bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex differences of visceral fat with cardiac structure and function in type 2 diabetes: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Rui‐hua Chen , Yi Lin , Huan‐bai Xu , Yu‐fan Wang , Yong‐de Peng
Published: November 2024

Background

The aim of this study is to analyze the associations among fat distribution, left ventricular (LV) structure, and function in T2DM patients and further assess the sex differences among them.

Methods

Two thousand and one hundred seven T2DM patients were enrolled to this study. Patients' height, weight, BMI, visceral fat area (VFA), baPWV, parameters of cardiac structure and function, and clinical biochemical indicators were measured and collected.

Results

There were significant differences between male and female T2DM patients in age, duration of diabetes, complication ratio of hypertension and dyslipidemia, smoking history, visceral fat, baPWV, and ventricular structure and function (p < 0.05). Compared with the Q1 group, female patients in the highest quartile (Q4) of VFA had a decreased LVEF and significantly increased baPWV (p < 0.05), whereas no such changes were found in males. The correlation analysis showed that LVEF in male patients was negatively correlated with hypertension history, using of CCBs, GLP‐1RA, lipid‐lowering medications, BMI, WC, WHR, FPG, FC‐P, HbA1c, GA, HOMA‐IR, Cr, and baPWV, while the LVEF in female patients was negatively correlated with VFA, VSR, VFA/BMI, VFA/H2, VFA/weight in females (p < 0.05). LVMI was positively associated with diabetes duration, age, hypertension history, WC, WHR, VFA, SFA, VFA/BMI, VFA/H2, VFA/weight, and baPWV in both males and females. Multivariable‐adjusted linear regression analysis showed that VFA was independently associated with LVEF (β = − 0.096, p = 0.010), LVMI (β = 0.083, p = 0.038), and baPWV (β = 0.120, p = 0.003) in females.

Conclusions

Values of VFA were independently associated with LVEF, LVMI, and baPWV in women, but not in men, in patients with T2DM.

image
Long‐term follow‐up of bulky classic Hodgkin lymphoma managed with ABVD and PET‐guided RT demonstrates excellent outcomes in PET‐negative cases
Authors: Kim J. L. , Villa D. , Tonseth R. P. , Gerrie A. S. , Wilson D. , Benard F. , Venner C. P. , Skinnider B. , Farinha P. , Slack G. W. , Lo A. C. , Scott D. W. , Sehn L. H. , Savage K. J.
Published: November 2024

The outcome of 221 patients with bulky (≥10 cm) classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) treated with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine and consolidative radiotherapy (RT) only in those with a positive end‐of‐treatment (EOT) positron emission tomography (PET) scan was evaluated. With a median follow‐up of 9.6 years, 5‐ and 10‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) in EOT PET‐negative cases were 94.0% and 90.4%, respectively, and in PET‐positive cases, 5/10‐year PFS was 64.6% (p < 0.001), with 15% overall receiving RT. Five‐year PFS for Deauville (D) score DX/D1–3 was 93.6%, compared with D4 66.7% (p < 0.001) and D5 33.3% (p < 0.001). Omission of RT in EOT PET‐negative cases is associated with excellent long‐term outcomes in bulky cHL.
Self‐compassion and psychological distress in chronic illness: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Baxter Rebecca , Sirois Fuschia M.
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Self‐compassion is a positive psychological factor linked to improved physical and psychological outcomes across different chronic illness populations. However, the extent to which self‐compassion contributes to reduced distress across different conditions or as a function of participant factors is not clear. The current meta‐analysis aimed to quantify the association between self‐compassion and psychological distress in different chronic illness populations and evaluate the factors that moderate this association.

Methods

A systematic search of three electronic databases identified research reporting associations between self‐compassion and psychological distress in chronic illness. A random effects meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between self‐compassion and psychological distress. Moderator analyses were conducted for sample characteristics and distress types. A bespoke tool evaluated study quality.

Results

Searches yielded 51 eligible studies with 57 effect sizes. Meta‐analysis revealed that self‐compassion was negatively associated with psychological distress (r = −.516; 95% CIs [−.55, −.48]; p = .000). Moderator analyses were significant for distress type and chronic illness group, with effects being largest for stress and neurological conditions. Effects did not vary by sex, age or illness duration.

Conclusions

Findings from this first comprehensive investigation of the link between self‐compassion and distress in chronic illness highlight the protective role of self‐compassion for chronic illness populations. These results lay the foundation for further research into understanding the processes that link self‐compassion to lower psychological distress, and that examine the effectiveness of self‐compassion interventions in chronic illness populations, to further advance knowledge and inform practice in this area.
Online support groups for family caregivers: A qualitative exploration of social support and engagement
Authors: Daynes‐Kearney Rosemary , Gallagher Stephen
Published: November 2024

Background

This qualitative research explored family caregivers’ engagement and social support in a single online support group (OSG). It sought to answer two research questions: Q1: Was social support evident in the OSG? If so what types and how did these types relate to engagement? Q2: Were elements from the Context, Content and Delivery conceptual framework evident in the OSG? If so, what were the key elements of this group?

Methods

Eighteen semi‐structured interviews were carried out with members of a family caregiver OSG in Ireland. Data were analysed using deductive qualitative analysis with a codebook created from one typology of social support and the Context, Content and Delivery conceptual framework for engagement in web‐based technologies.

