These methods allowed patients to continue to benefit from peer support and learn about skills and resources regarding self-management, whilst also improving accessibility for those with chronic pain. Yet, these methods are not without their limitations. Technical issues and difficulties creating therapeutic connections with psychologists limited patients' experience of pain management therapy.
Territories of hope: A human geography of agrarian politics in Brazil
Authors: Fernandes Bernardo Mançano
Published: November 2022

The Landless Rural Workers Movement ( Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST)) is widely recognized for its struggles for land and for producing healthy food. Since its birth, 40 years ago, the MST has continued to territorialize itself, producing its own existence. There are hundreds of thousands of families fighting for the peasant condition, which is much more than fighting for land. In this article, I argue that MST members are not simply fighting for land in isolated agrarian reform settlements. Rather, as the mística suggests, they are producing new understandings, practices, and imaginaries of the Brazilian national space. Through their mobilization, their labor on the land, and their solidarity as expressed in countless meetings, marches, and collective organizations, they are actively producing alternative territories that sit within but resist the hegemonic national territory. I incorporate theories from critical human geography to argue that territory is a category that unites land and governance. Territorial control is established by (depends on) the norms, rules, and rights in any given place and time. Within the context of the modern nation-state, the MST can be understood as producing new territories, ones that are aspirational and emerging—I call these “territories of hope” to signal the material and symbolic labor of collective desire. These territories are constituted through relations within MST settlements and between MST members and the state, agribusiness corporations, and the broader public across various spatial and temporal dimensions and scales.
Dynamin-2 deficiency causes age- and sex-dependent neutropenia and myelodysplasia in mice
Authors: Willis Alexander J. , Corey Seth J. , Murga-Zamalloa Carlos , Karimi Saman S. , Khaddour Karam , Quigley John , Eklund Elizabeth A. , Chen Yolande
Published: November 2022

The dynamins are a family of ubiquitously expressed GTPase proteins, best known for their role in membrane remodeling. Their contribution to hematopoiesis is incompletely recognized. Individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with dynamin-2 (DNM2) mutations often develop neutropenia. We previously reported that dynamin (DNM) inhibition impairs SDF1a-mediated migration in megakaryocytes. Here, we report on conditionally Dnm2 deleted mice in hematopoietic tissues using the Vav-Cre murine strain. Homozygous Dnm2 deletion in blood tissues is embryonic lethal. Dnm2het male mice only developed a slightly decreased hemoglobin level. Dnm2het female mice developed leukopenia by 40 weeks of age and neutropenia by 65 weeks of age. Flow cytometry revealed decreased lineage-negative cells and granulocyte-monocyte progenitors in Dnm2het female mice. Immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow (BM) for mature neutrophils with Ly6G was decreased and myelodysplastic features were present in the BM of Dnm2het female mice. A linear distribution of Ly6G+ BM cells along blood vessels was observed in fewer Dnm2het mice than in controls, suggesting that the migration pattern in the marrow is altered. Marrow neutrophils treated with dynamin inhibitor, dynasore, showed increased cell surface CXCR4, suggesting that abnormal migration results in marrow neutrophil retention. Dnm2het female mice also developed splenomegaly secondary to germinal center hyperplasia at younger ages, suggesting perturbed immunity. In summary, female mice with BM Dnm2 haploinsufficiency developed neutropenia as they aged with decreased granulocyte progenitor production and migration defects. Our studies indicate a potential mechanism for the development of chronic idiopathic neutropenia, a disease that predominantly presents in middle-aged women.
Biomarker-based clustering of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Vanfleteren Lowie E.G.W. , Weidner Julie , Franssen Frits M.E. , Gaffron Swetlana , Reynaert Niki L. , Wouters Emiel F.M. , Spruit Martijn A.
Published: November 2022

Rationale

COPD has been associated repeatedly with single biomarkers of systemic inflammation, ignoring the complexity of inflammatory pathways. This study aimed to cluster patients with COPD based on systemic markers of inflammatory processes and to evaluate differences in their clinical characterisation and examine how these differences may relate to altered biological pathways.

Methods

213 patients with moderate-to-severe COPD in a clinically stable state were recruited and clinically characterised, which included a venous blood sample for analysis of serum biomarkers. Patients were clustered based on the overall similarity in systemic levels of 57 different biomarkers. To determine interactions among the regulated biomarkers, protein networks and biological pathways were examined for each patient cluster.

Results

Four clusters were identified: two clusters with lower biomarker levels (I and II) and two clusters with higher biomarker levels (III and IV), with only a small number of biomarkers with similar trends in expression. Pathway analysis indicated that three of the four clusters were enriched in Rage (receptor for advanced glycation end-products) and Oncostatin M pathway components. Although the degree of airflow limitation was similar, the clinical characterisation of clusters ranged from 1) better functional capacity and health status and fewer comorbidities; 2) more underweight, osteoporosis and static hyperinflation; 3) more metabolically deranged; and 4) older subjects with worse functional capacity and higher comorbidity load.

