bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulating Tobacco Product Advertising and Promotions in the Retail Environment: A Roadmap for States and Localities
Authors: Lange Tamara , Hoefges Michael , Ribisl Kurt M.
Published: January 2021

The evidence linking tobacco product advertising to adolescent smoking initiation and resulting long-term addiction, premature death, and disability is well established. Each link in the causal chain has been substantiated: children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to advertising; point-of-sale advertising comprises 92.1% of cigarette advertising and marketing expenditures by manufacturers and 71.3% of smokeless tobacco advertising; tobacco companies have targeted youth through advertising; advertising exposure causes adolescents to start and to continue smoking; among adults who become daily smokers, nearly all first use of cigarettes occurs by 18 years of age; adolescents who smoke are at high risk for long-term addiction because their brains are still developing; and long-term addiction results in the tremendous personal, social and financial costs of tobacco-related illnesses.
Citizen Science on Your Smartphone: An ELSI Research Agenda
Authors: Rothstein Mark A. , Wilbanks John T. , Brothers Kyle B.
Published: January 2021

Beginning in the 20th century, scientific research came to be dominated by a growing class of credentialed, professional scientists who overwhelmingly displaced the learned amateurs of an earlier time. By the end of the century, however, the exclusive realm of professional scientists conducting research was joined, to a degree, by “citizen scientists.” The term originally encompassed non-professionals assisting professional scientists by contributing observations and measurements to ongoing research enterprises. These collaborations were especially common in the environmental sciences, where citizen scientists participated in counting wildlife and measuring environmental conditions. Later, patient groups began to play a more active role in supporting clinical trials and collecting health records from affected individuals.
Sensory neuronopathies: A case series and literature review
Authors: Sancho Saldaña Agustin , Mahdi‐Rogers Mohamed , Hadden Robert David
Published: January 2021

Sensory neuronopathies are heterogeneous disorders of dorsal root ganglia. The clinical and laboratory features in a single‐centre series, including response to treatment and outcome have been described. They retrospectively included 54 patients meeting Camdessanché et al (2009) criteria for sensory neuronopathy. The patients were classified according to their likely aetiology and analysed their demographic, clinical, neurophysiological, histological and spinal MRI features. The outcome with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was evaluated, and the response to treatment was assessed. About 54 patients were included (18 male; median age 54.5 years). The most common initial symptoms were hypoaesthesia, paraesthesia, ataxia and pain. Half of patients had a slow onset, greater than 12 months before seeing a neurologist. The aetiology as possibly inflammatory (meaning nonspecific laboratory evidence of immune abnormality) in 18 patients (33%), paraneoplastic 8 (15%), autoimmune 7 (13%) and idiopathic 6 (11%) was classified. About 31 patients received immune therapy of which 11 (35%) improved or stabilised. Corticosteroids were the most used treatment (24 patients) and cyclophosphamide had the highest response rate (3/6, 50%). At the final follow up (median 24 months) 67% had mRS ≥3 and 46% mRS ≥4, including 15% who died. Worse outcome was associated with generalised areflexia and pseudoathetosis by logistic regression, and with motor involvement and raised CSF protein by univariate analysis. Sensory neuronopathies caused severe disability, especially in patients with generalised areflexia and pseudoathetosis. Of those without an obvious cause, most had some evidence of dysimmunity. Some patients had a positive response to immunotherapy, but rarely enough to improve disability much.
Therapeutic letters: A qualitative study exploring their influence on the hope of parents of children receiving pediatric palliative care in Portugal
Authors: Fonseca Ricardo , Carvalho Matilde , Querido Ana , Figueiredo Maria H. , Bally Jill , Charepe Zaida
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the hope experiences of parents of children diagnosed with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) who received therapeutic letters.

Design and Methods

A purposive sample of 10 parents of inpatient children with CCCs was recruited from a pediatric palliative care unit in a Portuguese public hospital. A demographic form and audio‐recorded semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with each participant to explore the experiences, processes, and meanings of hope, and to describe how parents of children receiving pediatric palliative care perceived the usefulness of receiving therapeutic letters. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and using a thematic analysis, a systematic approach to data analysis was completed.

Findings

Data analysis resulted in three main themes including Trust in the Future; Strengthening Hope; and Moments of Hope. Findings highlight the positive influence of therapeutic letters including supporting parental hope, facilitating personal inner‐strengthening, recognition of parental skills, and promotion of self‐efficacy during hospitalization. The themes and related subthemes add value to the existing literature and highlight the need for supportive palliative nursing care aimed at promoting parental hope.

