bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeted Therapies in Early-Stage Resectable Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: New Kids on the Block
Authors: Liu Jason , Amini Arya , Govindarajan Ameish , Abuali Tariq , Mambetsariev Isa , Massarelli Erminia , Villaflor Victoria , Villalona-Calero Miguel , West Howard , Williams Terence , Salgia Ravi
Published: September 2023

PURPOSE

With increased adoption of next-generation sequencing, tailored therapy on the basis of molecular status is being delivered for patients with early-stage resectable non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this narrative review was to focus on recent developments of targeted therapies in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant/adjuvant setting for early-stage disease.

METHODS

A systematic search of the MEDLINE/PubMed database was performed, focusing on studies published within the past 10 years. Our search queried “early-stage NSCLC (AND) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI; OR) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; OR) anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK)” and was limited only to prospective and ongoing studies.

RESULTS

Most studies examining the benefit of targeted therapies in early-stage resectable NSCLC have been for EGFR-TKIs in the adjuvant setting. Currently, only one study, the ADAURA trial of adjuvant osimertinib, has demonstrated an overall survival benefit with the use of an EGFR-TKI in the adjuvant setting. Future work to build on the success of the ADAURA trial is focused on determining the optimal duration of targeted therapies and using biomarkers, such as circulating tumor DNA, to risk-stratify patients and guide maintenance targeted therapy duration.

CONCLUSION

The results of several ongoing studies are eagerly awaited regarding the use of targeted therapies in the neoadjuvant/adjuvant setting and for more uncommon or rare mutations such as ALK, ROS proto-oncogene 1, rearranged during transfection, mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor, and B-Raf proto-oncogene V600E. The treatment landscape for early-stage NSCLC harboring actionable mutations is likely to shift dramatically in the upcoming decade.
Reimagining Culture and Power against Late Industrial Capitalism and Other Forms of Conquest through Border Theory and Analysis
Authors: Lugo Alejandro
Published: September 2023

This chapter traces the nature of industrial capitalism as a new form of conquest throughout the past century and the present at the US-Mexico border. Alejandro Lugo’s examination of the region reveals relational conceptions of class and changing conceptions of culture from “shared cultural patterns” to “fragmented cultural borderlands” in the life of working-class border people.
Feminism on the Border: From Gender Politics to Geopolitics
Authors: Saldívar-Hull Sonia
Published: September 2023

In “Feminism on the Border,” Sonia Saldívar-Hull examines key texts written by Chicanas to examine configurations of feminism that render visible race, class, and gender. She interrogates linkages between feminism and Marxism to ask questions about the place of Chicanas in larger notions of sisterhood.
Tijuana: Hybridity and Beyond: A Conversation with Néstor García Canclini
Authors: Montezemolo Fiamma , Pluecker John
Published: September 2023

Fiamma Montezemolo engages in a dialogue with public intellectual and anthropologist Néstor García Canclini to reflect on the conceptual work that emerged during the 1980s out of his encounter with the border city of Tijuana, a city that he famously labeled the “laboratory of post-modernity” in his classic book Hybrid Cultures: Strategies for Entering and Leaving Modernity (1995).
Beyond Hooking Up
Authors: Afzal Ahmed
Published: September 2023

Grindr is among the most subscribed social networking apps in Pakistan. The chapter explores the uses of Grindr among men in Pakistan. It argues that Grindr's usage in Pakistan creates opportunities for casual sexual encounters and demonstrates the construction of a cosmopolitan queer identity that appropriates Western epistemologies of sexuality and sex positions. Such appropriations notwithstanding, Grindr's usage in Pakistan illuminates a culturally distinctive queer sexuality. A majority of the interlocutors profess profound sadness over their inability to be truthful about being gay due to familial, religious and societal mores that negatively assess homosexuality. Given such real-life concerns, Grindr provides a significant space to negotiate obligations to adhere to societal heteronorms and equally, the desire to imagine cosmopolitan queer sexualities.
Queer in a Time of Kashmir
Authors: Redding Jeffrey A.
Published: September 2023

Non-contiguous at inception, its western wing and eastern wing (now Bangladesh) bifurcated by thousands of kilometers of Indian territory, Pakistan has remained constellated with India. This is especially true regarding Kashmir. Moreover, Kashmir's uncertain political identity and agency provides a parable of South Asian politics more broadly. Indeed, a geographic region defined by elementary national ambiguity and contestation is also witness to fundamental contestations regarding religious identity and now also gender identity. South Asian discussions concerning transgender rights, like Kashmiri rights, are caught between competing notions of solidarity and sovereignty. Queerness here takes place in a time of Kashmir.
Management of Intracranial Aneurysms that Do Not Occlude on Initial Follow-up After Treatment With the Pipeline Embolization Device
Authors: Young Michael , Enriquez-Marulanda Alejandro , Salih Mira , Shutran Max , Budohoski Karol , Grandhi Ramesh , Taussky Philipp , Ogilvy Christopher S.
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The pipeline embolization device (PED) has become widely accepted as a safe and efficacious treatment for intracranial aneurysms with high rates of complete occlusion at initial follow-up. For aneurysms that are not completely occluded at initial follow-up, further treatment decision-making is varied. Furthermore, the risk of aneurysmal rupture in these incompletely occluded aneurysms after PED is not known. The objective of this study was to determine treatment decision-making that results in increased occlusion status at final follow-up and to evaluate risk of rupture in those aneurysms that do not go onto occlusion.

