bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Role of Death Obsessions in the Relationship Between Caregiver Burden and Somatic Symptoms: A Study on the Informal Dementia Caregivers in India
Authors: Beri Vanshika
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the caregiver burden, death obsessions, and somatic symptoms; and whether the death obsessions are playing a mediating role in the relationship between the caregiver burden and somatic symptoms. The study was done on the informal dementia caregivers residing in India. Three questionnaires in a google form were circulated. The correlational and mediation analysis revealed that there was a significant and positive correlation between the caregiver burden, death obsessions, and somatic symptoms. Further, the death obsessions significantly mediated the relationship between caregiver burden and somatic symptoms.
Occupational change, computer use and the complementarity effect in the digital age: Evidence from Finland
Authors: Alasoini Tuomo , Tuomivaara Seppo
Published: April 2022

This article examines the pattern of occupational change in Finland between 2013 and 2018 in light of hypotheses derived from skill- and routine-biased technological change arguments. As extensions to mainstream studies on occupational change, two alternative means of classifying occupations by skill level are used, and data from Statistics Finland’s Quality of Work Survey are combined with data from the Finnish Labour Force Survey. The analysis reveals a pattern of skill-biased change and indications of a digital divide between high-skilled and other occupations with no signs of job polarization. Reasons for country-wide differences in occupational change patterns and the implications of differences in the means of classifying occupations for the results are discussed with suggestions of topics for further studies.
Communication pedagogy in public affairs programs: Insights from a study of MPA and MPP curricula
Authors: Manoharan Aroon P , Rangarajan Nandhini
Published: April 2022

Communication is a critical government function that has important implications for public administration and effective governance. This research study explores how communication competencies are taught in public affairs programs in the United States. Based on a general web content analysis of graduate programs, and specific analyses of course titles, course descriptions, and course syllabi, this study examines the extent to which communication competencies are integrated into public affairs curricula. This paper also discusses how communication skills map on to the five NASPAA core competencies. Compared to previous decades, communication courses are increasingly emphasized in public administration programs. But there is greater potential for such offerings in the age of digital government, social media, and Artificial Intelligence. This study’s findings have important implications for the teaching and practice of public affairs.
Can African scholars speak? Situating African voices in International Communication scholarship
Authors: Gondwe Gregory
Published: April 2022

This article seeks to contribute and engage with debates pertaining to epistemology, knowledge production, and positionality of ‘International Communication Studies’ (ICS) in sub-Saharan Africa. The study operates on the assumption that International Communication studies in most Sub-Saharan Africa are characterized by tales of marginalization, poverty, wars, and tribal conflicts. While this approach speaks to the notion of development communication, it is insufficient to bolster the contributions of African scholarship to the global literature. In turn, ICS in Africa is treated as second class and dependent on Western scholarship for survival. Against this backdrop, the study interrogates the position of African scholarship, arguing that most research contributions are treated as repositories for raw data with no epistemological knowledge to contribute to the global network platform.
Adenosine triphosphate/pH dual-responsive controlled drug release system with high cancer/normal cell selectivity and low side toxicity
Authors: Fu Bo , Lin Hui-Chao , Chen Nian , Zhao Ping
Published: April 2022

Most drug-delivery systems (DDS) suffer from poor selectivity to cancer/normal cells or the complicated synthetic process. Herein, we employed a novel facile method to develop an oligodeoxy nucleotides based DDS composed with adenosine-5′- triphosphate (ATP) aptamer and a pH responsive cytosine (C) DNA fragment for specific daunomycine (DNM) delivery. The DDS has ATP/pH dual-responsive drug release, can selectively internalize into tumor cell lines and thus has ultrahigh cancer/normal cell selectivity over the individual drug. The non-chemical synthesis, controllable dual-responsive intracellular drug release, and high cancer/normal cell selectivity endowed the DDS high biocompatibility and significant tumor suppression.
Neighborhood Characteristics and Caregiver Depressive Symptoms in the National Study of Caregiving
Authors: Meyer Oanh L. , Koo Hyun Jung , Strominger Julie , Tran Duyen , Bach Anna , Leggett Amanda N.
Published: April 2022

Objectives: We examined the association between neighborhood characteristics and depressive symptoms in a population-based sample of dementia caregivers. Methods: Data came from the 2017 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and National Study of Caregiving. The sample included 956 caregivers of those with dementia. Linear regression was used to examine associations between neighborhood physical disorder neighborhood social cohesion, and depressive symptoms, and to test the moderating effect of social support on these relations. Results: Results suggested that having friends and family (1) to talk to buffered the effect of high NPD and low cohesion on depressive symptoms, (2) to help with daily activities buffered the effect of low cohesion on depressive symptoms, and finally, and (3) to help with care had a protective effect on depressive symptoms if social cohesion was high. Discussion: Neighborhood contextual characteristics and social support interact to affect caregiver depressive symptoms in complex ways.
The US-China battle over Coronavirus in the news media: Metaphor transfer as a representation of stance mediation
Authors: Liu Yufeng , Li Dechao
Published: April 2022

