bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual violence as a predictor of unintended pregnancy among married women of India: evidence from the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey (2015–16)
Authors: Garg Priyanka , Verma Madhur , Sharma Priyanka , Coll Carolina V. N. , Das Milan
Published: April 2022

Background

Sexual Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a public health problem globally, with about one in three women experiencing sexual IPV ever in their lifetime. Unintended pregnancy is one of the consequences of sexual IPV and has its repercussions that can span generations. The present study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) and assess the association between sexual IPV and unintended childbirth in India among married women aged 15–49 years.

Methods

The National Family Health Survey-India (NFHS-4) fourth-round dataset was used for the present study. Pregnancies intention was the primary outcome variable, and the main predictor variable was self-reported sexual IPV in the past 12 months. Women’s current age, age at marriage, education and occupation, place of residence, wealth quintile, parity, religion, caste, region, mass media exposure, and husband’s education were other control variables. Weighted analysis depicted the prevalence of unintended pregnancies and their association with different socio-demographic variables. Binary logistic regression was done in two steps respecting a hierarchical approach for potential confounders.

Results

Approximately 6.4% of study participants had ever experienced sexual IPV in India. Prevalence of sexual IPV was significantly higher when the age of marriage was < 19 years, among uneducated, in the lowest wealth index quintile, belonging to scheduled caste, having multiparity, and not having mass media exposure. About 12.1% of pregnancies were considered unintended by the respondents, and 22.9% of women who ever had a history of sexual IPV considered the last pregnancy to be unintentional. Women who experienced sexual IPV were in younger age groups, having parity ≥1, and bigger families had significantly higher odds of having an unintended pregnancy compared to their reference groups.

Conclusions

We observed that sexual IPV has a significant role in unintended pregnancies. Effective counseling means should be rolled out for victims of sexual IPV as it is a taboo subject. The significant factors that can predict unintended pregnancies highlighted in our study should be acknowledged while counseling.
Resistance training for Black men with depressive symptoms: a pilot randomized controlled trial to assess acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy
Authors: Ciccolo Joseph T. , Louie Mark E. , SantaBarbara Nicholas J. , Webster Christopher T. , Whitworth James W. , Nosrat Sanaz , Chrastek Michelle , Dunsiger Shira I. , Carey Michael P. , Busch Andrew M.
Published: April 2022

Background

Depression is under-recognized in Black men, who are less likely to seek or have access to psychiatric treatment. Resistance training (RT; i.e., weight lifting) can improve depressive symptoms and may be more acceptable to Black men, but its effects have not been examined for Black men with depressive symptoms.

Methods

Fifty Black men with depressive symptoms were randomized to either (a) 12 weeks of RT (coupled with Behavioral Activation techniques to promote adherence) or (b) an attention-control group (Health, Wellness, and Education; HWE). Both groups met twice/week for 12 weeks, and follow-up assessments were done at end-of-treatment (EOT) and 6 months after enrollment. Changes in physical activity and muscular strength were collected as a manipulation check. The primary outcome was interviewer assessed symptoms of depression using the Quick Inventory of Depression Symptomology (QIDS). Secondary outcomes included self-reported depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. The association between change in QIDS from baseline to EOT and concurrent changes in physical activity and muscular strength in the RT group were explored as an initial assessment of mechanism. Longitudinal mixed effects regression models with subject-specific intercepts were used to examine intervention effects.

Results

A sample with high rates of medical comorbidities (e.g., 44% HIV positive), substance use (e.g., 34% smoking), and negative social determinates of health (e.g., 50% unemployed) was enrolled. Recruitment, engagement, and retention data indicate that the intervention and design were feasible. The RT group showed greater gains in self-reported exercise (b = 270.94, SE = 105.69, p = .01) and muscular strength (b = 11.71, SE = 4.23, p = .01 for upper body and b = 4.24, SE = 2.02, p = .04 for lower body) than the HWE group. The RT group had greater reductions in QIDS scores at both EOT (b = -3.00, SE = 1.34, p = .01) and 6 months (b = -2.63, SE = 1.81, p = .04). The RT group showed a greater reduction in anxiety at EOT (b = -2.67, SE = 1.06, p = .02). Findings regarding self-reported depressive symptoms and stress were non-significant, but in the expected direction with effect sizes in the small to medium range. In the RT group, improvement on the QIDS between baseline and EOT was associated with concurrent improvements in physical activity (b = 21.03, SE = 11.16, p = .02) and muscular strength (b = 1.27, SE = .44, p = .03 for upper body and b = .75, SE = .14, p = .03 for lower body).

Conclusions

Results suggest that RT is feasible and may be efficacious for reducing depressive symptoms among underserved urban Black men.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrial.gov #: NCT03107039 (Registered 11/04/2017).
Paper: violence, abuse and exploitation among trafficked women and girls: a mixed-methods study in Nigeria and Uganda
Authors: Kiss Ligia , Fotheringhame David , Kyegombe Nambusi , McAlpine Alys , Abilio Ludmila , Kyamulabi Agnes , Walakira Eddy J. , Devries Karen , Tanton Clare
Published: April 2022

Background

Africa is the global region where modern-slavery is most prevalent, especially among women and girls. Despite the severe health consequences of human trafficking, evidence on the risks and experiences of trafficked adolescents and young women is scarce for the region. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the intersections between violence, migration and exploitation among girls and young women identified as trafficking survivors in Nigeria and Uganda.

