bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinico-Investigative Profile of Prolonged Hyperbilirubinemia in Newborns Presenting to Tertiary Health-Care Setup in Rural Maharashtra
Authors: Pandey Amit Kumar , Jadhav Jayashree , Upadhyay Suryaprakash
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Prolonged hyperbilirubinemia is defined as high bilirubin levels (>10 mg/dL) persisting beyond day 14 of life in term neonates and beyond day 21 in preterm neonates.

Methods and Material

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at a rural tertiary care hospital after obtaining an ethical approval and an informed consent. All infants under 6 months of age with hyperbilirubinemia after 21 days in preterm and 14 days in term were included. This study was designed to determine the proportion of prolonged hyperbilirubinemia and its causes and investigative profile in rural tertiary care.

Results

Out of total infants showing hyperbilirubinemia, 30.51% of patients had conjugated hyperbilirubinemia with female predominance, whereas 69.49% had unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia with male predominance. In our study, 38.14% were diagnosed with breast milk jaundice, followed by 33.90% caused by septicemia and 10.17% cases of cephalhematoma. In addition, hypothyroidism and TORCH infections were observed in 4.24% of cases, whereas a single case of cystic hygroma, subdural emphysema, pyloric stenosis, and G6PD deficiency was seen. In comparison, late-onset hemorrhagic disease of newborns was observed in 3.39% of cases.

Conclusion

Breast milk jaundice was the most frequently encountered etiologies of prolonged hyperbilirubinemia and hence, unnecessary investigation for unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia should be avoided.
‘It Makes Me Feel Old’: Understanding the Experience of Recovery From Ankle Fracture at 6 Months in People Aged 50 Years and Over
Authors: Tutton Elizabeth , Gould Jenny , Lamb Sarah E. , Costa Matthew L. , Keene David J.
Published: February 2023

Ankle fracture is a common injury, and depending on injury severity, treatment may be a support boot, cast or surgery. Older people, particularly those with severe injuries who are asked to restrict weight bearing, struggle with early recovery. To elicit older peoples’ experience of recovery 6 months after injury, we drew on a phenomenological approach using interviews. Findings revealed that getting on with life was a way of accepting what it feels like to ‘be vulnerable’, needing to ‘be safe’ while determinedly working hard to ‘be myself’. Being vulnerable identified endurance of inactivity, loneliness and dependency in the non-weight bearing period of recovery, followed by a struggle to weight bear while lacking confidence and being fearful of falling and causing further damage. Being safe conveyed fragility where sensations, pain and stiffness acted as bodily reminders of injury. Lack of function and awareness of danger led to carefulness where planning or curtailing of activities ensured their safety. Being myself showed a determination to push away from a disrupted self-identify of being older or disabled while being challenged by the continuous process of learning to be more mobile. A lack of readiness for old age created a drive to age well. Despite loss of ability, participants hoped to regain their pre-injury way of living. This study challenges practice that disregards the hard work required to recover from ankle fracture. As comorbidity increases with age, failure to consider this aspect may contribute to frailty in this group of older people.
The Interpretation of Organizational Ontologies
Authors: Azevedo Guilherme
Published: February 2023

What does it mean for an organization “to exist”? Building upon the philosophical notion of ontologies as theories of existence, I outline a theory of organizational ontology supported by the premise that organizations contain implicit existential conventions that provide their members with an understanding of what their joint existence is. This study aims to answer two questions. First, what constitutes an organizational ontology? Second, how can this be accessed and represented? Using a methodology informed by cultural interpretation, I ground this study empirically in ethnographic fieldwork at a not-for-profit organization devoted to teaching math to “left behind” children.
Elastic body with thin nonhomogeneous inclusion in non-coercive case
Authors: Khludnev Alexander M , Rodionov Alexander A
Published: February 2023

The paper addresses analysis of equilibrium state of an elastic body with a thin nonhomogeneous inclusion in a non-coercive case. We assume that a part of the inclusion is located outside the elastic body, and the traction free boundary condition at the external boundary of the elastic body does not provide a coercivity of the problem. The inclusion is delaminated from the surrounding elastic material that implies a presence of the interfacial crack. Constraint boundary conditions at the crack faces describe a mutual nonpenetration and have an inequality type form. We prove a solution existence of the equilibrium problem, analyze a passage to the limit as the rigidity parameter of the inclusion tends to zero, and prove a solution existence of an inverse problem. The inverse problem assumes that along with the displacement field we have to find an elasticity coefficient for the inclusion provided that an additional information is given which can be found from a measurement.
Can Contingency Management Solve the Problem of Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Drug-Dependent Individuals?
Authors: Ribeiro Ariadne , Pinto Denis Gomes Alves , Trevisol Alisson Paulino , Tardelli Vitor , Arcadepani Felipe , Bosso Rogério Adriano , Ribeiro Marcelo , Fidalgo Thiago Marques
Published: February 2023