Findings

For Q1, all types of social support were generated in the OSG. All had a positive impact on engagement. Informational support (17/18 respondents) and emotional support (15/18 respondents) were the highest support experienced by the group. For Q2, we found evidence for 11 key elements of the conceptual framework. Myriad sub‐elements had positive, negative and mixed impacts on engagement. These elements generally related to positive developments of social support by the respondents.

Conclusion

Drawing together the findings, we present a new framework, the Journey of Engagement and Support in Online Support Groups for Family Caregivers. This maps the stages for engagement and support in an OSG and can be used by practitioners for running OSG and researchers to generate testable hypotheses about the relationship between social support and engagement.
Needing to shout to be heard? Caregiver under‐responsivity and disconnection between vocal signaling and autonomic arousal in infants from chaotic households
Authors: Wass S. V. , Smith C. S. , Mirza F. U. , Greenwood E. M. G. , Goupil L.
Published: November 2024

Children raised in chaotic households show affect dysregulation during later childhood. To understand why, we took day‐long home recordings using microphones and autonomic monitors from 74 12‐month‐old infant–caregiver dyads (40% male, 60% white, data collected between 2018 and 2021). Caregivers in low‐Confusion Hubbub And Order Scale (chaos) households responded to negative affect infant vocalizations by changing their own arousal and vocalizing in response; but high‐chaos caregivers did not, whereas infants in low‐chaos households consistently produced clusters of negative vocalizations around peaks in their own arousal, high‐chaos infants did not. Their negative vocalizations were less tied to their own underlying arousal. Our data indicate that, in chaotic households, both communicating and responding are atypical: infants are not expressing their levels of arousal, and caregivers are under‐responsive to their infants' behavioral signals.
LGSur‐Net: A Local Gaussian Surface Representation Network for Upsampling Highly Sparse Point Cloud
Authors: Xiao Zijian , Zhou Tianchen , Yao Li
Published: November 2024

We introduce LGSur‐Net, an end‐to‐end deep learning architecture, engineered for the upsampling of sparse point clouds. LGSur‐Net harnesses a trainable Gaussian local representation by positioning a series of Gaussian functions on an oriented plane, complemented by the optimization of individual covariance matrices. The integration of parametric factors allows for the encoding of the plane's rotational dynamics and Gaussian weightings into a linear transformation matrix. Then we extract the feature maps from the point cloud and its adjoining edges and learn the local Gaussian depictions to accurately model the shape's local geometry through an attention‐based network. The Gaussian representation's inherent high‐order continuity endows LGSur‐Net with the natural ability to predict surface normals and support upsampling to any specified resolution. Comprehensive experiments validate that LGSur‐Net efficiently learns from sparse data inputs, surpassing the performance of existing state‐of‐the‐art upsampling methods. Our code is publicly available athttps://github.com/Rangiant5b72/LGSur-Net.
Revisiting the Normal Ranges of Aortic Valve Area in 2D Echocardiography and Its Association With Age, Sex, and Anthropometric Characteristics
Authors: Agahi Sadaf , Yaseri Mehdi , Eftekhari Mohammad Reza , Geraiely Babak , Sardari Akram , Sattarzadeh Badkoubeh Roya , Larti Farnoosh
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Defining normative aortic echocardiographic values in each geographical district is crucial as aortic valve area (AVA) may vary across races, genders, and ages. Notably, variations in normal values can have implications for clinical decision‐making, and available data on the Middle East population is also scarce. We sought to establish normal ranges for aortic valve echocardiographic parameters in the Iranian population and assess the effect of age, gender, weight, height, BMI, BSA, and blood pressure on them.

Methods

Our data were provided from the web‐based echocardiographic data registry of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex (IKHC). A total of 3251 healthy subjects older than 18 years old without any valvular stenosis were included in our study.

Results

AVA's normal range was estimated at 1.92–4.52 and 1.67–3.80 cm2 in men and women, respectively. The annulus, AVA, AV VTI, and LVOT VTI were significantly larger in males, and this association remained significant after indexing AVA for weight, height, BMI, and BSA. Also, smaller AVA was associated with lower height, weight, BMI, and BSA in both men and women. Obese and hypertensive subjects had significantly larger AVA and annulus diameters.

Conclusion

Our study provided region‐specific normal reference values for AV echocardiographic parameters and compared them across genders, ages, BMI, and blood pressure groups in the Iranian population.
Re‐righting the law: The impact of VRA preclearance on language minorities
Authors: Harrison James M. , Gamino Aaron M.
Published: November 2024

The 1975 Voting Rights Act (VRA) extended voting rights protections to language minority groups. Employing a triple difference design, we find that language minority voter turnout remained stable in VRA‐shielded counties while it eroded elsewhere. This led to a reallocation of state educational funds away from unshielded counties. As a result, shielded counties experienced preferable changes in their high school graduation rates, white‐collar job attainment, and income. We find most of these differences were driven by the VRA's preclearance provision.
Further reduction in soil bacterial diversity under severe acidification in European temperate forests
Authors: Rousseau Mélody , Siegenthaler Andjin , Skidmore Andrew K. , de Groot G. Arjen , Laros Ivo
Published: November 2024

