bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Barriers and enablers to engagement in participatory arts activities amongst individuals with depression and anxiety: quantitative analyses using a behaviour change framework
Authors: Fancourt Daisy , Baxter Louise , Lorencatto Fabiana
Published: February 2020

Background

There is a large literature on the health benefits of engagement with the arts. However, there are also well-recognised challenges in ensuring equity of engagement with these activities. Specifically, it remains unclear whether individuals with poor mental health experience more barriers to participation. This study used a behaviour change framework to explore barriers to engagement in participatory arts activities amongst people with either depression or anxiety.

Methods

Data were drawn from a large citizen science experiment focused on participation in creative activities. Participants who reported engaging infrequently in performing arts, visual arts, design and crafts, literature-related activities, and online, digital and electronic arts were included and categorised into no mental health problems (n = 1851), depression but not anxiety (n = 873) and anxiety but not depression (n = 808). Barriers and enablers to engagement were measured using an 18-item scale based on the COM-B Self-Evaluation Questionnaire, with subscales assessing psychological and physical capabilities, social and physical opportunities, and automatic and reflective motivations. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify whether individuals with either depression or anxiety reported greater barriers across any of the six domains than individuals without any mental health problems. Where differences were found, we calculated the percentage of protective association explained by various demographic, socio-economic, social, physical or geographical factors.

Results

Individuals with depression and anxiety felt they would be more likely to engage in arts activities if they had greater psychological and physical capabilities, more social opportunities, and stronger automatic and reflective motivations to engage. However, they did not feel that more physical opportunities would affect their engagement. Covariates explained only 8–37% of the difference in response amongst those with and without anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that for individuals with poor mental health, there are certain barriers to participation that are not felt as strongly by those without any mental health problems. Mapping the behaviour change domains to potential interventions, activities that focus on increasing perceived capabilities, providing social opportunities, and reinforcing both automatic and reflective motivations to engage has the potential to help to redress the imbalance in arts participation amongst those with poor mental health.
Restrictive spirometric pattern and true pulmonary restriction in a general population sample aged 50 - 64 years
Authors: Torén Kjell , Schiöler Linus , Brisman Jonas , Malinovschi Andrei , Olin Anna-Carin , Bergström Göran , Bake Björn
Published: February 2020

Background

There is low diagnostic accuracy of the proxy restrictive spirometric pattern (RSP) to identify true pulmonary restriction. This knowledge is based on patients referred for spirometry and total lung volume determination by plethysmograpy, single breath nitrogen washout technique or gas dilution and selected controls. There is, however, a lack of data from general populations analyzing whether RSP is a valid proxy for true pulmonary restriction. We have validated RSP in relation to true pulmonary restriction in a general population where we have access to measurements of total lung capacity (TLC) and spirometry.

Methods

The data was from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS Pilot), a general population-based study, comprising 983 adults aged 50–64. All subjects answered a respiratory questionnaire. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were obtained before and after bronchodilation. TLC and residual volume (RV) was recorded using a body plethysmograph. All lung function values are generally expressed as percent predicted (% predicted) or in relation to lower limits of normal (LLN). True pulmonary restriction was defined as TLC < LLN5 defined as a Z score < − 1.645, i e the fifth percentile. RSP was defined as FEV1/FVC ≥ LLN and FVC < LLN after bronchodilation. Specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results

The prevalence of true pulmonary restriction was 5.4%, and the prevalence of RSP was 3.4%. The sensitivity of RSP to identify true pulmonary restriction was 0.34 (0.20–0.46), the corresponding specificity was 0.98 (0.97–0.99), and the positive likelihood ratio was 21.1 (11.3–39.4) and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.67 (0.55–0.81).

Conclusions

RSP has low accuracy for identifying true pulmonary restriction. The results support previous observations that RSP is useful for ruling out true pulmonary restriction.
Measuring the quality of care in nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases: a scoping review
Authors: Heffels Joyce C. F. , Everink Irma H. J. , Oosterloo Mayke , Roos Raymund A. C. , Schols Jos M. G. A.
Published: February 2020

Background

Nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases are often younger in comparison with other residents, and need different, often more complex care. Accordingly, the measurements currently used for measuring quality of care in nursing homes may not be suitable for use in this target group. Little is known about the experiences of these residents and of their (in) formal caregivers regarding the quality of care they receive. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review is to explore which instruments are available for measuring the quality of care for nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases (excluding dementia), from the perspective of the resident and of (in) formal caregivers.

Methods

A literature search was performed in the databases Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Cinahl. The search strategy consisted of four main concepts: neurodegenerative diseases, quality of care, nursing homes and perspectives of residents, (in) formal caregivers. Studies were included if they used instruments and/or strategies to measure quality of care, focused on nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases and the perspective of either the resident or (in) formal caregiver.

