bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and Efficacy of Blinatumomab in Japanese Adult and Pediatric Patients with Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Final Results from an Expansion Cohort
Authors: Goto Hiroaki , Ogawa Chitose , Iida Hiroatsu , Horibe Keizo , Oh Iekuni , Takada Satoru , Maeda Yoshinobu , Minami Hironobu , Nakashima Yasuhiro , Morris Joan D. , Kormany William , Chen Yuqi , Miyamoto Toshihiro
Published: July 2022

Introduction: The safety and efficacy of blinatumomab, a CD19/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE®) molecule, was evaluated in an expansion cohort of the phase 1b/2 study (NCT02412306) in Japanese adult (n = 14) and pediatric (n = 17) patients with relapsed/refractory Philadelphia-negative B-cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Materials and methods: Globally recommended blinatumomab doses were administered to adult (9–28 μg/day) and pediatric (5–15 μg/m2/day) patients. Primary endpoint was the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and treatment-related AEs. Results: All adult and pediatric patients experienced ≥1 TEAE. Grade ≥3 TEAEs were observed in 11 (79%) adult and 15 (88%) pediatric patients. Blinatumomab was discontinued in 1 (6%) pediatric patient due to treatment-related grade 4 cytokine release syndrome. Fatal AEs such as disease progression and multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome, which were not treatment-related, were reported in 2 (12%) pediatric patients. Eleven (79%) adults achieved complete remission (CR)/CR with partial hematological recovery (CRh) within the first two blinatumomab cycles. Nine of 10 adult patients with CR/CRh and evaluable minimal residual disease (MRD) achieved MRD response. CR/CRh was achieved by 5 (29%) pediatric patients, of which two had MRD response. Conclusion: In conclusion, blinatumomab was safe and efficacious in Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory BCP ALL.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory e o Eugenics Record Office (1890-1939): genética e eugenia
Authors: Diwan Pietra Stefania
Published: July 2022

Durante o século XIX, a biologia se consolidou como disciplina dedicada ao estudo dos seres vivos e dos processos e sistemas a eles relacionados. Após a retomada dos trabalhos de Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) no início dos anos 1900, nas décadas que se seguiram foi se expandido o escopo da pesquisa biológica para compreender as leis da hereditariedade, inicialmente em vegetais para animais e mais tarde em humanos, não somente relacionada à cor dos olhos, mas também características do comportamento, inteligência e algumas doenças. Este artigo procura contar a história do funcionamento do Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory entre 1890 e 1939, abordando como as pesquisas eugênicas desenvolvidas por Charles Benedict Davenport (1866-1944) e por Harry Hamilton Laughlin (1880-1943) ganharam centralidade entre 1910 e 1930, tendo sido compreendidas por eles como, genética aplicada aos humanos. A pesquisa desenvolvida mostra que, a partir do final dos anos 1920, as ideias eugênicas de Davenport e Laughlin foram desacreditadas por outros cientistas e    perderam o financiamento concedido por agências como a Carnegie Institution de Washington.  Por fim, caíram no ostracismo após a Segunda Guerra Mundial e a revelação dos crimes cometidos pelos nazistas.
Paisagens anestésicas, espaços estésicos, convívios afetivos: Torre das Donzelas
Authors: Fischer Sandra , Vaz Aline
Published: July 2022

Este estudo lança um olhar analítico ao filme Torre das Donzelas (Susanna Lira; Brasil, 2018), considerando as formas de resistências feministas convertidas em experiências estéticas no lugar do cinema e no ambiente carcerário. A narrativa resgata a memória de mulheres brasileiras, presas políticas que, tentando continuar contra ou a despeito de (avaliando-se aqui o conjunto de conteúdos axiológicos e sensíveis proposto por Jacques Fontanille), buscam superar violências e arbitrariedades a que foram submetidas no presídio Tiradentes, na cidade de São Paulo, durante a ditadura civil-militar no Brasil. Lira, entretecendo poéticas, faz uma obra política por meio das imagens de partilha do sensível. Imagens que exibem formas de vida coletiva e afetiva, resistentes ao espaço e ao tempo. Mulheres que, apesar de…, diluíram as grades impostas pelo sistema opressor instalado em 1964, e hoje, projetadas na tela do cinema, reapresentam-se, transformando paisagens anestésicas em espaços estésicos.
Association of the Coexistence of Somnipathy and Diabetes With the Risks of Cardiovascular Disease Events, Stroke, and All‐Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Xiu Hong , Zhang Bao Long , Cheng Yun , Fu Shun Kun , Jin Hui Min
Published: July 2022

Background

Somnipathy and diabetes are independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether a combination of both conditions is associated with a higher risk of CVD events remains uncertain. Therefore, the aim of this meta‐analysis was to clarify this association.

Methods and Results

We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE,
ClinicalTrials.gov
, and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials. We included randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized trials, and prospective observational cohort studies that assessed the combined effect of diabetes and comorbid somnipathy on CVD risk and mortality for at least 1 year. Outcomes included CVD, coronary heart disease, stroke, and all‐cause mortality. Twelve studies involving 582 267 participants were included in the meta‐analysis. Patients with somnipathy and comorbid diabetes exhibited increased risks of CVD, coronary heart disease, stroke, and all‐cause mortality (risk ratio [RR], 1.27 [95% CI, 1.12–1.45],
P
<0.0001; RR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.21–1.62],
P
<0.0001; RR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.08–1.52],
P
=0.004, and RR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.26–1.94],
P
<0.0001, respectively).

