bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘The world’s shortest highway’: Entrepreneurial populism and the making of a personal campaign
Authors: Vesalon Lucian , Botgros Vlad
Published: January 2022

‘The world’s shortest highway’ is 1 metre long and was built in 2019 by a Romanian businessman as part of the campaign ‘Romania wants highways’. This brought interesting evolutions to the landscape of social movements in Eastern Europe. It was a highly personalised campaign, one which faced several internal contradictions and displayed an uncritical adoption of stereotypes about progress and development. We argue that it produced a discourse that revolves around ‘Westernisation’ and ‘nationhood’. As this article seeks to demonstrate, the campaign is framed in a discourse of ‘entrepreneurial populism’. By analysing this discourse, we contribute with a peculiar case to the debates on the varieties of populism and on the culture of business celebrities. Our analysis indicates that, although this single-issue campaign is nominally about highways, its substance is rather about business celebrities occupying the space of social activism.
Fracture behaviors of HVFA-SCC mixed with seawater and sea-sand under three-point bending
Authors: Zhou Lingzhu , Zheng Yu , Huo Linsheng , Ye Yuxiao , Wang Xiaolu , Song Gangbing
Published: January 2022

This paper aims to study the fracture behaviors of high-volume fly ash-self-compacting concrete (HVFA-SCC) mixed with seawater and sea-sand (SWSS) or freshwater and river sand (FWRS). Three-point bending test were performed on 24 notched beams fabricated with varying in replacement ratio of fly ash (0%, 30%, 50%, and 70%) and the type of water and sand (SWSS and FWRS). The initial and unstable fracture toughness of these test specimens are determined by the double- K fracture model. The effect of fly ash replacement ratio and type of water and sand on the fracture parameters is analyzed and discussed. In addition, the cohesive fracture toughness of all the test specimens is calculated by using Gauss–Chebyshev integral method and the weight function method based on the bilinear tensile softening curve given in CEP-FIP Model Code. A comparison of fracture toughness parameters of determined from the experimental approach and analytical approaches is presented in these SCC specimens. Results show that SCC mixed with SWSS replacing FWRS can improve the unstable fracture toughness and fracture energy, and decrease its brittleness behavior. The cohesive fracture toughness of SWSS-SCC specimens is underestimated by these analytical methods based on the tensile softening curve given in CEP-FIP Model Code.
Probabilistic anomaly trend detection for cable-supported bridges using confidence interval estimation
Authors: Xu Xiang , Qian Zhen-Dong , Huang Qiao , Ren Yuan , Liu Bin
Published: January 2022

To rate uncertainties within anomaly detection course for large span cable-supported bridges, a probabilistic approach is developed based on confidence interval estimation of extreme value analytics. First, raw signals from structural health monitoring system are pre-processed, including missing data imputation using moving time window mean imputation approach and thermal response separation through multi-resolution wavelet-based method. Then, an energy index is extracted from time domain signals to enhance robust of detection performance. A resampling-based method, namely the bootstrap, is adopted herein for confidence interval estimation. Four confidence levels are defined for the anomaly trend detection in this study, namely 95%, 80%, 50%, and 20%. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed anomaly trend detection methodology is validated by using in-situ cable force measurements from the Nanjing Dashengguan Yangtze River Bridge. As a result, the four-level anomaly detection triggers are determined by using the confidence interval estimation based on cable force measurements in 2007, which are 58,671, 48,862, 42,499 and 39,035, respectively. Subsequently, three cases are presented, which are spike detection, overloading vehicle detection and snow disaster detection. Through the spike detection, it is verified that energy index is capable to tolerate signal spikes. Three overloading events are simulated to conduct overloading vehicle detections. As a result, the three overloading events are detected successfully associated with different confidences. Snow disaster is detected with a more than 80% confidence based on the field measurements during the snow storm time window.
How community medical facilities can promote resilient community constructions under the background of pandemics
Authors: Wang Fang , Fang Yuanyang , Deng Handuo , Wei Fangzhen
Published: January 2022

Nowadays, urban and community resilience have become the core issues of urban theoretical research and construction practices. While there are many studies on climate change, natural hazards and environmental pollution, relatively less attention has been paid to public and human health. However, the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is a major global public health crisis, is posing severe challenges to the resilience of cities and communities in the context of high-mobility, high-density and high-intensity, as well as expands the connotation of community resilience to public health. To compensate for the lack of current research, this study examined the characteristics of community medical facilities in response to pandemics at urban, community and individual multi-spatial scales based on a thorough review of current research and relevant practice. It also emphasized the significant role played by community medical facilities in improving resilient community constructions in the face of large-scale public health emergencies. These characteristics were fully utilized to explore ways to build and govern the ‘resilience' of communities in the future, help people to survive better as well as develop in complex and changeable external environments.
Large-eddy simulation of diesel pilot spray ignition in lean methane-air and methanol-air mixtures at different ambient temperatures
Authors: Karimkashi Shervin , Gadalla Mahmoud , Kannan Jeevananthan , Tekgül Bulut , Kaario Ossi , Vuorinen Ville
Published: January 2022