Despite a decrease in industrial nitrogen and sulfur deposition over recent decades, soil acidification remains a persistent challenge to European forest health, especially in regions of intense agriculture and urbanisation. Using topsoil eDNA metabarcoding and functional annotations from a sample of 49 plots (each 30 × 30 m) located in The Netherlands and Germany, we investigated the effect of severe acidification on bacterial taxonomic diversity under different forest types and explored potential functional implications for nutrient cycling. Furthermore, we assessed which soil parameters known to influence soil bacterial communities affect these acidophilic communities. Here, we are the first to demonstrate under natural conditions that soil bacterial diversity in extremely acidic soils (pH <4.5) continues to decline similarly across forest types as pH further decreases under intensifying human activity. Our results confirmed pH as the key driver of soil bacterial communities, even in extremely acidic soils. Ongoing severe acidification continues to reduce bacterial communities, favouring taxa adapted to extreme acidity and primarily involved in recalcitrant carbon‐degradation compounds (e.g. cellulolysis potential = 0.78%–9.99%) while simultaneously diminishing taxa associated with nitrogen cycling (e.g. fixation potential = 6.72%–0.00%). Altogether, our findings indicate a further decline in bacterial diversity in already extremely acidic soils, likely disrupting nutrient cycling through changes in immobilisation and mineralisation processes. Our study highlights the continuous acidification of European temperate forests to extremely low pH levels, further disrupting forest ecosystem functioning. The significant reduction in bacterial diversity under such a severe acidification gradient, as demonstrated here, underscores the necessity to include severely acidified forests in conservation programmes and monitoring to prevent further degradation of European soils beyond repair.
CEO Connectedness and Firm Transparency
Authors: Luong Hoa , Minnick Kristina , Rivolta Mia L. , Shams Syed
Published: November 2024

Our research reveals that CEO connections with Audit Committee directors, established through past employment, education, or social organization memberships, significantly impact firm transparency. These connections increase the likelihood of firms issuing less transparent and readable financial reports. Furthermore, these connections are linked to decreased long‐term firm value and increased crash risk. Our findings underscore the crucial role of CEO connectedness in corporate disclosure transparency and firm value. We employed multiple methodologies to address endogeneity concerns. Our results remain robust.
Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 2 Contributes to Increased Allergic and Irritant Inflammation in Mice
Authors: Kawasaki‐Nagano Midori , Tamagawa‐Mineoka Risa , Kurioka Tomoki , Arakawa Yukiyasu , Nakanishi Mari , Kishida Megumi , Nishigaki Hiromi , Hashidate‐Yoshida Tomomi , Shindou Hideo , Katoh Norito
Published: November 2024

Platelet‐activating factor (PAF) is an important chemical mediator in the field of inflammation, but its function in the skin is unclear. To unravel the role of PAF, we focused on lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2 also called LPLAT9), a biosynthetic enzyme involved in PAF production, and investigated the role of PAF in allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and irritant contact dermatitis (ICD). We measured the amount of PAF in the skin and investigated the ear swelling responses and leukocyte infiltration into the skin following the application of 2,4,6‐trinitro‐1‐chlorobenzene (TNCB) or croton oil in wild‐type (WT) and LPCAT2 knockout (LPCAT2‐KO) mice. The amount of PAF was increased in the skin of WT mice after TNCB or croton oil application but not detected in LPCAT2‐KO mice. The ear swelling response was decreased in LPCAT2‐KO mice compared with that in WT mice. In the ACD model, the numbers of lymphocytes, eosinophils, macrophages, mast cells and neutrophils were smaller in LPCAT2‐KO mice than in WT mice. In the ICD model, the ear swelling response was also decreased in LPCAT2‐KO mice compared with that in WT mice. When double staining of each inflammatory cell type and LPCAT2 was performed in ACD tissue, marked co‐staining of the eosinophil marker and LPCAT2 was observed. In addition, LPCAT2 expression was observed in the epidermis. These results indicate that PAF is involved in the infiltration of several cell types into the sites of allergic and non‐allergic skin inflammation. Furthermore, eosinophils and keratinocytes are primarily responsible for PAF production in skin inflammation.
Atg2 controls Drosophila hematopoiesis through the PVR/TOR signaling pathways
Authors: Qin Bo , Xue Hongmei , Wang Xiaoran , Kim Hyonil , Jin Li Hua
Published: November 2024

The hematopoietic system of Drosophila is a well‐established genetic model for studying hematopoiesis mechanisms, which are strictly regulated by multiple signaling pathways. Autophagy‐related 2 (Atg2) protein is involved in autophagosome formation through its lipid transfer function; however, other functions in animal development, especially the role of Atg2 in maintaining hematopoietic homeostasis, are unclear. Here, we show that Atg2 knockdown in the cortical zone (CZ) induced the proliferation and differentiation of mature plasmatocytes and disrupted progenitor maintenance in the medullary zone (MZ). We also observed the differentiation of lamellocytes among circulating hemocytes and in the lymph gland, which is rarely observed in healthy larvae. The above results on hematopoiesis disorders are due to Atg2 regulating the Drosophila PDGF/VEGF receptor (PVR) and target of rapamycin (TOR) in the CZ of lymph gland. In conclusion, we identified Atg2 as a previously undescribed regulator of hematopoiesis. Understanding the mechanism of maintenance of hematopoietic homeostasis in Drosophila will help us better evaluate human blood disorder‐related diseases.
The brain atlas of a subsocial bee reflects that of eusocial Hymenoptera
Authors: Pyenson Benjamin C. , Huisken Jesse L. , Gupta Nandini , Rehan Sandra M.
Published: November 2024