Methods

We conducted secondary analysis of the largest routine dataset on human trafficking survivors. We used descriptive statistics to report the experiences of female survivors younger than 25 years-old from Nigeria and Uganda. We also conducted 16 semi-structured interviews with adolescents identified as trafficked in both countries. We used thematic analysis to explore participants’ perceptions and experiences before, during and after the trafficking situation.

Results

Young female survivors of human trafficking in Nigeria and Uganda are exposed to a range of experiences of violence before migration, during transit and at destination. The qualitative data revealed that children and adolescents migrated to escape family poverty, violence and neglect. They had very low levels of education and most had their studies interrupted before migrating. Family members and close social contacts were the most common intermediaries for their migration. During transit, sexual violence and hunger were common, especially among Nigerians. Participants in both the quantitative and qualitative studies reported high levels of violence, deception, coercion, withheld wages and poor working conditions at destination. The adolescents interviewed in the qualitative study reported severe mental suffering, including suicide attempts. Only one reported the prosecution of perpetrators.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that interventions to prevent or mitigate the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences can contribute to preventing the trafficking of adolescents in Nigeria and Uganda. These interventions include social protection mechanisms, universal access to education, social service referrals and education of parents and carers. Importantly, effective prevention also needs to address the systemic conditions that makes trafficking of female adolescents invisible, profitable and inconsequential for perpetrators.
Park access and mental health among parents and children during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hazlehurst Marnie F. , Muqueeth Sadiya , Wolf Kathleen L. , Simmons Cary , Kroshus Emily , Tandon Pooja S.
Published: April 2022

Background

Time spent outdoors and in nature has been associated with numerous benefits to health and well-being. We examined relationships between park access and mental health for children and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explored associations between park access and co-participation of parent and child in time outdoors, and child and parent physical activity.

Methods

We used data from 1,000 respondents to a nationally representative U.S. survey of parent–child dyads during October–November 2020. Park access was defined as an affirmative response to: “do you have a park that you can safely walk to within 10 min of your home?” Child mental health was operationalized as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) total difficulties score. The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) total score assessed parent mental health and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) assessed parent physical activity. Child physical activity and co-participation in outdoor activity were reported as number of days in the prior week. Linear regression was used to examine relationships between park access and health outcomes in models adjusted for child and parent characteristics and COVID-19 impact.

Results

Our sample included 500 parents of children ages 6–10 years, and 500 parent–child dyads of children ages 11–17 years. Park access was associated with a lower SDQ total score among children (β: -1.26, 95% CI: -2.25, -0.27) and a lower PHQ-4 total score among parents (β: -0.89, 95% CI: -1.39, -0.40). In models stratified by child age, these associations were observed for SDQ scores among adolescents ages 11–17 and for PHQ-4 scores among parents of children ages 6–10 years. Park access was also associated with 0.50 more days/week of co-participation in outdoor time (95% CI: 0.16, 0.84), and higher levels of parent physical activity (β: 1009 MET-min/week, 95% CI: 301, 1717), but not child physical activity (β: 0.31 days/week, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.66).

Conclusions

Park access was associated with better mental health among children and parents, and more parent physical activity and parent–child co-participation in outdooractivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to nearby parks may be an important resource to promote health and well-being, for both individuals and families.
Women’s awareness of breast cancer symptoms: a national cross-sectional study from Palestine
Authors: Elshami Mohamedraed , Al-Slaibi Ibrahim , Ghithan Roba Jamal , Alser Mohammed , Shurrab Nouran Ramzi , Ismail Islam Osama , Mahfouz Ibtisam Ismail , Fannon Aseel AbdulQader , Qawasmi Malak Ayman , Hawa Mona Radi , Giacaman Narmeen , Ahmaro Manar , Okshiya Heba Mahmoud , Zaatreh Rula Khader , AbuKhalil Wafa Aqel , Usrof Faten Darwish , Melhim Noor Khairi , Madbouh Ruba Jamal , Hziema Hala Jamal Abu , Lahlooh Raghad Abed-Allateef , Ubaiat Sara Nawaf , Jaffal Nour Ali , Alawna Reem Khaled , Abed Salsabeel Naeem , Abuzahra Bessan Nimer , Kwaik Aya Jawad Abu , Dodin Mays Hafez , Taha Raghad Othman , Alashqar Dina Mohammed , Mobarak Roaa Abd-alfattah , Smerat Tasneem , Abu-El-Noor Nasser , Bottcher Bettina
Published: April 2022

Background

Early diagnosis is crucial to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer (BC). Awareness of BC symptoms plays a key role in this. This study aimed to evaluate the Palestinian women’s awareness of BC symptoms and determine factors associated with good awareness.

