bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perifoveal exudative vascular anomalous complex and resembling lesions treated with intravitreal triamcinolone
Authors: Damasceno Nadyr , Horowitz Soraya , Yannuzzi Nicolas A , Flynn Harry , Farah Michel , Damasceno Eduardo
Published: May 2023

Purpose

To report the use of intravitreal triamcinolone to treat macular edema associated with isolated perifoveal exudative vascular anomalous complex (PVAC) and resembling lesion (PVAC-RL).

Methods

In this case series, three diabetic patients (3 eyes) with PVAC-RLs and one healthy patient (1 eye) with PVAC lesion associated with cystic spaces underwent three intravitreal injections of aflibercept before switching to one intravitreal triamcinolone injection in each patient.

Results

Macular edema improved from 297.5  ±  8.10  μm, at baseline, to 269.2  ±  8.89  μm, after triamcinolone; whereas visual acuity improved from 20/38 to 20/26 (ETDRS).

Conclusion

PVAC and PVAC-RL are rare and often misdiagnosed lesions that may be associated with decreased vision. Our outcomes suggest that intravitreal injection of triamcinolone may be an effective and affordable treatment for PVAC and PVAC-RL with intraretinal fluid.
Vaginal Carriage of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in Pregnant Women, Antibiotic Sensitivity and Associated Risk Factors in Dakar, Senegal
Authors: Ngom Ndeye Safietou , Gassama Omar , Dieng Assane , Diakhaby Elhadji Bambo , Ndiaye Serigne Mbaye Lo , Tine Alioune , Karam Farba , Lo Gora , Ba-Diallo Awa , Boye Cheikh Saad Bouh , Toure-Kane Coumba , Seck Abdoulaye , Diop-Ndiaye Halimatou , Camara Makhtar
Published: May 2023

The eradication of neonatal Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections, considered as a major public health priority, necessarily requires a mastery of the data on vaginal carriage in pregnant women. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of vaginal carriage of GBS in pregnant women, antibiotic susceptibility, and associated risk factors. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted over a period of 9 months (July 2020 to March 2021) in pregnant women between 34 and 38 weeks of gestation (WG) followed at the Nabil Choucair health center in Dakar. Identification and antibiotic susceptibility of GBS isolates were performed on the Vitek 2 from vaginal swabs cultured on Granada medium. Demographic and obstetric interview data were collected and analyzed on SPSS (version 25). The level of significance for all statistical tests was set at P < .05. The search of GBS vaginal carriage had involved 279 women aged 16 to 46 years, with a median pregnancy age of 34 (34-37) weeks’ gestation. GBS was found in 43 women, for a vaginal carriage rate of 15.4%. In 27.9% (12/43) of volunteers screened, this carriage was monomicrobial, while in 72.1% (31/43) of women, GBS was associated with other pathogens such as Candida spp. (60.5%), Trichomonas vaginalis (2.3%), Gardnerella vaginalis (34.9%) and/or Mobiluncus spp. (11.6%). The level of resistance was 27.9% (12/43) for penicillin G, 53.5% (23/43) for erythromycin, 25.6% (11/43) for clindamycin and 100% for tetracycline. However, the strains had retained fully susceptible to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The main risk factor associated with maternal GBS carriage were ectocervical inflammation associated with contact bleeding (OR = 3.55; P = .005). The high rate of maternal vaginal GBS carriage and the levels of resistance to the various antibiotics tested confirm the importance of continuous GBS surveillance in our resource-limited countries.
#ButNotMaternity: Analysing Instagram posts of reproductive politics under pandemic crisis
Authors: De Benedictis Sara , Mendes Kaitlynn
Published: May 2023

In this article, we perform a thematic analysis of a sample of 70 #ButNotMaternity Instagram posts. #ButNotMaternity is a hashtag that emerged in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic whereby the public, healthcare workers and campaigners shared experiences and concerns about pandemic maternity care restrictions and their disproportionate disadvantages for pregnant women. In the article, we analyse four themes that emerged from our thematic analysis – Individual experiences, loneliness and overcoming adversity, Voicing anger and absurdity, Mobilising anger and calls to action and Coordinated activism. Thinking about #ButNotMaternity in the context of ‘freelance feminism’, our article has a twofold aim. First, we explore the concept of ‘freelance feminism’ through #ButNotMaternity, asking to what extent this campaign draws from freelance tactics. Second, we use the hashtag to illuminate maternity inequality and modes of resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our thematic analysis, we argue that while ‘freelance feminism’ might be becoming hegemonic as a dominant mode of organising feminist activism and resistance, inspired by Malik et al. (2020), we also showcase how creative campaigns are potential places where collective action, structural critique and resistance may emerge.
Experimental research on pressure pulsation and cavitation characteristics of centrifugal fire pump
Authors: Liu Houlin , Hu Jianbin , He Zhoufeng , Wang Kai , Lu Xin
Published: May 2023

