bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scripted Gender Practices: Young Adults’ Social Media App Uses in Portugal
Authors: Simões Rita Basílio , Amaral Inês , Flores Ana Marta M. , Antunes Eduardo
Published: September 2023

This research focuses on social media mobile applications as mediated interfaces of identity performances and interrogates to what extent everyday young adults’ uses are remaking gender scripts. We analyze young adults’ self-reported experiences on preferred social media apps and discourses of rejection of others, the technologies themselves, and how they favor certain behaviors. Theoretically, we resorted to feminist media studies and critical app research, focusing on users’ perceptions of their engagement with mobile technology. Empirically, we turned to semi-structured interviews with female and male young adults aged between 18 and 30 years. Results show limited agency to reshape normative gender scripts embedded in apps’ technological affordances and broad hegemonic discourses. We discuss these results and how they mirror normative gender expectations, recalling the impacts of contingent social formations in reproducing inequality.
A Workflow to Detect, Monitor, and Update Lists of Coordinated Social Media Accounts Across Time: The Case of the 2022 Italian Election
Authors: Giglietto Fabio , Marino Giada , Mincigrucci Roberto , Stanziano Anna
Published: September 2023

Information operations that target public opinion often exploit breaking news, crises, and elections by using coordinated social media actors to disseminate problematic content. These events often reveal the relationships between actors, prompting the creation of lists of malicious actors and news sources. However, relying on outdated lists may underestimate the prevalence and impact of such operations. This article presents a novel workflow to detect, monitor, and update lists of coordinated social media actors during and beyond peak activity periods. Using this approach, known problematic actors are constantly monitored, allowing the detection of new actors and the update of the monitored pool. The workflow was applied to the 2022 Italian snap election, leveraging previous research on coordinated inauthentic behavior during the 2018 and 2019 Italian elections. The initial list of 435 coordinated accounts was monitored, surfacing 1,022 overly shared or commented political posts, 272 coordinated links, and detecting 66 political and 554 generic coordinated accounts not previously listed. Three case studies were identified: one politically motivated, one click-economy driven, and one religiously motivated operation. The article discusses the implications of this approach, its limitations, and potential future work.
The Power of Culture: Does Diversity Affect the Breakthrough of the Hu Line in China?
Authors: Yan Na , Lin Shanlang , Chen Jieping , Sun Youshuai
Published: September 2023

Hu line is the dividing line of Chinese population density, geography, culture, and economy. The areas on both sides of the Hu line are in completely different stages of development, and have development modes. Based on the 3D research framework, and using the panel data of 335 cities in China from 2000 to 2013, our study examines the driving factors and the influence mechanism of productivity in the cities on both sides of the HU line. We find that economic growth in low-density areas depends more on increased density and division, while economic growth in high-density areas depends more on decreases in distance and segmentation. In addition, the mechanism test illustrates the heterogeneous growth mechanism on both sides of the HU line. The cultural diversity in low-density areas promotes economic growth by promoting diversified economy; while the cultural identity in high-density areas promotes specialized economy and thus promotes economic growth. Our study provides new empirical evidence for the informal institutional reasons behind the economic development, and also provides a useful reference for the economic development of the multi-ethnic areas in China.
Developing the Contextualized SERVQUAL Instrument for Measuring the Service Quality of Nepali Resorts: An Application of the Modified Delphi Technique
Authors: Adhikari Yadav , Wagley Mana Prasad , Dahal Niroj
Published: September 2023

In resorts, service quality refers to the overall level of guest satisfaction during their stay. This includes a variety of factors, such as the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the cleanliness and condition of the rooms and common areas, the availability of amenities and activities, the efficiency of check-in and check-out procedures, and the resort’s overall atmosphere. To address above gap, this study aims to develop contextual service quality (SERVQUAL) instrument for resorts to obtain the consensus benchmark to measure the service quality of Nepali tourist standard resorts. The SERVQUQL is a measuring tool of service quality of different organizational settings, more importantly, in the hospitality and service sector. Therefore, to contextualize and align to SERVQUAL, the Modified Delphi Technique (MDT) was used to develop this instrument based on SERVQUAL theory. The instrument development was performed among 10 anonymous experts and stakeholders who have experience, knowledge, and expertise in the area of the hospitality and leisure industries. The findings identified that one more key construct is essential to realize the service quality of the tourist standard resorts. To carry out the mutual consensus among the experts and stakeholders, the interquartile range (IQR) value was taken from three points Likert scale to conduct the MDT from the second stage until the mutual consensus of experts and stakeholders. The IQR value was taken from each set of questions which was evaluated by the exports to obtain a consensus benchmark on the contextualized SERVQUQL construct and items. The data were presented using Microsoft Excel. In the final stage, 29 question statements out of 31 were found to have a high consensus benchmark among the experts and stakeholders. Therefore, 29 items from six constructs were accepted and included in the actual questionnaire to measure the service quality of Nepali tourist standard resorts. Our findings contribute to the SERVQUAL theory, practice, and future research.
A Multidimensional Analysis of Language Use in English Argumentative Essays: An Evidence From Comparable Corpora
Authors: Zhang Yujiao
Published: September 2023