Drug misuse among people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is associated with higher mortality. It is a frequently observed reason for treatment abandonment, with people who misuse drugs showing a 10 to 25 times higher risk of HIV than the general population. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of contingency management (CM) to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV and substance use disorder (SUD). The inclusion criteria consisted of studies written in English, Italian, Spanish, German, and French; studies conducted with humans; and clinical trials that combined SUD treatment with CM for people living with HIV. Two hundred twenty-two articles were identified, five met all inclusion criteria, and three provided enough data to perform the meta-analysis. We considered treatment adherence by measuring the increase in the CD4 count as our primary outcome. We found a significant increase in treatment adherence in the patient group compared with the control groups during the intervention phase. Positive findings did not persist after the cessation of the incentives. The meta-analysis showed that the intervention improved patient adherence by 2.69 (95% confidence interval: [0.08, 0.51]; p = .007) compared with the control group during the intervention period. All short-term CM studies converged on a positive result for adherence to antiretroviral therapy.
Retrospective evaluation of the effect of inhalant anesthesia on complications and recurrence rates in feline urethral obstruction
Authors: Perrucci Jessica , Walton Rebecca , Zorn Chelsea , Yuan Lingnan , Mochel Jonathan P , Blong April
Published: February 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of inhalant anesthesia vs sedation for urinary catheter placement in male cats with urethral obstruction. The primary outcome measures were the incidence of complications related to catheterization, the incidence of recurrent urethral obstruction (rUO; both during hospitalization and within 1 year) and survival. The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the association between baseline serum biochemical concentrations and antispasmodic medications with complications and short-term rUO.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective review of records from a university teaching hospital from 2009 to 2020. Cats were included if diagnosed with a urinary obstruction, based on the presence of a large, painful and non-expressible bladder, a urinary catheter was placed and hospitalization occurred for a minimum of 24 h. Collected baseline data included age, breed, weight, serum biochemical concentrations and if cats underwent sedation or inhalant anesthesia for urethral catheterization. For the comparison of inhalant anesthesia or sedation, univariate logistic regression was used.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in complications or the recurrence of obstruction in cats with urethral obstruction that underwent inhalant anesthesia compared with sedation. All serum biochemical concentrations were significantly associated with survival. Decreased serum ionized calcium was found to be statistically significantly associated with higher complication rates ( P = 0.0086), as well as short-term recurrence of obstruction ( P = 0.004). Increased serum potassium concentrations were found to be statistically significantly associated with the risk of short-term recurrent urethral obstruction ( P = 0.0345). No significant difference was found between the use of antispasmodic medications with short-term recurrence.

Conclusions and relevance

No significant difference was found between complications or recurrence rates when comparing the use of inhalant anesthesia to sedation protocols. Baseline serum biochemical data were significantly associated with complications, survival and short-term recurrence rates.
Healthcare Costs and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Multimorbid Patients After Hospitalization
Authors: Salari Paola , Henrard Séverine , O’Mahony Cian , Welsing Paco , Bhadhuri Arjun , Jungo Katharina Tabea , Beck Thomas , O’Mahony Denis , Byrne Stephen , Spinewine Anne , Knol Wilma , Rodondi Nicolas , Schwenkglenks Matthias
Published: February 2023

Objectives:

We identified factors associated with healthcare costs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of multimorbid older adults with polypharmacy.

Methods:

Using data from the OPERAM (OPtimising thERapy to prevent Avoidable hospital admissions in the Multimorbid older people) trial, we described the magnitude and composition of healthcare costs, and time trends of HRQoL, during 1-year after an acute-care hospitalization. We performed a cluster analysis to identify groups with different cost and HRQoL trends. Using multilevel models, we also identified factors associated with costs and HRQoL.

Results:

Two months after hospitalization monthly mean costs peaked (CHF 7′124) and HRQoL was highest (0.67). They both decreased thereafter. Age, falls, and comorbidities were associated with higher 1-year costs. Being female and housebound were negatively associated with HRQoL, while moderate alcohol consumption had a positive association. Being independent in daily activities was associated with lower costs and higher HRQoL.

Conclusion:

Although only some identified potential influences on costs and HRQoL are modifiable, our observations support the importance of prevention before health deterioration in older people with multimorbid illness and associated polypharmacy.
Self-efficacy and professional development of Chinese language teachers in North Carolina secondary schools
Authors: Polin Lini Ge
Published: February 2023

Previous research has identified positive impact of professional development (PD) on teachers’ self-efficacy. Yet, there is scant research into the potential relationships between second language (L2) teachers’ self-efficacy and PD. Furthermore, the participants of these studies were limited to English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, and PD was studied only in the form of short-term programs. There is a strong need to investigate how ongoing PD may interact with the self-efficacy development of teachers of other foreign/second languages. To further the research endeavor, this study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to examine self-efficacy in the application of professional standards and PD activities and needs of Chinese language teachers in North Carolina secondary schools. The study collected quantitative data from an online survey and qualitative data through interviews. The quantitative survey results informed the qualitative interview protocol design and the purposeful sampling of interviewees. The quantitative findings indicate that teachers’ self-efficacy was significantly predicted by their perceived PD benefits and self-reported PD support, but teachers’ PD needs were not found to be significant predictors of their self-efficacy. The qualitative findings identified regular critical reflections, active involvement in the professional community, and various sources of PD support as important contributors to teachers’ self-efficacy development. Implications of the study for teacher educators, stakeholders and researchers are also discussed through analysis of the integrated findings.
Implementation and impact of a Dementia Friends pilot
Authors: Tirado-Rafferty Alisa , Petrescu-Prahova Miruna , Belza Basia , Berridge Clara , Zhou Yuanjin , La Fazia David M
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Dementia Friends is a dementia awareness program that trains lay leaders (called “dementia champions”) to give presentations about dementia to combat stigma in their community.