METHODS:

This study is a retrospective review of prospective data for intracranial aneurysms treated with PED at two institutions from 2013 to 2019. Aneurysms with near-complete or incomplete occlusion at initial follow-up were included in the statistical analysis.

RESULTS:

There were 606 total aneurysms treated at two academic institutions with PED with incomplete occlusion at initial follow-up in 134 aneurysms (22.1%). Of the 134 aneurysms that were nonoccluded at initial follow-up, 76 aneurysms (56.7%) went on to complete or near complete occlusion with final complete or near complete occlusion in 90.4% of all aneurysms treated. The time to final imaging follow-up was 28.2 months (13.8-44.3) Retreatment with a second flow diverter was used in 28 aneurysms (20.9%). No aneurysms that were incompletely occluded at initial follow-up had delayed rupture. Furthermore, older patient age was statistically significant for incomplete occlusion at initial follow-up (P = .05).

CONCLUSION:

Intracranial aneurysms treated with the PED that do not occlude at initial follow-up may go on to complete occlusion with continuous observation, alteration in antiplatelet regimens, or repeat treatment. Delayed aneurysmal rupture was not seen in patients with incomplete occlusion.
Mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism in health and disease
Authors: Joshi Alaumy , Richard Travis H. , Gohil Vishal M.
Published: September 2023

Studies of rare human genetic disorders of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism have highlighted the crucial role that membrane phospholipids play in mitochondrial bioenergetics and human health. The phospholipid composition of mitochondrial membranes is highly conserved from yeast to humans, with each class of phospholipid performing a specific function in the assembly and activity of various mitochondrial membrane proteins, including the oxidative phosphorylation complexes. Recent studies have uncovered novel roles of cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine, two crucial mitochondrial phospholipids, in organismal physiology. Studies on inter-organellar and intramitochondrial phospholipid transport have significantly advanced our understanding of the mechanisms that maintain mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis. Here, we discuss these recent advances in the function and transport of mitochondrial phospholipids while describing their biochemical and biophysical properties and biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we highlight the roles of mitochondrial phospholipids in human health by describing the various genetic diseases caused by disruptions in their biosynthesis and discuss advances in therapeutic strategies for Barth syndrome, the best-studied disorder of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism.
Reconciling the variability in the biological response of marine invertebrates to climate change
Authors: Dellaert Zoe , Putnam Hollie M.
Published: September 2023

As climate change increases the rate of environmental change and the frequency and intensity of disturbance events, selective forces intensify. However, given the complicated interplay between plasticity and selection for ecological – and thus evolutionary – outcomes, understanding the proximate signals, molecular mechanisms and the role of environmental history becomes increasingly critical for eco-evolutionary forecasting. To enhance the accuracy of our forecasting, we must characterize environmental signals at a level of resolution that is relevant to the organism, such as the microhabitat it inhabits and its intracellular conditions, while also quantifying the biological responses to these signals in the appropriate cells and tissues. In this Commentary, we provide historical context to some of the long-standing challenges in global change biology that constrain our capacity for eco-evolutionary forecasting using reef-building corals as a focal model. We then describe examples of mismatches between the scales of external signals relative to the sensors and signal transduction cascades that initiate and maintain cellular responses. Studying cellular responses at this scale is crucial because these responses are the basis of acclimation to changing environmental conditions and the potential for environmental ‘memory’ of prior or historical conditions through molecular mechanisms. To challenge the field, we outline some unresolved questions and suggest approaches to align experimental work with an organism's perception of the environment; these aspects are discussed with respect to human interventions.
The Long-Run Impacts of Mexican American School Desegregation
Authors: Antman Francisca M. , Cortes Kalena E.
Published: September 2023

We present the first quantitative analysis of the impact of ending de jure segregation of Mexican American schoolchildren in the United States by examining the effects of the 1947 Mendez v. Westminster court decision on long-run educational attainment for Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites in California. Our identification strategy relies on comparing individuals across California counties that vary in their likelihood of segregating and across birth cohorts that vary in their exposure to the Mendez court ruling based on school start age. Results point to a significant increase in educational attainment for Hispanics who were fully exposed to school desegregation. (JEL H75, I24, J13, J15, K10, N32, R23)
Prioritarianism in Practice
Authors: Basu Kaushik
Published: September 2023

Kaushik Basu of Cornell University reviews “Prioritarianism in Practice” edited by Matthew D. Adler and Ole F. Norheim. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Twelve papers explore the use of prioritarianism as a methodology for evaluating governmental policy, highlighting the value of giving extra weight to the well-being of the worse off in policy assessment across a variety of domains.”
H επίδραση των τοπικών προϊόντων και της γαστρονομίας στη ταξιδιωτική εμπειρία
Authors: Απλαδάς Γεώργιος
Published: September 2023