Conclusions

The coexistence of somnipathy and diabetes is associated with higher risks of CVD, coronary heart disease, stroke, and mortality than somnipathy or diabetes alone. Resolving sleep problems in patients with diabetes may reduce the risks of CVD, stroke, and mortality.

Registration Information

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/
. Identifier: PROSPERO CRD42021274566.
SAĞLIK TURİZMİ VE HİBE DESTEKLERİ: TÜRKİYE’DE KALKINMA AJANSLARI
Authors: AKALIN Betül , DEMİRBAŞ Mehmet Beşir
Published: July 2022

Sağlık turizminin son yıllarda daha popüler hale gelmesinin sebebi kolay seyahat imkanları, teknolojik gelişmeler ve sağlık hizmetlerinde yaşanan yeniliklerdir. Bu durum ülkelerin sağlık turizmine yönelik ulusal çapta stratejiler geliştirilmesini zorunlu hale getirmiştir. Türkiye 2023 yılı turizm stratejisi eylem planlarında sağlık turizmine özel önem verilmiş ve bu alanda çalışmaların yapılacağı bildirilmiştir. Bu kapsamda Kalkınma Ajanslarına ait 2015 ve 2022 yılları arasında açılan sağlık turizmi konulu hibe duyuruları sistematik derleme yöntemi ile incelenmiştir. Çalışma ile Türkiye’de sağlık turizmi, kalkınma ajanslarının görev ve yetkileri ile kalkınma ajanslarının sağlık turizmine yönelik açtıkları hibe çağrıları tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Çalışma sonucuna göre, Türkiye’de Kalkınma Ajansları sağlık turizmini desteklemek amacıyla 2015 yılından itibaren 7 yılda 196 Milyon TL destek sağlamışlardır. Bu desteklerin gelecekte artarak devam edeceği düşünülmektedir.
Ambivalent Belonging: Born-Again Christians between Africa and Europe
Authors: Fesenmyer Leslie
Published: July 2022

Historically entangled with nation, race, and religion, questions of belonging are pressing and affective ones in Africa and Europe. Against the backdrop of anti-migrant hostility, globalization, and autochthonous claims, I consider how born-again Christians in London negotiate belonging between Kenya, their country of origin, and the United Kingdom, their country of residence. As ‘migrants’ and ‘diasporans’, they are seen as not belonging in either national context. Adopting a scalar approach, I argue that their identification as born-again Christians and claim to membership in a global Christian community allows them to ‘scale-jump’ and offers a morally and emotionally meaningful sense of belonging. At the same time, their encounters with various racial and religious Others locally, nationally, and transnationally mediate where they feel at ‘home’. In the face of contradictions and ambivalence, Pentecostalism helps them to navigate competing symbolic, material, and affective concerns as they seek belonging across multiple sociospatial scales.
Travelling Gods, Ritual Memory, and Slavery in Contemporary Benin
Authors: Forte Jung Ran
Published: July 2022

For more than two centuries the Bight of Benin participated in the Atlantic trade. Today, along the same coastal region, it is possible to encounter Tchamba, the spirits of foreign slaves from the northern savannah. Tchamba ritual practice, part and parcel of the Vodun religion, narrates peculiar stories of domestic slavery and the Atlantic trade, of struggles for emancipation, love and trade, women and men, slaves and masters. Most of all, the worship of Tchamba questions the notion of memory in both discursive and embodied forms, and the ways in which we create linkages between practices, narration, history, and the experience of time.
Inter-religious Demonisation and Its Persuasiveness
Authors: Muratsu Ran
Published: July 2022

This study investigates the Banamè Church, which has gained significant persuasive powers for conversion in Southern Benin, where the public is intensely afraid of witches and Pentecostal Charismatic Churches have expanded rapidly to fight against them. The Banamè Church claims that God came down and took the body of a girl called Parfaite and denies the authenticity of all other churches and religions. To understand how people have come to accept this as reality, it is necessary to examine not only economic and political dynamics and newly evolved relationships but also the reciprocal demonisation between religions and the affective persuasiveness that has emerged in these inter-religious correspondences. This study demonstrates how rationalisation and persuasion occur affectively and spirits become a reality in an entanglement of materials, discourses, media, and feelings against the backdrop of the contemporary expansion of Pentecostal Charismatic Churches, revealing the importance of focusing on inter-religious affective turbulence.
In vitro rearing protocol for pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera) on semi-synthetic diet
Authors: Naik V. Chinna Babu , Supreeth Gillesugur Sham , Gokte-Narkhedkar N. , Prasad Y.G.
Published: July 2022

