bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Professional Female Soccer Players’ Recovery Following Official Matches
Authors: Moreira Alexandre , Machado Daniel Gomes da Silva , Bikson Marom , Unal Gozde , Bradley Paul S. , Moscaleski Luciane , Costa Taline , Kalil Gabriella C .S. G. , Chao Liaw W. , Baptista Abrahão F. , Morya Edgard , Okano Alexandre H.
Published: June 2021

This study investigated the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with a recovery training session on the well-being and self-perceived recovery of professional female soccer players after official matches. Data from 13 world-class players were analyzed after participating in four official soccer matches of the first division of the Brazilian Women’s Soccer Championship (7-, 10-, and 13-day intervals). We applied anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with 2 mA for 20 minutes (+F3/−F4 montage) the day after each match. Participants underwent two randomly ordered sessions of a-tDCS or sham. Players completed the Well-Being Questionnaire (WBQ) and the Total Quality Recovery (TQR) scale before each experimental condition and again the following morning. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant time x condition interaction on the WBQ (F(1,11)=5.21; p=0.043; ηp2=0.32), but not on the TQR (F(1,12) = 0.552; p = 0.47; ηp2 = 0.044). There was a large effect size (ES) for a-tDCS for the WBQ score (ES = 1.02; 95%CI = 0.17;1.88), and there was a moderate WBQ score increase (ES = 0.53; 95%CI = −0.29;1.34) for the sham condition. We found similar increases in the TQR score for a-tDCS (ES = 1.50; 95%CI = 0.63–2.37) and the sham condition (ES = 1.36; 95%CI = 0.51–2.22). These results suggest that a-tDCS (+F3/−F4 montage) combined with a recovery training session may slightly improve perceived well-being beyond the level of improvement after only the recovery training session among world-class female soccer players. Prior to widely adopting this recovery approach, further study is needed with larger and more diverse samples, including for female teams of different performance levels.
Better for whom? Sanction type and the gendered consequences for women
Authors: Perry Kate
Published: June 2021

How does sanction type negatively impact women in gendered ways in the target state? I argue that economic sanctions place a financial burden on the target state which leads to government cuts to social spending, specifically in public education. Women rely disproportionately upon spending on public education, and thus, are impacted more harshly than men when these programs are underfunded by the government. I find that contrary to policy expectations, targeted sanctions do not have a reduced impact on women’s human rights in the target state compared to comprehensive sanctions once this impact is disaggregated from standard human rights indices and specific mechanisms in the state are examined. In fact, compared to comprehensive sanctions, I find that targeted and human rights sanction types are worse for women’s gender equality metrics via this influence on government social spending. Using a panel analysis, I show that targeted and human rights sanctions lead to a decrease in government spending on public education and that these cuts negatively impact women in the post-sanctions period. However, I illustrate that when the target state increases spending on primary education in the post-sanctions period, the overall negative impact of sanctions on women can be mitigated.
Abandoning the SRO: Public Health Withdrawal from Sanitary Enforcement in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
Authors: Masuda Jeffrey ,   the Right to Remain Research Collective
Published: June 2021

This paper situates a ten-year period of political upheaval in addressing the problem of Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing in Vancouver, Canada, within an epistemic transformation of public health. Until 1970, the Vancouver Health Department exemplified a colonial history of public health in establishing the city’s skid road as a cordon sanitaire. But the 1970s saw a sudden fading of the Department’s authority just as a more collaborative approach to housing policy was emerging. The sunsetting of sanitary enforcement was driven in part by the arrival of a “new public health” that became primarily concerned with defining public health problems and solutions through the regulation of racialized bodies and behaviors—a cordon thérapeutique. By the 1980s, this shift constituted an epistemic and regulatory abandonment of SRO housing, leading to the accelerated deterioration of the entire housing stock and costing incalculable human suffering and the loss of lives.
National Quality Evaluation of Medication Use for Pediatric Otitis Media With Effusion
Authors: Chen Yu-Lu , Fang Te-Yung , Wang Pa-Chun , Chen Ya-Hui , Wang Ting-Chuan , Huang Wan-Tsui
Published: June 2021

Objectives:

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterized by the presence of fluid in the middle ear without the presentation of signs or symptoms of acute ear infection. The point prevalence of OME reaches as high as 60% in children younger than 2 years of age. We used the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to investigate the use of medication in children with OME before receiving ventilation tube insertion (VTI).

Methods:

Data of pediatric patients (age ≤ 12 years) who had OME and received VTI from January 1, 2011, to December 30, 2012, were retrieved from the Taiwan NHIRD. We surveyed the use of 4 medications to understand whether health care providers achieved the standards of medication use recommended by clinical practice guidelines.