Η προτεινόμενη διδακτορική έρευνα αποσκοπεί στη μελέτη του ολιστικού αντίκτυπου της αξίας των τοπικών προϊόντων της Κρήτης στις αντιλήψεις, τις στάσεις και την εμπειρία των επισκεπτών (τουριστών) στην Κρήτη, τόσο πριν, κατά τη διάρκεια όσο και μετά το ταξίδι τους. Τα τοπικά προϊόντα θεωρούνται πολύτιμος πόρος στον τουρισμό, ο οποίος μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί από παρόχους υπηρεσιών, όπως εστιατόρια και ξενοδοχεία, καθώς και από περιφερειακές και εθνικές οργανώσεις ανάπτυξης τουρισμού για δραστηριότητες προώθησης και ανάπτυξης τουριστικών προορισμών. Η "τοπική γαστρονομία" έχει το δυναμικό να ενισχύσει την εμπειρία των επισκεπτών, συνδέοντάς τους με την περιοχή προορισμού και τον πολιτισμό της. Η σύγχρονη βιβλιογραφία εξετάζει τη σχέση των παραδοσιακών και τοπικών προϊόντων (φαγητών και ποτών) με τον τουρισμό και ειδικότερα με την εμπειρία των επισκεπτών.Η διατριβή αποσκοπεί να αποδείξει τους υποκείμενους παράγοντες της εικόνας του φαγητού του προορισμού της Κρήτης και τη σχέση μεταξύ της εικόνας του προορισμού και της πρόθεσης των ταξιδιωτών. Στην ουσία, επιδιώκεται η καθορισμός της σημασίας του γαστρονομικού τουρισμού και πώς τα τοπικά προϊόντα μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως εργαλείο για την απόκτηση ενός προορισμού. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, θα τεθούν ατομικοί ερευνητικοί στόχοι που σχετίζονται με την επίδραση των τοπικών προϊόντων σε κάθε στάδιο της διαδικασίας αγοράς των επισκεπτών. Το προτεινόμενο πρόγραμμα έρευνας ορίζεται στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Κρήτης, μία από τις πιο δημοφιλείς τουριστικές προορισμούς στη Μεσόγειο, η οποία παράγει τοπικά προϊόντα υψηλής διατροφικής αξίας, συνδεδεμένα με τη μεσογειακή διατροφή και αναγνωρίζονται διεθνώς. Αναμένεται ότι η προτεινόμενη διατριβή θα συμβάλει στον ευρύτερο τομέα του μάρκετινγκ τουρισμού παρέχοντας αποτελέσματα που αφενός θα επαληθεύουν υπάρχοντα θεωρητικά μοντέλα ή θα προτείνουν νέα, και αφετέρου θα παρέχουν για πρώτη φορά εμπειρικά δεδομένα από την περιοχή της Κρήτης, τα οποία θεωρούνται πολύτιμα για τη μεταρρύθμιση του ελληνικού τουριστικού προϊόντος.
Ο Θάνατος και το Πένθος στους λατίνους συγγραφείς της ύστερης ρωμαϊκής και πρωτοχριστιανικής περιόδου
Authors: Κυριακίδου Παρθένα
Published: September 2023

Θέμα της διδακτορικής διατριβής αποτελεί η προσέγγιση του θανάτου και του πένθους κατά την ύστερη Λατινική και Πρωτοχριστιανική περίοδο στους συγγραφείς Αυγουστίνο, Τερτυλλιανό, Κυπριανό, Λακτάντιο και Βοήθιο. Αρχικά πραγματοποιήθηκε μια παρουσίαση των εννοιών του θανάτου, του πένθους, του θρήνου, της αυτοκτονίας και των τελετουργιών στην επιστήμη της ψυχολογίας και ακολούθως έγινε μελέτη των συγκεκριμένων εννοιών και στους προαναφερόμενους συγγραφείς. Ειδικότερα η έρευνα επικεντρώθηκε στα στοιχεία που εντοπίζονται και στην επιστήμη της ψυχολογίας και με αυτό το κριτήριο πραγματοποιήθηκε αντιπαραβολή των εννοιών από την οπτική της ψυχολογίας αλλά και της φιλολογίας.Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή εντάσσεται στο πλαίσιο μιας μακράς λογοτεχνικής παραγωγής που αφορά στο θέμα του θανάτου, καθώς και στη διαχείριση του πένθους. Η πλούσια λογοτεχνική παραγωγή, τόσο από τον χώρο της ψυχολογίας όσο και στον χώρο της φιλοσοφίας, παρέχουν στον ερευνητή τη δυνατότητα να ασχοληθεί με το θέμα του θανάτου και του πένθους, έχοντας ως θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο μελέτες θανάτου, άρθρα, περιοδικά και βιβλία που προσεγγίζουν το θέμα του θανάτου από διαφορετική σκοπιά.O θάνατος είναι ένα ζήτημα που απασχολεί και απασχόλησε ανέκαθεν τον άνθρωπο σε όλες τις χρονικές περιόδους και αυτό διότι οι προεκτάσεις του -θρησκευτικές, κοινωνικές, φιλοσοφικές, ιστορικές, ψυχολογικές- επηρεάζουν ποικιλοτρόπως τη ζωή του. Ο θάνατος, ως αναπόσπαστο τμήμα της ζωής, επηρεάζει δραματικά όλα τα όντα, τα οποία ανταποκρίνονται στην παρουσία του διαφορετικά, υιοθετώντας πλήθος αντιδράσεων που στοιχειοθετούν την έννοια του πένθους.
Using a digital health intervention “INTERCEPT” to improve secondary prevention in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients: protocol for a mixed methods non-randomised feasibility study
Authors: Gibson Irene , Jennings Catriona , Neubeck Lis , Corcoran Marissa , Wood David , Sharif Faisal , Hynes Lisa , Murphy Andrew W , Byrne Molly , McEvoy John William
Published: September 2023

Background: Digital health interventions (DHIs) are increasingly used for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of “INTERCEPT”, a co-designed DHI developed to improve secondary prevention in hospitalised coronary heart disease patients (CHD).

