bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
(−)‐Epicatechin improves body composition of male rats descendant of obese mothers postnatally fed with a high‐fat diet
Authors: De los Santos Sergio , Coral‐Vázquez Ramón Mauricio , Menjivar Marta , de los Ángeles Granados‐Silvestre María , De la Rosa Sebastián , Reyes‐Castro Luis Antonio , Méndez Juan Pablo , Zambrano Elena , Canto Patricia
Published: January 2022

A combination of maternal obesity and high‐fat diet (HFD) in offspring postnatal life has deleterious effects, and (−)‐epicatechin (Epi) treatment can reverse these adverse effects. To investigate whether Epi administration can modify fat mass, muscle mass, and bone mass in male rats descended from obese mothers, fed postnatally on an HFD. Male offspring of mothers fed with control diet formed the control group (C), control group with high‐fat diet (CHF), and control group with high‐fat diet + epicatechin (CHF + Epi). Male offspring of maternal obesity formed the group with control diet (MO), maternal obesity group with high‐fat diet (MOHF), and maternal obesity group with high‐fat diet + epicatechin (MOHF + Epi). We measured total fat and weight of visceral adipose tissue by dissection and by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry scanning body composition. Epicatechin diminished total and visceral pads fat of male offspring of CHF + Epi and MOHF + Epi groups versus to male offspring of CHF and MOHF groups. Besides, epicatechin increased lean mass in CHF + Epi and MOHF + Epi groups, but these changes were not significant. Total body mineral density of the male offspring of CHF, MOHF, and MOHF + Epi groups was significantly higher versus male offspring of C and MO groups. Obesity programming model plus a high‐fat postnatal diet presents higher visceral adipose tissue, decreased lean mass, and modified body mineral density when compared with a direct obesity model and its controls. Epicatechin treatment improved body composition; however, it was not able to induce similar values as presented by the controls.
Drainage rearrangements and in situ diversification of an endemic freshwater fish genus from north‐eastern Brazilian rivers
Authors: Barreto Silvia Britto , Knowles L. Lacey , Mascarenhas Rilquer , Affonso Paulo Roberto Antunes de Mello , Batalha‐Filho Henrique
Published: January 2022

Drainage rearrangements, either headwater captures or coastal paleodrainages formed when sea level was low, are often invoked to explain connectivity and isolation among fish populations. Unravelling these events is crucial for understanding the evolutionary processes that have shaped the genetic diversity and differentiation in freshwater fishes, which is especially relevant in regions with high endemism and species richness.

Here, we analyse mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and genomic (restriction site‐associated DNA) data to test the putative effects of the current configuration of basins and historical drainage rearrangements on the genetic structuring of a characid fish (Nematocharax) endemic to a largely overlooked Neotropical freshwater ecoregion—the North‐eastern Mata Atlantica. Bathymetric and geomorphological data were also used to generate hypotheses for two potential routes of dispersal (headwater captures and coastal paleodrainages).

We found that the divergence between lineages from the highlands of the Brazilian shield and the lowlands occurred during the Mio‐Pliocene (i.e., divergence between Nematocharax varii and Nematocharax venustus), followed by divergence events within N. venustus in lowland basins during the Pleistocene. The general distribution of genetic variation in N. venustus seems to reflect the current configuration of basins, suggesting long‐term isolation, but a subset of the inferred drainage rearrangements have facilitated movement among these catchments, which is supported by both mitochondrial DNA and genomic data.

Our results suggest that the North‐eastern Mata Atlantica river basins have had their own independent histories, except for some past temporary connections that allowed dispersal events and multiple independent colonisation of basins, as seen in the Contas and Cachoeira river systems.

Estimating when and where connections between river basins may have occurred is fundamental to understand the role of different historical processes structuring divergence in freshwater fish species.
Simplified model of airflow and heat transfer in a pallet of food product generating heat
Authors: Moureh Jean , Pham Anh Thu , Flick Denis
Published: January 2022

During storage, pallets of food product generating heat (e.g., cheese, fruit, and vegetable) are exposed to low velocity ventilation. In addition, the boxes have often little perforation. Therefore airflow is weak inside the boxes located downstream of the pallet; and if the product generates heat, its temperature can rise above the recommended one. Computational fluid dynamics modeling can predict these phenomena but needs an expertise of numerical fluid flow, a detailed description of product and packaging and leads to expensive computational costs. A simplified model is here developed based on a hydraulic network analogy. Given the vent holes areas of the boxes and the heat generation, it predicts the global air flow (flow through the box faces) and the product temperature. The predictions are in good agreement with experimental data. The software (Matlab executable) is easy to use and needs only some seconds to compute. It can be used to predict temperature evolution along a cold chain and to improve packaging and logistic operating conditions.

