bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Central nervous system, spinal root ganglion and brachial plexus involvement in leprosy: A prospective study
Authors: Verma Sumit , Garg Ravindra Kumar , Rizvi Imran , Malhotra Hardeep Singh , Kumar Neeraj , Jain Amita , Suvirya Swastika , Parihar Anit , Verma Rajesh , Sharma Praveen Kumar , Pandey Shweta , Uniyal Ravi , Prakash Shantanu
Published: October 2022

Background

Leprosy is primarily a disease of peripheral nerves. Some isolated case reports and case series have communicated imaging changes in the central nervous system (CNS) and brachial plexus in patients with leprosy.

Objectives

To study the neuroimaging abnormalities in patients with lepra bacilli-positive neuropathy in the context of CNS, spinal root ganglion, and brachial plexus.

Design

Prospective observational study

Methods

We screened newly-diagnosed patients with multibacillary leprosy presenting with neuropathy. Patients with bacilli-positive sural nerve biopsies were included in the study and subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord.

Results

A total of 54 patients with bacteriologically confirmed multibacillary leprosy were screened; Mycobacterium leprae was demonstrated in the sural nerve biopsies of 29 patients. Five patients (5/29; 17.24%) had MRI abnormalities in CNS, spinal root ganglion, and/or brachial plexus. Three patients had MRI changes suggestive of either myelitis or ganglionitis. One patient had T2/FLAIR hyperintensity in the middle cerebellar peduncle while 1 had T2/FLAIR hyperintensity in the brachial plexus.

Conclusion

CNS, spinal root ganglion, and brachial plexus are involved in patients with leprous neuropathy. Immunological reaction against M leprae antigen might be a plausible pathogenetic mechanism for brachial plexus and CNS imaging abnormalities.
Self-regulation strategies and behaviors in the initial learning of the viola and violin with the support of software for real-time instrumental intonation assessment
Authors: López-Calatayud Fernando , Tejada Jesús
Published: October 2022

Self-regulation strategies and behaviors are important aspects of instrumental music learning because they allow students to set learning goals by testing and controlling their cognition, motivation, behaviors, and emotions. This work investigates the self-regulation processes of four young instrumentalists (aged 10–11 years) in their initial stages of viola and violin learning, during practice with Plectrus, a real-time instrumental intonation training and assessment software. The qualitative-hermeneutical nature of this research employed a multiple case study design to investigate the construct of self-regulation within a software-supported instrumental learning process. Data were collected from the participants’ practice diaries over a 4-week period. The final practice session was also analyzed from audio-visual recordings. The results indicate that, despite their limited experience, the students showed a diversity of strategies and behaviors with which they self-regulated their cognitions, motivations, behaviors, and emotions. However, not all the students employed the same processes, and there was variability in the frequency of their use. One of the students showed more self-regulatory processes than the rest and achieved the best scores, although it has not been possible to establish a relationship between the scores and self-regulation.
Care in the air? Atmospheres of care in Swedish pharmacies
Authors: Liu Rui
Published: October 2022

This article builds upon literature on materialities of care and departs from a relational view of care and place. Using the concept of atmosphere, it investigates how care practices are situated spatially and temporally in pharmacies. In many countries, pharmacies are viewed as an important sector in formal healthcare systems. Rarely discussed in pharmacy literature is the affective and embodied aspect of care and care services. Drawing on an ethnographic study of Swedish pharmacies, I demonstrate that pharmaceutical care services are more than filling prescriptions and giving medical advice. Senses of care are partly accomplished through pharmacy staff's routinized and embodied engagement with the material environment. They also are performed through staff's tacit reading of customers. This article argues for an alternative understanding of care than an institutionally scripted one.
‘No room for hate in our country’: Constructing the LGBTI-friendly nation in news discourses after the murder of a gay man in Belgium
Authors: Verhoeven Emma , Dhoest Alexander , Paulussen Steve
Published: October 2022

This article analyses othering discourses in the news media coverage of an alleged homophobic murder in Belgium. The case study is based on a critical discourse analysis of news articles published in Dutch-speaking Belgian news media. Using the framework of homonationalism, this analysis finds that Belgium's LGBTI-friendly status is deeply anchored in the national identity. Discourses in mainstream news media following the murder appeal to a unified imagined community of Belgians based on the assumed shared value of tolerance. This LGBTI-friendly status spills over in the exclusionary discourse in right-wing alternative media towards groups that are represented as a homophobic threat outside the nation (Central and Eastern Europe) and within it (Muslims and migrants).
Social critique and transformation: Revising Habermas’s colonisation thesis
Authors: Kreide Regina
Published: October 2022