Conclusions

These new insights may help to understand the functionally relevant inflammatory interactions in the pathophysiology of COPD as a heterogeneous disease.
Comparative analyses of three complete Primula mitogenomes with insights into mitogenome size variation in Ericales
Authors: Wei Lei , Liu Tong-Jian , Hao Gang , Ge Xue-Jun , Yan Hai-Fei
Published: November 2022

Background

Although knowledge of the sizes, contents, and forms of plant mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) is increasing, little is known about the mechanisms underlying their structural diversity. Evolutionary information on the mitogenomes ofPrimula, an important ornamental taxon, is more limited than the information on their nuclear and plastid counterparts, which has hindered the comprehensive understanding ofPrimulamitogenomic diversity and evolution. The present study reported and compared threePrimulamitogenomes and discussed the size expansion of mitogenomes in Ericales.

Results

Mitogenome master circles were sequenced and successfully assembled for threePrimulataxa and were compared with publicly available Ericales mitogenomes. The three mitogenomes contained similar gene contents and varied primarily in their structures. ThePrimulamitogenomes possessed relatively high nucleotide diversity among all examined plant lineages. In addition, high nucleotide diversity was found amongPrimulaspecies between the Mediterranean and Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains. Most predicted RNA editing sites appeared in the second amino acid codon, increasing the hydrophobic character of the protein. An early stop inatp6caused by RNA editing was conserved across all examined Ericales species. The interfamilial relationships within Ericales and interspecific relationships withinPrimulacould be well resolved based on mitochondrial data. Transfer of the two longest mitochondrial plastid sequences (MTPTs) occurred before the divergence ofPrimulaand its close relatives, and multiple independent transfers could also occur in a single MTPT sequence. Foreign sequence [MTPTs and mitochondrial nuclear DNA sequences (NUMTs)] uptake and repeats were to some extent associated with changes in Ericales mitogenome size, although none of these relationships were significant overall.

Conclusions

The present study revealed relatively conserved gene contents, gene clusters, RNA editing, and MTPTs but considerable structural variation inPrimulamitogenomes. Relatively high nucleotide diversity was found in thePrimulamitogenomes. In addition, mitogenomic genes, collinear gene clusters, and locally collinear blocks (LCBs) all showed phylogenetic signals. The evolutionary history of MTPTs inPrimulawas complicated, even in a single MTPT sequence. Various reasons for the size variation observed in Ericales mitogenomes were found.
The impact of assistive devices on community-dwelling older adults and their informal caregivers: a systematic review
Authors: Marasinghe Keshini Madara , Chaurasia Ashok , Adil Maisha , Liu Qian Yue , Nur Teeyaa Ibrahim , Oremus Mark
Published: November 2022

Objective

The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the impact of assistive devices on the life satisfaction of (Research Question 1), and informal caregiving hours received by (Research Question 2), community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years).

Methods

We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus from database inception to March 2022. For each question, two reviewers independently screened citations, extracted and narratively synthesized the data, and assessed article quality and strength of evidence.

Results

Of the 1391 citations screened, we found two articles pertaining to each question, for a total of four articles. In general, assistive device use was not associated with life satisfaction, while it was positively associated with informal caregiving hours. However, the risk of bias was serious across the two studies for Research Question 1, and the overall quality of evidence was “very low”. The risk of bias was not serious across the two studies included in Research Question 2 and the overall quality of evidence was “moderate”.

Conclusion

Due to the scarcity of studies, the limitations of existing studies (i.e., risk of bias), and the evidence being moderate or very low quality, we could not draw firm conclusions about the associations of interest. Additional research will produce a better understanding of the two relationships and provide further evidence to inform policy decisions regarding the provision and funding of assistive devices for community-dwelling older adults.

Trial registration

This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database of systematic reviews (identification number: CRD42021248929).
Supporting pregnant women not ready to quit smoking: an economic evaluation
Authors: Avşar Tuba Saygın , Jackson Louise , Barton Pelham , Jones Matthew , McLeod Hugh
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Some pregnant women are not ready or do not want to quit smoking completely, and currently there is no support provided for these women in the UK. Offering help to reduce smoking could reduce the health risks associated with smoking and increase the limited reach of the NHS Stop Smoking Services (SSS) for pregnant women. This study aimed to design and evaluate a hypothetical intervention aimed at pregnant women who are not yet ready or do not want to quit smoking entirely.

Methods

A hypothetical intervention, the Reduced Smoking During Pregnancy (RSDP) intervention, was conceptualised based on the best available evidence. The intervention was evaluated, using a decision-analytic model developed for SDP interventions. Two different scenarios, a base-case and a cautious-case were developed, and a cost-utility analysis and return on investment analysis were conducted. The uncertainty around the estimates was assessed, using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Results

The RSDP intervention could prevent the loss of 13 foetuses and generate 43 quitters 1 year after delivery per 1000 women. In the lifetime analysis, the intervention was cost-effective in both scenarios, with an incremental cost of £363 (95% CI £29 to £672) and 0.44 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.53) QALYs gained in the base-case.

Conclusions

The study found that the hypothetical reduction intervention would produce significant health benefits, reduce smoking and be cost-effective. Offering pregnant smokers help to reduce smoking could reduce health inequalities, widen the reach of SSS and improve health. This economic evaluation of a novel, intensive intervention could inform the piloting of such interventions.