bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of non‐pharmacological therapies on hand function and the ability to perform daily activities in people with systemic sclerosis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized control trials
Authors: Navas‐Otero Alba , Gómez‐De‐Castro Sheila , Ortiz‐Rubio Araceli , Heredia‐Ciuró Alejandro , Martín‐Núñez Javier , Calvache‐Mateo Andrés , Valenza Marie Carmen
Published: May 2023

Background

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease. Individuals with a diagnosis of SSc describe repercussions on their activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living that affect their everyday functional capacity. The objective of this systematic review was to explore the effectiveness of non‐pharmacological interventions to improve hand function and the ability to perform activities of daily living.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted on the Cochrane Library, Medline/PubMed, OTseeker, PEDro, Scopus, Web of Science up to September 10, 2022. Inclusion criteria were defined following PICOS recommendations (Populations, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome measures). Methodological quality was assessed with the Downs and Black Scale and risk of bias was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). A meta‐analysis of each outcome was performed.

Results

A total of 8 studies met the inclusion criteria, providing data on 487 individuals with SSc. The non‐pharmacological intervention applied the most was exercise. The effects of non‐pharmacological interventions were better than those of the waiting list or no treatment control conditions in both outcomes – hand function (mean difference [MD] = −6.98; 95% CI [−11.45, − 2.50], P = 0.002, I2 = 0%) and performance of daily activities (MD = −0.19; 95% CI [−0.33, − 0.04], P = 0.01, I2 = 0%). Moderate risk of bias was found in the majority of the studies included.

Conclusion

There is emerging evidence that non‐pharmacological interventions can improve hand function and performance of daily activities in individuals with a diagnosis of SSc. Given the moderate risk of bias found in the studies included, the results should be considered with caution.
Circular RNA‐mediated ceRNA network was identified in human lung adenocarcinoma by high‐throughput sequencing
Authors: Chen Yongyang , Han Xiaoling , Huang Xiaobi , Zhou Honglian , Yu Hui , Wang Lihui , Liu Zijian , Liu Baiyang , Huang Jian , Xiong Yinghuan , Huang Jian , Shao Yang , Zhu Dongqin , Liang Zhu , Yang Zhixiong , Su Wenmei
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Aberrantly expressed circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been detected in many types of tumors. Hence, they are currently investigated as candidate biomarkers for diagnostic and potential targets for therapy in cancers. The objective of this study was to assess the expression profile of circRNA in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

Methods

This study included 14 pairs of postoperative lung adenocarcinoma specimens, including cancer tissues and matched adjacent tissues. Second‐generation sequencing was applied to the specimens to determine the circRNA expression in them among the 5242 distinct circRNAs detected.

Results

We identified a total of 18 significantly dysregulated circRNAs in the LUAD tissues: upregulation in four and downregulation in 14. ROC (The receiver operating characteristic curve) further suggested that hsa_circ_0120106, has_circ_0007342, has_circ_0005937, and circRNA_0000826 could potentially be used as biomarkers in the diagnosis of LUAD. Furthermore, study of the circRNA–microRNA (miRNA)–messenger RNA (mRNA) revealed interactions between the 18 dysregulated circRNA and several cancer‐related miRNAs. Finally, a further Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that the cell cycle phase transition, p53 signaling pathway, AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) relative signaling pathway, and so on were key putative pathways in the process of LUAD.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrated the correlation between abnormality in circRNA expression and LUAD, which lays the foundation of making CircRNAs candidate biomarkers in the diagnosis of LUAD.
Descrição e fatores modeladores da dieta e ecologia da alimentação de girinos neotropicais: Um estudo de caso e uma revisão abrangente
Authors: Gonçalves Iara Matias , Kloh Jéssica Stephanie , Ruthsatz Katharina , Figueredo Cleber Cunha , Eterovick Paula Cabral
Published: May 2023

Os girinos são componentes importantes de muitas teias alimentares aquáticas, pois influenciam as populações em outros níveis tróficos e, consequentemente, a transferência de energia entre os ecossistemas aquáticos e terrestres. O que os girinos consomem é um fator chave para suas funções ecológicas. As assembleias de anuros neotropicais incluem muitas espécies com estágio larval, porém as dietas dos girinos neotropicais são relativamente pouco conhecidas. Realizamos uma revisão sistemática da literatura disponível sobre estudos in situ de dietas de girinos neotropicais e descobrimos que a maioria dos estudos são descritivos e temporalmente restritos, não considerando variações sazonais. Frequentemente, os estudos também não consideram possíveis variações ontogenéticas da dieta ou a capacidade dos girinos de selecionar alimentos com base no que está disponível em seus habitats. Contribuímos para este tópico investigando variações sazonais e comparando as dietas de dois estágios de desenvolvimento dos girinos de Scinax curicica. A dieta dos girinos variou entre as estações seca e chuvosa, mas não entre as etapas de desenvolvimento estudadas. Estes resultados, juntamente com estudos publicados, sugerem que múltiplos fatores ecológicos/fisiológicos podem influenciar a alimentação do girino e não devem ser desconsiderados. Estudos sobre a ecologia da alimentação do girino neotropical, capacidade de digestão, efeitos fisiológicos de diferentes dietas e interações entre microbioma e dieta são altamente desejáveis, mas em grande parte inexplorados. Tais estudos poderão acrescentar informações valiosas para compreender o papel dos girinos nas teias alimentares aquáticas, seu crescimento e eficiência no desenvolvimento resultantes da obtenção e assimilação de alimentos e, consequentemente, seus efeitos sobre outras espécies nos ecossistemas aquáticos e terrestres.
Mechanical circulatory support for adults in Japan: A 10‐year perspective
Authors: Toda Koichi , Bernhardt Alexander M. , Mehra Mandeep R.
Published: May 2023