To broaden the database of fire equipment selection and provide the basis for its selection and optimization, a low specific speed centrifugal fire pump with a specific speed of 24.7 was selected as the research object, and the inlet and outlet pressure pulsation and cavitation characteristics under different flow rates were analyzed through experiments. Results show that the head of the fire pump under the design flow rate was 75.68 m, and the efficiency was 36.84%. The dominant frequency of the pressure pulsation in the inlet and outlet of the pump under different flow rates is 1 APF (axial passing frequency). The zero flow rate has no obvious peak distribution at 1 BPF (blade passing frequency). The secondary frequency of 1 BPF and the n times the harmonic frequency of 1 BPF are distributed in the outlet of the pump. The critical net positive suction head of the fire pump under 1.0  Qd and 1.5  Qd was 0.95 m and 2.38 m, respectively.
Examining PM2.5 concentrations in counties with and without state-run correctional facilities in Texas
Authors: Block Kristina
Published: May 2023

A high percentage of people who are incarcerated suffer from health problems that affect them both in prison and after they are released. Environmental hazards and pollutants can exacerbate these problems as well as contribute to the development of new health conditions. One specific type of pollutant that is associated with a wide array of health problems including decreased lung function, cancer, and asthma is particulate matter smaller than 2.5 µm (PM2.5). While prior research indicates that PM2.5 is not equally distributed throughout space, it remains unknown if levels of PM2.5 differ in areas with and without correctional facilities. The current study aims to address this gap by examining if counties with state-run correctional facilities have higher concentrations of PM2.5 relative to counties without state-run correctional facilities in Texas. Results of OLS regression models indicate that counties with one or more state-run correctional facilities have higher concentrations of PM2.5 relative to counties without these facilities. These findings highlight the importance of improving prison healthcare and addressing issues of environmental injustice in correctional facilities.
Children's ideas about COVID-19 and learning loss: Interviews with 10 second-graders
Authors: Stearns Clio
Published: May 2023

In 2020 and 2021, there has been extensive scholarly and popular discussion about children's learning loss due to COVID-19 and its related school closures. This conversation generally overlooks the voices of young children. This study, set in a US context where children spent a year or more attending school exclusively remotely, reports from interviews with 10 second-graders about how they conceive of loss related to COVID-19 and particularly what it might mean to lose learning. The study finds that the children have extensive ideas about what it means to lose something tangible or intangible, and that their theories about loss are based in well-understood personal experience. It also shows how children use loss narratives to make sense of sociopolitical events and concepts in the world around them, and it offers the possibility that the upheaval wrought by COVID-19 has helped some children become quite emotionally aware and able not only to tolerate but also adaptively defend against difficult feelings. The article emphasizes the importance of foregrounding children's ideas and voices in making sense of their educational experiences.
How does a national, multilingual news agency contribute to news diversity? A mixed-methods case study
Authors: Nelissen Elisa , Hendrickx Jonathan
Published: May 2023

News agencies are regularly mentioned in scholarly works among the principal sources of information for legacy news organisations and titles, particularly in the 24/7 online news environment. However, little is known about how these agencies themselves source news. To fill this gap in scholarship, we present a case study of how Belgium’s national, multilingual news agency sources its science news. We first position our study within a conceptual framework combining insights from news diversity and translation studies research. Next, we operationalise a triangulation of a content analysis, a survey, and interviews with newsroom staff to shed light on the practices and policies that shape and constrain the inner workings of a national news agency in a small, multilingual media market. Our findings reveal a large, potentially worrying, dependency on information subsidies and their assumed factuality from press releases and other news agencies, largely sourced locally. We contextualise our findings within wider news agency and science journalism research.
Territorial healing: A spatial spiral weaving transformative reparation
Authors: Ortiz Catalina , Gómez Córdoba Oscar
Published: May 2023

This article introduces the concept of territorial healing as a strategy for holistic intervention with communities affected by violence-related trauma. Violence exerted in places generates affective and territorial ruptures contained in socio-emotional wounds and disruptions in the social and institutional fabric that weakens collective life. Building on post/in-conflict cities studies, peacebuilding studies, and a decolonial approach, we argue that territorial healing agglutinates myriad interventions aimed at a collective restorative reparation of geo-traumas (Pain, 2021) and promotes the construction of collective subjects for decision-making in territorial processes. The article highlights the need to go beyond the local/spatial turn of peacebuilding and reparative planning by providing a more robust understanding of how to frame the political project of reparative justice in urban spaces and across different scales. Territorial healing processes go beyond institutionalized frameworks to involve decentralized and autonomous processes that expand the spatiality of the symbolic, corporeal and emotions of collective urban life. This article suggests that a territorial healing trajectory requires weaving the mapping of body-territory-earth (Cabnal, 2019), collective memory, and spatial imagination as a strategy to manage existing conflicts through therapeutic dialogue and the shaping of reparative infrastructures.
Different strokes for different folks: The moderating effect of top managers’ political ideologies on the efficacy of top management team vertical pay disparities
Authors: Chin MK , Acharya Abhijith G , Devers Cynthia E
Published: May 2023