Drawing upon a corpus approach to metaphor analysis, stance analysis, and Critical Discourse Analysis, the study analyzes different stances taken by the Chinese news outlet Global Times (GT) and the American The New York Times (NYT) in 2020 Coronavirus narratives to Chinese and English readers. The database includes all Coronavirus-related GT and NYT bilingual opinion articles in 2020, that is, 97 pairs from GT and 73 pairs from NYT which are comparable in Chinese and English tokens. Results show that the differences between GT and NYT in narrating the pandemic and the involved parties, that is, China and the US, are statistically significant with a moderate to strong effect size. The Lambda test of association demonstrates that the knowledge of metaphor transfer methods can significantly increase the correctness of attitudinal intensity prediction, which bears out metaphor transfer as a representation of stance mediation.
Inclusive Practice for Children with Special Education Needs: Training for Social Workers
Authors: Leung Janet T.Y. , Yew Daisy C.S. , Kwok Karen Y.K. , Kwok Lydia M.H. , Chua Vincent W.T.
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The study evaluated the effectiveness of a training program for social workers to reduce their negative perceptions on children with special education needs (SEN), enhance their self-efficacy for inclusive practice, and promote their competencies in helping these children in Hong Kong. Method: A prospective quasi-experimental design was adopted in the evaluation, with 58 social workers (74% females) joining the program (the intervention group) and 39 (56.4% females) who did not join the program (the control group). Results: Participants of the intervention group showed a significant decrease in negative perceptions towards children with SEN and an increase of self-efficacy for inclusive practice and competencies after participating in the program when compared with the control group. Discussion: The study provides encouraging evidence on the effectiveness of a training program for promoting social workers’ self-efficacy and competencies for inclusive practice, which is essential for social work intervention for children with SEN.
Narcotic Utilization After Cleft Lip Repair: Does Local Anesthetic Choice Matter?
Authors: Kalmar Christopher L , Zapatero Zachary D , Kosyk Mychajlo S , Swanson Jordan W , Taylor Jesse A
Published: April 2022

To analyze whether the choice of intraoperative local anesthetic for cleft lip repair is associated with the amount of perioperative narcotic utilization.

Retrospective cohort study.

Hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System.

Primary cleft lip repairs performed in the United States from 2010 to 2020.

Local anesthesia injected—treatment with lidocaine alone, bupivacaine alone, or treatment with both agents.

Perioperative narcotic administration.

During the study interval, 8954 patients underwent primary cleft lip repair. Narcotic utilization for unilateral ( P < .001) and bilateral ( P = .004) cleft lip repair has decreased over the last 5 years. Overall, 21.8% (n = 1950) of infants were administered perioperative narcotics for cleft lip repair, such that 14.3% (n = 1282) required narcotics on POD 0, and 7.2% (n = 647) required narcotics on POD 1. In this study, 36.5% (n = 3269) patients received lidocaine, 22.0% (n = 1966) patients received bupivacaine, and 19.7% (n = 1762) patients received both local anesthetics. Administration of any perioperative narcotic was significantly lower in patients receiving both lidocaine and bupivacaine than those receiving only lidocaine ( P = .001, 17.5% vs 21.7%) or only bupivacaine ( P < .001, 17.5% vs 22.9%). Narcotic utilization on the day of surgery was significantly lower in patients receiving both lidocaine and bupivacaine than those receiving only lidocaine ( P < .001, 11.5% vs 15.1%) or only bupivacaine ( P = .004, 11.5% vs 14.6%). Narcotic utilization on the first postoperative day was significantly lower in patients receiving both lidocaine and bupivacaine than those receiving only bupivacaine ( P = .009, 5.9% vs 8.1%).

Conclusions

In children undergoing cleft lip repair, local anesthetic combination of lidocaine and bupivacaine is associated with decreased perioperative narcotic use compared to lidocaine or bupivacaine alone.
Proper location of the transducers for an active noise barrier
Authors: Sohrabi Shahin , Pàmies Gómez Teresa , Romeu Garbí Jordi
Published: April 2022

The main intention of this study is to propose general criteria for the locations of the control sources and error microphones that improve the performance of the active noise barrier. Based on the proposed criteria of this study, the greater reduction is attained when the diffracted field of the noise source is canceled with the diffracted field of the control sources, that is, it is suggested to locate the control sources on the incident side and below the path that connects the furthest point in the shadow zone to the edge of the barrier. Furthermore, it is suggested that the error microphones are most suitably placed on the shadow side of the barrier where they are under the diffracted field of both the primary and control sources. The results also show that with these general criteria, the active noise control achieves an extra reduction that varies from 14.9 to 3.9 dB (for the one-third octave bands from 63 Hz to 1 kHz) and 9.3 dB for the broadband noises.
Prolong the flushing and locking interval of TIVAD is feasible in COVID-19: An overview of systematic reviews
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhao Jian , Wan Guang-ming
Published: April 2022