Methods

This was a national cross-sectional study conducted from July 2019 to March 2020 in Palestine. Convenience sampling was used to recruit adult women from hospitals, primary healthcare centers, and public spaces located in 11 governorates. A translated-into-Arabic version of the validated BC awareness measure was utilized for data collection. The awareness level was categorized based on the number of symptoms recognized into: poor (0 to 4), fair (5 to 9), and good (10 to 13).

Results

Of 6269 approached, 5434 participants completed the questionnaire (response rate = 86.7%). A total of 5257 questionnaires were included in the analysis: 2551 from the Gaza Strip and 2706 from the West Bank and Jerusalem (WBJ). Participants living in the WBJ were more likely to be older, have higher monthly income, and suffer from more chronic diseases than participants living in the Gaza Strip.

The most frequently identified BC symptom was ‘lump or thickening in the breast’ (n = 4887, 92.9%) followed by ‘lump or thickening under the armpit’ (n = 4394, 83.6%). The least frequently identified symptoms were ‘pulling in of the nipple’ (n = 2665, 50.7%) and ‘change in the position of the nipple’ (n = 2710, 51.6%).

A total of 2191 participants (41.7%) demonstrated good awareness of BC symptoms. Participants from the Gaza Strip were more likely than participants from the WBJ to have good awareness (47.0.0% vs. 36.7%). On the multivariable analysis, being ≥ 40 years, completing a post-secondary education, knowing someone with cancer, and visiting hospitals and primary healthcare centers were all associated with an increase in the likelihood of having good awareness. However, living in the WBJ was associated with a decrease in the likelihood of having good awareness.

Conclusion

Less than half of women included in this study showed good awareness of BC symptoms. More targeted educational interventions are needed to promote Palestinian women’s awareness of BC symptoms to facilitate early diagnosis.
Profiling the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network in the submandibular gland of diabetic mice
Authors: Shi Xi-Jin , Liu Hui-Min , Li Li , Zhang Yan , Cong Xin , Liu Li-Mei , Wu Li-ling , Xiang Ruo-Lan
Published: April 2022

Background

Hyposalivation is one of the common symptoms of diabetes. Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis of diabetes, the role of lncRNAs in diabetes-induced hyposalivation remains unknown.

Methods

The present study aimed to explore the function of lncRNA-microRNA-mRNA regulatory network in the submandibular gland (SMGs) under the context of diabetes. LncRNA expression profile of the SMGs was analyzed using microarray technology. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were confirmed using real-time quantitative PCR. Bioinformatics analyses were performed, and Coding-non-coding gene co-expression (CNC) and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed to explore the potential mechanisms of diabetes-induced hyposalivation.

Results

A total of 1273 differentially expressed lncRNAs (536 up-regulated and 737 downregulated) were identified in the SMGs tissues of db/db mice. CNC and ceRNA network analyses were performed based on five differentially expressed lncRNAs validated by real-time quantitative PCR. Gene Ontology analysis of target genes of CNC network revealed that “calcium ion binding” was a highly enriched molecular function. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis of target genes of ceRNA network revealed that the “mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway” was significantly enriched.

Conclusions

On the whole, the findings of the present study may provide insight into the possible mechanism of diabetes-induced hyposalivation.
Domestic violence in Indian women: lessons from nearly 20 years of surveillance
Authors: Dandona Rakhi , Gupta Aradhita , George Sibin , Kishan Somy , Kumar G. Anil
Published: April 2022

Background

Prevalence of self-reported domestic violence against women in India is high. This paper investigates the national and sub-national trends in domestic violence in India to prioritise prevention activities and to highlight the limitations to data quality for surveillance in India.

Methods

Data were extracted from annual reports of National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB) under four domestic violence crime-headings—cruelty by husband or his relatives, dowry death, abetment to suicide, and protection of women against domestic violence act. Rate for each crime is reported per 100,000 women aged 15–49 years, for India and its states from 2001 to 2018. Data on persons arrested and legal status of the cases were extracted.

Results

Rate of reported cases of cruelty by husband or relatives in India was 28.3 (95% CI 28.1–28.5) in 2018, an increase of 53% from 2001. State-level variations in this rate ranged from 0.5 (95% CI  − 0.05 to 1.5) to 113.7 (95% CI 111.6–115.8) in 2018. Rate of reported dowry deaths and abetment to suicide was 2.0 (95% CI 2.0–2.0) and 1.4 (95% CI 1.4–1.4) in 2018 for India, respectively. Overall, a few states accounted for the temporal variation in these rates, with the reporting stagnant in most states over these years. The NCRB reporting system resulted in underreporting for certain crime-headings. The mean number of people arrested for these crimes had decreased over the period. Only 6.8% of the cases completed trials, with offenders convicted only in 15.5% cases in 2018. The NCRB data are available in heavily tabulated format with limited usage for intervention planning. The non-availability of individual level data in public domain limits exploration of patterns in domestic violence that could better inform policy actions to address domestic violence.