Cotton is one of the major commercial crops cultivated in India. One constraint limiting the potential yield in cotton is due to the bollworm complex, among which pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), is major. To reduce this impact of PBW, farmers have opted for chemical insecticides to manage the pest. Indiscriminate use of these insecticides has led to the problem of resistance. Hence continuous monitoring is a must to keep check on the changing status and trends in the resistance. In order to conduct laboratory studies, a uniform population of sufficient size, producing the insect in high numbers and throughout the year, is required. Hence, a semi-synthetic diet will greatly help in maintaining such populations in the laboratory. The protocol followed for the rearing has resulted in increased larval and pupal weights which depict the suitability of the semi-synthetic diet as well as the efficiency of the rearing technique. This study on the biology of PBW has revealed that the rearing protocol on semi-synthetic diet is ideal, and this has enables us to obtain maximum recovery (less mortality) in a short period of time under laboratory conditions.
Roost selection and ecology of Hipposideros pomona in China
Authors: Guo QiuLin , Wang JinHe , Yang YaPing , Zhang GuoJun , Liu Wei , Niu HongXing , Bu YanZhen
Published: July 2022

Hipposideros pomona is a typical cave-dwelling bat (IUCN endangered), and its roost selection mechanism has not been studied. From January 2018 to December 2020, 135 potential roosts were investigated in mainland China. To understand the impact of cave microclimate, structure, surrounding and human disturbance on roost selection of H. pomona, 16 variables related to microclimate and roost characteristics were measured. The differences in environmental conditions in the roost of this species in different seasons were studied. The roost preferences of H. pomona were evaluated using independent-samples t-tests and chi-squared tests. The major environmental factors affecting the selection of roosts were determined by principal components analysis (PCA). The results were as follows: (1) H. pomona preferred free-hanging with a cluster spatial arrangement in small rooms deep in the caves. (2) H. pomona and other species of bats all tended to live in natural caves. However, compared to other bats, H. pomona preferred to roost in caves with relatively lower cave ceilings, more entrances, and farther from residential areas. Roosts of H. pomona were warmer and wetter with significantly lower levels of disturbance than those without H. pomona. (3) H. pomona preferred to hibernate in natural caves with little human disturbance and higher temperature and relative humidity. (4) Compared with nonbreeding roosts, breeding roosts of H. pomona had more areas covered by water and had a higher temperature and relative humidity. (5) The PCA analysis showed that microclimate factors, structure factors, and geographical factors were significant environmental factors for H. pomona roost selection.
Beyond Interiority in Christian Conversion: Proximity to Jesus as Patron among Muslim-background “Isai” in Bangladesh
Authors: Anderson Christian J.
Published: July 2022

Though conversion studies have attempted to move beyond models that “privilege interior states and subjectivities” (Rambo and Farhadian 2014), this article argues, first, that such a step forward has proved difficult. Interiority persists within frequent divisions of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in Christian conversion or is only de-emphasized at the cost of marginalizing converts’ theological or spiritual convictions. Retaining an internal-external paradigm is especially problematic in non-western contexts, where converts may have quite differently-ordered configurations of self-understanding. Second, the article demonstrates the potential of suspending this duality, through an analysis of existing studies of Muslim-background “Isai” groups in Bangladesh. Isai conversion, involving a pivot from Muhammad to Jesus, is interpreted within a patron-client scheme in which intimacy is more fundamental than interiority, indicating that devotional “proximity” might be a way to refer to the transformative conversion experience without reverting to an interior-exterior dichotomy.
Cross Pendants as Memory Objects
Authors: Marselis Randi
Published: July 2022

This article explores the potential of combining material analysis with object-elicited memory work in order to explore the role of objects in lived religion. It presents a case study on two traditional cross pendants, a Dagmar Cross and a Huguenot Cross, and analyses the cultural-historical contexts of the two crosses, including their importance for specific national and religious memory communities. Furthermore, the memory work sections of the article foreground how the pendants were used as transgenerational gifts during a mixed-faith upbringing in a transnational family. The article argues that such a multidimensional approach is helpful for unfolding the potential meanings of religious objects in lived religion.
Gender and Noun Class Markers in Kubeo (Tukanoan)
Authors: Chacon Thiago Costa
Published: July 2022

This paper analyzes Kubeo’s system of nominal classification from a synchronic, diachronic and typological perspective. It is argued that Kubeo has two distinct but integrated systems, labeled as “gender” and “noun class markers” (CMs). Gender contrasts animacy and number for all nouns and sex-based gender only for animate nouns. CMs mostly code for physical properties. Both systems are productively used in several morphosyntactic, semantic and discourse functions, such as noun derivation, syntactic agreement, individuation, reference identification and management. The paper focusses on highlighting formal and functional asymmetries between the systems, especially in situations where gender and noun class overlap and compete. It is shown that despite a great deal of functional equivalence, Kubeo’s “gender” is more similar to typologically defined gender systems than the language’s class marker system, while the latter, by contrast, is more similar to specific types of noun class and classifier systems found in Amazonia and elsewhere.
Benchmarking Simulated Precipitation Variability Amplitude across Time Scales
Authors: Ahn Min-Seop , Gleckler Peter J. , Lee Jiwoo , Pendergrass Angeline G. , Jakob Christian
Published: July 2022