The aim of the overview was to synthesize existing systematic reviews (SRs) of flushing interval for patients who inserted totally implanted venous catheter devices (TIVAD). Regular flushing is indispensable for catheter patency, the recommended flushing interval of TIVAD is 4 weeks, however, there is an argument for prolonging the maintenance interval, which has been proved by many SRs. However, the flushing interval range from 4-week to 3-month. The discrepancy in maintenance period could puzzle health professionals and hinder best practice into the clinic. So, we performed the overview by following the PRISMA statement. The PubMed, Ovid, Wan Fang database, Web of Science, CINAHL, CNKI, EMBASE, Cochrane Library were searched from inception to November 2021. The AMSTAR-2, the PRISMA statement, and ROBIS tool were used to assess SRs’ method, report quality, and risk of bias, respectively. Then all results were synthesized, the quality of SRs' results was evaluated with GRADE. Finally, five SRs were included. However, non-randomized and small sample size of original studies result in the limitation of SRs. The evidence grade of conclusions is low, bias of mixed factors in included studies, further large sample sizes, RCTs need to be conducted in the future. Prolonged flushing interval was feasible based on the recent evidence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic because the overwhelming healthcare system and inconvenience of transportation made maintenance not as easy as it used to be. There is no difference of complication between prolonged flushing interval (⩾4-week) and 4-week period, and it can also reduce healthcare cost with no harm to patients.
Failure-mode–independent prediction model for the peak strength of reinforced concrete columns using Bayesian neural network: A probabilistic approach
Authors: Ning Chao-Lie , Wang Meng , Yu Xiaohui
Published: April 2022

A reasonable prediction for the peak strength of reinforced concrete (RC) columns is paramount for the seismic performance evaluation of RC structures. The available prediction models are commonly dependent on the failure mode, and each of them is only applicable to the columns with a particular one. However, the failure mode of RC columns is difficult to be identified accurately in prior, leading to the inconvenience of predicting its peak strength. To overcome this shortcoming, a probabilistic approach was proposed using Bayesian neural network (BNN) to develop a failure-mode–independent model for predicting the peak strength of RC columns directly. The results indicated that the developed model produces reasonable prediction for the peak strength of RC columns failing in different modes. For the training subset, the mean prediction accuracy of the flexure-dominated, flexure-shear-dominated, and shear-dominated columns is 0.997, 0.997, and 0.998, respectively. For the testing subset, the corresponding mean prediction accuracy is 0.957, 0.952, and 0.943. Compared to existing probabilistic models, the developed model exhibits better performance in reducing the uncertainties in peak strength prediction. Compared to existing deterministic models, the developed model could predict the peak strength of RC columns in terms of the confidence interval. In particular, if the confidence interval of peak strength is defined as the mean plus and minus two times standard deviation, 98.9% and 98.4% of the training subset and testing subset are covered. Therefore, the developed model is beneficial for engineers to address the confusion, namely, which peak prediction is the most probable one, when several deterministic models exist for a specific specimen.
Postoperative antiplatelet and/or anticoagulation use does not impact complication or reintervention rates after vein repair of arterial injury: A PROOVIT study
Authors: Stonko David P , Betzold Richard D , Azar Faris K , Edwards Joseph , Abdou Hossam , Elansary Noha N , Gerling Kimberly A , White Joseph , Feliciano David V , DuBose Joseph J , Morrison Jonathan J
Published: April 2022

Introduction

The use of antiplatelet (AP) and anticoagulation (AC) therapy after autogenous vein repair of traumatic arterial injury is controversial. The hypothesis in this study was that there is no difference in early postoperative outcomes regardless of whether AC, AP, both, or neither are used.

Methods

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) PROspective Observational Vascular Injury Treatment (PROOVIT) registry was queried from November, 2013, to January, 2019, for arterial injuries repaired with a vein graft. Demographics and injury characteristics were compared. Need for in-hospital reoperation was the primary outcome in this four-arm study, assessed with two ordinal logistic regression models (1. no therapy vs. AC only vs. AC and AP; 2. no therapy vs. AP only vs. AC and AP).

Results

373 patients (52 no therapy, 88 AP only, 77 AC only, 156 both) from 19 centers with recorded Injury Severity Scores (ISS) were identified. Patients who received no therapy were younger than those who received AP (27.0 vs. 34.2, p = 0.02), had higher transfusion requirement ( p < 0.01 between all groups) and a different distribution of anatomic injury ( p < 0.01). After controlling for age, sex, ISS, platelet count, hemoglobin, pH, lactate, INR, transfusion requirement and anatomic location, there was no association with postoperative medical therapy and in-hospital operative reintervention, or any secondary outcome, including thrombosis ( p = 0.67, p = 0.22).