Conclusions

Urgent actions are needed to improve the robustness of NCRB data and the range of information available on domestic violence cases to utilise these data to effectively address domestic violence against women in India.
Design, implementation, and reflections on a two-week virtual visual arts and medicine course for third- and fourth-year medical students
Authors: Waidyaratne Gavisha R. , Kim Sangri , Howell Joel D. , Ike John David
Published: April 2022

Background

Medical humanities courses that incorporate the visual arts traditionally require in-person instruction and visits to museums. The COVID-19 pandemic afforded medical educators a unique opportunity to implement and evaluate virtual visual arts programming.

Methods

A two-week, 7-module visual arts and medicine elective course for third and fourth-year medical students was conducted virtually in the Spring of 2021. The course included traditional didactic components as well as a range of hands-on creative art activities including painting, graphic medicine, photovoice, and Kintsugi (Japanese craft). Digital tools including Canvas, Google Jamboard, and Zoom facilitated student engagement. Student feedback was collected through anonymous post-course surveys.

Results

We successfully conducted a virtual visual arts and medicine elective which integrated hands-on creative art activities. Most students “strongly agreed” that remote instruction was sufficient to meet course objectives. However, all students also “agreed” that in-person instruction may promote more in-depth engagement with the visual arts. The hands-on creative art activities were appreciated by all students.

Conclusion

Visual arts-based medical humanities courses can be delivered virtually and can include hands-on creative art activities such as painting. Future visual arts and medicine courses may benefit from incorporating a range of pedagogical methodologies, digital tools, control groups, and pre−/post-course assessments.
Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cough reflex and urge-to-cough in healthy young adults
Authors: Gui Peijun , Wang Lin , Guo Liya , Wu Chunwei , Zhang Bo , Chen Chen , Xie Ying
Published: April 2022

Background

Chronic cough is prevalent in the clinic. The existing therapies are mostly limited to medical treatment, with poor curative effects and serious side effects. Studies have suggested that the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) may play an active role in the inhibitory pathway of cough elicitation. Thus, this study explored the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the rDLPFC activation in relation to cough reflex and urge-to-cough sensitivity.

Methods

Twenty-three healthy young adults completed the experiment. Participants randomly received tDCS anodal stimulation, cathodal stimulation, and sham stimulation, and the interval between every two stimuli was at least one week. The tDCS (2 mA, 30 min) stimulated brain rDLPFC region. After tDCS intervention, cough reflex threshold and urge-to-cough were evaluated immediately by inhalation of citric acid-saline solution.

Results

Compared with sham stimulation, the cough reflex thresholds logC2and logC5have increased under tDCS anodal stimulation (1.78 ± 0.55 g/L vs. 1.57 ± 0.57 g/L, p < 0.05; 1.92 ± 0.53 g/L vs. 1.67 ± 0.56 g/L, p < 0.05), accompanied by the increase of the urge-to-cough threshold LogCu(0.76 ± 0.53 g/L vs. 0.47 ± 0.44 g/L, p < 0.05). In contrast, the urge-to-cough sensitivity expressed as UTC slope was not significantly changed (1.21 ± 0.86 point·L/g vs. 1.00 ± 0.37 point·L/g, p > 0.05), and there were no apparent changes in cough reflex thresholds Log C2and logC5, urge-to-cough threshold LogCu, and urge-to-cough sensitivity UTC slope under tDCS cathodal stimulation, compared with sham stimulation.

Conclusions

This study found that anodal tDCS stimulation of rDLPFC could significantly decrease cough reflex sensitivity, accompanied by the increase of urge-to-cough threshold. Further investigations targeting different brain regions using multiple central intervention techniques to explore the underlying mechanisms are warranted.

Trial registrationThe study protocol was registered for the clinical trial in China (registration number: ChiCTR2100045618)
Emerging trends and hotspot in gut–lung axis research from 2011 to 2021: a bibliometrics analysis
Authors: Wang Zhendong , Bai Chen , Hu Tingyao , Luo Changyong , Yu He , Ma Xueyan , Liu Tiegang , Gu Xiaohong
Published: April 2022

Background

Increasing attention has been paid to the potential relationship between gut and lung. The bacterial dysbiosis in respiratory tract and intestinal tract is related to inflammatory response and the progress of lung diseases, and the pulmonary diseases could be improved by regulating the intestinal microbiome. This study aims to generate the knowledge map to identify major the research hotspots and frontier areas in the field of gut–lung axis.

Materials and methods

Publications related to the gut–lung axis from 2011 to 2021 were identified from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace 5.7.R2 software was used to analyze the publication years, journals, countries, institutions, and authors. Reference co-citation network has been plotted, and the keywords were used to analyze the research hotspots and trends.

Results

A total of 3315 publications were retrieved and the number of publications per year increased over time. Our results showed that Plos One (91 articles) was the most active journal and The United States (1035 articles) published the most articles. We also observed the leading institution was the University of Michigan (48 articles) and Huffnagle Gary B, Dickson Robert P and Hansbro Philip M, who have made outstanding contributions in this field.