Results:

This study examines the factors affecting the use of medication for pediatric OME. Overall, according to the study’s operational definitions, the use of systemic antibiotics was most common (59.9%), followed by systemic antihistamines (23.4%), systemic steroids (8.8%), and intranasal steroids (9.6%). Systemic antibiotics use was associated with 12 factors. Ten of the 12 factors increase the use of systemic antibiotics, including namely age (age > 2 years), comorbidities, teaching hospital, and community hospital. In contrast, namely catastrophic illness and watchful waiting are the 2 factors that decrease systemic antibiotics use. For the use of systemic antihistamines, systemic steroids, and intranasal steroids were related to 6, 5, and 2 factors, respectively.

Conclusions:

The rate of drug use differs from the rate of use recommended by commonly used clinical practice guidelines. We found that the higher the number of factors that influenced the patients’ drug use, the higher the rate of drug use. According to these results, drafting a treatment guideline for OME patients in accordance with current clinical practices in Taiwan is highly recommended.
Pay Volatility and Employee Turnover in the Trucking Industry
Authors: Conroy Samantha A. , Roumpi Dorothea , Delery John E. , Gupta Nina
Published: June 2021

Many organizations have turned to “just-in-time” pay systems to manage fluctuations in demand for products and services. For example, the trucking industry commonly pays truck drivers by the mile, and retail organizations fluctuate hours available to work to align with holiday demand. Based on the Unfolding Model of Turnover, we propose that the pay volatility, that is, fluctuations in individual pay over time, created by such systems create shocks that initiate thoughts of leaving the organization. We propose that these thoughts increase turnover likelihood. We also propose that pay level and pay trajectory moderate the pay volatility and turnover relationship. Based on a large dataset containing information on objective pay and turnover for truck drivers over a period of 34 weeks, the results of this study support the role of pay volatility, pay level, and pay trajectory in affecting voluntary turnover. Specifically, the results show that all three factors predict turnover likelihood and that pay volatility and pay level interact to predict turnover likelihood. The findings indicate that pay volatility has organizational downsides due to its effects on employee turnover in addition to its known upsides (i.e., flexibility).
The importance of considering and reporting sources of error in peer nomination research: A response to Bukowski et al.
Authors: Babcock Ben , Marks Peter E. L. , van den Berg Yvonne H. M. , Cillessen Antonius H. N.
Published: June 2021

A wide variety of methodological choices and situations can affect the quality of peer nomination measurements but have not received adequate study. This article begins by focusing on systematic nominator missingness as an example of one such situation. We reanalyzed findings from a recent study by Bukowski, Dirks, Commisso, Velàsquez, and Lopez in the year 2019 and compared the results to recent findings of Babcock, Marks, van den Berg, and Cillessen published in the year 2018 to show that systematic nominator missingness can, indeed, have an impact on nomination measures. From there, we discuss the importance of considering sources of error and the ways that sources of error are analyzed. Ultimately, we argue that systematic nominator missingness is one of several potential sources of error that have largely been ignored in the literature, and that analyzing and reporting these sources of error would strengthen the foundations of peer nomination research.
A framework for the integration of indigenous knowledge into libraries in South Africa
Authors: Mhlongo Maned
Published: June 2021

This article is part of a larger study which explored the integration of indigenous knowledge into public library services in South Africa in an endeavour to enhance their relevance. Four purposefully selected provincial library services comprised the sample for the study. Semi- structured interviews with heads of provincial library services were conducted to collect data. The data was analysed thematically. The results show that indigenous knowledge has not been integrated into public libraries, despite the expressed need identified by the participants. A framework that identifies stakeholders and their responsibilities, as well as envisaged outcomes for the integration of indigenous knowledge, is proposed. Similar studies are recommended for further research in order to customise the proposed framework, given the fact that the participants in the study from which the article is extracted were heads of library services who did not work directly with communities.
Passive shape shifting: A compliant design approach for full film bearings
Authors: Nijssen Joep , van Ostayen Ron
Published: June 2021

In tribotronic bearing design active components are used to adapt bearing performance to operating conditions. The principle of self-adaptive bearings has also been presented in literature in which a passive modification of geometry was used for a variation in conditions. This work presents an alternative design approach for self-adaptive bearings. This approach is focused on the shift between two known bearing geometries, where each of them is the preferred solution in a part of the operating regime. Using compliant elements in the bearing design allows for passive shape shifting. Four examples are presented which present this behavior for variable velocity and load conditions. The design approach could possibly provide a cheaper alternative for simple active bearing designs, or could be combined with active components in a tribotronics design to improve existing performance.
COVID-19 and Dementia
Authors: Sharma Shiv K.
Published: June 2021

The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. The causative agent for COVID-19 is an RNA virus of the Coronaviridae family. In addition to the respiratory and other complications, a significant proportion of COVID-19 patients show neurological manifestations. Dementia is a neurocognitive disorder, the prevalence of which is projected to increase in the coming decades. This review provides an overview of the effects of COVID-19 on dementia patients.
Preliminary Study of the Effects of BEST in CLASS—Web on Young Children’s Social-Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes
Authors: Conroy Maureen A. , Sutherland Kevin S. , Granger Kristen L. , Marcoulides Katerina M. , Huang Ke , Montesion Alexandra
Published: June 2021

