bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural and community changes during COVID-19 and their effects on overdose precursors among rural people who use drugs: a mixed-methods analysis
Authors: Walters Suzan M. , Bolinski Rebecca S. , Almirol Ellen , Grundy Stacy , Fletcher Scott , Schneider John , Friedman Samuel R. , Ouellet Lawrence J. , Ompad Danielle C. , Jenkins Wiley , Pho Mai T.
Published: April 2022

Background

Drug overdose rates in the United States have been steadily increasing, particularly in rural areas. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation strategies may have increased overdose risk for people who use drugs by impacting social, community, and structural factors.

Methods

The study included a quantitative survey focused on COVID-19 administered to 50 people who use drugs and semi-structured qualitative interviews with 17 people who use drugs, 12 of whom also participated in the quantitative survey. Descriptive statistics were run for the quantitative data. Qualitative coding was line-by-line then grouped thematically. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated during analysis.

Results

Findings demonstrate how COVID-19 disruptions at the structural and community level affected outcomes related to mental health and drug use at the individual level. Themes that emerged from the qualitative interviews were (1) lack of employment opportunities, (2) food and housing insecurity, (3) community stigma impacting health service use, (4) mental health strains, and (5) drug market disruptions. Structural and community changes increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness on the individual level, as well as changes in drug use patterns, all of which are likely to increase overdose risk.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic, and mitigation strategies aimed at curbing infection, disrupted communities and lives of people who use drugs. These disruptions altered individual drug use and mental health outcomes, which could increase risk for overdose. We recommend addressing structural and community factors, including developing multi-level interventions, to combat overdose.

Trial registration Clinicaltrails.gov: NCT04427202. Registered June 11, 2020: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04427202?term=pho+mai&draw=2&rank=3
Applying the input–output price model to identify inflation processes
Authors: Przybyliński Michał , Gorzałczyński Artur
Published: April 2022

We try to examine the potential of input–output price model to identify mechanisms of price formation and transmission. Contrary to previous research that focused on overcoming the specific limitations of the model, we test its overall performance. In the presented study, the historical values of the commonly used consumer price index were decomposed according to the classic input–output price model for an open economy. A sequence of ex post simulations under various assumptions was used to identify the sources of inflation. This study required the use of input–output tables in current and previous year’s prices. The proposed method of decomposition might be a starting point to create a framework for studying different aspects of inflation process.
Characteristics of Sustainable Concrete with Partial Substitutions of Glass Waste as a Binder Material
Authors: Ahmad Jawad , Martinez-Garcia Rebeca , Algarni Salem , de-Prado-Gil Jesús , Alqahtani Talal , Irshad Kashif
Published: April 2022

Manufacturing waste has been quickly increasing over time as a result of the fast-rising population as well as the consumption of foods that are thrown away dishonestly, resulting in environmental contamination. As a result, it has been suggested that industrial waste disposal may be considerably reduced if it could be integrated into cement concrete manufacturing. The aim of this study is to analyze the properties of concrete employing waste glass (WG) as a binding material in proportions of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% by weight of cement. The fresh property was assessed using a slump cone test, while mechanical performance was assessed using flexural, compressive, splitting tensile, and pull-out strength after 7, 28, and 56 days. Furthermore, microstructure analysis was studied by scan electronic microscopic (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) test. The results reveal that the addition of discarded glass reduces the workability of concrete. Furthermore, mechanical performance was increased up to a 20% substitution of waste glass and then gradually declined. Waste glass can be employed as a micro filler or pozzolanic material without affecting the mechanical performance of concrete, according to microstructure research.
Energizing collaborative industry-academia learning: a present case and future visions
Authors: Kettunen Petri , Järvinen Janne , Mikkonen Tommi , Männistö Tomi
Published: April 2022