A debate surrounds the utility of tournament theory prescription for the pay arrangements of top executives, based on competing perspectives on the relationship between vertical pay disparities and important firm outcomes. In this study, we attempt to reconcile the competing perspectives by offering a contingency view of the utility of tournament theory prescriptions. We integrate insights from the person-pay interaction theory with research on political ideology to show how top executive’s individual and top management team’s team-level political ideology shapes the relationship between vertical pay disparities and top executive departure and firm performance. Using data on US public firms, we find that liberal-leaning top executives are more likely to exit the firm at higher levels than at lower levels of vertical pay disparity, whereas conservative-leaning top executives are more likely to exit the firm at lower levels than at higher levels of vertical pay disparity. Furthermore, liberal-leaning top management teams perform better at lower levels than at higher levels of vertical pay disparity, whereas conservative-leaning top management teams perform better at higher levels than at lower levels of vertical pay disparity. We discuss the implications of these findings for the literature on executive compensation, corporate governance, and executive values.
Career Thoughts of Incarcerated Students
Authors: Holder Abigail M , Derzis Nicholas C , Shippen Margaret , Park Jinhee
Published: May 2023

In 2018, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released the results of a nine-year longitudinal study that among 412,731 inmates released in 2005, 84% of them were rearrested. This high recidivism rate shows a clear need for reentry intervention to reduce these rates. A key part of reentry intervention should include career readiness, which helps individuals attain skills and education that are congruent to the skills needed in the labor force. Providing career assistance and interventions to those entering the workforce is understanding an individual’s desire and motivation in career and education, and negative career thoughts predict job attainment and satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to examine the career thoughts of incarcerated students and determine if intersections of their identities effect their career thoughts using the Career Thoughts Inventory and demographic information. The intersections examined include (a) re-offense, (b) disability status, (c) education level, and (d) employment experience. This study focuses on investigating the career thoughts of incarcerated students at a technical college serving only incarcerated adults. Results of this study indicate that these intersections do not have a significant difference with incarcerated students’ career thoughts.
Digital twins and the terminology of “personalization” or “personalized learning” in educational policy: A discussion paper
Authors: Arantes Janine
Published: May 2023

There has been a policy push in K-12 educational settings towards personalized learning in the last decade. Commercial platforms and learning designers have responded, offering learning tools to support teaching and learning through data-driven insights and recommendations. Trending towards the augmentation or replacing human teachers with non-human technology, this paper argues that personalized learning with human teachers is an entirely different process from personalization with digital twins. Drawing on new materialist thinking, it explores the impacts and implications for discourse concerning teacher quality and disadvantages within educational systems. It clarifies the conflation of the terms “personalized learning” and “personalization” to illuminate the power, positionality, and privilege enabled for some, in conflating terms in Australian educational policy.
Raising Leadership Self-Efficacy and Minimizing Organizational Burnout Among School Administrators in a GROW Model of Cognitive Behavioral Coaching
Authors: Igu Ntasiobi C. N. , Onyishi Charity N. , Amujiri Benjamin A. , Binuomote Michael O. , Modebelu Melody N. , Okafor Ifeoma P. , Awe Bolupe Abayomi , Fausta Manafa , Obih Solomon O. , Eke David O. , Ezemoyin Marcel C. , Uzoma Bethel N. , Ugwu Joy I. , Mbon Usen F.
Published: May 2023

Poor leadership self-efficacy and high organizational burnout are context-based cognitive conditions that sabotage leadership outcomes across organizations. When school administrators who are the leaders and directors of school affairs struggle with poor leadership self-efficacy and elevated levels of burnout their leadership styles are negatively affected with far-reaching impacts on the teachers, students, and the overall school outputs. This randomized control trial sought to investigate the effectiveness of GROW-Model (GROW-M) of Cognitive behavioral Coaching in raising leadership self-efficacy and minimizing burnout symptoms in a sample of school administrators in Enugu State, Nigeria. Participants included 77 school administrators who were randomly assigned to GROW-M ( N = 38) and waitlisted control ( N = 39) groups. A 2-h GROW-M program was delivered to the GROW-M intervention group weekly for 9 weeks. Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators’ Survey and the School Leaders’ Self-Efficacy Scale were employed to source data at preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up evaluations. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore data using SPSS version 24. Results revealed that participants’ organizational burnout reduced, while their leadership self-efficacy improved significantly at posttest. The changes in burnout and leadership self-efficacy levels were sustained through a 3-month follow-up. We concluded that intervention using GROW-M minimizes organizational burnout and raises leadership self-efficacy as a pliability resource for coping with overwhelming work demands.
Protective Effect of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim Components Against Glutamate-Induced SH-SY5Y Cells Damage Through Regulating Apoptosis
Authors: Li Yanwen , Yue Xingnan , Wang Shuo , Li Pengyue , Zhang Man , Song Kuokui , Huang Xiulan , Li Zhiyong
Published: May 2023

Context

Among the Tujia people, the root or rhizome of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim.in Bull.Acad (TTM) is considered a miraculous herb for headaches. Previous studies have shown ethyl acetate extract (TTM1) can protect SH-SY5Y cells against glutamate injury.