Many young children entering early childhood programs demonstrate challenging behaviors that place them at risk for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs), which impact their future success in school. The purpose of this study was to conduct a conceptual replication of BEST in CLASS by examining child outcomes from BEST in CLASS—Web, a web-based professional development intervention supporting teachers’ use of effective practices for ameliorating young children’s challenging behaviors. Participants included 29 early childhood teachers and 54 children (ages 3–5 years old) who were identified at-risk for EBD. Positive outcomes were found for both BEST in CLASS—Web and BEST in CLASS in reductions of children’s problem behaviors and conflictual relationships with their teachers as well as increases in social skills, engagement, and closeness with teachers in comparison to children who did not receive the intervention. In some cases, positive child outcomes were greater when teachers received professional development in the web-condition as compared to the onsite condition. Future research directions and implications are discussed.
Speech Outcomes Following Orticochea Pharyngoplasty in Patients With History of Cleft Palate and Noncleft Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
Authors: Birch Alison L. , Jordan Zoe V. , Ferguson Louisa M. , Kelly Clare B. , Boorman John G.
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To report speech outcomes following Orticochea pharyngoplasty in 43 patients with cleft palate and noncleft velopharyngeal dysfunction.

Design:

A retrospective surgical audit of patients undergoing Orticochea pharyngoplasty between 2004 and 2012, with speech as a primary outcome measure.

Setting:

Patients known to a regional UK cleft center.

Methods:

Forty-three patients underwent Orticochea pharyngoplasty by a single surgeon in a UK regional cleft center. Twenty-one patients had undergone a prior procedure for velopharyngeal dysfunction. Pre- and postoperative speech samples were assessed blindly using the Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented by a specialist cleft speech and language therapist, external to the team. Speech samples were rated on the following parameters: hypernasality, hyponasality, audible nasal emission, nasal, turbulence, and passive cleft speech characteristics. Statistical differences in pre- and postoperative speech scores were tested using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test. Inter- and intrareliability scores were calculated using weighted Cohen κ.

Results:

Whole group: A statistically significant difference in pre- and postoperative scores for hypernasality ( P < .001), hyponasality ( P < .05), nasal emission ( P < .01), and passive cleft speech characteristics ( P < .01) were reported. Patients with cleft diagnoses: A statistically significant difference in scores for hypernasality ( P < .001), nasal emission ( P < .01), and passive cleft speech characteristics ( P < .01) were reported for this group of patients. Patients with noncleft diagnoses: The only parameter to demonstrate a statistically significant difference was hypernasality ( P < .01) in this group.

Conclusions:

Orticochea pharyngoplasty is a successful surgical procedure in treating velopharyngeal dysfunction in both the cleft and noncleft populations.
In Focus: Effects of an Opportune Gift on Tipping
Authors: Hilkenmeier Frederic , Hoffmann Sascha
Published: June 2021

The present study analyzes the effect on tipping when a gift is offered by servers, and shows that customers generously reciprocate that gift by significantly increasing gratuity. Making the norm of reciprocity focal by offering the identical gift at an opportunity to directly reciprocate, that is, concurrently with bringing the bill, even doubles this effect, indicating that service personnel can substantially—and effortlessly—raise their tips just by leveraging this reciprocity norm.
Experimental investigation of bamboo-concrete composite beams with threaded reinforcement connections
Authors: Wei Yang , Chen Si , Jiang Junfeng , Zhou Mengqian , Zhao Kang
Published: June 2021

A novel bamboo-concrete composite structure with threaded reinforcement connections is presented. Experimental investigations on the shear behavior of the connectors and the flexural performance of the bamboo-concrete composite beams were carried out. The results indicate that the load-slip behavior of the shear connection with threaded reinforcement exhibits good ductility and that its failure mode is ductile failure. The threaded reinforcement provides an efficient connection before the initial shear failure. The load-displacement curves of the bamboo-concrete composite beams are close to those of the full composite structure, and the midspan displacement is greatly reduced under the same load compared with that of the contrast bamboo beams. The loads PL/250 and PL/300, corresponding to the midspan deflections of L/250 and L/300 ( L is the span of the beams) of the composite beams, increase by averages of 3.36 times and 3.71 times, respectively, compared to those of the contrast bamboo beams. The load-bearing performance of the beams in the service state is greatly improved. Based on the equivalent cross-sectional stiffness calculated using the γ-method with a reduction of 0.80, the calculated results of the displacement are in good agreement with the test results.
Digital chemsex publics: Algorithmic and user configurations of fear and desire on Pornhub
Authors: Møller Kristian
Published: June 2021