In Industry-Academia Collaborations (IAC) both academic, scientific research results and industrial practitioner findings and experiences are produced. Both types of knowledge should be gathered, codified, and disseminated efficiently and effectively. This paper investigates a recent (2014–2017) large-scale IAC R&D&I program case (Need for Speed, N4S) from a learning perspective. It was one of the programs in the Finnish SHOK (Strategic Centres of Science, Technology, and Innovation) system. The theoretical bases are in innovation management, knowledge management, and higher education (university) pedagogy. In the future, IAC projects should be more and more commonplace since major innovations are hardly ever done in isolation, not even by the largest companies. Both intra-organizational and inter-organizational learning networks are increasingly critical success factors. Collaborative learning capabilities will thus be required more often from all the participating parties. Efficient and effective knowledge creation and sharing are underpinning future core competencies. In this paper, we present and evaluate a collaboratively created and publicly shared digital knowledge repository called “Treasure Chest” produced during our case program. The starting point was a jointly created Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which defined the main research themes and listed motivating research questions to begin with—i.e., intended learning outcomes (ILO). During the 4-year program, our collaborative industry-academia (I-A) learning process produced a range of theoretical and empirical results, which were iteratively collected and packaged into the Treasure Chest repository. Outstandingly, it contained, in addition to traditional research documents, narratives of the industrial learning experiences and more than 100 actionable knowledge items. In conclusion, our vision of the future is that such transparently shared, ambitious, and versatile outcome goals with a continuous integrative collection of the results are keys to effective networked I-A collaboration and learning. In that way, the N4S largely avoided the general problem of often conflicting motives between industrial firms seeking answers and applied solutions to their immediate practical problems and academic researchers aiming at more generalizable knowledge creation and high-quality scientific publications.
Online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use correlate with disordered eating symptoms: evidence from the mainland of China
Authors: Guo Lei , Gu Lian , Peng Yihua , Gao Yiming , Mei Li , Kang Qing , Chen Chen , Hu Yanran , Xu Wenyan , Chen Jue
Published: April 2022

Background

The relationship between online media exposure and disordered eating symptoms has been reported in western regions. Though the prevalence of eating disorders and access to the Internet increased substantially in recent years, relevant evidence is rare in mainland China. This study aims to evaluate the association between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use and disordered eating symptoms in Chinese mainland young adults, and the mediation effect of disordered eating cognition.

Methods

353 Chinese mainland female and 142 male young adults completed online questionnaires consisting of demographic information, Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire 6.0 (EDE-Q 6.0), and items relating to online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use. Through correlation analysis, the relationship between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use and disordered eating symptoms was examined, separately by sex. The mediation effect of disordered eating cognition on the relationship between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use on disordered eating behaviors was investigated with two moderated mediation models.

Results

Young female adults in the Chinese mainland presented higher disordered eating symptoms and were more engaged in online media and weight and fitness management app use than males. Online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use showed a significant correlation with disordered eating behaviors in males and females. Disordered eating cognition mediated the relationship between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use and disordered eating behaviors. This effect was significantly higher in females.

Conclusion

Online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use play a crucial role in the generation of disordered eating symptoms in Chinese mainland young adults, especially in females. The mediation analysis suggested the importance of prevention and intervention of disordered eating cognition. Monitoring and scientific guidance of online media are necessary.
Canadian real-world study of access and clinical results using dupilumab for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps
Authors: Kilty Shaun J. , Lasso Andrea
Published: April 2022

Background

Dupilumab is the first monoclonal antibody therapy to be approved in Canada for the treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP). The goal of the study was to assess its effectiveness and efficacy in a real-world setting. This study aims to assess how clinical outcomes of biologic therapy in real-world application (effectiveness) correspond to outcomes in clinical trials (efficacy) and to look into factors that might explain an efficacy-effectiveness gap.

Methods

A retrospective study evaluating disease specific sinonasal outcomes routinely collected for clinical care. This study included patients who were evaluated for coverage of dupilumab at a tertiary care rhinology clinic for the treatment of CRSwNP in the first year since dupilumab was approved in Canada for this indication. Sinonasal outcomes were be evaluated by collecting data on the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-22 questionnaire.

Results

Eighty-five patients were considered for dupilumab therapy during the study period, 49% patients were able to attain coverage for the requested therapy. The mean SNOT-22 score at baseline was 60.56 (SD 21.63). After 16 weeks of treatment the mean SNOT-22 score decreased by 37 points to 23.36; at 28 weeks the mean SNOT-22 was 23.47. After 1 year, the mean SNOT-22 score was 14.37.

Conclusion

Patients treated with dupilumab for CRSwNP at out tertiary rhinology clinic showed substantial clinical symptom improvement that is similar to that observed in prior randomised clinical trials. No serious adverse effects related to dupilumab were reported in this cohort. Long-term follow-up is needed to inform effectiveness analyses beyond the 1 year clinical trial duration.

Graphical Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy trajectory in R-DMDdel52 preclinical rat model identifies COMP as biomarker of fibrosis
Authors: Taglietti Valentina , Kefi Kaouthar , Bronisz-Budzyńska Iwona , Mirciloglu Busra , Rodrigues Mathilde , Cardone Nastasia , Coulpier Fanny , Periou Baptiste , Gentil Christel , Goddard Melissa , Authier François-Jérôme , Pietri-Rouxel France , Malfatti Edoardo , Lafuste Peggy , Tiret Laurent , Relaix Frederic
Published: April 2022

