bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of conjunctivochalasis treatment after fornix deepening with retractor recession and repositioning
Authors: Yvon Camille , Malhotra Raman
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To evaluate outcomes of fornix deepening with retractor recession and repositioning for conjunctivochalasis (CCh) on improvement of conjunctival folds and ocular surface symptoms, particularly epiphora.

Methods

Retrospective, single-centre, observational case series of patients with refractory CCh who underwent fornix deepening and retractor recession. CCh was graded using the Hoh classification (grades 0 to 3 depending on the number and height of folds). Epiphora, reflex tearing, and dry eye symptoms were assessed using the validated 'TEAR' score pre- and post-CCh correction.

Results

18 eyes of 11 patients with CCh (average age 68, range 46–82 years) were treated with fornix deepening and retractor recession. All had shallow fornices pre-operatively with a mean CCh grade of 1.7 (typically lower than the tear meniscus). Locations of the folds were variable: diffuse/middle ( n = 10), nasal ( n = 4), and temporal ( n = 4). At 15-month mean follow-up, conjunctival redundancy was absent in 17 of 18 eyes postoperatively, resulting in a restored tear meniscus and reservoir. 91% saw a reduction in tearing frequency (T), with 73% gaining ≥ 2-point improvement. Improvements in clinical effects (E) and activity limitation (A) were seen in 82% and 91% of patients, respectively, with 36% and 64% gaining ≥ 2-point improvement. R scores (related to reflex tearing) improved in 73%, with 64% seeing ≥ 2-point gains. ( P < 0.05 for all).

Conclusion

Restoration of the tear reservoir by inferior fornix deepening with retractor recession and repositioning can result in improvement of CCh and epiphora.
Tweeting “in the language they understand”: a peace journalism conception of political contexts and media narratives on Nigeria's Twitter ban
Authors: Muhammad Auwal Ahmad , Ersoy Metin
Published: September 2024

The rise of social media usage has generated global debates over efforts to address widening concerns through moderation of user practices and content that potentially undermine public safety and security. Content moderation has become a politically contested issue globally, while also attracting more attention across Africa and Nigeria in recent times. A case in point is the seven-month ban imposed on Twitter by the immediate-past government of Muhammadu Buhari, who was Nigeria's president from 2015 to 2023, following Twitter's decision to remove a tweet in which Buhari referenced the Nigerian Civil War and appeared to threaten violence against separatists in June 2021. To expand the ongoing debates about the politicization of social media use and content moderation, we conceive a peace journalism framework synthesizing the impact of political communication and media narratives on societal conflict dynamics, offering a critical reflection on the political contexts of Nigeria's Twitter ban. The theoretical lens of peace journalism was deployed to understand the implications of polarizing discourses originating from social media communication strategies of political actors. We adapt the indicators for peace versus war-oriented coverage to analyze 48 journalistic articles published across 10 English-language news outlets during the initial three-months of Nigeria's Twitter ban to assess the role that media narratives can play in mitigating or exacerbating societal tensions. Findings indicate that Buhari's Twitter-based political discourse elicits diverse perceptions of his intentions, potentially fomenting polarization, while news outlets used distinctive reporting styles that produce narratives likely to promote nonviolent responses to the ban or escalate tensions.
Research progress on high-temperature properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites for cables
Authors: Wang Anni , Yang Yan , Liu Qian , Liu Xiaogang , Xu Guowen , Yue Qingrui
Published: September 2024

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) cable has advantages of lightweight, high strength, and excellent durability, providing a new materials for cables and bringing out potential breakthrough in spanning capacity of structures. At present, CFRP cable has already been applied in some engineering bridges. The fire resistance performance of CFRP cable is critical for ensuring structure safety when suffering accidental fire disaster, and clarifying mechanical performance deterioration and failure mechanism of CFRP cable at elevated temperature is fundamental for research of its fire resistance. This paper summarizes current research progress on high-temperature properties of CFRP cable from two levels, including epoxy resin matrix and CFRP composites. Firstly, at resin matrix level, mechanical properties of epoxy resin and its degradation at elevated temperatures are reviewed and analysed, and potential ways to improve high-temperature performance of epoxy resin are suggested. Secondly, at CFRP composites level, high-temperature properties test methods and mechanical performance of CFRP composites in longitudinal direction and transverse direction at elevated temperatures are summarized and discussed. In addition, research shortage of high-temperature properties of CFRP cable is summarized, and corresponding further research is recommended.
Exploring views among Norwegian Sámi regarding gambling and gambling treatment
Authors: Devold Marte Reikvam , Spein Anna Rita , Barua Pia , Indset Marie Pedersen , Syvertsen André , Pallesen Ståle
Published: September 2024