Conclusion

The Inflammation, Infection and Disease were the hotspots, and the regulation of intestinal flora to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in lung cancer was the research frontier. The research has implications for researchers engaged in gut–lung axis and its associated fields.
Peer-facilitated treatment access for hepatitis C: the Live Hep C Free project
Authors: Silano Julia A. , Treloar Carla , Leadbeatter Kyle , Davidson Sandy , Doidge Justine
Published: April 2022

Background

This commentary explores the lessons learned during implementation of a peer-facilitated hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and treatment access project called the Live Hep C Free (LHCF) project in contributing to micro-elimination efforts.

Case presentation

The LHCF project aims to facilitate access to on-the-spot HCV testing, treatment, and care in priority settings through partnership between a peer worker (PW) and a clinical nurse. Since the start of the project in January 2018, 4515 people were engaged about HCV and encouraged to access on-site HCV health care, and over 1000 people were screened for HCV and liver health, while almost 250 people accessed HCV treatment through the project. This commentary is intended to prompt discussion about incorporating peer-centred HCV health programs into priority sites. HCV care-delivery models such as the LHCF project can continue to contribute to micro-elimination of HCV in key settings to increase treatment uptake amongst high prevalence and/or marginalised populations and support progress toward national elimination targets.

Conclusions

The LHCF project has been able to highlight the benefits of incorporating trustworthy, efficient, and convenient peer-centred health services to engage and support vulnerable populations through HCV testing and treatment, particularly individuals who have historically been disconnected from the health care system. Additional attention is needed to ensure ongoing funding support to sustain the project and deliver at scale and in expanding evaluation data to examine the operation and outcomes of the project in more detail.
Effect of low-dose tadalafil once daily on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study
Authors: Lee Min-Kyung , Lee Jae-Hyuk , Sohn Seo-Young , Lee Seo Yeon , Jeong Tae-Yoong , Kim Sae Chul
Published: April 2022

Background

Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors restore nitric oxide signaling, that plays a significant role in erectile function, and appears to counteract insulin resistance in animal and human models. This study was aimed to evaluate the glycemic and metabolic effects of low-dose tadalafil once daily in patients with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

Methods

A 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial was conducted. Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2:1 to the tadalafil 5 mg and placebo groups; all patients received either tadalafil or placebo once a day. The primary efficacy endpoint was the absolute change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels during the 6-month study period. The secondary efficacy endpoints included metabolic parameters and erectile function.

Results

Of the 68 patients who completed this study, 45 and 23 patients were allocated to the tadalafil and placebo groups, respectively. The mean HbA1c level was significantly different between the groups over the 6-month study period (P = 0.021). After 6 months of treatment, the HbA1c decrement in the tadalafil group was greater than that in the placebo group (− 0.14 ± 0.53% vs. 0.20 ± 0.69%,P = 0.030). The International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores improvement was significantly greater in the tadalafil group than in the placebo group at 6 months (P = 0.003).

Conclusion

This prospective pilot study showed that low-dose tadalafil administered once a day was effective in improving glycemic control and erectile function in patients with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

Trial registrationKCT0005666
Ten-year follow-up of renal adenomatosis with magnetic resonance imaging: a case report
Authors: Chou Yi-Chen , Lee Wen-Ying , Huang Steven K. , Wu Reng-Hong , Kuo Yu-Ting
Published: April 2022

Background

Renal adenomatosis is a rare disease that presents as multiple papillary adenomas in the bilateral kidneys. Moreover, papillary adenoma is considered a precursor to papillary renal cell carcinoma. Therefore, patients with renal adenomatosis may have higher risk of developing malignancy than patients without this benign condition.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 62-year-old Asian woman with past history of papillary thyroid cancer. She underwent contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen to screen for metastasis in 2010 and was followed up with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging annually. She was found to have a right renal tumor on computed tomography and underwent partial nephrectomy. The pathological diagnosis of the right renal tumor was angiomyolipoma. Renal adenomatosis was also histologically confirmed in the renal parenchyma adjacent to the angiomyolipoma. In this case report, we demonstrate the natural course of renal adenomatosis over 10 years using imaging studies. The benign tumors gradually progressed during the follow-up period. Larger tumor sizes and more hypoenhanced nodules in the bilateral kidneys were observed on follow-up computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Conclusions

Due to its malignant potential, the clinical course of renal adenomatosis must be monitored. We present the natural course of renal adenomatosis with magnetic resonance imaging during a 10-year follow-up period.
166Holmium–99mTechnetium dual-isotope imaging: scatter compensation and automatic healthy-liver segmentation for 166Holmium radioembolization dosimetry
Authors: Stella Martina , Braat Arthur J. A. T. , Lam Marnix G. E. H. , de Jong Hugo W. A. M. , van Rooij Rob
Published: April 2022