Conclusions

Neither AC nor AP alone, nor in combination, impact complication rate after arterial repair with autologous vein. These patients can be safely treated with or without antithrombotics, recognizing that this study did not demonstrate a beneficial effect.
Systematic analysis of inflammation and pain pathways in a mouse model of gout
Authors: Fan Yuanlan , Yang Jiajun , Xie Song , He Jiangshuang , Huang Shenghui , Chen Jiawang , Jiang Shangying , Yu Lei , Zhou Yujuan , Cao Xuxia , Ji Xiang , Zhang Yi
Published: April 2022

Gout is a prevalent and painful inflammatory arthritis, and its global burden continues to rise. Intense pain induced by gout attacks is a major complication of gout. However, systematic studies of gout inflammation and pain are lacking. Using a monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced gout model, we performed genome-wide transcriptome analysis of the inflamed ankle joint, dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and spinal cord of gouty mice. Our results revealed important transcriptional changes, including highly elevated inflammation and broad activation of immune pathways in both the joint and the nervous system, in gouty mice. Integrated analysis showed that there was a remarkable overlap between our RNAseq and human genome-wide association study (GWAS) of gout; for example, the risk gene, stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) showed significant upregulation in all three tissues. Interestingly, when compared to the transcriptomes of human osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joint tissues, we identified significant upregulation of cAMP/cyclic nucleotide-mediated signaling shared between gouty mice and human OA with high knee pain, which may provide excellent drug targets to relieve gout pain. Furthermore, we investigated the common and distinct transcriptomic features of gouty, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain mouse models in their DRG and spinal cord tissues. Moreover, we discovered distinct sets of genes with significant differential alternative splicing or differential transcript usage in each tissue, which were largely not detected by conventional differential gene expression analysis approaches. Based on these results, our study provided a more accurate and comprehensive depiction of transcriptomic alterations related to gout inflammation and pain.
‘I’m a PR person. Let’s just deal with it.’ Managing intersectionality in professional life
Authors: Edwards Lee
Published: April 2022

A key focus of intersectional research is to engage with the power dynamics resulting from the sameness/difference paradox that Crenshaw (1991) originally identified in Black women’s legal status. This article extends intersectional research in public relations by investigating how the tensions of responding to this paradox unfold in professional life. I combine Carastathis’ (2017) use of intersectionality as a provisional concept that can prompt different thinking about taken-for-granted realities, and Jorbá and Rodó-Zárate’s (2019) formulation of intersectional categories as fluid structural and agentic properties of a particular situation, to understand how sameness/difference is strategically negotiated by public relations practitioners of colour, the tensions that arise during these negotiations, and the impact of such negotiations on their own professional standing, as well as on the unmarked, normative white, male and middle-class identities that characterize the ‘post-race’ professional spaces in which they work. I conclude that, without genuine recognition of the daily compromises and sacrifices that practitioners of colour have to make in order to foster perceptions of ‘sameness’ and keep ‘difference’ at bay, the professional field’s blindness to its white, male and middle-class archetypes will persist – and will continue to blight the careers of those for whom the comfort of belonging remains elusive.
Evaluating Trust in the Patient–Dentist Relationship: A Mixed-Method Study
Authors: Tiwari T. , Maliq N.N. , Rai N. , Holtzmann J. , Yates L. , Diep V. , Tranby E.P. , Frantsve-Hawley J.
Published: April 2022

Background:

The objective of this article was to understand the trust of study participants in dental providers and trust-building practices used by dentists to establish and maintain trust with their patients.

Methods:

This study used a concurrent cross-sectional mixed-methods design to measure the participants’ trust in their dental providers. An 11-item Dental Trust Scale (DTS) questionnaire was administered to 150 White, Black, and Hispanic study participants. In addition, the research team conducted semistructured interviews with 7 dentists in order to understand their perspectives related to patient trust. The internal consistency of the DTS was tested using Cronbach’s α. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were run to test the association between the DTS mean score and individual participant factors. Qualitative information from interviews was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

Results:

The overall mean score of dental trust for the entire sample was 3.4. The DTS had good internal consistency (α = 0.93). Overall, dental trust was significantly higher in participants who had a regular dentist (F = 8.74, P = 0.003). The qualitative data were grouped under these key thematic categories: the importance of trust, building trust, and trust in treatment planning. Qualitative analysis also showed that the 2 main trust-building tools used by dentists were communication and understanding the patient’s lifestyle or social determinants of health.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

This study provides insight into the dentist–patient relationship. It increases our understanding of levels of dental trust among patients and examines methods used by the dentist to build trust. The outcomes of this study can be considered by dentists in their everyday practice as they seek to build trust with their patients.
Reduced olfactory acuity in recently flightless insects suggests rapid regressive evolution
Authors: Neupert Stefanie , McCulloch Graham A. , Foster Brodie J. , Waters Jonathan M. , Szyszka Paul
Published: April 2022

Background

Insects have exceptionally fast smelling capabilities, and some can track the temporal structure of odour plumes at rates above 100 Hz. It has been hypothesized that this fast smelling capability is an adaptation for flying. We test this hypothesis by comparing the olfactory acuity of sympatric flighted versus flightless lineages within a wing-polymorphic stonefly species.

Results

Our analyses of olfactory receptor neuron responses reveal that recently-evolved flightless lineages have reduced olfactory acuity. By comparing flighted versus flightless ecotypes with similar genetic backgrounds, we eliminate other confounding factors that might have affected the evolution of their olfactory reception mechanisms. Our detection of different patterns of reduced olfactory response strength and speed in independently wing-reduced lineages suggests parallel evolution of reduced olfactory acuity.

