bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emperors, Usurpers, and the City of Rome
Authors: Humphries Mark
Published: August 2024

When the historian Sextus Aurelius Victor came to write (circa 360–361) his brief account of the reign of the third-century emperor Philip, he noted with approval how that emperor, after settling affairs in the East, had visited Rome, overseen the construction of a new cistern in Trastevere, and celebrated in 248 the city’s millennium with “games of all kinds.” Mention of this provided Victor with an opportunity to lament, however, that a century later in 348 the eleventh centenary of the city was celebrated “with none of the customary festivities.” For Victor this was emblematic of how concern for the city of Rome was diminishing day by day. This was no mere aside but a statement that, in Victor’s view of history, the cura Romanae urbis was one of the chief duties of an emperor. Indeed, such solicitude could distinguish even those emperors universally excoriated as bad to the core: not the least of the positive achievements of the quinquennium Neronis, for instance, had been that emperor’s embellishment of Rome; in like fashion, the early years of Domitian’s reign, before he too degenerated into cruelty, were marked by the completion of his father and brother’s building projects in the city.
Music, Labor, and the New Spirit of Genre
Authors: Moore Andrea
Published: August 2024

This chapter discusses questions of musical genre and the ways they correlate with contemporary ideas about music, labor, and workplace value. It explores professional composition in the era of entrepreneurship training, both in musical terms and as a case study in artistic labor under neoliberalism, in which the need to engage and accommodate a patron class has helped drive changes to musical practices and institutions. The discourses and social formations of post-genre music offer a new way to demonstrate the flexibility and activity that Luc Boltanski and Ève Chiapello have identified as a “new spirit of capitalism.” The chapter also considers critique as crucial to projects of liberation, and the challenges to maintaining critical distance under these discursive and material conditions.
Labour and Democracy
Authors: Andrias Kate
Published: August 2024

Democracy has always been a central project of labour law, but it is all the more important today, with authoritarianism on the rise and democracy under threat across the globe. This chapter examines the relationship between labour law and democracy. It explores the central tension between democracy and labour under capitalism; traces how ideas and arguments about workplace democracy have evolved over time; and explores the relationship between workplace democracy and political democracy, including how and when unions serve as a bulwark against authoritarianism. Ultimately, it argues that a critical task for labour law scholarship is to rethink the body of law to better serve the goals of workplace democracy, economic democracy, and political democracy.
Worker Participation in the Enterprise
Authors: Hendrickx Frank , Durri Ilda , Stylogiannis Charalampos
Published: August 2024

Worker participation, also frequently referred to as ‘worker involvement’, is a concept with ‘multiple meanings’, which vary according to national systems. Having regard to the existing diversity of worker participation, this chapter aims to provide some common models, pathways, and points of debate on worker participation from a legal point of view. More concretely, it explores, from an international perspective, the impact and degree of worker participation, the channels of worker participation, and the legal sources. It also highlights the issues in the area of worker participation that are experienced in the European Union. Finally, in light of the challenges arising from the changing world of work, some questions for the future are advanced, such as how the rights resulting from workplace participation can be reconciled with privacy standards, and how they can be exercised in an online world.
The Facets and Consequences of Uncertainty in Human–AI Interaction
Authors: Magni Federico , Yang Heather , Gong Yaping
Published: August 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used to assist or substitute humans in organizational processes. The transfer of decision-making power and task performance from humans to artificial agents increases uncertainty—defined as a state of not knowing stemming from incomplete and/or ambiguous information—for workers in several ways. Within the broader context of environmental and societal uncertainty, the authors focus specifically on uncertainty at the task level and develop a framework about uncertainty in human–AI interaction, showing that people experience three main facets of uncertainty in their interactions with AI: (a) usage uncertainty—not knowing what specific tasks AI can perform; (b) process uncertainty—not knowing how AI performs tasks and achieves its results; and (c) outcome uncertainty—not knowing what the outcome of AI’s processes will be and how to evaluate them. The authors discuss how each facet of uncertainty can lead to algorithm aversion and appreciation, as well as what can be done to change attitudes and behaviors toward AI from an uncertainty lens. The authors conclude by providing an outlook on how the “AI wave” is changing the nature of work and engendering fears of replacement due to the automation risk, and they ultimately suggest the development of joint cognitive systems between humans and technology to fruitfully regulate uncertainty in human–AI interaction.
The Neuroscience of Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
Authors: Brusoni Stefano , Feser Claudio , Laureiro-Martínez Daniella
Published: August 2024

Many leadership decisions can be seen as instantiations of the exploration–exploitation dilemma, one that captures the fundamental decision uncertainty that exists between choosing a known option or an unknown alternative. There is no general rule or mathematical formula for making such decisions. However, understanding what drives the choice between exploitation and exploration under uncertainty is of fundamental importance because it can help leaders make decisions in more transparent, informed, and responsible ways. The authors seek out these drivers in recent research in management and neurosciences and explain how understanding the neuroscientific foundations of adaptation can help leaders make their organizations perform better in volatile and dynamic environments.
The Emotions in Transitional Justice
Authors: Jeffery Renée
Published: August 2024