Practice Implications

To optimize the value of supporting parental hope, therapeutic letters can be delivered at the time of diagnosis, during times of celebration, and when learning the difficult tasks of daily childcare. Additional research can inform the development of a formal hope‐based intervention to provide an evidence base from which to enhance the well‐being of parental caregivers of children who have CCCs.
Anchor Regression: Heterogeneous Data Meet Causality
Authors: Rothenhäusler Dominik , Meinshausen Nicolai , Bühlmann Peter , Peters Jonas
Published: January 2021

We consider the problem of predicting a response variable from a set of covariates on a data set that differs in distribution from the training data. Causal parameters are optimal in terms of predictive accuracy if in the new distribution either many variables are affected by interventions or only some variables are affected, but the perturbations are strong. If the training and test distributions differ by a shift, causal parameters might be too conservative to perform well on the above task. This motivates anchor regression, a method that makes use of exogenous variables to solve a relaxation of the ‘causal’ minimax problem by considering a modification of the least-squares loss. The procedure naturally provides an interpolation between the solutions of ordinary least squares (OLS) and two-stage least squares. We prove that the estimator satisfies predictive guarantees in terms of distributional robustness against shifts in a linear class; these guarantees are valid even if the instrumental variable assumptions are violated. If anchor regression and least squares provide the same answer (‘anchor stability’), we establish that OLS parameters are invariant under certain distributional changes. Anchor regression is shown empirically to improve replicability and protect against distributional shifts.
Individual vs. World in Schopenhauer's Pessimism
Authors: Hassan Patrick
Published: January 2021

This article aims to elucidate and explore the significance of a distinction in Schopenhauer's pessimism which has not yet received detailed attention in the secondary literature. Schopenhauer is well known to have argued for the thesis that the fundamental feature of sentient life is pervasive suffering, and on these grounds held that individual lives are not worth living. However, he similarly claims with frequency that the nonexistence of the world “as a whole” is preferable to its existence. This is a distinct thesis, and it is unclear how Schopenhauer thinks it relates to the first. This investigation seeks to rectify this, arguing that the ambiguous concept of the world “as a whole” has at least two interpretations in Schopenhauer's texts. Moreover, that this “world‐pessimism”—once properly understood—may avoid certain objections that pessimism at the level of the individual is vulnerable to.
The risk to future pregnancies of transfusing Rh(D)‐negative females of childbearing potential with Rh(D)‐positive red blood cells during trauma resuscitation is dependent on their age at transfusion
Authors: Seheult Jansen N. , Stram Michelle N. , Pearce Thomas , Bub Carolina B. , Emery Stephen P. , Kutner Jose , Watanabe‐Okochi Naoko , Sperry Jason L. , Takanashi Minoko , Triulzi Darrell J. , Yazer Mark H.
Published: January 2021

Background

A risk assessment model for predicting the risk of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) in future pregnancies following the transfusion of Rh(D)‐positive red blood cell (RBC)‐containing products to females of childbearing potential (FCP) was developed, accounting for the age that the FCP is transfused in various countries.

Methods

The HDFN risk prediction model included the following inputs: risk of FCP death in trauma, Rh(D) alloimmunization rate following Rh(D)‐positive RBC transfusion, expected number of live births following resuscitation, probability of carrying an Rh(D)‐positive fetus, the probability of HDFN in an Rh(D)‐positive fetus carried by an alloimmunized mother. The model was implemented in Microsoft R Open, and one million FCPs of each age between 18 and 49 years old were simulated. Published data from eight countries, including the United States, were utilized to generate country‐specific HDFN risk estimates.

Results

The risk predictions showed similar characteristics for each country in that the overall risk of having a pregnancy affected by HDFN was higher if the FCP was younger when she received her Rh(D)‐positive transfusion than if she was older. In the United States, the overall risk of HDFN if the FCP was transfused at age 18 was 3·4% (mild: 1·20%, moderate: 0·45%; severe: 1·15%; IUFD: 0·57%); the risk was approximately 0% if the FCP was 43 years or older at the time of transfusion.

Conclusion

This model can be used to predict HDFN outcomes when establishing transfusion policies as it relates to the administration of Rh(D)‐positive products for massively bleeding FCPs.
Calcium sulfate antibiotic‐impregnated bead implantation for deep surgical site infection associated with orthopedic surgery in small animals
Authors: Peterson Lindsay C. , Kim Stanley E. , Lewis Daniel D. , Johnson Matthew D. , Ferrigno Cassio R. A.
Published: January 2021

Objective

To report the outcomes and complications associated with antibiotic‐impregnated calcium sulfate beads for prevention and treatment of orthopedic‐related surgical site infection (SSI) in companion animals.

Study design

Retrospective case series.

Animals

Client‐owned cats (n = 2) and dogs (n = 14).

Methods

Medical records of 16 cases in which implantation of antibiotic‐impregnated calcium sulfate beads was performed for the prevention or treatment of SSI were reviewed. Information collected included signalment, prior surgery, reason for bead placement, antibiotics used, bacterial culture results, and clinical outcomes.

Results

Surgical site infection resolved in six of 10 animals treated therapeutically and did not occur in six of six animals treated prophylactically. Susceptibility of the causative bacteria to the antibiotic implanted was confirmed in five of six cases with resolved SSI treated therapeutically but in only one of four cases with unresolved SSI treated therapeutically. Complications directly related to bead placement were evident in only one case in which beads extruded from external skeletal fixator pin tracts 7 days after implantation. At final follow‐up, 11 of 12 animals without SSI had satisfactory limb use and no clinical, cytologic, or radiographic evidence of infection.