What is critical theory – and what is it not? This essay attempts a new answer to this old question and examines which normative convictions immanent to social reality can be used to describe, analyse and criticise contemporary, global forms of domination that form blockades of social and political participation. The analysis proceeds in a double step, referring both to the critique of society and to the critique of theory that describes society. The basis of this parallel swing is an analysis in which the author makes revisions to Jürgen Habermas’s colonisation thesis and uses the example of housing to show how these revisions which refer to the global perspective, the demarcation between system and lifeworld, the language of critique and, finally, the theoretical mode of an inherent dialectical critique make possible an analysis of the financial and economic sectors as well as everyday interactions. Reading Habermas more dialectically than he probably would himself also allows the identification of potentials for transforming relations of oppression.
Knowledge, attitudes and associated factors to use district health information system among healthcare providers in Illu Aba Bora zone, South West of Ethiopia
Authors: Kanfe Shuma G , Ahmed Mohammedjud H , Debele Gebiso R , Mengestie Nebyu D , Tilahun Binyam , Endehabtu Berhanu F
Published: October 2022

Background

Sound and reliable health information is needed to promote culture of evidence based decision making. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and attitudes of healthcare providers to use District health information system among public health facilities in South-West Ethiopia.

Method

Cross sectional quantitative study was conducted. A total of 264 participants were approached. Descriptive and analytical statistics was done.

Result

Overall 130 (49.2%) of respondents had good knowledge to use DHIS (95% CI: [43, 55.3]). 149 (56.4%) of respondents had favourable attitudes (95% CI: [53.2, 59.8]). Sufficient skills [AOR = 2.20, 95% CI: (1.16, 4.19)], older age [AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: (1.03, 3.59)] , resources [AOR = 2.56, 95% CI: (1.35, 4.86)], staffing [AOR = 2.85, 95% CI: (1.49, 5.48)] and high experiences [AOR = 4.66, 95% CI: (1.94, 5.78)] were variables associated with knowledge. Being trained [AOR = 3.59, 95% CI: (2.48, 5.42)], provision of feedback [AOR = 4.08, 95% CI: (1.87, 8.91)], motivation [AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: (1.36, 6.06)] and health need [AOR = 2.32, 95% CI: (1.10, 4.92)] were variables associated with attitudes

Conclusion

Thus, Knowledge and attitudes of healthcare providers to use DHIS working in public health facilities in this setting is relatively low. The results highlight the need to improve knowledge and attitudes to use DHIS among healthcare providers focusing on the identified gaps.
Translanguaging, multilingualism, and multimodality in young children's mathematics learning
Authors: Valencia Mazzanti Cristina
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to portray the complex language practices of multilingual children when learning mathematics. To do so, I draw on data collected as part of a three-year research study that was designed to understand the relationship between young children's language use and mathematics learning, focusing on students’ work as well as interactions collected through research journal entries and audio recordings. I center the practice of thick description as a path to advance disruptive understanding of multimodal representations of children's language use while learning mathematics. I then consider the necessary movement from a preconceived understanding of language to enacting an understanding of language that is responsive to the experiences and diverse language practices of children. I argue that a disruptive understanding and enactment of language can foster meaningful mathematics learning by dismantling hierarchical power structures.
A computational assessment of flame speed correlation in an ultra-lean pre-chamber engine
Authors: Alkhamis Ghufran , Silva Mickael , Cenker Emre , Im Hong G
Published: October 2022

Predictive modeling of pre-chamber combustion engines relies primarily on the correct description of laminar and turbulent flame speeds. For engineering applications, the correlations of the flame speeds with physical variables involve empirical constants that are valid for a limited range of operating conditions. The current work aims at assessing the significance of laminar flame speed prediction in the simulation of ultra-lean pre-chamber engine combustion operated with methane. Gülder’s empirical correlation for laminar flame speed was chosen as a reference and was further modified for equivalence ratio, pressure and temperature ranges beyond what it was originally derived for, in order to confirm the original hypothesis; the pressure and temperature dependence were adopted as a power-law correlation. Based on the computational results using the skeletal reaction mechanism, the correlation was modified better represent the flame speeds at ultra-lean engine conditions, using GRI 3.0 as a reference. The modified correlation for methane was implemented in CONVERGE, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver, and the results were validated against the experimental data. In all cases, the original formulation of Peters’s turbulent flame speed correlation was used and was found to have insignificant effect on the conditions under study, confirming the importance of the accurate determination of the laminar flame speed that dominates over any turbulence corrections for high Karlovitz number effects. The flame topology was also investigated to provide insights into the observed pressure behavior among the tested cases. Finally, the relevant turbulent combustion regimes encountered in the pre-chamber combustion engine conditions were examined in the Borghi-Peters diagram, further confirming the findings of the study.
‘Lacking’ subjects: Challenging the construction of the ‘empowered’ graduate in museum, gallery and heritage studies
Authors: Coffield Emma , Markham Katie , Crosby Jessica , Athanassiou Maria , Stenbom Cecilia
Published: October 2022