Objective

In this mixed methods study, we aimed to evaluate the impact and implementation of a pilot Dementia Friends program in Washington State to assess whether it improved attitudes towards people living with dementia.

Method

Fifteen champions were recruited, who organized 22 Dementia Friends sessions, reaching 214 Dementia Friends participants. We collected data through interviews with champions and surveys administered to Dementia Friends participants before, immediately after, and 1-month after attending a Dementia Friends session. The survey collected demographic information and measured respondent attitudes towards people living with dementia using the Dementia Attitudes Scale.

Results

Quantitative analysis showed that Dementia Attitude scores improved after a Dementia Friends session; this improvement was maintained through the 1-month follow-up. In qualitative analysis of champion interviews, we identified several suggestions regarding implementation of the Dementia Friends program, which could strengthen the program and better support champions in their role, such as increasing logistical assistance during participant recruitment.

Conclusion

Dementia Friends sessions were effective in improving participant attitudes towards people living with dementia and inspiring ongoing action towards building Dementia-Friendly communities. Champions found deep meaning in their role, but would benefit from increased support to make the volunteer role more sustainable. Our findings can inform efforts to successfully deliver Dementia Friends in other locations.
Consolidating a neoliberal agenda in education: UNESCO and New Zealand policies for the sake of ‘safe’ learning environments
Authors: Estellés Marta , Dawson Catrin , Smith Jo
Published: February 2023

Over the last few decades, both New Zealand and the intergovernmental organisation of UNESCO have widely spread the rhetoric of safety through a broad range of educational issues. This notion, in vogue since the neoliberal turn, has raised little opposition in educational debates. In this article, we use a Foucauldian lens to analyse the assumptions that underlie the discourses of safety of UNESCO and the New Zealand’s education policy, and to what extent they align or differ. The findings show a general alignment between the safety discourses of UNESCO and the New Zealand Ministry of Education, and three main assumptions were identified that frame the problem, the solution and those responsible for solving safety issues in education. In the texts analysed, safety operates as a neoliberal mechanism to manage student behaviour and individualise social risk in the guise of altruism.
Nucleus segmentation and classification using residual SE-UNet and feature concatenation approach incervical cytopathology cell images
Authors: Chowdary G Jignesh , G Suganya , M Premalatha , Yogarajah Pratheepan
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Pap smear is considered to be the primary examination for the diagnosis of cervical cancer. But the analysis of pap smear slides is a time-consuming task and tedious as it requires manual intervention. The diagnostic efficiency depends on the medical expertise of the pathologist, and human error often hinders the diagnosis. Automated segmentation and classification of cervical nuclei will help diagnose cervical cancer in earlier stages. Materials and Methods: The proposed methodology includes three models: a Residual-Squeeze-and-Excitation-module based segmentation model, a fusion-based feature extraction model, and a Multi-layer Perceptron classification model. In the fusion-based feature extraction model, three sets of deep features are extracted from these segmented nuclei using the pre-trained and fine-tuned VGG19, VGG-F, and CaffeNet models, and two hand-crafted descriptors, Bag-of-Features and Linear-Binary-Patterns, are extracted for each image. For this work, Herlev, SIPaKMeD, and ISBI2014 datasets are used for evaluation. The Herlev datasetis used for evaluating both segmentation and classification models. Whereas the SIPaKMeD and ISBI2014 are used for evaluating the classification model, and the segmentation model respectively. Results: The segmentation network enhanced the precision and ZSI by 2.04%, and 2.00% on the Herlev dataset, and the precision and recall by 0.68%, and 2.59% on the ISBI2014 dataset. The classification approach enhanced the accuracy, recall, and specificity by 0.59%, 0.47%, and 1.15% on the Herlev dataset, and by 0.02%, 0.15%, and 0.22% on the SIPaKMed dataset. Conclusion: The experiments demonstrate that the proposed work achieves promising performance on segmentation and classification in cervical cytopathology cell images..
The FOXC2 Transcription Factor: A Master Regulator of Chemoresistance in Cancer
Authors: Hargadon Kristian M. , Strong Elijah W.
Published: February 2023