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal muscle-wasting disorder caused by mutations in the Dystrophin gene and for which there is currently no cure. To bridge the gap between preclinical and therapeutic evaluation studies, we have generated a rat model for DMD that carries an exon 52 deletion (R-DMDdel52) causing a complete lack of dystrophin protein. Here we show that R-DMDdel52 animals recapitulated human DMD pathophysiological trajectory more faithfully than the mdx mouse model. We report that R-DMDdel52 rats displayed progressive and severe skeletal muscle loss associated with fibrotic deposition, fat infiltration and fibre type switch. Early fibrosis was also apparent in the cardiac muscle. These histological modifications led to severe muscle, respiratory and cardiac functional impairments leading to premature death around 1 year. Moreover, DMD muscle exhibited systemic inflammation with a mixed M1/M2 phenotype. A comparative single cell RNAseq analysis of the diaphragm muscle was performed, revealing cellular populations alteration and molecular modifications in all muscle cell types. We show that DMD fibroadipogenic progenitors produced elevated levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, a glycoprotein responsible for modulating homeostasis of extracellular matrix, and whose increased concentration correlated with muscle fibrosis both in R-DMDdel52 rats and human patients. Fibrosis is a component of tissue remodelling impacting the whole musculature of DMD patients, at the tissue level but most importantly at the functional level. We therefore propose that this specific biomarker can optimize the prognostic monitoring of functional improvement of patients included in clinical trials.
A low-dispersion spectral video camera for observing lunar impact flashes
Authors: Yanagisawa Masahisa , Kakinuma Fumihiro
Published: April 2022

An impact of a meteoroid on the lunar surface at speeds exceeding several kilometers per second generates a light flash generally less than 0.1 s in duration. We made a simple spectral video camera for observing the lunar impact flashes and monitored the waxing crescent Moon’s non-sunlit surface from Oct. 2016 to May 2017. We detected ten flash candidates though there was no report of simultaneous detections by other observers. We obtained low-dispersion spectra in visible wavelengths for nine of them. Six of them show spectra similar to those of the flashes observed during the Geminids meteor activity in Dec. 2018 by the same camera. The spectra are continuous and red. Blackbody spectra fitted to them show temperatures around 3000 K. On the other hand, three of them show continuous blue spectra. Blackbody spectra fitted to them show temperatures of more than 6000 K. Specular reflection of sunlight by space debris might lead to these flashes. However, the impact of a low-density meteoroid not against the fine lunar regolith but solid lunar rocks could cause blue flashes. In this paper, we give full details of the camera and the analytical procedures of the videos. We also discuss recommendations for future spectral observations.

Graphical Abstract
Development of a dynamic myocardial perfusion phantom model for tracer kinetic measurements
Authors: Kamphuis Marije E. , Kuipers Henny , Verschoor Jacqueline , van Hespen Johannes C. G. , Greuter Marcel J. W. , Slart Riemer H. J. A. , Slump Cornelis H.
Published: April 2022

Background

Absolute myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is beneficial in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. However, validation and standardization of perfusion estimates across centers is needed to ensure safe and adequate integration into the clinical workflow. Physical myocardial perfusion models can contribute to this clinical need as these can provide ground-truth validation of perfusion estimates in a simplified, though controlled setup. This work presents the design and realization of such a myocardial perfusion phantom and highlights initial performance testing of the overall phantom setup using dynamic single photon emission computed tomography.

Results

Due to anatomical and (patho-)physiological representation in the 3D printed myocardial perfusion phantom, we were able to acquire 22 dynamic MPI datasets in which 99mTc-labelled tracer kinetics was measured and analyzed using clinical MPI software. After phantom setup optimization, time activity curve analysis was executed for measurements with normal myocardial perfusion settings (1.5 mL/g/min) and with settings containing a regional or global perfusion deficit (0.8 mL/g/min). In these measurements, a specific amount of activated carbon was used to adsorb radiotracer in the simulated myocardial tissue. Such mimicking of myocardial tracer uptake and retention over time satisfactorily matched patient tracer kinetics. For normal perfusion levels, the absolute mean error between computed myocardial blood flow and ground-truth flow settings ranged between 0.1 and 0.4 mL/g/min.

Conclusion

The presented myocardial perfusion phantom is a first step toward ground-truth validation of multimodal, absolute MPI applications in the clinical setting. Its dedicated and 3D printed design enables tracer kinetic measurement, including time activity curve and potentially compartmental myocardial blood flow analysis.
A case of gastrointestinal stromal tumor metastasized to the left ventricular myocardium
Authors: Takasaki Tadashi , Tsuji Takashi , Nakayama Shogo
Published: April 2022

Background

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), which are the most common soft tissue tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, originate from Cajal interneurons. The main metastatic sites of GISTs are the liver and intra-abdominal cavity, and metastasis to the heart is rare.