Conclusions

These reductions in olfactory acuity echo the rapid reduction of wings themselves, and represent an olfactory parallel to the convergent phenotypic shifts seen under selective gradients in other sensory systems (e.g. parallel loss of vision in cave fauna). Our study provides evidence for the hypothesis that flight poses a selective pressure on the speed and strength of olfactory receptor neuron responses and emphasizes the energetic costs of rapid olfaction.
Anesthesia inhibited corticospinal excitability and attenuated the modulation of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Authors: Wang Xin , Wang Tengfei , Jin Jingna , Wang He , Li Ying , Liu Zhipeng , Yin Tao
Published: April 2022

Background

Lots of studies have measured motor evoked potential (MEP) induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in anesthetized animals. However, in awake animals, the measurement of TMS-induced MEP is scarce as lack of sufficient restraint. So far, the explicit study of anesthesia effects on corticospinal excitability and repetitive TMS (rTMS) induced modulation is still lacking. This study aimed to: (1) measure TMS-induced MEP in both awake restrained and anesthetized rats, (2) investigate the effect of anesthesia on corticospinal excitability, and (3) on rTMS-induced modulation.

Methods

MEP of eighteen rats were measured under both wakefulness and anesthesia using flexible binding and surface electrodes. Peak-to-peak MEP amplitudes, resting motor threshold (RMT) and the slope of stimulus response (SR) were extracted to investigate anesthesia effects on corticospinal excitability. Thereafter, 5 or 10 Hz rTMS was applied with 600 pulses, and the increase in MEP amplitude and the decrease in RMT were used to quantify rTMS-induced modulation.

Results

The RMT in the awake condition was 44.6 ± 1.2% maximum output (MO), the peak-to-peak MEP amplitude was 404.6 ± 48.8 μV at 60% MO. Under anesthesia, higher RMT (55.6 ± 2.9% MO), lower peak-to-peak MEP amplitudes (258.6 ± 32.7 μV) and lower slope of SR indicated that the corticospinal excitability was suppressed. Moreover, under anesthesia, high-frequency rTMS still showed significant modulation of corticospinal excitability, but the modulation of MEP peak-to-peak amplitudes was weaker than that under wakefulness.

Conclusions

This study measured TMS-induced MEP in both awake and anesthetized rats, and provided explicit evidence for the inhibitory effects of anesthesia on corticospinal excitability and on high-frequency rTMS-induced modulation of MEP.
Identification and validation of EMT-immune-related prognostic biomarkers CDKN2A, CMTM8 and ILK in colon cancer
Authors: Kang Ning , Xie Xiaoli , Zhou Xue , Wang Yijun , Chen Shengxiong , Qi Ran , Liu Ting , Jiang Huiqing
Published: April 2022

Colon cancer (CC) is a disease with high incidence and mortality rate. The interaction between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune status has important clinical significance. We aim to identify EMT-immune-related prognostic biomarkers in colon cancer. The GEO2R and GEPIA 2.0 were utilized to calculate the differential expression genes between CC and normal mucosa. Immport, InnateDB and EMTome databases were used to define EMT-immune-related genes. We conducted batch prognostic analysis by TCGA data. The expression patterns were verified by multiple datasets and lab experiments. GEPIA 2.0 and TIMER 2.0 were utilized to analyze the correlation of the hub genes with EMT markers and immune infiltration. GeneMANIA, STRING, and Metascape were used for co-expression and pathway enrichment analysis. Finally, we established a signature by the method of multivariate Cox regression analysis. CDKN2A, CMTM8 and ILK were filtered out as prognostic genes. CDKN2A and CMTM8 were up-regulated, while ILK was down-regulated in CC. CDKN2A was positively correlated with infiltration of macrophages, Th2 cells, Treg cells, and negatively correlated with NK cells. CMTM8 was negatively correlated with CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, and NK cells. ILK was positively correlated with CD8+ T cells and dendritic cells. Moreover, CDKN2A, CMTM8 and ILK were significantly correlated with EMT markers. The three genes could participate in the TGF-β pathway. The prognosis model established by the three hub genes was an independent prognosis factor, which can better predict the prognosis. CDKN2A, CMTM8 and ILK are promising prognostic biomarkers and may be potential therapeutic targets in colon cancer.
Correlation between nutrition, oral health, and different sarcopenia groups among elderly outpatients of community hospitals: a cross-sectional study of 1505 participants in China
Authors: Cao Wenting , Zhu Aiyong , Chu Shufen , Zhou Qianqian , Zhou Yinghua , Qu Xiaoping , Tang Qingrong , Zhang Yuxia
Published: April 2022

Background

Studies have rarely explored the association between oral health status and different sarcopenia groups (possible sarcopenia, diagnosed sarcopenia, and severe sarcopenia). Moreover, these studies have not reported any definitive conclusions of their relationship. We aimed to characterize the oral health status, prevalence of sarcopenia, and risk factors in different sarcopenia groups of elderly outpatients of community hospitals. Furthermore, we determined the correlation among nutrition, oral health, and different sarcopenia groups.