Objective

This study clarified TTM1’s mechanism against glutamate-induced cell damage, focusing on the regulation of apoptosis. The compounds were separated, identified, and performed molecular docking with pro-apoptotic proteins.

Materials and Methods

SH-SY5Y cells were treated with glutamate (2 mM) for 12 hour, and the effect of TTM1 (2.5, 5, 10, and 20 μg/mL) was evaluated with MTT and LDH release assays, taking EGb761(40 μg/mL) as a control. Cell apoptosis was detected with Hoechst 33258 and Annexin V-FITC and measurements of intracellular calcium and caspase-3. The major components were separated and identified by LCMS-IT-TOF and NMR, then the proapoptotic activity of TTM1 was confirmed by molecular docking method.

Results

TTM1 protected SH-SY5Y cells by resisting apoptosis, TTM1 (10 and 20 μg/mL) decreased apoptotic bodies and nuclear fragments, increased the proportion of normal cells to 68.38 ± 5.63% and 92.80 ± .88%, decreased VA cells to 4.30 ± .76% and 3.58 ± .45% and caspase-3 to .365 ± .034 and .344 ± .047 ng/mL.TTM1 (10 μg/mL) decreased intracellular free calcium to 2.77 ± .40. Polyphyllin VI and pennogenin 3-O-β-chacotrioside were identified in TTM1 at 15.04% and 2.84%, and had potential anti-apoptosis activities.

Discussion and Conclusions

Folk records of TTM for headache may be related to its anti-apoptosis of nerve cells. Identification and content determination of index components based on effective extract provides research paradigms for rare and endangered ethnic plants.
Together a Catalyst: Learning From Our Co-Creative Arts-Based Inquiry About Our Teacher Selves During the Transition to Online Teaching
Authors: Naidoo Jaqueline , Pillay Daisy , Naicker Inbanathan
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated many adjustments to everyday teaching at higher education institutions. While face-to-face lectures were the preferred teaching method of teacher educators prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift to online teaching was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper draws attention to the shifts we transitioned to as teacher educators teaching and researching via online platforms-specifically Zoom—in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored how three teacher educators used co-creative arts-based inquiry to deepen their understanding of their shifting teacher ‘selves’ as online users. Object-inspired narratives and poetic inquiry were employed to co-flexively engage with our shifting teaching experiences and question our feelings of discomfort teaching online. Framed conceptually by an ethics of care and collaborative-creativity, we discuss the tensions and possibilities we experienced, and shared through our scholarly online conversations via Zoom to think through the shifts in our teacher selves and teaching. We highlight our online teaching experiences amidst the uncertainty and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. We then share the methodological insight of collaborative arts-based inquiry and how it facilitated reflexive dialogues and deep conversations that ignited self-learning and collective insights into the potential and possibilities of online teaching. Findings highlighted that co-creative, online engagement enabled sharing of emotional experiences and offered possibilities for transforming teacher selves. In addition, co-creative, online engagement enabled the cultivation of relational scholarly thinking. The article highlights the methodological insight of co-creative arts-based research in productively disrupting instrumental university discourse of online teaching.
Peripheral sensory neurons and non-neuronal cells express functional Piezo1 channels
Authors: Shin Seung Min , Itson-Zoske Brandon , Fan Fan , Gani Uarda , Rahman Mahmudur , Hogan Quinn H. , Yu Hongwei
Published: May 2023

Here, we present evidence showing Piezo1 protein expression in the primary sensory neurons (PSNs) and non-neuronal cells of rat peripheral nervous system. Using a knockdown/knockout validated antibody, we detected Piezo1 immunoreactivity (IR) in ∼60% of PSNs of rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) with higher IR density in the small- and medium-sized neurons. Piezo1-IR was clearly identified in DRG perineuronal glia, including satellite glial cells (SGCs) and Schwann cells; in sciatic nerve Schwann cells surrounding the axons and cutaneous afferent endings; and in skin epidermal Merkel cells and melanocytes. Neuronal and non-neuronal Piezo1 channels were functional since various cells (dissociated PSNs and SGCs from DRGs, isolated Schwann cells, and primary human melanocytes) exhibited a robust response to Piezo1 agonist Yoda1 by an increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). These responses were abolished by non-specific Piezo1 antagonist GsMTx4. Immunoblots showed elevated Piezo1 protein in DRG proximal to peripheral nerve injury-induced painful neuropathy, while PSNs and SGCs from rats with neuropathic pain showed greater Yoda1-evoked elevation of [Ca2+]i and an increased frequency of cells responding to Yoda1, compared to controls. Sciatic nerve application of GsMTx4 alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity induced by Yoda1. Overall, our data show that Piezo1 is widely expressed by the neuronal and non-neuronal cells in the peripheral sensory pathways and that painful nerve injury appeared associated with activation of Piezo1 in PSNs and peripheral glial cells.
Functional outcome of an ‘all-inside’ technique in female anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at long-term follow-up: A gender-sensitive analysis
Authors: Pichler Lorenz , Sator Thomas , Kaiser Georg , Binder Harald , Payr Stephan , Hofbauer Marcus , Tiefenboeck Thomas M
Published: May 2023