Multidimensional (MD) analysis contributes to a comprehensive linguistic description of second language (L2) writing texts. However, cross-linguistic studies based on MD analysis are still insufficient and need to be increased. In particular, the unavailability of comparable corpora prevents current MD-based L2 writing research from making reliable comparisons of linguistic differences between native writers and L2 learners. Considering these, this study adopts corpora of maximum similarity for the cross-linguistic comparative analysis. Using Biber’s MD analysis, this study compares linguistic differences between native English writers and Chinese English learners in argumentative essays with similar communicative purposes. The analysis reveals that the two groups of texts show significant differences in slightly over half of the individual linguistic features but share more similarities than differences in textual dimensions. It also shows that the two groups are, in fact, different varieties of English language use, even though they share a similar text type of “involved persuasion.” The results confirm the importance of comparable corpora for cross-linguistic comparisons and the necessity of MD analysis for understanding L2 writing.
Comparative assessment of the remineralization characteristics of nano-hydroxyapatite extracted from fish scales and eggshells
Authors: Mkhize Sandile Cromwell , Onwubu Stanley Chibuzor , Mokhothu Thabang Hendrica , Mdluli Phumlane Selby , Mishra Ajay Kumar
Published: September 2023

Objectives:

Dentine hypersensitivity (DH) is a common concern in dentistry that has the potential to restrict daily activities and harm a person’s quality of life. In this study, the remineralization characteristics of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) extracted from waste eggshells and fish scales were comparatively assessed.

Materials and methods:

The extraction methods used to obtain nHAp from both fish scales and eggshells are also described. The effect of the extraction process and bio-waste source on the physicochemical characteristics of the nHAp such as Ca/P ratio, functional groups, crystallinity and phase change, and surface morphology are presented in the study. The remineralization properties were evaluated using dentine models ( n = 15). A field scanning electron microscope was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the dentine tubules occlusion. The percentage occluded area for all the specimens was evaluated statistically using a one-way analysis of variance (α = 0.05).

Results:

The results showed that there were variations in the physicochemical characteristics of the nHAp extracted, including the crystallinity, particle size, and surface morphology, and buffering effects against citric acids. The EnHAp extracted from eggshells had higher crystallinity, superior buffering effects, and smaller particle size compared to the nHAp extracted from fish scales, making it a more favourable material for remineralization of teeth. The statistical evidence showed that there were statistically significant differences in the dentine occluding properties measured in the nHAp ( p < 0.001). The highest mean % occluded area was measured with the EnHAp group.

Conclusions:

The findings of this study provide insights into the use of bio-waste materials for the development of sustainable and effective products for oral health care.
New insights into amiodarone induced retinal and optic nerve toxicity: functional and structural changes
Authors: Ebeid Weam Mohamed , El-Shazly Amany Abd El-Fattah , Kamal Norhan Mohamed , Fakhary Emad Effat , Mansour Amr , Ashour Doaa Maamoun
Published: September 2023

Background:

Amiodarone is widely used for heart arrhytmia. Previous studies have suggested the possibility of optic neuropathy with the chronic use of this drug.

Objectives:

To identify structural or functional changes in the retina and optic nerve in patients on chronic amiodarone therapy without visual complaints.

Methods:

This observational study included 15 eyes of 15 patients with cardiac arrythmia on chronic amiodarone treatment and 15 healthy matched subjects as a control group. All subjects underwent electrophysiological tests [pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP), pattern electroretinogram (PERG), multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiography (OCTA)].

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the PVEP, PERG, and the mfERG parameters. Macular and optic nerve head OCT and OCTA have not shown statistically significant differences except for the morphological parameters of the optic disc ( p = 0.008 for the horizontal and p = 0.013 for vertical cup/disc ratio and p = 0.045 for rim area).

Conclusion:

Patients on chronic amiodarone therapy have not shown evident structural or functional changes in the retinal or optic nerve as demonstrated by electrophysiological tests, OCT, and OCTA results compared to controls.
Gut microbiome profile of Chinese hypertension patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Ding Hongying , Xu Yue , Cheng Yinhong , Zhou Haoliang , Dong Shiye , Wu Jian , Lv Jin , Hu Xiaosheng , Tang Oushan
Published: September 2023

Background

The coexistence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may largely increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. However, there is no clear consensus on the association between hypertension and the risk of diabetes. Gut microbiota plays important roles in the development of hypertension and T2DM, but whether there is difference between hypertension patients with or without T2DM has not been explored yet.