Objective performance metrics that measure precipitation variability across time scales from subdaily to interannual are presented and applied to Historical simulations of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 and 6 (CMIP5 and CMIP6) models. Three satellite-based precipitation estimates (IMERG, TRMM, and CMORPH) are used as reference data. We apply two independent methods to estimate temporal variability of precipitation and compare the consistency in their results. The first method is derived from power spectra analysis of 3-hourly precipitation, measuring forced variability by solar insolation (diurnal and annual cycles) and internal variability at different time scales (subdaily, synoptic, subseasonal, seasonal, and interannual). The second method is based on time averaging and facilitates estimating the seasonality of subdaily variability. Supporting the robustness of our metric, we find a near equivalence between the results obtained from the two methods when examining simulated-to-observed ratios over large domains (global, tropics, extratropics, land, or ocean). Additionally, we demonstrate that our model evaluation is not very sensitive to the discrepancies between observations. Our results reveal that CMIP5 and CMIP6 models in general overestimate the forced variability while they underestimate the internal variability, especially in the tropical ocean and higher-frequency variability. The underestimation of subdaily variability is consistent across different seasons. The internal variability is overall improved in CMIP6, but remains underestimated, and there is little evidence of improvement in forced variability. Increased horizontal resolution results in some improvement of internal variability at subdaily and synoptic time scales, but not at longer time scales.
Characteristic Differences of CrIS All-Sky Simulations of Brightness Temperature with Different Microphysics Parameterization Schemes
Authors: Li Xin , Zou Xiaolei , Zeng Mingjian , Zhuge Xiaoyong , Wang Ning
Published: July 2022

Influences of cloud liquid water, cloud ice, rain, snow, and graupel on all-sky simulations of the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) brightness temperature (TB) are assessed for the 399 data assimilation (DA) channels. The analyses generated by the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) 3D-Var system assimilating conventional and clear-sky satellite radiance observations are used as initial conditions for the Weather Research and Forecasting Model to generate 6-h forecasts with three different microphysics schemes (WSM6, Thompson, and Morrison), which are then used as input to the Community Radiative Transfer Model for all-sky TB simulations. Under all-sky conditions, biases with the WSM6 scheme are negative for all channels and greater in magnitude than −3.5 K. The biases with the Thompson and Morrison schemes vary between −1 and 1 K for all channels. Bias differences among three MP schemes are small in stratus, altocumulus, and cumulus clouds, but large in cirrus and cirrocumulus clouds. The TB simulations in stratus, altocumulus, and cumulus clouds are mostly influenced by the cloud top pressure, while that in cirrus and cirrocumulus clouds depends strongly on cloud optical depth. All-sky TB simulations in cirrus conditions are more positively biased than those under cirrocumulus conditions, probably due to the microphysics schemes producing too thick cirrus clouds. Sensitivity experiments suggest that the TB discrepancies among DA experiments with three MP schemes are mostly caused by the ice or snow type rather than the effective radius of hydrometeor in the upper troposphere. Finally, we propose to combine a cloud-effect parameter with cloud types for modeling observation error characteristics in all-sky DA.
La maternité dans le canon bouddhiste pāli : choix et chemins
Authors: Engelmajer Pascale F.
Published: July 2022

This article examines the themes of choice and agency in the context of motherhood as it appears in the Pāli Buddhist texts. I focus on two characters, Māya, the Buddha’s birth mother and Visākhā, one of his best known female lay disciples. Both of these women are known primarily because of their connection to the Buddha, and their spiritual path is neglected, or even disdained, because they are considered as secondary and auxiliary characters whose only purpose is to support the men they surround (Gross, 1995). In this article, I propose a “matricentric” feminist approach (O’Reilly, 2014) to challenge this attitude, and the patriarchal hierarchy that underlies it. Based on this radical interpretation of Buddhist principles, I show how the Buddhist path appears, in the Pāli texts, as a “mothering path” that a number of women, like Māya and Visākhā, choose and undertake as a spiritual path, thereby recognizing women’s agency as mothers and the validity and value of mothering in a soteriological context.
Survey Methods for Estimating the Size of Weak-Tie Personal Networks
Authors: Feehan Dennis M. , Hai Son Vo , Abdul-Quader Abu
Published: July 2022

Researchers increasingly use aggregate relational data to learn about the size and distribution of survey respondents’ weak-tie personal networks. Aggregate relational data are collected by asking questions about respondents’ connectedness to many different groups (e.g., “How many teachers do you know?”). This approach can be powerful, but to use aggregate relational data, researchers must locate external information about the size of each group from a census or administrative records (e.g., the number of teachers in the population). This need for external information makes aggregate relational data difficult or impossible to collect in many settings. Here, the authors show that relatively simple modifications can overcome this need for external data, significantly increasing the flexibility of the method and weakening key assumptions required by the associated estimators. The key idea is to estimate the size of these groups from the sample of survey respondents, rather than relying on external sources of information. These methods are appropriate for using a sample survey to study the size and distribution of weak-tie network connections. They can also be used as part of the network scale-up method to estimate the size of hidden populations. The authors illustrate this approach with two empirical studies: a large simulation study and original household survey data collected in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Pattern and prognostic value of lymph node metastasis in sinonasal mucosal melanoma
Authors: Ding Weiquan , Xie Liangen , Liang Jiangang , Li Zhihui , Hu Tingbao , Chen Xiaohua , Zhang Tao , Liu Tianrun
Published: July 2022

Objective

To analyze the pattern of lymph node (LN) metastasis and its effect on prognosis in sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM).