Background

Partition modeling allows personalized activity calculation for holmium-166 (166Ho) radioembolization. However, it requires the definition of tumor and non-tumorous liver, by segmentation and registration of a separately acquired CT, which is time-consuming and prone to error. A protocol including 166Ho-scout, for treatment simulation, and technetium-99m (99mTc) stannous phytate for healthy-liver delineation was proposed. This study assessed the accuracy of automatic healthy-liver segmentation using 99mTc images derived from a phantom experiment. In addition, together with data from a patient study, the effect of different 99mTc activities on the 166Ho-scout images was investigated. To reproduce a typical scout procedure, the liver compartment, including two tumors, of an anthropomorphic phantom was filled with 250 MBq of 166Ho-chloride, with a tumor to non-tumorous liver activity concentration ratio of 10. Eight SPECT/CT scans were acquired, with varying levels of 99mTc added to the non-tumorous liver compartment (ranging from 25 to 126 MBq). For comparison, forty-two scans were performed in presence of only 99mTc from 8 to 240 MBq. 99mTc image quality was assessed by cold-sphere (tumor) contrast recovery coefficients. Automatic healthy-liver segmentation, obtained by thresholding 99mTc images, was evaluated by recovered volume and Sørensen–Dice index. The impact of 99mTc on 166Ho images and the role of the downscatter correction were evaluated on phantom scans and twenty-six patients’ scans by considering the reconstructed 166Ho count density in the healthy-liver.

Results

All 99mTc image reconstructions were found to be independent of the 166Ho activity present during the acquisition. In addition, cold-sphere contrast recovery coefficients were independent of 99mTc activity. The segmented healthy-liver volume was recovered fully, independent of 99mTc activity as well. The reconstructed 166Ho count density was not influenced by 99mTc activity, as long as an adequate downscatter correction was applied.

Conclusion

The 99mTc image reconstructions of the phantom scans all performed equally well for the purpose of automatic healthy-liver segmentation, for activities down to 8 MBq. Furthermore, 99mTc could be injected up to at least 126 MBq without compromising 166Ho image quality.

Clinical trials The clinical study mentioned is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02067988) on February 20, 2014.
Prevalence and associated factors of double and triple burden of malnutrition among child-mother pairs in Ethiopia: Spatial and survey regression analysis
Authors: Tarekegn Bethelihem Tigabu , Assimamaw Nega Tezera , Atalell Kendalem Asmare , Kassa Selam Fisiha , Muhye Addis Bilal , Techane Masresha Asmare , Alemu Tewodros Getaneh , Wubneh Chalachew Adugna , Belay Getaneh Mulualem , Tamir Tadesse Tarik , Kassie Destaye Guadie , Wondim Amare , Terefe Bewuketu , Ali Mohammed Seid , Fentie Beletech , Gonete Almaz Tefera , Tekeba Berhan , Desta Bogale Kassahun , Dessie Melkamu Tilahun , Ayele Amare Demsie
Published: April 2022

Background

Evidence on double and triple burdens of malnutrition at household level among child-mother pairs is a key towards addressing the problem of malnutrition. In Ethiopia, studies on double and triple burdens of malnutrition are scarce. Even though there is a study on double burden of malnutrition at national level in Ethiopia, it doesn’t assess the triple burdens at all and a few forms of double burden of malnutrition. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of double and triple burdens of malnutrition among child-mother pairs in Ethiopia.

Methods

A total sample of 7,624 child-mother pairs from Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016 were included in the study. All analysis were performed considering complex sampling design. Anthropometric measures and hemoglobin levels of children, as well as anthropometric measurements of their mothers, were used to calculate double burden of malnutrition (DBM) and triple burden of malnutrition (TBM). Spatial analysis was applied to detect geographic variation of prevalence of double and triple burdens of malnutrition among EDHS 2016 clusters. Bivariable and multivariable binary survey logistic regression models were used to assess the factors associated with DBM and TBM.

Results

The overall weighted prevalence of DBM and TBM respectively were 1.8% (95%CI: 1.38–2.24) and 1.2% (95%CI: 0.83–1.57) among child-mother pairs in Ethiopia. Significant clusters of high prevalence of DBM and TBM were identified. In the adjusted multivariable binary survey logistic regression models, middle household economic status [AOR = 0.23, 95%CI: 0.06, 0.89] as compared to the poor, average birth weight [AOR = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.09, 0.80] as compared to large birth weight and children aged 24–35 months [AOR = 0.19, 95%CI: 0.04,0.95] as compared to 6–12 months were less likely to experience DBM. Average birth weight [AOR = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.91] as compared to large birth weight and time to water source <=30 min [AOR = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.19,0.89] as compared to on premise were less likely to experience TBM.

Conclusion

There is low prevalence of DBM and TBM among child-mother pairs in Ethiopia. Interventions tailored on geographic areas, wealth index, birth weight and child birth could help to control the emerging DBM and TBM at household level among child-mother pairs in Ethiopia.
Reverse Periodization for Improving Sports Performance: A Systematic Review
Authors: González-Ravé José M. , González-Mohino Fernando , Rodrigo-Carranza Víctor , Pyne David B.
Published: April 2022

Background

Reverse periodization is commonly touted as a salient planning strategy to improve sport performance in athletes, but benefits have not been clearly described.