FOXC2, a member of the forkhead box family of transcription factors, is an emerging oncogene that has been linked to several hallmarks of cancer progression. Among its many oncogenic functions is the promotion of drug resistance, with evidence supporting roles for FOXC2 in escape from broad classes of chemotherapeutics across an array of cancer types. In this Mini-Review, we highlight the current understanding of the mechanisms by which FOXC2 drives cancer chemoresistance, including its roles in the promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, induction of multidrug transporters, activation of the oxidative stress response, and deregulation of cell survival signaling pathways. We discuss the clinical implications of these findings, including strategies for modulating FOXC2-associated chemoresistance in cancer. Particular attention is given to ways in which FOXC2 and its downstream gene products and pathways can be targeted to restore chemosensitivity in cancer cells. In addition, the utility of FOXC2 expression as a predictor of patient response to chemotherapy is also highlighted, with emphasis on the value of FOXC2 as a novel biomarker that can be used to guide therapeutic choice towards regimens most likely to achieve clinical benefit during frontline therapy.
Sex differences in muscle SIRT1 and SIRT3 and exercise + weight loss effects on muscle sirtuins
Authors: Ryan Alice S , Li Guoyan
Published: February 2023

The sirtuins, SIRT1 and SIRT3, are involved in the control of cellular processes to maintain metabolic homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 6-month aerobic training + weight loss program and hyperinsulinemia on SIRT1 and SIRT3 expression in skeletal muscle and to compare their expression between men and women. Thirty-five adult men ( n = 18) and postmenopausal women ( n = 17), (X ± SEM, age: 61 ± 1 years, BMI: 31.3 ± 0.7 kg/m2) completed 6 months 3×/week of aerobic exercise and 1×/week dietary instruction to induce weight loss (EX + WL). Participants had a VO2max test, vastus lateralis muscle biopsies at baseline and 2 h into a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, a total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, and abdominal computed tomography scan. Skeletal muscle SIRT1, SIRT3, and PGC1-α mRNA expression were quantified by qRT-PCR. Skeletal muscle SIRT1 and SIRT3 mRNA expression are higher in women than men ( P < 0.005). Body weight, body fat, and abdominal obesity decreased and VO2max and glucose utilization (M) increased after EX + WL ( P < 0.001). Basal SIRT1 decreased following EX + WL ( P < 0.05). This change in basal SIRT1 was not related to changes in VO2max, M or fat mass, nor was it different by gender. Insulin stimulation increased SIRT1 expression ( P < 0.001) and PGC1-α expression ( P < 0.01) following EX + WL (insulin-basal post). Sex differences in the levels of these sirtuins did not affect changes with EX + WL. Skeletal muscle SIRT1 decreases after a long-term combined exercise and weight loss program in middle-aged and older adults.
Robotic Belsey Mark IV Repair of the Paraesophageal Hernia
Authors: Reza Joseph A. , Bakhos Charles , Su Stacey , Petrov Roman , Abbas Abbas E.
Published: February 2023

Objective:

Surgical repair of paraesophageal hernias in patients with hostile abdomen is challenging. Despite its utility as an open procedure, the adoption of the minimally invasive Belsey Mark IV procedure has been limited because of the complexity of using traditional video-assisted thoracoscopic instrumentation. The robotic platform offers additional degrees of freedom, which enables minimally invasive transthoracic approach despite challenging anatomy. The purpose of this article is to describe a technique of robotic approach for the Belsey Mark IV operation.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 5 cases of the robotic Belsey Mark IV procedure completed at a single institution between June 2018 and November 2021. Data were collected from a review of the medical records, including operative reports, anesthesia records, imaging, and clinical notes. The operative technique is described in the present article. There were 4 men and 1 woman. The average age of the patients was 64.4 ± 13.6 years, with an average body mass index of 24.5 kg/m2. Three patients had undergone previous transabdominal hiatal hernia repair, and 2 of them had 2 prior repairs. One patient underwent simultaneous pulmonary left lower lobectomy for cancer with the Belsey Mark IV procedure.

Results:

The average operative time was 209 ± 95 min (110 to 360 min). The average postoperative length of stay was 4.2 days, and 2 patients experienced complications including bleeding and persistent air leak (after lobectomy). The average blood loss was 67 ± 25 mL.

Conclusions:

The robotic platform enables a transthoracic minimally invasive approach to the Belsey Mark IV operation.
Linguistic Characteristics of Texts: Methodological Notes on a Missed Step in Critical Discourse Analysis
Authors: López-Deflory Camelia , Perron Amélie , Miró-Bonet Margalida
Published: February 2023

Critical discourse analysis is a set of theoretical and methodological devices used to analyze and challenge how we construct reality by looking for meaning behind words. The process of conducting critical discourse analysis is complex and, in the field of nursing research, is often carried out without regarding the different dimensions entwined in discourse. In this vein, the dimension that concerns the linguistic characteristics of texts is a highly informative one, but all too often left out of study results by researchers in nursing. This article aims to present some methodological notes of our experience conducting an analysis of linguistic characteristics within a critical discourse analysis doctoral research. We discuss the theoretical and methodological reasons why these characteristics should be widely recognized as a fundamental dimension in the framework of critical discourse analysis. We propose general recommendations to make this dimension of analysis more easily accessible and encourage other critical researchers to include the analysis of linguistic characteristics of texts in their research.
Modeling of two-stroke aviation piston engines for control applications
Authors: Jiang Hanjie , Zhou Ye , Ho Hann Woei , Bakar Elmi Abu
Published: February 2023