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program data. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors were compared between groups using log-rank test and Fisher’s exact test, and prognostic factors were screened using the Cox proportional hazards model. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to examine the treatment differences after accounting for sex, age, race, T stage, N stage, and M stage.

Results

Level I (57.1%) and level II (53.6%) nodes were the most common sites of lymph node metastasis, followed by level III (17.9%) and IV (17.9%) nodes. T stage, M stage, and tumor size were associated with LN metastasis. The 5-year overall survival rates for patients without and with LN metastasis were 35.2% and 5.3%, respectively.

Conclusions

Level I and II lymph nodes may be the sentinel nodes of SNMM, Advanced T stage and increasing tumor size could promote LN metastasis. LN metastasis may promote distant metastasis and remains an important prognostic factor for patients with SNMM.
Profunda Artery Perforator Flaps From the Posteromedial Region of the Thigh for Head and Neck Reconstruction
Authors: Ma Chunyue , Gao Weijin , Zhu Dan , Zhang Jianfei , Shen Yi , Wang Liang , Wang Jinbing , Haugen Thorsen W. , Sun Jian , Zhu Yaxin
Published: July 2022

Objective

Profunda femoris artery perforator flaps (PAPFs) have not been widely used in head and neck reconstructions. The feasibility and outcomes of PAPFs for various head and neck reconstructions need to be investigated.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis.

Setting

A single‐institution review.

Methods

PAPFs were utilized in head and neck reconstructions from 2019 to 2021. Local anatomy, surgical technique, and complications were discussed. Chimeric PAPF applications with muscle components were described for coverage of extensive multiunit defects. Additionally, aesthetic and functional outcomes were compared with anterolateral thigh perforator flaps.

Results

A total of 33 cases were included. The average age was 54.2 years (range, 30‐74). The most common underlying pathology was oral squamous cell carcinoma (n = 26, 78.8%), while the mean ± SD body mass index was 25.4 ± 2.8 kg/m2. Middle perforators (n = 14, 42.4%) were the most commonly utilized ones. The perforator‐based chimeric/composite applications were used in 9 (27.3%), with the muscular components consisting of gracilis (n = 3, 9.1%), adductor magnus (n = 5, 15.2%), or semimembranosus muscles (n = 1, 3.0%). Venous thromboses of the PAPFs were found in 2 (6.1%), though salvaged. The occurrence of postoperative 90‐day morbidity (complication) was related to mandibulectomy/maxillectomy (P = .020). Postoperative validated questionnaires showed a trend of intermediate to high scores, indicating noninferior outcomes in several categories, when compared with the anterolateral thigh perforator flap counterparts.

Conclusion

PAPFs are a good reconstructive alternative for intermediate to large head and neck reconstructions. Besides, PAPFs can provide sufficient tissue volume and versatility of potentially incorporating adjacent muscle components.
Chronic pithomycotoxicosis associated with obstructive rhinopathy in sheep
Authors: De las Heras Marcelo , Lacasta Delia , Reséndiz Raúl A. , Rivas Ane , Garzianda Ane , de Miguel Ricardo , Ruiz Héctor , Castells Enrique , González Vicente , Ferrer Luis M.
Published: July 2022

Pithomycotoxicosis (facial eczema) is a seasonal hepatogenous photosensitization of sheep caused by the ingestion of sporidesmin contained in the spores of the fungus Pithomyces chartarum. We describe 4 cases of obstructive rhinopathy associated with chronic pithomycotoxicosis naturally occurring in the north of Spain. Sheep were 5 to 7 years old and Latxa breed. A detailed clinical study was conducted together with computerized tomography examination and completed by necropsy and histopathology. All sheep developed a permanent narrowing of the nasal lumen close to the nostrils causing inspiratory dyspnea and snoring. Computerized tomography demonstrated a significant increase of soft tissue in the rostral nasal cavity. Elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lipase were noted on serum biochemistry. At necropsy, liver atrophy and fibrosis associated with chronic pithomycotoxicosis was identified in 3 of the sheep. All sheep had whitish elevations and rough surfaces on the alar folds and areas adjacent to the nasal surfaces. Histopathologic assessments, which included histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques, of the nasal lesions identified moderate to severe arteriosclerosis in 21.5% to 61.9% of the small arteries evaluated with surrounding fibrosis and edema. No changes associated with hypersensitivity reactions were found. These lesions were similar to the ones described in blood vessels of the liver in chronic pithomycotoxicosis and in our cases. The results of this study suggest a direct action of the sporidesmin on the rostral nasal cavity. Further studies are needed to analyze the impact of the sporidesmin on the sheep nasal mucosa.
I Hear My Voice; Therefore I Spoke: The Sense of Agency Over Speech Is Enhanced by Hearing One’s Own Voice
Authors: Ohata Ryu , Asai Tomohisa , Imaizumi Shu , Imamizu Hiroshi
Published: July 2022