Globalization in Asia and consequent strengthening of healthcare economic factors in tandem with an increasing heart failure (HF) population have enhanced potential for development and progress in the fields of HF medicine and mechanical circulatory support (MCS). In Japan, there are unique opportunities to investigate the outcome of acute and chronic MCS and a national registry for percutaneous and implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) including Impella pumps has been established. A Peripheral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for acute MCS has been used in more than 7000 patients annually and Impella usage in more than 4000 patients over the past 4 years was noted. Recently, a novel centrifugal pump with hydrodynamically levitated impeller was developed and approved for mid‐term extracorporeal circulatory support. In terms of chronic MCS more than 1200 continuous flow LVADs have been implanted during the past decade, and 2‐year survival rate after primary LVAD implantation is 91%. Because of donor organ shortage, more than 70% of heart transplant recipients required LVAD support for more than 3 years and prevention and treatment of complications during long‐term LVAD support have become important. Five important topics including hemocompatibility‐related complications, LVAD infections, aortic valve insufficiency, right ventricular failure and cardiac recovery during LVAD support are discussed in this review for improving clinical outcomes. Findings from Japan will continue to provide useful information regarding MCS for the Asia‐Pacific region and beyond.
Measuring individual social capital in cooperatives in West Shoa, Ethiopia
Authors: Belay Daniel , Wondimu Asegedech
Published: May 2023

The aim of the paper is to extend the knowledge of the measurement of dimensions of social capital in cooperatives. The paper draws on data collected in a survey of 154 members in dairy cooperatives to develop and test composite indicators for measuring dimensions of social capital: structural, relational, and cognitive. Principal component analyses (PCAs) were performed on the data sets of indicators of dimensions of social capital. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett's test of Sphericity supported the appropriateness of performing PCAs. After the extraction of the principal components, intermediate composite indicators were computed for the dimensions of social capital. Finally, the composite indicators were computed as linear weighted aggregations of the intermediate composite indicators. The internal consistency of the composite indicators was verified using Cronbach's alpha. The method provided single, synthetic measures for the dimensions of social capital, which are robust and exhibit construct validity. The paper provided practical knowledge that can be applied to measuring dimensions of social capital in cooperatives.
Navigating team resilience: A video observation of an elite yacht racing crew
Authors: King Elizabeth , Branicki Layla , Norbury Kate , Badham Richard
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we take a process perspective to inductively theorize how shifting sources of adversity and subjective experiences of team relationship quality influence team resilience across time. Building on the literature, we characterize team resilience as a set of team‐level processes—anticipation, coping, and learning—which can support teams to work interdependently to return to, or beyond, pre‐adversity levels of performance. Despite the rising interest, existing research has tended to be theoretical or exploratory in relation to sources of everyday team adversity. To further understand team resilience, we examine how the characteristics of team resilience unfold across time between a crew of sailors during a challenging multi‐day yacht race and competitive demands. Using video observations and interview data, we explore in real‐time how team resilience processes are (i) shaped by dynamism in the sources of external (environmental) adversity and internal team adversity encountered and (ii) influenced by shifts in the subjective experience of team relationship quality across time. We make two contributions: a novel conceptualization of how external (environmental) adversity and internal team adversity affect team resilience processes across time and a theorization of how relationship quality affects team resilience in the context of shifting adversities.
Aetiological distribution of pulmonary hypertension and the value of transthoracic echocardiography screening in the respiratory department: A retrospective analysis from China
Authors: Hong Cheng , Chen Riken , Hu Linna , Liu Haimin , Lu Jianmin , Zhuang Chunying , Guo Wenliang , Wu Xiaofeng , Lin Jielong , Sun Xishi , Tang Haiyang , Wang Zhewen , Zhang Nuofu , Zheng Zhenzhen
Published: May 2023

Methods

The aetiological composition and clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) hospitalised in the respiratory department were retrospectively analysed, as well as the correlation between transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and right heart catheterization (RHC) for evaluating pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP).