This article challenges what is now a common assumption in Higher Education; that teaching for employability will result in enabled and empowered graduates. Drawing upon empirical data, and Foucault’s concept of subjectification, we argue that discourses of employability instead encouraged museum, gallery and heritage postgraduate students at one UK-based institution to perceive themselves as subjects ‘lacking’ the resources needed for work – an understanding of self that formed prior to study, which then permeated the entire learning and teaching experience. Moreover, we note that the trajectory from ‘lacking student’ to ‘employable graduate’ is often reliant upon an accrual of assets (e.g. work experience, skills) not openly available to all. As such, the article sounds a note of caution with regards the rhetoric of employability within Higher Education, while giving voice to students’ perspectives and anxieties around employability.
Rational suicide and schizophrenia
Authors: Zhand Naista , Attwood David
Published: October 2022

The concept of rational suicide argues that suicide could be a rational choice, in certain circumstances. Such an argument faces criticism when there is an accompanying mental illness, as many view suicide as a symptom of mental illness rather than as a rational choice about one's life. More specifically, the rational suicide debate has mostly excluded individuals with schizophrenia, as it is widely seen as a disorder that impairs rational decision making. This paper aims to examine the concept of rational suicide in schizophrenia: Could it be possible that some acts of suicide are driven from a rational choice by patients suffering from schizophrenia? This paper does not include discussions related to physician-assisted dying in schizophrenia.
Oran’s Front de Mer Projects 1891–1961: Premises of a Modern Urbanism
Authors: Allal Feriel Baya , Chérif Nabila
Published: October 2022

This article reviews the urban revitalization and modernization actions of Oran’s Front de Mer, from the late nineteenth to the middle of the twentieth century. Throughout this period, when Algiers was undergoing a transformation based on the classical Haussmannian urban model, Oran stands out as an atypical example for the development of its urban planning projects. The research evidence, extracted for the first time from archival documents, reveals an advanced use of urban design concepts from the 1960’s, similar to the American model of waterfront revitalisation and deck urbanism developed in France.
Psychological Well-Being of Prospective Counselors from the Faith-Based Educational Institution in the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Amalia Cindy , Aliifah Jihan , Jati Paula , Adi Pangestu Yohana Putri Damayanti , Elias Mario Andronicus , Mamahit Henny Christine , Setia Wati Caroline Lisa , Biondi Situmorang Dominikus David
Published: October 2022

This study aims to analyze the Psychological Well-Being among prospective counselors from the Faith-Based Educational Institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach of this study was quantitative with a descriptive method. The Psychological Well-Being among prospective counselors is at a high classification level, namely 84%. The components of Psychological Well-Being that are above the total average score are Positive Relationship with Other People and components of Self-Growth.
Was There a Civil War in Anatolia between the Ottoman Collapse in World War I and the Establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923?
Authors: Kissane Bill
Published: October 2022

For most Turks the emergence of the Republic of Turkey out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire involved a four-year period of national struggle/milli mücadele. In the version of events canonised by Ataturk's October 1927 Nutuk speech to the Turkish parliament the expression civil war is not used. Yet the range of adversaries he depicts, including the Ottoman Palace suggests that there were many types of wars being fought in Anatolia in those years. This article suggests that the term civil war can be applied to those years and discusses historical research that says so. Not only was the war with the Palace an inchoate civil war over the Ottoman Succession, there are strong European parallels with the Turkish experience of imperial collapse, ethnic conflict, partition and state formation between 1918 and 1923. To draw the connections we need to think of civil war in a ‘layered’ way and the latter part of the article justifies such an approach.
Kinematics and dynamics analysis of a six-degree of freedom parallel manipulator
Authors: Wang Wenhao , Wang Na , Wu Xiaoyong
Published: October 2022

Modeling and analysis of inverse kinematics and dynamics for a novel parallel manipulator are established in this article. The manipulator is a spatial mechanism, which consists of six identical kinematic chains connecting to the moving platform. Firstly, screw theory is applied to compute the degree of freedom of this manipulator. Then the inverse position is achieved based on the homogeneous coordinate transformation principle while motion law of the moving platform is given. Furthermore, the first-order influence coefficient method is employed to obtain the Jacobian matrices of the considered manipulator and the links, so do the velocities. Afterward, the rigid-body dynamics model is derived from the Lagrange formulation. To obtain the integrated inverse dynamics model, an approach for simplified flexible dynamics analysis is proposed. Finally, simulations are conducted to compute the position and driving force of this considered manipulator, which validate the new method simultaneously.
Childbirth Experience Questionnaire: Cross-cultural validation and psychometric evaluation for European Portuguese
Authors: Marques Maria João Pimenta , Zangão Otília , Miranda Luis , Sim-Sim Margarida
Published: October 2022

Background:

Self-reported measures are relevant both for the clinic and for health evaluation because they provide an interpretation of quality parameters. Women who experience labour can express themselves through these measures, identifying indicators that need improvement.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to adapt the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire to the Portuguese context and to determine its psychometric properties.