Aim: To explore gambling in the indigenous Sámi culture by studying thoughts, ideas and attitudes towards gambling among Sámi and people living in majority Sámi areas with knowledge of the culture. Methods: The topic was investigated in an inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 14 people (n = 13 self-reported Sámi ethnicity). Results: The majority of the informants knew of superstitious practices that were specific to the Sámi culture, though most did not believe that these could influence gambling outcomes. Several features of the Sámi culture, including religious commitment (Laestadianism), family-oriented societies, non-materialistic ideals and self-sufficiency ideals, were presumed to protect against developing gambling issues. There were reports of reduced trust in the Norwegian healthcare system and a lack of treatment services with sufficient knowledge about Sámi culture. Conclusion: Culture-specific factors protecting against development of gambling problems could be a factor in maintaining established gambling problems by increasing associated shame and stigma, resulting in a higher threshold for help-seeking among Sámi. The findings and their potential implications with regards to the existing literature are discussed.
Scalar narratives and intimate identities in Northern Italian historical cafes
Authors: Perrino Sabina M
Published: September 2024

The potential that narratives have to transport storytellers and audience members across time and space has made them fertile sites to study spatiotemporal and scalar effects. Through a linguistic anthropological analysis of a corpus of narratives from interviews conducted with executives of Northern Italian historical cafes (2011–2022), I examine how collective, intimate identities are (co)constructed and negotiated through the stances that these executives take vis-à-vis both the historical and the contemporary artistic uniqueness of their cafes. In this respect, the notions of scale and chronotope, and the way they intersect in executives’ stories, become prominent. Furthermore, although historical cafes have rarely been studied from a linguistic anthropological perspective, they have been key social spaces where individuals meet and interact on a daily basis while consuming their beverages and/or small meals, in many European countries, across centuries. This article thus bridges recent research on the Bakhtinian chronotope with a multiscalar approach, as applied to storytelling practices.
Migration as redistribution: Claiming access and the politics of presence
Authors: Santer Kiri Olivia
Published: September 2024

This article proposes a theory of distributive conditionality in the context of migration; it outlines the modalities under which redistributive effects materialize as a consequence of migration from the Global South to the Global North. Tendayi Achiume (2019) argues that migration contributes to the redistribution of political equality throughout the globe. However, there is a need to better distinguish between accessing territories of the Global North and the redistributive processes migration puts in motion. Migration is a bottom-up strategy of appropriation within the global context of failed post-colonial processes, which are marked by the exclusion and exploitation of Third World citizens. People’s determination to access the territories from which they have been historically and legally excluded enables further claims for participation and inclusion to emerge. It is these that then allow for distributive effects. Within common spaces of appearance and communities of presence that include citizens and non-citizens and that have been established by access of migrants to these territories, negotiations surrounding the varying needs and resources of those present can emerge, depending on how this presence manifests. To substantiate this claim, I outline three such modalities in which distributive effects can be observed: communities of work, urban citizenship, and remittances.
Colonial sovereignty and religious necropolitics: The sacred victimization of infidel Kurds in the Middle East
Authors: Saeidi Fateh , Osmanzadeh Davoud
Published: September 2024

This article critically explores the intersection of colonial narratives and religious necropolitics in the systematic oppression of the Kurdish nation across the Middle East. From the latter half of the 20th century, governments representing Iranian, Turkish, and Arab nationalisms, alongside non-state actors like ISIS and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, have employed demagogic religious policies to legitimize the persecution and mass killings of the Kurds. These regimes and groups brand the Kurds as infidels, subjecting them to a continuous state of war and dehumanization, while positioning themselves as defenders of Islam to quash Kurdish demands for national rights and autonomy. The article explores how these religious necropolitics policies have fuelled genocidal massacres, such as Khomeini’s fatwas in Iran, Erdoğan’s rhetoric in Turkey, the Anfal genocide in Iraq, Yazidi genocide by ISIS, and the dehumanization of Yarsans by Islamic Shia authorities in Iran. The systematic de-Kurdification of regions like Afrin in Syria further exemplifies the lethal consequences of conflating religious ideology with noo-state sovereignty. Through this analysis, the article underscores the profound impact of religious necropolitics on the Kurdish struggle, revealing how these policies have not only dehumanized the Kurds but also framed their aspirations for freedom as existential threats. The article concludes by highlighting how the interplay of colonial sovereignty and religious necropolitics has perpetuated the sacred victimization of Kurds in the Middle East, framing them as infidels to justify their ongoing oppression and marginalization. Through this lens, the study reveals the deep-seated mechanisms of control and violence that have been used to maintain power over the Kurdish nation, emphasizing the critical need to understand these dynamics within the broader context of Middle Eastern geopolitics.
‘Nobody had their back’: The differentiated deportability of Central and Eastern Europeans in the UK
Authors: Radziwinowiczówna Agnieszka
Published: September 2024