Background:

As the awareness towards gender-specific therapies continues to increase among all fields of medicine, so does the need for gender-sensitive evaluations of established surgical techniques. With a higher likelihood of anterior cruciate ligament injury in women, a critical assessment of the functional outcome of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction regarding patient sex is indispensable. Almost all pre-existing literature on this subject is based on anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions carried out before 2008, when ‘all-inside’ techniques did not exist. This implicates the need to investigate this technique towards its differences in outcome between male and female patients.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference concerning the functional outcome of an ‘all-inside’ technique for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in female patients when compared to a cohort of male patients matched for body mass index and age.

Design:

Retrospective analysis.

Methods:

All female patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using an all-inside technique between 2011 and 2012 were examined for inclusion. Functional outcome parameters investigated included the Lysholm Knee Score, International Knee Documentation Committee score, Visual Analogue Scale score and the Tegner Activity Scale. All parameters were documented before surgery and at 3-, 6-, 12- and >24 months follow-up. At 24-month follow-up, anterior–posterior knee laxity was tested using the KT-2000 arthrometer device. For comparison, an equivalent group of male patients who underwent the same procedure was matched.

Results:

27 female patients were matched with 27 male patients. The average age was 29 years, and a mean follow-up of 90 months could be achieved with 27 of patients reaching a follow-up of > 10 years. The evaluated scores showed no significant difference between female and male patients. Women presented with poorer functional outcome at 3- as well as 6-month follow-ups compared to men, without reaching statistical significance. After 12 months, no further differences could be found.

Conclusion:

This study proved that an all-inside technique for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is able to produce the same functional outcome in female as in male patients at long-term follow-up. The results on short-term outcome indicate the need for further research towards gender-specific differences after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, their potential causes and potential of improvement.

Level of evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Multiple number-naming associations: How the inversion property affects adults’ two-digit number processing
Authors: Xenidou-Dervou Iro , van Atteveldt Nienke , Surducan Irina M , Reynvoet Bert , Rossi Serena , Gilmore Camilla
Published: May 2023

Some number-naming systems are less transparent than others. For example, in Dutch, 49 is named “negenenveertig,” which translates to “nine and forty,” i.e., the unit is named first, followed by the decade. This is known as the “inversion property,” where the morpho-syntactic representation of the number name is incongruent with its written Arabic form. Number word inversion can hamper children’s developing mathematical skills. But little is known about its effects on adults’ numeracy, the underlying mechanism, and how a person’s bilingual background influences its effects. In the present study, Dutch-English bilingual adults performed an audiovisual matching task, where they heard a number word and simultaneously saw two-digit Arabic symbols and had to determine whether these matched in quantity. We experimentally manipulated the morpho-syntactic structure of the number words to alter their phonological (dis)similarities and numerical congruency with the target Arabic two-digit number. Results showed that morpho-syntactic (in)congruency differentially influenced quantity match and non-match decisions. Although participants were faster when hearing traditional non-transparent Dutch number names, they made more accurate decisions when hearing artificial, but morpho-syntactically transparent number words. This pattern was partly influenced by the participants’ bilingual background, i.e., their L2 proficiency in English, which involves more transparent number names. Our findings suggest that, within inversion number-naming systems, multiple associations are formed between two-digit Arabic symbols and number names, which can influence adults’ numerical cognition.
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: A review of pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and treatment
Authors: Singhal Aneesh B
Published: May 2023

Reversible segmental narrowing of the intracranial arteries has been described since several decades in numerous clinical settings, using variable nosology. Twenty-one years ago, we tentatively proposed the unifying concept that these entities, based on similar clinical-imaging features, represented a single cerebrovascular syndrome. This “reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome” or RCVS has now come of age. A new International Classification of Diseases code, (ICD-10, I67.841) has been established, enabling larger-scale studies. The RCVS2 scoring system provides high accuracy in confirming RCVS diagnosis and excluding mimics such as primary angiitis of the central nervous system. Several groups have characterized its clinical-imaging features. RCVS predominantly affects women. Recurrent worst-ever (thunderclap) headaches are typical at onset. While initial brain imaging is often normal, approximately one-third to half develop complications such as convexity subarachnoid hemorrhages, lobar hemorrhages, ischemic strokes located in arterial “watershed” territories and reversible edema, alone or in combination. Vasoconstriction evolves over hours to days, first affecting distal and then the more proximal arteries. An overlap between RCVS and primary thunderclap headache, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, transient global amnesia, and other conditions has been recognized. The pathophysiology remains largely unknown. Management is mostly symptomatic: headache relief with analgesics and oral calcium-channel blockers, removal of vasoconstrictive factors, and avoidance of glucocorticoids that can significantly worsen outcome. Intra-arterial vasodilator infusions provide variable success. Overall, 90–95% of admitted patients achieve complete or major resolution of symptoms and clinical deficits within days to weeks. Recurrence is exceptional, although 5% can later develop isolated thunderclap headaches with or without mild cerebral vasoconstriction.
Adjuvant denosumab in early breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials
Authors: Mastrantoni Luca , Garufi Giovanna , Di Monte Elena , Maliziola Noemi , Pasqualoni Mariangela , Pontolillo Letizia , Pannunzio Sergio , Cannizzaro Maria Chiara , Di Bello Armando , Fabi Alessandra , Palazzo Antonella , Tortora Giampaolo , Bria Emilio , Orlandi Armando
Published: May 2023