In recent years, chemsex has emerged as both a subcultural vernacular and an orientation device for gay health promotion. Chemsex loosely describes gay men using certain drugs to extend and modulate group sex practice. In line with hegemonic responses to gay sexuality in general, most research has been grounded in problematisation, with discourse mostly returning to the question of containment. Drawing on porn, platform and critical drug studies, this article offers a corrective approach by defining a networked, cultural study of chemsex that is attuned to how chemsex erotics operate in many different (digital) intimate publics. Assembling algorithmic search suggestions, 41 videos and 450 comments, the article finds that the videos and comments found through the search function are vastly different than those found through user-generated playlists. Two competing publics form around the fear/desire-response to drug use: a cautious erotic of disinhibition and a counterpublic erotic of transgression.
The broker role in societal activation of long-term welfare recipients: A jack of all trades?
Authors: Prevo Lotte , Jansen Maria , Kremers Stef
Published: June 2021

Socioeconomic status and health are strongly related to the ability of a person to participate in society. Acting upon activation and employment possibilities is difficult for several groups. One group described as especially hard to activate is long-term welfare recipients. In the current study, the role of an activation broker was studied as a supplementary practice to regular support practices. A qualitative research design using an analysis of the administrative logbook of the activation broker and interviews with professionals ( n = 8) and long-term welfare recipients ( n = 10) was carried out. To structure the retrieved data, the Activation Broker Wheel was developed.

Findings

Seven core behaviours were identified and categorized in three determinants; capabilities, opportunities and motivation. Contextual factors supporting the activation broker approach were selected. The activation broker approach was found to be successful in activating long-term welfare recipients.

Applications

The behaviours, determinants and context made visible within the Activation Broker Wheel provided insight into workable elements that may help future activation brokers to optimize their support.
Sparse damage detection via the elastic net method using modal data
Authors: Hou Rongrong , Wang Xiaoyou , Xia Yong
Published: June 2021

The l1 regularization technique has been developed for damage detection by utilizing the sparsity feature of structural damage. However, the sensitivity matrix in the damage identification exhibits a strong correlation structure, which does not suffice the independency criteria of the l1 regularization technique. This study employs the elastic net method to solve the problem by combining the l1 and l2 regularization techniques. Moreover, the proposed method enables the grouped structural damage being identified simultaneously, whereas the l1 regularization cannot. A numerical cantilever beam and an experimental three-story frame are utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results showed that the proposed method is able to accurately locate and quantify the single and multiple damages, even when the number of measurement data is much less than the number of elements. In particular, the present elastic net technique can detect the grouped damaged elements accurately, whilst the l1 regularization method cannot.
Penile arterial communications and severity of erectile dysfunction, evaluation by color Doppler ultrasound
Authors: Lubinus Federico G , Ariza Diego M , Vera Silvia N , Villarreal Erick D
Published: June 2021

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inflow and outflow communications of the cavernous arteries to the extra cavernous arteries and their association with erectile dysfunction.

Materials and methods:

An observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted which included 63 patients complaining of erectile dysfunction that had been referred from the urology and andrology services for a penile color Doppler study with a pharmacological test. Severity was classified in accordance with the erection phases evaluated by a Doppler ultrasound and its clinical correlation.

Results:

There were 63 patients, 22–83 years of age, having variable degrees of erectile dysfunction that were analyzed. In 59 patients (93.6%) some arterial communication was seen. Regardless of the collateral artery involved, we found that with each collateral passing through the tunica albuginea and showing outflow from the cavernous arteries the severity of erectile dysfunction was worsened. prevalence ratio of 1.33 (95% confidence interval 1.13–1.56, value of p=0.001).

Conclusions:

The helicine arteries seem to participate in the phases of erection and detumescence, and dysfunction of their flow mechanism may be the first step in erectile dysfunction. Hence the importance of exploring new vascular factors that might affect the erectile mechanism and thus propose new lines of treatment. Level of evidence:
Imaging Modalities for the Glenoid Track in Recurrent Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review
Authors: Vopat Matthew L. , Hermanns Christina A. , Midtgaard Kaare S. , Baker Jordan , Coda Reed G. , Cheema Sana G. , Tarakemeh Armin , Peebles Liam , Vopat Bryan G. , Provencher Matthew T.
Published: June 2021

Background:

The glenoid track (GT) concept illustrates how the degree of glenoid bone loss and humeral bone loss in the glenohumeral joint can guide further treatment in a patient with anterior instability. The importance of determining which lesions are at risk for recurrent instability involves imaging of the glenohumeral joint, but no studies have determined which type of imaging is the most appropriate.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and accuracy of different imaging modalities for measuring the GT in shoulders with recurrent anterior instability. We hypothesized that 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) would be the most accurate imaging technique.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and Cochrane libraries between database inception and July 2019. We included all clinical trials or cadaveric studies that evaluated imaging modalities for assessing the GT.

Results:

A total of 13 studies were included in this review: 1 study using 2-dimensional CT, 6 studies using 3D-CT, 4 studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 1 study using magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA)/MRI, and 1 study combining CT and MRI. The mean sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for 2D-CT was 92%, 100%, and 96%, respectively. For MRI, the means were 72.2%, 87.9%, and 84.2%, respectively. No papers included 3D-CT metrics. The mean intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for intraobserver reliability were 0.9046 for 3D-CT and 0.867 for MRI. ICCs for interobserver reliability were 0.8164, 0.8845, and 0.43 for 3D-CT, MRI, and MRA/MRI, respectively.