Results

Of 731 patients, 544 (74.42%) were diagnosed with PH by RHC. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was the most common type of PH, accounting for 30.10%; PH due to lung disease and/or hypoxia accounted for 20.79%, and PH due to pulmonary artery obstructions accounted for 19.29%. TTE has the highest specificity for diagnosing PH due to pulmonary artery obstructions. The specificity was 0.9375, the sensitivity was 0.7361 and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.836. PASP, and mPAP estimated by TTE were different for various types of PH. In terms of PASP, TTE overestimated PASP in PH due to lung disease and/or hypoxia, but there was no significant difference compared with RHC (P > 0.05). TTE underestimates PAH patients' PASP compared with RHC. In terms of mPAP, TTE underestimated the mPAP of all types of PH, as there was a significant difference in the TTE‐estimated mPAP of patients with PAH compared with RHC but not on other types of PH. Pearson correlation analysis of TTE and RHC showed a moderate overall correlation (rPASP 0.598, P < 0.001; rmPAP 0.588, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Among the patients with PH in the respiratory department, patients with PAH accounted for the majority. TTE has high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of PH due to pulmonary artery obstructions in the respiratory department.
Colour vision is aligned with natural scene statistics at 4 months of age
Authors: Skelton Alice E. , Franklin Anna , Bosten Jenny M.
Published: May 2023

Visual perception in adult humans is thought to be tuned to represent the statistical regularities of natural scenes. For example, in adults, visual sensitivity to different hues shows an asymmetry which coincides with the statistical regularities of colour in the natural world. Infants are sensitive to statistical regularities in social and linguistic stimuli, but whether or not infants’ visual systems are tuned to natural scene statistics is currently unclear. We measured colour discrimination in infants to investigate whether or not the visual system can represent chromatic scene statistics in very early life. Our results reveal the earliest association between vision and natural scene statistics that has yet been found: even as young as 4 months of age, colour vision is aligned with the distributions of colours in natural scenes.

Research Highlights

We find infants’ colour sensitivity is aligned with the distribution of colours in the natural world, as it is in adults.

At just 4 months, infants’ visual systems are tailored to extract and represent the statistical regularities of the natural world.

This points to a drive for the human brain to represent statistical regularities even at a young age.
The neonate brain's sensitivity to repetition‐based structure: Specific to speech?
Authors: Nallet Caroline , Berent Iris , Werker Janet F. , Gervain Judit
Published: May 2023

Newborns are able to extract and learn repetition‐based regularities from the speech input, that is, they show greater brain activation in the bilateral temporal and left inferior frontal regions to trisyllabic pseudowords of the form AAB (e.g., “babamu”) than to random ABC sequences (e.g., “bamuge”). Whether this ability is specific to speech or also applies to other auditory stimuli remains unexplored. To investigate this, we tested whether newborns are sensitive to regularities in musical tones. Neonates listened to AAB and ABC tones sequences, while their brain activity was recorded using functional Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). The paradigm, the frequency of occurrence and the distribution of the tones were identical to those of the syllables used in previous studies with speech. We observed a greater inverted (negative) hemodynamic response to AAB than to ABC sequences in the bilateral temporal and fronto‐parietal areas. This inverted response was caused by a decrease in response amplitude, attributed to habituation, over the course of the experiment in the left fronto‐temporal region for the ABC condition and in the right fronto‐temporal region for both conditions. These findings show that newborns’ ability to discriminate AAB from ABC sequences is not specific to speech. However, the neural response to musical tones and spoken language is markedly different. Tones gave rise to habituation, whereas speech was shown to trigger increasing responses over the time course of the study. Relatedly, the repetition regularity gave rise to an inverted hemodynamic response when carried by tones, while it was canonical for speech. Thus, newborns’ ability to detect repetition is not speech‐specific, but it engages distinct brain mechanisms for speech and music.

Research Highlights

The ability of newborns’ to detect repetition‐based regularities is not specific to speech, but also extends to other auditory modalities.

The brain mechanisms underlying speech and music processing are markedly different.
School participation among young people with craniofacial microsomia and other childhood‐onset disabilities
Authors: Kaelin Vera C. , Anaby Dana , Werler Martha M. , Khetani Mary A.
Published: May 2023

Aim

To examine how school environment, physical functioning problems, and behavioral problems explain levels of school participation (i.e. attendance and involvement) among young people with craniofacial microsomia (CFM) and other childhood‐onset disabilities, and whether participation‐focused caregiver strategies play a role in these relationships.

Method

We conducted secondary analyses of a subset of data (n = 260 families: 120 with CFM and 140 with other childhood‐onset disabilities) from the second follow‐up phase of a longitudinal cohort study. We applied structural equation modeling with data collected from the Participation and Environment Measure – Children and Youth version, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory physical functioning scale.