The subjective experience of causing an action is known as the sense of agency. Dysfunctional sense of agency over speech has been suggested as a cause of auditory hallucinations. However, agency over speech has not been extensively characterized in previous empirical studies. Here, we manipulated self-voice identity, an indicator of self, embedded in the acoustic quality of voice and examined implicit and explicit measures of the sense of agency. Experiment 1 ( N = 29 adults) demonstrated more compression of a perceived interval between action and outcome when participants heard their undistorted voices than their pitch-distorted voices. Experiment 2 ( N = 28 adults) revealed a strong top-down effect of self-voice identity: Specifically, the judgment of agency over speech was more resistant than the judgment of agency over hand/limb movement to low-level sensorimotor inconsistency. Our findings provide new insight into the sense of agency over speech and an informative perspective for understanding aberrant experience in auditory hallucinations.
Evaluating the topographical measurements and tear function status in patients with hemifacial spasm: A comparative fellow eye study
Authors: Bayraktar Bilen Neslihan , Bilen Sule
Published: July 2022

Objective

To investigate the effect of eyelid spasm on corneal and tear film characteristics in patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and compare these data with those of the contralateral eyes of the same patients.

Methods

This prospective study is comprised of 64 eyes of 32 HFS patients, 32 eyes on the spasm side (Group 1) and 32 contralateral eyes (Group 2). Corneal tomographic analyses were performed; corneal power of flat axis (K1) and steep axis (K2), astigmatism and thinnest pachymetry; anterior, posterior and total corneal aberrometry [spherical aberration (SA), vertical coma (vcoma), horizontal coma (hcoma), total higher order aberration (THOA) and total RMS], and corneal densitometry values were evaluated and compared between groups. Tear meniscus height and depth (TMH, TMD) were measured using anterior segment optic coherence tomography. Tear function tests including TMH and TMD, the Schirmer I test, and tear break-up time (TBUT) were compared between the groups.

Results

K1, K2, astigmatism and corneal densitometry values were similar between groups (p > 0.05). Thinnest pachymetry values were significantly thinner on the spasm side (p = 0.040). Anterior and total corneal SA and RMS were significantly higher on the spasm side (p = 0.032, p = 0.005; p = 0.015, p = 0.006, respectively). TMH, TMD and TBUT were significantly lower in Group 1 (p = 0.01, p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). Schirmer I test values were similar between groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

In HFS patients, there are changes in corneal parameters and tear film in the eye on the spasm side compared to unaffected eye.
The Extent Hospital Organizational Factors Influence Inpatient Care Delivery: A Case Study Looking at Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery
Authors: Sakowski Julie Ann , Song Paula H
Published: July 2022

There is a body of Implementation and Dissemination research describing the importance of “context”—the characteristics describing the setting where a process or innovation occurs—when evaluating delivery, outcomes and cost of health services. These contextual factors, which can occur at the system, organization, or provider level, may either facilitate or erect barriers to the utilization of evidence-based practices and the outcomes achieved. This paper examines the influence of organizational structure and operating environment characteristics of where inpatient health care is delivered, controlling for patient and provider characteristics, on health services delivery and outcomes achieved. We used inpatient cost-of-care to represent the bundle of services provided to patients receiving primary knee and hip replacement procedures. Data includes patient level data from discharge records for 62 140 knee replacements and 42 392 hip replacements from the 2015 AHRQ Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Discharge database and hospital characteristics from the 2015 American Hospital Association survey. Multi-level linear estimation models controlling for patient and payer characteristics were employed to assess the impact of specific organizational and operating environment factors. We found that although patient and payer characteristics significantly impacted the inpatient cost of care, there is significant variation between hospitals and among physicians within a hospital beyond what can be explained by patient, payer and local price effect characteristics. Organizational and physician characteristics that had the most significant impact on cost of care included the volume of services provided, urban location, and for-profit ownership. These factors can inform future policy and program design and evaluation.
Application of combined optimization strategy and system of CNC machining parameter
Authors: Liu Hengli , Wang Yong , Dong Jingchuan
Published: July 2022

This paper presents an efficient optimization method of combining off-line optimization with on-line adaptive control for CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) machining parameter, and develops the corresponding system, aims to multi-objective optimization and cutting force stability. Firstly, the multi-objective optimization solution of machining parameters is obtained by off-line optimization based on Pareto genetic algorithm and TRIZ theory. Then, on this basis, feed speed is adjusted online based on adaptive control system. Next, current is used as feedback to control cutting force, and cutting force can be kept at a set value by the on-line adjusting. We obtain the relationship between off-line optimization and on-line adaptive control. Finally, we build the combined optimization module and embed the self-developed CNC machining system. Based on the system, the experimental results verify that the optimized process parameters make the processing time reduced by 14 s, and no matter how cutting conditions change, cutting force can be stabilized as soon as possible by adjusting feed speed online for keeping the cutting process stability. From the perspective of building the parameter optimization function module, it provides a new idea for the self-development of CNC machining system.
Treatment of hypertrophic scar with injection of triamcinolone leads to increased microRNA-26a in a rabbit ear model
Authors: Zhang Xiong , Lai Ya-Qun , Guo Ling
Published: July 2022

Objectives:

Differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been confirmed to promote hypertrophic scar (HS) formation. However, this mechanism remains to be further elucidated. This paper investigated the effects of microRNA26a on HS of rabbit ears or its mechanism.