Objectives

We sought to identify the main characteristics of reverse periodization, and the influence of training volume and periodization models on enhancing physiological measures and sports performance.

Design

Systematic review.

Methods

The electronic databases Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science were searched using a comprehensive list of relevant terms.

Results

A total of 925 studies were identified, and after removal of duplicates and studies based on title and abstract screening, 17 studies remained, and 11 finally included in the systematic review. There was a total of 200 athletes in the included studies. Reverse periodization does not provide superior performance improvements in swimming, running, muscular endurance, maximum strength, or maximal oxygen uptake, compared to traditional or block periodization. The quality of evidence levels for the reverse periodization studies was 1b (individual randomized controlled trial) for two investigations, 2b (individual cohort study) for the remaining studies and a mean of 4.9 points in the PEDro scale (range 0–7).

Conclusions

It appears that reverse periodization is no more effective than other forms of periodization in improving sports performance. More comparative studies on this alternative version of periodization are required to verify its effectiveness and utility across a range of endurance sports.
Prostatic artery embolization in men with severe hemophilia a: a case report of two patients
Authors: Svarc Petra , Kampmann Peter , Lönn Lars , Røder Martin Andreas
Published: April 2022

Background

This is the first case report describing the peri- and postoperative hemostasis plans in two men with severe hemophilia A (HA) who underwent prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Case presentation

Two patients with severe HA and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) not responding to medical therapy underwent PAE at our institution. In both patients, intermittent administration of decreasing doses of extended half-life recombinant factor VIII (EHL rFVIII) concentrate from 30 min before to 7 days after the PAE resulted in good hemostatic control. In addition to EHL rFVIII, tranexamic acid was administered in the same timeframe to augment the action of EHL rFVIII and to account for possible mucosal bleeding from the urinary tract. Both patients reported a minor localized hematoma at the femoral puncture site in the right groin, that resolved spontaneously. No other bleeding complications were observed.

Conclusions

The procoagulant effects of the chosen dosing of EHL rFVIII showed sufficient to perform a technically successful embolization. At 6 months follow-up, both patients had significant reduction in self-reported urinary symptoms and were content with the outcome.
Evaluation of respiratory tract bacterial co-infections in SARS-CoV-2 patients with mild or asymptomatic infection in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Davies-Bolorunduro Olabisi Flora , Fowora Muinah Adenike , Amoo Olufemi Samuel , Adeniji Esther , Osuolale Kazeem Adewale , Oladele Oluwatobi , Onuigbo Tochukwu Ifeanyi , Obi Josephine Chioma , Oraegbu Joy , Ogundepo Oluwatobi , Ahmed Rahaman Ademolu , Usman Olagoke AbdulRazaq , Iyapo Bosede Ganiyat , Dada Adedamola Adejuwon , Onyia Ngozi , Adegbola Richard Adebayo , Audu Rosemary Ajuma , Salako Babatunde Lawal
Published: April 2022

Background

A common complication of any respiratory disease by a virus could be a secondary bacterial infection, which is known to cause an increase in severity. It is, however, not clear whether the presence of some opportunistic pathogens called pathobionts contributes to the severity of the disease. In COVID-19 patients, undetected bacterial co-infections may be associated with the severity of the disease. Therefore, we investigated the implications of bacterial co-infections in COVID-19 cases.

Results

This is a cross-sectional study that involved archived specimens collected from nasopharyngeal samples of 150 people for COVID-19 screening in Lagos. DNA extraction from the samples was carried out to determine the presence of five respiratory bacterial pathogens using nested real-time PCR, and data were analysed using the Chi-square test. Of the 150 samples collected, 121 (80.7%) were positive for SARs-CoV-2 infection and 29 were negative. The proportion of patients with bacteria co-infection in COVID-19-negative, asymptomatic, and mild cases were 93.1%, 70.7%, and 67.5%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between mild COVID-19 conditions and bacteria co-infection (p = 0.097). There was also no significant difference in the nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Haemophilus spp. However, there was a statistically significant increase in the carriage of Moraxella catarrhalis and Chlamydophila pneumoniae among COVID-19-negative patients when compared with the positive patients (p value = 0.003 and 0.000 for Moraxella catarrhalis and Chlamydophila pneumoniae, respectively).