Methods: This non-randomised feasibility study will be conducted using a mixed methods process evaluation with a sample of 40 patients in an acute hospital setting. Informed by behaviour change theory, the Intercept application (I-App) integrates a smartphone interface, health care professional portal, a fitness wearable and a blood pressure monitor. I-App is designed to support and motivate patients to set goals, self-monitor lifestyle and medical risk factors, and manage their medications, with the health care professional portal enabling monitoring and communication with patients. Using convenience sampling, eligible patients will be recruited in two phases, a pre-implementation phase and an implementation phase. During the pre-implementation phase participants will not immediately receive the I-App but will be invited to receive the I-App at 3 months follow-up. This will enable early learning about the processes of recruitment and conducting the assessment prior to full scale deployment of the I-App. During the implementation phase, participants will be invited to download the I-App to their smartphone prior to hospital discharge. Qualitative interviews will be conducted among a subset of patients and health care professionals to gain a greater insight into their experience of using the I-App. Primary outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Using pre-defined feasibility criteria, including recruitment, retention and engagement rates, together with data on intervention acceptability, will determine the appropriateness of progressing to a definitive trial.

Discussion: This study will provide important insights to help inform the feasibility of conducting a definitive trial of “INTERCEPT” among coronary heart disease patients in a critical health care setting.
Healthcare resource allocation decisions and non-emergency treatments in the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic. How should children with chronic illness feature in prioritisation processes?
Authors: Lignou Sapfo , Sheehan Mark , Parker Michael , Wolfe Ingrid
Published: September 2023

Background: In the aftermath of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, allocation of non-urgent medical interventions is a persistent ethical challenge as health systems currently face an unprecedented backlog of patients requiring treatment. Difficult decisions must be made that prioritise certain patients over others. Ethical resource allocation requires that the needs of all patients are considered properly, but at present there is no guidance that can help support such decision-making which explicitly considers the needs of children with chronic and complex conditions.

Methods: This paper reviews the NHS guidance for priorities and operational planning and examines how the needs of children with chronic illness are addressed in NHS objectives for restoring services and meeting elective care demands.

Results: The usual criteria for prioritisation featured in the NHS guidance fail to account for the distinct needs of children with chronic illnesses and fail to match more general considerations of what constitutes fair resource allocation decisions. To address this issue, two considerations, namely 'protecting age-related opportunity' and 'recognising complexity of care,' are proposed as additions to the existing approach.

Conclusion: By providing a broader conception of needs, these criteria address inefficiencies of the current guidance and relevant ethical frameworks and help to embed a currently missing children-related ethical approach to healthcare policy making in general.
The genome sequence of the Brown Silverhorn, Athripsodes cinereus (Curtis, 1834)
Authors: Wallace Ian , Findlay John DS , Price Benjamin W. ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: September 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Athripsodes cinereus (the Brown Silverhorn; Arthropoda; Insecta; Trichoptera; Leptoceridae). The genome sequence is 716.2 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 25 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 14.93 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 16,582 protein coding genes.
The genome sequence of the dark-edged bee fly, Bombylius major (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Lawniczak Mara K.N. , Crowley Liam M. , McAlister Erica ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: September 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Bombylius major (the dark-edged bee fly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Bombyliidae). The genome sequence is 304.3 megabases in span. The whole assembly is scaffolded into 7 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X and Y sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 17.8 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 10,852 protein coding genes.
The genome sequence of the mottled shieldbug, Rhaphigaster nebulosa (Poda, 1761)
Authors: Barclay Maxwell , Matsumoto Keita ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: September 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Rhaphigaster nebulosa (the mottled shieldbug; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hemiptera; Pentatomidae). The genome sequence is 1,155.8 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 7 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 18.42 kilobases in length.
ECG of the month
Authors: Regan Martin
Published: September 2023

In this issue's ECG of the month, Martin Regan presents the case of a 56-year-old woman who presented with nausea and dizziness 5 days after undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation.
Aesthetics and cautious use of social media
Authors: Bennett Sharon
Published: September 2023

Sharon Bennett from the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses writes about things to heed when using social media as aesthetic professionals, also introducing the BACN conference this September
Anterosuperior versus deltopectoral approach for primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty
Authors: Macken Arno A. , Haagmans-Suman Arnela , Spekenbrink-Spooren Anneke , van Noort Arthur , van den Bekerom Michel P. J. , Eygendaal Denise , Buijze Geert A.
Published: September 2023

Aims

The current evidence comparing the two most common approaches for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA), the deltopectoral and anterosuperior approach, is limited. This study aims to compare the rate of loosening, instability, and implant survival between the two approaches for rTSA using data from the Dutch National Arthroplasty Registry with a minimum follow-up of five years.