Results

Model fit was acceptable to close (comparative fit index = 0.973; root mean square error of approximation = 0.055; standardized root mean squared residual = 0.043; Tucker–Lewis index = 0.958). School environmental support had a positive effect on young people's participation attendance and involvement, and physical functioning problems had a negative effect on participation involvement. The number of disclosed caregiver strategies had a significant positive effect on the relationship between school environmental support and school participation attendance.

Interpretation

Findings confirm the effect of school environmental support and physical functioning problems on school participation and highlight the role of participation‐focused caregiver strategies to intensify the positive effect of school environmental support on school participation attendance.

What this paper adds

Environmental support had a positive effect on participation attendance and involvement.

Physical functioning problems had a negative effect on school participation involvement.

Disclosed caregiver strategies intensified the impact of environmental support on participation attendance.
Assessment of fetal cardiac functions in pregnant women with asthma
Authors: Laleli Koc Bergen , Oluklu Deniz , Hendem Derya Uyan , Beser Dilek Menekse , Besimoglu Berchan , Tanacan Atakan , Ocal Fatma Doga , Sahin Dilek
Published: May 2023

Aim

This study aims to investigate the effects of maternal asthma on fetal cardiac functions.

Methods

The study was planned with 30 pregnant women who presented to a tertiary health center and were diagnosed with asthma and 60 healthy controls with similar gestational ages. The fetal echocardiographic assessment was assessed between 33 and 35 weeks of gestation with pulsed‐wave Doppler (PW), M‐mode, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Fetal cardiac functions were compared between maternal asthma and the control group. Cardiac functions were assessed according to the duration of maternal asthma diagnosis, as well.

Results

Early diastolic function parameters, tricuspid E wave (p = .001), and tricuspid E/A ratio (p = .005) were significantly lower in the group with maternal asthma. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and measurements of mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) values were statistically lower in the study group than in the control group; p = .010 and p = .012, respectively. Parameters assessed with TDI (E′, A′, S′, E/E′, and MPI′ of tricuspid valves) and global cardiac function parameters assessed with PW like myocardial performance index (MPI) and left cardiac output (LCO) were similar between groups (p > .05). Although, MPI did not change between groups, and the isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) value was prolonged in maternal asthma cases (p = .025).

Conclusion

We found that maternal asthma disease causes alteration in fetal diastolic and early systolic cardiac functions, but the global fetal cardiac function does not change. Diastolic heart function values also varied with the duration of maternal asthma. Prospective studies are needed to compare fetal cardiac functions with additional patient groups according to disease severity and type of medical treatment.
Efficacy of spesolimab for the treatment of generalized pustular psoriasis flares across pre‐specified patient subgroups in the Effisayil 1 study
Authors: Burden A. D. , Okubo Y. , Zheng M. , Thaçi D. , van de Kerkhof P. , Hu N. , Quaresma M. , Thoma C. , Choon S. E.
Published: May 2023

Effisayil 1 was a multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study of the anti‐interleukin (IL)‐36 receptor monoclonal antibody, spesolimab, in patients presenting with a generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) flare. Previously published data from this study revealed that within 1 week, rapid pustular and skin clearance were observed in patients receiving spesolimab versus placebo. In this pre‐specified subgroup analysis, the efficacy of spesolimab was evaluated according to patient demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline in patients receiving spesolimab (n = 35) or placebo (n = 18) on Day 1. Efficacy was by assessed by achievement of primary endpoint (Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Physician Global Assessment [GPPGA] pustulation subscore of 0 at Week 1) and key secondary endpoint (GPPGA total score of 0 or 1 at Week 1). Safety was assessed at Week 1. Spesolimab was found to be efficacious and had a consistent and favourable safety profile in patients presenting with a GPP flare, regardless of patient demographics and clinical characteristics at baseline.
Demographic and clinical feature disparity between progress and non‐progress patients with vitiligo after COVID‐19 vaccination: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Hou Xiaoyuan , Wu Nanhui , Xu Mingyuan , Kharel Pramisha , Wu Fei , Wu Yichen , Wang Ruiping , Chen Jia
Published: May 2023

There have been several case reports regarding newly developed vitiligo following the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) vaccination. However, the relationship between COVID‐19 vaccine and vitiligo progression remains unclear. To explore the relationship between COVID‐19 vaccine and vitiligo progression and its potential influencing factors, A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 90 patients with vitiligo who received inactivated COVID‐19 vaccination. Detailed information covering demographic characteristics (age and sex), vitiligo clinical features (disease subtypes, duration, stage and comorbidities) and disease activity was collected through an electronic questionnaire. Ninety patients with vitiligo included 44.4% males, with an average age of 38.1 years (standard deviation, SD = 15.0). Patients were divided into progress group (29, 32.2%) and normal group (61, 67.8%) based on whether they experienced vitiligo progression after inactivated COVID‐19 vaccination. 41.3% of patients in the progress group experienced vitiligo progression within 1 week after vaccination, and disease progression mainly occurred after the first dose inoculation (20, 69.0%). Logistic regression revealed that patients aged <45 years (odds ratio (OR) was 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34–2.22) and male patients (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.34–2.05) had lower risk for vitiligo progression, while patients with segmental vitiligo (SV) subtype (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 0.53–5.33), with <5 years disease duration (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 0.51–3.47) had higher risk for vitiligo progression after COVID‐19 vaccination, but without statistical significance. Over 30% patients experienced vitiligo progression after inactivated COVID‐19 vaccination, and female patients, elder age, shorter disease duration and SV subtype are potential risk factors for vitiligo progression.
A shot in the arm: The effect of COVID‐19 vaccine news on financial and commodity markets
Authors: Kucher Oleg , Kurov Alexander , Wolfe Marketa Halova
Published: May 2023