Background:

In early breast cancer (BC) the impact of denosumab on survival outcomes is still unclear. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess efficacy and safety of adjuvant denosumab in addition to standard anticancer therapy.

Methods:

PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Embase, and oncological meetings websites were screened to identify potentially eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Survival outcomes were disease-free survival (DFS), bone-metastasis-free survival (BMFS), and overall survival (OS). Fracture incidence and time to first fracture were bone-health outcomes. Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), atypical femur fractures (AFF), and other adverse events were also evaluated. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and risk ratios (RR) with respective 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were computed using a random-effects model. Exploratory subgroup analyses were performed.

Results:

Two phase III RCTs were included, the Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group-18 (ABCSG-18) and the D-CARE trials, for a total of 7929 patients. In the ABCSG-18 trial, denosumab was administered every 6 months during endocrine therapy (for a median of seven cycles) while the D-CARE trial used an intensive schedule for a total treatment duration of 5 years. Adjuvant denosumab showed no difference in DFS (HR: 0.932; 95% CI: 0.748–1.162), BMFS (HR: 0.9896; 95% CI: 0.751–1.070), and OS (HR: 0.917; 95% CI: 0.718–1.171) compared to placebo in the overall population. In hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative BC patients, a DFS (HR: 0.883; 95% CI: 0.782–0.996) and BMFS (HR: 0.832; 95% CI: 0.714–0.970) benefit was observed and BMFS was prolonged in all hormone receptor positive patients (HR: 0.850; 95% CI: 0.735–0.983). Fracture incidence (RR: 0.787; 95% CI: 0.696–0.890) and time to first fracture (HR: 0.760; 95% CI: 0.665–0.869) were also improved. No increase in overall toxicity was seen with denosumab and no differences were observed for ONJ and AFF between the 60-mg every 6-month schedule and placebo.

Conclusion:

Denosumab addition to anticancer treatment does not improve DFS, BMFS, or OS in the overall population, although a DFS improvement was observed in hormone receptor positive/HER2 negative BC patients and a BMFS improvement in all hormone receptor positive patients. Bone-health outcomes were improved with no added toxicity with the 60-mg schedule.

Registration:

PROSPERO identifier: CRD42022332787.
Phytochemical Constituents Isolated From Distichochlamys citrea M.F. Newman Rhizomes and Their Antioxidant and α-glucosidase Inhibitory Activities
Authors: Van Chen Tran , Thong Cao Ly Tan , Tran-Trung Hieu , Nhung Nguyen Thi Ai , Triet Nguyen Thanh
Published: May 2023

Objective/Background: Distichochlamys citrea M.F. Newman (Zingiberaceae) is an endemic plant of Vietnam and has been used as a folk medication for treatments of infection-related diseases, diabetes, and used as spice. This study aimed to characterize the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of isolated compounds from D. citrea rhizomes. Methods: Compounds have been isolated from D. citrea rhizomes by different chromatographic techniques. Their chemical structures were determined based on mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in comparison with those reported in the literature. The antioxidant effect was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-free radical neutralization whereas α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was determined by using the method of optical density measurement. Results: Seven compounds including 5-hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone (1), kaempferol (2), platyphyllone (3), 5- O-caffeoylquinic acid (4), a mixture of phytosterols ( β-sitosterol (5) and stigmasterol (6)), and glycerol monostearate (7) were isolated and identified from D. citrea rhizomes. Compounds 1 and 2 simultaneously exhibited antioxidant activities (IC50  =  794.71  ±  2.68 µM, 14.08  ±  5.60 µM, respectively) and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects (IC50  =  189.40  ±  1.55 µM, and 31.86  ±  5.38 µM, respectively). Meanwhile, compound 3 and the mixture of 5 and 6 singly inhibited the enzyme α-glucosidase (IC50  =  69.41  ±  6.11 µM, 1204.82 µM, respectively), and showed weak antioxidant effects. On the contrary, compound 4 only had antioxidant activity (IC50  =  30.20  ±  1.86 µM). Compound 7 did not exhibit either antioxidant or enzymatic inhibitory effects. Conclusion: This is the first time that all of the seven compounds (1-7) and their biological activities were reported from D. citrea. Moreover, the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of platyphyllone (3) is reported for the first time in the literature. This study revealed that flavonoids, phenolics, sterols, and monoglycerides in D. citrea rhizomes could be responsible for the antioxidant property and α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of this Vietnamese endemic medicinal plant.
Superficial Cerebellar Siderosis and Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension Secondary to Dural Tear
Authors: Nethala Priscilla , GH Sandhya , Shivaram Sumanth
Published: May 2023