Methods

We recruited 101 hypertension patients in this study (72 patients without T2DM named HT group and 29 patients with T2DM named HT-T2DM group). Their blood samples were collected for testing clinical characteristics and fecal samples were tested for bacterial DNA using 16 S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing targeting the V3 and V4 region. The data of 40 samples were downloaded from project PRJNA815750 as health control (HC group) in this study. The community composition and structure of the microbiome, taxonomic difference, co-occurrence network and functional enrichment were analyzed by alpha/beta diversity, LEfSe, Fruchterman Reingold’s algorithm and PICRUSt2 functional analysis, respectively.

Results

Alpha and beta diversity analysis showed significant differences in microbial community richness and composition among the three groups. The HC group had a significantly higher Simpson index and a distinct microbiota community compared to the HT and HT-T2DM groups, as demonstrated by significant differences in unweighted and weighted UniFrac distances. The LEfSe analysis identified specific taxa that had significantly different abundance among the groups, such as Bacteroides uniformis, Blautia wexlerae, Alistipes putredinis, and Prevotella stercorea in the HC group, Prevotella copri and Phascolarctobacterium faecium in the HT group, and Klebsiella pneumoniae in the HT-T2DM group. Co-occurrence network analysis indicates that Prevotella copri, Mediterraneibacter gnavus, Alistipes onderdonkii and some unidentified species act as key nodes in the network. Differentially functional pathway identified by PICRUSt2 were concentrated in nutrition and energy metabolism, as well as the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites.

Conclusions

Our study found significant differences in microbial community richness, composition, and function among the healthy controls, hypertension patients with and without T2DM. Some specific taxa may explain this difference and serve as potential therapeutic targets for hypertension, T2DM, and their coexistence.
Dispersed white roots in red beetroot influence the accuracy of root identification based on colours for intercropping studies
Authors: Xie Yue , Shanmugam Sindhuja , Kristensen Hanne Lakkenborg
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Beetroot is a model crop for studying root competition in intercropping systems because its red-coloured roots facilitate non-destructive visual discrimination with other root systems of intercropped plants. However, beetroot also has white roots, which could alter how root competition is interpreted. Here we investigated the quantity of white versus red roots in beetroot to quantify the effect of this phenomenon.

Methods

Beetroot was mono-cropped or inter-cropped with white cabbage in a field trial. The distribution of beetroot roots was recorded to 2.5 m soil depth on three dates following the minirhizotron method. Roots in each 0.5 m soil layer were counted and categorised into groups based on colour (white roots, coloured roots, and white roots traced back to be coloured) to investigate the influence of white roots on accuracy of root registration. A pot experiment was conducted with three cultivars to verify if white roots are a general characteristic of beetroot.

Results

White roots in mono-cropped beetroot represented 2.5–4.8% of total roots, on average, across the rooted soil profile. However, white roots represented 6.9% and 11.6% of total roots in the deepest soil layer during August and October, respectively. White roots caused mono-cropped beetroot roots to be underestimated by 1–22% based on root colour discrimination. However, tracing white roots backwards and forwards to coloured parts of roots reduced underestimates to 0.5–15%. Intercropping did not influence the traceability of white roots compared to monocropping. The highest occurrence of white roots appeared during the early growth period and in the deepest soil layers, indicating a linkage to younger roots or higher root proliferation rates.

Conclusion

Beetroot represents a model crop for visual studies linking eco-physiology and root proliferation. The white roots of beetroot must be incorporated by studies of root competition in intercropping systems that use colour as a criterion.
Immediate postoperative topical lidocaine gel for the treatment of eye pain following corneal abrasion in descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) under general anaesthesia: a pilot retrospective analysis
Authors: Leister Nicolas , Bachmann Björn , Matthaei Mario , Trieschmann Uwe , Schumacher Christine , Löw Vanessa , Böttiger Bernd W. , Schrittenlocher Silvia , Heindl Ludwig M. , Cursiefen Claus
Published: September 2023

Background

Patients undergoing corneal abrasion as part of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) under general anesthesia suffer from early burning pain postoperatively. This pain appears to be poorly treatable with systemic analgesics. This study aims to evaluate postoperative pain management using topical lidocaine gel after DMEK with iatrogenic corneal abrasion.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 28 consecutive patients undergoing DMEK with corneal abrasion from October 19, 2021, to November 12, 2021, at a German university hospital. Patients during week 1 and 2 received peri-operative standard pain treatment (cohort S) and additional local lidocaine gel during week 3 and 4 immediately postoperatively (cohort L).