Results

From a total of 809 identified articles, 87 full text articles were screened for eligibility. Five studies were included, only one of which described an instrument. The other four used topic lists and/or themes to measure quality of care. In total, 60 items related to quality of care could be derived. From these 60 items, eight overarching domains were found, with a subdivision into items derived, respectively, from the residents’, informal and formal caregivers’ perspective: ‘emotional support’, ‘physical support’, ‘social support’, ‘care’, ‘care content’, ‘expertise’, ‘communication’ and ‘organization of care’.

Conclusions

Currently, there are no methods for assessing the quality of care specifically focused on nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the items retrieved in this review give an overview of important topics for measuring the quality of care for this target group, from the perspective of the resident, and of the informal and formal caregivers. These items might be used to develop a tailored instrument for assessing the quality of care for nursing home residents with early-onset neurodegenerative diseases.
Physiotherapists’ and midwives’ views of increased inter recti abdominis distance and its management in women after childbirth
Authors: Gustavsson Catharina , Eriksson-Crommert Martin
Published: February 2020

Background

Physiotherapists and midwives in primary healthcare often encounter women with an increased separation between the two rectus abdominis muscle bellies after pregnancy, a so-called increased inter recti distance (IRD). There are few studies on the contribution of increased IRD to the explanation of post-partum health complaints, and very little guidance in the literature for health professionals on the management of increased IRD. The aim of this study was to describe how physiotherapists and midwives in primary healthcare perceive the phenomenon of increased IRD and its management in women after childbirth.

Methods

A purposeful sampling approach was used to select physiotherapists and midwives working in primary healthcare in three large county council healthcare organisations in Sweden having experience of encountering women with increased IRD after pregnancy. Sixteen physiotherapists and midwives participated in focus group discussions. Four focus groups with four participants in each were undertaken. A semi-structured topic guide was used to explore responses to the research questions and the discussions were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

We identified an overarching theme: Ambivalence towards the phenomenon increased IRD and frustration over insufficient professional knowledge. The theme included three categories: Uncertainty concerning the significance of increased IRD as a causal factor for functional problems; perceived insufficient professional knowledge base for the management of increased IRD; and lack of inter-professional collaboration and teamwork in the management of patients with increased IRD. Due to sparse and somewhat contradictory research findings and absence of clinical guidelines, the health professionals lacked basic preconditions for applying an evidence-based practice concerning increased IRD. They obtained their information about increased IRD from the media and fitness coaches, and hence were somewhat unsure about what to believe regarding the phenomenon.

Conclusions

There was no consensus among the health professionals on how to best approach increased IRD in the clinical setting. Our findings stress the importance of more research to increase the professional knowledge base among physiotherapists and midwives. The findings highlight the urgent need for policies and clinical guidelines advising health professionals in the management of increased IRD and for facilitating inter-professional collaboration and teamwork.
Gut, oral and nasal microbiota and Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Shen Liang
Published: February 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, and in an effort to identify novel therapeutic target for this disease in recent years, human microbiota has attracted much interest. This paper briefly summarizes the main findings concerning the differences of human microbiome across several important mucosal interfaces, including nose, mouth, and gut between PD patients and controls as obtained from a total of 13 studies published since 2015, which covered a total of 943 PD patients and 831 matched controls from 6 countries. Overall, these studies supported the differences of gut microbiota between PD patients and matched controls, while significantly altered bacterial taxa among studies were not identical. Due to relatively limited number of available studies and covered patients, the associations between oral and nasal microbiota and PD remain inconclusive. The therapeutic and diagnostic potentials of gut microbiota for PD are discussed. More well-designed clinical studies recruiting large-scale PD patients are encouraged in future.
Epidemiology of malaria and chloroquine resistance in Mizoram, northeastern India, a malaria-endemic region bordering Myanmar
Authors: Zomuanpuii Rita , Hmar Christopher L. , Lallawmzuala Khawlhring , Hlimpuia Lal , Balabaskaran Nina Praveen , Senthil Kumar Nachimuthu
Published: February 2020

Background

Mizoram, a northeastern state in India, shares international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh and is considered to be one of the key routes through which drug-resistant parasites of Southeast Asia enter mainland India. Despite its strategic location and importance, malaria epidemiology and molecular status of chloroquine resistance had not been well documented, and since chloroquine (CQ), as the first-line treatment in Plasmodium falciparum infection was discontinued since 2008, it was expected that CQ-sensitive haplotype would be more abundant.

Methods

Malaria epidemiology data for the period 2010 to 2018 was collected from the office of State Vector Disease Control Programme. Plasmodium falciparum-positive blood samples were collected from government district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, sub-centres, and diagnostic centres from six malaria-prone districts. The samples were processed and analysed using genes–P. falciparum chloroquine-resistant transporter (pfcrt) and P. falciparum multidrug resistance 1 (pfmdr1) via sequencing of PCR amplicon from 2015 to 2017.