Conclusion:

There is evidence to support the use of both CT and MRI imaging modalities in assessing the GT. In addition, few studies have compared radiographic measurements with a gold standard, and even fewer have looked at the GT concept as a predictor of outcomes. Thus, future studies are needed to further evaluate which imaging modality is the most accurate to assess the GT.
Three-Dimensional Quantification of Glenoid Bone Loss in Anterior Shoulder Instability: The Anatomic Concave Surface Area Method
Authors: Launay Marine , Choudhry Muhammad Naghman , Green Nicholas , Maharaj Jashint , Cutbush Kenneth , Pivonka Peter , Gupta Ashish
Published: June 2021

Background:

Recurrent shoulder instability may be associated with glenoid erosion and bone loss. Accurate quantification of bone loss significantly influences the contemplation of surgical procedure. In addition, assessment of bone loss is crucial for surgical planning and accurate graft placement during surgery.

Purpose:

To quantify the concave surface area of glenoid bone loss by using 3-dimensional (3D) segmented models of the scapula and to compare this method with the best-fit circle and glenoid height/width methods, which use the glenoid rim for bone loss estimations.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 36 consecutive preoperative bilateral computed tomography scans of patients eligible for a primary Latarjet procedure were selected from our institutional surgical database (mean patient age, 29 ± 9 years; 31 men and 5 women). The 3D models of both scapulae were generated using medical segmentation software and were used to map the anatomic concave surface area (ACSA) of the inferior glenoid using the diameter of the best-fit circle of the healthy glenoid. Bone loss was calculated as a ratio of the difference between surface areas of both glenoids (healthy and pathological) against the anatomic circular surface area of the healthy glenoid (the ACSA method). These results were compared with bone loss calculations using the best-fit circle and glenoid height/width methods. Inter- and intraobserver reliability were also calculated.

Results:

The mean (± SD) bone loss calculated using the ACSA, the best-fit circle, and glenoid height/width methods was 9.4% ± 6.7%, 14.3% ± 6.8%, and 17.6% ± 7.3%, respectively. The ACSA method showed excellent interobserver reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.95 versus those for the best-fit circle (ICC, 0.71) and glenoid height/width (ICC, 0.79) methods.

Conclusion:

Quantification of instability-related glenoid bone loss is reliable using the 3D ACSA method.
The role of space, time and sociability in predicting social encounters
Authors: Stich Christoph , Tranos Emmanouil , Musolesi Mirco , Lehmann Sune
Published: June 2021

Space, time and the social realm are intrinsically linked. While an array of studies have tried to untangle these factors and their influence on human behaviour, hardly any have taken their effects into account at the same time. To disentangle these factors, we try to predict future encounters between students and assess how important social, spatial and temporal features are for prediction. We phrase our problem of predicting future encounters as a link-prediction problem and utilise set of Random Forest predictors for the prediction task. We use data collected by the Copenhagen network study; a study unique in scope and scale and tracks 847 students via mobile phones over the course of a whole academic year. We find that network and social features hold the highest discriminatory power for predicting future encounters.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients’ Perceptions of Safety and Need for Elective Foot and Ankle Surgery in the United States
Authors: Chan Jimmy J. , Chen Kevin K. , Choi Peter , Rojas Edward O. , Schipper Oliver N. , Aiyer Amiethab , de Cesar Netto Cesar , Haleem Amgad M. , Kadakia Anish R. , Vulcano Ettore
Published: June 2021

Background:

With the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, elective foot and ankle surgeries were delayed throughout the United States to divert health care resources and limit exposure. Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on patient’s willingness to proceed with elective procedures once restrictions are lifted and factors contributing to such decision.

Methods:

Patients across 6 US orthopedic institutions who had their elective foot and ankle surgeries cancelled secondary to the pandemic were given a questionnaire. Specifically, patients were asked about their willingness to move forward with surgery once restrictions were lifted and if not why. Pain-level and pain medication use were also assessed. Univariate analysis was used to identify factors that contribute to patient’s decisions.

Results:

A total of 150 patients participated in this study. Twenty-one (14%) opted not to proceed with surgery once restrictions were lifted. Forty-three percent (n = 9) listed concern for COVID infection as the reason; however, 14% of them would proceed if procedures were performed in surgery center. Twenty-nine (19% of the total cohort) patients had increased pain and 11% of patients were taking more pain meds because of the delay to their procedure. Patients who decided not to proceed with surgery reported pain reduction (3% vs 14%) and lower increase in pain medication used (5% vs 12%).