This article demonstrates that under the same regulations, some social groups are more vulnerable to deportation than others. It analyses the case of the deportation of EU citizens from the UK before the abandonment of the principle of EU free movement. My analysis of the law–practice continuum includes law-on-the-books (UK legislation) and law-in-action (primary research among deportees, EU migrants, and experts; and the analysis of internet forums, statistics, policy papers and documents obtained through Freedom of Information Requests). Before Brexit, the UK introduced laws, policies, and practices that made possible the deportation of large numbers of EU citizens. Central and Eastern European EU (CEEU) citizens (especially racialised, low- or no-income and working-class men, including Roma people) were disproportionately more likely to be targeted for deportation than citizens of countries that had been members of the EU prior to 2004. This article finds that UK law and practice mobilised crimmigration against CEEU migrants, with criminal and immigration legislation converging to facilitate their expulsion. I describe how the illegalisation and criminalisation of (1) CEEU citizens who had contact with criminal justice system (including prisoners) and (2) CEEU citizen rough sleepers contributed to their deportability. The UK deportation regime took active steps to deport these groups (including by creating the ‘abuse/misuse’-of-right policy targeting rough sleepers); the treatment they received from the UK criminal justice system (high sentencing, lack of free legal aid in deportation cases) heightened their deportability. The article concludes that this differentiated deportability of CEEU nationals can be viewed as prefiguring post-Brexit deportation policy in the UK.
Forms of culture in the implementation of school reform efforts: A conceptual framework
Authors: Diehl David K.
Published: September 2024

Despite concerted efforts to improve educational practices through reform, classroom implementation remains a persistent challenge. This theoretical article draws on recent work in cultural sociology to offer a fresh perspective on this problem. It introduces a framework that differentiates between declarative, procedural, and public forms of culture, highlighting their unique mechanisms of internalization and enactment. This multidimensional understanding of culture reveals the cognitive challenges inherent in translating reform principles into classroom practices. More specifically, the article contends that the common assumptions of convertibility and transferability between these forms of culture underlie the limited success of many reform initiatives. By attending to the cognitive dimensions of cultural dynamics, the proposed framework opens new avenues for understanding and addressing the difficulties of educational change. This article concluded with an agenda for future research to test and refine the framework.
Male Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse: A Review
Authors: Wyles Paul , O’Leary Patrick , Tsantefski Menka , Young Amy
Published: September 2024

Male child sexual abuse is over-represented in institutional settings. This realization has increasingly come into public focus in recent decades initially through lived experience, often with male survivors’ stories told in the media and subsequently through court cases and government inquiries. Beginning at the turn of the century with the Irish Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (1999–2009), numerous national and state inquiries into institutional child abuse followed around the world. This scoping review asks the question: What is known from the research about the institutional child sexual abuse of males? Conducted in 2023 five databases were used (APA PsycINFO, CINAL, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science) producing 973 studies for screening. Applying the Arksey and O’Malley framework resulted in 29 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, which were analyzed. Of the 29 studies, 27 could be categorized into 3 broad areas of focus: survivor experience, impact, and disclosure. Two further studies considered: turning points and meaning making. The findings are discussed under the following headings: disclosure, impacts (emotional, mental health, alcohol, and other impacts), and what is helpful to victim/survivors. Implications for practice, policy, and research are examined along with limitations of the current research.
Endovascular Recanalization in Patients With Vertebral Artery Stump Syndrome: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Ji Renjie , Chen Hanfeng , Xu Ziqi , Luo Benyan
Published: September 2024

Background

To evaluate the feasibility, success rate, and safety of endovascular revascularization of patients with vertebral artery stump syndrome (VASS).

Methods

This single-center retrospective study analyzed clinical and imaging data from consecutive patients with VASS who underwent endovascular recanalization from January 2020 until June 2023.

Results

Our study enrolled 30 patients [mean age 69 (range 51-84) years; 26 men]. The rate of successful technical revascularization was 96.7% (n = 29), and the rate of complications was 3.3% (n = 1). At the 6-month follow-up, the patients with successful endovascular revascularization of VASS did not have any neurological symptoms, and computed tomography angiography showed 3/29 (10.3%) re-occlusions and 4/29 (13.8%) restenosis of the stent, which was confirmed by digital subtraction angiography.

Conclusions

Endovascular recanalization in patients with VASS is feasible in selected patients and has a high procedural success rate and low rate of complications. A large, multicenter, randomized study is warranted to confirm these findings.
The Utility of 24-h Video-EEG Monitoring in the Diagnosis of Epilepsy in Children
Authors: Zhang Qingxiang , Zheng Wenjin , Jean Stéphane , Lai Fuliang , Liu Weihong , Song Shiwei
Published: September 2024