Conclusion

Implantation was well tolerated. Resolution of SSI was inconsistent; however, when bacteria were susceptible to the antibiotic implanted, SSI resolved in all but one case.

Clinical significance

Antibiotic‐impregnated calcium sulfate beads could be considered for prevention or treatment of orthopedic SSI in small animals. A prospective clinical study is required to obtain additional information, including the value of preoperative bacterial culture.
The use of near infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green for vascular visualization in caudal auricular flaps in two cats
Authors: Quinlan Adam S. F. , Wainberg Shannon H. , Phillips Erin , Oblak Michelle L.
Published: January 2021

Objectives

To describe the use of near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) for vascular visualization in two caudal auricular axial pattern flaps (APF).

Animals

Two client‐owned cats with upper eyelid masses.

Study design

Clinical case report.

Methods

Wide surgical excision with enucleation was performed by using a caudal auricular APF for closure. Flap margins and perforating artery location were approximated with anatomical landmarks. The caudal auricular artery origin was then visualized percutaneously by using an exoscope with NIRF camera and light source after a single 2.5‐mg dose of IV ICG. Margins were adjusted as required. The flaps were routinely elevated with continued intraoperative visualization of the artery and rotated to complete closure.

Results

After IV ICG administration, fluorescence was initially visualized after 15 to 18 seconds and remained visible for up to 26 minutes. The achieved visualization led to flap margin adjustments in cat 1. Both cats recovered with minimal flap congestion, excellent hair regrowth, and no long‐term complications (>186 days). Cat 1 experienced 100% flap survival. Cat 2 experienced 10% partial thickness flap necrosis, but revision was not required, and the flap was healed at recheck 85 days postoperatively.

Conclusion

The use of ICG for APF vessel visualization prior to and during flap elevation resulted in transcutaneous visualization of the perforating vessel and improved awareness of vessel location intraoperatively. These two cats experienced excellent flap survival without major complications. This report highlights the potential benefits of ICG NIRF in APF for animals undergoing reconstructive surgery.
Divergence of neuroimmune circuits activated by afferent and efferent vagal nerve stimulation in the regulation of inflammation
Authors: Murray Kaitlin , Rude Kavi M. , Sladek Jessica , Reardon Colin
Published: January 2021

Key points

It has previously been shown that afferent and efferent vagal nerve stimulation potently inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammation

Our data show inhibition of inflammation by efferent but not afferent vagal nerve stimulation requires T‐cell derived acetylcholine

We show that afferent and efferent neuroimmune circuits require β2‐adrenergic receptor signalling

Chronic inflammation due to inappropriate immune cell activation can have significant effects on a variety of organ systems, reducing lifespan and quality of life. As such, highly targeted control of immune cell activation is a major therapeutic goal. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has emerged as a therapeutic modality that exploits neuroimmune communication to reduce immune cell activation and consequently inflammation. Although vagal efferent fibres were originally identified as the primary driver of anti‐inflammatory actions, the vagus nerve in most species of animals predominantly comprises afferent fibres. Stimulation of vagal afferent fibres can also reduce inflammation; it is, however, uncertain how these two neuroimmune circuits diverge. Here we show that afferent VNS induces a mechanism distinct from efferent VNS, ameliorating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammation independently of T‐cell derived acetylcholine (ACh) which is required by efferent VNS. Using a β2‐adrenergic receptor antagonist (β2‐AR), we find that immune regulation induced by intact, afferent, or efferent VNS occurs in a β2‐AR‐dependent manner. Together, our findings indicate that intact VNS activates at least two distinct neuroimmune circuits each with unique mechanisms of action. Selective targeting of either the vagal efferent or afferent fibres may provide more personalized, robust and effective control over inappropriate immune responses.
La música como ritual en las fiestas tradicionales del departamento de Bolívar: identidad, memoria y significados de la Semana Santa de Mompox y las corralejas de San Juan Nepomuceno
Authors: Domínguez Acosta Gustavo
Published: January 2021

Todos los grupos sociales que conocemos han incorporado diversos rituales a sus expresiones populares festivas. En ese ámbito, la música es, quizá, el elemento de mayor transversalidad de comunicación cultural, ya que en actos religiosos o profanos está presente como contenedora de códigos identitarios de organismos culturales vivos y, por ende, dinámicos. Este artículo, por una parte, tiene como objetivo estudiar los significados incorporados a la memoria colectiva del hecho musical en el contexto de la Semana Santa de Mompox y las fiestas de corraleja en San Juan Nepomuceno, ambas poblaciones pertenecientes al departamento de Bolívar; por otra, pretende reflexionar sobre la importancia de preservar los rituales de las celebraciones a través de los distintos elementos que componen el inmenso archivo de la memoria cultural de quienes protagonizan las fiestas. La metodología empleada para tal fin ha sido fundamentalmente la labor etnográfica, que consta de la observación in situ, entrevistas y comunicaciones personales con participantes de ambas celebraciones; la netnografía como herramienta de aproximación a distintos escenarios festivos de tipologías similares a las que ocupan esta investigación; el análisis teórico de la fiesta y la memoria como objetos de estudio para la sociología y la antropología, y el análisis musical desde una perspectiva semiótica. Los resultados obtenidos permiten ver cómo las celebraciones de ambas festividades son matrices relacionales en las que se expresan las necesidades culturales de esas poblaciones bolivarenses a través de la música como derivado de la dimensión ritual. De lo que se concluye que la fiesta es un sistema estabilizador de las poblaciones que la protagonizan gracias a los significados incorporados en la memoria colectiva de quienes se benefician expresivamente de ellas; por tanto, requiere su preservación a través de los distintos mecanismos de archivo que poseen las sociedades modernas.
A new species of Pergalumna (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) from southeastern Iran, including a key to all species of the genus from the Palaearctic region