Results

Malaria occurred throughout the year and P. falciparum accounted for > 89% of total malaria cases. During 2010–2018, the highest number of malaria incidence was recorded in Lawngtlai (36% of total malaria cases; average API2010–2018 of 34.8) while Champhai remained consistently low (0.4%; average API2010–2018 of 0.04). Males of ≥ 15 years old contributed maximum (35.7%) among gender and age malarial distribution recorded during 2014–2018. Death due to malaria gradually decreased over the years. A higher abundance of mutated pfcrt (58.5% of the total sample analysed) and a lower prevalence of mutated pfmdr1 (48.7%) were observed. All mutations identified for pfcrt belong to the Southeast Asian CVIET haplotype. Only a single point mutation was observed at 86 (N → Y) position in pfmdr1 (48.7%). The key N86Y mutation in pfmdr1 that had been shown to modulate CQR was found in 67.1% of the samples positive for the CVIET haplotype.

Conclusions

This is the first report that details malaria epidemiology and also the molecular status of CQ-resistance in P. falciparum population of the region. The efforts of the State Vector Borne Disease Control Programme have proved to be quite effective in controlling the malaria burden in the state. Despite the discontinuation of CQ for a decade, local P. falciparum is observed with decreased CQ-sensitive haplotype. It is believed that the present findings will form a basis for further studies on genetic diversity in P. falciparum, which could confer better understanding of the complexity of the disease in Southeast Asia.
Metabolic alterations in the erythrocyte during blood-stage development of the malaria parasite
Authors: Tewari Shivendra G. , Swift Russell P. , Reifman Jaques , Prigge Sean T. , Wallqvist Anders
Published: February 2020

Background

Human blood cells (erythrocytes) serve as hosts for the malaria parasitePlasmodium falciparumduring its 48-h intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Established in vitro protocols allow for the study of host–parasite interactions during this phase and, in particular, high-resolution metabolomics can provide a window into host–parasite interactions that support parasite development.

Methods

Uninfected and parasite-infected erythrocyte cultures were maintained at 2% haematocrit for the duration of the IDC, while parasitaemia was maintained at 7% in the infected cultures. The parasite-infected cultures were synchronized to obtain stage-dependent information of parasite development during the IDC. Samples were collected in quadruplicate at six time points from the uninfected and parasite-infected cultures and global metabolomics was used to analyse cell fractions of these cultures.

Results

In uninfected and parasite-infected cultures during the IDC, 501 intracellular metabolites, including 223 lipid metabolites, were successfully quantified. Of these, 19 distinct metabolites were present only in the parasite-infected culture, 10 of which increased to twofold in abundance during the IDC. This work quantified approximately five times the metabolites measured in previous studies of similar research scope, which allowed for more detailed analyses. Enrichment in lipid metabolism pathways exhibited a time-dependent association with different classes of lipids during the IDC. Specifically, enrichment occurred in sphingolipids at the earlier stages, and subsequently in lysophospholipid and phospholipid metabolites at the intermediate and end stages of the IDC, respectively. In addition, there was an accumulation of 18-, 20-, and 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids, which produce eicosanoids and promote gametocytogenesis in infected erythrocyte cultures.

Conclusions

The current study revealed a number of heretofore unidentified metabolic components of the host–parasite system, which the parasite may exploit in a time-dependent manner to grow over the course of its development in the blood stage. Notably, the analyses identified components, such as precursors of immunomodulatory molecules, stage-dependent lipid dynamics, and metabolites, unique to parasite-infected cultures. These conclusions are reinforced by the metabolic alterations that were characterized during the IDC, which were in close agreement with those known from previous studies of blood-stage infection.
Is subtotal gastrectomy feasible for the treatment of gastric stump cancer located at the anastomotic site after distal gastrectomy for benign lesions?
Authors: Ma Fuhai , Li Yang , Li Weikun , Kang Wenzhe , Liu Hao , Ma Shuai , Wang Bingzhi , Xie Yibin , Zhong Yuxin , Chen Yingtai , Xue Liyan , Tian Yantao
Published: February 2020

Background

Total gastrectomy (TG) is a widely accepted procedure for treating gastric stump cancer (GSC). However, subtotal gastrectomy (SG) would benefit elective patients with GSC. The aim of this study was to clarify the safety and long-term prognosis of SG in treating GSC after distal gastrectomy for benign lesions.

Methods

A total of 53 patients with GSC located at the anastomotic site or gastric body between May 1999 and December 2018 at our hospital were included. In total, 21 patients underwent SG, and the remaining 24 patients underwent TG. Clinicopathological data, operative data, and overall survival (OS) were compared.

Results

The operative duration, estimated blood loss volume, and length of hospital stay were similar between the SG and TG groups. The postoperative complications were similar between the two groups, but no cases of anastomotic leakage were noted in the SG group. TG was associated with significantly more retrieved lymph nodes than SG (18.5 ± 11.5 vs. 10.7 ± 9.2;p= 0.017), while the number of metastatic lymph nodes did not differ between the groups (2.9 ± 3.5 vs. 1.9 ± 3.6;p= 0.329). The median survival time in the SG group was 81.0 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 68.906 to 93.094 months), which was similar to the 45.0 months (95% CI, 15.920 to 74.080 months) observed in the TG group (p= 0.236). Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that tumor location and histological type were prognostic factors, while surgery type was not a prognostic factor. Further stratified analyses according to tumor location revealed that OS was not significantly different between the two groups among patients with tumors located at the anastomotic site, while OS in the TG group was significantly better than that in the SG group among patients with tumors located in the gastric body (p= 0.046).