Practical applications

Based on a on a hydraulic network analogy, a simplified zonal model of airflow and heat transfer in a pallet of food generating heat is built with the Matlab software. It takes into account the vent holes areas of the boxes and the heat generation, and allows predicting the distribution of air fluxes through the box faces and the product temperature. The major advantage of this model is that it is easy to use and needs only some seconds to compute. Therefore, it can be easily used in industrial field.
Treatment protocols and efficacy of light and laser treatments in post‐acne erythema
Authors: Amiri Rezvan , Khalili Maryam , Mohammadi Saman , Iranmanesh Behzad , Aflatoonian Mahin
Published: January 2022

Background

Post‐acne erythema is described as erythema due to release of inflammatory cytokines, dilatation of microcapillaries within papillary dermis and thinning of epidermis. The erythema usually fades; however, it can persist for months.

Aim

In this review, we decided to evaluate efficacy of light and laser treatments in acne‐induced erythema.

Methods

We searched PUBMED, Embase, Cochrane, and Google Scholar for relevant key words. Inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated efficacy of laser or light in PAE until September 2021.

Results

Twelve RCTs were selected for the final assessment. Light and laser treatments included pulsed dye laser (PDL), intense pulsed light (IPL), Q‐switched neodymium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet (QS Nd:YAG), fractional photothermolysis, alexandrite, solid‐slate 589–1319 nm, and pro‐yellow laser.

Conclusion

Light and laser treatments are effective treatment modalities in reduction of acne‐induced erythema along with active acne lesions and atrophic acne scars.
Testing the limits of plant drought stress and subsequent recovery in four provenances of a widely distributed subtropical tree species
Authors: Duan Honglang , Resco de Dios Víctor , Wang Defu , Zhao Nan , Huang Guomin , Liu Wenfei , Wu Jianping , Zhou Shuangxi , Choat Brendan , Tissue David T.
Published: January 2022

Drought‐induced tree mortality may increase with ongoing climate change. Unraveling the links between stem hydraulics and mortality thresholds, and the effects of intraspecific variation, remain important unresolved issues. We conducted a water manipulation experiment in a rain‐out shelter, using four provenances of Schima superba originating from a gradient of annual precipitation (1124–1796 mm) and temperature (16.4–22.4°C). Seedlings were droughted to three levels of percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (i.e., P50, P88 and P99) and subsequently rewatered to field capacity for 30 days; traits related to water and carbon relations were measured. The lethal water potential associated with incipient mortality was between P50 and P88. Seedlings exhibited similar drought responses in xylem water potential, hydraulic conductivity and gas exchange. Upon rehydration, patterns of gas exchange differed among provenances but were not related to the climate at the origin. The four provenances exhibited a similar degree of stem hydraulic recovery, which was correlated with the magnitude of antecedent drought and stem soluble sugar at the end of the drought. Results suggest that there were intraspecific differences in the capacity of S. superba seedlings for carbon assimilation during recovery, indicating a decoupling between gas exchange recovery and stem hydraulics across provenances.
The use of digital touch screen technology to deliver reminiscence therapy among people with dementia in Jordanian care homes: a mixed‐method feasibility study
Authors: Abdalrahim Asem , Carter Tim , Abu Khait Abdallah , Clissett Philip , Blake Holly
Published: January 2022

Background

Using technology to deliver psychosocial interventions such as reminiscence therapy (RT) to people with dementia may improve their mental health. Yet, establishing the feasibility of digital interventions in low‐ to middle‐income countries is still in the early stages. This study aimed to: (i) determine the feasibility of using digital touch screen technology to deliver RT among people with dementia living in Jordanian care homes; and (ii) compare study outcomes pre‐ and post‐reminiscence sessions to investigate whether specific outcomes are sensitive to change and explore the acceptability and experiences of the intervention.

Methods

A pragmatic mixed‐method study design was implemented. Sixty residents with dementia were recruited from two Jordanian care homes (Site 1: n = 35; Site 2: n = 10). A process evaluation was conducted alongside a single‐group pre‐post‐intervention study. The intervention involved 10 supported RT sessions of up to 1 h each, delivered over 5 weeks. Feasibility was determined by assessing the rate of recruitment, adherence, retention, data completion, implementation fidelity, and adverse events. Qualitative semi‐structured interview questions were used to explore experience and acceptability, and data were thematically analysed.

Results

Response rate was 100%; loss to follow up at post‐intervention was 25%. Median session attendance for those who received the intervention was 80%. No serious adverse events were reported. A positive, statistically significant and clinically relevant difference was found in all outcome measures before and after reminiscence sessions. Qualitative findings suggest that digital RT intervention is generally well accepted by people with dementia who reported positive changes, including enhanced communication and cognitive abilities.