Methods:

The rabbit HS models were established and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (20 rabbits with treatment through triamcinolone acetonide) or the scar group (20 rabbits without treatment). In addition, 10 unmodeled rabbits were served as control group. The expression of microRNA-26a in HS tissues was detected via a stem-loop real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results:

According to RT-PCR, we showed the decreased expression of microRNA-26a in the scar group compared with that in the experimental group, and in the experimental group compared with that in the control group ( p < .01). In addition, the expression of microRNA-26a was negatively correlated with scar thickness (STs), number of fibroblasts (NFs), Collagen I (Col I) level, Collagen III (Col III) level, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) level, and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level (all p < .01).

Conclusions:

Our findings revealed that the increase of microRNA-26a expression might alleviate excessive inflammation during the HS formation, inhibit fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition in HS, and promote the treatment of HS.
Adopting mobile health applications by nurses: a scoping review
Authors: Nezamdoust Soghra , Abdekhoda Mohammadhiwa , Ranjbaran Fatemeh , Azami-Aghdash Saber
Published: July 2022

Background

The concept of mobile health has attracted considerable attention across the globe, as it provides both healthcare professionals and patients with a distinct means of information and resources.

Aim

This study was conducted with the aim of utilising mobile health (mHealth) applications by nurses and presenting a scenario of how and why they are utilised.

Methods

This study was a scoping review. Data collection was carried out by searching the related keywords in Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, EMBASE, Ovid, and PubMed databases from January 2000 to March 2019.

Results

Regarding the reasons for using mobile applications by nurses, five objectives were identified, including learning and knowledge enhancement, treatment and improvement of the patient care process, diagnostic process, data and patient management, and health promotion. Effective factors in the nurses’ use of mobile applications were categorised into eight themes: ease of use, usefulness, security and confidentiality, feasibility and functionality, design and use—interface, effectiveness, infrastructure, versatility, and social norms.

Conclusions

Mobile health applications have considerable potential in enhancing nurses’ professional activities. This study contributes to both nursing and health policy by providing a scenario of how and why nurses use mobile health applications.
Patient Controlled Analgesia and its effect on postoperative outcomes in an older cohort of patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Iddagoda Mayura Thilanka , Nienaber Andrew , Pretorius Carina , Flicker Leon
Published: July 2022

Background:

Patient Controlled Analgesia is a popular technique used to manage postoperative pain. The suitability of Patient Controlled Analgesia in older patients after surgical procedures and its effect on postoperative outcomes are not clear.

Method:

The records of 305 older patients undergoing orthopaedic surgeries in a single tertiary centre were reviewed. Postoperative outcomes were compared between those given Patient Controlled Analgesia and those who were not, using multinomial logistic regression adjusted by propensity scores.

Results:

Physical function on day 3 after surgery is worse, and risk of requiring personal assistance is higher if the patient had Patient Controlled Analgesia (p = 0.01). Length of stay in patients using patient-controlled analgesia was longer than patients not using patient-controlled analgesia (p = 0.002), and patients given Patient Controlled Analgesia had higher odds of needing support on discharge (p = 0.01). Surprisingly, pain control is poor in the Patient Controlled Analgesia group (p = 0.009).

Conclusion:

In this review, Patient Controlled Analgesia use was common (40% of our sample), and postoperative outcomes such as physical function on day 3, length of stay and discharge destination were unfavourable in patients who had Patient Controlled Analgesia.
Radiomics in prostate cancer: an up-to-date review
Authors: Ferro Matteo , de Cobelli Ottavio , Musi Gennaro , del Giudice Francesco , Carrieri Giuseppe , Busetto Gian Maria , Falagario Ugo Giovanni , Sciarra Alessandro , Maggi Martina , Crocetto Felice , Barone Biagio , Caputo Vincenzo Francesco , Marchioni Michele , Lucarelli Giuseppe , Imbimbo Ciro , Mistretta Francesco Alessandro , Luzzago Stefano , Vartolomei Mihai Dorin , Cormio Luigi , Autorino Riccardo , Tătaru Octavian Sabin
Published: July 2022

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common worldwide diagnosed malignancy in male population. The diagnosis, the identification of aggressive disease, and the post-treatment follow-up needs a more comprehensive and holistic approach. Radiomics is the extraction and interpretation of images phenotypes in a quantitative manner. Radiomics may give an advantage through advancements in imaging modalities and through the potential power of artificial intelligence techniques by translating those features into clinical outcome prediction. This article gives an overview on the current evidence of methodology and reviews the available literature on radiomics in PCa patients, highlighting its potential for personalized treatment and future applications.
The link between indoor air pollution from cooking fuels and anemia status among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Ethiopia
Authors: Kanno Girum Gebremeskel , Geremew Temesgen , Diro Tesfaye , Musarapasi Stephen Vincent , Wyk Renay Van , Seboka Binyam Tariku , Alembo Awash , Hussen Robel , Soboksa Negasa Eshete , Aregu Mekonnen Birhane
Published: July 2022

Objective:

The effect of indoor air pollution from different fuel types on the anemia status among non-pregnant women is rarely studied. This study aimed to assess the link between indoor air pollution from different fuel types and anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive ages in Ethiopia.