Case presentation

The patient was a 78-year-old man who was diagnosed with a rectal GIST 20 years previously. Since then, he had undergone repeated operations for metastasis. A follow-up thoracoabdominal computed tomography scan 4 months prior to the operation revealed GIST metastasis to the left ventricular myocardium. The patient wanted the tumor removed and consequently underwent an operation. The surgical findings showed a 3-cm × 3-cm mass in the lateral wall of the left ventricle. The mass was resected from the left ventricular wall in the shape of a tear drop. The left ventricular cavity was closed with a 4–0 polypropylene mattress suture and continuous suture. Postoperative histopathological findings showed nodular tumor growth consisting of bundles of spindle-shaped cells in the myocardium. The margins were negative. Immunostaining showed c-KIT (CD17) positivity and CD34 positivity, consistent with GIST metastasis.

Conclusions

This case involved GIST metastasis to the heart muscle, which has rarely been reported worldwide.
The contribution of latent factors of executive functioning to mind wandering: an experience sampling study
Authors: Marcusson-Clavertz David , Persson Stefan D. , Cardeña Etzel , Terhune Devin B. , Gort Cassandra , Kuehner Christine
Published: April 2022

Accumulating evidence suggests that individuals with greater executive resources spend less time mind wandering. Independent strands of research further suggest that this association depends on concentration and a guilty-dysphoric daydreaming style. However, it remains unclear whether this association is specific to particular features of executive functioning or certain operationalizations of mind wandering, including task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs, comprising external distractions and mind wandering) and stimulus-independent and task-unrelated thoughts (SITUTs, comprising mind wandering only). This study sought to clarify these associations by using confirmatory factor analysis to compute latent scores for distinct executive functions based on nine cognitive tasks and relating them to experience sampling reports of mind wandering. We expected that individuals with greater executive control (specifically updating) would show a stronger reduction in SITUTs as momentary concentration and guilty-dysphoric style increase. A bifactor model of the cognitive battery indicated a general factor (common executive functioning) and ancillary factors (updating and shifting). A significant interaction between updating and concentration on mind wandering was observed with mind wandering defined as TUTs, but not as SITUTs (N = 187). A post hoc analysis clarified this discrepancy by showing that as concentration increases, both external distractions and mind wandering decrease more strongly among people with greater updating. Moreover, common executive functioning predicted a more negative slope of guilty-dysphoric style on SITUTs, whereas updating and shifting predicted more positive slopes. The opposite slopes of these executive functions on daily life mind wandering may reflect a stability-flexibility trade-off between goal maintenance and goal replacement abilities.
Caregivers' assessment of meaningful and relevant clinical outcome assessments for Sanfilippo syndrome
Authors: Porter Katherine Ackerman , O’Neill Cara , Drake Elise , Andrews Sara M. , Delaney Kathleen , Parker Samantha , Escolar Maria L. , Montgomery Stacey , Moon William , Worrall Carolyn , Peay Holly L.
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Sanfilippo syndrome is a rare multisystem disease with no approved treatments. This study explores caregiver perspectives on the most impactful symptoms and patient-relevant clinical outcomes assessments. The pediatric onset and progressive neurodegenerative nature of Sanfilippo limits use of self-report in clinical research. This study obtains Sanfilippo caregiver data to support the selection of fit-for-purpose and patient-relevant clinical outcome assessments (COAs).

Methods

We conducted an asynchronous online focus group (n = 11) followed by individual interviews with caregivers (n = 19) of children with Sanfilippo syndrome. All participants reported on the impact of disease symptoms and level of unmet treatment need across Sanfilippo symptom domains. Focus group participants reviewed existing assessments relating to 8 symptom domains (15 total assessments) and provided feedback on meaningfulness and relevance. Focus group data were used to reduce the number of assessments included in subsequent interviews to 8 COAs across 7 symptom domains: communication, eating, sleep, mobility, pain, behavior and adapting. Interview respondents provided data on meaningfulness and relevance of assessments. Data were coded using an item-tracking matrix. Data summaries were analyzed by caregivers’ responses regarding meaningfulness; relevance to Sanfilippo syndrome; and based on caregiver indication of missing or problematic subdomains and items.

Results

Participants’ children were 2–24 years in age and varied in disease progression. Caregivers reported communication and mobility as highly impactful domains with unmet treatment needs, followed closely by pain and sleep. Domains such as eating, adaptive skills, and behaviors were identified as impactful but with relatively less priority, by comparison. Participants endorsed the relevance of clinical outcome assessments associated with communication, eating, sleep, and pain, and identified them as highly favorable for use in a clinical trial. Participants specified some refinements in existing assessments to best reflect Sanfilippo symptoms and disease course.