Conclusion:

COVID-19 has made a significant impact on the health care system. Delay of elective foot and ankle procedures impact patient quality of life and outcomes. Access to surgery centers may provide a partial solution during the pandemic

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
The impact of care-related factors on the language and communication needs of looked after and adopted children/young people
Authors: Maguire Darren , McCormack David , Downes Ciara , Teggart Tom , Fosker Tim
Published: June 2021

It is established that the development of psychological well-being and cognitive skills for Looked After and Adopted Children/Young People (LAACYP) is impacted by their experiences before and after entry into care. Language and communication skills are typically considered to have a reciprocal relationship with cognitive development, but the language skills of the LAACYP population are currently underspecified. The current study explores the severity and specificity of language and communication difficulty in a LAACYP population and the association between these difficulties and several care-related factors, including mental health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Fifty-seven children aged 4–16 either in foster care or an adoptive placement were sampled via carer-report, using the Children’s Communication Checklist 2. Forty-two of these children’s mental health needs were also sampled using the Assessment Checklist for Children. The child’s social worker completed information regarding ACEs and care-related factors. Based on UK norms, the performance of 68% of the children sampled was consistent with the lowest 10% of the general population for language and communication ability. Similar levels of severity were found for both structural and pragmatic abilities. Language and communication difficulties were associated with older children, later age of entry into care and placement type (foster care vs. adoption) but not placement disruption. A significant relationship was found between mental health and language difficulty, but no link was established with ACEs. This study highlights the severity and pervasiveness of language and communication impairment among many of the LAACYP population and its association with psychological well-being.
Long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and incidence of asthma: the ELAPSE project
Authors: Liu Shuo , Jørgensen Jeanette Therming , Ljungman Petter , Pershagen Göran , Bellander Tom , Leander Karin , Magnusson Patrik K.E. , Rizzuto Debora , Hvidtfeldt Ulla A. , Raaschou-Nielsen Ole , Wolf Kathrin , Hoffmann Barbara , Brunekreef Bert , Strak Maciej , Chen Jie , Mehta Amar , Atkinson Richard W. , Bauwelinck Mariska , Varraso Raphaëlle , Boutron-Ruault Marie-Christine , Brandt Jørgen , Cesaroni Giulia , Forastiere Francesco , Fecht Daniela , Gulliver John , Hertel Ole , de Hoogh Kees , Janssen Nicole A.H. , Katsouyanni Klea , Ketzel Matthias , Klompmaker Jochem O. , Nagel Gabriele , Oftedal Bente , Peters Annette , Tjønneland Anne , Rodopoulou Sophia P. , Samoli Evangelia , Kristoffersen Doris Tove , Sigsgaard Torben , Stafoggia Massimo , Vienneau Danielle , Weinmayr Gudrun , Hoek Gerard , Andersen Zorana Jovanovic
Published: June 2021

Background

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution has been linked to childhood-onset asthma, although evidence is still insufficient. Within the multicentre project Effects of Low-Level Air Pollution: A Study in Europe (ELAPSE), we examined the associations of long-term exposures to particulate matter with a diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and black carbon (BC) with asthma incidence in adults.

Methods

We pooled data from three cohorts in Denmark and Sweden with information on asthma hospital diagnoses. The average concentrations of air pollutants in 2010 were modelled by hybrid land-use regression models at participants’ baseline residential addresses. Associations of air pollution exposures with asthma incidence were explored with Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Of 98 326 participants, 1965 developed asthma during a mean follow-up of 16.6 years. We observed associations in fully adjusted models with hazard ratios of 1.22 (95% CI 1.04–1.43) per 5 μg·m−3 for PM2.5, 1.17 (95% CI 1.10–1.25) per 10 µg·m−3 for NO2 and 1.15 (95% CI 1.08–1.23) per 0.5×10−5 m−1 for BC. Hazard ratios were larger in cohort subsets with exposure levels below the European Union and US limit values and possibly World Health Organization guidelines for PM2.5 and NO2. NO2 and BC estimates remained unchanged in two-pollutant models with PM2.5, whereas PM2.5 estimates were attenuated to unity. The concentration–response curves showed no evidence of a threshold.

Conclusions

Long-term exposure to air pollution, especially from fossil fuel combustion sources such as motorised traffic, was associated with adult-onset asthma, even at levels below the current limit values.
Hematological indices and abnormalities among patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Kosti city of the White Nile state, Sudan: a comparative study
Authors: Elkhalifa Ahmed M. E. , Abdul-Ghani Rashad , Tamomh Abdelhakam G. , Eltaher Nur Eldin , Ali Nada Y. , Ali Moataz M. , Bazie Elsharif A. , KhirAlla Aboagla , DfaAlla Fatin A. , Alhasan Omnia A. M.
Published: June 2021

Background

Hematological abnormalities are common features in falciparum malaria but vary among different populations across countries. Therefore, we compared hematological indices and abnormalities between Plasmodium falciparum-infected patients and malaria-negative subjects in Kosti city of the White Nile State, Sudan.