Two-stroke Aviation Piston Engines are multivariable systems with severe non-linear dynamics, making their modeling challenging for control engineers. Although many studies have been conducted on simplified modeling of four-stroke gasoline engines and large-scale two-stroke diesel engines for automobiles and ships, only a few have focused on the general modeling of small two-stroke aviation engines. Thus, extensive research on a general modeling method for two-stroke aviation engines is required. A general non-linear Mean Value Engine Model (MVEM) of two-stroke aviation piston engines is developed. Various parts of the model are represented by appropriate empirical equations that require little engine data and easily fit different engines. The objective is to develop a general and accurate method for rapid engine modeling that captures the main dynamics and can create control systems for two-stroke aviation piston engines. The model is validated using HIRTH-3203 and NU-57 measurement data, and the results show that the issues of fitting simplicity and general applicability are well addressed. Finally, the air-fuel ratio control based on the model predictive control method is carried out on the HIRTH-3203 MVEM, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed MVEM in the controller design and evaluation. The proposed model may support the application of new control technologies, such as adaptive control and intelligent control, in the two-stroke aviation piston engine systems.
Risk factors for diabetic foot ulcers: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tang WH , Zhao YN , Cheng ZX , Xu JX , Zhang Y , Liu XM
Published: February 2023

Objective

To systematically evaluate the risk factors for developing diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).

Methods

The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, SinoMed, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang Data were searched for relevant studies on DFU risk factors, and the search time frame was from database creation to March 2022. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3.

Results

A total of 26 publications were included, including 3 cohort studies, 22 case–control studies, and one cross-sectional study. Meta-analysis showed that advanced age [MD = 6.04, 95% CI (3.92, 8.16)], male [OR = 1.84, 95% CI (1.48, 2.29)], elevated body mass index [MD = 1.58, 95% CI (0.47, 2.69)], prolonged duration of diabetes [MD = 2.72, 95% CI (2.33, 3.11)], comorbid nephropathy [OR = 3.15, 95% CI (2.68, 4.60)], comorbid neuropathy [OR = 4.80, 95% CI (2.79, 8.27)], comorbid retinopathy [OR = 3.37, 95% CI (2.26, 5.02)], elevated systolic blood pressure [OR = 8.19, 95% CI (6.33, 10.05)], elevated fasting glucose [MD = 1.60, 95% CI (0.21, 3.00)], elevated glycated hemoglobin [MD = 1.24, 95% CI (0.94, 1.54)], elevated triglycerides [MD = 0.44 (95% CI (0.15, 0.73)], elevated fibrinogen [MD = 1.35, 95% CI (0.62, 2.08)], elevated white blood cell count [MD = 2.56, 95% CI (2.24, 2.88)], elevated C-reactive protein [MD = 15.08, 95% CI (8.03, 22.13)], decreased ankle-brachial ratio [MD = −0.26, 95% CI (−0.36, −0.16)], and decreased total protein levels [MD = −4.58, 95% CI (−6.91, −2.25)] were risk factors for developing DFU ( p < 0.05), and increased HDL cholesterol levels [MD = −0.22, 95% CI (−0.36, −0.08)] were protective factor for developing DFU ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion

There are many risk factors for developing of ulcers in the diabetic feet, and early prevention and intervention should be performed as early as possible to assess the risk of developing diabetic foot patients.
Temporomandibular disorders-related videos on YouTube are unreliable sources of medical information: A cross-sectional analysis of quality and content
Authors: Kim Moon Jong , Kim Ji Rak , Jo Jung Hwan , Kim Ju Sik , Park Ji Woon
Published: February 2023

Objective

The amount of online medical information available is rapidly growing and YouTube is considered as the most popular source of healthcare information nowadays. However, no study has been conducted to comprehensively evaluate YouTube videos related to temporomandibular disorders (TMD). So this study aimed to evaluate the content and quality of YouTube videos as a source of medical information on TMD.

Method

A total of 237 YouTube videos that were systematically searched using five keywords (temporomandibular disorders, tmd, temporomandibular joint, tmj, and jaw joint) were included. Included videos were categorized by purpose and source for analysis. The quality (DISCERN, Health on the Net (HON), Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP), and Global Quality Scale (GQS)) and scientific accuracy of video contents were evaluated.

Results

Total content, DISCERN, HON, EQIP, and GQS scores were 7.5%, 38.9%, 35.2%, 53.0%, and 48.6% of the maximum possible score, respectively. Only 69 videos (29.1%) were considered as “useful” for patients. News media, physician, and medical source videos showed higher evaluation scores than others. Quality evaluation scores were not significantly correlated or negatively correlated with public preference indices. In the ROC curve analysis, content and DISCERN score showed above excellent discrimination ability for high-quality videos based on GQS ( P < 0.001) and total score ( P < 0.001).