Spinal dural tears are being increasingly recongnized to cause superficial siderosis and intracranial hypotension. We report a patient with chronic headache who was detected to have cerebellar superficial siderosis and subtle signs of intracranial hypotension on imaging. Spinal imaging showed an upper thoracic dural tear secondary to a paradiscal osteophyte. She improved significantly with surgical repair of the tear. We highlight the importance of recognizing superficial sideorsis in patients with chronic headache as it serves as a marker for dural tear and intracranial hypotension.
Celiac Disease and Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction: What School Nurses Need to Know
Authors: Bultas Margaret W. , Brueggemann Elissa M.
Published: May 2023

Abdominal pain and discomfort are common reasons students visit the school health office. Abdominal pain, in children, may be related to gastrointestinal conditions such as celiac disease (CD) or disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs). Both CD and DGBIs, formerly known as functional abdominal pain disorders, are both prevalent in the pediatric population. Manifestations, presentation, and management of these disorders overlap and will be reviewed in this article. Due to their chronic nature, school nurses should be aware of both the management and complications associated with CD and DGBIs. Dietary recommendations, including the gluten-free and low-fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPS) diet, will be presented as part of the management of the disorders.
Of elephants and discipline: For a recursive history of geography
Authors: Davies Archie
Published: May 2023

This commentary suggests that the history of geography can best contribute to the future of geography through an open and recursive approach to the history of ideas about space and nature. I argue that the history of geographical ideas should develop in dialectical relation with how contemporary geography changes. To support this argument, I sketch what a recursive and anti-disciplinary history of geography might look like, as each new geographical innovation opens new paths for the history of geographical ideas to tread, and new histories of thinking to scrutinise.
Typhoid fever, complicated by syncope due to relative bradycardia: A case report
Authors: Nguyen Tam Van , Le Quan Van , Nguyen Ha Thi , Tu Quang , Hoang Tuyen Tien , Ta Thang Ba , Tran Tien Viet , Dinh Le Tuan , Tran Thang Canh , Nguyen Linh Giang , Nghiem Thuan Duc , Tien Nguyen Son , Van Nguyen An , Dinh Hoang Khanh , Nguyen Kien Xuan
Published: May 2023

In a United Nations (UN) staff member headquarters in South Sudan, we present a rare typhoid fever complicated by syncope due to relative bradycardia. A 25-year-old male presented to our hospital with a high fever, diarrhea, and no vomiting. He had no substantial medical background. He was diagnosed with an unspecified digestive disorder and received initial treatment. Two syncope episodes were recorded in the Level 1 hospital. He was referred to our hospital at the 30th hour and the third fainting occurred. Electrocardiogram showed bradycardia with a heart rate of 40 beats/min. The atropine test was negative; the initial diagnosis was sinus sickness syndrome. Microbiology tests later suggested typhoid infection. Then, the diagnosis changed to relative bradycardia caused by Salmonella typhi; and he was orally treated with the third-generation Quinolone antibiotic. He significantly improved and got discharged on the seventh day. In conclusion, typhoid remains a real and present threat to UN staff and civilians in South Sudan.
Slowly progressing acute lymphoblastic leukemia with prolonged leukopenia
Authors: Sugisaki Manato , Imamura Kenji , Terasaki Yukie , Iino Hiromasa , Hoshino Takumi , Hatsumi Nahoko , Handa Hiroshi , Takada Satoru
Published: May 2023

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is typically characterized by leukocytosis, resulting from the uncontrolled proliferation of malignant cells. However, we report an atypical case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia that presented with leukopenia and exhibited a protracted clinical course spanning 6 months. The patient, a 45-year-old female, initially presented to our hospital with recurrent fever and was found to have lymphoblasts in a hypoplastic bone marrow. Upon further investigation, the patient was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia, not otherwise specified, based on cell surface antigen expression and genetic abnormalities. Notably, the patient demonstrated persistently low white blood cell and neutrophil counts, without evidence of increasing lymphoblast infiltration in the bone marrow during the ensuing 6-month period. Subsequent chemotherapy led to normalization of hematopoiesis and disappearance of lymphoblasts, resulting in complete remission of the disease.
McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome: A rare cause of chronic diarrhea treated with endoscopic polypectomy
Authors: Chaudhry Hunza , Iqbal Humzah , Gill Amitpaul , Prajapati Devang
Published: May 2023

Chronic diarrhea is a commonly encountered complaint and a principal cause of health care utilization worldwide. Although there are various etiologies of chronic diarrhea, McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome is a rare syndrome defined as a large villous adenoma with secretory diarrhea causing severe fluid imbalances. We report a case of a patient with McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome who was successfully treated with endoscopic resection. Our case aims to add information to the current literature supporting the endoscopic management of McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome.
Algorithmic probing: Prompting offensive Google results and their moderation
Authors: Rogers Richard
Published: May 2023