We analyze the impact of COVID‐19 vaccine announcements by leading vaccine companies on the financial and commodity markets from January to December 2020. We show that the vaccine announcements had varied and economically significant impacts on asset prices. The announcements moved interest rates, stock markets in the U.S. and numerous other countries as well as commodities used in transportation and some agricultural commodities. We show that the stock and commodity markets that experienced larger declines at the beginning of the pandemic receive a larger boost from good vaccine news. We also find that the vaccine news affects stock returns through changes in the expectations of the corporate cash flows and the expected equity risk premium.
Characteristics of patients who visited emergency departments for headache in South Korea: A descriptive cross‐sectional study
Authors: Park Song Yi , Kim Jiyoung
Published: May 2023

Objective

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of adult patients who visit emergency departments (EDs) for non‐traumatic headache in South Korea.

Background

Little is known about East Asian patients who visit EDs for headache.

Methods

This observational, descriptive, cross‐sectional study retrospectively analyzed 2019 National Emergency Department Information System data, including age, sex, co‐occurring fever, symptom duration, insurance type, transportation mode, ED level, triage level, ED visit time, specialist consultations at the ED, disposition from the ED, and outcomes. The proportion of patients with a life‐threatening secondary headache and the diagnostic codes were investigated.

Results

A total of 227,288 patients were observed in this study, accounting for 2.2% (227,288/10,238,360) of all ED visits. Females (63.1%; 143,493/227,288) visited EDs more than males, and patients aged 50–60 years (21.0%; 47,637/227,288) visited most frequently. A total of 61.5% (93,789/151,494) of ED visits were within 24 h after headache onset, and 57.6% (131,056/227,288) of visits were assigned to non‐urgent triage levels. The most frequent discharge codes were “R51: Headache (not better specified)” from the ED and ward, and “I60: Subarachnoid hemorrhage” from the intensive care unit. The rate of migraine diagnosis was 7.2% (16,471/227,288). A total of 3.1% (7153/227,288) of patients were diagnosed with life‐threatening secondary headaches, most commonly subarachnoid hemorrhage (1.2%; 2744/227,288) and cerebral infarction (0.6%; 1341/227,288).

Conclusions

In South Korea, the characteristics of patients who visited the ED for non‐traumatic headache were not very different from those in existing studies; however, patients tended to visit EDs early and be classified as non‐urgent, and emergency physicians tended to enter the diagnosis code “R51: Headache (not better specified)”, resulting in a much lower rate of migraine diagnoses. Non‐urgent early visitors coded with “R51” may include those who have not yet been diagnosed with primary headache and have not been treated, but who need further research.

Trial Registration

Not applicable.
Effects of rimegepant 75 mg daily on the pharmacokinetics of a combined oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate in healthy female participants
Authors: Bhardwaj Rajinder , Stringfellow Joseph C. , Morris Beth , Croop Robert S. , Bertz Richard J.
Published: May 2023

Objective

To assess the effect of single and multiple doses of rimegepant 75 mg dose on the pharmacokinetics of an oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol (EE)/norgestimate (NGM) in healthy females of childbearing potential or non‐menopausal females with tubal ligation.

Background

Females of childbearing age experience the highest prevalence of migraine and frequently inquire about the concomitant use of anti‐migraine medications and contraceptives. Rimegepant, a calcitonin gene–related peptide receptor antagonist, demonstrated efficacy and safety for treating an acute migraine attack and preventing migraine.

Methods

This open‐label, single‐center, phase 1, drug–drug interaction study explored the effects of rimegepant 75 mg daily dose on the pharmacokinetics of an oral contraceptive containing EE/NGM 0.035 mg/0.25 mg in healthy females of childbearing potential or non‐menopausal females with tubal ligation. During cycles 1 and 2, participants received EE/NGM once daily for 21 days followed by placebo tablets with inactive ingredients for 7 days. Rimegepant was administered during only cycle 2 for 8 days, from days 12 through 19. The primary endpoint was the effect of single and multiple doses of rimegepant on the pharmacokinetics of EE and norelgestromin (NGMN), an active metabolite of NGM, at steady state, including area under the concentration‐time curve for 1 dosing interval (AUC0−τ,ss) and maximum observed concentration (Css[max]).