The evolutionary transition from solitary life to group‐living in a society with cooperative brood care, reproductive division of labor and morphological castes is associated with increased cognitive demands for task‐specialization. Associated with these demands, the brains of eusocial Hymenoptera divide transcriptomic signatures associated with foraging and reproduction to different populations of cells and also show diverse astrocyte and Kenyon cell types compared with solitary non‐hymenopteran insects. The neural architecture of subsocial bees, which represent evolutionary antecedent states to eusocial Hymenoptera, could then show how widely this eusocial brain is conserved across aculeate Hymenoptera. Using single‐nucleus transcriptomics, we have created an atlas of neuron and glial cell types from the brain of a subsocial insect, the small carpenter bee (Ceratina calcarata). The proportion of C. calcarata neurons related to the metabolism of classes of neurotransmitters is similar to that of other insects, whereas astrocyte and Kenyon cell types show highly similar gene expression patterns to those of eusocial Hymenoptera. In the winter, the transcriptomic signature across the brain reflected diapause. When the bee was active in the summer, however, genes upregulated in neurons reflected foraging, while the gene expression signature of glia associated with reproductive functions. Like eusocial Hymenoptera, we conclude that neural components for foraging and reproduction in C. calcarata are compartmentalized to different parts of its brain. Cellular examination of the brains of other solitary and subsocial insects can show the extent of neurobiological conservation across levels of social complexity.
Validation of selective catalytic BmCBP inhibitors that regulate the Bm30K‐24 protein expression in silkworm, Bombyx mori
Authors: Geng Jiasheng , Lu Weina , Kong Qinglong , Lv Jiao , Liu Yue , Zu Guowei , Chen Yanmei , Jiang Caiying , You Zhengying , Nie Zuoming
Published: November 2024

The cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)‐binding protein (CBP) is a histone acetyltransferase that plays an indispensable role in regulating the acetylation of histone and non‐histone proteins. Recently, it has been discovered that chemical inhibitors A485 and C646 can bind to Bombyx mori's CBP (BmCBP) and inhibit its acetyltransferase activity. Notably, the binding ability of A485 with BmCBP showed a very low Kd value of 48 nM by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) test. Further identification showed that both A485 and C646 can decrease the acetylation level of known substrate H3K27 and only 1 μM of A485 can almost completely inhibit the acetylation of H3K27, suggesting that A485 is an effective inhibitor of BmCBP's acetyltransferase activity. Moreover, it was confirmed that A485 could downregulate the expression of acetylated Bm30K‐24 protein at a post‐translational level through acetylation modification by BmCBP. Additionally, it was found that A485 can downregulate the stability of Bm30K‐24 and improve its ubiquitination level, suggesting that the acetylation modification by BmCBP could compete with ubiquitination modification at the same lysine site on Bm30K‐24, thereby affecting its protein stability. Here, we predict that A485 may be a potent CBP acetyltransferase inhibitor which could be utilized to inhibit acetyltransferase activity in insects, including silkworms.
Observation of Griffiths phase and giant magnetocaloric effect in double perovskite oxide RE2FeCrO6 (RE = Gd, Tb, Dy, Er)
Authors: Deng Siyu , Li Yue , Liu Xiansong , Feng Shuangjiu , Yang Hongling , Yang Jian , Jin Linghua , Kan Xucai , Wang Shouguo
Published: November 2024

The magnetic properties of double perovskite oxide RE2FeCrO6 (RE = GD, Tb, Dy, Er) were systematically studied, and the Griffiths phase evolution was observed. In Tb2FeCrO6, Dy2FeCrO6, and Er2FeCrO6, there are antiferromagnetic (AFM)‐ferromagnetic (FM) first‐order phase transition and the Griffiths phase with coexistence of FM and paramagnetic (PM) was observed by the EPR spectra. Gd2FeCrO6 has an AFM–PM second‐order phase transition, and there is no first‐order phase transition in the range of ∆H = 0–50 kOe. As the temperature decreases, all four sets of samples present χ−1 (T) deviates downwards from the Curie–Weiss linear behavior from 0.2 to 5 kOe, corresponding to the typical characteristics of Griffiths phase evolution. In addition, all four sets of samples have excellent magnetocaloric performance. Especially, the Gd2FeCrO6 oxide has giant magnetic entropy change and relative cooling power (−∆SMmax = 30.31 J/kg K and RCP = 312.8 J/kg when ∆H = 50 kOe). From the perspective of low‐temperature magnetic refrigeration application, the present work provides important candidate references for magnetic component researchers.
Out of Time, Pedagogy, Temporality and the Affective Encounter. Film and Moving Image Making Practice in Art Education
Authors: Fursman Joanna
Published: November 2024