Objectives: Evaluate the diagnostic yield of 24-h video-EEG monitoring in a group of children admitted in our epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU). Methods: 232 children who underwent 24-h video-EEG monitoring was analysed. We divided each patient's monitoring duration into the first 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 h, relative to the whole 24 h monitoring period. The detection of the first interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs), epileptic seizures (ES), and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) were analysed relative to the different monitoring time subdivision. Results: Our findings revealed that: (1) there was no significant difference in the prevalence of detecting initial IEDs between the first 4-h and 24-h monitoring periods (73.7% vs 81%); (2) clinical events detection rate was statistically similar between the first 8-h and 24-h monitoring periods (15.5% vs 19.3%); (4) an 8-h monitoring was sufficient to capture IEDs, ES and PNES in focal epilepsy children; (5) a 1-h monitoring was sufficient to capture IEDs, ES and PNES in generalized epilepsy children; and (6) IEDs were detected within the first 1-h of monitoring in 96.7% self-limited focal epilepsies (SeLFEs) patient. Conclusion: Our study suggests that a 4-h monitoring has more value in increasing the detection rate of IEDs compared to the traditional shorter routine EEG. And in the case of SeLFEs, a 1-h of monitoring might be sufficient in detecting IEDs. A 24-h VEEG monitoring can detect clinical events in 19.3% of patients. Overall, the yield of IEDs and clinical events detection is adequate in children in children undergoing 24-h video-EEG monitoring.
Coverage of Soft-Tissue Defects of the Palm of the Hand: Introduction of a New Flap Design
Authors: Fareed Mohamed , Awadeen Abdelrahman , Mohamed Elameen Ali
Published: September 2024

The palm is of great importance for maintaining a functioning hand. The reconstructive demands of thickness, texture, color matching, pliability, and sensation for palmar defects represent a unique challenge for plastic surgeons. This study introduced a novel versatile design for the ulnar palmar artery perforator flap (UPAPF) to cover large palmar soft-tissue defects of the hand. The fifth metacarpophalangeal joint was identified as a landmark where the perforator was nearly 1 to 1.5 cm proximal. A template of the defect was outlined after adequate debridement. Meticulous dissection was executed under loupe magnification to trace the perforator until an adequate length of the pedicle was obtained for rotation. The harvested type B fasciocutaneous flap was rotated nearly 90° to be insetting on the palmar defect. Two patients were presented with a soft-tissue defect of the palm measuring 4.8 × 5.5 cm2 and 3.8 × 5 cm2, respectively. The flap was harvested and positioned at the defects. The flaps survived in the 2 cases with minimal donor site complications. The patients acquired protective sensations within the flap at the end of the follow-up period. The UPAPF provides a stable coverage for palmar soft-tissue defects with satisfactory aesthetic and functional results. It is a convenient addition to the armamentarium for reconstructing palmar soft-tissue defects of the hand.
Provider Perspectives on Techniques for Healthy Eating Promotion and Dietary Behavior Change in Caregiver–Child Dyads
Authors: Fang Elisa , Nita Abigail L. , Duh-Leong Carol , Gross Rachel S. , Schoenthaler Antoinette , Pina Paulo , Ortiz Robin
Published: September 2024

Child lifestyle behaviors are influenced by their caregivers. Targeting the caregiver–child relationship can establish healthy habits, especially healthful eating patterns, in both the caregiver and child. The purpose of this study was to identify the context for addressing strategies used to establish nutritious eating for the caregiver and child taken together as a unit (e.g., the caregiver–child dyad), through the perspectives of nutrition-promoting professionals. We performed purposive sampling of professionals who address healthful nutrition. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted to elicit perspectives on caregiver–child eating dynamics and techniques to produce dietary behavior change. Data were coded through the constant comparative method, and subthemes and themes were identified by grouping similar codes and excerpts. We identified four themes relevant to dyadic dietary behavior change: (1) factors to consider when approaching nutrition such as family dynamics, (2) dyad-specific strategies for dietary behavior change, (3) patient-centered approaches professionals implement in interactions with the dyad, and (4) time as a barrier to dietary behavior change. In conclusion, study is novel in eliciting the perspectives of professionals across multiple settings to provide a context for dyadic dietary behavior change. Future studies can focus on developing training for lifestyle medicine professionals to approach dyad-specific behavior modification.
Endovascular solutions for symptomatic free-floating thrombus in thoracic aorta in rheumatoid arthritis patients: Two clinical cases
Authors: Mastrangelo G. , Di Sebastiano P. , Palazzo V.
Published: September 2024

Objectives

We present two clinical cases of association between symptomatic free-floating thrombus (FFT) in thoracic aorta and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

In the first patient, we observed a recent onset of peripheral and visceral signs of embolization: after a first treatment with anticoagulation, our Aortic team scheduled the coverage of FFT (sited in zone 1 of the aortic arch) with an anatomical debranching of anonymous trunk and left carotid artery, a left carotid-subclavian bypass, and a TEVAR of the aortic arch with proximal landing in zone 0 of the arch. The second case was characterized by chest pain, left upper limb ischemia, and CTA evidence of an FFT in zone 3 of the aortic arch; we planned a chimney-TEVAR on the left subclavian artery and descending thoracic aorta (with proximal landing in zone 2 of the aortic arch) to exclude the FFT.

Results

No complications resulted and no new embolic episodes were registered.