Conclusions

The results of the current study indicate that SG is a suitable alternative surgical procedure for GSC located at the anastomotic site after distal gastrectomy for benign lesions. The short-term outcomes and long-term prognoses of SG are comparable with those of TG.
Rare case of diaphragmatic rupture following resuscitation in a pregnant woman first in literature
Authors: Haj-Yahia Saleem , Al Aqra Amro , Abed Kamal , Bali Khalil , Sbaih Mohammad N. , Al Asmar Mohanad , Caputo Massimo , Othman Wafiq , Al-Adhami Ahmed
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Complications following Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are rare and usually follows a vigorous CPR or in special cases like pregnancy are due to lack of knowledge and clinical practice of how to preform CPR in pregnancy. One of this complication is diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of abdominal organs. Surgical intervention needs to be planned carefully in multidisciplinary team approach and requires fine surgical techniques for better outcome. There are few reported cases of diaphragmatic rupture after Cardiopulmonary resuscitation but none in pregnant woman.

Case presentation

We report a rare case of diaphragmatic rupture in a 29-year-old pregnant patient who experienced a full-blown diaphragmatic defect and herniation of the abdominal organs into the thoracic cavity, as a complication of CPR. Following careful assessment and diagnosis, the patient underwent urgent laparotomy with reduction of the contents and primary closure of the defect. One year follow up was satisfactory. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of the abdominal organs following CPR in a pregnant woman in the literature.

Conclusion

The application of external cardiac massage through CPR is a life-saving procedure for the management of cardiac arrest. Common complications related to CPR include rib fractures, sternal fractures and haemothorax. Diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of the abdominal organs is a rare complication, having been reported only once in the literature (Sabzi F, Faraji R, Tanaffos 16:170–172, 2017); however, it represents a serious and life-threating event. Thus, careful evaluation of the patient by a multidisciplinary team and prompt intervention is recommended in order to improve outcomes.
Regenerating zebrafish fin epigenome is characterized by stable lineage-specific DNA methylation and dynamic chromatin accessibility
Authors: Lee Hyung Joo , Hou Yiran , Chen Yujie , Dailey Zea Z. , Riddihough Aiyana , Jang Hyo Sik , Wang Ting , Johnson Stephen L.
Published: February 2020

Background

Zebrafish can faithfully regenerate injured fins through the formation of a blastema, a mass of proliferative cells that can grow and develop into the lost body part. After amputation, various cell types contribute to blastema formation, where each cell type retains fate restriction and exclusively contributes to regeneration of its own lineage. Epigenetic changes that are associated with lineage restriction during regeneration remain underexplored.

Results

We produce epigenome maps, including DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility, as well as transcriptomes, of osteoblasts and other cells in uninjured and regenerating fins. This effort reveals regeneration as a process of highly dynamic and orchestrated transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility changes, coupled with stably maintained lineage-specific DNA methylation. The epigenetic signatures also reveal many novel regeneration-specific enhancers, which are experimentally validated. Regulatory networks important for regeneration are constructed through integrative analysis of the epigenome map, and a knockout of a predicted upstream regulator disrupts normal regeneration, validating our prediction.

Conclusion

Our study shows that lineage-specific DNA methylation signatures are stably maintained during regeneration, and regeneration enhancers are preset as hypomethylated before injury. In contrast, chromatin accessibility is dynamically changed during regeneration. Many enhancers driving regeneration gene expression as well as upstream regulators of regeneration are identified and validated through integrative epigenome analysis.
Programmatic implications of the TUMIKIA trial on community-wide treatment for soil-transmitted helminths: further health economic analyses needed before a change in policy
Authors: Turner Hugo C. , Bundy Donald A. P.
Published: February 2020

School-based deworming programmes are currently the main approach used to control the soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). A key unanswered policy question is whether mass drug administration (MDA) should be targeted to the whole community instead, and several trials in this area have been conducted or are currently on-going. A recent well-conducted trial demonstrated that successful community-wide treatment is a feasible strategy for STH control and can be more effective than school-based treatment in reducing prevalence and intensity of hookworm infection. However, we would argue that it is vital that these findings are not taken out of context or over generalised, as the additional health benefits gained from switching to community-wide treatment will vary depending on the STH species and baseline endemicity. Moreover, community-wide treatment will typically be more expensive than school-based treatment. The epidemiological evidence for an additional benefit from a switch to community-wide treatment has yet to be proven to represent “good value for money” across different settings. Further work is needed before changes in policy are made regarding the use of community-wide treatment for STH control, including comprehensive assessments of its additional public health benefits and costs across a range of scenarios, accounting for the presence of alternative treatment delivery platforms.
Exploring STEM postsecondary instructors’ accounts of instructional planning and revisions
Authors: Erdmann Robert , Miller Kathryn , Stains Marilyne
Published: February 2020