Conclusion

Using digital touch screen technology to deliver RT is feasible and acceptable among people with dementia in Jordanian care homes. Digital RT intervention is a promising approach to improving mental health and communication for people living with dementia.
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Young James
Published: January 2022

International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSSS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether IJSSS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 10, Number 1Agboola O. Paul, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, MalaysiaAntónio Calha, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, PortugalAurora Pestaño, University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR), PhilippinesBassam Yousef Ibrahim Banat, Al-Quds University, PalestineBo Li, Miami University, USADipankar Chatterjee, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, IndiaHao Liu, Beijing Normal University, ChinaIvan Lenard, Elementary school Ladimirevci, CroatiaJulia M. Mack, Gannon University, USAMd. Nasir Uddin, Prime Minister’s Office, BangladeshMei-Ling Lin, National Open University, TaiwanNadarajah Pushparajah, University of Jaffna, Sri LankaNAZIAH ABD. KADIR, Universiti Selangor, MalaysiaRachita Shrivastava Roy, Department of Higher Education,Chhatisgarh-India, IndiaSana Ali, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, PakistanYusramizza Md Isa, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia  James YoungEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of International Journal of Social Science StudiesRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://ijsss.redfame.com
Embedding Perceptual–Cognitive Training in the Athlete Environment: An Interdisciplinary Case Study Among Elite Female Goalkeepers Preparing for Tokyo 2020
Authors: Richard Veronique , Lavoie-Léonard Béatrice , Romeas Thomas
Published: January 2022

Goalkeepers play a very specific and crucial role in water polo. They rely on advanced perceptual–cognitive (P–C) skills to make fast and accurate decisions. However, their daily training environment often lacks stimulation and representativeness of game demands. This was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where noncontact practices became the “new normal.” In the Canadian Women’s National Team preparation for the 2020 Olympics, goalkeepers’ P–C training was made a priority. Led by the team’s mental performance consultant and experts from transdisciplinary fields, the initiative began with an evaluation of a broad range of P–C skills in goalkeepers. Leading up to the Olympics, a series of P–C activities (i.e., anticipatory training using video occlusion, eye–hand coordination, and visuomotor drills) were adopted based on ecological dynamics principles. Virtual reality technology and constraints-focused tools were used to enrich and diversify the goalkeepers’ daily trainings environment. This case study reports the evaluation of P–C skills, the context, and the way in which the P–C activities were implemented, as well as their holistic impact on goalkeepers. Reflections and limitations are also shared to encourage interdisciplinary efforts in sport psychology and increase awareness among mental performance consultants about the importance of psycho-perceptual-motor skill training for mental performance.
Transcriptional census of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in cancer
Authors: Cook David P. , Vanderhyden Barbara C.
Published: January 2022

Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity is a prevalent source of intratumoral heterogeneity, driven by diverse molecular programs.
Increasing co-occurrence of fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone extremes in the western United States
Authors: Kalashnikov Dmitri A. , Schnell Jordan L. , Abatzoglou John T. , Swain Daniel L. , Singh Deepti
Published: January 2022

More frequent atmospheric ridging and wildfires increase exposure of western U.S. population to co-occurring air pollutants.
Distinct populations of highly potent TAU seed conformers in rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Kim Chae , Haldiman Tracy , Kang Sang-Gyun , Hromadkova Lenka , Han Zhuang Zhuang , Chen Wei , Lissemore Frances , Lerner Alan , de Silva Rohan , Cohen Mark L. , Westaway David , Safar Jiri G.
Published: January 2022

Rapid replication in vitro implicates distinct populations of misfolded hippocampal 4R TAU protein in accelerated progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
GABABreceptor modulation of visual sensory processing in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Huang Qiyun , Pereira Andreia C. , Velthuis Hester , Wong Nichol M. L. , Ellis Claire L. , Ponteduro Francesca M. , Dimitrov Mihail , Kowalewski Lukasz , Lythgoe David J. , Rotaru Diana , Edden Richard A. E. , Leonard Alison , Ivin Glynis , Ahmad Jumana , Pretzsch Charlotte M. , Daly Eileen , Murphy Declan G. M. , McAlonan Gráinne M.
Published: January 2022

Differences in GABAergic function are critical to autistic visual sensory neurobiology and can be modulated by targeting GABAB.
Utilizing Two Borrelia bavariensis Isolates Naturally Lacking the PFam54 Gene Array To Elucidate the Roles of PFam54-Encoded Proteins
Authors: Rollins Robert E. , Wülbern Janna , Röttgerding Florian , Nowak Tristan A. , Hepner Sabrina , Fingerle Volker , Margos Gabriele , Lin Yi-Pin , Kraiczy Peter , Becker Noémie S.
Published: January 2022

To establish infections, Lyme borreliae utilize various means to overcome the host’s immune system. Proteins encoded by the PFam54 gene array play a role in spirochete survival
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
The
Legionella
Lqs-LvbR Regulatory Network Controls Temperature-Dependent Growth Onset and Bacterial Cell Density
Authors: Hochstrasser Ramon , Hilbi Hubert
Published: January 2022