In dual-fuel compression-ignition engines, replacing common fuels such as methane with renewable and widely available fuels such as methanol is desirable. However, a fine-grained understanding of diesel/methanol ignition compared to diesel/methane is lacking. Here, large-eddy simulation (LES) coupled with finite rate chemistry is utilized to study diesel spray-assisted ignition of methane and methanol. A diesel surrogate fuel ( n-dodecane) spray is injected into ambient methane-air or methanol-air mixtures at a fixed lean equivalence ratio [Formula: see text] = 0.5 at various ambient temperatures ([Formula: see text] = 900, 950, 1000 K). The main objectives are to (1) compare the ignition characteristics of diesel/methanol with diesel/methane at different [Formula: see text], (2) explore the relative importance of low-temperature chemistry (LTC) to high-temperature chemistry (HTC), and (3) identify the key differences between oxidation reactions of n-dodecane with methane or methanol. Results from homogeneous reactor calculations as well as 3 + 3 LES are reported. For both DF configurations, increasing [Formula: see text] leads to earlier first- and second-stage ignition. Methanol/ n-dodecane mixture is observed to have a longer ignition delay time (IDT) compared to methane/ n-dodecane, for example ≈ three times longer IDT at [Formula: see text] = 950 K. While the ignition response of methane to [Formula: see text] is systematic and robust, the [Formula: see text] window for n-dodecane/methanol ignition is very narrow and for the investigated conditions, only at 950 K robust ignition is observed. For methanol at [Formula: see text] = 1000 K, the lean ambient mixture autoignites before spray ignition while at [Formula: see text] = 900 K full ignition is not observed after 3 ms, although the first-stage ignition is reported. For methanol, LTC is considerably weaker than for methane and in fully igniting cases, heat release map analysis demonstrates the dominant contribution of HTC to total heat release rate for methanol. Reaction sensitivity analysis shows that stronger consumption of OH radicals by methanol compared to methane leads to the further delay in the spray ignition of n-dodecane/methanol. Finally, a simple and novel approach is developed to estimate IDT in reacting LES using zero-dimensional IDT calculations weighted by residence time from non-reacting LES data.
Use of On-Site Digital Subtraction Angiography for Left Subclavian Artery Management During Hybrid Aortic Arch Repair in DeBakey I Dissection
Authors: Haldenwang Peter-Lukas , Elghannam Mahmoud , Buchwald Dirk , Strauch Justus
Published: January 2022

Purpose:

A hybrid aortic repair using the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique with an open distal anastomosis in zone 2 and debranching of the left subclavian artery (LSA) has been demonstrated to be favorable and safe. Although a transposition of the LSA reduces the risk of cerebellar or medullar ischemia, this may be challenging in difficult LSA anatomies.

Case Report:

We present the case of a 61-year old patient with DeBakey I aortic dissection, treated with FET in moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest (26°C) and selective cerebral perfusion using a Thoraflex-Hybrid (Vascutek Terumo) prosthesis anchored in zone 2, with overstenting of the LSA orifice and no additional LSA debranching. Sufficient perfusion of the LSA was proved intraoperatively using LSA backflow analysis during selective cerebral perfusion in combination with on-site digital subtraction angiography (ARTIS Pheno syngo software). No neurologic dysfunction or ischemia occurred in the postoperative course. An angiographic computed tomography revealed physiologic LSA perfusion, with subsequent thrombotic occlusion of the false lumen in the proximal descending aorta after 7 days.

Conclusion:

Using an angiography-guided management in patients with complex DeBakey I dissection and difficult anatomy may simplify a proximalization of the distal anastomosis in zone 2 for FET, even without an additional LSA debranching.
Reliability assessment of autonomous vehicles based on the safety control structure
Authors: Wang Feipeng , Araújo Diana Filipa , Li Yan-Fu
Published: January 2022

The recent social trends and accelerated technological progress culminated in the development of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Reliability assessment for AV systems is in high demand before its market launch. In safety-critical systems (SCSs) such as AV systems, the reliability concept should be broadened to consider more safety-related issues. In this paper, reliability is defined as the probability that the system performs satisfactorily for a given period of time under stated conditions. This paper proposes a reliability assessment framework of AV, consisting of three main stages: (i) modeling the safety control structure through the Systems-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP); (ii) mapping the control structure and functional relationships to a directed acyclic graph (DAG); and (iii) construct a Bayesian network (BN) on DAG to assess the system reliability. The fully automated (level 5) vehicle system is shown as a numeric example to illustrate how this suggested framework works. A brief discussion on involving human factors in systems to analyze lower levels of automated vehicles is also included, demonstrating the need for further research on real case studies.
Physiological predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis without ventilatory limitation
Authors: Burghard Marcella , Takken Tim , Nap-van der Vlist Merel M. , Nijhof Sanne L. , van der Ent C. Kors , Heijerman Harry G.M. , Hulzebos H.J. Erik
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