This article explores how lens‐based practices can articulate and respond to art education phenomena. The affective turn in education and appearances of education in artists’ film and moving‐image are explored to help identify different appearances and experiences of art education pedagogy. Interspersed by clip descriptions from students and my affective descriptions of watching Être et avoir by Nicolas Philibert, and writing about a film made for the Freelands Foundation SHIFT series, I examine how using moving‐image practice to make a collaborative film in a college of further education in the West Midlands, England can dislocate art education pedagogy from Saul's parcelled and segmented time towards affective encounters and out‐of‐time, temporal experiences. Deleuze's time‐image film theory is explored to position pedagogy as a distinct, affective and temporal phenomena in Art Education and is used to compare the experience of both the making of and watching a film in an education context.
Unipolar Voltage for Better Characterizing Left Atrium Substrates: Comparing the Predictive Efficacy for Recurrence Post Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in a Post Hoc Analysis of STABLE‐SR‐III Trial
Authors: Qi Xiuyu , Chen Hongwu , Yang Gang , Liu Hailei , Wang Zidun , Jiang Xiaohong , Cui Chang , Cai Cheng , Ju Weizhu , Chen Minglong
Published: November 2024

Background

While bipolar voltage (BV) is acknowledged as an indicator of viable cardiomyocyte activation, unipolar recording has emerged as an alternative technique due to its advantage of providing a wider field of view. This study aims to compare the efficacy of unipolar voltage (UV) versus BV in predicting ablation recurrence in atrial fibrillation patients.

Methods

In Substrate Ablation in the Left Atrium during Sinus Rhythm Trial III, 375 patients completed the follow‐up with preserved mapping data were included in the analysis. For each patient, the mean UV and BV was obtained from the electrograms sampled in left atrium (LA).

Results

Totally 301 patients experience the primary endpoint within 23.0 ± 9.2 months. While both low UV and BV had significant associations with long‐term recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa), only mean UV was independently associated with the outcome. The model by UV with ablation feature had higher discriminatory power to predict ATa recurrence compared with BV model (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.858 vs. 0.757, p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, UV reveals more powerful predictive efficacy compared with BV, with the AUC 0.843 versus 0.751 (p < 0.001) in circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) alone cohort and 0.882 versus 0.750 (p < 0.001) in CPVI plus cohort, respectively.

Conclusion

UV exhibits higher efficacy for predicting long‐term ATa recurrence after ablation compared with BV in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation regardless of whether the patient accepts substrate modification. The outcome suggests that unipolar recording may better characterize LA fibrosis by capturing more comprehensive transmural features than bipolar signals.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov; URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT03462628.
Left Atrial Structure and Function Following Ethanol Infusion into Vein of Marshall (MR‐SHALL Study)
Authors: Aranyó Julia , Juncà Gladys , Sarrias Axel , Bazan Victor , Cea Daniel , Villuendas Roger , Gálvez‐Montón Carolina , Fernandez‐Nofrerias Eduard , Bayes‐Genís Antoni , Delgado Victoria , Teis Albert , Bisbal Felipe
Published: November 2024

Background

Ethanol infusion into the vein of Marshall (EI‐VOM) is an adjunctive therapy to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), which improves the efficacy of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures. It is unknown how EI‐VOM scar formation impacts left atrium (LA) structure and function.

Objective

To characterize scar formation after EI‐VOM, and its impact on LA function, by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Methods

Consecutive patients referred for persistent AF ablation, or any repeat procedure, were included. Ablation strategy included PVI, EI‐VOM and linear lesions when deemed necessary. LA was assessed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR at baseline and 3‐month follow‐up. CMR was post‐processed off‐line with dedicated software. The LA was regionalized into 17 segments, and global and regional scarring were calculated. Strain parameters were analyzed—including LA reservoir, conduit, and booster strain; LA ejection fraction; and LA passive and active emptying function. Follow‐up LGE‐CMR reconstruction was coregistered with the voltage map, ablation RF points, and fluoroscopy to compare the scar location with the VOM trajectory.

Results

This study included 21 patients (65 ± 8 years; 76% men; 57% ablation of persistent AF). After EI‐VOM, 95% of patients presented new low‐voltage areas, all of whom exhibited new LGE‐CMR scarring at follow‐up. Voltage map and LGE‐CMR coregistration showed comparable scar areas (p = 0.287). LGE‐CMR scarring frequently involved the whole VOM trajectory, predominantly affecting the LA ridge, mitral isthmus, and left posterior wall. LA volume was significantly reduced after ablation, without significant changes in LA functional parameters.

Conclusion

EI‐VOM causes permanent scarring at 3‐month follow‐up, with no adverse impact on CMR LA functional parameters.
A cross‐sectional study of anesthesia medical staff's occupational and health status in nongovernment medical institutions in China
Authors: Wang Bo , Liu Kunpeng , Shi Hui , Chen Xuanling , Qin Xuewei , Yao Lan , Sun Yongxing , Chai Wei , Liu Chunhong
Published: November 2024

Background

Nongovernment medical institutions have gradually become a significant part of China's healthcare system, with a growing numbers of staff. However, the current status of anesthesiology staff in these institutions is unclear. To gain insight into this situation and to compare it with public hospitals, the national anesthesia professional committee of the Chinese Nongovernment Medical Institutions Association (CNMIA) designed and conducted the national cross‐sectional survey.