Results

13 patients were included in cohort S and 15 patients in cohort L. At awakening all patients (100%) in cohort S reported burning pain, and six of 15 patients (40%) in cohort L reported burning pain. Burning pain scores were significantly lower in cohort L (p < 0.001 at awakening, p < 0.001 at 10 min, p < 0.001 at 20 min, p < 0.001 at 30 min, p = 0.007 at 40 min after awakening, and p < 0.001 at leaving recovery room). No significant differences between cohort S and cohort L were detected concerning surgical outcome during 1-month-follow-up (p = 0.901 for best corrected visual acuity).

Conclusion

Patients undergoing DMEK with corneal abrasion suffer significant pain in the recovery room. A single dose of topic lidocaine gel reduces the early postoperative burning pain sufficiently and does not affect the surgical outcome.
The long-term risk of cardiovascular disease among women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Atkinson Jessica , Simpson Grace , Walker Susan P , Tong Stephen , Hastie Roxanne , Lindquist Anthea
Published: September 2023

Background

The lifelong risks of cardiovascular disease following preeclampsia and gestational hypertension are well-established. However, it is unclear whether this evidence has been translated into clinical practice guidelines. Thus, this review aimed to assess the quality and content of Australian clinical practice guidelines regarding the risk of cardiovascular disease following gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), and CINAHL databases, as well as hospital, obstetric society, and medical college websites. Publications were included if: they were a clinical practice guideline; were published in the previous ten years; and included recommendations for the management of future cardiovascular disease risk following hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Quality assessment was performed using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Instrument Version Two (AGREE-II) and AGREE Recommendations Excellence Instrument (AGREE-REX).

Results

Eighteen guidelines were identified, and of these, less than half (n = 8) included recommendations for managing future cardiovascular risk following hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Across these eight, four main counselling recommendations were found regarding (1) risk of future cardiovascular disease; (2) risk factor screening; (3) lifestyle interventions; and (4) prenatal counselling for future pregnancies. The quality and content of these recommendations varied significantly, and the majority of guidelines (87.5%) were assessed as low to moderate quality.

Conclusions

There are limited Australian clinical practice guidelines providing appropriate advice regarding future risk of cardiovascular disease following hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The quality and content of these guidelines varied significantly. These findings highlight the need for improved translation from evidence-based research to enhance clinical care and guidance.
Survey response over 15 years of follow-up in the Millennium Cohort Study
Authors: Kolaja Claire A. , Belding Jennifer N. , Boparai Satbir K. , Castañeda Sheila F. , Geronimo-Hara Toni Rose , Powell Teresa M. , Tu Xin M. , Walstrom Jennifer L. , Sheppard Beverly D. , Rull Rudolph P. ,   for the Millennium Cohort Study Team
Published: September 2023

Background

Patterns of survey response and the characteristics associated with response over time in longitudinal studies are important to discern for the development of tailored retention efforts aimed at minimizing response bias. The Millennium Cohort Study, the largest and longest running cohort study of military personnel and veterans, is designed to examine the long-term health effects of military service and experiences and thus relies on continued participant survey responses over time. Here, we describe the response rates for follow-up survey data collected over 15 years and identify characteristics associated with follow-up survey response and mode of response (paper vs. web).

Method

Patterns of follow-up survey response and response mode (web, paper, none) were examined among eligible participants (n=198,833), who were initially recruited in four panels from 2001 to 2013 in the Millennium Cohort Study, for a follow-up period of 3–15 years (2004–2016). Military and sociodemographic factors (i.e., enrollment panel, sex, birth year, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, marital status, service component, service branch, pay grade, military occupation, length of service, and time deployed), life experiences and health-related factors (i.e., military deployment/combat experience, life stressors, mental health, physical health, and unhealthy behaviors) were used to examine follow-up response and survey mode over time in multivariable generalized estimating equation models.

Results

Overall, an average response rate of 60% was observed across all follow-up waves. Factors associated with follow-up survey response over time included increased educational attainment, married status, female sex, older age, military deployment (regardless of combat experience), and higher number of life stressors, mental health issues, and physical health diagnoses.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges associated with collecting multiple waves of follow-up survey data from members of the U.S. military during and after service, the Millennium Cohort Study has maintained a relatively robust response rate over time. The incorporation of tailored messages and outreach to those groups least likely to respond over time may improve retention and thereby increase the representativeness and generalizability of collected survey data.
Using public clinical trial reports to probe non-experimental causal inference methods
Authors: Steinberg Ethan , Ignatiadis Nikolaos , Yadlowsky Steve , Xu Yizhe , Shah Nigam
Published: September 2023

Background

Non-experimental studies (also known as observational studies) are valuable for estimating the effects of various medical interventions, but are notoriously difficult to evaluate because the methods used in non-experimental studies require untestable assumptions. This lack of intrinsic verifiability makes it difficult both to compare different non-experimental study methods and to trust the results of any particular non-experimental study.