Results

The study enrolled 25 participants, with pharmacokinetic data assessed for 20 participants. A single 75 mg dose of rimegepant co‐administered with EE/NGM increased exposures of EE and NGMN by ≤16% (geometric mean ratio [GMR], 1.03; 90% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.06; and GMR, 1.16; 90% CI, 1.13–1.20, respectively). After 8 days of co‐administering EE/NGM with rimegepant, EE pharmacokinetic parameters, AUC0−τ,ssandCss(max), increased by 20% (GMR, 1.20; 90% CI, 1.16–1.25) and 34% (GMR, 1.34; 90% CI, 1.23–1.46), respectively, and NGMN pharmacokinetic parameters increased by 46% (GMR, 1.46; 90% CI, 1.39–1.52) and 40% (GMR, 1.40; 90% CI, 1.30–1.51), respectively.

Conclusions

The study identified modest elevations in overall EE and NGMN exposures after multiple doses of rimegepant, but these elevations are unlikely to be clinically relevant in healthy females with migraine.
Advances and challenges in studying the tissue‐resident T cell compartment in the human female reproductive tract
Authors: Lund Jennifer M. , Hladik Florian , Prlic Martin
Published: May 2023

Tissue‐resident memory T cells (TRM) are considered to be central to maintaining mucosal barrier immunity and tissue homeostasis. Most of this knowledge stems from murine studies, which provide access to all organs. These studies also allow for a thorough assessment of the TRM compartment for each tissue and across tissues with well‐defined experimental and environmental variables. Assessing the functional characteristics of the human TRM compartment is substantially more difficult; thus, notably, there is a paucity of studies profiling the TRM compartment in the human female reproductive tract (FRT). The FRT is a mucosal barrier tissue that is naturally exposed to a wide range of commensal and pathogenic microbes, including several sexually transmitted infections of global health significance. We provide an overview of studies describing T cells within the lower FRT tissues and highlight the challenges of studying TRM cells in the FRT: different sampling methods of the FRT greatly affect immune cell recovery, especially of TRM cells. Furthermore, menstrual cycle, menopause, and pregnancy affect FRT immunity, but little is known about changes in the TRM compartment. Finally, we discuss the potential functional plasticity of the TRM compartment during inflammatory episodes in the human FRT to maintain protection and tissue homeostasis, which are required to ensure reproductive fitness.
Staff experiences of a novel in‐reach rehabilitation and recovery service for people with profound and enduring mental health needs
Authors: Smith Penn , Thompson Alison , Madill Anna
Published: May 2023

This organizational case study addresses the research question: What are the experiences of staff who work in a novel in‐reach rehabilitation and recovery service for people with profound and enduring mental health needs? Fifteen purposefully sampled staff were recruited from across a novel mental health service that embeds the community sector within inpatient provision. The sample comprises twelve National Health Service and three community voluntary organization staff (four men and eleven women). Data were generated via photo‐elicitation in which interviews focused on the photographs participants brought to help convey their experiences of the Service. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. The analysis demonstrates that participants are oriented towards five ‘meta‐questions’: What is recovery? Who is valued and how is it demonstrated? Why are you frustrated in doing the best job you can and what support do you need? How can change occur in staff practices and approaches in an environment embedded in history? and How do we make the Service work in the context of constraints? Eight paired themes were also identified regarding staff experience of the Service: hope and individuality; culture and power; communication and confidence; accountability and limitations. The conclusions of this organizational case study have wide relevance to clinical practice: staff (i) place importance on promoting and developing greater awareness of different approaches to care; (ii) aspire to develop better communication across multidisciplinary teams and (iii) desire greater awareness of the complexities of risk to improve staff confidence.
The relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression in advanced lung cancer patients
Authors: Yang Limin , Liu Jiali , Liu Qi , Wang Yalan , Yu Juan , Qin Huiying
Published: May 2023

Aims

Fear of progression of cancer patients can affect their psychological well‐being, while research on fear of progression of advanced lung cancer patients is limited. This study aimed to describe fear of progression among advanced lung cancer patients and explore the relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression.

Design

This study was a cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Convenience sampling was used to select advanced lung cancer patients from September 2021 to January 2022. The Chinese version of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire‐Short Form, Lung Cancer Module of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, Family Support Questionnaire, and Health Literacy Scale for Patients with Chronic Disease were used to collect data. The structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression.

Results

Of 220 patients, 31.8% had dysfunctional fear of progression. Better symptom experience, higher family support, and higher health literacy were correlated directly with lower fear of progression. Higher health literacy was associated indirectly with lower fear of progression through the mediation of better symptom experience.

Conclusion

Fear of progression among advanced lung cancer patients needs attention. Strengthening symptom management, building a strong system of family support, and improving patients' health literacy may be effective strategies to reduce fear of progression.