This chapter details the place of the emotions in the development of transitional justice. It demonstrates that transitional justice has always been concerned, in part, with mediating and regulating the emotions of individual victims and perpetrators of human rights violations, groups engaged in violent conflicts, and societies marked by grievances, antagonisms, and division. In doing so, it details four phases in transitional justice’s engagement with the emotions. First is an initial emphasis on the idea that the resentment and anger felt by members of ousted authoritarian regimes present a risk to democratic transitions. Second is acknowledging victims’ negative emotions as legitimate but undesirable responses to human rights violations. Third is accepting that anger and resentment may play a positive role in motivating justice. And, lastly, is recognition of the significant role played by hope in sustaining the pursuit of justice in the face of setbacks and challenges.
Dual-Process Theories
Authors: Gawronski Bertram , Luke Dillon M. , Creighton Laura A.
Published: August 2024

Dual-process theories propose that judgments and behavior can be understood as the product of two (sets of) qualitatively distinct processes—one characterized by features of automatic processing and the other by features of controlled processing. This chapter provides an overview of dual-process theories in social psychology, integrating both historical and conceptual developments. Distinguishing between three broad classes of dual-process theories, the chapter reviews the most influential examples of (a) domain-specific dual-process theories, which focus on particular phenomena, (b) domain-independent dual-system theories, which identify general principles of information processing, and (c) formalized dual-process theories, which quantify the joint contributions of two distinct processes to behavioral responses. The chapter also discusses critical arguments against each type of dual-process theorizing, which are integrated in a general outlook on future directions.
On Psychological Distance and Construal Level
Authors: Nguyen Tina , Fujita Kentaro
Published: August 2024

People often plan for events that extend beyond the here and now; they also need to be attuned to opportunities in the immediate context. This chapter extends construal level theory by adopting a self-regulatory perspective to understand how people address these challenges. It discusses how construal level—how abstractly or concretely events are represented—helps people to modulate regulatory scope, or the range of possibilities that they account for in goal-directed thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. More abstract, high-level construal supports the expansion of regulatory scope—allowing people to connect to and be guided by more distal considerations. By contrast, more concrete, low-level construal supports the contraction of regulatory scope, sensitizing people to goal-relevant opportunities afforded by their current environment. After reviewing supporting research, the chapter discusses future directions and novel implications derived from this regulatory perspective on construal level theory.
Stereotype Threat
Authors: Murphy Mary C. , Taylor Valerie J. , Steele Claude M.
Published: August 2024

This chapter conceptualizes stereotype threat as a situated theory of social cognition. It describes the psychosocial experience of stereotype threat and how it shapes basic social cognitive processes (e.g. attention, vigilance, working memory, metaperceptions, and rumination). The chapter discusses four ways this conceptualization clarifies the stereotype threat phenomenon and argues that appreciating (and assessing) its tie to perceivers’ sociocultural and historical context offers an approach that can strengthen other social cognition theories. In particular, stereotype threat research reveals that perceivers are not interchangeable: Who perceivers are—their social group memberships and sociocultural and historical contexts—shapes basic social cognitive processes and behavior. Likewise, what perceivers attend to is dynamic and inextricably tied to their sociocultural and historical context, as are the resulting outcomes. Thus, the chapter argues that stereotype threat and other social cognitive theories should distinguish between theorized processes in a given context and the theorized outcomes that result.
Gender as Embedded Social Cognition
Authors: Diekman Amanda B. , Schmader Toni
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines gender as a cultural construct enacted through social cognitive processes that are embedded within the self, social interactions, and societal institutions. The embeddedness perspective elaborates how the binary gender categorization can create real gendered outcomes and experiences even in the absence of biologically essential gender differences. These categories take on a reality outside the mind of perceivers because the meanings attached to gender categories are shared by others in the culture, enacted in social interactions, internalized into self-views, and maintained by social systems. Societal institutions organize around gender, producing gendered norms, roles, and expectations; these expectations shape interpersonal interactions and individual-level decisions and experiences. These social and individual experiences can create confirmation of the gendered expectations of others. Gendered expectations and experiences become internalized into the self. The chapter examines implications of this perspective for social cognition, as well as malleability in gender cognitions and outcomes.
Major Themes in the History of Social Cognition
Authors: Moskowitz Gordon B. , Okten Irmak Olcaysoy
Published: August 2024