Method:

A methodological study carried out with a convenience sample where the participants were 161 female users of a hospital in southern Portugal. They were aged between 20 and 43 years (M = 31.05, SD = 4.87) and answered a questionnaire approximately 48 h postpartum, preserving the ethical principles. The original instrument, with 22 items, underwent the linguistic and cultural adequacy process.

Results:

Factor analysis with Varimax rotation was performed, revealing a set of 19 items with factor weights above .400. The set of items remained four-dimensional as the original, explaining 62.517% of the variance. In the retest, the reliability results showed that similar characteristics to the original study are maintained in the two subscales that express ‘Participation’ (three items) and ‘Professional Support’ (four items), with internal consistency values of .807 and .782. The ‘Own Performance’ and ‘Own Threshold’ subscales were elaborated from the results of the Varimax rotation, presenting Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of .840 and 714, respectively. The total scale showed alpha values of .873 and .823 in the test and retest, respectively. Time stability showed a positive association, with r = .659 (p < .001). Accuracy through the split-half method reached an alpha value of .880 with Spearman–Brown correction. The floor effect was high in the ‘Participation’ subscale, both in the test and in the retest. Convergent validity between the instrument and the ‘Index of Strategies for Pain Relief in Labour’ discrete variable showed a Spearman’s rho value of .209 (p = .011) in the total scale. In discriminating validity, the Mann–Whitney test reveals that the women who recognize interactions with the midwife have more favourable scores in Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (U = 2748.000; Z = 2.905; p = .004).

Conclusion:

The current version in European Portuguese suggests that it is a valid and reliable measure. This study may facilitate other validation processes in Lusophony countries.
Learning in Individual Organisms, Genes, Machines, and Groups: A New Way of Defining and Relating Learning in Different Systems
Authors: De Houwer Jan , Hughes Sean
Published: October 2022

Learning is a central concept in many scientific disciplines. Communication about research on learning is, however, hampered by the fact that different researchers define learning in different ways. In this article, we introduce the extended functional definition of learning that can be used across scientific disciplines. We provide examples of how the definition can be applied to individual organisms, genes, machines, and groups. Using the extended functional definition (a) reveals a heuristic framework for research that can be applied across scientific disciplines, (b) allows researchers to engage in intersystem analyses that relate the behavior and learning of different systems, and (c) clarifies how learning differs from other phenomena such as (changes in) behavior, damaging systems, and programming systems.
‘Why don’t he Send the Girl to the Asylum?’: Adaptation, Disability and the Social Body in Boucicault's Dot and The Colleen Bawn
Authors: Gore Clare Walker
Published: October 2022

This article examines disability in Dion Boucicault's adaptations Dot (1859) and The Colleen Bawn (1860), arguing that Boucicault uses disabled characters both to construct and to complicate the ideal communities formed in the plays’ conclusions. The article traces how Boucicault alters the representation of disability in his source texts, Dickens's The Cricket on the Hearth (1845) and Gerald Griffin's The Collegians (1829). It demonstrates that this is a vital aspect of Boucicault's revision of these texts’ constructions of the social body and that his revision of their disability plots has significant political implications.
‘There is no room in our city for hate’: The re-emerged debates over the current and former place name of a Canadian city
Authors: Kovacs Jason F
Published: October 2022

In 1916, Berlin, Ontario, disappeared off the map through a controversial vote. In its place came a new toponym named after British Secretary of State for War, Horatio Herbert Kitchener. Over a century later, a Facebook post about the city’s name gained local media attention. For the writer of the post, the name Kitchener was synonymous for hate due to the military figure’s role in expanding the use of internment camps during the Second Boer War. However, the Berlin–Kitchener controversy is far older than the recent news story; it goes back to 1991 when a news article brought up the subject a year after the city’s German-Canadian community celebrated the reunification of their cultural homeland. This article examines the original resurfaced controversy over the 1916 name change as well as the recently re-emerged debate. It is argued that the origins of both debates are markedly different and reflect different concerns.
The Leading Wisdom Development Framework: An Integrated Roadmap for Cultivating a Sense of Purpose and Meaning
Authors: Chandra Handa Manoj
Published: October 2022

Our aspirations for gifted learners in talent development programs need to go beyond the development of expertise, creative productivity, and eminence. It is argued that wisdom development should be the ultimate goal of educating gifted learners. It is not merely what talents gifted learners develop, but how they use these talents, which will determine how meaningfully they lead their lives, and contribute to the lives of others in society. A theoretically grounded Leading Wisdom Development Framework (LWDF) is presented which articulates developmental levels of wisdom: emerging wisdom, developing wisdom, enhancing wisdom, and advancing wisdom. The framework outlines leadership actions which include deepening teaching quality and collective teacher capacity, strengthening programming, enabling student agency, collaborating with the wider community, and anchoring changes into the school culture. Effective leaders create conditions for integrated wisdom and talent development of gifted learners so that they can use their talents for the greater good of others.
Thinking through the Earth: Surviving and thriving at a planetary threshold
Authors: Clark Nigel , Szerszynski Bronislaw
Published: October 2022