Authors: Akrami Mohammad Ali , Ordouni Fatemeh , Ramroodi Sara
Published: January 2021

A new species of oribatid mite of the family Galumnidae, Pergalumna sistanbaluchestanica sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on adult specimens from soil in Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeastern Iran. The new species is characterized by dentate rostrum; long interlamellar setae; long, setiform, finely barbed bothridial setae; complete dorsosejugal furrow; large, nearly triangular porose areas Aa; presence of median pore in females and males; large, elongated postanal porose area and large body size. The new species is most similar morphologically to P. seminervosa Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp, 2008, however, differs from it in morphology of bothridial setae and notogastral porose areas Aa and also by the surface ornamentation of the pteromorphs and genital plates; localization of setal alveoli la and lyrifissures im and body size. An identification key to known species of Pergalumna from the Palaearctic region is given.
An arbitrary high-order discontinuous Galerkin method with local time-stepping for linear acoustic wave propagation
Authors: Wang Huiqing , Cosnefroy Matthias , Hornikx Maarten
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a numerical scheme of arbitrary order of accuracy in both space and time, based on the arbitrary high-order derivatives methodology, for transient acoustic simulations. The scheme combines the nodal discontinuous Galerkin method for the spatial discretization and the Taylor series integrator (TSI) for the time integration. The main idea of the TSI is a temporal Taylor series expansion of all unknown acoustic variables in which the time derivatives are replaced by spatial derivatives via the Cauchy-Kovalewski procedure. The computational cost for the time integration is linearly proportional to the order of accuracy. To increase the computational efficiency for simulations involving strongly varying mesh sizes or material properties, a local time-stepping (LTS) algorithm accompanying the arbitrary high-order derivatives discontinuous Galerkin (ADER-DG) scheme, which ensures correct communications between domains with different time step sizes, is proposed. A numerical stability analysis in terms of the maximum allowable time step sizes is performed. Based on numerical convergence analysis, we demonstrate that for nonuniform meshes, a consistent high-order accuracy in space and time is achieved using ADER-DG with LTS. An application to the sound propagation across a transmissive noise barrier validates the potential of the proposed method for practical problems demanding high accuracy.
Do echolocating toothed whales direct their acoustic gaze on- or off-target in a static detection task?
Authors: Beedholm Kristian , Malinka Chloe , Ladegaard Michael , Madsen Peter Teglberg
Published: January 2021

Echolocating mammals produce directional sound beams with high source levels to improve echo-to-noise ratios and reduce clutter. Recent studies have suggested that the differential spectral gradients of such narrow beams are exploited to facilitate target localization by pointing the beam slightly off targets to maximize the precision of angular position estimates [maximizing bearing Fisher information (FI)]. Here, we test the hypothesis that echolocating toothed whales focus their acoustic gaze askew during target detection to maximize spectral cues by investigating the acoustic gaze direction of two trained delphinids (Tursiops truncatus and Pseudorca crassidens) echolocating to detect an aluminum cylinder behind a hydrophone array in a go/no-go paradigm. The animals rarely placed their beam axis directly on the target, nor within the narrow range around the off-axis angle that maximizes FI. However, the target was, for each trial, ensonified within the swath of the half-power beam width, and hence we conclude that the animals solved the detection task using a strategy that seeks to render high echo-to-noise ratios rather than maximizing bearing FI. We posit that biosonar beam adjustment and acoustic gaze strategies are likely task-dependent and that maximizing bearing FI by pointing off-axis does not improve target detection performance.
Metabolic Survival Adaptations of Plasmodium falciparum Exposed to Sublethal Doses of Fosmidomycin
Authors: Tewari Shivendra G. , Rajaram Krithika , Swift Russell P. , Reifman Jaques , Prigge Sean T. , Wallqvist Anders
Published: January 2021

The malaria parasite
Plasmodium falciparum
contains the apicoplast organelle that synthesizes isoprenoids, which are metabolites necessary for posttranslational modification of
Plasmodium
proteins. We used fosmidomycin, an antibiotic that inhibits isoprenoid biosynthesis, to identify mechanisms that underlie the development of the parasite’s adaptation to the drug at sublethal concentrations.
Recognition of Diagnostic Gaps for Laboratory Diagnosis of Fungal Diseases: Expert Opinion from the Fungal Diagnostics Laboratories Consortium (FDLC)
Authors: Zhang Sean X. , Babady N. Esther , Hanson Kimberly E. , Harrington Amanda T. , Larkin Paige M. K. , Leal Sixto M. , Luethy Paul M. , Martin Isabella W. , Pancholi Preeti , Procop Gary W. , Riedel Stefan , Seyedmousavi Seyedmojtaba , Sullivan Kaede V. , Walsh Thomas J. , Lockhart Shawn R.
Published: January 2021