Background

Local and national initiatives to improve the learning experiences of students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses have been on-going for a couple of decades with a heightened momentum within the last 10 years. However, recent large-scale studies have demonstrated that transmission of information is still the primary mode of instruction in STEM courses across the undergraduate curriculum. The limited impact of instructional change reform efforts can be partly explained by the one-sided focus of educational research on the development of evidence-based instructional practices and production of evidence demonstrating their impact on student learning. This has been done at the expense of understanding faculty members’ instructional practices and mindsets about teaching and learning that underlie their practices. This study addresses this gap in the literature by characterizing STEM instructors’ instructional intentions and reflections on their teaching performance for a week of instruction. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 42 STEM faculty members from one doctorate-granting institution in the USA.

Results

STEM instructors in this study had teacher-centric mindsets with respect to their instructional planning (e.g., content-focused learning goals, lecture is seen as an engagement strategy). We found that these instructors mostly saw formative assessment tools as engagement strategy rather than tools to monitor student learning. Reflections on their level of satisfaction with their week of teaching focused heavily on content coverage and personal feelings and minimally considered student learning. Finally, we found that pedagogical discontent was not a driver of planned course revisions.

Conclusions

This study identifies mismatches between STEM instructors’ teaching mindsets and current approaches to instructional change. STEM instructors in this study paid minimal attention to student learning when considering course-level revisions and many of their reflections were anchored in their personal feelings. However, instructional reform strategies often attempt to convince faculty of a new approach by demonstrating its impact on student learning. The misalignment identified in this study further highlights the need to better characterize STEM instructors’ cognition around teaching so that reform efforts can better meet them where they are.
A case of a gastric granular cell tumor preoperatively diagnosed and successfully treated by single-incision laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Yasuda Atsushi , Yasuda Takushi , Imamoto Haruhiko , Hiraki Yoko , Momose Kohta , Kato Hiroaki , Iwama Mitsuru , Shiraishi Osamu , Shinkai Masayuki , Imano Motohiro , Kimura Yutaka
Published: February 2020

Background

Granular cell tumors (GCT) in the gastrointestinal tract are rare. Herein, we describe a case of a gastric GCT diagnosed preoperatively by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) and successfully resected by single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS).

Case presentation

A 46-year-old Japanese woman had a tumor located in the angle of the stomach that was approximately 1.5 cm in diameter. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a submucosal tumor (SMT), which was finally diagnosed as a gastric GCT using EUS-FNAB. The tumor was not identified by CT 1 year and 4 months before diagnosis; therefore, because there was a possibility that the tumor was malignant, we performed surgical wedge resection using SILS. The patient had an uneventful recovery postoperatively and was discharged without complications 3 days after surgery. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as a benign GCT that remained within the muscular layer. No recurrence or complications have occurred in the first 16 months since the surgery.

Conclusion

Because gastric GCTs are generally benign and are rarely associated with lymph node metastasis, SILS seems to be a safe and feasible surgical approach for treating GCTs.
Multiple level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion versus posterior laminectomy for the management of multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy: clinical and radiological outcome
Authors: Ahmed Omar El Farouk , Galal Ahmed
Published: February 2020

Background

Though both anterior and posterior approach are used for the management of multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), the choice between both approaches remains to be of considerable debate.

Aim of the work

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients with multiple level CSM who underwent posterior laminectomy (PL) versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Methods

This is a retrospective comparative study of 30 patients, with multiple level CSM managed by the authors, either by PL (n = 15) or ACDF (n = 15). Clinical outcome was assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively using the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scale (mJOA) while the postoperative radiographic changes represented by the Cobb’s angle variation was recorded at 12 months postoperatively and compared with preoperative values. Also, the incidence of postoperative complications and neurological deterioration was recorded and studied between the two groups. Study duration was for 2 years from December 2014 to December 2016.

Results

Both the ACDF and PL groups showed an improvement in the mJOA score mean value at 1 year after surgery in comparison with the preoperative evaluation data; however, on comparing between both groups at 1 year postoperatively, the median percent of increase in mJOA score was significantly higher in the ACDF group compared with the PL group (33.3% vs 22.2% respectively). On the other hand, the Cobb’s angle percent of change 1 year after surgery showed a median percent of increase of 18.7% in the ACDF group in contrast to a median decrease of − 11.1% in the PL group which was statistically significant. Minimal complications were reported in both groups.