Methods

A comparative, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Clinical Laboratory Unit of Kosti Teaching Hospital from June to December 2018. A total of 392 participants (192 P. falciparum-infected patients and 200 malaria-negative subjects) were recruited in the study. Hematological indices of hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets were measured, and their median values were statistically compared.

Results

The majority of P. falciparum-infected patients (67.6%) showed a low-level parasitemia. The median values of Hb concentration, RBC count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular Hb (MCH) and mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC) were significantly lower in P. falciparum-infected patients, while the median red cell distribution width (RDW) was significantly higher in the patients compared to malaria-negative subjects. Anemia, low MCV, low MCH, low MCHC and high RDW were significantly associated with falciparum malaria, but parasitemia level was not significantly associated with anemia severity. The median total WBC count was non-significantly higher in P. falciparum-infected patients, with neutropenia being significantly associated with falciparum malaria. The median platelet count was significantly lower in P. falciparum-infected patients, with thrombocytopenia being significantly associated with falciparum malaria.

Conclusions

Falciparum malaria among patients in Kosti city of the White Nile State, Sudan is predominantly of low-level parasitemia. It is significantly associated with anemia, low MCV, low MCH, low MCHC, high RDW, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. However, parasitemia level is not a significant predictor of anemia severity. On the other hand, leucopenia is not useful to predict falciparum malaria. Further large-scale studies in community and healthcare settings and inclusion of patients with complicated or severe malaria and those with high parasite densities are recommended.
Association between Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) with adverse pregnancy outcomes in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran
Authors: Dastoorpoor Maryam , Khanjani Narges , Khodadadi Narges
Published: June 2021

Background

There are few epidemiological studies on the relation between temperature changes and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) with adverse pregnancy outcomes including stillbirth, low birth weight (LBW), preterm labor (PTL), spontaneous abortion (SA), preeclampsia and hypertension in Ahvaz, Iran.

Methods

Distributed Lag Non-linear Models (DLNM) combined with quasi-Poisson regression were used to investigate the effect of PET on adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this study the effect of time trend, air pollutants (NO2, SO2 and PM10), and weekdays were adjusted.

Results

High PET (45.4 C°, lag = 0) caused a significant increase in risk of stillbirth. Also, high levels of PET (45.4, 43.6, 42.5 C°, lag = 0–6) and low levels of PET (9.9, 16.9 C°, lags = 0, 0–13, 0–21) significantly increased the risk of LBW. But, low levels of PET (6.4, 9.9, 16.9 C°, lags = 0–6, 0–13) reduced the risk of gestational hypertension.

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that hot and cold thermal stress may be associated with increased risk of stillbirth, and LBW in Ahvaz.
Matrine suppresses cell growth of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma via inhibiting CaMKIIγ/c-Myc/CDK6 signaling pathway
Authors: Gu Jianyou , Wang Xiao , Zhang Ling , Xiang Jingjing , Li Jingya , Chen Zheng , Zhang Yu , Chen Junfa , Shen Jianping
Published: June 2021

Background

C-Myc aberrations confer a more aggressive clinic behavior in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Matrine is an alkaloid extracted from Sophora flavescens Ait. It possesses anti-cancer property through inhibiting the cell proliferation and inducing the apoptosis. The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms of matrine in suppressing the cell growth of DLBCL.

Methods

The influence of matrine on the viability of cultured DLBCL cell lines SU-DHL-16 and OCI-LY3 cells were determined by CCK-8. Apoptosis and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry after matrine exposure. Western blot was taken to investigate the expression of activated Caspase-3, cleaved PARP, c-Myc, phospho-c-Myc (Ser62), CaMKIIγ, phospho-CaMKIIγ (Thr287), CDK4 and CDK6 after matrine treatment. Cycloheximide chase analysis was used to determine the c-Myc protein half-lives before and after matrine treatment. Growth salvage analysis was taken by ectopic expression of c-Myc.

Results

In cultured DLBCL cells, matrine suppressed cell viability in a concentration and time dependent fashion. Matrine treated SU-DHL-16 and OCI-LY3 cells for 48 h with IC50 value of 1.76 mM and 4.1 mM, respectively. Matrine induced apoptosis through a caspase-independent pathway and caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in a concentration dependent manner in DLBCL cells. The protein expression of c-Myc was inhibited while the transcription of c-Myc was not reduced by matrine. c-Myc protein half-lives were decreased from 30.4, 69.4 min to 16.6, 15.9 min after matrine treatment in SU-DHL-16 and OCI-LY3, respectively. As a critical protein kinase of c-Myc, CaMKIIγ phosphorylation at Thr287 was found to be down-regulated and c-Myc phosphorylation at Ser62 was reduced together after matrine treatment in DLBCL. The growth suppression of SU-DHL-16 cells induced by matrine was rescued by over-expression of c-Myc achieved by recombinant adenovirus infection. The decreased expression of CDK6, not CDK4, induced by matrine was rescued by ectopic expression of c-Myc protein.