Environmental bacteria of the genus
Legionella
are the causative agents of the severe pneumonia Legionnaires’ disease, the incidence of which is on the rise worldwide.
Legionella pneumophila
and
Legionella longbeachae
are the most clinically relevant species. The opportunistic pathogens are inhaled through contaminated aerosols and replicate in human lung macrophages with a mechanism similar to that in their natural hosts, free-living amoebae.
Collaboration between Clinical and Academic Laboratories for Sequencing SARS-CoV-2 Genomes
Authors: Wang Jeremy , Hawken Shawn E. , Jones Corbin D. , Hagan Robert S. , Bushman Frederic , Everett John , Miller Melissa B. , Rodino Kyle G.
Published: January 2022

Genomic sequencing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to provide valuable insight into the ever-changing variant makeup of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than three million SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences have been deposited in Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), but contributions from the United States, particularly through 2020, lagged the global effort.
Roles of Proteins Containing Immunoglobulin-Like Domains in the Conjugation of Bacterial Plasmids
Authors: Hüttener Mário , Hergueta Jon , Bernabeu Manuel , Prieto Alejandro , Aznar Sonia , Merino Susana , Tomás Joan , Juárez Antonio
Published: January 2022

Transmission of a plasmid from one bacterial cell to another, in several instances, underlies the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. The process requires well-characterized enzymatic machinery that facilitates cell-to-cell contact and the transfer of the plasmid.
Microporphyritic and microspherulitic melt grains, Hiawatha crater, Northwest Greenland: Implications for post-impact cooling rates, hydration, and the cratering environment
Authors: Garde Adam A. , Keulen Nynke , Waight Tod
Published: January 2022

Sand-sized impactite melt grains hand-picked from a glaciofluvial sample proximal to the Hiawatha impact crater in Northwest Greenland contain new information about the crystallization and cooling history of this impact structure, which is concealed by the Greenland Ice Sheet. Of course, the original locations of the individual sand grains are unknown, but this is offset by the substantial number and wide variety of impactite grains available for study. A detailed investigation of 16 melt grains shows that post-cratering crystallization took place under very variable conditions of strong undercooling with temperatures that dropped rapidly from high above their solidus to far below. A distinct event of near-isochemical hydration at above or ~250 °C is recorded by intense perlitic fracturing and the growth of closely packed mordenite spherulites only 1–3 μm across in felsic melt grains, which was followed by lower temperature hydrothermal alteration along the pre-existing perlitic fractures. The formation of abundant mordenite microspherulites appears to be very rare or not previously recorded in impactite melts and suggests the rapid infilling of the Hiawatha crater by a hydrous source. The infilling did not occur immediately after the impact as in submarine impacts, but soon thereafter, and before the establishment of a low-temperature hydrothermal alteration system common to the waning stage of cooling in many impact structures. These observations and previous documentation of terrestrial organic matter in the impactites are consistent with an impact into a water-rich terrestrial environment, such as through the Greenland Ice Sheet or into a forested, lacustrine–fluvial region.
Children in a disaster: health protection and intervention
Authors: Reid Conor , Hillman C
Published: January 2022

Children are disproportionately affected by disasters. They have greater physiological, psychological and sociological vulnerabilities, often exacerbated by the fact that their unique needs can be overlooked during relief efforts. This article provides an overview of disasters, including how they are categorised, and the factors that need to be considered by military and civilian healthcare teams that respond to them. Information is drawn from a variety of previous disasters, with the effects considered across a range of different populations and communities. The lessons learnt from previous disasters need to inform the ongoing discussions around how to best train and supply both individual healthcare workers and the wider teams that will be expected to respond to future disasters. The importance of role-specific training incorporating caring for children, consideration of paediatric casualties during planning exercises and teaching scenarios, and the requirement for paediatric equipment and medications cannot be overemphasised. While provision of paediatric care may not be the primary role of an individual healthcare worker or their broader team, it still remains their ethical and often legal duty to plan for and deliver care for children when responding to a disaster. This is a paper commissioned as part of the Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operations special issue ofBMJ Military Health.
Spin in the neurosurgical trauma literature: prevalence and associated factors – a systematic review protocol
Authors: Oliveira João Vitor Miranda Porto , Oliveira Júnior André Luiz Freitas , Kolias Angelos G , Paiva Wellingson S , Fontoura Solla Davi Jorge
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Spin is defined as an inaccurate interpretation of results, intentionally or not, leading to equivocal conclusions and misdirecting readers to look at the data in an overly optimistic way. Previous studies have shown a high prevalence of spin in scientific papers and this systematic review aims to investigate the nature and prevalence of spin in the neurosurgical trauma literature. Any associated factors will be identified to guide future research practice recommendations.