Methods

We introduceTrialProbe, a data resource and statistical framework for the evaluation of non-experimental methods. We first collect a dataset of pseudo “ground truths” about the relative effects of drugs by using empirical Bayesian techniques to analyze adverse events recorded in public clinical trial reports. We then develop a framework for evaluating non-experimental methods against that ground truth by measuring concordance between the non-experimental effect estimates and the estimates derived from clinical trials. As a demonstration of our approach, we also perform an example methods evaluation between propensity score matching, inverse propensity score weighting, and an unadjusted approach on a large national insurance claims dataset.

Results

From the 33,701 clinical trial records in our version of the ClinicalTrials.gov dataset, we are able to extract 12,967 unique drug/drug adverse event comparisons to form a ground truth set. During our corresponding methods evaluation, we are able to use that reference set to demonstrate that both propensity score matching and inverse propensity score weighting can produce estimates that have high concordance with clinical trial results and substantially outperform an unadjusted baseline.

Conclusions

We find thatTrialProbeis an effective approach for probing non-experimental study methods, being able to generate large ground truth sets that are able to distinguish how well non-experimental methods perform in real world observational data.
Impact of visiting restrictions on Edinburgh postnatal depression scale screening scores at one month postpartum during the spread of COVID-19: a single-center case-control study in Japan
Authors: Kudo Sho , Banno Harumichi , Itou Taro , Kawamura Hiroshi , Inoue Daisuke , Takahashi Nozomu , Orisaka Makoto , Yoshida Yoshio
Published: September 2023

Background

This study aimed to evaluate whether “visiting restrictions” implemented due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are a risk factor for postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Methods

This case-control study participants who gave birth during the spread of COVID-19 (COVID-19 study group) and before the spread of COVID-19 (control group). Participants completed the EPDS at 2 weeks and 1 month after childbirth.

Results

A total of 400 cases (200 in each group) were included in this study. The EPDS positivity rate was significantly lower with visiting restrictions than without (8.5% vs.18.5%, p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis of positive EPDS screening at the 1st month checkup as the objective variable revealed that visiting restrictions (odds ratio (OR): 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18–0.68), neonatal hospitalization (OR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.08–4.35), and prolonged delivery (OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.20–6.85) were factors associated with an increased risk of positive EPDS screening.

Conclusion

Visiting restrictions on family during the hospitalization period for delivery during the spread of COVID-19 pandemic did not worsen EPDS screening scores 1 month postpartum, but stabilized the mental state of some mothers.
Attitude and prevalence of early sexual debut and associated risk sexual behavior among adolescents in Tanzania; Evidence from baseline data in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Millanzi Walter C. , Osaki Kalafunja M. , Kibusi Stephen M.
Published: September 2023

Background

Unsafe sexual behaviours and associated sexual ideas among adolescents may contribute to adverse health consequences for sexual health in adulthood. The patterns of sexual ideology and sociodemographic factors profiles on adolescents' sexual behaviours have not been the subject of a definite consensus in research. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude and prevalence of early sexual debut and associated risk sexual behavior among adolescents in Tanzania as the evidence from baseline data in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Methods

The study included 647 randomly chosen in-school adolescents from Tanzania and used an analytical cross-section survey in a quantitative research approach. Sexual-risk Behaviour Beliefs and Self-esteem Scale from previous studies were the main data collection tool. According to the Statistical Analysis Software (SAS), computer software version 9.4 descriptive analysis established respondents' socio-demographic profiles, attitudes, prevalence, and determinants linked to teenagers' early sexual debut. The link between the variables was established via multivariate logistic regression at a 5% significance level and a 95% confidence interval.

Results

The mean age was 15 ± 1.869 years while 57.5% of adolescents were females. 69.7% of adolescents were sexually active whereas 44.8% of them practised sexual behaviours willingly against 24.9% who practised coerced sexual behaviours. The majority (44.4%) and 16.2% of them initiated sexual behaviours during the early and middle adolescence stages respectively. Most adolescents had the ideology that sex was okay to them even before the age of 18 years. Their odds of practicing sexual behaviours were significantly high with the ideology that sex was okay to them even before 18 years of age (AOR = 1.293; p < 0.05; 95%CI: 0.689, 2.989), exposure to drug abuse (AOR = 1.210; p < 0.05; 95%CI: 0.803, 2.130), using media (AOR = 1.006; p < 0.05; 95%CI: 0.748, 2.667) and/or exposure to social groups [Jogging, Gym, health clubs, betting, Games] (AOR = 1.032; p < 0.05; 95%CI: 0.889, 2.044).