Methods

All patients in the registry who underwent a primary rTSA between January 2014 and December 2016 using an anterosuperior or deltopectoral approach were included, with a minimum follow-up of five years. Cox and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between the approach and the implant survival, instability, and glenoid loosening, independent of confounders.

Results

In total, 3,902 rTSAs were included. A deltopectoral approach was used in 54% (2,099/3,902) and an anterosuperior approach in 46% (1,803/3,902). Overall, the mean age in the cohort was 75 years (50 to 96) and the most common indication for rTSA was cuff tear arthropathy (35%; n = 1,375), followed by osteoarthritis (29%; n = 1,126), acute fracture (13%; n = 517), post-traumatic sequelae (10%; n = 398), and an irreparable cuff rupture (5%; n = 199). The two high-volume centres performed the anterosuperior approach more often compared to the medium- and low-volume centres (p < 0.001). Of the 3,902 rTSAs, 187 were revised (5%), resulting in a five-year survival of 95.4% (95% confidence interval 94.7 to 96.0; 3,137 at risk). The most common reason for revision was a periprosthetic joint infection (35%; n = 65), followed by instability (25%; n = 46) and loosening (25%; n = 46). After correcting for relevant confounders, the revision rate for glenoid loosening, instability, and the overall implant survival did not differ significantly between the two approaches (p = 0.494, p = 0.826, and p = 0.101, respectively).

Conclusion

The surgical approach used for rTSA did not influence the overall implant survival or the revision rate for instability or glenoid loosening.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(9):1000–1006.
Characteristics and risk factors of UCS fracture subtypes in periprosthetic fractures around the hip
Authors: Nasser Ahmed A. H. H. , Osman Khabab , Chauhan Govind S. , Prakash Rohan , Handford Charles , Nandra Rajpal S. , Mahmood Ansar
Published: September 2023

Aims

Periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) following hip arthroplasty are complex injuries. This study evaluates patient demographic characteristics, management, outcomes, and risk factors associated with PPF subtypes over a decade.

Methods

Using a multicentre collaborative study design, independent of registry data, we identified adults from 29 centres with PPFs around the hip between January 2010 and December 2019. Radiographs were assessed for the Unified Classification System (UCS) grade. Patient and injury characteristics, management, and outcomes were compared between UCS grades. A multinomial logistic regression was performed to estimate relative risk ratios (RRR) of variables on UCS grade.

Results

A total of 1,104 patients were included. The majority were female (57.9%; n = 639), ethnically white (88.5%; n = 977), used mobility aids (67%; n = 743), and had a median age of 82 years (interquartile range (IQR) 74 to 87). A total of 77 (7%) had pain prior to the PPF. The most common UCS grade was B2 (33%; n = 368). UCS type D fractures had the longest length of stay (median 19 days (IQR 11 to 26)), highest readmission to hospital (21%; n = 9), and highest rate of discharge to step-down care (52%; n = 23). Multinomial regression suggests that uncemented femoral stems are associated with a reduced risk of UCS C (RRR 0.36 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2 to 0.7); p = 0.002) and increased risk of UCS A (RRR 3.3 (95% CI 1.9 to 5.7); p < 0.001), compared to UCS B fracture.

Conclusion

The most common PPF type in elderly frail patients is UCS B2. Uncemented stems have a lower risk of UCS C fractures compared to cemented stems. A national PPF database is needed to further identify correlation between implants and fracture subtypes.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(9):659–667.
Ethical inclusion in community research: a comment on ‘Consent, assent and randomised evaluations’ by Michael Sanders et al
Authors: Atkins Marc
Published: September 2023

This commentary responds to points raised by Sanders et al in ‘Consent, assent and randomised evaluations’ (Evidence & Policy, 19(4): 603–605, 10.1332/174426421X16842419724551).
Perspectives of College Students With Intellectual Disability on Peer Mentoring Relationships
Authors: Eisenman Laura T.
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to understand how students with intellectual disability perceived mentoring relationships with nondisabled peers within an inclusive mentoring course. Data sources included a variety of course-related products created by mentoring partners as well as their reflections on the course and their mentoring relationships. Qualitative analyses proceeded through multiple rounds of deductive coding utilizing a conceptual framework of effective mentoring practice and inductive coding to identify critical themes from the perspectives of students with ID. A central finding related to how particular mentoring course concepts (e.g., person-centered) and structures (e.g., shared goal setting) supported students with ID to view themselves as active agents in their mentoring relationships and experience reciprocity with nondisabled peers. Students valued social coaching but desired connections to a wider range of peers. Consideration is given to situating elements of the course-based approach within campus programs not focused exclusively on students with disabilities and the importance of acknowledging students’ intersectional social identities.
Bimodal-Bilingual Teacher Training in Sweden
Authors: Thoutenhoofd Ernst D. , Lyngbäck Liz Adams
Published: September 2023

