bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A multicentre open‐label study of apremilast in palmoplantar pustulosis (APLANTUS)
Authors: Wilsmann‐Theis D. , Kromer C. , Gerdes S. , Linker C. , Magnolo N. , Sabat R. , Reich K. , Mössner R. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundPalmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic skin disease with painful erythematous scaly or crusty lesions and pustules on the palms and soles. Apremilast is a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor that has proven effective in the therapy of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and in oral ulcers associated with Behcet’s disease.ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy of apremilast in PPP.MethodsAPLANTUS was a phase 2 single‐arm multicentre study of apremilast in 21 subjects with moderate‐to‐severe PPP. Primary endpoint was the per cent change of the Palmoplantar Pustulosis Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PPPASI) at week 20 compared to baseline.Results20 weeks of oral treatment with apremilast in patients with moderate‐to‐severe PPP resulted in a significant decrease of the PPPASI with a median reduction of 57.1% (p < 0.001), and 61.9% of patients achieved at least a 50% improvement of the PPPASI relative to baseline. The total number of pustules per patient decreased significantly relative to baseline with 76.2% of patients achieving at least a 50% reduction in total pustules count at week 20. Improvement of PPP was also apparent in a significant decrease of the dermatologic life quality index (DLQI). The median DLQI score dropped from 8.5 at baseline to 2.0 at week 20 (p = 0.030). Apremilast was generally well tolerated, and no serious adverse events occurred.ConclusionsPatients with PPP treated with apremilast showed benefit both in objective and subjective disease parameters. Apremilast should be investigated further in this difficult‐to‐treat skin condition.EudraCT number: 2016‐005122‐11.
Longitudinal association between polypharmacy and development of pruritus: a Nationwide Cohort Study in a Japanese Population
Authors: Kogame T. , Kamitani T. , Yamazaki H. , Ogawa Y. , Fukuhara S. , Kabashima K. , Yamamoto Y. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundAlthough polypharmacy is known to cause side‐effects due to drug–drug interactions, dermatological symptoms triggered by polypharmacy are not fully addressed.ObjectiveTo investigate whether polypharmacy is associated with the risk of pruritus.MethodA cohort study was performed to examine cross‐sectional and longitudinal relationships between polypharmacy and pruritus in a general population. Data were collected from the Norm Study conducted in 2016 and 2017, which is a nationwide survey based on a self‐administered questionnaire with Japanese representative participants aged 16–84 years. Presence of polypharmacy which was defined as concurrent use of ≥5 prescribed drugs. Primary outcomes were the presence of severe pruritus at baseline for the cross‐sectional analysis and the development of severe pruritus after one year for the longitudinal analysis. Multivariable modified Poisson regression analyses were performed to estimate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) with adjustment for potential confounders (age, gender, smoking habits, drinking habits, depressive symptoms, moderate activities based on IPAQ score and presence of 11 comorbid conditions including skin disease).ResultsThe study included 3126 participants (mean age, 48.7 years); nearly half (49.8%) were male. In all, 332 participants (10.3%) had polypharmacy in the cross‐sectional analysis. Participants with polypharmacy were more likely to present with severe pruritus at baseline than those who were not using drugs (adjusted RR = 1.52 [95%CI 1.15–2.01, P = 0.003]). The longitudinal analysis (n = 1803) was limited to those without severe pruritus at baseline; participants with polypharmacy at baseline were more likely to develop severe pruritus after a one‐year follow‐up period than those not using drugs (adjusted RR = 1.46 [95%CI 1.14–1.87, P = 0.002]).ConclusionPolypharmacy was associated with the presence of pruritus at baseline and may predict the future risk of developing pruritus.
Morphological deformities in the invasive driftwood catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus in the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil: a sign of human impact?
Authors: Ferraz João D. , Jarduli Lucas R. , Garcia Diego A. Z. , Casimiro Armando C. R. , de Almeida Fernanda S. , Orsi Mário L. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn this study, the authors report morphological deformities in driftwood catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus (Auchenipteridae), an invasive catfish occurring in the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. The frequency of anomalous individuals reached 18.3% of all catches. X‐ray images showed anomalies, or total absence of structures, in the pelvic girdle. The authors also observed the absence of the adipose fin and mental barbels. These findings are of extreme importance for evidencing the anthropogenic impact on aquatic communities as the region suffers within fragmentation by dams and pollution from several human activities. This sort of information can be used in management systems and environmental monitoring, especially to protect other species and the native fish assemblage.
Dohsa‐hou Relaxation Enhances Cardiac Parasympathetic Activity Assessed by Analysis of Heart Rate Variability
Authors: Kuwashima Ryuji , Sakakibara, Masahito , Yoshikawa Yoshimi 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis study examined whether Dohsa‐hou relaxation might enhance cardiac autonomic nervous activity as assessed by analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Healthy adults in a parenting support group (N = 40, 16 men and 24 women, mean age = 31.2 years, SD = 3.9 years), participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to the Dohsa‐hou or control groups. The Dohsa‐hou group performed two Dohsa‐hou treatments, Kukan no hineri (Torso Twist) and Kao no yurume (Facial Loosening), for 5 min each, whereas the control group spent 10 min undergoing quiet rest. Electrocardiograms (ECG) were taken for 5‐min at the baseline and 5‐min after the treatment (post‐treatment measure). Participants also completed the Self‐Rating Scale of Dohsa‐hou (S‐Dohsa) at baseline and post‐treatment. Results indicated that the power of the high‐frequency component of HRV increased significantly in the Dohsa‐hou compared to the control group (p = .033). Moreover, the S‐Dohsa Relief and Rest subscale score also increased significantly in the Dohsa‐hou compared to the control group (p < .001), suggesting that Dohsa‐hou relaxation enhanced cardiac parasympathetic activity accompanied by a subjective relaxation response.