In this short response, we engage with four generous and stimulating commentaries on our Planetary Social Thought (2021). We endorse Cecilia Åsberg's suggestion that the boundary between the environmental humanities and social sciences is dissolving – but also call for more inventive relations between these disciplines and the natural sciences. We discuss László Cseke's account of the rise of factory-farmed ‘broiler’ chickens as a reversal of many of the achievements of the Earth over the last half-billion years. We agree with Franklin Ginn's suggestion that vegetality is a crucial vector of planetary self-exploration and invention – and one that can give us clues as to what life might become on other worlds. We reflect on Simon Dalby's observations about the lack of reference to planetary governance in the book, suggesting that we need a way of thinking about the politics of the Earth that goes beyond conflict and agonism – in Åsberg's words, that we need to learn not just to survive but to thrive.
Clinical pattern and drug-related problems among colorectal cancer patients at oncology center in Ethiopia: A hospital-based study
Authors: Kefale Belayneh , Engidaw Melaku Tadege , Tesfa Desalegn , Yazie Taklo Simeneh , Molla Mulugeta , Yismaw Malede Berihun
Published: October 2022

Objective:

Despite the fact that cancer patients are highly susceptible to drug-related problems due to the effects of cytotoxic agents, data are limited due to a lack of studies on those patients. Hence, we aimed to investigate drug-related problems among patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Method:

A registry-based cross-sectional study was conducted on colorectal cancer patients at the Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Socio-demographic and disease-related characteristics, treatment regimens, and drug-related problems were recorded by reviewing medical records. Standard guidelines, protocols, and databases were used to evaluate the occurrence of drug-related problems and the severity of adverse drug reactions. For the analysis, Stata version 16/MP for Windows was used. Logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the potential-associated factors of drug-related problems. A p-value ⩽ 0.05 was used to declare the statistical significance of each independent variable.

Results:

A total of 150 colorectal cancer patients were included, with a mean age of 51.4 ± 13.8 years. About 30% and 41.3% had stage II and stage III cancers, respectively. About three-quarters (73.8%) of the patients were given 5-fluorouracil-based combination regimens. The prevalence of drug-related problems was found to be 48.7%, with a mean of 2.12 ± 0.93 drug-related problems. In the Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, drug–drug interactions and adverse drug reactions were the most prevalent drug-related problems, which accounted for 50 (32.7%) and 49 (32%) cases, respectively. Being elderly (>50 years old) ( p = 0.013), having co-morbidity ( p = 0.001), and being on five or more medications ( p = 0.002) were independent predictors of drug-related problems.

Conclusion:

Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy was the most frequently used treatment regimen. Almost, half of the colorectal cancer patients had one or more drug-related problems. About one-third of patients had adverse drug reactions and drug–drug interactions. Furthermore, age, co-morbidity status, and the number of medications used were significantly associated with drug-related problems. Clinical pharmacy services should be implemented to optimize drug therapy because the majority of colorectal cancer patients have one or more drug-related problems.
Pancreatic lymphoepithelial cyst with concurrent HIV infection: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Oyedeji Oluwayomi , Rodgers Shannon , Wrubel Allen , Shah Rupen , Husain Sanam
Published: October 2022

Pancreatic lymphoepithelial cysts are rare, benign, non-neoplastic unilocular or multilocular cystic lesions. These circumscribed pancreatic lesions are filled with keratinous material grossly and exhibit distinct microscopic features. Pancreatic lymphoepithelial cysts are like the more common lymphoepithelial cysts of the parotid glands, which have been associated with the diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome often seen in patients with HIV infection. However, pancreatic lymphoepithelial cysts are rare and their association with HIV infection has not been established. The presence of secondary changes in non-neoplastic cysts such as goblet cell metaplasia that was present in our case is an important feature to be included in the differential diagnosis and not to be interpreted as a mucinous neoplasm, particularly on fine-needle aspiration specimen microscopic evaluation that would impact further management. Here we describe the diagnosis and treatment of lymphoepithelial cysts in a patient who was on highly active antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection and we provide a brief literature review. Defining the clinical characteristics of lymphoepithelial cysts in patients with HIV and determining accurate preoperative diagnostic procedures will be critical for establishing effective surgical and medical approaches to treating these cysts, which differ substantially from other more serious pancreatic cystic lesions.
Generalized pruritus as a symptom of hyperferritinemia: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Osman Selena , Haber Richard M
Published: October 2022