Conclusions

The current study shows that bacterial co-infection and superinfection with COVID-19 are not associated with mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in our setting. However, given the high prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae among the mild COVID-19 cases seen in this study, early diagnosis and treatment of these bacterial co-infections are still encouraged to mitigate the effect on the severity of COVID-19.
Relativistic quantum oscillator model under the effects of the violation of Lorentz symmetry by an arbitrary fixed vector field
Authors: Ahmed Faizuddin
Published: April 2022

We study a spin-zero relativistic quantum oscillator model under the violation of Lorentz symmetry defined by an arbitrary constant vector field

. We solve the Klein-Gordon oscillator using the Nikiforov-Uvarov method and obtain the bound-states solutions of the quantum system. We see that vector field

configurations modify the energy profile of the oscillator fields.
Prenatal Oxygen and Glucose Therapy Normalizes Insulin Secretion and Action in Growth-Restricted Fetal Sheep
Authors: Camacho Leticia E , Davis Melissa A , Kelly Amy C , Steffens Nathan R , Anderson Miranda J , Limesand Sean W
Published: April 2022

Placental insufficiency (PI) lowers fetal oxygen and glucose concentrations, which disrupts glucose-insulin homeostasis and promotes fetal growth restriction (FGR). To date, prenatal treatments for FGR have not attempted to correct the oxygen and glucose supply simultaneously. Therefore, we investigated whether a 5-day correction of oxygen and glucose concentrations in PI-FGR fetuses would normalize insulin secretion and glucose metabolism. Experiments were performed in near-term FGR fetal sheep with maternal hyperthermia-induced PI. Fetal arterial oxygen tension was increased to normal levels by increasing the maternal inspired oxygen fraction and glucose was infused into FGR fetuses (FGR-OG). FGR-OG fetuses were compared with maternal air insufflated, saline-infused fetuses (FGR-AS) and control fetuses. Prior to treatment, FGR fetuses were hypoxemic and hypoglycemic and had reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). During treatment, oxygen, glucose, and insulin concentrations increased, and norepinephrine concentrations decreased in FGR-OG fetuses, whereas FGR-AS fetuses were unaffected. On treatment day 4, glucose fluxes were measured with euglycemic and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps. During both clamps, rates of glucose utilization and production were greater in FGR-AS than FGR-OG fetuses, while glucose fluxes in FGR-OG fetuses were not different than control rates. After 5 days of treatment, GSIS increased in FGR-OG fetuses to control levels and their ex vivo islet GSIS was greater than FGR-AS islets. Despite normalization in fetal characteristics, GSIS, and glucose fluxes, FGR-OG and FGR-AS fetuses weighed less than controls. These findings show that sustained, simultaneous correction of oxygen and glucose normalized GSIS and whole-body glucose fluxes in PI-FGR fetuses after the onset of FGR.
2020
Authors: Brown Jayna , Tadiar Neferti X. M.
Published: April 2022

This essay introduces Social Text's collaborative issue on the events of 2020.
Sociality at the End of the World
Authors: Beller Jonathan , Brown Jayna , Manning Erin , Pham Minh-Ha T. , Gómez-Barris Macarena , Cox Aimee Meredith , Tadiar Neferti X. M.
Published: April 2022

This collectively written essay meditates on sociality, mediation, death, and life during Pandemic 2020.
Catastrophe, Care, and All That Remains
Authors: Barker Joanne , Byrd Jodi A. , Goldstein Alyosha , Grande Sandy , Bernal Julia , DeVore Reyes , Marley Jennifer , Teba Justine
Published: April 2022

During 2020 a menacing sense of doom and anxiety proliferated by the Trump administration's shock-and-awe tactics compounded the brutally uneven distribution of exposure, social atomization, precarity, abandonment, and premature death under the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had especially lethal consequences for those who are impoverished, racially abjected, and deemed violable or disposable within economies of dispossession. For Indigenous peoples under US occupation, the mainstream news coverage of the pandemic's death toll on the Navajo Nation, on Standing Rock, and on other Indigenous nations came and went with little sustained inquiry into the conditions of colonization, critical for understanding the current moment. The obstinate negligence of the CARES Act toward peoples and communities most impacted by the pandemic is only one example of this intensified necropolitics. We focus here on conceptions and mobilizations of care and uncaring, and the catastrophe of the settler-capitalist state at this time. With all the talk about the need for self-care and community care in this period of concentrated epic crises, we ask: How does the discourse of care operate within an imperial social formation? Is an otherwise possible? What are our obligations in kinship and reciprocity? And how do we attend to these obligations in times of imposed distance?
Into the Fluid Heart of Wallmapu Territory
Authors: Gómez-Barris Macarena , Calfuqueo Sebástian
Published: April 2022

In their interview, scholar and writer Macarena Gómez-Barris and artist and performer Sebastián Calfuqueo discuss the role of art, mediation, and coloniality with respect to Indigenous majority spaces and trans embodiment. Calfuqueo's body of work, like Gómez-Barris's scholarship, addresses the colonial and neocolonial processes of extraction, dispossession, and how Mapuche peoples in the southern territories of Chile and the global South continue to be inserted into a paradigm of war and occupation. Their close collaboration, across geographical and linguistic divides, offers a way to think anew about the relationship between queer and trans decolonial connections and collaboration beyond the binary divide.
Interregnum
Authors: Mandiberg Michael , Kelley Robin D. G. , Brown Jayna , Nyong'o Tavia
Published: April 2022

This eclectic set of essays includes work about Zoom, the murder by police of Rayshard Brooks, blackness and public space, and black joy and uchromatism.