Conclusions

Evaluating the aorta is warranted in all patients with peripheral emboli of uncertain pathogenesis. In our opinion, the endovascular treatment of a symptomatic FFT could represent an effective and safe solution in a patient fit for endovascular surgery, but larger studies are required to define a personalized treatment strategy.
Predictive heating load management and energy flexibility analysis in residential sector using an archetype gray-box modeling approach: Application to an experimental house in Québec
Authors: Abtahi Matin , Athienitis Andreas , Delcroix Benoit
Published: September 2024

This paper presents a methodology to develop archetype gray-box models and use them in an economic model-based predictive control algorithm to simulate optimal heating load management in response to a newly-introduced static time-of-use tariff for Québec’s residential sector, rate Flex-D. The methodology is evaluated through a case study, wherein in situ measurements from a two-storey unoccupied research house of Hydro-Québec are used to develop an 11R6C network with a heuristic zoning-by-floor approach and compute the sequence of optimal electric heating input for the next control horizon. Properly-tuned economic model-based predictive control under rate Flex-D shows potential for an approximately 30% reduction in daily heating cost compared to the reference operation, with a minimal average deviation of indoor air temperature from the reference setpoint. Also, the analysis of the response’s sensitivity to weather forecast uncertainties indicates that the most influential uncontrolled input directing the performance of economic model-based predictive control is the structure price signal, rendering the impact of uncertainty in the weather forecast negligible.
Can AI explain AI? Interactive co-construction of explanations among human and artificial agents
Authors: Klowait Nils , Erofeeva Maria , Lenke Michael , Horwath Ilona , Buschmeier Hendrik
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the potential of using advanced conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to help people understand complex AI systems. In line with conversation-analytic research, we view the participatory role of AI as dynamically unfolding in a situation rather than being predetermined by its architecture. To study user sensemaking of intransparent AI systems, we set up a naturalistic encounter between human participants and two AI systems developed in-house: a reinforcement learning simulation and a GPT-4-based explainer chatbot. Our results reveal that an explainer-AI only truly functions as such when participants actively engage with it as a co-constructive agent. Both the interface’s spatial configuration and the asynchronous temporal nature of the explainer AI – combined with the users’ presuppositions about its role – contribute to the decision whether to treat the AI as a dialogical co-participant in the interaction. Participants establish evidentiality conventions and sensemaking procedures that may diverge from a system’s intended design or function.
Period Poverty: How School Nurses Can Support Menstrual Health and Hygiene
Authors: Pereda Damaris , Mahuna Sasha
Published: September 2024

Lack of access to menstrual products, menstrual hygiene, and education, also known as period poverty, is a widespread issue and disproportionately impacts low-income, rural, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and People of Color. Period poverty along with period symptoms, such as heavy and painful periods, contribute to school absenteeism impacting school connectedness and student success. The purpose of this article is to bring awareness to period poverty and encourage school nurses to intervene in individual schools, communities, and far-reaching policy spaces utilizing their expertise to secure resources. School nurses can assist in implementing interventions throughout the school year to increase student engagement, success, and overall menstrual health wellness. Through added engagement of stakeholders such as student groups, school staff and administrators, and community organizations, school nurses can help shift the narrative from a position of oppression around menstrual health to a position of empowerment.
Association Between Smell Loss, Disease Burden, and Dupilumab Efficacy in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps
Authors: Soler Zachary M. , Patel Zara M. , Mullol Joaquim , Mattos Jose , Nash Scott , Xia Changming , Wang Zhixiao , Borsos Kinga , Corbett Mark , Jacob-Nara Juby A. , Sacks Harry , Rowe Paul , Deniz Yamo , Lane Andrew P.
Published: September 2024

Objective

To evaluate the association between smell loss and other aspects of disease, and evaluate dupilumab efficacy in patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and moderate or severe smell loss.

Methods

This post-hoc analysis of the SINUS-24/52 studies (NCT02912468/NCT02898454) analyzed nasal polyp score (NPS, 0−8), nasal congestion/obstruction (NC, 0−3), Lund-Mackay CT-scan score (LMK-CT, 0−24), rhinosinusitis severity visual analog scale (RS-VAS, 0-10), and 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22, 0−110) according to baseline monthly average patient-reported loss of smell scores (LoS, 0−3) of >1 to 2 (moderate) or >2 to 3 (severe) in patients randomized to dupilumab 300 mg or placebo every 2 weeks.

Results

Of 724 patients randomized, baseline LoS was severe in 601 (83%) and moderate in 106 (15%). At baseline, severe versus moderate LoS was associated with 1-point greater severity of NC (odds ratio [OR] 6.01 [95% confidence interval, (CI) 3.95, 9.15]), 5-point greater severity of LMK-CT (OR 2.19 [1.69, 2.85]), and 8.9-point greater severity of SNOT-22 (OR 1.35 [1.20, 1.49]). At Week 24, least squares mean differences (95% CI) dupilumab versus placebo in change from baseline were: NPS −1.90 (−2.56, −1.25) and −1.95 (−2.20, −1.70) in the moderate and severe baseline LoS subgroups, respectively; NC −.35 (−.64, −.06) and −1.00 (−1.13, −.87); LMK-CT −6.30 (−7.88, −4.72) and −6.22 (−6.82, −5.63); RS-VAS −1.18 (−2.20, −.16) and −3.47 (−3.90, −3.03); and SNOT-22 −7.52 (−14.55, −.48) and −21.72 (−24.63, −18.82); all nominal P < .05 versus placebo. Improvements with dupilumab in NC, RS-VAS, and SNOT-22 were statistically greater in patients with severe versus moderate baseline LoS.