[1] To investigate the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) with no ventilatory limitation (ventilatory reserve ⩾ 15%) during exercise, and [2] to assess which physiological factors are related to CRF.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study design was used in 8- to 18-year-old children and adolescents with CF. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was used to determine peak oxygen uptake normalized to body weight as a measure of CRF. Patients were defined as having ‘low CRF’ when CRF was less than 82%predicted. Physiological predictors used in this study were body mass index z-score, P. Aeruginosa lung infection, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) including CF-related diabetes, CF-related liver disease, sweat chloride concentration, and self-reported physical activity. Backward likelihood ratio (LR) logistic regression analysis was used.

Results:

Sixty children and adolescents (51.7% boys) with a median age of 15.3 years (25th–75th percentile: 12.9–17.0 years) and a mean percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 88.5% (±16.9) participated. Mean percentage predicted CRF (ppVO2peak/kg) was 81.4% (±12.4, range: 51%–105%). Thirty-three patients (55.0%) were classified as having ‘low CRF’. The final model that best predicted low CRF included IGT ( p = 0.085; Exp(B) = 6.770) and P. Aeruginosa lung infection (p = 0.095; Exp(B) = 3.945). This model was able to explain between 26.7% and 35.6% of variance.

Conclusions:

CRF is reduced in over half of children and adolescents with CF with normal ventilatory reserve. Glucose intolerance and P. Aeruginosa lung infection seem to be associated to low CRF in children and adolescents with CF.
Clinical effectiveness of symptomatic therapy compared with standard step-up care for the treatment of low-impact psoriatic oligoarthritis: the two-arm parallel group randomised POISE feasibility study
Authors: Rombach Ines , Tucker Laura , Tillett William , Jadon Deepak , Watson Marion , Francis Anne , Sinomati Yvonne , Dutton Susan J , Coates Laura C
Published: January 2022

Introduction:

In psoriatic arthritis (PsA), treatment recommendations support first-line use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). There are few treatment strategy trials, and no previous studies have investigated tailored treatment choice by disease severity. Studies in oligoarthritis (<5 inflamed joints) are limited but have suggested that some can be managed without DMARDs, preventing unnecessary side effects. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a study comparing standard DMARD treatment against symptomatic therapy in patients with mild psoriatic oligoarthritis.

Methods:

This trial was embedded within the MONITOR-PsA cohort, which uses a Trials Within Cohorts (TWiCs) design. Patients with newly diagnosed psoriatic oligoarthritis, with low disease activity (PASDAS ⩽ 3.2) and the absence of poor prognostic factors [C reactive protein (CRP) < 5 mg/dL, HAQ < 1, no radiographic erosions] were randomised open-label to either standard care with ‘step-up’ DMARD therapy or to symptomatic therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and local corticosteroid injections to inflamed joints. Key outcomes were the proportion of eligible cohort patients, consent and study completion rate.

Results:

Over the 15-month study period, only one eligible patient was randomised. Although oligoarthritis patients represented 45% of patients in this early PsA cohort, the majority did not have mild disease (24% raised CRP, 51% moderate disease activity, 13% radiographic damage and/or poor function). Of those meeting trial inclusion criteria, many patients refused treatment in the observational cohort prior to an invitation into the trial as they did not wish to be treated with DMARDs.

Conclusion:

The study was not feasible as designed. Oligoarthritis represents around half of initial PsA presentations, but the majority starting therapy have high-impact disease. A small proportion have mild oligoarticular disease but many are not keen on treatment with DMARDs, given the potential side effects of these medications. Further research is needed to support evidence-based treatment in this subgroup.

Trial registration number

– ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03797872) and EudraCT (2018-001085-42).
Hospital Greenspaces and the Impacts on Wayfinding and Spatial Experience: An Explorative Experiment Through Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) Techniques
Authors: Jiang Shan , Allison David , Duchowski Andrew T.
Published: January 2022

Background:

Navigating large hospitals can be very challenging due to the functional complexity as well as the evolving changes and expansions of such facilities. Hospital wayfinding issues could lead to stress, negative mood, and poor healthcare experience among patients, staff, and family members.

Objectives:

A survey-embedded experiment was conducted using immersive virtual environment (IVE) techniques to explore people’s wayfinding performance and their mood and spatial experience in hospital circulation spaces with or without visible greenspaces.

Methods:

Seventy-four participants were randomly assigned to either group to complete wayfinding tasks in a timed session. Participants’ wayfinding performances were interpreted using several indicators, including task completion, duration, walking distance, stop, sign-viewing, and route selection. Participants’ mood states and perceived environmental attractiveness and atmosphere were surveyed; their perceived levels of presence in the IVE hospitals were also reported.