Google results have been scrutinized over the years for what they privilege, be it the surface web, the powerful, optimized webpages, the personalized and/or their own properties. For some time now, another type of Google returns also has been the source of attention: the offensive result. The following revisits a selection of offensive and other problematic results found by journalists and researchers alike. In a technique termed ‘algorithmic probing’, the prompting queries are re-run to study what has come of these results in Google Web and Image Search but mainly in Google Autocompletion. The question concerns a different kind of privileging – Google's hierarchy of concerns – or the extent to which certain categories as well as languages are moderated and others less so. In all, it was found that Google heavily moderates religion, ethnicities and sexualities (albeit with gaps) but leaves alone stereotypes of gendered professions as well as ageism. It also moderates to a greater degree in English compared to southern European and Balkan languages. The article concludes with a discussion of the stakes of Google's moderation, including its uneven coverage.
Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions on Cannabis Among Older Adults Aged 65 and Older: A cross-sectional Survey
Authors: Kleidon Alex M. , Peterson Andrew M. , Warner-Maron Ilene , Glicksman Allen
Published: May 2023

Objective:

With the rise of medical and recreational cannabis use among older adults, concerns about the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use are increasing. This pilot study aimed to determine the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of older adults toward cannabis as a medicinal product, to establish a foundation for future research on how healthcare providers communicate with this population regarding cannabis.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on adults aged 65 and older living in Philadelphia. The survey included questions related to participants’ demographics, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of cannabis. Participants were recruited via flyer distributions, publications in newsletters, and a local newspaper. Surveys were conducted from December 2019 through May 2020. Quantitative data were presented using counts, mean, median, and percentages, and qualitative data were analyzed by categorizing common responses.

Results:

The study aimed to recruit 50 participants, of whom 47 met the requirements, and had their data analyzed, resulting in an average age of 71 years. The majority of participants were male (53%) and Black (64%). Seventy-six percent of participants considered cannabis a highly important treatment for older adults, and 42% considered themselves highly knowledgeable about cannabis. Over half of the participants reported being asked about tobacco (55%) or alcohol (57%) use by their PCP compared to 23% being asked about cannabis. Participants indicated that they most commonly turned to the internet and social media for information about cannabis, while only a small number mentioned relying on their primary care physician (PCP) for such information.

Discussion:

The results of this pilot study highlight the need for accurate and reliable information about cannabis for older adults and their healthcare providers. As the use of cannabis as a therapy continues to rise, it is crucial for healthcare providers to address misconceptions and encourage older adults to seek out evidence-based research. Further research is needed to explore healthcare providers’ perceptions of cannabis therapy and how they can better educate older adults.
Estimating Working Life Expectancy: A Comparison of Multistate Models
Authors: Chungkham Holendro Singh , Högnäs Robin S. , Head Jenny , Zaninotto Paola , Westerlund Hugo
Published: May 2023

Increases in retirement ages make it particularly pressing to better understand how long people will work. Working life expectancy (WLE) is a useful measure for this and the current paper assesses the tools, that is, software packages, available to assess it. We do this using data from the English Longitudinal Survey on Ageing (ELSA, 2003–2018) and multistate models to estimate WLE stratified by sex and socioeconomic status. Men’s versus women’s WLEs were slightly higher at all ages. Estimates were similar in ELECT and SPACE by both sex and socioeconomic status. WLEs were comparatively higher from IMaCh, ranging from approximately 0.28 to 1.49 years. Life expectancy estimates from IMaCh were also higher compared to SPACE and ELECT. Using multistate models to estimate WLE provides a useful indication of the actual expected length of working life. More research is needed to better understand why estimates from IMaCh differed from ELECT and SPACE.
The Impact of Group Support on College Student’s Online Business Motivation: The Uncertainty Avoidance Thinking as a Moderating Factor
Authors: Li Lifu , Kang Kyeong , Sohaib Osama
Published: May 2023

This article establishes a research model to analyze how group support factors, including peers’ support and family support, impact college students’ motivation to establish online business. College entrepreneurs need to consult their family members before starting a new career because of the power distance. Meanwhile, based on the collectivist cultural background, college students understand the importance of cooperation with peers’ group. Furthermore, influenced by uncertainty avoidance thinking, college entrepreneurs tend to rely on group supports, such as family funds and peers’ experiences, to reduce the probability of failure. Hence, this research designs uncertainty avoidance thinking as a moderating factor to explore its impact on the correlation between group support factors and college students’ online business motivation. To test the research model, it utilizes Chinese college students as samples and distributes online questionnaires to them. Through analyzing 458 samples based on the partial least squares path modelling and variance-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the data analysis identifies that group support can positively affect college students’ online business motivation. The uncertainty avoidance factor also positively moderates the correlation between family support and college students’ online business motivation. To assist these students in establishing confidence in the online business, the Entrepreneurship Centre should pay much attention to the impact of peers’ support and family support.