Conclusion

Significant smell impairment in severe CRSwNP is associated with significant disease (NC, RS-VAS, LMK), health-related quality of life impairment (SNOT-22), asthma, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-exacerbated respiratory disease. Dupilumab significantly improved NPS, NC, LMK-CT, RS-VAS, and SNOT-22 in subjects with moderate and severe baseline smell loss.
Experience and expression of postnatal mothers practicing kangaroo mother care: A qualitative study
Authors: Aziz Pary Mohammad
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Kangaroo Mother Care is a valuable technique recognized for its impact on bonding, breastfeeding, and thermoregulation in newborn infants, transcending considerations of weight, gestational age, or clinical condition.

Objective:

This study aimed to assess mothers’ feelings and perceptions regarding the implementation of the Kangaroo Mother Care procedure.

Method:

In this qualitative investigation, individual interviews were conducted with 25 postnatal mothers who had experienced Kangaroo Mother Care with their infants. While, 12 unique responses were acquired. These interviews served as a means to explore and document the mothers’ perspectives on Kangaroo Mother Care. The analysis of field notes identified four themes and one subtheme, which were coded into categorical distinctions.

Results:

A total of 25 postnatal mothers, along with their newborns participated in this study. The majority of postnatal mothers fall within the age range of 20–30 years (48%), followed by 30–40 years (40%), Regarding newborn, majority were full-term (64%), followed by premature (28%) The findings revealed several significant outcomes. Mothers reported a marked improvement in their perception of Kangaroo Mother Care, describing reduced pain, enhanced comfort, and an overall positive sentiment. Many expressed that practicing KMC was a novel and delightful experience, marking their first engagement in this procedure. Moreover, a majority expressed a willingness to continue Kangaroo Mother Care in the future, hoping for its continued implementation within hospital settings. This enthusiasm aligns with recognizing Kangaroo Mother Care as a priority in nursing mother care.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the study underscores the potential benefits and positive impact of Kangaroo Mother Care on mother’s experience. The findings advocate for the broad implementation of Kangaroo Mother Care as a valuable strategy in neonatal care, offering a holistic approach to improving the well-being of both mothers and newborns. These insights emphasize the importance of promoting and integrating Kangaroo Mother Care into neonatal care protocols, contributing to enhanced neonatal health and maternal satisfaction.
Femoral bone mineral density as a tool of personalized medicine for rheumatoid arthritis: Interleukin-6 inhibitors for patients with low density whereas tumor necrosis factor inhibitor for patients with preserved density?
Authors: Takaoka Hirokazu , Miyamura Tomohiro , Shimada Kota
Published: September 2024

Objectives:

There is a lack of indicators to distinguish between interleukin-6 inhibitors responders and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors responders in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoporosis is a complication of rheumatoid arthritis and is closely related to inflammatory pathology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether bone mineral density can distinguish interleukin-6 inhibitors responders from tumor necrosis factor inhibitors responders in rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods:

Either interleukin-6 inhibitors or tumor necrosis factor inhibitors was introduced as the first biologics to patients naïve to both corticosteroid and osteoporosis treatment. Correlations between baseline bone mineral density and Clinical Disease Activity Index after 3 months were analyzed.

Results:

The subjects were 26 rheumatoid arthritis patients with a median age of 60 years old, disease duration of 1.4 years, Clinical Disease Activity Index of 13.7, and C-reactive protein of 1.69 mg/dL. The subjects were divided into two groups (high (H) and low (L)) according to their femoral bone mineral density with a cutoff of young adult mean of 80%. Six in group H and 11 in group L received interleukin-6 inhibitors, and nine in group H received tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. Clinical Disease Activity Index remission rate by interleukin-6 inhibitors was significantly greater in group L (8/11 (72.7%)) than in group H (1/6 (16.7%); p < 0.05). In the whole group H, significantly more patients obtained Clinical Disease Activity Index remission by tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (7/9, 77.8%) than by interleukin-6 inhibitors (1/6 (16.7%); p = 0.04).