Discussion

The identification of impactful symptoms to treat and relevant and meaningful clinical outcome assessments supports patient-focused drug development. Our results inform targets for drug development and the selection of primary and secondary outcome assessments with high meaningfulness and face validity to Sanfilippo syndrome caregivers. Assessments identified as less optimal might be refined, replaced, or remain if the clinical trial necessitates.
Genotoxicity induced by medicinal plants
Authors: Bardoloi Arpita , Soren Amar Deep
Published: April 2022

Background

The use of medicinal plants in curing diseases is an ancient culture still in use in many parts of the world. Many plants have been proven to have precise ethno-pharmacological relevance. On the contrary, many folkloric plants have also been found to possess DNA damaging effects. Hence, assessing the safety profile of medicinal herbs before being approved for use must be undertaken.

Main text

This review focuses on medicinal plants exerting genotoxicity effect within through in vivo studies on the bone marrow, erythrocyte or other organs on animal models and in vitro studies on bacterial cells or mammalian cell lines such as mammalian lymphocytes, human hepatoma cell line or HepG2, mouse lung fibroblast cell lines or human adenocarcinoma cell lines. This review has found that several medicinal plants possess genotoxic potentials and are not safe to use. The common methodologies several authors have used include the comet assay, micronucleus assay, bacterial reverse mutation assay, Ames test or Salmonella/microsome assay.

Conclusion

Plants that have been proven to be genotoxic are not reduced to a particular family, while groups including Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Apocynaceae appear to be frequent. To avoid any mutation in its users, genotoxicity assessment of therapeutic plants appears to be required.
Self-reported hay fever diagnosis and associations with sociodemographic characteristics among adults and children in the United States
Authors: Zamil Jenna , Mohan Anjana , Majd Zahra , Chen Hua
Published: April 2022

Background

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is a common condition that causes unpleasant respiratory symptoms. The objective of this cross-sectional study is to examine the trends of hay fever self-reported diagnosis among adults and children in the United States from 2013 to 2018 and its associations with sociodemographic characteristics. Survey data from the National Health Interview (NHIS) were used to identify children and adults with hay fever. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate the group differences by sociodemographic characteristics within each year examined. Trends in self-reported hay fever as well as trends for each sociodemographic characteristic over the study period were charted.

Results

All sociodemographic characteristics examined in both adults and children showed statistically significant group differences. Females were the highest risk sex group among adults while males were the highest risk sex group among children. Hay fever was more likely to be found among those with two or more races, non-Hispanics, those with higher education level and wealth, and residents from the western United States.

Conclusions

The findings of this study can help identify subpopulations at higher risk of hay fever, which can aid in developing targeted interventions to help individuals experiencing hay fever alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Irish secondary school science teachers’ perspectives on addressing the COVID-19 crisis as socioscientific issues
Authors: Chadwick Ruth , McLoughlin Eilish
Published: April 2022

Development of scientific literacy is a crucial aim of science education across the globe and research suggests that this can be realized through student exploration of socioscientific issues. While the COVID-19 crisis, emergency school closures and restrictions to in-class teaching, had negative impacts on teaching and on student learning and wellbeing, it also presents an opportunity to explore authentic socioscientific issues. This research explores teachers’ perspectives on addressing the COVID-19 crisis as socioscientific issues in secondary science education. This qualitative study surveyed 266 Irish secondary school science teachers about their experiences during the COVID-19 crisis. Thematic analysis was used to identify the reasons why teachers did and did not address the COVID-19 crisis as SSI. These findings were triangulated with findings from follow-up interviews. The majority of teachers in this study addressed the COVID-19 crisis as SSI. The COVID-19 crisis was explored within the curriculum, through project work and research, and through classroom discussion. Teachers described four barriers to exploring the COVID-19 crisis with their students: The COVID-19 crisis was not part of the curriculum; The lack of F2F contact made judging students’ reactions challenging; There was already too much focus on the COVID-19 crisis in everyday life and concerns over student wellbeing while discussing the sensitive topic of the COVID-19 crisis. Teachers noted that addressing the COVID-19 crisis led to benefits to student learning, health, wellbeing and hygiene.
Prognostic factors impacting survival rates of hypopharyngeal cancer with nomogram prediction: a SEER-based study
Authors: Tawfik Gehad Mohamed , Vuong Nguyen Lam , Zayan Ahmad Helmy , Abdelaal Abdelaziz , Tieu Thuan Minh , Sang To Kim , Ebied Amr , Shafik Amr G. , Huy Nguyen Tien
Published: April 2022

Background

We analyzed prognostic factors of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and developed a nomogram to predict survival rates in non-metastatic (M0) patients.

Subjects and methods

We included 4068 hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database between 2004 and 2015 in a retrospective cohort study. We analyzed prognostic factors of hypopharyngeal carcinoma using cause-specific and overall survival rates. We developed a nomogram to predict patients’ survival rates by multivariate Cox regression.