Conclusion

Both PL and ACDF are effective modalities for the surgical management of multilevel CSM showing good clinical outcome; however, when compared with the posterior approach, there was a statistical significant difference favoring ACDF regarding the median percent of increase in mJOA score and the postoperative Cobb’s angle improvement.
A coherent feed-forward loop drives vascular regeneration in damaged aerial organs of plants growing in a normal developmental context
Authors: Radhakrishnan Dhanya , Shanmukhan Anju Pallipurath , Kareem Abdul , Aiyaz Mohammed , Varapparambathu Vijina , Toms Ashna , Kerstens Merijn , Valsakumar Devisree , Landge Amit N. , Shaji Anil , Mathew Mathew K. , Sawchuk Megan G. , Scarpella Enrico , Krizek Beth A. , Efroni Idan , Mähönen Ari Pekka , Willemsen Viola , Scheres Ben , Prasad Kalika
Published: February 2020

Aerial organs of plants, being highly prone to local injuries, require tissue restoration to ensure their survival. However, knowledge of the underlying mechanism is sparse. In this study, we mimicked natural injuries in growing leaves and stems to study the reunion between mechanically disconnected tissues. We show that PLETHORA (PLT) and AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) genes, which encode stem cell-promoting factors, are activated and contribute to vascular regeneration in response to these injuries. PLT proteins bind to and activate the CUC2 promoter. PLT proteins and CUC2 regulate the transcription of the local auxin biosynthesis gene YUC4 in a coherent feed-forward loop, and this process is necessary to drive vascular regeneration. In the absence of this PLT-mediated regeneration response, leaf ground tissue cells can neither acquire the early vascular identity marker ATHB8, nor properly polarise auxin transporters to specify new venation paths. The PLT-CUC2 module is required for vascular regeneration, but is dispensable for midvein formation in leaves. We reveal the mechanisms of vascular regeneration in plants and distinguish between the wound-repair ability of the tissue and its formation during normal development.
Regenerative responses following DNA damage – β-catenin mediates head regrowth in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea
Authors: Wouters Annelies , Ploem Jan-Pieter , Langie Sabine A. S. , Artois Tom , Aboobaker Aziz , Smeets Karen
Published: February 2020

Pluripotent stem cells hold great potential for regenerative medicine. Increased replication and division, such is the case during regeneration, concomitantly increases the risk of adverse outcomes through the acquisition of mutations. Seeking for driving mechanisms of such outcomes, we challenged a pluripotent stem cell system during the tightly controlled regeneration process in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. Exposure to the genotoxic compound methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) revealed that despite a similar DNA-damaging effect along the anteroposterior axis of intact animals, responses differed between anterior and posterior fragments after amputation. Stem cell proliferation and differentiation proceeded successfully in the amputated heads, leading to regeneration of missing tissues. Stem cells in the amputated tails showed decreased proliferation and differentiation capacity. As a result, tails could not regenerate. Interference with the body-axis-associated component β-catenin-1 increased regenerative success in tail fragments by stimulating proliferation at an early time point. Our results suggest that differences in the Wnt signalling gradient along the body axis modulate stem cell responses to MMS.
When the noise goes on: received sound energy predicts sperm whale responses to both intermittent and continuous navy sonar
Authors: Isojunno Saana , Wensveen Paul J. , Lam Frans-Peter A. , Kvadsheim Petter H. , von Benda-Beckmann Alexander M. , Martín López Lucia M. , Kleivane Lars , Siegal Eilidh M. , Miller Patrick J. O.
Published: February 2020

Anthropogenic noise sources range from intermittent to continuous, with seismic and navy sonar technology moving towards near-continuous transmissions. Continuous active sonar (CAS) may be used at a lower amplitude than traditional pulsed active sonar (PAS), but potentially with greater cumulative sound energy. We conducted at-sea experiments to contrast the effects of navy PAS vs. CAS on sperm whale behaviour using animal-attached sound and movement-recording tags (n=16 individuals) in Norway. Changes in foraging effort and proxies for foraging success and cost during sonar and control exposures were assessed while accounting for baseline variation (individual effects, time of day, bathymetry and blackfish [pilot/killer whale] presence) in generalized additive mixed models. We found no reduction in time spent foraging during exposures to medium-level PAS (MPAS) transmitted at the same peak amplitude as CAS. In contrast, we found similar reductions in foraging during CAS (df=1, F=8.0, p=0.005) and higher amplitude PAS (df=1, F=20.8, p<0.001) when received at similar energy levels integrated over signal duration. These results provide clear support for sound energy over amplitude as the response driver. We discuss the importance of exposure context and need to measure cumulative sound energy to account for intermittent vs. more continuous sources in noise impact assessments.
Extensive systemic metastases from primary central nervous system haemangiopericytoma
Authors: Ho Chi Long , Lam Jeremy JH , Chen Robert Chun
Published: February 2020