Generalized pruritus can be the manifestation of many dermatologic and systemic diseases. However, it has been reported infrequently in the literature as a consequence of hyperferritinemia. We report the case of a 70-year-old male presenting to dermatology due to generalized pruritus in the absence of a rash, who was subsequently found to have a significantly elevated serum ferritin and transferrin saturation with otherwise normal iron studies. Hereditary hemochromatosis was ruled out on genetic testing; however, etiologies of secondary iron overload including alcohol use disorder and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were present. The patient had minimal relief of his pruritus with topical corticosteroids, oral prednisone, and moisturizers. The only successful treatment was phlebotomy which resulted in complete resolution of his long-standing pruritus. We present the fifth case of generalized pruritus associated with hyperferritinemia, treated successfully with phlebotomy.
Association between COVID-19 vaccination and bullous pemphigoid – a case series and literature review
Authors: Wan Vincent , Chen Dilys , Shiau Carolyn J , Jung Gordon W
Published: October 2022

Bullous pemphigoid is an acquired autoimmune blistering dermatosis that is commonly associated with high morbidity and mortality. New-onset bullous pemphigoid following vaccinations has rarely been reported in the literature. We report two cases of new-onset bullous pemphigoid after COVID-19 vaccination followed by a brief literature review. Twenty-six cases were included in our analysis. Our cases support that new-onset bullous pemphigoid may develop following COVID-19 vaccinations. Entering a period of clinical remission before subsequent COVID-19 vaccinations in addition to close follow-up should be considered to lessen the risk of recurrences or exacerbations.
HYPO-CHEAT’s aggregated weekly visualisations of risk reduce real world hypoglycaemia
Authors: Worth Chris , Nutter Paul W , Dunne Mark J , Salomon-Estebanez Maria , Banerjee Indraneel , Harper Simon
Published: October 2022

Background

Children with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) are at constant risk of hypoglycaemia with the attendant risk of brain injury. Current hypoglycaemia prevention methods centre on the prediction of a continuous glucose variable using machine learning (ML) processing of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). This approach ignores repetitive and predictable behavioural factors and is dependent upon ongoing CGM. Thus, there has been very limited success in reducing real-world hypoglycaemia with a ML approach in any condition.

Objectives

We describe the development of HYPO-CHEAT (HYpoglycaemia-Prevention-thrOugh-CGM-HEatmap-Technology), which is designed to overcome these limitations by describing weekly hypoglycaemia risk. We tested HYPO-CHEAT in a real-world setting to evaluate change in hypoglycaemia.

Methods

HYPO-CHEAT aggregates individual CGM data to identify weekly hypoglycaemia patterns. These are visualised via a hypoglycaemia heatmap along with actionable interpretations and targets. The algorithm is iterative and reacts to anticipated changing patterns of hypoglycaemia. HYPO-CHEAT was compared with Dexcom Clarity's pattern identification and Facebook Prophet's forecasting algorithm using data from 10 children with CHI using CGM for 12 weeks. HYPO-CHEAT's efficacy was assessed via change in time below range (TBR).

Results

HYPO-CHEAT identified hypoglycaemia patterns in all patients. Dexcom Clarity identified no patterns. Predictions from Facebook Prophet were inconsistent and difficult to interpret. Importantly, the patterns identified by HYPO-CHEAT matched the lived experience of all patients, generating new and actionable understanding of the cause of hypos. This facilitated patients to significantly reduce their time in hypoglycaemia from 7.1% to 5.4% even when real-time CGM data was removed.

Conclusions

HYPO-CHEAT's personalised hypoglycaemia heatmaps reduced total and targeted TBR even when CGM was reblinded. HYPO-CHEAT offers a highly effective and immediately available personalised approach to prevent hypoglycaemia and empower patients to self-care.
A Scoping Review of Research on Online Hate and Sport
Authors: Kearns Colm , Sinclair Gary , Black Jack , Doidge Mark , Fletcher Thomas , Kilvington Daniel , Liston Katie , Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo
Published: October 2022

The rise of online hate speech in sports is a growing concern, with fans, players and officials subject to racist, sexist and homophobic abuse (in addition to many other prejudices) via social media platforms. While hate speech and discrimination have always been problems in sports, the growth of social media has seen them exacerbated exponentially. As a consequence, policy makers, sport governing bodies and grassroots anti-hate organisations are largely left playing catch-up with the rapidly shifting realm of online hate. Scholars have attempted to fill this vacuum with research into this topic, but such is the evolving nature of the issue that research has been diverse and fragmentary. We offer a scoping review into the scholarship of online hate in sport in order to encourage and facilitate further research into this urgent issue. Our review will achieve this through offering a comprehensive cataloguing of previously employed methodologies, case studies and conclusions. In doing so, it will not only equip future researchers with a concise overview of existing research in the field, but also illuminate areas and approaches in need of further examination.
Improving the solubility of melanin nanoparticles from apricot kernels is a potent drug delivery system
Authors: Gao Li , Yang Liu , Guo Lixiao , Wang Haibin , Zhao Yinghu , Xie Jun , Shi Nan
Published: October 2022

Background:

Melanin can be used in biomedical nanomaterials, but its solubility in water and bioavailability are low.

Aim:

Melanin nanoparticles were prepared and then PEG-natural melanin nanoparticles (NMNP-PEG) were obtained with good performance and optimize their (water solubility, dispersion stability, chelating metal ions, photothermal stability, drug delivery, and biocompatibility), therefore improve the water solubility of melanin and broaden its application scope in biology, medicine, food, and other fields.