Abstract: In 1981, Sweden was the first country in the world to entitle deaf pupils to a bimodal-bilingual education. However, drawing from interviews with key past Stockholm teacher trainers and on our own efforts to update teacher training, we note that sign-bilingual teacher training in Sweden has been ad hoc to this day. The interviewees' accounts highlight that deaf education is essentially about language access, that sign-bilingualism is core to the educational inclusion of all deaf pupils, and that only audism stands in the way of this. We argue against the Swedish national policy presumption of special need, pointing out that deaf pupils have an inalienable entitlement to sign language in much the same way that the right to speak Swedish is an inalienable part of being Swedish and not a need that only some Swedish people have. This makes national recognition of sign language a necessary precondition to deaf pupils' full educational inclusion. Policy should then likewise guarantee the sign-bilingual competence of teachers seeking to work with deaf pupils, this being a matter that necessarily conjoins educational and language (minority) rights as the two flipsides of one single coin.
The status of person‐centered contraceptive care in the United States: Results from a nationally representative sample
Authors: Wingo Erin , Sarnaik Shashi , Michel Martha , Hessler Danielle , Frederiksen Brittni , Kavanaugh Megan L. , Dehlendorf Christine
Published: September 2023

Context

The Person‐Centered Contraceptive Care measure (PCCC) evaluates patient experience of contraceptive counseling, a construct not represented within United States surveillance metrics of contraceptive care. We explore use of PCCC in a national probability sample and examine predictors of person‐centered contraceptive care.

Methods

Among 2228 women from the 2017–2019 National Survey of Family Growth who reported receiving contraceptive care in the last year, we conducted univariate and multivariable linear regression to identify associations between individual characteristics and PCCC scores.

Results

PCCC scores were high (: 17.84, CI: 17.59–18.08 on a 4–20 scale), yet varied across characteristics. In adjusted analyses, Hispanic identity with Spanish language primacy and non‐Hispanic other or multiple racial identities were significantly associated with lower average PCCC scores compared to those of non‐Hispanic white identity (B = −1.232 [−1.970, −0.493]; B = −0.792 [−1.411, −0.173]). Gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity was associated with lower average PCCC scores compared to heterosexual (B = −0.673 [−1.243, −0.103]). PCCC scores had a positive association with incomes of 150%–299% and ≥300% of the federal poverty level compared to those of income <150% (150%–299%: B = 0.669 [0.198, 1.141]; ≥300%: B = 0.892 [0.412, 1.372]). Cannabis use in the past year was associated with lower PCCC scores (B = −0.542 [−0.971, −0.113]).

Conclusions

The PCCC can capture differential experiences of contraceptive care to monitor patient experience and to motivate and track care quality over time. Differences in reported quality of care have implications for informing national priorities for contraceptive care improvements.
Miniaturized fiber Bragg grating accelerator sensors for low-frequency vibration monitoring
Authors: Wang XiaoMei , Zhang RuiMing , Fan Xiaoyong , Teng YunTian , Tang YiXiang
Published: September 2023

Acceleration monitoring is an important technical means of seismic monitoring, oil exploration, deep well observation, etc. A miniaturized fiber Bragg grating (FBG) acceleration sensor with three cantilever beams is proposed against the fact that it is difficult for fiber-optic sensors to meet the requirements for low-frequency vibration monitoring. First, the model of the FBG acceleration sensor was built and theoretically analyzed; second, the effect of structural parameters on sensor sensitivity and natural frequency was analyzed, and the sensors were subjected to static stress analysis and modal simulation analysis through the ANSYS finite element analysis software; finally, the real sensors were developed and subjected to performance tests with a low-frequency vibration test system. According to the result, the natural frequency of the sensor is about 64 Hz, and its sensitivity is 201.3 pm/g; favorable linearity is observed at the working frequency band of 0.1–40 Hz, and the transverse interference is less than 2.51%. The research findings offer a reference for the development of like sensors and the further exploration of the lower limit of low frequency.
Model-free approach to finding index of refraction values of optical coatings from spectral measurements
Authors: Willey Ronald R.
Published: September 2023

Mathematical models for fitting the refractive index versus the wavelength, such as the Cauchy, Sellmeier, and Drude equations, or physical models, such as the Lorentz model, are commonly used to fit the index properties of measured spectra of optical thin film witness samples for use in the design and production of optical interference coatings. The degree of agreement of the coating reflectance and transmittance with the design when the coatings are produced with these data will depend on the accuracy of the spectral measurements and index fittings. As thin-film coating technology has progressed, many cases are now encountered where no simple model is adequate to fit the actual index dispersion. This work shows an approach to finding the refractive index versus wavelength, which is independent of any mathematical or physical models.
Actively Q-switched self-frequency-doubled Yb:YCOB green laser with output power of a dozen watts
Authors: Du Jinheng , Chen Xiufang , Yu Haohai , Zhang Huaijin
Published: September 2023