Primary intracranial tumours rarely metastasise outside of the central nervous system (CNS). This report describes a rare case of recurrent meningeal haemangiopericytoma with extensive systemic metastases, which eventually resulted in a fatal outcome. We discuss some prevailing theories as to the rarity of extracranial metastases from primary CNS haemangiopericytoma, and elucidate the epidemiology, imaging features, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this unusual but surprisingly aggressive meningeal tumour. Besides aggressive treatment for local tumour control, patients with primary CNS haemangiopericytoma require long-term post-treatment surveillance to detect systemic metastases.
Experimental treatment of dysbiosis in colitis with hepatitis
Authors: Bocharov A. V. , Levitsky A. P. , Badiuk N. S. , Zukow W.
Published: February 2020

Nonspecific colitis (inflammation of the colon mucosa) is a common gastroenterological disease. The causative factors of this disease are intestinal dysbiosis, which leads to an increase in blood concentration of intestinal endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide), as well as impaired liver antimicrobial function.The purpose of this study was to determine the possibility of preventing colitis, which develops as a result of a combination of dysbiosis and hepatitis, with the help of biotrit, which has an antidysbiotic and hepatoprotective effect.The experiments were conducted on 24 white rats of the Wistar line (males, 1 month old), divided into 3 equal groups: 1 - control (normal); 2 - dysbiosis + hepatitis without treatment; 3 - dysbiosis + hepatitis + drug "Biotrit".Dysbiosis was caused by the antibiotic lincomycin, which was given to rats with drinking water at a dose of 60 mg / kg for the first 5 days. Toxic hepatitis was reproduced in rats using hydrazine hydrochloride.Studies have shown that the phytopreparation Biotrit has a mucosoprotective effect in experimental nonspecific colitis due to both antidysbiotic and antioxidant effects.
Patient safety reports and crisis events round up
Authors: Tingle John
Published: February 2020

John Tingle, Lecturer in Law, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham, discusses some recent patient reports and crisis events
Third spacing
Authors: Keogh Kenneth
Published: February 2020

The expansion of hospital facilities is essential, but are there enough clinicians to match this growth?
Burnout in surgeons: talking the talk but not walking the walk
Authors: Galaiya R , Arulampalam T
Published: February 2020

Can intervention programmes reduce levels of burnout?
Treatment escalation planning for surgical patients
Authors: Swain CS , Emslie K , Fraser T , Mahendran B , Spellar K
Published: February 2020

Why is it important to initiate advanced care planning before crisis strikes?
Can plastic surgery training meet current core standards?
Authors: Daniels J , Moura F , Majeed Y , Bedford J
Published: February 2020

In the North West, plastic surgery training fails to meet core surgical training standards – but are these standards ever achievable?
What are the differences between medical schools that graduate more aspiring surgeons than others?
Authors: Twigg V , McNally SA , Eardley I
Published: February 2020

A quantitative survey investigating how medical schools can impact the number of graduates pursuing surgery.
eHealth technologies and the know-do gap: exploring the role of knowledge mobilisation
Authors: Asthana Sheena , Sheaff Rod , Jones Ray , Chatterjee Arunangsu
Published: February 2020

Background:

eHealth technologies are widely believed to contribute to improving health and patients’ experience of care and reducing health system costs. While many studies explore barriers to and facilitators of eHealth innovation, we lack understanding of how this knowledge can be translated into workable, practicable and properly resourced knowledge mobilisation (KM) strategies.

Aims and objectives:

This paper describes the aims, methods and outputs of a large European Union funded project (eHealth Productivity and Innovation in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (EPIC)) to support the development of a sustainable innovation ecosystem in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, in order to explore how knowledge mobilisation activities can help bridge the know-do gap in eHealth.

Conclusions:

Preparatory knowledge sharing, linkage making and capacity building are necessary preliminaries to co-production, with an emphasis on capturing the uses to which patients, carers and health workers want to put new technologies rather than promoting new technology for its own sake. Financial support can play a key role in supply-side dynamics, although the contextual and organisational barriers to eHealth innovation in England should not be underestimated.
Temperature and deformation measurement for large-scale flat specimens based on image mosaic algorithms
Authors: Tang Yunlong , Zhang Jinsong , Yue Mengkun , Fang Xufei , Feng Xue
Published: February 2020

Synchronous measurement of the temperature and deformation fields of large-scale flat specimens is challenging in engineering experiments, especially for high-temperature environment where the non-contact optical method is attempted. To overcome this difficulty of large-scale flat specimens tested at high temperature in the open arc wind tunnel environment, measurement principles and experiments of large-scale flat specimens based on a multi-camera system are proposed using digital image stitching as well as the improved two-color method for temperature measurement. First, the digital image mosaic method is used to process and evaluate the mosaic effect of multi-camera images, the optimal mosaic parameters are selected, and the calculation results are given. Second, a set of images for large-scale flat specimens are deduced based on an improved two-color method of temperature measurement and digital image mosaic algorithms. A stitching algorithm for full-field temperature measurement and calculation results are given. Finally, full-field displacement of the stitched images is calculated by the digital image correlation method. Synchronous measurement of temperature and deformation established in this paper provides guidance for measurement of large-scale flat specimens with high spatial resolution in engineering tests.
La incursión de Bonifacio Alfonso en el grabado y su vinculación con la denominada Escuela de Cuenca
Authors: Macazaga Lanas Leire
Published: February 2020