Conclusion

Findings suggest that holding a positive attitude towards early sexual debut is a precursor to early sexual activity among adolescents. Unsafe sex, coercive sex, and other risky sexual behaviors are not uncommon among adolescents starting sex before the age of 18 years. Exposure to drug abuse, online sexual content, and/or social groups significantly influenced early sexual debut irrespective of other known factors. Age-appropriate school-based sexuality education programs should be promoted and implemented to address the most prevalent positive attitude towards early sexual debut and associated risk sexual behaviour among adolescents in Tanzania and other similar settings.
Impact of chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease on healthcare use: association between fvc decline and inpatient hospitalization
Authors: Singer David , Chastek Benjamin , Sargent Andrew , Johnson Jonathan C. , Shetty Sharash , Conoscenti Craig , Bernstein Elana J.
Published: September 2023

Background

Many types of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) may transition to progressive chronic-fibrosing ILDs with rapid lung function decline and a negative survival prognosis. In real-world clinical settings, forced vital capacity (FVC) measures demonstrating progressive decline may be linked to negative outcomes, including increased risks of costly healthcare resource utilization (HRU). Thus, we assessed the relationship between rate of decline in lung function and an increase in HRU, specifically inpatient hospitalization, among patients with chronic fibrosing ILD.

Methods

This study utilized electronic health records from 01-Oct-2015 to 31-Oct-2019. Eligible patients (≥ 18 years old) had ≥ 2 fibrosing ILD diagnosis codes, clinical activity for ≥ 15 months, and ≥ 2 FVC tests occurring 6 months apart. Patients with missing demographic data, IPF, or use of nintedanib or pirfenidone were excluded. Two groups were defined by relative change in percent of predicted FVC (FVC% pred) from baseline to 6 months: significant decline (≥ 10%) vs. marginal decline/stable FVC (decrease < 10% or increase). The primary outcome was defined as the occurrence of an inpatient hospitalization 6 months after the first FVC value. Descriptive and multivariable analysis was conducted to examine the impact of FVC decline on occurrence of inpatient hospitalization.

Results

The sample included 566 patients: 13% (n = 75) with significant decline and 87% (n = 491) with marginal decline/stable FVC; their mean age (SD) was 65 (13.7) years and 56% were female. Autoimmune diagnoses were observed among 40% of patients with significant decline, and 27% with marginal decline/stable FVC. The significant decline group had better lung function at baseline than the marginal/stable group. For patients with FVC% <80% at baseline, reduction of FVC% ≥10% was associated with significantly increased odds of an inpatient hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 2.85; confidence interval [CI] 1.17, 6.94 [p = 0.021]).

Conclusion

Decline in FVC% ≥10% was associated with increased odds of inpatient hospitalization among patients with reduced lung function at baseline. These findings support the importance of preserving lung function among patients with fibrosing ILD.
Bariatric and metabolic surgery in patients with low body mass index: an online survey of 543 bariatric and metabolic surgeons
Authors: Shahmiri Shahab Shahabi , Parmar Chetan , Yang Wah , Lainas Panagiotis , Pouwels Sjaak , DavarpanahJazi Amir Hossein , Chiappetta Sonja , Seki Yosuke , Omar Islam , Vilallonga Ramon , Kassir Radwan , Abbas Syed Imran , Bashir Ahmad , Singhal Rishi , Kow Lilian , Kermansaravi Mohammad
Published: September 2023

Background

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) in patients with low body mass index patients is a topic of debate. This study aimed to address all aspects of controversies in these patients by using a worldwide survey.

Methods

An online 35-item questionnaire survey based on existing controversies surrounding MBS in class 1 obesity was created by 17 bariatric surgeons from 10 different countries. Responses were collected and analysed by authors.

Results

A total of 543 bariatric surgeons from 65 countries participated in this survey. 52.29% of participants agreed with the statement that MBS should be offered to class-1 obese patients without any obesity related comorbidities. Most of the respondents (68.43%) believed that MBS surgery should not be offered to patients under the age of 18 with class I obesity. 81.01% of respondents agreed with the statement that surgical interventions should be considered after failure of non-surgical treatments.

Conclusion

This survey demonstrated worldwide variations in metabolic/bariatric surgery in patients with class 1 obesity. Precise analysis of these results is useful for identifying different aspects for future research and consensus building.
Oral health in an urban slum, Nigeria: residents’ perceptions, practices and care-seeking experiences
Authors: Osuh Mary E. , Oke Gbemisola A. , Lilford Richard J. , Osuh Jackson I. , Lawal Folake B. , Gbadebo Shakeerah O. , Owoaje Eme , Omigbodun Akinyinka , Adedokun Babatunde , Chen Yen-Fu , Harris Bronwyn
Published: September 2023

Background/introduction

One of the key recommendations for the new WHO global strategy for oral health is inclusion of disadvantaged populations and their engagement in policy dialogues such that their needs and views are addressed in policy decisions.