Fungal infections are a rising threat to our immunocompromised patient population, as well as other nonimmunocompromised patients with various medical conditions. However, little progress has been made in the past decade to improve fungal diagnostics.
Toxoplasma gondii Extends the Life Span of Infected Human Neutrophils by Inducing Cytosolic PCNA and Blocking Activation of Apoptotic Caspases
Authors: Lima Tatiane S. , Mallya Sharmila , Jankeel Allen , Messaoudi Ilhem , Lodoen Melissa B.
Published: January 2021

Toxoplasma gondiiis an obligate intracellular parasite that can cause life-threatening disease in immunocompromised individuals and in the developing fetus. Interestingly,T. gondiihas evolved strategies to successfully manipulate the host immune system to establish a productive infection and evade host defense mechanisms.
Z-Ring-Associated Proteins Regulate Clustering of the Replication Terminus-Binding Protein ZapT in Caulobacter crescentus
Authors: Ozaki Shogo , Wakasugi Yasutaka , Katayama Tsutomu
Published: January 2021

Rapidly growing bacteria experience dynamic changes in chromosome architecture during chromosome replication and segregation, reflecting the importance of mechanisms that organize the chromosome globally and locally within a cell to maintain faithful transmission of genetic material across generations. During cell division in the model bacterium
Caulobacter crescentus
, the replication terminus of the chromosome is physically linked to the cytokinetic Z-ring at midcell.
Sphingomyelin Biosynthesis Is Essential for Phagocytic Signaling during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Host Cell Entry
Authors: Niekamp Patrick , Guzman Gaelen , Leier Hans C. , Rashidfarrokhi Ali , Richina Veronica , Pott Fabian , Barisch Caroline , Holthuis Joost C. M. , Tafesse Fikadu G.
Published: January 2021

Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(
Mtb
) invades alveolar macrophages through phagocytosis to establish infection and cause disease. The molecular mechanisms underlying
Mtb
entry are still poorly understood.
Evolution in Long-Term Stationary-Phase Batch Culture: Emergence of Divergent Escherichia coli Lineages over 1,200 Days
Authors: Ratib Nicole R. , Seidl Fabian , Ehrenreich Ian M. , Finkel Steven E.
Published: January 2021

Bacteria have remarkable metabolic capabilities and adaptive plasticity, enabling them to survive in changing environments. In nature, bacteria spend a majority of their time in a state of slow growth or maintenance, scavenging nutrients for survival.
Continuous Genomic Surveillance Monitored the
In Vivo
Evolutionary Trajectories of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Identified a New Virulent Genotype
Authors: Fu Songzhe , Yang Qian , Wang Qingyao , Pang Bo , Lan Ruiting , Wei Dawei , Qu Baocheng , Liu Ying
Published: January 2021

Most human infectious diseases originate from animals. Thus, how to reduce or prevent pandemic zoonoses before they emerge in people is becoming a critical issue.
Congenital knee dislocation: a rare and unexpected finding
Authors: Yeoh Melanie , Athalye-Jape Gayatri
Published: January 2021

Congenital knee dislocation is a rare condition of unknown aetiology. It could be associated with syndromes or may occur as an isolated entity. The severity of the deformity determines the method of treatment. Treatment options range from conservative casting to surgical correction. The case presented is of a newborn with an isolated grade II dislocation treated with serial casting. On follow-up at 2 years, the patient had a good outcome, with full range of motion and independent mobility.
Rheumatic pericarditis: a rare cause of constrictive pericarditis
Authors: O'Connor Cormac Thomas , Zaman Jawad , McCarthy James , Kiernan Thomas
Published: January 2021

Constrictive pericarditis is a relatively uncommon form of cardiac failure and presents due to scarring and consequent loss of the normal elasticity of the pericardial sac. This results in abnormal/limited ventricular filling and symptoms of heart failure. The aetiology is varied, from infective causes to idiopathic causes, or can manifest after cardiothoracic surgery. This case involves a 46-year-old man presenting with acute group A beta haemolytic streptococcus infection, and over the subsequent 6 months develops constrictive pericarditis due to what is believed to be a rheumatic aetiology. The patient subsequently underwent pericardiectomy and had restoration of normal filling dynamics confirmed on follow-up echocardiography. This case provides a subject matter for the review of the features of constrictive pericarditis and its investigation and management. This case is that it highlights the fact that pericarditis is not a benign condition. Emerging evidence suggests that pericarditis is due to a failure in inflammatory regulatory mechanisms, and patients suffering this condition have a preponderance to ‘autoinflammation’. Pericarditis should be recognised early and treated fully with anti-inflammatory agents.
Fenestrated endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with concomitant horseshoe kidney
Authors: Bowden Sylvie , Roche-Nagle Graham
Published: January 2021