This chapter reviews the central theoretical questions of the field of social cognition from a historical viewpoint. It first focuses on the rise of the discipline with its methodological breakthrough and introduces five dominating themes. It reviews the history of these themes by highlighting key questions, findings, trends, and controversies. First, the chapter focuses on the question of capacity and quality in social cognition and discusses the evolution of process models. Second, it unpacks the role of consciousness and describes the growing research on implicit and explicit social cognition. Third, it presents the classic and modern (dynamic) approaches to meaning making in social cognition. Fourth, it turns to the aftereffects of these meaning-making endeavors, the biases, and describes seven classes of biases that have continuously caught attention. Fifth, and finally, the chapter asks how social cognition corrects itself and reviews the history of research on regulating and controlling biases.
Interpersonal Cognition
Authors: Girme Yuthika U. , Maxwell Jessica A.
Published: August 2024

Some of the most frequent and important cognitions in everyday life are about close relationships—interpersonal cognition. Research at the intersection of close relationships and social cognition demonstrates how the interdependent nature of close relationships poses challenges for understanding traditional social cognitive processes and provides unique opportunities to advance social cognition theories. This chapter builds on foundational work from the first edition of The Oxford Handbook of Social Cognition and reviews how interpersonal cognition guides four central goals—seeking close and intimate bonds with others, understanding partners and relationships, maintaining satisfying and stable relationships over time, and dissolving unsatisfying or unfulfilling relationships. It acknowledges the complexities inherent in intimate and dyadic relationship processes by discussing how individuals’ characteristics and contextual factors often shape the pursuit and consequences of these goals. The chapter concludes by highlighting unique aspects of interpersonal cognition that might be applied to social cognition more broadly.
Thinking in a Social Context
Authors: Schwarz Norbert
Published: August 2024

People do much of their thinking in a social context by drawing on information provided by others and sharing their own judgments with others. This information exchange is guided by the tacit assumptions underlying the conduct of conversations in everyday life. This chapter reviews these assumptions and their implications for social cognition research. It highlights that many familiar biases and shortcomings of human judgment reflect, in part, a basic misunderstanding about the nature of communication in research situations. Whereas participants assume that researchers are cooperative communicators, whose contributions are informative, relevant, and clear, the researchers may (deliberately or inadvertently) present information that does not meet these criteria. When this misconception is avoided, many familiar biases are attenuated or eliminated, suggesting that they are the result of faulty communication rather than faulty judgment.
Perception of Faces and Bodies
Authors: Johnson Kerri L. , Hugenberg Kurt
Published: August 2024

Much of social cognitive science aims to understand how people construe, remember, and represent other people—social perception. Increasingly, social cognition does this using visual depictions of other people. This approach reveals the mechanisms by which observers form spontaneous impressions of others from merely a glimpse of the face or body. This chapter first reviews several of the central tenets of social cognitive research focused on face perception that have endured since the original volume of this handbook. Next, it reviews several more recent advances in social perception research. This includes a more dynamic understanding of social perception processes, the innovative and generative power of data-driven reverse correlation techniques, a growing emphasis on the visual perception of groups—ensemble perception, and an expansion from focusing on faces to include body perception and other forms of social sensory perception.
Vertical ozone formation mechanisms resulting from increased oxidation on the mountainside of Mount Tai, China
Authors: Wu Wanqi , Ge Yanzhen , Wang Yan , Su Jixin , Wang Xinfeng , Zhou Bin , Chen Jianmin
Published: August 2024

The vertical distribution of ozone (O3) within the boundary layer (BL) and its ground-level effects have been extensively studied. However, observational limitations in obtaining high-resolution, real-time data on O3 and its precursors, especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have led to a scarcity of research on O3 formation sensitivity and mechanisms. Online measurements for O3, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and VOCs were made on the mountainside of Mount Tai (∼550 m a.s.l.) in China during the summer of 2022 and were compared with the data from a ground-level site. The Master Chemical Mechanism (V3.3.1) was used to uncover a positive correlation between NOx and photochemical reaction rates on the mountainside, marking it as a NOx-limited regime in contrast to the VOC-limited regime identified at surface. On the mountainside, lower NO levels limited hydroxyl radicals (OH) recycling reactions, resulting in earlier O3 peaks and higher concentrations of hydroperoxy radicals (HO2) and organic peroxy radicals (RO2). The arrival of fresh air masses rich in NO accelerated OH radical cycling, enhanced atmospheric oxidization, and significantly impacted surface O3 concentrations though vertical transport. Moreover, NOx reduction scenario simulations show that when considering vertical transport, the peak O3 production rate at the surface is lower due to differences in O3 formation sensitivity vertically. This study highlights the significant sensitivity of O3 formation to NO within the BL, underscoring the potential impact of vertical in situ O3 formation above the ground on surface-level O3 concentrations through vertical exchange, particularly in cities with mountainous terrain.
A comparative study on the effects of biodegradable high-purity magnesium screw and polymer screw for fixation in epiphyseal trabecular bone
Authors: Chang Liang , Luo Ying , Li Weirong , Liu Fangfei , Guo Jiaxin , Dai Bingyang , Tong Wenxue , Qin Ling , Wang Jiali , Xu Jiankun
Published: August 2024