Results:

The results revealed that participants performed better on high complexity wayfinding tasks in the IVE hospital with visible greenspaces, as indicated by less time consumed and shorter walking distance to find the correct destination, less frequent stops and sign viewing, and more efficient route selection. Participants also experienced enhanced mood states and favorable spatial experience and perceived aesthetics in the IVE hospital with visible greenspaces than the same environment without window views. IVE techniques could be an efficient tool to supplement environment-behavior studies with certain conditions noted.

Conclusions:

Hospital greenspaces located at key decision points could serve as landmarks that positively attract people’s attention, aid wayfinding, and improve their navigational experience.
COVID-19–Associated Acute Asymmetric Hemorrhagic Necrotizing Encephalopathy: A Case Report
Authors: Jomaa Najo , El Halabi Tarek , Melhem Jawad , Dib Georgette , Ghosn Youssef , Hourani Mukbil , Nasreddine Wassim , Beydoun Ahmad
Published: January 2022

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with many neurological complications affecting the central nervous system. Purpose: Our aim was to describe a case of COVID-19 associated with a probable variant of acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE). Results: A 60-year-old man who presented with a 3-day history of dyspnea, fever, and cough tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Five days following his admission, the patient was intubated secondary to respiratory failure. Following his extubation 16 days later, he was found to have a left-sided weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed hemorrhagic rim-enhancing lesions involving the right thalamus, left hippocampus, and left parahippocampal gyrus. These lesions showed decreased relative cerebral blood flow on MR perfusion and restricted on diffusion-weighted imaging. These neuroimaging findings were consistent with ANE. The left-sided weakness gradually improved over the subsequent weeks. Conclusions: We concluded that COVID-19 can be associated with ANE, a condition believed to be the result of an immune-mediated process with activation of the innate immune system. Future studies must address whether biological drugs targeting the pro-inflammatory cytokines could prevent the development of this condition.
Anti-NMDAr Encephalitis and COVID-19 in a Patient With Systemic pANCA-Vasculitis and Recurrent Varicella Zoster Infection
Authors: Moura João , Duarte Sara , Sardoeira Ana , Neves-Maia João , Damásio Joana , Taipa Ricardo , Carneiro Paula , Neves Esmeralda , Campar Ana , Santos Ernestina
Published: January 2022

Introduction

There is a complex interplay between systemic autoimmunity, immunosuppression, and infections. Any or all of these can result in neurologic manifestations, requiring diligence on the part of neurologists.

Case report

We herein report a case of a patient on immunosuppressive treatment for a vasculitis that resulted in zoster meningoencephalitis. This was further complicated by the development of anti-NMDAr encephalitis, the etiology of which is undetermined and further discussed in this paper. The patient eventually developed COVID-19 during hospitalization, succumbing to the respiratory infection.

Conclusion

This case emphasizes that post-infectious autoimmune disorders are becoming increasingly recognized and that they should still be considered in patients who are on immunosuppression. Practitioners should be aware of the complex relationship between autoimmunity and immunosuppression and consider both throughout the disease course.
Digital epidemiology, deep phenotyping and the enduring fantasy of pathological omniscience
Authors: Engelmann Lukas
Published: January 2022

Epidemiology is a field torn between practices of surveillance and methods of analysis. Since the onset of COVID-19, epidemiological expertise has been mostly identified with the first, as dashboards of case and mortality rates took centre stage. However, since its establishment as an academic field in the early 20th century, epidemiology’s methods have always impacted on how diseases are classified, how knowledge is collected, and what kind of knowledge was considered worth keeping and analysing. Recent advances in digital epidemiology, this article argues, are not just a quantitative expansion of epidemiology’s scope, but a qualitative extension of its analytical traditions. Digital epidemiology is enabled by deep and digital phenotyping, the large-scale re-purposing of any data scraped from the digital exhaust of human behaviour and social interaction. This technological innovation is in need of critical examination, as it poses a significant epistemic shift to the production of pathological knowledge. This article offers a critical revision of the key literature in this budding field to underline the extent to which digital epidemiology is envisioned to redefine the classification and understanding of disease from the ground up. Utilising analytical tools from science and technology studies, the article demonstrates the disruptive expectations built into this expansion of epidemiological surveillance. Given the sweeping claims and the radical visions articulated in the field, the article develops a tentative critique of what I call a fantasy of pathological omniscience; a vision of how data-driven engineering seeks to capture and resolve illness in the world, past, present and future.
‘What about the dads?’ Linking fathers and children in administrative data: A systematic scoping review
Authors: Lut Irina , Harron Katie , Hardelid Pia , O’Brien Margaret , Woodman Jenny
Published: January 2022