Methods and analysis

The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations will be followed. Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that enrolled only patients with traumatic brain injury and investigated any type of intervention (surgical or non-surgical) will be eligible for inclusion. The MEDLINE/PubMed database will be searched for articles in English published in 15 top-ranked journals. Spin will be defined as (1) a focus on statistically significant results not based on the primary outcome; (2) interpreting statistically non-significant results for a superiority analysis of the primary outcome; (3) claiming or emphasising the beneficial effect of the treatment despite statistically non-significant results; (4) conclusion focused in the per-protocol or as-treated analysis instead of the intention-to-treat results; (5) incorrect statistical analysis; (6) republication of a significant secondary analysis without proper acknowledgement of the primary outcome analysis result. Traditional descriptive statistics will be used to present RCT characteristics. Standardised differences between the groups with or without spin will be calculated. The variables with a standardised difference equal or above 0.2 and 0.5 will be considered weakly and strongly associated with spin, respectively.

Ethics and dissemination

This study will not involve primary data collection and patients will not be involved.

Trial registration number

10.17605/OSF.IO/H3FGY.
Effects of hyperuricaemia, with the superposition of being overweight and hyperlipidaemia, on the incidence of acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Su Yiqi , Li Haoxuan , Li Yang , Xu Xialian , Shen Bo , Jiang Wuhua , Wang Yimei , Fang Yi , Wang Chunsheng , Luo Zhe , Ding Xiaoqiang , Teng Jie , Xu Jiarui
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of cardiac surgery. This study aimed to explore the effects of hyperuricaemia, being overweight and hyperlipidaemia as risk factors for AKI in patients following cardiac surgery (cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI)).

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Setting

University teaching, grade-A tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China.

Participants

Patients who underwent cardiac surgery from July 2015 to December 2015 in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University.

Main outcome measures

We investigated the effect of hyperuricaemia, in combination with being overweight and hyperlipidaemia, on the risk of CSA-AKI.

Results

A total of 1420 patients were enrolled. The AKI incidence in the highest uric acid group was 44.4%, while that in the lowest uric acid group was 28.5% (p<0.001). Patients in the higher uric acid quartiles were more likely to be overweight and hyperlipidaemic at the same time (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hyperuricaemia was an independent risk factor for AKI (OR=1.237, 95% CI 1.095 to 1.885; p=0.009); being overweight or hyperlipidaemia alone was not an independent risk factor, but the combination of being overweight and hyperlipidaemia was (OR=1.544, 95% CI 1.059 to 2.252; p=0.024). In the final model, the OR value increased to 3.126 when hyperuricaemia was combined with being overweight and hyperlipidaemia, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that all three models fit well (p=0.433, 0.638 and 0.597, respectively).

Conclusions

The combination of being overweight and having hyperlipidaemia was an independent risk factor, but being overweight or having hyperlipidaemia alone was not. The combination of hyperuricaemia, being overweight and hyperlipidaemia further increased the risk of CSA-AKI.
Relationship of prostate cancer topography and tumour conspicuity on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Satish Pranav , Freeman Alex , Kelly Daniel , Kirkham Alex , Orczyk Clement , Simpson Benjamin S , Giganti Francesco , Whitaker Hayley C , Emberton Mark , Norris Joseph M
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has improved the triage of men with suspected prostate cancer, through precision prebiopsy identification of clinically significant disease. While multiple important characteristics, including tumour grade and size have been shown to affect conspicuity on mpMRI, tumour location and association with mpMRI visibility is an underexplored facet of this field. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to collate the extant evidence comparing MRI performance between different locations within the prostate in men with existing or suspected prostate cancer. This review will help clarify mechanisms that underpin whether a tumour is visible, and the prognostic implications of our findings.

Methods and analysis

The databases MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane will be systematically searched for relevant studies. Eligible studies will be full-text English-language articles that examine the effect of zonal location on mpMRI conspicuity. Two reviewers will perform study selection, data extraction and quality assessment. A third reviewer will be involved if consensus is not achieved. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines will inform the methodology and reporting of the review. Study bias will be assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A thematic approach will be used to synthesise key location-based factors associated with mpMRI conspicuity. A meta-analysis will be conducted to form a pooled value of the sensitivity and specificity of mpMRI at different tumour locations.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required as it is a protocol for a systematic review. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021228087.
Implementing an enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery programme in the Netherlands: a qualitative study investigating facilitators and barriers for implementation
Authors: von Meyenfeldt Erik M , van Nassau Femke , de Betue Carlijn T I , Barberio L , Schreurs Wilhelmina H , Marres Geertruid M H , Bonjer H Jaap , Anema Johannes
Published: January 2022

Objectives

This study aims to elucidate determinants for succesful implementation of the Enhanced Recovery After Thoracic Surgery (ERATS) protocol for perioperative care for surgical lung cancer patients in the Netherlands.

Setting

Lung cancer operations are performed in both academic and regional hospitals, either by cardiothoracic or general thoracic surgeons. Limiting the impact of these operations by optimising and standardising perioperative care with the ERATS protocol is thought to enable reduction in length of stay, complications and costs.

Participants

A broad spectrum of stakeholders in perioperative care for patients with lung resection participated in this study, ranging from patient representatives, healthcare professionals to an insurance company representative.