A diode laser (LD) end-pumped acousto-optic Q-switched self-frequency-doubled (SFD) Yb:YCa4O(BO3)3 (Yb:YCOB) pulsed green laser was realized for the first time (to our knowledge), with a maximum average output power of 11.6 W and an optical conversion efficiency of 30.0% from the LD to SFD lasers. The wavelength of the SFD lasers was controlled to be 507 nm for improving quantum efficiency up to 96% and reducing thermal effects. The repetition rates ranged from 20 to 500 kHz, and the maximum pulse energy was 312.0 µJ with a peak power of 4.78 kW at a repetition rate of 20 kHz. This work represents the highest output power in the SFD pulsed lasers and provides an efficient and compact way to generate high-power pulsed green lasers that should have important applications in many aspects, such as ultraviolet (UV) laser generation, laser display, and medical, military, and scientific research.
Estimating the effect of a rifampicin resistant tuberculosis diagnosis by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay on two-year mortality
Authors: De Vos Elise , Westreich Daniel , Scott Lesley , Voss de Lima Yara , Stevens Wendy , Hayes Cindy , da Silva Pedro , Van Rie Annelies
Published: September 2023

Studies assessing patient-centred outcomes of novel rifampicin resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) diagnostics are rare and mostly apply conventional methods which may not adequately address biases. Even though the Xpert MTB/RIF molecular assay was endorsed a decade ago for simultaneous diagnosis of tuberculosis and RR-TB, the impact of the assay on mortality among people with RR-TB has not yet been assessed. We analysed data of an observational prospective cohort study (EXIT-RIF) performed in South Africa. We applied a causal inference approach using inverse odds of sampling weights to rectify survivor bias and selection bias caused by differing screening guidelines. We also adjusted for confounding using a marginal structural model with inverse probability of treatment weights. We estimated the total effect of an RR-TB diagnosis made by the Xpert assay versus the pre-Xpert diagnostic algorithm (entailing a targeted Line Probe Assay (LPA) among TB-confirmed patients) on two-year mortality and we assessed mediation by RR-treatment initiation. Of the 749 patients diagnosed with RR-TB [247 (33%) by the pre-Xpert diagnostic algorithm and 502 (67%) by the Xpert assay], 42.7% died. Of these, 364 (48.6%) patients died in the pre-Xpert group and 200 (39.8%) in the Xpert group. People diagnosed with RR-TB by the Xpert assay had a higher odds of RR-TB treatment initiation compared to those diagnosed by the targeted LPA-based diagnostic process (OR 2.79; 95%CI 2.19–3.56). Receiving an RR-TB diagnosis by Xpert resulted in a 28% reduction in the odds of mortality within 2 years after presentation to the clinic (ORCI 0.72; 95%CI 0.53–0.99). Causal mediation analysis suggests that the higher rate of RR-TB treatment initiation in people diagnosed by the Xpert assay explains the effect of Xpert on 2-year mortality [natural indirect effect odds ratio 0.90 (95%CI 0.85–0.96). By using causal inference methods in combination with high quality observational data, we could demonstrate that the introduction of the Xpert assay caused a 28% reduction in 2-year odds of mortality of RR-TB. This finding highlights the need for advocacy for a worldwide roll-out of rapid molecular tests. Because the effect is mainly caused by increased RR-TB treatment initiation, health care systems should also ensure timely initiation of effective treatment upon an RR-TB diagnosis.
Suicide rates during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown in Germany in 2020
Authors: Elsner Anne , Mergl Roland , Allgaier Antje-Kathrin , Hegerl Ulrich
Published: September 2023

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and of measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus on suicidal behavior has been investigated in different regions of the world, but does not yet allow to draw conclusions for Germany. Especially lockdowns might have effects on suicide rates via impact on mental disorders, changes in the choice of suicide method, a decrease in help seeking behavior, or a deterioration in the quality of medical care for people with mental disorders. The following research questions were addressed: i) did suicide rates in Germany in 2020 change during lockdown and non-lockdown periods when compared to a ten-year baseline? ii) was there a change in the proportion of suicide methods during the lockdown compared to baseline? An interrupted time-series analysis based on a linear regression was used. For the comparisons of predicted and observed suicide rates, excess suicide mortality rates (ESMR) were chosen among others. Changes in the choice of method were analyzed by comparing the rates of different methods to those at baseline. Although the mean suicide rate in 2020 was not significantly different from baseline, the weekly analysis of suicide rates revealed a significant difference (χ2 = 64.16; df = 39; p = 0.007), with some weeks showing higher and others lower rates than previous years. The effects for separate weeks were attenuated to non-significance after correction for multiple testing. Suicide mortality during the first lockdown in 2020 was significantly lower than expected (ESMR = 0.933; 95% CI: 0.890; 0.985) whereas, in the post-lockdown period, the registered suicide mortality was not significantly different from the expected one (ESMR = 1.024; 95% CI: 0.997; 1.051). During lockdown, there was a significant increase of the percentage of the suicide method categories jumping and ‘other methods’ and a decrease of poisoning and lying in front of a moving object. Being able to determine whether the choice of more or less lethal methods during lockdown versus non-lockdown periods partly explains this finding would require a representative assessment of attempted suicides.
Relationship between acute glucose variability and cognitive decline in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chi Haiyan , Song Min , Zhang Jinbiao , Zhou Junyu , Liu Deshan
Published: September 2023

Background

Cognitive decline is one of the most widespread chronic complications of diabetes, which occurs in more than half of the patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Emerging evidences have suggested that glucose variability (GV) is associated with the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. However, the influence of acute GV on cognitive dysfunction in T2DM is still controversial. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between acute GV and cognitive defect in T2DM, and provide a most recent and comprehensive summary of the evidences in this research field.