Conclusions:

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, interleukin-6 inhibitors may be more beneficial for patients with low femoral bone mineral density, whereas tumor necrosis factor inhibitors may be advantageous for those with preserved bone mineral density.
Metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of parotid gland: Case report
Authors: Tsai Wan-Hsun , Kang Bor-Hwang
Published: September 2024

Pleomorphic adenoma is a benign tumor and the most common salivary gland neoplasm. Metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma shares histological characteristics with pleomorphic adenoma but exhibits malignant behavior, including local lymph node involvement and/or distant metastasis. Several potential risk factors for metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma have been identified, some of which are associated with incomplete tumor clearance due to inadequate surgical techniques used in the treatment of primary pleomorphic adenoma. Here, we present a rare case of metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma originating from the parotid gland and describe its clinical features. The patient was a 75-year-old female with a surgical history of enucleation of a pleomorphic adenoma in the left parotid gland. Total parotidectomy and left neck dissection were performed for the left parotid tumor this time, and the patient attended one postoperative outpatient visit but subsequently was lost to follow-up.
Design requirements for a digital storytelling application for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
Authors: Zhu Di , Al Mahmud Abdullah , Liu Wei
Published: September 2024

Background

The current digital storytelling applications present advantages for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); however, there exists a notable oversight regarding their potential to facilitate group-based storytelling activities with this population. This study endeavors to identify design requirements for a more inclusive and accessible digital storytelling tool for people with MCI.

Method

The methodological framework encompasses distinct stages, commencing with focus groups and interviews (Stage 1), followed by prototyping workshops (Stage 2) and qualitative prototype testing (Stage 3). The comprehensive three-stage research involved participants residing in Beijing, China, including 43 people with MCI aged 65–95 years ( M = 79.09, SD = 8.99), with a mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 21.91 (range = 18–26, SD = 2.40). Additionally, 17 care partners and 10 occupational or clinical therapists actively participated.

Result

The culmination of the three-stage research process has yielded 12 discernible key design requirements. Preferred storytelling themes center around narratives designed to elicit positive emotions. The narrative material generation process involves a systematic approach, unlocking memories through carefully formulated questions. In memory retrieval, users are provided with hints, bolstering confidence and perpetuating a semblance of face-to-face interaction. The focus in story sharing lies in transcending mere narration and extending it to a wider audience.

Conclusion

This case study centers on crafting a digital storytelling application to enhance social connections for people with MCI. It delves into crucial design requirements addressing memory challenges, emphasizing individual preparation and group sharing. The developed digital storytelling application demonstrates potential to offer valuable memory support and foster personal and collective connections. Future research will focus on formal testing to evaluate these outcomes.
Prognostic Factors for Outcome of Fusion Surgery in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain - A Systematic Review
Authors: Meester Rinse J. , Jacobs Wilco C. H. , Spruit Maarten , Kroeze Robert Jan , van Hooff Miranda L.
Published: September 2024

Study Design

Systematic review.

Objective

This systematic review aims to identify prognostic factors, encompassing biomedical and psychosocial variables, linked to outcome of fusion surgery for chronic low back pain (CLBP) in single or two-level lumbar degenerative spinal disorders. Identifying these factors is crucial for decision making and therefore long-term treatment outcome.

Methods

A systematic search (PROSPERO ID: CRD4202018927) from January 2010 to October 2022 was conducted, utilizing Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR, CENTRAL). Prognostic factors associated with various outcomes, including functional status, back and leg pain, health-related quality of life, complications, return to work, and analgesic use, were assessed. Risk of bias was determined using QUIPS, and the quality of evidence was evaluated using GRADE approach.

Results

Of the 9852 initially screened studies, eleven studies (n = 16,482) were included in the analysis. In total, 161 associations were identified, with 67 prognostic factors showing statistical significance ( P < 0.05). Thirty associations were supported by two or more studies, and only eight associations were eligible for meta-analyses: female gender remained statistically significant associated with decreased postoperative back pain, but negatively associated with complication rates and functional status, and smoking with increased postoperative back pain.

Conclusion

Only female gender and smoking were consistently associated with outcome of fusion for CLBP. Most of the included studies exhibited low to moderate methodological quality, which may explain the relatively weak associations identified for the assessed prognostic factors.
The Afterlives of Khadi: Insights from Gujarat and India
Authors: Acharya Kairavi , Sengupta Madhumita
Published: September 2024

Khadi, the fabric, and charkha, the instrument, were powerful symbols of the anti-colonial resistance movement in India and continued to be treated with regard by the post-colonial nation-state. However, in recent times, these artefacts have undergone substantial transformation. From being symbolic of rural resurgence and self-help in Gandhian nationalist rhetoric and of an inspired vision of ethical living based on alternate concepts of modernity, khadi and charkha have now become fused with economic and cultural goals of a distinctively capitalist order. In order to trace the shifts in khadi and charkha’s symbolism, we chose to examine two particular domains in the twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar where a historical continuity has been claimed with the Gandhian legacies. We examined the evolving representation of the charkha in two museums, one each in the two cities, and the emergence of khadi as a fashion fabric in Ahmedabad. The article concludes with a reflection on the indifferent state of the much-vaunted khadi programme of the government in the country and in the state of Gujarat.
Enhancing Sustainability Through Collaborative Value Creation in the Football Ecosystem
Authors: Yiapanas George , Thrassou Alkis , Vrontis Demetris
Published: September 2024