With mechanical strength close to cortical bone, biodegradable and osteopromotive properties, magnesium (Mg)-based implants are promising biomaterials for orthopedic applications. However, during the degradation of such implants, there are still concerns on the potential adverse effects such as formation of cavities, osteolytic phenomena and chronic inflammation. Therefore, to transform Mg-based implants into clinical practice, the present study evaluated the local effects of high-purity Mg screws (HP-Mg, 99.99 wt%) by comparing with clinically approved polylactic acid (PLA) screws in epiphyseal trabecular bone of rabbits. After implantation of screws at the rabbit distal femur, bone microstructural, histomorphometric and biomechanical properties were measured at various time points (weeks 4, 8 and 16) using micro-CT, histology and histomorphometry, micro-indentation and scanning electron microscope. HP-Mg screws promoted peri-implant bone ingrowth with higher bone mass (BV/TV at week 4: 0.189 ± 0.022 in PLA group versus 0.313 ± 0.053 in Mg group), higher biomechanical properties (hardness at week 4: 35.045 ± 1.000 HV in PLA group versus 51.975 ± 2.565 HV in Mg group), more mature osteocyte LCN architecture, accelerated bone remodeling process and alleviated immunoreactive score (IRS of Ram11 at week 4: 5.8 ± 0.712 in PLA group versus 3.75 ± 0.866 in Mg group) as compared to PLA screws. Furthermore, we conducted finite element analysis to validate the superiority of HP-Mg screws as orthopedic implants by demonstrating reduced stress concentration and uniform stress distribution around the bone tunnel, which led to lower risks of trabecular microfractures. In conclusion, HP-Mg screws demonstrated greater osteogenic bioactivity and limited inflammatory response compared to PLA screws in the epiphyseal trabecular bone of rabbits. Our findings have paved a promising way for the clinical application of Mg-based implants.
Computed tomography numbers obtained for varying iodine contrast concentrations by different-generation dual-energy computed tomography scanners
Authors: Tsukamoto Tomokatsu , Masuda Takanori , Takahata Takashi , Kawamoto Yoshinori , Uenaka Osamu , Mori Hiroki
Published: August 2024

We compared the computed tomography (CT) numbers from monochromatic images obtained using the first-generation (Discovery CT750 HD: GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) and second-generation (Revolution CT: GE HealthCare) dual-energy CT (first and second DECT) scanners in phantom and clinical studies. In a polypropylene phantom, eight polypropylene tubes containing iodine at various concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 20, 30 mg I per ml) were arranged in an outer circle. The iodine densities and CT numbers obtained after imaging with different-generation DECT scanners were analyzed. The CT numbers from images obtained from 61 consecutive patients with aortic disease who underwent CT with different-generation DECT scanners were compared during the arterial and delayed phases. The iodine concentration obtained from second DECT was more accurate than that from the first DECT in the phantom study. A significantly higher contrast enhancement was observed with the second DECT compared with the first DECT during the arterial phase in the clinical study. Contrast enhancement was higher with the second DECT than with the first DECT, and the second DECT was effective in minimizing the use of contrast materials.
Abstract 5: Decontamination of Two Umbilical Cord Blood Grafts Prior to Autologous Administration
Authors: Stancioiu Felician , Bulumac Bogdan
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The contamination rate of umbilical cord blood (UCB) grafts is estimated to vary in public and family banking in the range of 3-10%, mostly by skin commensals which are not considered pathogenic. Contamination of grafts is not considered to be problematic when used in marrow transplant, with patients being already on a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics; however the expanding use of cord blood for non-transplant procedures – mostly in neurology and regenerative medicine – brings this issue to the forefront.

Objectives

We aimed to decontaminate the UCB grafts prior to intravenous administration, while keeping stem cells viable. We report two different scenarios when the decontamination of cord blood grafts was successfully performed. Practically we have added antibiotic in order to achieve in the thawed and treated UCB (ttUCB) an antibiotic concentration approximately 10 times higher than MIC100; (minimal inhibitory concentration of the antibiotic in mg/L at which 100% of the bacteria treated are killed); available from literature for the specific geographical area of the patient.

Methods

In first case, pathogen identification with the respective antibiogram was done before cryogenation, allowing easier preparation by adding the known antibiotic to the decryogenated graft immediately after thawing and after correcting the graft osmolarity by adding dextrane and albumin according to the Rubinstein protocol.

In the second situation, before cryogenation and storage, pathogen identification was performed but not antibiogram, so a sample of the cryogenated graft was used for antibiogram and confirmation blood culture before the graft was decryogenated.