Interventions

Semistructured interviews (N=14) were conducted with the stakeholders (N=18). The interviews were conducted one on one by telephone and two times, face to face, in small groups. Verbatim transcriptions of these interviews were coded for the purpose of thematic analysis.

Outcome measures

Determinants for successful implementation of the ERATS protocol in the Netherlands.

Results

Several determinants correspond with previous publications: having a multidisciplinary team, leadership from a senior clinician and support from an ERAS-coordinator as facilitators; lack of feedback on performance and absence of management support as barriers. Our study underscores the potential detrimental effect of inconsistent communication, the lack of support in the transition from hospital to home and the barrier posed by lack of accessible audit data.

Conclusions

Based on a structured problem analysis among a wide selection of stakeholders, this study provides a solid basis for choosing adequate implementation strategies to introduce the ERATS protocol in the Netherlands. Emphasis on consistent and sufficient communication, support in the transition from hospital to home and adequate audit and feedback data, in addition to established implementation strategies for ERAS-type programmes, will enable a tailored approach to implementation of ERATS in the Dutch context.
Cross-sectional study to predict subnational levels of health workers’ knowledge about severe malaria treatment in Kenya
Authors: Machini Beatrice , Achia Thomas NO , Chesang Jacqueline , Amboko Beatrice , Mwaniki Paul , Kipruto Hillary
Published: January 2022

Objectives

This study applied a Bayesian hierarchical ecological spatial model beyond predictor analysis to test for the best fitting spatial effects model to predict subnational levels of health workers’ knowledge of severe malaria treatment policy, artesunate dosing, and preparation.

Setting

County referral government and major faith-based hospitals across 47 counties in Kenya in 2019.

Design and participants

A secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data from 345 health workers across 89 hospitals with inpatient departments who were randomly selected and interviewed.

Outcome measures

Three ordinal outcome variables for severe malaria treatment policy, artesunate dose and preparation were considered, while 12 individual and contextual predictors were included in the spatial models.

Results

A third of the health workers had high knowledge levels on artesunate treatment policy; almost three-quarters had high knowledge levels on artesunate dosing and preparation. The likelihood of having high knowledge on severe malaria treatment policy was lower among nurses relative to clinicians (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.48, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.87), health workers older than 30 years were 61% less likely to have high knowledge about dosing compared with younger health workers (aOR=0.39, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.67), while health workers exposed to artesunate posters had 2.4-fold higher odds of higher knowledge about dosing compared with non-exposed health workers (aOR=2.38, 95% CI 1.22 to 4.74). The best model fitted with spatially structured random effects and spatial variations of the knowledge level across the 47 counties exhibited neighbourhood influence.

Conclusions

Knowledge of severe malaria treatment policies is not adequately and optimally available among health workers across Kenya. The factors associated with the health workers’ level of knowledge were cadre, age and exposure to artesunate posters. The spatial maps provided subnational estimates of knowledge levels for focused interventions.
Overdiagnosis of urinary tract infection linked to overdiagnosis of pneumonia: a multihospital cohort study
Authors: Gupta Ashwin , Petty Lindsay , Gandhi Tejal , Flanders Scott , Hsaiky Lama , Basu Tanima , Zhang Qisu , Horowitz Jennifer , Masood Zainab , Chopra Vineet , Vaughn Valerie M
Published: January 2022

Urinary tract infection (UTI) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are the most common infections treated in hospitals. UTI and CAP are also commonly overdiagnosed, resulting in unnecessary antibiotic use and diagnostic delays. While much is known individually about overdiagnosis of UTI and CAP, it is not known whether hospitals with higher overdiagnosis of one also have higher overdiagnosis of the other. Correlation of overdiagnosis of these two conditions may indicate underlying hospital-level contributors, which in turn may represent targets for intervention. To evaluate the association of overdiagnosis of UTI and CAP, we first determined the proportion of hospitalised patients treated for CAP or UTI at 46 hospitals in Michigan who were overdiagnosed according to national guideline definitions. Then, we used Pearson’s correlation coefficient to compare hospital proportions of overdiagnosis of CAP and UTI. Finally, we assessed for ‘diagnostic momentum’ (ie, accepting a previous diagnosis without sufficient scepticism) by determining how often overdiagnosed patients remained on antibiotics on day 3 of hospitalisation. We included 14 085 patients treated for CAP (11.4% were overdiagnosed) and 10 398 patients treated for UTI (27.8% were overdiagnosed) across 46 hospitals. Within hospitals, the proportion of patients overdiagnosed with UTI was moderately correlated with the proportion of patients overdiagnosed with CAP (r=0.53, p<0.001). Over 80% (81.8% (n=952/1164) of UTI; 89.9% (n=796/885) of CAP) of overdiagnosed patients started on antibiotics by an emergency medicine clinician remained on antibiotics on day 3 of hospitalisation. In conclusion, we found overdiagnosis of UTI and CAP to be correlated at the hospital level. Reducing overdiagnosis of these two common infections may benefit from systematic interventions.
Phenotyping of acute decompensated heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Sotomi Yohei , Hikoso Shungo , Komukai Sho , Sato Taiki , Oeun Bolrathanak , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Nakagawa Akito , Nakatani Daisaku , Mizuno Hiroya , Okada Katsuki , Dohi Tomoharu , Sunaga Akihiro , Kida Hirota , Seo Masahiro , Yano Masamichi , Hayashi Takaharu , Nakagawa Yusuke , Tamaki Shunsuke , Ohtani Tomohito , Yasumura Yoshio , Yamada Takahisa , Sakata Yasushi
Published: January 2022