Impact

The research aimed to increase our understanding of the relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression. Fear of progression screening should be integrated into the healthcare trajectory of advanced lung cancer patients. The results emphasize that improving symptom management, family support, and health literacy is important to alleviate fear of progression. Further interventions are warranted to relieve fear of progression for advanced lung cancer patients.

Patient or public contribution

No public or patient involvement.
American Geriatrics Society 2023 updated AGS Beers Criteria® for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults
Authors:   By the 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® Update Expert Panel
Published: May 2023

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria® (AGS Beers Criteria®) for Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use in Older Adults is widely used by clinicians, educators, researchers, healthcare administrators, and regulators. Since 2011, the AGS has been the steward of the criteria and has produced updates on a regular cycle. The AGS Beers Criteria® is an explicit list of PIMs that are typically best avoided by older adults in most circumstances or under specific situations, such as in certain diseases or conditions. For the 2023 update, an interprofessional expert panel reviewed the evidence published since the last update (2019) and based on a structured assessment process approved a number of important changes including the addition of new criteria, modification of existing criteria, and formatting changes to enhance usability. The criteria are intended to be applied to adults 65 years old and older in all ambulatory, acute, and institutionalized settings of care, except hospice and end‐of‐life care settings. Although the AGS Beers Criteria® may be used internationally, it is specifically designed for use in the United States and there may be additional considerations for certain drugs in specific countries. Whenever and wherever used, the AGS Beers Criteria® should be applied thoughtfully and in a manner that supports, rather than replaces, shared clinical decision‐making.
Los precios de las esmeraldas colombianas: Formas parasitarias de habitar la formalización minera en Colombia
Authors: Caraballo Acuña Vladimir
Published: May 2023

In Colombia, emerald traders often buy and sell their stones using ambiguities and contradictions, rather than certainties and agreements. In this way, they rescue the impossibility of the connection between emeralds and money so that the connection is both possible and impossible. Through an ethnographic analysis of these exchanges, in this article, I suggest that ambiguities and contradictions are, rather than failures in the emeralds‐money connection, sources for imagining and constructing novel connections. Framed in the context of Colombia's recent mining formalization, these emerald practices provide a glimpse of politics that seize the failures of standards, rather than seeking to correct them.
‘I'm still here, I'm alive and breathing’: The experience of Black Americans with long COVID
Authors: Bergmans Rachel S. , Chambers‐Peeple Keiyana , Yu Christine , Xiao Lillian Z. , Wegryn‐Jones Riley , Martin Allie , Dell'Imperio Samantha , Aboul‐Hassan Deena , Williams David A. , Clauw Daniel J. , DeJonckheere Melissa
Published: May 2023

Aims and Objectives

In this study, we aimed to characterize the impact of long COVID on quality of life and approaches to symptom management among Black American adults.

Background

As a novel condition, qualitative evidence concerning long COVID symptoms and their impact on quality of life can inform the refinement of diagnostic criteria and care plans. However, the underrepresentation of Black Americans in long COVID research is a barrier to achieving equitable care for all long COVID patients.

Design

We employed an interpretive description study design.

Methods

We recruited a convenience sample of 15 Black American adults with long COVID. We analysed the anonymized transcripts from race‐concordant, semi‐structured interviews using an inductive, thematic analysis approach. We followed the SRQR reporting guidelines.

Results

We identified four themes: (1) The impact of long COVID symptoms on personal identity and pre‐existing conditions; (2) Self‐management strategies for long COVID symptoms; (3) Social determinants of health and symptom management; and (4) Effects on interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion

Findings demonstrate the comprehensive ramifications of long COVID on the lives of Black American adults. Results also articulate how pre‐existing conditions, social risk factors, distrust due to systemic racism, and the nature of interpersonal relationships can complicate symptom management.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Care approaches that support access to and implementation of integrative therapies may be best suited to meet the needs of long COVID patients. Clinicians should also prioritize eliminating patient exposure to discrimination, implicit bias, and microaggressions. This is of particular concern for long COVID patients who have symptoms that are difficult to objectively quantify, such as pain and fatigue.

No Patient or Public Contribution

While patient perspectives and experiences were the focus of this study, patients were not involved with the design or conduct of the study, data analysis or interpretation, or writing the manuscript.
Morning naps architecture and mentation recall complexity
Authors: Sebastiani Laura , Barcaro Umberto , Paradisi Paolo , Frumento Paolo , Faraguna Ugo
Published: May 2023