Horseshoe kidney, representing abnormal fusion of the inferior renal poles, is a rare anatomic anomaly posing challenges in the setting of surgical abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Historically, open repair has been the favoured surgical approach. However, due to the location of the renal isthmus and wide-ranging variation in anomalous renal vasculature, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has emerged as a popular, less invasive alternative. We describe one of the first published cases of two-fenestration EVAR in a patient with concomitant horseshoe kidney, followed by a discussion of current trends in surgical management. With the increasing availability to customise fenestrated grafts to patients’ unique anatomy, this advanced EVAR technique may emerge as the preferred approach in certain cases.
Cutaneous larva migrans in a young child following circumrotation as a cultural ritual
Authors: Thadchanamoorthy Vijayakumary , Dayasiri Kavinda
Published: January 2021

Cutaneous larva migrans is an acquired, self-limited infestation caused by cat hookworm,Ancylostoma braziliense, and dog hookworm,A. caninum. The disease is acquired by direct contact with contaminated soil. Circumrotation is a religious ritual practised by devotees of Hinduism as a fulfilment of vows taken at the shrine and involves rolling over with uncovered upper body on the sand over a distance of up to 600 m. It is a reported mode of acquisition of cutaneous larva migrans infestation. The authors report a 10-year-old boy who acquired cutaneous larva migrans on his right forearm after circumrotation. The forearm is an unusual site for this infestation, and most reported cases had lesions on the feet, thighs and buttocks following either sitting or playing on contaminated soil. The child made complete recovery following treatment with albendazole for 1 week.
Retinal vein occlusion as the presenting feature of Cushing’s syndrome
Authors: Kalaria Tejas R , Chopra Roopa , Ayuk John , Buch Harit
Published: January 2021

A 53-year-old man presented to his optician with blurring of vision in the right eye and was diagnosed to have branch retinal vein occlusion. Over the following 3 months, he had further progressive visual impairment due to right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and then left CRVO. Soon thereafter, during a hospital admission for infected submandibular gland, he was noted to have secondary hypothyroidism and persistent hypokalaemia which led to the diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome. This case was unusual as the patient did not manifest any classical features of Cushing’s syndrome at the time of presentation with bilateral CRVO, and only 3 months later had dramatic weight loss, muscle weakness and acute psychosis. He received intravenous etomidate and underwent emergency transsphenoidal hypophysectomy with dramatic clinical and biochemical improvement and complete visual recovery in the left eye but unfortunately vision in the right eye remained limited to hand movements.
Optical coherence tomography-guided management of underexpanded stent in calcified coronary lesion
Authors: Gupta Ankush , Chhikara Sanya , Singh Navreet , Prasad Krishna
Published: January 2021

Calcified lesions often result in undilatable lesions, balloon dog-boning, poor device delivery as well as underexpanded stents (UES). This leads to an increased risk of acute and chronic stent failure. A 49-year-old man was admitted with anterior wall myocardial infarction and angiogram showed a diffuse calcific left anterior descending artery/diagonal lesion, which was stented with two overlapping drug-eluting stents. Angiogram after post-dilatation showed UES. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed UES with 58% expansion, minimum stent area (MSA) of 2.91 mm2and 360° calcium arc around the stent. This UES was dilated with a ultra high-pressure balloon (UHPB) at 40 atmosphere, that led to calcium fracture and increased MSA to 7.42 mm2and stent expansion to 97%. While OCT-guided lesion modification prior to stenting is ideal, OCT-guided assessment and management is also invaluable post-percutaneous coronary intervention. In the event of stent underexpansion, UHPB may be used as an initial management strategy.
Infant with a rapidly progressing rash
Authors: Hancock Rachelle , Rothman Ilene , Mannix Mary Kate , Islam Shamim
Published: January 2021

An infant presented to the emergency department with sudden onset of rapidly progressing erythematous macules and distal oedema. The rash was striking in appearance, covering most of the body, which raised concern for pressing infectious (eg, meningococcaemia) and other serious aetiologies. Nevertheless, the infant remained playful and was overall stable and posed a diagnostic and management dilemma. After an extensive workup and multispecialty consultations, the patient was eventually diagnosed with acute haemorrhagic oedema of infancy, a benign leucocytoclastic vasculitis. The patient received no treatment and resolution of the rash occurred within 7 days of onset. Recognition of this condition and its benign nature can spare patients from an extensive workup and reduce anxiety for both family members and healthcare providers.
Superior pole patellar sleeve fracture after medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction
Authors: Moreira Flávia Pinto , Costa Francisca Pinho , Santos Sara Almeida , Oliveira Paulo Ribeiro
Published: January 2021

A 13-year-old boy sustained a superior pole patellar sleeve fracture after a blunt trauma of the knee. A medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction had been performed 4 weeks earlier. The patient underwent surgery to reinsert the quadriceps tendon in the superior pole of the patella using two bone suture anchors. One-year postoperative assessment revealed excellent functional outcomes. Sleeve fractures are easily misdiagnosed, and in our case, clinical examination was essential in order to perform the diagnosis.
Risk of dementia in adults with cerebral palsy: a matched cohort study using general practice data
Authors: Smith Kimberley J , Peterson Mark D , Victor Christina , Ryan Jennifer M
Published: January 2021

Objectives

Determine the risk of incident dementia in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) compared with age, sex and general practice (GP) matched controls.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

UK GPs linked into the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD).