Methods

We conducted a national cross‐sectional study to investigate the occupational and health status of anesthesiology staff in Nongovernment medical institutions. Additional questions were included for the directors of the anesthesiology department to understand their work stress and the reasons for employee turnover. The electronic questionnaire was created using Questionnaire Star and distributed by Anesthesia Professional Committee of the CNMIA through the QR code links and WeChat.

Results

A total of 1111 questionnaires were collected, including 989 from anesthesiologists and 122 from nurse anesthetists. The overall job satisfaction score (MSQ) was 75.57 ± 12.32 and the average fatigue score (MFI‐20) was 49.10 ± 10.90. High‐risk factors for severe fatigue included being aged 31–40, holding a middle title, frequently working night shifts, having long working hours, and participating surgeries classified as ASA III or higher. The most common disease reported was difficulty falling asleep/insomnia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that men (OR = 0.662, 95% CI: 0.482–0.909, p < 0.05), those with a bachelor's degree (OR = 2.152, 95% CI: 1.186–3.903, p < 0.05), individuals with heavy workloads (OR = 2.999, 95% CI: 1.493–6.024, p < 0.01), poor health (OR = 4.280, 95% CI: 1.216–15.057, p < 0.05), and high MFI‐20 scores (OR = 1.085, 95% CI: 1.067–1.103, p < 0.001) were more likely to suffer from insomnia. Directors identified medical quality and safety management as their main source of stress and low income as the primary reason for employee resignation.

Conclusions

Nongovernment medical institutions have fewer employees, similar workloads, relatively low job stress and higher job satisfaction compared to public hospitals. Low income and difficulty falling asleep/insomnia are significant issues that require attention.
Improving Mass Transfer by Vacuum Impregnation During Osmotic Dehydration of Ripe Kadamb (Neolamarckia cadamba) Fruit
Authors: Panda Tarak Chandra , Bansode Venkatraman , Jaddu Samuel , Dwivedi Madhuresh , Pradhan Rama Chandra , Seth Dibyakanta
Published: November 2024

Kadamb (Neolamarckia cadamba) is an underutilized fruit which has many nutritional and medicinal properties. The literature availability on utilization of kadamb as food is scarce. The present work was carried out to find the effect of vacuum impregnation during osmotic dehydration on the quality of kadamb fruit (Neolamarckia cadamba) candy (KC). The vacuum impregnation at 100 mbar for 15 min, brix value of hypertonic solution at 60°, 65°, 70°, and 75°, and time of osmotic dehydration 24, 36, 48, and 72 h were taken as variables in the process. Mass transfer parameters like water loss, solute gain, and weight reduction for all samples were calculated. The treatment with 75° Brix, 48 h, 100 mbar vacuum for 15 min got best results with more water loss (67.48% ± 1.11%), solute gain (19.63% ± 0.32%), and less weight reduction (40.51% ± 0.39%), respectively. No microbial load was found in the developed candy. Infrared (IR) spectrum, texture profile analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy tests revealed the availability of compounds, textural and microstructure of KC, respectively. The candy prepared from 75° Brix, 48 h, 100 mbar vacuum for 15 min has the highest organoleptic scores. The prepared candy cubes were packed into low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) pouches and stored under ambient conditions, and the quality changes during storage were studied.
The change process questionnaire (CPQ): A psychometric validation
Authors: Lindsay T. R. , Seedall R. B. , Gillespie A. , Robinson W. D. , Bradshaw S. D.
Published: November 2024

Tracking therapeutic processes and outcomes session to session, known as feedback‐informed treatment (FIT), has shown many significant benefits for systemic family therapists. However, more clinically useful FIT measures are needed in our field. In response, we conceptualize core dimensions of the therapeutic change process and propose a measure—the Change Process Questionnaire (CPQ)—based on some of those dimensions to provide a clinically useful FIT measure. Developed as a 25‐item measure, this study evaluated the measure's psychometric properties, resulting in a refined version with 18 items organized into four subscales (client relationships, client well‐being, therapist regard, and therapeutic effect) that demonstrate some alignment with core dimensions of the change process. In this article, we provide a preliminary overview of the CPQ's psychometric validity and potential to contribute to the therapeutic change process and its accompanying scholarly literature.
Increasing trends of laparoscopic procedures in non‐obstetric surgery during pregnancy over 17 years at a single center: Retrospective case–control study
Authors: Na Eun Duc , Roh Minji , Lim Su Jin , Kwak Min Jeong , Kim Heewon , Baek Min Jung , Ahn Eun Hee , Jung Sang Hee , Jang Ji Hyon
Published: November 2024

Objective

This study aimed to examine the diseases requiring surgery during pregnancy, the changes in surgical methods over time, and the characteristics of surgeries performed in different trimesters.

Methods and Materials

A retrospective study conducted at Bundang CHA Hospital between 2006 and 2023 analyzed surgeries performed during pregnancy and compared laparoscopic and open approaches across the three trimesters of pregnancy. Additionally, general (appendicitis, cholecystitis) and gynecologic (heterotopic pregnancy, adnexal torsion) cases were compared.