Research has shown that paternal involvement positively impacts on child health and development. We aimed to develop a conceptual model of dimensions of fatherhood, identify and categorise methods used for linking fathers with their children in administrative data, and map these methods onto the dimensions of fatherhood. We carried out a systematic scoping review to create a conceptual framework of paternal involvement and identify studies exploring the impact of paternal exposures on child health and development outcomes using administrative data. We identified four methods that have been used globally to link fathers and children in administrative data based on family or household identifiers using address data, identifiable information about the father on the child's birth registration, health claims data, and Personal Identification Numbers. We did not identify direct measures of paternal involvement but mapping linkage methods to the framework highlighted possible proxies. The addition of paternal National Health Service numbers to birth notifications presents a way forward in the advancement of fatherhood research using administrative data sources.
Systematic Review of the Influence of Physical Work Environment on Office Workers’ Physical Activity Behavior
Authors: Michalchuk Victoria F. , Lee Soo-Jeong , Waters Catherine M. , Hong Oi Saeng , Fukuoka Yoshimi
Published: January 2022

Background

Many American workers spend over 7 hours a day at work in primarily sedentary office work. Physical activity is a key aspect of optimizing health and preventing disease; yet, 80% of American adults do not meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity. In this systematic review, the relationship between physical work environment and physical activity among office workers was explored.

Methods

Of the 321 studies screened, 26 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included for evaluation in this systematic review.

Results

Of the 26 studies, four were cross-sectional studies, 14 were quasi-experimental studies, and eight were randomized control trials. Physical activity during the workday was measured using self-report surveys and electromechanical devices such as accelerometers. Physical work environments examined by the studies included different types of desks ( n = 16), office arrangements ( n = 5), and building design ( n = 5). In nine studies, office environments and building work environments designed to promote activity using active design principles such as stairs and flexible workspaces were associated with increased physical activity. Sit–stand desks reduced overall sitting time, but had a minimal effect on physical activity.

Conclusion/Application to practice

Offices and buildings designed for activity had the largest impact on physical activity among office workers. To increase physical activity in office workers, focus should be placed on opportunities to increase incidental movement that can increase physical activity throughout the workday. Occupational health nurses should advocate workspace designs that can increase physical activity in workers.
The Awareness and Empowerment Aspects of the Needlesticks and Other Sharps Injuries and Reporting in Nursing Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Bilek Özgür , Kiran Sibel , Duygulu Sergül , Yıldız Ali N.
Published: January 2022

Background

Occurrence and underreporting of needlesticks and other sharps injuries (NSIs) are still immediate concerns among nursing students. This study examined the relationship between occupational health and safety (OHS) awareness and empowerment levels of nursing students and the occurrence and reporting of NSIs.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among purposively selected 840 students in a nursing school in 2018–2019. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect data about students’ sociodemographic characteristics, OHS awareness and empowerment levels, and NSIs characteristics. After bivariate analyses, multivariate logistic regression was used.

Results

The number of evaluated questionnaires was 469, for a response rate of 55.8%. Participants, 21.2% ( n = 99), had suffered NSIs, and 47.8% had reported their injuries. The NSIs were statistically related to age, academic year, working night shift, OHS awareness level of students, and the number of clinical placements completed by students. The odds of experiencing NSIs was 2.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.0, 5.3]) times higher in male students, 4.3 (95% CI = [2.4, 7.4]) times higher in those beyond the second academic year, and 2.5 (95% CI = [1.4, 4.4]) times higher in those who had received OHS training for a shorter period than the average duration.

Conclusion/Application to practice

The levels of awareness and empowerment were higher in students who received OHS and NSIs prevention training and those who received OHS training for the above-average duration. Increasing awareness and empowerment levels of nursing students through training can reduce the occurrence and the underreporting of NSIs.
Higher Education in India in the Time of Pandemic, Sans a Learning Management System
Authors: Roy Sudipta , Brown Shannon
Published: January 2022

Higher education in India was caught completely unawares by the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessitated closure of educational institutions. Despite almost a decade of experience with online and distance learning at some top-tier and private institutions, the vast majority were unprepared and looked for quick solutions for different components of teaching–learning depending on the need of the hour. The immediate tool sought was a videoconferencing platform to substitute in-class lectures. With no access to a learning management system, faculty chose one platform for videoconferencing, one for interaction with students, and another for uploading class notes. Disparity in students’ access to devices and the internet presented challenges. Assessment of learning, which hitherto was largely pen and paper based, was delayed for lack of a viable solution. Experiences documented in this study demonstrate faculty resilience, but lack of institutional leadership and preparedness is starkly evident.
Epidemiology of Lower Leg Soft Tissue Injuries in High School Athletes
Authors: Spitnale Michael J. , Mathews Candler G. , Barnes Allen J. , Thier Zachary T. , Jackson J. Benjamin
Published: January 2022

Background

Annually there are an estimated 4.5 million sports- and recreation-related injuries among children and young adults in the United States. The most common sports-related injuries are to the lower extremities, with two-thirds occurring among children and young adults (age range 5-24 years). The objective is to describe the epidemiology of lower leg injuries across 27 high school (HS) sports over a 3-year period.