Participants

CPRD data were used to identify adults aged 18 or older with a diagnosis of CP. Each adult with CP was matched to three controls who were matched for age, sex and GP. In total, 1703 adults with CP and 5109 matched controls were included in the analysis. The mean baseline age of participants was 33.30 years (SD: 15.48 years) and 46.8% of the sample were female.

Primary outcome

New diagnosis of dementia during the follow-up period (earliest date of 1987 to latest date of 2015).

Results

During the follow-up, 72 people were identified with a new diagnosis of dementia. The overall proportion of people with and without CP who developed dementia was similar (CP: n=19, 1.1%; matched controls n=54, 10.0%). The unadjusted HR suggested that people with CP had an increased hazard of being diagnosed with dementia when compared with matched controls (HR 2.69, 95% CI 1.44 to 5.00). This association was attenuated when CP comorbidities (sensory impairment, intellectual disability and epilepsy) were accounted for (HR 1.92, 95% CI 0.92 to 4.02).

Conclusions

There was no difference in the proportion of people with CP and matched controls who were diagnosed with dementia during the follow-up. Furthermore, while there was evidence for an increased hazard of dementia among people with CP, the fact that this association was attenuated after controlling for comorbidities indicates that this association may be explained by comorbidities rather than being a direct result of CP. Findings should be interpreted with caution due to the low number of incident cases of dementia.
Are there opportunities to improve care as patients transition through the cancer care continuum? A scoping review protocol
Authors: Sauro Khara , Maini Arjun , Machan Matthew , Lorenzetti Diane , Chandarana Shamir , Dort Joseph
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Transitions in Care (TiC) are vulnerable periods in care delivery associated with adverse events, increased cost and decreased patient satisfaction. Patients with cancer encounter many transitions during their care journey due to improved survival rates and the complexity of treatment. Collectively, improving TiC is particularly important among patients with cancer. The objective of this scoping review is to synthesise and map the existing literature regarding TiC among patients with cancer in order to explore opportunities to improve TiC among patients with cancer.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis-Scoping Review Extension and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. The PubMed cancer filter and underlying search strategy will be tailored to each database (Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL and PsycINFO) and combined with search terms for TiC. Grey literature and references of included studies will be searched. The search will include studies published from database inception until 9 February 2020. Quantitative and qualitative studies will be included if they describe transitions between any type of healthcare provider or institution among patients with cancer. Descriptive statistics will summarise study characteristics and quantitative data of included studies. Qualitative data will be synthesised using thematic analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

Our objective is to synthesise and map the existing evidence; therefore, ethical approval is not required. Evidence gaps around TiC will inform a programme of research aimed to improve high-risk transitions among patients with cancer. The findings of this scoping review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and widely presented at academic conferences. More importantly, decision makers and patients will be provided a summary of the findings, along with data from a companion study, to prioritise TiC in need of interventions to improve continuity of care for patients with cancer.
Recruiting in intervention studies: challenges and solutions
Authors: Axén Iben , Björk Brämberg Elisabeth , Galaasen Bakken Anders , Kwak Lydia
Published: January 2021

Introduction

In order for study results to be relevant for practice, the study participants should represent the source population. A common problem is recruitment of sufficient and representative subjects, threatening the external validity of the study and, ultimately, evidence-based practice. The aim was to highlight common challenges and to present possible solutions to recruitment.

Methods

Using four recent randomised controlled trials as examples, common recruitment challenges were highlighted and solutions were proposed. The four studies represented some common and some specific challenges, but they investigated interventions for the prevention of the two major public health challenges of today: musculoskeletal pain and common mental disorders.

Results

Identified challenges and suggested solutions were presented as a checklist to be used for future trials in order to aid recruitment and reporting thereof.
Prediction of disease severity in young children presenting with acute febrile illness in resource-limited settings: a protocol for a prospective observational study
Authors: Chandna Arjun , Aderie Endashaw M , Ahmad Riris , Arguni Eggi , Ashley Elizabeth A , Cope Tanya , Dat Vu Quoc , Day Nicholas P J , Dondorp Arjen M , Illanes Victor , De Jesus Joanne , Jimenez Carolina , Kain Kevin , Suy Keang , Koshiaris Constantinos , Lasry Estrella , Mayxay Mayfong , Mondal Dinesh , Perera Rafael , Pongvongsa Tiengkham , Rattanavong Sayaphet , Rekart Michael , Richard-Greenblatt Melissa , Shomik Mohammad , Souvannasing Phouthalavanh , Tallo Veronica , Turner Claudia , Turner Paul , Waithira Naomi , Watson James A , Yosia Mikhael , Burza Sakib , Lubell Yoel
Published: January 2021

Introduction

In rural and difficult-to-access settings, early and accurate recognition of febrile children at risk of progressing to serious illness could contribute to improved patient outcomes and better resource allocation. This study aims to develop a prognostic clinical prediction tool to assist community healthcare providers identify febrile children who might benefit from referral or admission for facility-based medical care.