Results

Among 36 181 delivery patients, 101 (0.28%) underwent surgery. The most common conditions were appendicitis (44.6%), cholecystitis (1.9%), heterotopic pregnancy (23.8%), adnexal torsion (27.7%), and cancer (1.9%). The laparoscopic group had a shorter operative time (41.5 ± 19.3 vs. 57.9 ± 33.9 min, p = 0.009) and hospital stay (4.9 ± 2.7 vs. 9.0 ± 9.8 days, p = 0.016) than open surgery group. Heterotopic pregnancy (47.1%) and adnexal torsion (39.2%) were common in the first trimester, whereas appendicitis peaked in the second (80%) and third trimesters (66.7%).

The increasing use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has led to a rise in gynecological patients requiring surgery in the first trimester, resulting in more laparoscopic surgeries during this period. Interestingly, an increase in laparoscopic surgery was also observed in general surgery during the second and third trimesters. Perioperative tocolysis was more frequent (51.1% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001) and of longer duration (4.6 ± 8.8 vs. 0.1 ± 0.6 days, p = 0.001) after general surgical procedures.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic surgery during pregnancy offers several advantages such as shorter operative time and hospital stay. Since 2011, laparoscopic surgery for the entire gestational period has been on the rise.
‘On a knife's edge’: medical, police, and legal responses to self‐harming protesters
Authors: GREENWOOD‐REEVES JAMES , ELLWOOD RORY
Published: November 2024

Traditional liberal democratic theories of protest can readily account for protest violence against others or their property, and are quick to denounce and criminalize such actions. However, protests that involve self‐harm are harder to frame; they neither engage the harm principle, nor threaten a sovereign state of ostensible peace. Under liberal legalism, capacitous and consenting protesters should not have their rights of expression interfered with in such cases. However, in England and Wales, legal responses to self‐harming violence nevertheless emerge, not necessarily within a public order framework, but through a risk‐averse, medicalized lens. Co‐authored by a legal academic and a practising psychiatrist, this article argues that mental health practitioners, the police, and the courts engage in a ‘paternalistic pivot’ in self‐harming protest cases, which undermines human rights protections that are ordinarily afforded to protesters who are not causing a threat to others or their property.
Exploring subcortical pathology and processing speed in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with myelin water imaging
Authors: Tsai Chia‐Chen , Combes Anna , McMullen Katrina , Kolind Shannon H. , Traboulsee Anthony L.
Published: November 2024

Background and Purpose

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) affects the optic nerves and spinal cord but can also cause focal brain inflammation. Subcortical pathology may contribute to the etiology of cognitive deficits in NMOSD. Using myelin water imaging, we investigated cerebral normal‐appearing white matter (NAWM) and thalamic metrics and their association with cognition in NMOSD participants compared to healthy controls (HC).

Methods

Seventeen NMOSD participants and 21 HC were scanned on a 3.0‐Tesla MRI scanner using a multicomponent driven‐equilibrium single‐pulse observation of T1 and T2 protocol. Tissue compartment and thalamic volumes (normalized to intracranial volume), T1 relaxation time, and myelin water fraction (MWF) were reported. Eleven NMOSD participants underwent the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) for cognitive evaluation. Group comparisons were performed using Student's t‐test. The association between thalamic metrics and SDMT score was assessed using multiple regression analysis with age as a covariate.

Results

Compared to HC, NMOSD participants had reduced white matter volume (−14.2%, p < .0001), increased T1 relaxation time (+2.29%, p = .022), and lower MWF (−3.64%, p = .024) in NAWM. NMOSD group had a trend for smaller thalamic volumes than HC (−5.52%, p = .082) and no differences in thalamic MWF (p = .258) or T1 (p = .714). Thalamic T1 predicted SDMT score (adjusted R2 = .51, p = .04) when controlling for age.

Conclusions

NAWM in NMOSD demonstrates diffuse abnormalities with increased water content and demyelination, suggesting a diffuse disease process overlooked by focal inflammation measures. Increased water content, as a biomarker for diffuse thalamic pathology, may partially explain cognitive impairment in NMOSD.
Serum electrolyte abnormalities in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy
Authors: Baker Iona , Heilmann Romy , Knoll Ramona , Schneider Berenice , Bandara Yuvani , Priestnall Simon , Kathrani Aarti
Published: November 2024

Background

Limited information is available on electrolyte abnormalities in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE).

Hypothesis/Objectives

Report the prevalence of electrolyte abnormalities in cats with CIE compared to other gastrointestinal disorders, and determine their association with disease and outcome variables in cats with CIE.

Animals

Three hundred twenty‐eight client‐owned cats from 2 referral hospitals: CIE (132), alimentary small cell lymphoma (29), acute gastroenteritis (48), and healthy controls (119).

Methods

Retrospective study comparing serum electrolyte concentrations at time of diagnosis among the 4 groups of cats, and associations with clinical signs, intestinal mucosal fibrosis scores, treatment subclassification and outcome in CIE.