Results

Five-year survival rates of all stages between 2004 and 2010 were 25–35%. Radiotherapy pre- and post-surgery was the best modality of treatment according to 1-year and 5-year survival rates. The worst survival was in the posterior wall of the hypopharynx significantly (HRs [95% CI], P) (1.238 [1.045–1.466], P = 0.013). The highest survival rate was for the combination of surgery and radiotherapy pre- and post-surgery compared to radiation pre-surgery (0.532 [0.231–1.225], P = 0.138). Our nomogram revealed a better predictive probability over the 6th AJCC-TNM classification for predicting 5-year overall survival.

Conclusions

The worst survival was old age hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients, with the primary site in the posterior wall of the hypopharynx. The best survival was linked to receiving radiotherapy pre- and post-surgery. Our nomogram revealed a better predictive probability over TNM classification for predicting 1- and 5-year overall survival, which enables clinicians to make better treatment recommendations.
Lung herniation post-removal of thoracostomy tube
Authors: Priyadarshi Megha , Meena Ved Prakash , Ray Animesh
Published: April 2022

A 30-year-old gentleman presented with complaints of fever, productive cough, and shortness of breath for 10 days. On presentation, he had a right intercostal drainage tube (ICD) in situ in view of chest radiograph findings where hydropneumothorax was suspected. He had a past history of pulmonary tuberculosis 3 years back for which he self-discontinued anti-tubercular therapy after 3 months. He was also diagnosed 2 years back with right pulmonary aspergilloma for which he was receiving anti-fungal therapy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the chest suggested right destroyed lung with multiple cavitations, ICD inserted in the right-sided lung cavity, and intracavitatory aspergilloma in the left lung. Hence, it was confirmed that the patient had a lung abscess with pus in a large cavity in the right lung which on chest radiograph had mimicked hydropneumothorax. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with a case of chronic cavitatory pulmonary aspergillosis, and the thoracostomy tube was removed. Post-tube removal, the patient developed lung herniation from the suture site which was confirmed on a CT scan for which the patient was successfully managed conservatively. Follow-up at 3 months did not reveal any evidence of lung herniation.
Future of Teleoncology: Trends and Disparities in Telehealth and Secure Message Utilization in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Neeman Elad , Lyon Liisa , Sun Hongxin , Conell Carol , Reed Mary , Kumar Deepika , Kolevska Tatjana , Kotak Dinesh , Sundaresan Tilak , Liu Raymond
Published: April 2022

PURPOSE

The COVID-19 pandemic created an imperative to re-examine the role of telehealth in oncology. We studied trends and disparities in utilization of telehealth (video and telephone visits) and secure messaging (SM; ie, e-mail via portal/app), before and during the pandemic.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of hematology/oncology patient visits (telephone/video/office) and SM between January 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020, at Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

RESULTS

Among 334,666 visits and 1,161,239 SM, monthly average office visits decreased from 10,562 prepandemic to 1,769 during pandemic, telephone visits increased from 5,114 to 8,663, and video visits increased from 40 to 4,666. Monthly average SM increased from 50,788 to 64,315 since the pandemic began. Video visits were a significantly higher fraction of all visits ( P < .01) in (1) younger patients (Generation Z 48%, Millennials 46%; Generation X 40%; Baby Boomers 34.4%; Silent Generation 24.5%); (2) patients with commercial insurance (39%) compared with Medicaid (32.7%) or Medicare (28.1%); (3) English speakers (33.7%) compared with those requiring an interpreter (24.5%); (4) patients who are Asian (35%) and non-Hispanic White (33.7%) compared with Black (30.1%) and Hispanic White (27.5%); (5) married/domestic partner patients (35%) compared with single/divorced/widowed (29.9%); (6) Charlson comorbidity index ≤ 3 (36.2%) compared with > 3 (31.3%); and (7) males (34.6%) compared with females (32.3%). Similar statistically significant SM utilization patterns were also seen.

CONCLUSION

In the pandemic era, hematology/oncology telehealth and SM use rapidly increased in a manner that is feasible and sustained. Possible disparities existed in video visit and SM use by age, insurance plan, language, race, ethnicity, marital status, comorbidities, and sex.
OSPred Tool: A Digital Health Aid for Rapid Predictive Analysis of Correlations Between Early End Points and Overall Survival in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trials
Authors: Shameer Khader , Zhang Youyi , Prokop Andrzej , Nampally Sreenath , N Imran Khan A. , Weatherall Jim , Iacona Renee Bailey , Khan Faisal M.
Published: April 2022

PURPOSE

Overall survival (OS) is the gold standard end point for establishing clinical benefits in phase III oncology trials. However, these trials are associated with low success rates, largely driven by failure to meet the primary end point. Surrogate end points such as progression-free survival (PFS) are increasingly being used as indicators of biologic drug activity and to inform early go/no-go decisions in oncology drug development. We developed OSPred, a digital health aid that combines actual clinical data and machine intelligence approaches to visualize correlation trends between early (PFS-based) and late (OS) end points and provide support for shared decision making in the drug development pipeline.