Conclusions

YouTube videos related to TMD contained low quality and scientifically inaccurate information that could negatively influence patients with TMD.
Prosecuting Orphanage Trafficking in Nepal
Authors: van Doore Kathryn E , Nhep Rebecca , Pun Anju
Published: February 2023

Various studies have been published on the occurrence of orphanage trafficking in Nepal. These studies have focused on how orphanage trafficking occurs but have not investigated how orphanage trafficking is responded to from a legal perspective. This article analyses the legal framework for prosecuting orphanage trafficking in Nepal. It considers the available legislative frameworks for pursuing prosecution and makes recommendations for Nepal to reform their anti-trafficking law to include orphanage trafficking and to align with international law.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Best Practices for Oral Health Researchers
Authors: Fleming E. , Burgette J.M.
Published: February 2023

While other disciplines have made progress in advancing their science and practice of their research around health equity, oral health has made less progress. Despite special issues and consensus statements, there are opportunities for oral health research to contribute to this needed work, as the world battles pandemics of disease and racism. The purpose of this commentary is to operationalize how we can better integrate with intentionality and sustainability equity, diversity, and inclusion into oral health research.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

By following best practices related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, oral health researchers may be able to advance the study of health equity, grow a diverse research workforce, and better respond to pressing public health problems.
Bridgeheads of EU border externalisation? NGOs/CSOs and migration in Libya
Authors: Cuttitta Paolo
Published: February 2023

This paper analyses the work carried out by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Libya from 2009 to 2020 to shed light on its ambivalent relationship to the EU externalisation of migration and border management. While also looking at Libyan organisations, and at initiatives such as EU-funded professionalisation projects, which aim to co-opt the nascent local civil society into the EU border externalisation mechanism, the paper largely focuses on international NGOs, with specific attention being paid to the Italian NGO CIR. The paper shows that even in the difficult Libyan context there is some potential for NGOs/CSOs to radically and effectively oppose EU externalisation, or at least try to do so through activities such as public information and advocacy. However, in a context in which migrants are systematically exposed to a wide range of abuses, and foreign or foreign-funded actors are seen with suspicion, NGOs/CSOs have limited room for manoeuvre. In fact, they mostly end up filling the gaps of the local migration and border management system on behalf of their (European) donors, thus supporting the smooth operation of externalised border management. This is also visible in the way NGOs/CSOs address human rights, interact with donors and local authorities, and perpetuate dichotomies and categorisations that support migration containment policies.
Pre-Activating Semantic Information for Image Aesthetic Assessment
Authors: Song Junjie , Huang Rong , Tian Yujia , Dong Aihua
Published: February 2023

Automatic image aesthetic evaluation is an attractive and challenging visual task. Recently, methods based on convolutional neural networks have achieved remarkable performance. However, semantic information, an intuitive prerequisite for evaluating image aesthetics, has not received enough attention regarding its importance in previous methods. How to efficiently extract semantic information and make better use of it to assist the aesthetic evaluation task remains unsolved. In this article, we propose to utilize the self-supervised model Auto-Encoder to extract semantic information in the form of multi-task learning. Then, a fusing module is prepended at the bottleneck layer to explicitly combine semantic information with aesthetic information in a pre-activated manner. Specifically, we implement a customized pooling operation to pool the semantic features extracted by Auto-Encoder and apply a weak constraint between the pooled semantic features and aesthetic information to realize the combination. The following regressor can complete aesthetic evaluation based on the semantic–aesthetic combined features. In addition, to enable our model to adapt to arbitrary aspect ratios of images, another pooling strategy called spatial pyramid pooling is adopted to obtain the image features of a fixed length. Our method achieves competitive performance on the public image aesthetic evaluation benchmark. Especially on the most commonly used metric Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient, the proposed model achieved the best performance compared with some state-of-the-art methods. Extensive ablation studies and visualization experiments were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of Tongue: A Rare Tumor of Oral Cavity
Authors: Yadav Ajay , Goyal Jaishree , Yadav Dinesh , Sethi Neha , Vijayvargiya Maneesh
Published: February 2023

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a rare tumor of oral cavity. Tongue is an extremely rare site for MPNST. We present a rare case of MPNST of tongue in a 34-year-old male. Presentation remains same as carcinoma of tongue but histopathology and immunohistochemistry help to establish the diagnosis. Biopsy of lesion was suggestive of malignant spindle cell neoplasm. On immunohistochemical examination, tumor cells were immunopositive for vimentin and S100 and SMA. Patient underwent surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy in order to reduce the risk of recurrence.
A Plastic Surgeons Guide to the Temporomandibular Joint: Part III, Treatment
Authors: Mantilla-Rivas Esperanza , Crowder Hannah R. , Nasser Jacob S. , Manrique Monica , Ibelli Taylor J. , Buller Mitchell , Oh Albert K. , Rottgers S. Alex , Taub Peter J. , Wolfswinkel Erik M. , Marrazzo Jason M. , Rogers Gary F.
Published: February 2023