Methods

The Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention provided lower leg injury data for 27 sports in 147 high schools for 2011-2012 through 2013-2014 academic years from National Athletic Treatment, Injury and Outcomes Network (NATION) HS Surveillance Program.

Results

The overall rate of lower leg injuries over this 3-year period was 1.70 per 10 000 acute events (AEs) (95% CI, 1.59-1.82). In men, the highest number of lower leg injuries was in football (n=181), but indoor track had the highest rate of injury at 2.80 per 10 000 AEs (95% CI, 2.14-3.58). In women, the highest number of lower leg injuries and the highest rate of injury were in cross-country (n=76) at 3.85 per 10 000 AEs (95% CI, 3.03-4.81). The practice injury rate was 0.91 times the competition injury rate (95% CI, 0.78-1.07).

Conclusion

An improved understanding of the most common sports in which lower leg injuries are seen may help direct appropriate resource utilization. Our data would suggest efforts toward prevention of these overuse injuries, especially in football, track, and cross-country may have the greatest impact on the health of student athletes.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
‘Without white people, the animals will go!’: COVID-19 and the struggle for the future of South African conservation
Authors: Burnett Scott
Published: January 2022

This article examines the potential for online activism to contest hegemonic neoliberal conservation models in South Africa, using the Covid-19 crisis as a window onto discursive struggle. National lockdown measures during the pandemic sent the vital tourism sector of an already fragile economy into deep crisis. Neoliberal and militarized conservation models, with their reliance on international travel, are examined as affected by a conjunctural crisis, the meaning of which was contested by a broad range of social actors in traditional and on social media. In 30 online news videos, racial hierarchies of land ownership and conservation labour geographies are reproduced and legitimated, as is a visual vocabulary of conservation as equivalent with guns, boots, and anti-poaching patrols. Here, hope is represented as residing in the increased privatization of public goods, and the extraction of value from these goods in the form of elite, luxury consumption. In a corpus of posts on Twitter corpus, on the other hand, significant counter-hegemonic resistance to established neoliberal conservation models is in evidence. In their replies to white celebrity conservationist Kevin Pietersen, critical South African Twitter users offer a contrasting vision of hope grounded in anti-racist equality, a rejection of any special human-animal relations enjoyed by Europeans, and an articulation of a future with land justice at its centre. The analysis supports the idea that in the “interregnum” between hegemonic social orders, pathways towards transformed futures may be glimpsed as “kernels of truth” in discursive struggles on social media.
An Easy-to-Use Protocol for Segmenting and 3-D Printing Craniofacial CT-Images Using Open-Source Software
Authors: Pakvasa Mikhail , Prescher Hannes , Hendren-Santiago Bryce , Da Lomba Tony , McKenzie Nicholas , Orsbon Courtney , Collier Zachary , Ramirez-Garcia Richard , Gomez Isabella , Reid Russell R.
Published: January 2022

Introduction:

Stereolithography, also known as 3D printing (3DP), is a versatile and useful technology with many healthcare applications. While 3DP has gained tremendous popularity, it remains a daunting and perceptibly time-consuming process for the inexperienced user, with most turning to commercially printed products. Commercial vendors are expensive. We propose that 3DP is feasible for the inexperienced user with the appropriate knowledge and tools.

Methods:

A 3DP protocol was created for model design and printing using open-source software and a low-cost desktop printer. It was betatested by 3 inexperienced users. The fidelity of the protocol was then tested in direct comparison to industry models made for 3 patients undergoing mandibular distraction osteogenesis, using standard cephalometric measurements.

Results:

All inexperienced testers were able to successfully create a 3D model using the easy-to-follow protocol without the use of any other resources. The models were created in a mean time of 170 minutes. All cephalometric measurements on the open-source printed models were equal to within 0.5 to 1.0 mm of the respective industry models.

Conclusions:

As the 3DP process is simplified and desktop printers and materials become more affordable, we anticipate that its implementation will become more commonplace. We describe a step-by-step, protocol using open-source software and affordable materials to create 3D models.
Branchial Cleft Anomalies: Embryogenesis, Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management
Authors: Prescher Hannes , Nathan Shelby L. , Bauer Bruce S. , Reid Russell R.
Published: January 2022

Branchial cleft anomalies are congenital head and neck lesions that arise from incomplete maturation of the branchial apparatus during fetal development. The branchial arches are the precursors of the face, neck and pharynx, and disturbances in embryogenesis can present clinically as cysts, sinus tracts, and fistulas in predictable anatomic locations. However, there remains controversy regarding the precise embryogenesis of branchial cleft anomalies with several competing theories. These lesions often evade diagnosis in early childhood and may present in a delayed fashion after multiple failed interventions. Various diagnostic modalities have been described to facilitate clinical workup. Definitive treatment is complete surgical excision of the lesion. We present a comprehensive review of the literature along with several illustrative cases that highlight the unique challenges of diagnosis and surgical management of branchial cleft anomalies.
Clinical impact of glycans in platelet and megakaryocyte biology
Authors: Falet Hervé , Rivadeneyra Leonardo , Hoffmeister Karin M.
Published: January 2022