METHODS

OSPred is based on a trial-level data set of 81 reports (35 anticancer drugs with various mechanisms of action; 156 observations) in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). OSPred was developed using R Shiny, with packages ggplot2, metafor, boot, dplyr, and mvtnorm, to analyze and visualize correlation results and predict OS hazard ratio (HR OS) on the basis of user-inputted PFS-based data, namely, HR PFS, or the odds ratio of PFS at 4 (OR PFS4) or 6 (OR PFS6) months.

RESULTS

The three main features of the tool are as follows: prediction of HR OS on the basis of user-inputted early end point values; visualization of comparisons of the user's investigational drug with other drugs in the NSCLC setting, including by specific MoA; and creation of a probability density chart, providing point prediction and CIs for HR OS. A working version of the tool for download is linked.

CONCLUSION

The OSPred tool offers interactive visualization of clinical trial end point correlations with reference to a large pool of historical NSCLC studies. Its focused capability has the potential to digitally transform and accelerate data-driven decision making as part of the drug development process.
Evaporation of liquid coating a fiber
Authors: Corpart M. , Dervaux J. , Poulard C. , Restagno F. , Boulogne F.
Published: April 2022

We investigate theoretically and numerically the diffusion-limited evaporation of a liquid deposited on a fiber in two configurations: a sleeve and an axisymmetric barrel-shaped droplet. For a sleeve, the local flux depends on both the aspect ratio and the smallest length of the problem. By using analytical calculations and 3D finite elements simulations, we predict a divergence of this flux further localized at the edge as the aspect ratio increases. The evaporation of axisymmetric drops on a fiber is studied with numerical simulations. For sufficiently large volumes, we evidence that the evaporation rate is almost independent of the wetting properties of the liquid, even for small contact angles, and that the droplets evaporate as spheres of the same volume.
Characterization of Apparently Paradoxical Thyrotropin Binding Inhibitory Immunoglobulins With Neutral Bioactivity
Authors: Tagami Tetsuya , Moriyama Kenji
Published: April 2022

Context

The thyrotropin (TSH) receptor (TSH-R) autoantibody activity is clinically measured by inhibition of labeled ligand (TSH or M22) binding to the TSH-R (TSH-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin [TBII]) or by stimulation (TSH-R stimulating antibody [TSAb]) or inhibition (TSH-R blocking antibody [TSBAb]) of 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate (cAMP) production in isolated cells.

Objective

We experienced a patient with hypothyroid Graves disease (GD) having strong positive TBII but with almost neutral bioactivities on the TSH-R. The aim of this study is the characterization of this apparently paradoxical TBII (serum sample S).

Methods

We first compared the TBII, TSAb, and TSBAb activities of serum sample S with mixtures of stimulating (S-mAb) and blocking monoclonal Ab (B-mAb). Next, we serially measured cAMPs stimulated by various serum samples in the presence or absence of TSH.

Results

Mixtures of S-mAb and B-mAb did not reproduce the characteristics of serum sample S. Instead, serum sample S had a unique feature that blocked the TSH-stimulated cAMP initially but disappeared the blocking activity thereafter to reach the control level.

Conclusion

We present here the TBIIs with neutral bioactivities found in the patient with autoimmune thyroid disease, which strongly inhibit TSH binding to the TSH-R but exerts neither TSAb nor TSBAb activity. Differences in the methods of detecting TRAb between TBII in vitro and bioassay may cause the discrepancy. Although serum sample S may be an extreme example, a variety of TRAb that not only stimulates or blocks but also interferes with TSH-R binding for only a short time may exist in the serum samples of GD patients.
Using Social Networks to Sample Migrants and Study the Complexity of Contemporary Immigration: An Evaluation Study
Authors: Merli M. Giovanna , Mouw Ted , Le Barbenchon Claire , Stolte Allison
Published: April 2022

We test the effectiveness of a link-tracing sampling approach—network sampling with memory (NSM)—to recruit samples of rare immigrant populations with an application among Chinese immigrants in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. NSM uses the population network revealed by data from the survey to improve the efficiency of link-tracing sampling and has been shown to substantially reduce design effects in simulated sampling. Our goals are to (1) show that it is possible to recruit a probability sample of a locally rare immigrant group using NSM and achieve high response rates; (2) demonstrate the feasibility of the collection and benefits of new forms of network data that transcend kinship networks in existing surveys and can address unresolved questions about the role of social networks in migration decisions, the maintenance of transnationalism, and the process of social incorporation; and (3) test the accuracy of the NSM approach for recruiting immigrant samples by comparison with the American Community Survey. Our results indicate feasibility, high performance, cost-effectiveness, and accuracy of the NSM approach to sample immigrants for studies of local immigrant communities. This approach can also be extended to recruit multisite samples of immigrants at origin and destination.
The benefits, limitations and opportunities of preclinical models for neonatal drug development
Authors: Campion Sarah , Inselman Amy , Hayes Belinda , Casiraghi Costanza , Joseph David , Facchinetti Fabrizio , Salomone Fabrizio , Schmitt Georg , Hui Julia , Davis-Bruno Karen , Van Malderen Karen , Morford LaRonda , De Schaepdrijver Luc , Wiesner Lutz , Kourula Stephanie , Seo Suna , Laffan Susan , Urmaliya Vijay , Chen Connie
Published: April 2022