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has a complex and unique anatomy. When disarranged, it may produce a constellation of symptoms and dysfunction, leading to morbidity. The causes of TMJ dysfunction are numerous but often present with similar clinical signs and symptoms. In this series, we included a review of normal anatomy and a review of the pathophysiology with assessment of the most common TMJ dysfunctions, including myofascial pain, internal derangements of the articular disk, osteoarthrosis, among others. The authors present the last of a 3-part educational series on the TMJ, addressing treatment strategies for these disorders.
JAK2
V617F allele burden in polycythemia vera: burden of proof
Authors: Moliterno Alison R. , Kaizer Hannah , Reeves Brandi N.
Published: February 2023

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a hematopoietic stem cell neoplasm defined by activating somatic mutations in the JAK2 gene and characterized clinically by overproduction of red blood cells, platelets, and neutrophils; a significant burden of disease-specific symptoms; high rates of vascular events; and evolution to a myelofibrosis phase or acute leukemia. The JAK2V617F variant allele frequency (VAF) is a key determinant of outcomes in PV, including thrombosis and myelofibrotic progression. Here, we critically review the dynamic role of JAK2V617F mutation burden in the pathogenesis and natural history of PV, the suitability of JAK2V617F VAF as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, and the utility of JAK2V617F VAF reduction in PV treatment.
Estimating the economic burden of respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants in Vietnam: a cohort study
Authors: Do Lien Anh Ha , Vodicka Elisabeth , Nguyen An , Le Thi Ngoc Kim , Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai , Thai Quang Tung , Pham Van Quang , Pham Thanh Uyen , Nguyen Thu Ngoc , Mulholland Kim , Cao Minh Thang , Le Nguyen Thanh Nhan , Tran Anh Tuan , Pecenka Clinton
Published: February 2023

Background

Little information is available on the costs of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Vietnam or other low- and middle-income countries. Our study estimated the costs of LRTIs associated with RSV infection among children in southern Vietnam.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study evaluating household and societal costs associated with LRTIs stratified by RSV status and severity among children under 2 years old who sought care at a major pediatric referral hospital in southern Vietnam. Enrollment periods were September 2019–December 2019, October 2020–June 2021 and October 2021–December 2021. RSV status was confirmed by a validated RT-PCR assay. RSV rapid detection antigen (RDA) test performance was also evaluated. Data on resource utilization, direct medical and non-medical costs, and indirect costs were collected from billing records and supplemented by patient-level questionnaires. All costs are reported in 2022 US dollars.

Results

536 children were enrolled in the study, with a median age of 7 months (interquartile range [IQR] 3–12). This included 210 (39.2%) children from the outpatient department, 318 children (59.3%) from the inpatient respiratory department (RD), and 8 children (1.5%) from the intensive care unit (ICU). Nearly 20% (105/536) were RSV positive: 3.9 percent (21/536) from the outpatient department, 15.7% (84/536) from the RD, and none from the ICU. The median total cost associated with LRTI per patient was US$52 (IQR 32–86) for outpatients and US$184 (IQR 109–287) for RD inpatients. For RSV-associated LRTIs, the median total cost per infection episode per patient was US$52 (IQR 32–85) for outpatients and US$165 (IQR 95–249) for RD inpatients. Total out-of-pocket costs of one non-ICU admission of RSV-associated LRTI ranged from 32%-70% of the monthly minimum wage per person (US$160) in Ho Chi Minh City. The sensitivity and the specificity of RSV RDA test were 88.2% (95% CI 63.6–98.5%) and 100% (95% CI 93.3–100%), respectively.

Conclusion

These are the first data reporting the substantial economic burden of RSV-associated illness in young children in Vietnam. This study informs policymakers in planning health care resources and highlights the urgency of RSV disease prevention.
Differential diagnosis of gallbladder neoplastic polyps and cholesterol polyps with radiomics of dual modal ultrasound: a pilot study
Authors: Yuan Hai-xia , Wang Changyan , Tang Cong-yu , You Qi-qin , Zhang Qi , Wang Wen-ping
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To verify whether radiomics techniques based on dual-modality ultrasound consisting of B-mode and superb microvascular imaging (SMI) can improve the accuracy of the differentiation between gallbladder neoplastic polyps and cholesterol polyps.

Methods

A total of 100 patients with 100 pathologically proven gallbladder polypoid lesions were enrolled in this retrospective study. Radiomics features on B-mode ultrasound and SMI of each lesion were extracted. Support vector machine was used to classify adenomas and cholesterol polyps of gallbladder for B-mode, SMI and dual-modality ultrasound, respectively, and the classification results were compared among the three groups.