Humans produce and remove 1011 platelets daily to maintain a steady-state platelet count. The tight regulation of platelet production and removal from the blood circulation prevents anomalies in both processes from resulting in reduced or increased platelet count, often associated with the risk of bleeding or overt thrombus formation, respectively. This review focuses on the role of glycans, also known as carbohydrates or oligosaccharides, including N- and O-glycans, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans, in human and mouse platelet and megakaryocyte physiology. Based on recent clinical observations and mouse models, we focused on the pathologic aspects of glycan biosynthesis and degradation and their effects on platelet numbers and megakaryocyte function.
Systems medicine dissection of chr1q-amp reveals a novel PBX1-FOXM1 axis for targeted therapy in multiple myeloma
Authors: Trasanidis Nikolaos , Katsarou Alexia , Ponnusamy Kanagaraju , Shen Yao-An , Kostopoulos Ioannis V. , Bergonia Bien , Keren Keren , Reema Paudel , Xiao Xiaolin , Szydlo Richard M. , Sabbattini Pierangela M. R. , Roberts Irene A. G. , Auner Holger W. , Naresh Kikkeri N. , Chaidos Aristeidis , Wang Tian-Li , Magnani Luca , Caputo Valentina S. , Karadimitris Anastasios
Published: January 2022

Understanding the biological and clinical impact of copy number aberrations (CNAs) on the development of precision therapies in cancer remains an unmet challenge. Genetic amplification of chromosome 1q (chr1q-amp) is a major CNA conferring an adverse prognosis in several types of cancer, including in the blood cancer multiple myeloma (MM). Although several genes across chromosome 1 (chr1q) portend high-risk MM disease, the underpinning molecular etiology remains elusive. Here, with reference to the 3-dimensional (3D) chromatin structure, we integrate multi-omics data sets from patients with MM with genetic variables to obtain an associated clinical risk map across chr1q and to identify 103 adverse prognosis genes in chr1q-amp MM. Prominent among these genes, the transcription factor PBX1 is ectopically expressed by genetic amplification and epigenetic activation of its own preserved 3D regulatory domain. By binding to reprogrammed superenhancers, PBX1 directly regulates critical oncogenic pathways and a FOXM1-dependent transcriptional program. Together, PBX1 and FOXM1 activate a proliferative gene signature that predicts adverse prognosis across multiple types of cancer. Notably, pharmacological disruption of the PBX1-FOXM1 axis with existing agents (thiostrepton) and a novel PBX1 small molecule inhibitor (T417) is selectively toxic against chr1q-amp myeloma and solid tumor cells. Overall, our systems medicine approach successfully identifies CNA-driven oncogenic circuitries, links them to clinical phenotypes, and proposes novel CNA-targeted therapy strategies in MM and other types of cancer.
Day 30 SUVmax predicts progression in patients with lymphoma achieving PR/SD after CAR T-cell therapy
Authors: Al Zaki Ajlan , Feng Lei , Watson Grace , Ahmed Sairah A. , Mistry Haleigh , Nastoupil Loretta J. , Hawkins Misha , Nair Ranjit , Iyer Swaminathan P. , Lee Hun J. , Steiner Raphael E. , Flowers Christopher R. , Shpall Elizabeth J. , Kebriaei Partow , Neelapu Sattva S. , Westin Jason R. , Strati Paolo
Published: January 2022

About 70% of patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) who are treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and who achieve a partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) on the day 30 (D30) positron emission tomography (PET)–computed tomography (CT) scan progress; however, the factors that are predictive of progression are unknown. This a retrospective study of patients with LBCL who were treated with axi-cel at MD Anderson Cancer Center between January of 2018 and February of 2021. Among 50 patients with D30 PR/SD, 13 (26%) converted to a complete response (CR). Among 95 patients with a D30 CR, 72 (76%) remained in CR. On univariate analysis, the only day −5 characteristic associated with conversion from D30 PR/SD to subsequent CR was a higher platelet count (P = .05). The only D30 factor associated with conversion from D30 PR/SD to subsequent CR was a lower maximum standardized uptake volume (SUVmax; P < .001); all patients with D30 SUVmax ≥ 10 progressed. After a median follow-up of 12 months, no significant difference in median progression-free survival was observed between patients who converted from D30 PR/SD to subsequent CR and those who had been in CR since D30 (P = .19). Novel predictive and prognostic markers based on tissue biopsy and noninvasive diagnostic assays are needed to more effectively identify these patients and characterize the biology of their residual disease.
Progress in precision medicine in cystic fibrosis: a focus on CFTR modulator therapy
Authors: Tewkesbury Daniel H. , Robey Rebecca C. , Barry Peter J.
Published: January 2022