Conclusions

This study has shown for the first time that matrine suppresses cell growth of DLBCL via inhibiting CaMKIIγ/c-Myc/CDK6 signaling pathway.
External validation of urinary C–C motif chemokine ligand 14 (CCL14) for prediction of persistent acute kidney injury
Authors: Bagshaw Sean M. , Al-Khafaji Ali , Artigas Antonio , Davison Danielle , Haase Michael , Lissauer Matthew , Zacharowski Kai , Chawla Lakhmir S. , Kwan Thomas , Kampf J. Patrick , McPherson Paul , Kellum John A.
Published: June 2021

Background

Persistent acute kidney injury (AKI) portends worse clinical outcomes and remains a therapeutic challenge for clinicians. A recent study found that urinary C–C motif chemokine ligand 14 (CCL14) can predict the development of persistent AKI. We aimed to externally validate urinary CCL14 for the prediction of persistent AKI in critically ill patients.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis of the prospective multi-center SAPPHIRE study. We evaluated critically ill patients with cardiac and/or respiratory dysfunction who developed Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage 2–3 AKI within one week of enrollment. The main exposure was the urinary concentration of CCL14 measured at the onset of AKI stage 2–3. The primary endpoint was the development of persistent severe AKI, defined as  ≥ 72 h of KDIGO stage 3 AKI or death or renal-replacement therapy (RRT) prior to 72 h. The secondary endpoint was a composite of RRT and/or death by 90 days. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess discriminative ability of urinary CCL14 for the development of persistent severe AKI and multivariate analysis to compare tertiles of urinary CCL14 and outcomes.

Results

We included 195 patients who developed KDIGO stage 2–3 AKI. Of these, 28 (14%) developed persistent severe AKI, of whom 15 had AKI  ≥ 72 h, 12 received RRT and 1 died prior to  ≥ 72 h of KDIGO stage 3 AKI. Persistent severe AKI was associated with chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, higher non-renal APACHE III score, greater fluid balance, vasopressor use, and greater change in baseline serum creatinine. The AUC for urinary CCL14 to predict persistent severe AKI was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72–0.89). The risk of persistent severe AKI increased with higher values of urinary CCL14. RRT and/or death at 90 days increased within tertiles of urinary CCL14 concentration.

Conclusions

This secondary analysis externally validates urinary CCL14 to predict persistent severe AKI in critically ill patients.
Annotation of snoRNA abundance across human tissues reveals complex snoRNA-host gene relationships
Authors: Fafard-Couture Étienne , Bergeron Danny , Couture Sonia , Abou-Elela Sherif , Scott Michelle S.
Published: June 2021

Background

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are mid-size non-coding RNAs required for ribosomal RNA modification, implying a ubiquitous tissue distribution linked to ribosome synthesis. However, increasing numbers of studies identify extra-ribosomal roles of snoRNAs in modulating gene expression, suggesting more complex snoRNA abundance patterns. Therefore, there is a great need for mapping the snoRNome in different human tissues as the blueprint for snoRNA functions.

Results

We used a low structure bias RNA-Seq approach to accurately quantify snoRNAs and compare them to the entire transcriptome in seven healthy human tissues (breast, ovary, prostate, testis, skeletal muscle, liver, and brain). We identify 475 expressed snoRNAs categorized in two abundance classes that differ significantly in their function, conservation level, and correlation with their host gene: 390 snoRNAs are uniformly expressed and 85 are enriched in the brain or reproductive tissues. Most tissue-enriched snoRNAs are embedded in lncRNAs and display strong correlation of abundance with them, whereas uniformly expressed snoRNAs are mostly embedded in protein-coding host genes and are mainly non- or anticorrelated with them. Fifty-nine percent of the non-correlated or anticorrelated protein-coding host gene/snoRNA pairs feature dual-initiation promoters, compared to only 16% of the correlated non-coding host gene/snoRNA pairs.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that snoRNAs are not a single homogeneous group of housekeeping genes but include highly regulated tissue-enriched RNAs. Indeed, our work indicates that the architecture of snoRNA host genes varies to uncouple the host and snoRNA expressions in order to meet the different snoRNA abundance levels and functional needs of human tissues.
New dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. fruits
Authors: Nguyen Trong Nguyen , Lee Yeong-Geun , Kim Hyoung-Geun , Yoon Dahye , Jeong Jin Tae , Lee Dae Young , Baek Nam-In
Published: June 2021

Repeated column chromatography using Sephadex LH-20, silica gel (SiO2), and octadecyl SiO2 (ODS) as well as preparative HPLC column chromatography led to isolation of a new dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan along with four known ones, gomisin L2 (1), L1 (2), M1 (3), and M2 (4). Their chemical structures were fixed based on MS, IR, and NMR data analyses. In addition, the stereochemistry of atropisomers, the absolute configuration of the axial chirality in a biphenyl structure, was confirmed by a CD experiment. The new lignan was named gomisin M3 (5).