Objective

The pathophysiological heterogeneity of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) makes the conventional ‘one-size-fits-all’ treatment approach difficult. We aimed to develop a stratification methodology to identify distinct subphenotypes of acute HFpEF using the latent class analysis.

Methods

We established a prospective, multicentre registry of acute decompensated HFpEF. Primary candidates for latent class analysis were patient data on hospital admission (160 features). The patient subset was categorised based on enrolment period into a derivation cohort (2016–2018; n=623) and a validation cohort (2019–2020; n=472). After excluding features with significant missingness and high degree of correlation, 83 features were finally included in the analysis.

Results

The analysis subclassified patients (derivation cohort) into 4 groups: group 1 (n=215, 34.5%), characterised by arrythmia triggering (especially atrial fibrillation) and a lower comorbidity burden; group 2 (n=77, 12.4%), with substantially elevated blood pressure and worse classical HFpEF echocardiographic features; group 3 (n=149, 23.9%), with the highest level of GGT and total bilirubin and frequent previous hospitalisation for HF and group 4 (n=182, 29.2%), with infection-triggered HF hospitalisation, high C reactive protein and worse nutritional status. The primary end point—a composite of all-cause death and HF readmission—significantly differed between the groups (log-rank p<0.001). These findings were consistent in the validation cohort.

Conclusions

This study indicated the feasibility of clinical application of the latent class analysis in a highly heterogeneous cohort of patients with acute HFpEF. Patients can be divided into 4 phenotypes with distinct patient characteristics and clinical outcomes.

Trial registration number

UMIN000021831.
What is in the toolkit (and what are the tools)? How to approach the study of doctor–patient communication
Authors: Cox Caitríona , Fritz Zoë
Published: January 2022

Doctor–patient communication is important, but is challenging to study, in part because it is multifaceted. Communication can be considered in terms of both the aspects of the communication itself, and its measurable effects. These effects are themselves varied: they can be proximal or distal, and can focus on subjective measures (how patients feel about communication), or objective measures (exploring more concrete health outcomes or behaviours). The wide range of methodologies available has resulted in a heterogeneous literature which can be difficult to compare and analyse. Here, we provide a conceptual approach to studying doctor–patient communication, examining both variables which can controlled and different outcomes which can be measured. We present methodologies which can be used (questionnaires, semistructured interviews, vignette studies, simulated patient studies and observations of real interactions), with particular emphasis on their respective logistical advantages/disadvantages and scientific merits/limitations. To study doctor–patient communication more effectively, two or more different study designs could be used in combination. We have provided a concise and practically relevant review of the methodologies available to study doctor–patient communication to give researchers an objective view of the toolkit available to them: both to understand current research, and to conduct robust and relevant studies in the future.
Associations of pain sensitisation with tender and painful joint counts in people with hand osteoarthritis: results from the Nor-Hand study
Authors: Gløersen Marthe , Steen Pettersen Pernille , Neogi Tuhina , Slatkowsky-Christensen Barbara , Kvien Tore K , Magnusson Karin , Hammer Hilde Berner , Haugen Ida K
Published: January 2022

Objective

To examine associations of pain sensitisation with tender and painful joint counts and presence of widespread pain in people with hand osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) at a painful finger joint and the tibialis anterior muscle, and temporal summation (TS) were measured in 291 persons with hand OA. We examined whether sex-standardised PPT and TS values were associated with assessor-reported tender hand joint count, self-reported painful hand and total body joint counts and presence of widespread pain using linear and logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, education and OA severity.

Results

People with lower PPTs at the painful finger joint (measure of peripheral and/or central sensitisation) had more tender and painful hand joints than people with higher PPTs. PPT at tibialis anterior (measure of central sensitisation) was associated with painful total body joint count (beta=−0.82, 95% CI −1.28 to –0.35) and presence of widespread pain (OR=0.57, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.77). The associations between TS (measure of central sensitisation) and joint counts in the hands and the total body were statistically non-significant.