Results

Cultures from ttUCB - both aerobic and anaerobic - were negative; CD34+ viability was 90%.The decontamination of cord blood grafts was successfully performed, with negative blood cultures and stem cell viability remaining around 90% and also clinical response recorded as improvement in levels of inflammation markers and patient functioning

Discussion

This work shows that decontamination of cord blood grafts can be safely performed after decryogenation and with good results, and the poster has details of the steps involved in the decontamination procedure used by us.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in Periorbital Hyperpigmentation in Skin Phototypes III and IV: Strengthening the Assessment of Treatment Outcomes
Authors: Badran Aya Y. , Abd Elazim Nagwa E. , Yousef Azza Rady , Mekkawy Marwa M.
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND

Periorbital hyperpigmentation (POH) is a therapeutic problem. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been successfully used in some pigmentary disorders including POH. Proper evaluation of treatment in POH can be difficult.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and safety of PRP injections for POH in skin phototypes III and IV by multiple clinical tools.

METHODS

A clinical trial included 30 patients with POH, skin phototypes III and IV. Three sessions of intradermal PRP injections were used in periorbital area every month. Treatment was assessed on different clinical levels 1 month after the last session by POH severity grading, blinded photographic assessment, and patient satisfaction. Adverse effects of PRP were evaluated.

RESULTS

A significant improvement in POH was documented by disease severity grading, patient satisfaction, and to a lesser extent by photographic evaluation. Grade II-POH showed the best improvement. More than half of the cases were satisfied and very satisfied. Lower disease grades, constitutional POH, and epidermal pigmentation showed significant improvement. Side effects were mostly tolerated.

CONCLUSION

The present results confirmed the beneficial role of PRP in improving POH. Multiple clinical tools are preferred for a more reliable assessment of treatment. Certain clinical types and grades of POH are suggested to respond more to PRP therapy.
Distal Scaphoid Excision and Dermal Allograft Interposition in a Professional Athlete: Long-term Follow-up
Authors: Williams Eva A. , Chao Linda , Chen Eunise , Yoshida Ryu , Kulber David
Published: August 2024

Scaphoid nonunion occurs in 10%–15% of scaphoid fractures, potentially resulting in scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse. Distal scaphoid excision without allograft interposition is a known treatment, but can result in loss of carpal height and pain. This report describes the application of human acellular dermal matrix as an interposition graft after distal scaphoid excision for stage I scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse. Postoperatively, the patient initiated early range of motion and returned to full activity at 6 weeks. He demonstrated resolution of his pain 6 years later.
Age added to MELD or ACLF predicts survival in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis declined for liver transplantation
Authors: Rutledge Stephanie M. , Nathani Rohit , Wyatt Brooke E. , Eschbach Erin , Trivedi Parth , Kerznerman Stanley , Chu Lily , Schiano Thomas D. , Kim-Schluger Leona , Florman Sander , Im Gene Y.
Published: August 2024

Background:

Severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) that is nonresponsive to corticosteroids is associated with high mortality, particularly with concomitant acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Most patients will not be candidates for liver transplantation (LT) and their outcomes are largely unknown. Our aim was to determine the outcomes of these declined candidates and to derive practical prediction models for transplant-free survival applicable at the time of the waitlist decision.

Methods:

We analyzed a database of patients with severe AH who were hospitalized at a LT center from January 2012 to July 2021, using the National Death Index for those lacking follow-up. Clinical variables were analyzed based on the endpoints of mortality at 30, 60, 90, and 180 days. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used for model derivation.

Results:

Over 9.5 years, 206 patients with severe AH were declined for LT, mostly for unfavorable psychosocial profiles, with a mean MELD of 33 (±8), and 61% with ACLF. Over a median follow-up of 521 (17.5–1368) days, 58% (119/206) died at a median of 21 (9–124) days. Of 32 variables, only age added prognostic value to MELD and ACLF grade. CLIF-C ACLF score and 2 new models, MELD-Age and ACLF-Age, had similar predictability (AUROC: 0.73, 0.73, 0.72, respectively), outperforming Lille and Maddrey’s (AUROC: 0.63, 0.62). In internal cross-validation, the average AUROC was 0.74. ACLF grade ≥2, MELD score >35, and age >45 years were useful cutoffs for predicting increased 90-day mortality from waitlist decision. Only two patients initially declined for LT for AH subsequently underwent LT (1%).

Conclusions:

Patients with severe AH declined for LT have high short-term mortality and rare rates of subsequent LT. Age added to MELD or ACLF grade enhances survival prediction at the time of waitlist decision in patients with severe AH declined for LT.
The Effect of Breathing and Relaxation Exercises Training on Psychological Well-Being and Sleep Quality in Individuals Diagnosed With Schizophrenia
Authors: Yıldırım Üşenmez Tülay , Kavak Budak Funda
Published: August 2024