Methods:

MFAK (melanin from apricot kernels) and NMNP-PEG were prepared and characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron microscopy. The chelation rate of metal ions, photothermal effect, doxorubicin loading, and cytotoxicity (MCF-7 cells) were examined.

Results:

UV-Vis, HPLC, FTIR, and NMR indicated that NMNPs contained melanin. NMNPs could be successfully modified using PEG. Under physiological pH conditions (pH 7.4), the metal ion chelation rate of NMNP-PEG increased with time and peaked at 12 h. The photothermal assay showed a temperature enhancement of 26.3°C with 1 mg/mL NMNP-PEG, compared with 1.9℃ with water. The NMNP-PEGs had a typical peak for doxorubicin in the FTIR spectrum, and the peak intensity was proportional to the drug loading. The release of doxorubicin in an acidic buffer was 40.8% at 24 h, almost threefold that in a neutral buffer (11.9%). There was no obvious cytotoxicity from NMNP-PEG.

Conclusion:

NMNP-PEG displays good stability, high metal ion chelation ability, efficient photothermal conversion potential, drug-retaining capability, sustained controlled drug release, and biocompatibility. This study provides a theoretical basis for NMNP-PEG applications in medicine (targeting specific sites to diagnose and treat diseases), food (extending the shelf life of food), and biology (as metal ion chelating agents to remove heavy metals from wastewater).
Classifying Types of Visual Loss Linked With Function to Inform Referral to Vision Rehabilitation for Older Adults in Singapore
Authors: Boey Debbie , Fitzmaurice Kerry , Tse Tamara , Chan Mei Leng , Carey Leeanne M.
Published: October 2022

Objective: Visual impairment restricts performance in activities of daily living. The aim of this study was to classify types of visual loss associated with function in older adults based on clinical data and World Health Organization (WHO) acuity and visual field criteria. Methods: Seven hundred retrospective medical records of older adults seen at the outpatient ophthalmology clinics of a Singapore hospital were reviewed. Extracted data was mapped to the WHO low vision criteria. A flow chart was developed to classify the main types of visual loss aligned with function. Results: The flow chart developed describes four major types of visual loss: (1) full visual field with decreased visual acuity, (2) any visual field loss with greater than ten degrees of available field, (3) peripheral field loss with less than 10° of available field, and (4) any visual field loss due to a cortical event. Within each major type, sub-categories were identified reflecting the complexity of the visual impact of the eye conditions. Conclusion: The flow chart can be applied to outpatient records to identify older adults with different types of visual loss to inform targeted rehabilitation linked with function.
Patient, Family Caregiver, and Provider Perceptions on Self-Assessment Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care: Findings From a Qualitative Study
Authors: Bandini Julia I. , Schulson Lucy B. , Ahluwalia Sangeeta C. , Harrison Jordan , Chen Emily K. , Lai Jin-Shei , Edelen Maria
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient, family, and provider perspectives on routine cognitive screening of older adults in primary care using a novel self-assessment tool for detection of early cognitive impairment (CI). We conducted four virtual focus groups with patients aged 65 and older with no CI ( n = 18) and family caregivers of patients with CI ( n = 5) and interviews with primary care providers ( n = 11). Patient and family caregiver participants felt that early detection of CI was important in primary care and may facilitate planning for the future including finances, living arrangements, and advance care planning. Providers reported that they do not use a standardized tool to routinely screen patients for CI yet endorsed the use of a self-assessment CI screening tool. These results suggest that routine screening of older adults using a brief, self-assessment screening tool for CI in primary care may be acceptable to patients, family caregivers, and providers. The findings from this study will inform the development of a brief self-assessment CI screening tool for use in primary care.
Reboot/NoFap Participants Erectile Concerns Predicted by Anxiety and Not Mediated/Moderated by Pornography Viewing
Authors: Prause Nicole , Binnie James
Published: October 2022

“Reboot” coaches claiming to treat pornography addiction increasingly claim to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). They view ED as due to pornography viewing. However, anxiety has long been the best predictor of ED. We hypothesized that those involved in Reboot treatments would report erectile difficulties predicted by anxiety symptoms and not pornography viewing. Six-hundred and sixty-nine participants familiar with Reboot treatments completed a series of online questionnaires. Among those who participated in Reboot treatments, anxiety symptoms predicted ED. Pornography viewing frequency did not mediate or moderate this relationship. Licensed providers should work to dispel this apparent health disinformation by life “Reboot” coaches.
Promoting Mental Health in Young Adults: A Brief Gratitude-Writing Intervention Reduced Brooding in People Who Ruminate
Authors: Safi Jessica M. , Rescigno Stephanie M. , Shih Josephine H.
Published: October 2022

Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have the potential to bypass barriers to seeking mental health services by promoting well-being without the cost and stigma. Research on PPIs thus far has focused on depressed individuals as well individuals who sought out PPIs on their own. It is less clear, however, whether the promising findings on PPIs could extend to PPIs effectively reducing levels of vulnerability factors in individuals at risk for depression. Rumination is a perseverative cognitive process and named as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. The current study tested the efficacy of a gratitude-writing intervention in college students who had high scores of rumination. Participants completed either the gratitude-writing or distraction task for 4 days. The gratitude-writing exercise was significantly more effective than the distraction exercise in reducing the brooding subtype of rumination and in increasing positive affect. Implications for the use of this intervention include its potential to increase confidence in PPIs and to serve as a stepping stone for young adults to seek mental health resources.
Cov2clusters: genomic clustering of SARS-CoV-2 sequences
Authors: Sobkowiak Benjamin , Kamelian Kimia , Zlosnik James E. A. , Tyson John , Silva Anders Gonçalves da , Hoang Linda M. N. , Prystajecky Natalie , Colijn Caroline
Published: October 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a global public health concern. Advances in sequencing technologies has allowed for high numbers of SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequence (WGS) data and rapid sharing of sequences through global repositories to enable almost real-time genomic analysis of the pathogen. WGS data has been used previously to group genetically similar viral pathogens to reveal evidence of transmission, including methods that identify distinct clusters on a phylogenetic tree. Identifying clusters of linked cases can aid in the regional surveillance and management of the disease. In this study, we present a novel method for producing stable genomic clusters of SARS-CoV-2 cases, cov2clusters, and compare the accuracy and stability of our approach to previous methods used for phylogenetic clustering using real-world SARS-CoV-2 sequence data obtained from British Columbia, Canada.

Results

We found that cov2clusters produced more stable clusters than previously used phylogenetic clustering methods when adding sequence data through time, mimicking an increase in sequence data through the pandemic. Our method also showed high accuracy when predicting epidemiologically informed clusters from sequence data.

Conclusions

Our new approach allows for the identification of stable clusters of SARS-CoV-2 from WGS data. Producing high-resolution SARS-CoV-2 clusters from sequence data alone can a challenge and, where possible, both genomic and epidemiological data should be used in combination.
Gene Identification, expression analysis and molecular docking of ATP sulfurylase in the selenization pathway of Cardamine hupingshanensis
Authors: Xiao Zhijing , Lu Yanke , Zou Yi , Zhang Chi , Ding Li , Luo Kai , Tang Qiaoyu , Zhou Yifeng
Published: October 2022

Background

ATP sulfurylase (ATPS) is a crucial enzyme for the selenate assimilation pathway in plants.

Results

In this study, genome-wide and comparative analyses of ATPS in Cardamine hupingshanensis, including sequence and structural analyses, were performed. The expression of ChATPS gene family members in C. hupingshanensis under selenium (Se) stress was also investigated, and our results suggest that ChATPS1-2 play key roles in the response to Se stress. Nine ATPS genes were found from C. hupingshanensis, which share highly conserved sequences with ATPS from Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, we performed molecular docking of ATP sulfurylase in complex with compounds ATP, selenate, selenite, sulfate, and sulfite. ChAPS3-1 was found to have stronger binding energies with all compounds tested. Among these complexes, amino acid residues Arg, Gly, Ser, Glu, and Asn were commonly present.

Conclusion

Our study reveals the molecular mechanism of C. hupingshanensis ATP sulfurylase interacting with selenate, which is essential for understanding selenium assimilation. This information will guide further studies on the function of the ChATPS gene family in the selenium stress response and lay the foundation for the selenium metabolic pathway in higher plants.
Spatiotemporally comparative analysis of three common infectious diseases in China during 2013–2015
Authors: Shao Yang , Li Meifang , Luo Jin , Yu Le , Li Xia
Published: October 2022

Background

Dengue fever (DF), influenza, and hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) have had several various degrees of outbreaks in China since the 1900s, posing a serious threat to public health. Previous studies have found that these infectious diseases were often prevalent in the same areas and during the same periods in China.

Methods

This study combined traditional descriptive statistics and spatial scan statistic methods to analyze the spatiotemporal features of the epidemics of DF, influenza, and HFMD during 2013–2015 in mainland China at the provincial level.

Results

DF got an intensive outbreak in 2014, while influenza and HFMD were stable from 2013 to 2015. DF mostly occurred during August–November, influenza appeared during November–next March, and HFMD happened during April–November. The peaks of these diseases form a year-round sequence; Spatially, HFMD generally has a much higher incidence than influenza and DF and covers larger high-risk areas. The hotspots of influenza tend to move from North China to the southeast coast. The southeastern coastal regions are the high-incidence areas and the most significant hotspots of all three diseases.

Conclusions

This study suggested that the three diseases can form a year-round sequence in southern China, and the southeast coast of China is a particularly high-risk area for these diseases. These findings may have important implications for the local public health agency to allocate the prevention and control resources.