Increased research to improve preclinical models to inform the development of therapeutics for neonatal diseases is an area of great need. This article reviews five common neonatal diseases – bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, perinatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy and neonatal sepsis – and the available in vivo, in vitro and in silico preclinical models for studying these diseases. Better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of specialized neonatal disease models will help to improve their utility, may add to the understanding of the mode of action and efficacy of a therapeutic, and/or may improve the understanding of the disease pathology to aid in identification of new therapeutic targets. Although the diseases covered in this article are diverse and require specific approaches, several high-level, overarching key lessons can be learned by evaluating the strengths, weaknesses and gaps in the available models. This Review is intended to help guide current and future researchers toward successful development of therapeutics in these areas of high unmet medical need.
Adipose tissue-specific ablation of PGC-1β impairs thermogenesis in brown fat
Authors: Funda Jiří , Villena Josep A. , Bardova Kristina , Adamcova Katerina , Irodenko Illaria , Flachs Pavel , Jedlickova Ivana , Haasova Eliska , Rossmeisl Martin , Kopecky Jan , Janovska Petra
Published: April 2022

Impaired thermogenesis observed in mice with whole-body ablation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1β (PGC-1β; officially known as PPARGC1B) may result from impaired brown fat (brown adipose tissue; BAT) function, but other mechanism(s) could be involved. Here, using adipose-specific PGC-1β knockout mice (PGC-1β-AT-KO mice) we aimed to learn whether specific PGC-1β ablation in adipocytes is sufficient to drive cold sensitivity. Indeed, we found that warm-adapted (30°C) mutant mice were relatively sensitive to acute cold exposure (6°C). When these mice were subjected to cold exposure for 7 days (7-day-CE), adrenergic stimulation of their metabolism was impaired, despite similar levels of thermogenic uncoupling protein 1 in BAT in PGC-1β-AT-KO and wild-type mice. Gene expression in BAT of mutant mice suggested a compensatory increase in lipid metabolism to counteract the thermogenic defect. Interestingly, a reduced number of contacts between mitochondria and lipid droplets associated with low levels of L-form of optic atrophy 1 was found in BAT of PGC-1β-AT-KO mice. These genotypic differences were observed in warm-adapted mutant mice, but they were partially masked by 7-day-CE. Collectively, our results suggest a role for PGC-1β in controlling BAT lipid metabolism and thermogenesis.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Clinical efficacy of conbercept plus micropulse laser (577 nm) treatment in macular edema secondary to non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Li Li , Ren Qian , Sun Zhaohui , Yu Hua
Published: April 2022

Objectives: To observe the clinical efficacy and complications of conbercept combined with a 577-nm micropulse laser in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

Methods: A total of 153 patients who were diagnosed with non-ischemic CRVO-induced ME and treated by Shijiazhuang People’s Hospital during January 2019 and January 2021 were included in this study. The patients were divided into a control group and an experimental group by choice of treatment. The control group was treated by conbercept alone, while the experimental group underwent laser treatment on this basis. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was determined by the internationally standardized logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart and the central macular thickness (CMT) was measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and at one and three months after treatment. Complications such as conjunctival hemorrhage and elevated intraocular pressure (if any) were recorded during the 3-month follow-up period.

Results: Conbercept could improve the BCVA and CMT of patients with non-ischemic CRVO (P <0.05, respectively), and the combined use of conbercept with micropulse laser treatment yielded greater improvements in these measures compared with the pre-treatment condition (P <0.05, respectively); moreover, the differences between the control group and the experimental group were statistically significant (all P <0.05). The two groups had similar complication rates and did not record any serious adverse reactions.

Conclusions: Conbercept combined with 577-nm micropulse laser treatment can benefit patients with non-ischemic CRVO-induced ME by improving their visual acuity and relieve ME symptoms. As a regimen of impressive clinical efficacy, it is of great value for wide application in clinical practice.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.5.5231

How to cite this:Li L, Ren Q, Sun Z, Yu H. Clinical efficacy of conbercept plus micropulse laser (577 nm) treatment in macular edema secondary to non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusion. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(5):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.5.5231

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