Methods and analysis

This prospective observational study will recruit at least 4900 paediatric inpatients and outpatients under the age of 5 years presenting with an acute febrile illness to seven hospitals in six countries across Asia. A venous blood sample and nasopharyngeal swab is collected from each participant and detailed clinical data recorded at presentation, and each day for the first 48 hours of admission for inpatients. Multianalyte assays are performed at reference laboratories to measure a panel of host biomarkers, as well as targeted aetiological investigations for common bacterial and viral pathogens. Clinical outcome is ascertained on day 2 and day 28.

Presenting syndromes, clinical outcomes and aetiology of acute febrile illness will be described and compared across sites. Following the latest guidance in prediction model building, a prognostic clinical prediction model, combining simple clinical features and measurements of host biomarkers, will be derived and geographically externally validated. The performance of the model will be evaluated in specific presenting clinical syndromes and fever aetiologies.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has received approval from all relevant international, national and institutional ethics committees. Written informed consent is provided by the caretaker of all participants. Results will be shared with local and national stakeholders, and disseminated via peer-reviewed open-access journals and scientific meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT04285021.
Development and evaluation of an intervention on suPpoRting infOrmal cAregivers of older people with early CogniTIVe declinE (PROACTIVE): a study protocol based on the Medical Research Council framework
Authors: Wang Shanshan , de Almeida Mello Johanna , Declercq Anja
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Caring for people with cognitive problems can have an impact on informal caregivers’ health and well-being, and especially increases pressure on healthcare systems due to an increasing ageing society. In response to a higher demand of informal care, evidence suggests that timely support for informal caregivers is essential. The New York University Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI) has proven consistent effectiveness and high adaptability over 30 years. This study has three main objectives: to develop and evaluate the Flemish adaptation of the NYUCI in the context of caregiving for older people with early cognitive decline; to explore the causal mechanism of changes in caregivers’ health and well-being and to evaluate the validity and feasibility of the interRAI Family Carer Needs Assessment in Flanders.

Methods and analysis

Guided by Medical Research Council framework, this study covers the development and evaluation phases of the adapted NYUCI, named PROACTIVE—suPpoRting infOrmal cAregivers of older people with early CogniTIVe declinE. In the development phase, we will identify the evidence base and prominent theory, and develop the PROACTIVE intervention in the Flemish context. In the evaluation phase, we will evaluate the PROACTIVE intervention with a pretest and posttest design in 1 year. Quantitative data will be collected with the BelRAI Screener, the BelRAI Social Supplement and the interRAI Family Carer Needs Assessment at baseline and follow-up points (at 4, 8 and 12 months). Qualitative data will be collected using counselling logs, evaluation forms and focus groups. Quantitative data and qualitative data will be analysed with SAS 9.4 software and NVivo software, respectively. Efficacy and process evaluation of the intervention will be performed.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of KU Leuven with a dossier number G-2020-1771-R2(MAR). Findings will be disseminated through community information sessions, peer-reviewed publications and national and international conference presentations.
Renormalization mass scale and scheme dependence in the perturbative contribution to inclusive semi-leptonic b decays
Authors: Chishtie F.A. , McKeon D.G.C , Sherry T.N.
Published: January 2021

We examine the perturbative calculation of the inclusive semi-leptonic decay rate Γ for the b quark, using mass-independent renormalization. To finite order of perturbation theory the series for Γ will depend on the unphysical renormalization scale parameter μ and on the particular choice of mass-independent renormalization scheme; these dependencies will only be removed after summing the series to all orders. In this paper we show that all explicit μ-dependence of Γ, through powers of ln(μ), can be summed by using the renormalization group equation. We then find that this explicit μ-dependence can be combined together with the implicit μ-dependence of Γ (through powers of both the running coupling a(μ) and the running b quark mass m(μ)) to yield a μ-independent perturbative expansion for γ in terms of a(μ) and m(μ) both evaluated at a renormalization scheme independent mass scale [Formula: see text] which is fixed in terms of either the “[Formula: see text] mass” [Formula: see text] of the b quark or its pole mass mpole. At finite order the resulting perturbative expansion retains a degree of arbitrariness associated with the particular choice of mass-independent renormalization scheme. We use the coefficients ci and gi of the perturbative expansions of the renormalization group functions β(a) and γ(a), associated with a(μ) and m(μ) respectively, to characterize the remaining renormalization scheme arbitrariness of Γ. We further show that all terms in the expansion of Γ can be written in terms of the ci and gi coefficients and a set of renormalization scheme independent parameters τi. A second set of renormalization scheme independent parameters σi is shown to play a very similar role in the perturbative expansion of mpole in terms of m(μ) and a(μ). We illustrate our approach by a perturbative computation of Γ using the [Formula: see text] renormalization scheme. Two other particular mass independent renormalization schemes are briefly considered.