El presente artículo analiza la incursión de Bonifacio Alfonso en el grabado gracias a su relación con Fernando Zóbel y su vinculación al Museo de Arte Abstracto Español de Cuenca. En la ciudad conquense el artista vizcaíno tiene la oportunidad de adentrarse en esta disciplina imposible de practicar en el País Vasco debido a inexistencia de talleres para tal fin. Daremos cuenta de cómo se adentra en el grabado calcográfico así como de los diferentes talleres a los que acude para perfeccionar dichas técnicas llegando a convertirse en un auténtico artista-grabador.
La desaparecida torre-reloj de San Gil de Guadalajara. Nuevos datos documentales sobre su fábrica y maestros de obra
Authors: Romero Medina Raúl
Published: February 2020

Desde mediados del siglo XV el Concejo de la ciudad de Guadalajara disponía de un reloj en la torre de la parroquia de San Gil que asumía un valor simbólico y de representación ciudadana, como ocurría en ciudades italianas y centroeuropeas. La fábrica de esta torre sufrió problemas estructurales durante los siglos de la Edad Moderna que motivó un pleito que enfrentó a la ciudad con los beneficiados de la parroquia por su reparación. Este trabajo aporta nuevos datos documentales sobre su torre-reloj y los maestros de obra implicados en su transformación durante los siglos XVI y XVII, lo que permite conocer cómo era antes de desaparecer en el siglo XX.
Griceren adibide galdua. Esanahi naturalari buruzko probaren gabeziak
Authors: Korta Kepa , Mendibil Maddi
Published: February 2020

Gricek “Esanahia” (2007 [1957]) artikuluaren hasieran ematen dituen hiru adibideetatik bigarrenarekin gertaera bitxia topatu dugu. Esanahi naturalaren adibide nagusietako baten gisa aurkezten du, baina ez du inoiz ezertarako erabiltzen; ez artikulu horretan, ezta gai berari eskaini zion “Meaning Revisited”en (1982) ere. Gainera, adibideak ez du betetzen esanahi naturalarentzat Gricek ezartzen dituen irizpideetan lehena eta garrantzitsuena: faktibotasuna. Adibide hori “Esanahia”n sartzea, beraz, Griceren hutsegitea da; guk dakigula, artikuluak izandako berrargitalpen ugarietan sekula konpondu ez den hutsegitea. Nahastea agian, baina garrantzi historikoaz aparte, garrantzi kontzeptuala ere izan dezakeena.
Categories We Live By: The Construction of Sex, Gender, Race, & Other Social Categories (Ásta)
Authors: Valero Iñigo
Published: February 2020

Errefuxiatu, gizon, emakume edo trans moduko kategoria sozialek gure ekintzak mugatzen eta gure identitatea eta auto-ulermena zehazten dituzte. Baina, zer dira zehazki kategoria sozialak? Zein da beraien izaera? Nola sortzen dira? Zein mekanismoren bidez ahalbidetzen edota mugatzen dituzte zenbait portaera?Liburu honetan, bai galdera horiei, bai antzeko beste batzuei, erantzuna ematen saiatu da Ásta , kategoria sozialen teoria metafisiko berria aurkeztu
Ba al dute erru sentimenduak, lotsak eta harrotasunak funtzio positiborik?
Authors: Pascual Aitziber , Conejero Susana , Zabala Jon , Mendia Jara , Etxebarria Itziar
Published: February 2020

Erru sentimendua, lotsa eta harrotasuna “emozio auto-kontzientetzat” edo “auto-ebaluaziozkotzat” sailkatu ohi dira, norberaren edo Niaren ebaluazio baten ondorioz sortzen baitira. Auto-ebaluaziozko emozio horiek batzuetan gatazkatsuak izan daitezkeen arren, eta pertsonarentzat ondorio desatseginak izan ditzaketen arren, funtsezko funtzioak ere betetzen dituzte (bai pertsona arteko eremuan, baita eremu moralean ere). Bestalde, Niak jokabidearen kontrolerako dituen ezinbesteko gidak dira: jokabideak bide onetik doazen ala ez adierazten diote Niari. Jokabideak egokiak direnean, pertsonak norabide berean jarrai dezake (harrotasunaren kasua), eta, desegokiak direnean, norabide-aldaketa eskatzen diote (erru sentimenduaren eta lotsaren kasua).
Thick Evaluation (Simon Kirchin)
Authors: Garmendia Ekain
Published: February 2020

Kontzeptu trinkoei buruzkoa da Kirchinen Thick Evaluation. Izan ere, kontzeptu trinkoek, agian, balio dezakete auzi meta-etiko zaharragoen inguruan ideia eta ikuskera berriak planteatzeko, eta kontzeptu arin/trinko dikotomiak eta kontzeptu trinkoek eurek planteatzen dituzte meta-etikan ari denarentzat interesgarriak diren auziak.