This article empirically explores the potential for enhancing sustainability through football, leveraging the sport’s widespread popularity and influence. Football functions in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder context, and this inevitably entails a wide range of challenges and considerations for all the industry actors. Football clubs and related entities possess unique platforms that can be harnessed to address environmental, social and economic challenges while simultaneously driving long-term business success. To maintain sustainability, every stakeholder needs to develop the necessary strategies to identify, interrelate and ultimately balance the value exchanges involved in the pursuit of a viable future. Methodologically, this research initially conducts a thorough theoretical analysis of the football industry to identify the stakeholders and then empirically applies a qualitative approach, gathering data through 33 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders within the football industry, to recognize the distinctive values that each industry actor holds through the individual synergies within the football ecosystem. The findings underscore the significant potential for football to serve as a catalyst for advancing organizational sustainability on multiple fronts, and future research directions are presented, as well as contributions to theory and practice.
A Challenging Diagnosis of Huntington’s Disease With Mild Clinical Features: Case Report
Authors: Mian Aban Masaud , Hamid Hasnain , Masaud Faryal , Shah Zaryab Ali , Fatima Komal , Salam Abdul
Published: September 2024

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by neuropsychiatric symptoms including chorea, dementia, and depression. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion and exhibits anticipation leading to earlier and more severe symptoms in the affected offspring of a patient. With a much lower prevalence in Asia than in Europe and other parts of the world, its diagnosis can be missed easily in the early stages due to mildness of the symptoms and significant overlap between its symptoms and those of other diseases. We present the case of a 38-year-old male of Pashtun ethnicity presenting with mild cognitive impairment and clumsiness who was eventually diagnosed with HD, but his mild clinical features, no documented history of HD in his parents, and his relatively young age coupled with the relatively low prevalence of HD in his geographical location presented a significant challenge in our diagnosis of his condition. This case underscores the importance of keeping a high clinical suspicion for HD in patients with chorea despite a negative parental history, especially in resource-limited areas where the parents may have gone undiagnosed and highlights the need for further research on HD’s prevalence in different parts of the world as well as the barriers to its diagnosis.
Osteoarthritis of Proximal Radioulnar Joint: Computed Tomography–Based Assessment and Associations with Clinical Findings
Authors: Lee Jun-Bum , Ben Hui , So Sang-Pil , Alsaqri Hood , Lee Hyun June , Koh Kyoung-Hwan , Jeon In-Ho
Published: September 2024

Background:

Although many studies have focused on the degenerative changes of the ulnohumeral and radiohumeral joints in osteoarthritis (OA) of the elbow, the proximal radioulnar joint (PRUJ), which facilitates the pronation and supination motions of the forearm, has not been comprehensively evaluated.

Purpose:

To assess the prevalence of PRUJ OA in patients diagnosed with OA of the elbow using computed tomography (CT) images and to establish an association between the CT findings and clinical manifestations.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Between 2010 and 2022, a total of 85 consecutive patients who were scheduled to undergo osteocapsular arthroplasty for OA of the elbow and had undergone preoperative CT imaging were included in the study. As a control group, 85 patients who underwent CT scans of the elbow for reasons other than OA of the elbow were selected and matched to patients in the OA group. CT findings of OA in the PRUJ, including osteophytes, joint space narrowing, subchondral cysts, and loose bodies, were evaluated. Inter- and intraobserver agreement analyses for CT findings were performed. The relationship between the CT findings of OA in the PRUJ and OA of the elbow classification systems (Broberg-Morrey, Hasting-Rettig, and Kwak) as well as clinical manifestations (range of motion [ROM], Mayo Elbow Performance Score, and visual analog scale for pain) were evaluated.

Results:

Patients in the OA group showed osteophytes in the radial notch (81.2%), osteophytes in the radial head (45.9%), joint space narrowing (54.1%), loose bodies (25.9%), and subchondral cysts (23.5%) involving the PRUJ. Both the interobserver (κ = 0.866) and intraobserver agreements (κ = 0.933) for CT findings of PRUJ OA were almost perfect. The CT findings of PRUJ OA were associated with the severity of OA of the elbow in Cochran-Armitage Trend analysis (with Brogberg-Morray, r = -2.624, P = .011; with Hasting-Rettig, r = -3.421, P = .002; with Kwak, r = -2.266, P = .032). The presence of radial notch osteophytes restricted ROM in the flexion-extension arc and pronation-supination arc ( P = .009 and P < .001, respectively).

Conclusion:

PRUJ OA could be identified using CT imaging and showed radial notch osteophytes, joint space narrowing, loose bodies within the joint space, and subchondral cysts. PRUJ OA was related to overall OA of the elbow and may contribute to reduced ROM in the elbow joint. Therefore, preoperative evaluation of PRUJ OA can aid in the surgical planning of osteocapsular arthroplasty for OA of the elbow.