Methods

Overall, 1505 elderly participants (aged ≥ 65 years) completed the survey. The Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form (MNA-SF) was used to assess the nutrition status of the elderly. Oral health was assessed using the instrument of the oral health assessment index of the elderly (General Oral Health Assessment Index [GOHAI]), and the number of remaining natural teeth (NRT) was counted. Data on muscle mass, muscle strength, and gait speed were collected, and sarcopenia was classified into three groups (possible sarcopenia, diagnosed sarcopenia, and severe sarcopenia) according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019. Multinomial logistic regression multivariate analysis was used to test their relationships.

Results

Eighty-eight (5.8%) participants were identified as having possible sarcopenia; 142 (9.5%), diagnosed sarcopenia; 136 (9.0%), severe sarcopenia; and 1139 (75.7%), no sarcopenia. Of the seven variables, advancing age was typically associated with an increasing prevalence of sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06–1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06–1.47). The results showed that household income (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.33–0.98), education level (OR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.09–10.07), and chronic diseases (OR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.19–0.62) were significantly associated with the severe sarcopenia group. Physical activity scores were significantly associated with the diagnosed sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia groups. Participants with < 20 NRT were more likely to have diagnosed sarcopenia (OR = 5.55, 95% CI = 3.80–8.12) or severe sarcopenia (OR = 6.66, 95% CI = 4.13–10.76) than participants with > 20 NRT. The GOHAI score was associated with the diagnosed sarcopenia (OR = 5.55, 95% CI = 3.80–8.12) and severe sarcopenia (OR = 6.66, 95% CI = 4.13–10.78) groups. The MNA-SF score was associated with the different sarcopenia groups.

Conclusions

Assessing early and improving lifestyle with respect to nutrition and oral health may be an effective way to reduce or delay the occurrence of sarcopenia.
Handgrip strength but not SARC-F score predicts cognitive impairment in older adults with multimorbidity in primary care: a cohort study
Authors: Poon Paul Kwok Ming , Tam King Wa , Zhang Dexing , Yip Benjamin Hon Kei , Woo Jean , Wong Samuel Yeung Shan
Published: April 2022

Background

Assessing motor function is a simple way to track cognitive impairment. We analysed the associations between cognitive and motor function and assessed the predictive value of two motor function measuring tools for cognitive impairment in older adults with multimorbidity in primary care settings.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study with a 1 year follow-up. Patients aged ≥60 years with ≥2 morbidities were recruited from four primary care clinics. Motor function was assessed using handgrip strength and a sarcopenia screening scale (SARC-F). Cognitive function was measured using the Hong Kong Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HK-MoCA). We defined cognitive impairment as an HK-MoCA score < 22. The associations between cognitive and motor functions were examined from a bidirectional perspective.

Results

We included 477 participants (mean age 69.4, 68.6% female) with a mean (SD) HK-MoCA score of 25.5 (3.38), SARC-F score of 1.1 (1.36), and handgrip strength of 21.2 (6.99) kg at baseline. Multivariable linear regression models showed bidirectional cross-sectional associations of the HK-MoCA score and cognitive impairment with SARC-F score and handgrip strength at baseline and 1 year. Cox regression revealed a longitudinal association between baseline handgrip strength and cognitive impairment at 1 year (hazard ratio: 0.48, 95% CI 0.33–0.69) but no longitudinal association between SARC-F and cognitive impairment. Variation in the SARC-F score increased with decreasing HK-MoCA score (Brown–Forsythe test F statistic = 17.9, p < 0.001), while variability in the handgrip strength remained small (modified signed-likelihood ratio test, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Primary healthcare providers may use handgrip strength to track cognitive function decline in older adults with multimorbidity. However, the SARC-F scale may not have the same predictive value. Further research is needed to evaluate the performance and variability of the SARC-F score in individuals with poor cognitive function.
Operational challenges that may affect implementation of evidence-based mobile market interventions
Authors: Kasprzak Christina M. , Lally Anne E. , Schoonover Julia J. , Gallicchio Deanna , Haynes-Maslow Lindsey , Vermont Leah N. , Ammerman Alice S. , Raja Samina , Tumiel-Berhalter Laurene , Tirabassi Jill N. , Leone Lucia A.
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Mobile produce markets are becoming an increasingly prevalent, accepted, and effective strategy for improving fruit and vegetable (F&V) access and consumption across underserved and lower-income communities. However, there is limited published research on mobile market operations. The goal of this research is to identify the challenges mobile markets face and ways to potentially mitigate those challenges. We will also discuss implications of our findings for future implementation of evidence-based food access interventions.

Methods

We conducted 21 semi-structured key informant (KI) interviews to assess common practices of mobile market organizations that had been operating for 2 + years. We asked KIs about their organizational structure, operations, procurement and logistics, evaluation efforts, marketing and community engagement, success and challenges. A primary qualitative analysis involved deductive coding using qualitative software. A secondary qualitative analysis identified subthemes related to common challenges and remedial practices. A deductive coding process was applied to match identified challenges to the appropriate Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Results

The leading challenges cited by KIs correspond to the CFIR domains of inner setting (e.g., funding and resources), outer setting (e.g., navigating regulations), and process (e.g., engaging community partnership). Practices that may mitigate challenges include maximizing ancillary services, adopting innovative volunteer and staffing structures, and formalizing agreements with community partners.