Objectives

This study explored oral health perceptions, practices and care-seeking experiences of slum residents in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Method

Focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with family health-decision makers in an urban slum site. Oral health perceptions, practices, and care-seeking experiences were discussed. FGDs were recorded, transcribed, and translated. ATLAS.ti qualitative research software was deployed for analysis using thematic analysis.

Results

Six FGD sessions, divided by gender and age, were conducted between September–October 2019, (N = total 58 participants, aged 25 to 59 years). Common dental ailments mentioned were dental pain, tooth sensitivity, bleeding gums, tooth decay, mouth odor, gum disease, and tooth fracture. Perceived causes of dental conditions included poor dental hygiene and habits, sugary diets, ignorance, and supernatural forces. Mouth cleaning was mostly done once daily using toothbrush and paste. Other cleaning tools were ground glass, wood ash, charcoal,“epa Ijebu” (a dentrifice),and “orin ata” (a type of chewing stick). Remedies for relieving dental pain included over-the-counter medicines, warm salted water, gin, tobacco (snuff/powdered), cow urine/dung, battery fluid, and various mixtures/ concoctions. Visits to the dentists were mentioned by a few but this was usually as last resort. Main barriers to accessing care from dental care facilities were unaffordability of service charges and fear of extreme treatment measures (extraction). Suggested measures to improve timely access to dental health care included reducing/subsidizing costs of treatments and medications, offering non-extraction treatment options, and oral health education programmes.

Conclusion

The slum residents experience various forms of dental ailments mostly pain-related. The residents perceived formal dental clinics as unaffordable, thereby engaging in self‐care remedies and harmful oral health practices before seeking professional help. Policymakers and decision-makers may leverage this empirical evidence for the people’s education on early dental care and address challenges to affordable, available, and acceptable oral healthcare services among slum residents to improve access to care facilities.
The impact of periodontal disease on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Al-Maweri Sadeq Ali , Alhajj Mohammed Nasser , Halboub Esam , Tamimi Faleh , Salleh Nosizana Mohd , Al-Ak’hali Mohammed Sultan , Kassim Saba , Abdulrab Saleem , Anweigi Lamyia , Mohammed Marwan Mansoor Ali
Published: September 2023

Background

A possible relationship between periodontitis (PD) and COVID-19 and its adverse outcomes has been suggested. Hence, the present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the available evidence regarding the potential association between periodontitis (PD) and COVID-19 and its adverse outcomes.

Materials and methods

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies published up to April 15th, 2023. Studies that evaluated the association between PD and COVID-19 were included. Risk of bias was evaluated by two reviewers, and meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results

A total of 22 studies involving 92,535 patients from USA, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America were included; of these, 12 were pooled into the meta-analysis. Most of the studies (19 studies) reported a significant association between PD and COVID-19. The pooled data found a significant association between PD and COVID-19 outcomes: more severe symptoms (OR = 6.95, P = 0.0008), ICU admissions (OR = 3.15, P = 0.0001), and mortality (OR = 1.92, P = 0.21). Additionally, compared to mild PD, severe PD was significantly associated with higher risks of severe COVID-19 outcomes: severe symptoms (P = 0.02); ICU admission (P = 0.0001); and higher mortality rates (P = 0.0001). The results also revealed 58% higher risk for COVID-19 infection in patients with PD (P = 0.00001).

Conclusions

The present findings suggest a possible association between poor periodontal health and the risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes. However, owing to the observed methodological heterogeneity across the included studies, further prospective cohort studies with standardized methodologies are warranted to further unravel the potential association between periodontal disease and COVID-19 and its adverse outcomes.
Perceived ideal number of children among adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa: does exposure to family planning messages matter?
Authors: Phiri Million , Lemba Musonda , Shasha Liness , Sikaluzwe Milika , Simona Simona
Published: September 2023

Background

Even though evidence shows that fertility transition has begun almost everywhere in sub–Saharan Africa (SSA), the decline has been slower than in other parts of the world. Research shows that there is a positive relationship between fertility levels and fertility preference. Therefore, many countries in the region are implementing family planning education campaigns targeting at influencing reproductive behavior of women. Thus, this study aimed to examine the extent to which exposure to family planning communication influences fertility preferences of adolescent girls in SSA.

Methods

This study used data extracted from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey datasets for 28 countries in SSA. Analyses were conducted on a pooled sample of 87,950 female adolescents’ aged 15–19 years who were captured in respective country’s survey. Multivariable binary logistic regression model was fitted in Stata version 17 software to examine the association between exposure to family planning communication and fertility preference among adolescent girls in SSA.