Methods

PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, Web of science, Sinomed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang were searched for articles that reported on the association between acute GV and cognitive impairment in T2DM.

Results

9 eligible studies were included, with a total of 1263 patients with T2DM involved. Results showed that summary Fisher’s z value was -0.23 [95%CI (-0.39, -0.06)], suggesting statistical significance (P = 0.006). Summary r value was -0.22 [95%CI (-0.37, -0.06)]. A lower cognitive performance was found in the subjects with greater glucose variation, which has statistical significance. Mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) was associated with a higher risk of poor functional outcomes. Fisher’s z value was -0.35 [95%CI (-0.43, -0.25)], indicating statistical significance (P = 0.011). Sensitivity analyses by omitting individual studies showed stability of the results.

Conclusions

Overall, higher acute GV is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment in patients with T2DM. Further studies should be required to determine whether targeted intervention of reducing acute GV could prevent cognitive decline.
Effectiveness of sanitization protocols in removing or reducing parasites from vegetables: A systematic review with meta-analysis
Authors: Maia Cláudio Márcio de Medeiros , Damasceno Karla Suzanne Florentino da Silva Chaves , Seabra Larissa Mont’Alverne Jucá , Chaves Gabriela , Dantas Lívia Maria da Costa , Sousa Júnior Francisco Canindé de , de Assis Cristiane Fernandes
Published: September 2023

Background

Parasitic contamination in vegetables is a reality in several countries and a challenge for food safety. The risk of consumption usually raw, associated with failures in good practices of production, transportation, and preparation further increase the possibility of ingesting contaminated food. Given this, a systematic review was carried out to scientifically demonstrate the effectiveness of sanitization protocols in the parasitic decontamination of plants.

Methods

This review was conducted following the guidelines of the Cochrane Manual, being registered in the PROSPERO protocol base (CRD42020206929) and reported according to the PRISMA 2020 statement. The review evaluated studies published in the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, FSTA, LILACS, and AGRIS databases, as well as manual searches of related articles, references, and theses and dissertations directories. The meta-analysis was performed using the Revman 5 software program, the bias assessment used the Robins I Tools with some adaptations, and the quality of the evidence was evaluated using GRADE.

Discussion

The review included a total of 31 studies, most of which were carried out in countries with a high incidence of plant parasites, such as Brazil and Iran. Interventions combined with 200ppm chlorination preceded by brushing, rinsing, or immersion in detergent showed the greatest efficiency in parasitic decontamination. Despite the high heterogeneity and risk of bias in the primary studies, this review can inspire the planning of new studies which observe the critical and methodological evaluation for research in the field of food safety.
Reliability of carotid-femoral arterial waveforms for the derivation of ultra-short term heart rate variability in injured British servicemen: An inter-rater reliability study
Authors: Maqsood Rabeea , Khattab Ahmed , Bennett Alexander N. , Boos Christopher J.
Published: September 2023

In this study, the comparative precision of carotid versus femoral arterial waveforms to measure ultra-short term heart rate variability (HRVUST) following traumatic injury was investigated for the first time. This was an inter-rater reliability study of 50 British servicemen (aged 23–44 years) with non-acute combat-related traumatic injury (CRTI). Paired continuous arterial waveform data for HRVUST analysis, were simultaneously sampled at the carotid and femoral arterial sites (14–16 seconds) during pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement. HRVUST was reported as the root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD). Following the determination of the superior sampling site (carotid versus femoral), the blinded inter-rater agreement in RMSSD for the preferred site was quantified using the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot. The mean age of participants was 34.06±4.88 years. The femoral site was superior to the carotid site with a significantly higher number of reliable signals obtained (Fisher’s Exact test; p<0.001). The inter-rater agreement in femoral-derived RMSSD was excellent [ICC 0.99 (95%CI: 0.994–0.997)] with a moderate level of agreement (mean difference [bias]: 0.55; 95% CI: -0.13–1.24 ms). In this study, we demonstrated that the femoral artery is a more reliable site than the carotid artery for HRVUST measurement and post-trauma risk stratification following CRTI.
Impact of factor rotation on Q-methodology analysis
Authors: Akhtar-Danesh Noori
Published: September 2023

The Varimax and manual rotations are commonly used for factor rotation in Q-methodology; however, their effects on the results may not be well known. In this article we investigate the impact of different factor rotation techniques in Q-methodology, specifically how the factors and their distinguishing statements might be affected. We applied three factor rotation techniques including Varimax, Equamax, and Quartimax rotations on two exemplary datasets and compared the results based on the number of Q-sorts loaded on each factor, number of distinguishing statements for each factor, and changes in the number of distinguishing statements. We also estimated the Pearson correlation between the extracted factors based on rotation techniques. This analysis shows that factors can change substantially from one rotation to another. For instance, there was only 3 common distinguishing statements between Factor 1 of no-rotation of Dataset 1 and its matched factor from Varimax rotation. Even for 3 common statements, the factor scores were quite different from no-rotation to Varimax rotation. This analysis shows that the effects of factor rotation on emerging factors are complex. The changes are usually substantial such that the rotated factors might be quite different from the original factors.