This study was conducted to determine the effect of breathing and relaxation exercises training on psychological well-being and sleep quality in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. This study was conducted at a community mental health center between October 2022 and April 2023 as a randomized controlled study with a pretest-posttest control group. The study’s participants were 64 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (31 in the experimental group and 33 in the control group). The Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Psychological Well-being Scale, and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index were used to collect data. The individuals in the experimental group underwent 6 sessions of breathing and relaxation exercises training in the form of group training, and no training was applied to the individuals in the control group. It was determined that the individuals in the experimental group had an increase in the total mean score of psychological well-being and a decrease in the total mean score of sleep quality after breathing and relaxation exercise training. In addition, a statistically significant difference was found between the posttest psychological well-being and sleep quality total mean scores of the experimental and control groups (P < .05). It can be said that breathing and relaxation exercises training can be used as an effective intervention to increase the psychological well-being and sleep quality of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and can be used in addition to pharmacological treatment.
Comparison of reperfusion- and central repair-first strategies for acute type A dissection with mesenteric malperfusion: a single-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Gao Xia , Chen Yu-Xin , Ma Wei-Guo , Zhang Li , Cui Cong , Wang Ping-Fan , Yuan Yi-Qiang
Published: August 2024

Background:

We seek to compare the early and late outcomes of reperfusion-first vs. central repair-first strategies in patients with acute type A dissection (ATAAD) complicated by mesenteric malperfusion.

Methods:

Among 68 patients, reperfusion-first strategy with superior mesenteric artery (SMA) stenting was adopted in 31 and central repair-first in 37, based on rupture risk and circulatory compromise, severity, time and mechanisms of mesenteric ischemia. Early and late outcomes were compared between two strategies. Follow-up was 100% at 3.3±1.4 years.

Results:

Mean age was 50.6±11.4 years (59 males, 86.8%). The reperfusion-first group were more likely to have celiac artery involvement (74.2% vs. 48.6%, P=0.033) and peritoneal irritation signs (19.4% vs. 2.7%, P=0.025), while central repair-first group had more tamponade (27% vs. 3.2%, P=0.008). Early mortality was 48.6% (18/37) with central repair-first strategy vs. 19.4% (6/31) in reperfusion-first group (P=0.012). Reperfusion-first patients had fewer gastrointestinal complications (12.9% vs. 54.1%, P<0.001) and respiratory failure (3.2% vs. 24.3%, P=0.017). At 5 years, SMA stent patency was 84%, and survival was significantly higher in reperfusion-first patients (80.6% vs. 45.9%, P=0.009), with similar freedom from adverse events between two groups (74.9% vs. 76.0%, P=0.812). Tamponade [hazard ratio (HR), 3.093; P=0.023], peritoneal irritation signs (HR, 8.559; P=0.006), and lactate (mmol/l) (HR, 1.279; P<0.001) were predictors for all-cause mortality.

Conclusions:

In this series of ATAAD patients with mesenteric malperfusion, the reperfusion-first strategy with SMA stenting significantly reduced the mortality risk and achieved favorable late survival and freedom from adverse events. These results argue favorably for the use of the reperfusion-first strategy in acute type A dissection with mesenteric malperfusion.
A novel surgical risk predictor combining frailty and hypoalbuminemia – a cohort study of 9.8 million patients from the ACS-NSQIP database
Authors: Panayi Adriana C. , Knoedler Samuel , Rühl Jasmin , Friedrich Sarah , Haug Valentin , Kneser Ulrich , Orgill Dennis P. , Hundeshagen Gabriel
Published: August 2024

Introduction:

The functional decline seen in frail patients is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The modified frailty index 5 (mFI-5) score is an accepted risk predictor score in surgery. Hypoalbuminemia has been correlated with poor postoperative outcomes.

There exists, however, a gap in the literature regarding the combined assessment of frailty and hypoalbuminemia and the predictive power of this combined assessment. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the association of preoperative albumin and frailty, as assessed with the mFI-5 score, and its ability to predict surgical outcomes.

Methods:

We queried the ACS-NSQIP database (2008–2021) to identify all surgical patients. Perioperative data, including demographics and preoperative laboratory values, including albumin, were collected. The predictive power of the mFI-5 and hypoalbuminemia (Alb) independently and in combination (mFI-5+Alb), was assessed using multivariable linear and logistic regression models 30-day outcomes were assessed including mortality, length of hospital stay, reoperation, medical and surgical complications, and discharge destination.

Results:

A total of 9 782 973 patients were identified, of whom 4 927 520 (50.4%) were nonfrail (mFI=0), 3 266 636 had a frailty score of 1 (33.4%), 1 373 968 a score of 2 (14.0%), 188 821 a score of 3 (1.9%), and 26 006 a score greater or equal to 4 (0.3%). Albumin levels were available for 4 570 473 patients (46.7%), of whom 848 315 (18.6%) had hypoalbuminemia. The combined assessment (mFI-5+Alb) was found to be a more accurate risk predictor than each factor independently for all outcomes. A weak negative correlation between serum albumin levels and mFI scores was established (Spearman R: −0.2; <0.0001).