Results

Six, eight and nine features were extracted for each lesion at B-mode ultrasound, SMI and dual-modality ultrasound, respectively. In dual-modality ultrasound model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), classification accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden’s index were 0.850 ± 0.090, 0.828 ± 0.097, 0.892 ± 0.144, 0.803 ± 0.149 and 0.695 ± 0.157, respectively. The AUC and Youden’s index of the dual-modality model were higher than those of the B-mode model (p < 0.05). The AUC, accuracy, specificity and Youden’s index of the dual-modality model were higher than those of the SMI model (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Radiomics analysis of the dual-modality ultrasound composed of B-mode and SMI can improve the accuracy of classification between gallbladder neoplastic polyps and cholesterol polyps.
Role of chest CT scan in patients with preexisting cancer and COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors: Khorasanizadeh Faezeh , Kaviani Soori , Salamroudi Shadi , Seyyedsalehi Monireh Sadat , Gity Masoumeh , Zendehdel Kazem
Published: February 2023

Background

Detection of COVID-19 in cancer patients is challenging due to probable preexisting pulmonary infiltration caused by many infectious and non-infectious etiologies. We evaluated chest CT scan findings of COVID-19 pneumonia in cancer patients and explored its prognostic role in mortality.

Methods

We studied 266 COVID-19 patients with a history of cancer diagnosis between 2020 and 2022. Chest CT images were reported based on Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) structural report and the CT score and pattern of involvement were noted. We used multivariate logistic regression models to determine the association between CT scan findings and mortality of the cancer COVID-19 patients.

Results

The mean age was 56.48 (± 18.59), and 53% were men. Gastrointestinal (29.3%), hematologic (26.3%), and breast (10.5%) cancers were the most frequent types of cancer. The prevalence of atypical or indeterminate findings in the chest CT was 42.8%. Most radiologic findings were consolidation mixed with ground-glass opacity (44.4%), pleural effusion (33.5%), and pure ground-glass opacity (19.5%). The risk of death was higher among those who had typical chest CT for COVID-19 (OR 3.47; 95% CI 1.14–8.98) and those who had a severity of score higher than 18 (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.07–3.34). Also, presence of consolidation (P value 0.040), pleural effusion (P value 0.000), centrilobular nodules (P value 0.013), and architectural distortion (P value 0.005) were associated with a poorer prognosis.

Conclusion

Less than half of COVID-19 patients with a history of cancer had typical imaging features of COVID-19. Radiologists should be aware of atypical, rare, or subtle chest CT findings in patients with pre-existing cancer.
Conradi-Hünerman-Happle Syndrome and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: a clinical case report
Authors: de Jesus Sabrina , Costa Ana Lúcia R. , Almeida Mónica , Garrido Paula , Alcafache João
Published: February 2023

Background

Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common and chronic psychiatric disorder with significant morbidity characterized by intrusive, uncontrollable and reoccurring thoughts (i.e., obsessions) and/or ritualistic behaviours (i.e., compulsions). Conradi-Hünerman-Happle Syndrome (CHHS) is a rare inherited X-linked dominant variant of chondrodysplasia punctata, a heterogeneous group of rare bone dysplasias characterized by punctate epiphyseal calcifications of complex etiology and pathophysiology that remain to be defined. Available literature reveals a lacuna in regards to the coexistence of the entities with no clinical reports described.

Case presentation

A 12 year old female patient with diagnosis of CHHS, presents to psychiatric consultation due to aggravation of her OCD clinical picture, with aggravation of hand-washing frequency during the Covid-19 pandemic with significant functional impact. Psychopharmacological treatment aimed at OCD with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) and antipsychotic was instituted with favourable, albeit partial response.

Conclusions

The authors aim to describe a clinical case in which the patient presents with Conradi-Hünerman-Happle Syndrome and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder. Clinical descriptions of CHHS and OCD are not available in the literature. Through this case description the authors aim to present a rare case as well as discuss an eventual association between etiology and/or pathophysiology of the two disorders.
Trajectory of suicidal ideation among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of childhood trauma
Authors: Nan Jiang , Salina Nen , Chong Sheau Tsuey , Jiang Hong-juan
Published: February 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to understand the longitudinal trajectory of suicidal ideation (SI) among Chinese medical students and the role of childhood trauma (CT).

Methods

Using a whole-group sampling method, we assessed SI in 2192 (male = 834, female = 1358) medical students on three occasions over a period of one year. The Suicidal Ideation Self-Assessment Scale (SISAS) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) were used to assess SI and CT. The growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to classify the developmental trajectory of SI.

Results

A greater number of medical students were experiencing suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The trajectory of SI among medical students was divided into two groups: a low risk, slowly rising group and a high risk, continuous group. The low risk, slowly rising group had a significant time effect (B = 1.57,p < 0.001) and showed a slowly increasing trend. Emotional neglect (EN), physical neglect (PN), emotional abuse (EA) and physical abuse (PA) all had significant positive predictive effects for the high risk, continuous group (B = 0.18–0.65,P < 0.01).

Conclusion

The trajectory of SI among medical students can be divided into a low risk, slowly rising group and a high risk, continuous group; the more EN, PN, EA and PA experienced during childhood, the more likely medical students are to develop a high risk, continuous state of SI.