Results

Cats with CIE had lower sodium and higher potassium concentrations and lower sodium: potassium ratios compared with healthy cats (P < .001, P = .01, and P < .001, respectively). Cats with CIE and a duodenal mucosal fibrosis score of 2 had lower sodium and lower total calcium concentrations compared with cats that had a score of 0 (P = .02 and P = .01). Cats with CIE and a colonic mucosal fibrosis score of 1 had higher potassium concentrations and lower sodium: potassium ratios compared with cats that had a score of 0 (P = .03 and P = .01). Cats with CIE that died as a result of their disease had higher potassium concentrations and lower sodium: potassium ratios compared to cats that were alive (P = .02 and P = .01).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Electrolyte abnormalities occur with CIE and, in particular, in cats with higher fibrosis scores and worse outcomes. Further research should aim to determine the pathogenesis of these findings and identify novel therapeutic targets for cats with CIE.
The impact of early childhood education and care‐based interventions on child physical activity, anthropometrics, fundamental movement skills, cognitive functioning, and social–emotional wellbeing: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Grady Alice , Lorch Rebecca , Giles Luke , Lamont Hannah , Anderson Amy , Pearson Nicole , Romiti Maria , Lum Melanie , Stuart Ashleigh , Leigh Lucy , Yoong Sze Lin
Published: November 2024

This review assessed the effectiveness of ECEC‐based interventions to improve child physical activity, and intervention impact on child weight‐based anthropometrics, fundamental movement skills (FMS), cognitive functioning, and social–emotional wellbeing. Adverse effects and costs were assessed. Finch et al's 2014 systematic review was updated. Electronic databases were searched 10 September 2014 to 27 October 2022. Included studies were randomized controlled trials of ECEC interventions targeting physical activity among children aged 0–6 years. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool v2. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated for each outcome with meta‐analysis undertaken; otherwise, findings were described narratively. Fifty‐three studies were included. ECEC‐based interventions were found to significantly improve child physical activity (SMD 0.193, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09 to 0.3; p < 0.001) and FMS (SMD 0.544, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.98; p = 0.015), compared to control. Small positive, but non‐significant, effects were found for weight‐based anthropometrics, cognitive functioning, and social–emotional wellbeing. Few studies reported adverse effects (n = 10), and no studies reported formal economic analyses. While ECEC‐based interventions can significantly improve child physical activity and FMS, further evidence of their impact on cognitive functioning, social–emotional wellbeing, and the cost‐effectiveness of such interventions is required to inform policy and practice.
Preoperative Consultations and Their Effect on Surgical Delays and Mortality in Hip Fracture Surgery
Authors: Şimşek Ekin Kaya , Kafa Barış , Haberal Bahtiyar
Published: November 2024

Objective

The impact of preoperative consultations on mortality and morbidity rates, and their association with delays and hospital stays for surgery, remains a topic of discussion. This study aims to elucidate the necessity of consultations for those undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery, examining their influence on delays, hospital durations, and their correlation with mortality rates.

Methods

The study examined data from 320 emergency department patients with femoral neck fractures undergoing hip arthroplasty surgery at our hospital between 2011 and 2021, using digital medical records. Patients were consulted in relevant departments for risk optimization. They were categorized into two groups based on the time of surgery: Group 1 (operated within 48 h) and Group 2 (delayed surgery). The analysis included days from admission to surgery, total hospital stay, and time from surgery to discharge. Mortality rates, with a minimum 2‐year follow‐up, were assessed using digital records, patient contact, or a death notification system. Statistical analyses involved Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, post hoc analysis, Pearson's chi‐squared, and Fisher–Freeman–Halton tests (α = 0.05). SPSS v25.0 software was used.

Results

Patients with consultation requests experience significantly delayed surgery compared to those without (p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed between consulted and nonconsulted groups in time until surgery (p < 0.001), time from surgery to discharge (p < 0.001), and overall length of hospital stay (p < 0.001). However, there is no statistically significant difference in 30‐day and 1‐year mortality between consulted and nonconsulted patients, both departmentally and overall.

Conclusion

This study found that advanced age and high ASA scores were the main factors causing surgical delays in hip fracture patients. While modifiable comorbidities could reduce hospital stays, they did not significantly affect postoperative mortality. Streamlining elective consultations and reducing organizational delays could help prevent delayed surgeries and improve outcomes.
Decoupling of Tree‐Ring Cellulose δ18O and δ2H Highlighted by Their Contrasting Relationships to Climate and Tree Intrinsic Variables
Authors: Charlet de Sauvage Justine , Saurer Matthias , Treydte Kerstin , Lévesque Mathieu
Published: November 2024

Oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope ratios are tightly coupled in precipitation and, albeit damped, in leaf water, but are often decoupled in tree‐ring cellulose. The environmental and physiological conditions in which this decoupling occurs are not yet well understood. We investigated the relationships between δ18O and δ2H and tree‐ring width (TRW), tree crown volume, tree age and climate in silver fir and Douglas‐fir and found substantial differences between δ18O and δ2H. Overall, δ18O–δ2H correlations were weak to absent but became significantly negative under high summer vapour pressure deficit (VPD). δ18O and δ2H had positive and negative nonlinear relationships with TRW, respectively, with clear relationships at the site and tree levels for silver fir and, to a lesser extent, for Douglas‐fir. Age trends for silver fir were weakly negative in δ18O but positive in δ2H. Tree crown volume and δ18O or δ2H had no significant relationships. Most strikingly, δ18O strongly depended on spring climate (precipitation and VPD), whereas δ2H depended on summer climate (temperature and VPD) for both species. Our study shows that the δ18O–δ2H decoupling in tree‐ring cellulose in two temperate conifer species could be highlighted by their contrasting relationships to climate and tree intrinsic variables (TRW, age).