The genetic multisystem condition cystic fibrosis (CF) has seen a paradigm shift in therapeutic approaches within the past decade. Since the first clinical descriptions in the 1930s, treatment advances had focused on the downstream consequences of a dysfunctional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride ion channel. The discovery of the gene that codes for CFTR and an understanding of the way in which different genetic mutations lead to disruption of normal CFTR function have led to the creation and subsequent licensing of drugs that target this process. This marks an important move towards precision medicine in CF and results from clinical trials and real-world clinical practice have been impressive. In this review we outline how CFTR modulator drugs restore function to the CFTR protein and the progress that is being made in this field. We also describe the real-world impact of CFTR modulators on both pulmonary and multisystem complications of CF and what this will mean for the future of CF care.
Fine-Tuning of the Grain Size by Alternative Splicing of GS3 in Rice
Authors: Liu Lei , Zhou Ying , Mao Feng , Gu Yujuan , Tang Ziwei , Xin Yi , Liu Fuxia , Tang Tang , Gao Hui , Zhao Xiangxiang
Published: January 2022

Grain size is subtly regulated by multiple signaling pathways in rice. Alternative splicing is a general mechanism that regulates gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. However, to our knowledge, the molecular mechanism underlying grain size regulation by alternative splicing is largely unknown. GS3, the first identified QTL for grain size in rice, is regulated at the transcriptional and post-translational level. In this study, we identified that GS3 is subject to alternative splicing. GS3.1 and GS3.2, two dominant isoforms, accounts for about 50% and 40% of total transcripts, respectively. GS3.1 encodes the full-length protein, while GS3.2 generated a truncated proteins only containing OSR domain due to a 14 bp intronic sequence retention. Genetic analysis revealed that GS3.1 overexpressors decreased grain size, but GS3.2 showed no significant effect on grain size. Furthermore, we demonstrated that GS3.2 disrupts GS3.1 signaling by competitive occupation of RGB1. Therefore, we draw a conclusion that the alternative splicing of GS3 decreases the amount of GS3.1 and GS3.2 disrupts the GS3.1 signaling to inhibit the negative effects of GS3.1 to fine-tune grain size. Moreover, the mechanism is conserved in cereals rather than in Cruciferae, which is associated with its effects on grain size. The results provide a novel, conserved and important mechanism underlying grain size regulation at the post-transcriptional level in cereals.
Predicting combinations of drugs by exploiting graph embedding of heterogeneous networks
Authors: Song Fei , Tan Shiyin , Dou Zengfa , Liu Xiaogang , Ma Xiaoke
Published: January 2022

Background

Drug combination, offering an insight into the increased therapeutic efficacy and reduced toxicity, plays an essential role in the therapy of many complex diseases. Although significant efforts have been devoted to the identification of drugs, the identification of drug combination is still a challenge. The current algorithms assume that the independence of feature selection and drug prediction procedures, which may result in an undesirable performance.

Results

To address this issue, we develop a novelSemi-supervisedHeterogeneousNetworkEmbedding algorithm (called SeHNE) to predict the combination patterns of drugs by exploiting the graph embedding. Specifically, the ATC similarity of drugs, drug–target, and protein–protein interaction networks are integrated to construct the heterogeneous networks. Then, SeHNE jointly learns drug features by exploiting the topological structure of heterogeneous networks and predicting drug combination. One distinct advantage of SeHNE is that features of drugs are extracted under the guidance of classification, which improves the quality of features, thereby enhancing the performance of prediction of drugs. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is more accurate than state-of-the-art methods on various data, implying that the joint learning is promising for the identification of drug combination.

Conclusions

The proposed model and algorithm provide an effective strategy for the prediction of combinatorial patterns of drugs, implying that the graph-based drug prediction is promising for the discovery of drugs.
The effect of group-based education on gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life in patients with celiac disease: randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Akbari Namvar Zahra , Mahdavi Reza , Shirmohammadi Masood , Nikniaz Zeinab
Published: January 2022

Background

In this trial, we investigated the effect of a group-based education program on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in patients with celiac disease (CD).

Method

In the present study, 130 patients with CD who were on a GFD for at least 3 months, randomly assigned to receive group-based education (n = 66) or routine education in the celiac clinic (n = 64) for 3 months. We assessed gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life using the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) questionnaire and SF-36 questionnaire at baseline and 3 months after interventions.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 37.57 ± 9.59 years. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the baseline values. Results showed that the mean score of total GSRS score in the intervention group was significantly lower compared with the control group 3 months post-intervention (p = 0.04). Also, there was a significant difference in the mean score of SF-36 between the two groups 3 months post-intervention (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Results showed that group-based education was an effective intervention in patients with celiac disease to improve gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life.

Trial registration IRCT code: IRCT20080904001197N21; registration date: 5/23/2019.