Conclusions:

Combined assessment of frailty and albumin was the strongest risk predictor. Therefore, for patients undergoing surgery, we recommend consideration of both serum albumin and frailty in order to optimally determine perioperative planning, including multidisciplinary care mobilization and prehabilitation and posthabilitation.
Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) presented with bilateral renal subcapsular hematoma: a case report and literature review
Authors: Al-Ghoul Majd , Yazbak Jillan , Rummanneh Israa , Abuhammad Aseel , Khalilia Ali H. , Wahdan Adnan A. M.
Published: August 2024

Introduction and importance:

Adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) deficiency is a monogenic autoinflammatory disease caused by biallelic mutations in the ADA2 gene. Small- and medium-sized vessels may be involved and can cause various clinical symptoms, including features resembling polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). In this article, the authors discuss a unique case of DADA2 disease in which a patient presented with a bilateral renal subcapsular hematoma.

Case presentation:

An 18-year-old female patient with a history of recurrent optic neuritis presented with a sudden onset of right flank pain as well as nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fever, and elevated arterial blood pressure. Comprehensive abdominal imaging revealed the presence of a bilateral renal subcapsular hematoma. A laboratory test revealed a positive ANA, negative C-ANCA and P-ANCA, and high ESR and CRP. This finding indicated the presence of systemic inflammation. The authors considered DADA2 based on the patient’s clinical features and her family’s history of autoimmune diseases. A genetic study of the patient revealed the presence of a homozygous ADA2 mutation at chromosomal position 22:17182609, which confirmed the presence of adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency.

Clinical discussion:

The authors present a rare case of DADA2 disease successfully treated with immunosuppressive therapy. As the authors suspected of having known autoimmune diseases, the patient’s clinical and laboratory results improved with corticosteroids and etanercept treatment, leading to notable remission. Under continuous CT imaging, the subcapsular hematoma shrank significantly over two months, decreasing from 8.3 to 5 cm in size for the right-sided hematoma and completely disappearing for the left-sided hematoma.

Conclusion:

The clinical features of DADA2 may be fatal, but DADA2 may also be curable; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are essential.
Lung cancer masquerading as COVID-19 in a young non-smoking woman: case report
Authors: Zarrouki S. , Marouf R.
Published: August 2024

Introduction and importance:

The clinical and radiological similarities between COVID-19 and lung cancer pose diagnostic challenges, particularly in young, non-smoking individuals. Ground glass opacities (GGO) on imaging, often associated with COVID-19, can also indicate lung cancer. Distinguishing between these conditions is crucial but complex, requiring a systematic approach.

Case presentation:

The authors present a case of a 31-year-old non-smoking woman initially suspected of COVID-19 due to cough, dyspnea, and GGO on chest CT. Despite negative RT-PCR and inconclusive bronchial aspiration, symptoms persisted, prompting further investigation. A PET scan revealed hypermetabolic consolidation, leading to a biopsy confirming adenocarcinoma.

Clinical discussion:

Lung cancer can mimic COVID-19 symptoms, complicating diagnosis, especially in young, non-smoking patients. While smoking remains the primary risk factor, lung cancer in non-smokers, particularly young individuals, is increasingly recognized. GGO, commonly associated with COVID-19, should prompt consideration of malignancy, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive differential diagnosis.

Conclusion:

Early detection of lung cancer in young, non-smoking individuals is vital yet challenging. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly investigating persistent or worsening symptoms, even in the absence of traditional risk factors. Timely biopsy and intervention are critical for improving outcomes in this population.
Prompt response to rituximab in a patient with resistant polymyositis with complications of dysphagia and dysphonia: a case report
Authors: Habes Yousef Mahmoud Nimer , Mohammad Sadeh Saif Ibraheem , Saada Layth Jamil Mohammad , Mali Ali Jamil Ali , Abdulrazzak Mohammed , Attawna Saed I. Y.
Published: August 2024

Introduction and importance:

Polymyositis is an inflammatory process, primarily affecting proximal muscles, characterized by elevated muscle enzymes and distinctive electromyography patterns.

Case presentation:

The authors present a case of a 33-year-old male patient experiencing complications of polymyositis, including pharyngeal and laryngeal involvement leading to dysphagia and dysphonia. Steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy proved ineffective. Subsequently, rituximab was administered, resulting in significant improvement in dysphagia, dysphonia, and proximal muscles within 3 days of the initial rituximab dose. Additionally, there was a remarkable decrease in creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels.

Clinical discussion:

Immune-mediated myopathies (IMM) are rare diseases characterized by muscle inflammation and weakness. This case of probable polymyositis, diagnosed through clinical features and elevated CPK, was complicated by the patient’s lack of response to glucocorticoids and IVIG therapy. Remarkably, rituximab treatment led to rapid improvement in muscle strength and symptoms, highlighting its potential effectiveness in refractory cases of polymyositis.