Mentation reports were collected after spontaneous awakenings from morning naps in 18 healthy participants, and associations between sleep stages duration and complexity of recalled mentation were investigated. Participants were continuously recorded with polysomnography and allowed to sleep for a maximum of 2 hr. Mentation reports were classified according to both their complexity (1–6 scale) and their perceived timing of occurrence (Recent or Previous Mentation with respect to the final awakening). The results showed a good level of mentation recall, including different types of mentation with lab‐related stimuli. N1 + N2 duration was positively related to the complexity of Previous Mentation recall, while rapid eye movement sleep duration was negatively related. This suggests that the recall of complex mentation, such as dreaming with a plot, occurring far from awakening may depend on the length of N1 + N2. However, the duration of sleep stages did not predict the complexity of Recent Mentation recall. Nevertheless, 80% of participants who recalled Recent Mentation had a rapid eye movement sleep episode. Half of the participants reported incorporating lab‐related stimuli in their mentation, which positively correlated with both N1 + N2 and rapid eye movement duration. In conclusion, nap sleep architecture is informative about the complexity of dreams perceived as having occurred early during the sleep episode, but not about those perceived as recent.
Linking Religious Upbringing to Young Adult Moral Formation
Authors: Smith Jesse
Published: May 2023

Recent scholarship has conceptualized morality in terms of multidimensional, intuitive traits that influence what people regard as right or wrong. Ample literature shows that religious factors are closely related to moral traits. However, little research has explored links between religious upbringing and adult moral outcomes. This study uses longitudinal data from the National Study of Youth and Religion to examine how diverse forms of religious socialization in adolescence are related to two well‐validated social‐scientific conceptions of morality in young adulthood: Haidt's moral foundations and Schwartz’ values typology. Using regression analyses and Lindeman, Merenda, and Gold (LMG) decomposition methods, I show that different aspects of religious upbringing are linked to the development of both moral foundations and values. Religious factors play a stronger role than either sociodemographics or parent political ideology in predicting young adult moral characteristics. Results highlight the centrality of religious upbringing to the state and trajectory of the population‐level moral structure.
Autopilot model for shield tunneling machines using support vector regression and its application to previously constructed tunnels
Authors: Kubota Yasuyuki , Yabuki Nobuyoshi , Fukuda Tomohiro
Published: May 2023

Although a shield tunneling machine is intended to excavate a tunnel along its planned alignment, deviations occur between the planned alignment and the measured alignment, which must be corrected. These operations are time‐consuming, and it is difficult to correct deviations. However, related studies have been unable to automatically calculate the optimum operation parameters. Therefore, this study sought to use machine learning to develop an autopilot model, which is a method to automatically calculate optimal operation parameters of the shield machine for straight and curved sections of the planned alignment in both plan and longitudinal views using support vector regression. As a result, it could automatically calculate operation parameters that predict a shield machine that excavates with the same or better excavating accuracy of a skilled operator and contributes to the automation of shield machine operation.
Teleosemantics and the frogs
Authors: Millikan Ruth Garrett
Published: May 2023

Some have thought that the plausibility of teleosemantics requires that it yield a determinate answer to the question of what the semantic “content” is of the “representation” triggered in the optic nerve of a frog that spots a fly. An outsize literature has resulted in which, unfortunately, a number of serious confusions and omissions that concern the way teleosemantics would have to work have appeared and been passed on uncorrected leaving a distorted and simplistic picture of the teleosemantic position. I will speak to a half dozen of the worst of these misunderstandings and then say just a word about the frog question itself.
Exploring the lexical profile of advanced L2 writers: Longitudinal data from the Russian Overseas Flagship program
Authors: Comer William J.
Published: May 2023

This study explores the lexical profile of essays written by 48 advanced learners of second language (L2) Russian who participated in the Russian Overseas Flagship, an intensive year‐long study abroad program designed to help students reach Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 3 proficiency in all skills. Using the lexical frequency profile and P–Lex as measures of vocabulary sophistication, the study found that over the 9 months of the program, students significantly increased their usage of words from the lowest frequency bands. This adds to previous findings that knowledge of lexical items at the 3,000–5,000 word frequency levels predicts reading proficiency at the ACTFL advanced high–superior level in Russian. However, the increase of vocabulary sophistication was not clearly correlated with improvements in the students’ writing proficiency scores, as measured on the ILR scale. A qualitative analysis of the students’ low‐frequency vocabulary usage reveals their control of native Russian vocabulary and derivational morphology. The analyses reveal the effects of writing tasks on student vocabulary usage.
Pain cannot (just) be whatever the person says: A critique of a dogma
Authors: Djordjevic Charles
Published: May 2023

McCaffery's definition of pain has proven to be one of the most consequential in nursing and healthcare more generally. She put forward this definition in response to the persistent undertreatment of pain. However, despite raising her definition to the status of a dogma, the undertreatment remains a real problem. This essay explores the contention that McCaffery's definition of pain elides critical aspects of it, aspects that demand consideration when treating pain. In section I, I set the stage. I discuss how McCaffery's definition and her understanding of pain science interrelate. In section II, I raise three problems for this understanding. In section III, I argue that these problems stem from an incoherency in her definition. Finally, in section IV, I draw from hospice nursing as well as philosophy and the social sciences to redefine ‘pain’ so that an intersubjective feature of it is foregrounded. I also briefly discuss one implication this redefinition has for pain management.