Method:

The secondary data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data have been employed for this study. The anemia status of women in reproductive age was the outcome variable with multiple outcomes as (moderate to severe, mild, and no anemia) and households using biomass fuel and clean fuel were selected for this study. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to estimate the association of biomass fuel use with the anemia status controlling for the predictor variables. Relative risk ratio was calculated at 95% confidence interval. An independent-sample t-test was used to assess the mean difference in blood hemoglobin level (g/dL) between the two fuel users. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Result:

From the total of 10,961 participants included in this study, the proportion of anemia in women of non-reproductive age was 41.8% and 19.4% among biomass fuel and clean fuel users, respectively, with a mean blood hemoglobin level of 12.71 (±1.81) g/dL. In the final model, women using biomass fuel for cooking were 47% more likely to have mild anemia than households who use cleaner fuels, whereas the association was insignificant for moderate to severe anemia. Biomass fuel users were also found to have 5.8 g/dL lower blood hemoglobin level than the clean fuel user (p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The use of biomass fuel was associated with reduced blood hemoglobin levels and significantly associated with mild anemia levels in women of reproductive age in Ethiopia. National efforts should be in place to reduce indoor air pollution from biomass fuels.
Case report: Pancytopenia as a rare presentation of Sheehan’s syndrome
Authors: Rabee’ Hadi , Tanbour Raghad , Yaseen Ahmad , Zaidan Mohammed , Amer Riad
Published: July 2022

Sheehan’s syndrome is a postpartum hypopituitarism state caused by necrosis of the pituitary gland. It is usually the result of severe hypotension or shock caused by massive hemorrhage during or after delivery. Sheehan’s syndrome symptoms are often subtle and hence it is diagnosed late. Herein, we report a case of a 41-year-old woman who developed severe postpartum hemorrhage after childbirth that required a total abdominal hysterectomy to control bleeding at the age of 36 years. Since then, she has progressively developed symptoms of headache, general fatigue, and malaise, and finally presented with pancytopenia for investigations. Anemia is a well-known hematological association with Sheehan’s syndrome while pancytopenia is rarely reported. However, complete recovery of pancytopenia was observed after the treatment. Pancytopenia (due to bone marrow failure to produce cells) is a serious finding in clinical practice that causes significant stress as it may point to a diagnosis of malignancy (mainly leukemia) and other serious disorders. Despite being a rare cause, a high index of suspicion is required from the physicians in women with pancytopenia, in order to look for a possible treatable cause of pancytopenia (like Sheehan's syndrome), if the common causes were excluded.
The design of an upper arm prosthesis utilising 3D printing conceived for the 2020 Tokyo paralympic games: A technical note
Authors: Dyer Bryce , Glithro Richard , Batley Abigail
Published: July 2022

This article describes the design and development of an upper-limb prosthesis for a current elite level paracyclist that was conceived for use in the 2020 Paralympic Games. The prosthetic limb was intended specifically for use in cycling time trial events. These are held on the road and in the velodrome whereby the athlete rides using a tucked aerodynamic position. The prosthesis was developed using computer aided design software and an extensive use of the 3D printed manufacturing process. The resulting technical note illustrates the design methodology and manufacturing considerations for a high performance form of assistive technology. However, it results in a solution that challenges the traditional aesthetic of prosthetic limbs intended for sport and physical activity.
Developments in quality of stroke care in Estonia
Authors: Kõrv Janika , Antsov Katrin , Gross-Paju Katrin , Kalju Inga , Kreis Andrus , Liigant Aive , Vibo Riina
Published: July 2022

Background:

Monitoring and measuring different aspects of stroke care pathway is the cornerstone for improvement of quality. We aim to analyze and give an overview of improvements of stroke care quality in Estonia.

Patients and methods:

National stroke care quality indicators are collected and reported using reimbursement data and include all adult stroke cases. In Estonia, five stroke-ready hospitals are participating in Registry of Stroke Care Quality (RES-Q), providing data on all stroke patients 1 month every year. Data from the national quality indicators and RES-Q from 2015 to 2021 are presented.

Results:

The proportion of intravenous thrombolysis for all Estonian hospitalized ischemic stroke cases increased from 16% (95% Confidence Interval, CI 15%–18%) in 2015 to 28% (95% CI 27%–30%) in 2021. Mechanical thrombectomy was provided to 9% (95% CI 8%–10%) in 2021. The 30-day mortality rate has decreased from 21% (95% CI 20%–23%) to 19% (95% CI 18%–20%). More than 90% of patients with cardioembolic stroke are prescribed anticoagulants at discharge, but only 50% are on anticoagulant treatment 1 year after stroke. Also, the availability of inpatient rehabilitation needs improvement, being 21% (95% CI 20%–23%) in 2021. A total of 848 patients are included in the RES-Q. The proportion of patients receiving recanalization therapies was comparable to the national stroke care quality indicators. All stroke-ready hospitals show good onset-to-door times.

Conclusion:

The overall stroke care quality in Estonia is good, especially the availability of recanalization treatments. However, secondary prevention and the availability of rehabilitation services need improvement in the future.