Results

The average fertility preference among adolescent girls in SSA was 4.6 children (95% CI: 4.5, 4.7). Findings show that regardless of the country, adolescents who had exposure to family planning messages [aOR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.72–0.80] were less likely to prefer 4 or more children. On average, fertility preference among adolescents who had exposure to family planning communication was (3.8 children compared to 4.5 children; p < 0.001) among those with no exposure. Furthermore, results show that married adolescents in SSA who had exposure to family planning message had a higher average preferred family size compared to those who were not married (4.8 versus 3.8; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Exposure to family planning communication has shown the potential to influence adolescents’ fertility preference in sub-Saharan Africa. Adolescents with exposure to family planning messages preferred a small family size. Therefore, there is a need to scale-up family planning education programmes in order to reduce fertility further in SSA.
How do new mothers describe their postpartum sexual quality of life? a qualitative study
Authors: Rahmani Azam , Fallahi Arezoo , Allahqoli Leila , Grylka-Baeschlin Susanne , Alkatout Ibrahim
Published: September 2023

Background

Sexuality plays a critical role in a woman’s postpartum quality of life and also has a strong impact on the quality of her relationship. Given the sparse body of published literature on the subject, we aimed to explore how new mothers explain their postpartum sexual quality of life.

Method

A qualitative study was carried out in Iran and Switzerland from December 2018 to March 2019. Focus groups and semi-structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with mothers in the first four months after parturition. Mothers who were older than 18 years, were married or in a stable relationship, and experienced a low-risk vaginal birth or cesarean section participated in the study. We used Graneheim and Lundman’s approach for analyzing the data. Multiple data collection methods, maximum variation sampling, and peer checks were applied to enhance the rigor of the data.

Results

We achieved data saturation after two focus group discussions (FGDs), 15 IDIs in Iran, and 13 IDIs in Switzerland. We extracted three themes for postpartum sexual quality of life: (a) sexual worldview, (b) interpersonal relationship, and (c) postpartum sex storm. The participants described sexual worldview as “sexual beliefs”, “sexual perceptions”, and “sexual behaviors”. The interpersonal relationship consists of “changes in postpartum interpersonal relationships” and “supportive role of the husbands/partners”. The last one, postpartum sex storm, has three categories including “direct changes in sexual life”, “indirect changes in sexual life”, and “resumption of sexual intercourse”. Differences between the two cultures were identified in some subcategories such as “sexual interests”, “comparable to the first intercourse in life”, “negative sexual behaviors of husbands/partners”, “positive sexual behavior of mothers”, “helping with child care and housework”, and “emotional support”.

Conclusion

New mothers explained postpartum sexual quality of life as a three-theme phenomenon. Although most results were similar in both cultures, there were some differences. Our study’s results suggest that sexual quality of life is a topic that encompasses international as well as cultural aspects.
MicroRNAs as potential biopredictors for premenopausal osteoporosis: a biochemical and molecular study
Authors: Al-Rawaf Hadeel A. , Gabr Sami A. , Iqbal Amir , Alghadir Ahmad H.
Published: September 2023

Background

Circulating micro-RNAs have been proposed as a new type of biomarker in several diseases, particularly those related to bone health. They have shown great potential due to their feasibility and simplicity of measurement in all body fluids, especially urine, plasma, and serum.

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of a set of mRNAs, namely miR-21, miR-24, mir-100, miR-24a, miR-103-3p, and miR-142-3p. Their proposed roles in the progression of osteoporosis were identified using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis in premenopausal women. In addition, their correlations with osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) bone markers were explored.

Methods

A total of 85 healthy premenopausal women aged 25–50 years old were included in this study. Based on a DXA scan (Z-score) analysis and calcaneus broadband ultrasound attenuation scores (c-BUAs), measured via quantitative ultrasound (QUS), the subjects were classified into three groups: normal group (n = 25), osteopenia (n = 30), and osteoporosis (n = 30). Real-time-PCR and immunoassay analyses were performed to determine miRNA expression levels and serum OC, s-BAP, and DPD, respectively, as biomarkers of bone health.

Results

Among the identified miRNAs, only miR-21, miR-24, and mir-100 were significantly upregulated and increased in the serum of patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis, and miR-24a, miR-103-3p, and miR-142-3p were downregulated and significantly decreased in osteoporosis. Both upregulated and downregulated miRNAs were significantly correlated with BMD, c-BUA, OC, s-BAP, and DPD.

Conclusion

A group of circulating miRNAs was shown to be closely correlated with the parameters BMD, c-BUA, OC, s-BAP, and DPD, which are traditionally used for bone-health measurements. They could be identified as non-invasive biomarkers in premenopausal patients with osteoporosis. More studies with large sample sizes are recommended to estimate the mechanistic role of miRNAs in osteoporosis pathogenesis and to provide evidence for the use of these miRNAs as a non-invasive method of diagnosing clinical osteoporosis, especially in premenopausal patients.