Conclusion

Common and persistent challenges ought to be addressed to ensure and enhance the positive public health impacts of mobile produce markets. Contextual factors, particularly organizational factors, that impact implementation should also be considered when implementing an evidence-based intervention at a mobile market. Further research is needed to determine which innovative solutions are the most effective in mitigating challenges, improving implementation, and enhancing sustainability of mobile markets.
A computerized tomography-based radiomic model for assessing the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as ground-glass opacity nodules
Authors: Zhu Minghui , Yang Zhen , Wang Miaoyu , Zhao Wei , Zhu Qiang , Shi Wenjia , Yu Hang , Liang Zhixin , Chen Liangan
Published: April 2022

Background

Clinically differentiating preinvasive lesions (atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, AAH and adenocarcinoma in situ, AIS) from invasive lesions (minimally invasive adenocarcinomas, MIA and invasive adenocarcinoma, IA) manifesting as ground-glass opacity nodules (GGOs) is difficult due to overlap of morphological features. Hence, the current study was performed to explore the diagnostic efficiency of radiomics in assessing the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as GGOs.

Methods

A total of 1018 GGOs pathologically confirmed as lung adenocarcinoma were enrolled in this retrospective study and were randomly divided into a training set (n = 712) and validation set (n = 306). The nodules were delineated manually and 2446 intra-nodular and peri-nodular radiomic features were extracted. Univariate analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used for feature selection. Clinical and semantic computerized tomography (CT) feature model, radiomic model and a combined nomogram were constructed and compared. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical value of the established nomogram.

Results

16 radiomic features were selected and used for model construction. The radiomic model exhibited significantly better performance (AUC = 0.828) comparing to the clinical-semantic model (AUC = 0.746). Further analysis revealed that peri-nodular radiomic features were useful in differentiating between preinvasive and invasive lung adenocarcinomas appearing as GGOs with an AUC of 0.808. A nomogram based on lobulation sign and radiomic features showed the best performance (AUC = 0.835), and was found to have potential clinical value in assessing nodule invasiveness.

Conclusions

Radiomic model based on both intra-nodular and peri-nodular features showed good performance in differentiating between preinvasive lung adenocarcinoma lesions and invasive ones appearing as GGOs, and a nomogram based on clinical, semantic and radiomic features could provide clinicians with added information in nodule management and preoperative evaluation.
The associations of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis using fatty liver index and BARD score with cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Park Jiyun , Kim Gyuri , Kim Bong-Sung , Han Kyung-Do , Kwon So Yoon , Park So Hee , Lee You-Bin , Jin Sang-Man , Kim Jae Hyeon
Published: April 2022

Background

Although both type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), evidence is lacking as to whether the presence of NAFLD confers an additional risk of CVD in patients with T2DM. We investigated the associations between hepatic steatosis and/or fibrosis and risk of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure (HF), and mortality in patients with new-onset T2DM.

Methods

Using the Korean National Health Insurance dataset, we included 139,633 patients diagnosed with new-onset T2DM who underwent a national health screening from January 2009 to December 2012. Hepatic steatosis and advanced hepatic fibrosis were determined using cutoff values for fatty liver index (FLI) and BARD score. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

During the median follow-up of 7.7 years, there were 3,079 (2.2%) cases of MI, 4,238 (3.0%) cases of ischemic stroke, 4,303 (3.1%) cases of HF, and 8,465 (6.1%) all-cause deaths. Hepatic steatosis defined as FLI ≥ 60 was associated with increased risk for MI (HR [95% CI], 1.28 [1.14–1.44]), stroke (1.41 [1.25–1.56]), HF (1.17 [1.07–1.26]), and mortality (1.41 [1.32–1.51]) after adjusting for well-known risk factors. Compared to the group without steatosis, the group with steatosis and without fibrosis (BARD < 2) and the group with both steatosis and fibrosis (BARD ≥ 2) showed gradual increased risk for MI, stroke, HF, and mortality (all p for trends < 0.001).

Conclusion

Hepatic steatosis and/or advanced fibrosis as assessed by FLI or BARD score were significantly associated with risk of CVD and mortality in new-onset T2DM.
‘Falling heads’: investigating reflexive responses to head–neck perturbations
Authors: Wochner Isabell , Nölle Lennart V. , Martynenko Oleksandr V. , Schmitt Syn
Published: April 2022

Background

Reflexive responses to head–neck perturbations affect the injury risk in many different situations ranging from sports-related impact to car accident scenarios. Although several experiments have been conducted to investigate these head–neck responses to various perturbations, it is still unclear why and how individuals react differently and what the implications of these different responses across subjects on the potential injuries might be. Therefore, we see a need for both experimental data and biophysically valid computational Human Body Models with bio-inspired muscle control strategies to understand individual reflex responses better.

Methods

To address this issue, we conducted perturbation experiments of the head–neck complex and used this data to examine control strategies in a simulation model. In the experiments, which we call ’falling heads’ experiments, volunteers were placed in a supine and a prone position on a table with an additional trapdoor supporting the head. This trapdoor was suddenly released, leading to a free-fall movement of the head until reflexive responses of muscles stopped the downwards movement.