Conclusions:

Primary treatment for cases of polymyositis typically involves the use of glucocorticoids. However, approximately half of the patients do not respond adequately to corticosteroids alone. Alternatives, in such cases, encompass IVIG therapy and rituximab.
Exploring the clinical effectiveness of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in managing cardiovascular complications: an updated comprehensive review and future directives
Authors: Joshi Nandan , Qasim Muhammad Zohaib , Kanumilli Srilakshmidevi , Shaukat Faiza , Kumar Ateesh , Mahek Fnu , Khalid Saif , Zeeshan Mohd , Shaik Mahboob Younus , Nishat Syeed Mahmud , Gandhi Fenil , Belletieri Christopher
Published: August 2024

The possible cardiovascular advantages of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), a class of drugs predominantly used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D), have garnered increasing attention in recent years. Clinical trials have looked into the possibility that GLP-1RAs have extra cardioprotective benefits in addition to their ability to manage T2D, demonstrating significant major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) reduction and a favorable safety profile. GLP-1 RAs improve cardiovascular outcomes, especially in those with existing cardiovascular disease. MACE has been steadily declining with this class of drugs, which results in a noticeable rise in cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs). GLP-1 RAs have a variety of impacts on the cardiovascular system beyond their function in glycemic control. They offer direct cardioprotection, vasodilation, promotion of salt excretion, reduction of weight, improved lipid profile, and anti-inflammatory qualities through a variety of mechanisms. Thus, this review focuses on GLP-1RAs, its mechanism of action, its clinical effectiveness in CVOTs, the mechanism behind its cardiovascular benefits, its potential role in heart failure, cardiovascular outcomes, its underutilization, and future directives. In conclusion, GLP-1 RAs shows potential in controlling T2D while also lowering cardiovascular risk, but warrants further study into long-term results and real-world data to optimize treatment regimens, ultimately increasing patient outcomes and lowering the burden of cardiovascular disease in T2D populations.
Nurses That Stay
Authors: Lal M. Maureen
Published: August 2024

The 2024 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report published by NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc, was released early this year and indicated hospitals' average turnover and vacancy rates for RNs nearly returned to their 2019 levels in 2023 after peaking in the middle of that timeframe. Simultaneously, healthcare organizations continue to struggle with nurse retention. As nurses begin to return or enter the nursing profession, the time is here to ask why nurses are leaving your organization. In 1983, the original study, “Magnet Hospitals: Attraction and Retention of Professional Nurses,” identified hospital characteristics that were able to “attract and retain a staff of well-qualified nurses and are therefore consistently able to provide quality care.”
Leading With Hope
Authors: Virkstis Katherine
Published: August 2024

In an era where digital transformation is reshaping healthcare, the role of the chief nursing officer (CNO) has never been more important. CNOs are strategic and visionary leaders, adept at blending clinical expertise and a deep understanding of care team workflows with technology innovations—to uphold patient-centered care at the forefront of all decisions.
The Clinical Nurse Specialist
Authors: Little Kayla , Booher Lydia , Collins Erica , Cummins Monica , Hawkins Ashley , Jacobs Megan , Keibler Heather , Morrow Lariea
Published: August 2024

High-reliability organizations aim to achieve zero harm. The clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice RN who adds value to the leadership team. The CNS is proficient in influencing care delivery across the continuum and the master of developing collaborative relationships that aid in the discovery of deficiencies in care and generation of innovative ideas to minimize deficiencies. This column provides some examples of the impact and role of the CNS.
Lactylation of nuclear receptor coactivator 4 promotes ferritinophagy and glycolysis of neuronal cells after cerebral ischemic injury
Authors: He Xiaoyin , Wang Zhenzhen , Ge Qingbo , Sun Shuyu , Li Ruru , Wang Baoping
Published: August 2024

Ischemic stroke remains a major cause of disability and mortality. Nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4)-mediated ferritinophagy is involved in cerebral ischemic injury. Additionally, lactylation regulates the progression of ischemia injury. This study aimed to investigate the impact of NCOA4 on ferritinophagy and glycolysis of hippocampal neuron cells and its lactylation modification. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse and oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated HT22 cell models were generated. Ferritinophagy was evaluated via detecting ferrous iron (Fe2+), glutathione, malondialdehyde, and protein levels. Glycolysis was assessed by examining the glucose consumption, lactate production, and extracellular acidification rate. The lactylation was evaluated using immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. Brain injury in vivo was analyzed by measuring brain infarct and neurological function. The results showed that NCOA4 expression was increased in the blood of patients with acute ischemia stroke, the peri-infarct region of the brain in MCAO mice (increased percentage: 142.11%) and OGD-treated cells (increased percentage: 114.70%). Knockdown of NCOA4 inhibited ferritinophagy and glycolysis of HT22 cells induced by OGD. Moreover, OGD promoted the lactylation of NCOA4 at lysine (K)450 sites, which enhanced NCOA4 protein stability. Additionally, interfering with NCOA4 attenuated brain infarction and neurological dysfunction in MCAO mice. Lactylation of NCOA4 at K450 sites promotes ferritinophagy and glycolysis of hippocampal neuron cells, thereby accelerating cerebral ischemic injury. These findings suggest a novel pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.