Conclusion

This cross-sectional study suggested that pain sensitisation (ie, lower PPTs) was associated with joint counts and widespread pain in hand OA. This knowledge may be used for improved pain phenotyping of people with hand OA, which may contribute to better pain management through more personalised medicine. Further studies are needed to assess whether a reduction of pain sensitisation leads to a decrease in tender and painful joint counts.
Controversies and evidence gaps in the early management of severe traumatic brain injury: back to the ABCs
Authors: El-Swaify Seif Tarek , Refaat Mazen A , Ali Sara H , Abdelrazek Abdelrahman E Mostafa , Beshay Pavly Wagih , Kamel Menna , Bahaa Bassem , Amir Abdelrahman , Basha Ahmed Kamel
Published: January 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) accounts for around 30% of all trauma-related deaths. Over the past 40 years, TBI has remained a major cause of mortality after trauma. The primary injury caused by the injurious mechanical force leads to irreversible damage to brain tissue. The potentially preventable secondary injury can be accentuated by addressing systemic insults. Early recognition and prompt intervention are integral to achieve better outcomes. Consequently, surgeons still need to be aware of the basic yet integral emergency management strategies for severe TBI (sTBI). In this narrative review, we outlined some of the controversies in the early care of sTBI that have not been settled by the publication of the Brain Trauma Foundation’s 4th edition guidelines in 2017. The topics covered included the following: mode of prehospital transport, maintaining airway patency while securing the cervical spine, achieving adequate ventilation, and optimizing circulatory physiology. We discuss fluid resuscitation and blood product transfusion as components of improving circulatory mechanics and oxygen delivery to injured brain tissue. An outline of evidence-based antiplatelet and anticoagulant reversal strategies is discussed in the review. In addition, the current evidence as well as the evidence gaps for using tranexamic acid in sTBI are briefly reviewed. A brief note on the controversial emergency surgical interventions for sTBI is included. Clinicians should be aware of the latest evidence for sTBI. Periods between different editions of guidelines can have an abundance of new literature that can influence patient care. The recent advances included in this review should be considered both for formulating future guidelines for the management of sTBI and for designing future clinical studies in domains with clinical equipoise.
Spatial and temporal differences in fecundity of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) off Nova Scotia and consequences for biological reference points
Authors: Barrett Timothy J. , Hordyk Adrian R. , Barrett Melanie A. , van den Heuvel Michael R.
Published: January 2022

The relationships between fecundity and size of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) were estimated within five different spawning areas off the coast of Nova Scotia in 2019 and 2020. Statistically significant differences in fecundity relative to body weight were observed among spawning areas and between years. Fecundity-at-length on the German Bank spawning ground was 29%–36% and 22%–28% lower than estimates from 2001 and 1970, respectively. Temporal changes in weight- and relative fecundity-at-age resulted in a decrease in the number of eggs-per-recruit (in an equilibrium unfished state) by 50% and a decrease of 27% in the egg production per tonne of spawning stock biomass (SSB) in 2020 relative to 1970. Decreases in SSB-per-recruit and eggs-per-recruit over time resulted in proportional decreases in equilibrium SSB at maximum sustainable yield (MSY); however, the fishing mortality rate (F) at MSY remained relatively stable over time. Total egg production was shown to be disproportional to SSB. Equilibrium SSB at MSY was greater (and F at MSY lower) when estimated using eggs-per-recruit compared to SSB-per-recruit. Failing to account for fecundity and assuming that egg production is proportional to SSB resulted in an overestimate of stock status.
Theoretical and computer models of three-dimensional grain boundary migration with mobile particles
Authors: Di Prinzio Carlos Leonardo , Achával Pastor Ignacio
Published: January 2022

In this work, the migration of a three-dimensional (3D) spherical crystal in the presence of mobile particles using a Monte Carlo algorithm was studied. Different concentrations of particles (f) and different particle mobilities (Mp) were used. It was found that the grain size reaches a critical radius (Rc), which depends exclusively on f. This dependence can be written as Rc ∝ f1/3. The dynamic equation of grain size evolution and its analytical solution were also found. The proposed analytical solution successfully fits the simulation results. The particle fraction in the grain boundary was also found analytically and it fits the computational data.
What do caribou eat? A review of the literature on caribou diet
Authors: Webber Quinn M.R. , Ferraro Kristy M. , Hendrix Jack G. , Vander Wal Eric
Published: January 2022

Historically, the study of caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus, 1788)) diet has been specific to herds and few comprehensive circumpolar analyses of Rangifer diet exist. As a result, certain diet items may play an outsized role in the caribou diet Zeitgeist, e.g., lichen. We challenge this notion and test the relevant importance of various diet items within the context of prevailing hypotheses. We provide a systematic overview of 30 caribou studies reporting caribou diet and test biologically relevant hypotheses about spatial and temporal dietary variation. Our results indicate that in the winter caribou primarily consume lichen, but in warmer seasons and when primary productivity is lower, caribou primarily consume graminoids and other vascular plants. In more productive environments, where caribou have more competitors and predators, consumption of lichen increase. Overall, our description of caribou diet reveals that it is highly variable, but in circumstances where caribou can consume vascular plants, then they will. As climate change affects Boreal and Arctic ecosystems, the type and volume of food consumed by caribou have become an increasingly important focus for conservation and management of caribou.