Results

We analysed the kinematic, neuronal and dynamic responses for all individuals and show their differences for separate age and sex groups. We show that these results can be used to validate two simple reflex controllers which are able to predict human biophysical movement and modulate the response necessary to represent a large variability of participants.

Conclusions

We present characteristic parameters such as joint stiffness, peak accelerations and latency times. Based on this data, we show that there is a large difference in the individual reflexive responses between participants. Furthermore, we show that the perturbation direction (supine vs. prone) significantly influences the measured kinematic quantities. Finally, ’falling heads’ experiments data are provided open-source to be used as a benchmark test to compare different muscle control strategies and to validate existing active Human Body Models directly.
The macrophage: a key player in the pathophysiology of peripheral neuropathies
Authors: Msheik Zeina , El Massry Mohamed , Rovini Amandine , Billet Fabrice , Desmoulière Alexis
Published: April 2022

Macrophages are present in all mammalian tissues and coexist with various cell types in order to respond to different environmental cues. However, the role of these cells has been underestimated in the context of peripheral nerve damage. More importantly, macrophages display divergent characteristics, associated with their origin, and in response to the modulatory effects of their microenvironment. Interestingly, the advent of new techniques such as fate mapping and single-cell transcriptomics and their synergistic use has helped characterize in detail the origin and fate of tissue-resident macrophages in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Furthermore, these techniques have allowed a better understanding of their functions from simple homeostatic supervisors to chief regulators in peripheral neuropathies. In this review, we summarize the latest knowledge about macrophage ontogeny, function and tissue identity, with a particular focus on PNS-associated cells, as well as their interaction with reactive oxygen species under physiological and pathological conditions. We then revisit the process of Wallerian degeneration, describing the events accompanying axon degeneration, Schwann cell activation and most importantly, macrophage recruitment to the site of injury. Finally, we review these processes in light of internal and external insults to peripheral nerves leading to peripheral neuropathies, the involvement of macrophages and the potential benefit of the targeting of specific macrophages for the alleviation of functional defects in the PNS.

Graphical Abstract
Sensor-guided gap balance versus manual gap balance in primary total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis
Authors: Sun Changjiao , Zhao Zhe , Lee Woo Guan , Ma Qi , Zhang Xiaofei , Zhu Jianjin , Cai Xu
Published: April 2022

Background

Despite Vast improvements in technology and surgical technique in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), approximately 15–25% TKAs, have suboptimal subjective clinical outcomes. Our study sought to evaluate if sensor-guided balancing improves postoperative clinical outcomes compared to a conventional gap balancing technique.

Methods

We searched Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Cochrane Library, Highwire, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang database in March 2022 to identify studies involving sensor-guided balancing versus conventional gap balancing technique in TKA. Finally, we identified 2147 knees assessed in nine studies.

Results

Compared with manual gap balancing, Sensor-guided gap balancing resulted in less rate of Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) (P = 0.02), however more rate of intraoperative additional procedures (P = 0.0003). There were no significant differences in terms of KSS (P = 0.21), KSS Function score (P = 0.36), OKS (P = 0.61), KOOS (P = 0.78), operative time (P = 0.17), Mechanical axis (P = 0.69) and rate of reoperation between two groups.

Conclusion

Compared with conventional manual gap balancing techniques, sensors have more balancing procedures being performed. However, it did result in a reduction in the rate of MUA. More extensive, high-quality RCTs are required to verify our findings further.
Molecular cytogenetic characterization of partial trisomy of the long arm of chromosome 11 in a patient with multiple congenital anomalies
Authors: Walker Austin , Wang Xianfu , Kim Young Mi , Lu Xianglan , Taylor Ashley , Demarzo Danielle , Li Shibo , Pang Hui
Published: April 2022

Background

Partial trisomy of the long arm of chromosome 11 is a rare cytogenetic abnormality. It has been characterized by variable sized duplications that lead to a range of phenotypes including growth retardation, developmental delay/intellectual disability, and distinctive craniofacial abnormalities. Congenital heart defects, skeletal abnormalities, urogenital anomalies, and hypotonia are found in some affected individuals.

Methods

We describe a 16-year-old patient presented with most of the hallmark phenotypes of trisomy 11q syndrome as well as exhibiting symptoms of hearing loss, seizures, and abnormal endocrinological and ophthalmological findings. Routine chromosome analysis and subsequent chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) were performed to detect genetic abnormalities in this patient.

Results

We identified an abnormal male karyotype with a derivative chromosome 4 due to an unbalanced translocation between chromosomes 4 and chromosome 11. The CMA results revealed a 56 Mb duplication of chromosome 11q14.1-qter and a 874 Kb terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4.

Conclusion

A genomic imbalance resulting in partial trisomy 11q was found in a patient with multiple congenital anomalies. We compared the phenotypes of all known “pure” trisomy 11q cases in the literature and find that trisomy 11q23-qter is both recurrent and the most common cytogenetic abnormality found in the reported cases. It is associated with the core features of trisomy 11q syndrome.

Graphical abstract