Discourse and manipulation: Nursing in question
Authors: de Araújo Cristina Nunes Vitor , Pereira Àlvaro , Ramos Flávia Regina Souza , Santos Ana Carla Petersen de Oliveira 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe history of Brazilian nurses is marked by several challenges, in part resulting from discontinuous and fragile activity boundaries among the health professions that share the same work objective in care services. A field of constant disputes, the Brazilian health system, was the target of a lawsuit filed by the Federal Council of Medicine that temporarily suspended nurses’ activities in primary care. This study aimed to demonstrate the manipulative discourse present in the text of the injunction request by medical doctors against legislation by the Brazilian Federal Government in 2017. This is a qualitative and documental study that used the theoretical–methodological framework of critical discourse studies based on Teun Van Dijk's analytical categories. The results pointed to manipulative discourse through a polarization between manipulators’ good qualities and intentions and the bad qualities of nurses and Brazilian primary care policies; episodic manipulation by the presentation of documental and historical evidence of the submission of nursing roles; and social manipulation marked by strong emotional appeal. The study demonstrated that manipulative discourse extrapolated linguistic categories in the form of ideology and history.
Challenging situations and competence of nursing staff in nursing homes for older people with dementia
Authors: Piirainen Paula , Pesonen Hanna‐Mari , Kyngäs Helvi , Elo Satu 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundDementia causes behavioural changes in people that often lead to earlier placement in a nursing home. Staff can find these behavioural changes challenging and require specific competencies to support and care of people living with dementia. However, there is little information regarding the competencies nurses require in dementia care. Thus, the aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of challenging situations in nursing homes of older people with dementia, characterise the nursing staff's responses to such situations and contribute to a model outlining competences that dementia care nurses require.MethodsData were collected using mixed methods in a cross‐sectional survey of views of nursing staff (n = 106) in two nursing homes in Finland during May to June 2018 using a structured questionnaire including open‐ended questions. Quantitative data acquired were analysed statistically, and responses to the open‐ended question were analysed using content analysis methodology.ResultsMost nurses (98%) reported that challenging situations occurred daily or weekly. The most common reported forms of challenging behaviour were as follows: wandering, restlessness, constant leaving, repeated inquiries and requests and opposition to treatment (mentioned by 95%, 90%, 85%, 83% and 83% of respondents, respectively). Five key competencies were identified from their responses: practical knowledge, theoretical knowledge, therapeutic use of self, social competence and self‐management. They also indicated significant correlations between leadership and both the impact of challenging behaviour on coping at work and use of physical restraints on older people with dementia.ConclusionChallenging situations in nursing homes of older people with dementia are very common. There is a need to identify specific competencies for caring for people with dementia in addition to updating official guidelines to handle such situations. The support of supervisors and competencies related to therapeutic use of self in nursing are highly important for nurses providing care for people with dementia.
Influence of ACPA‐positive rheumatoid arthritis on visual field testing in patients with arterial hypertension: A comparative cross‐sectional study
Authors: Wendelstein Jascha , Fuchs Barbara , Schlittgen Sarah , Zielke Robert , Brünner Jeanette , Bolz Matthias , Alten Rielke , Erb Carl 
Published: June 2021

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate a possible influence of anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies (ACPA) ‐ positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on visual field (VF) testing in patients with arterial hypertension (aHT).MethodsWe conducted an observational cross‐sectional study comparing patients with ACPA‐positive RA and aHT, patients with aHT and healthy subjects. Further inclusion criteria were visual acuity (VA) of 0.8 or better and age between 40 and 60 years. VF testing was performed with standard automated achromatic perimetry (SAP), short wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP) (Octopus 300®) and flicker perimetry (Pulsar®). Results were analysed for a possible correlation with blood pressure or RA‐activity.ResultsTwenty subjects with RA and aHT, 26 patients with aHT and 22 healthy participants were examined. Significant differences were found for mean sensitivity (MS) in SWAP comparing RA‐patients with healthy participants (ΔMS −3.06, p = 0.001) and with hypertensive patients (ΔMS −2.32, p = 0.007). In SAP we observed a significant difference between patients with RA and healthy subjects regarding loss variance (LV) (ΔLV = +9.77, p = 0.004). Flicker perimetry did not demonstrate significant differences between groups. A correlation of VF changes with blood pressure level or RA‐activity was not observed.ConclusionPatients with ACPA‐positive RA and aHT showed significant impairment of VF performance in SWAP compared to patients with aHT alone and healthy subjects. SAP also revealed a significant difference of LV between RA‐patients and healthy subjects. aHT does not seem to induce functional changes in VF testing alone.
CARD14‐associated papulosquamous eruption (CAPE) in a toddler responding to treatment with acitretin
Authors: Wong Gabriel Hong Zhe , Chia Shi Yun , Wei Heming , Rafi'ee Khadijah , Koh Mark Jean Aan , Tan Ene Choo 
Published: June 2021

AbstractCARD14‐associated papulosquamous eruption (CAPE) is a rare autosomal dominant dermatosis that presents classically in early childhood with clinical features of both psoriasis and pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP). The disease is known to be refractory to topical and systemic therapies classically used for psoriasis, with the majority of reported cases requiring treatment with biologics, such as ustekinumab and secukinumab. We present a toddler with a clinical presentation consistent with CAPE and found to have a novel heterozygous variant of the CARD14 gene. She was refractory to treatment with topical emollients and topical corticosteroids, but responsive to oral acitretin.
Sequential paternal haploidentical donor liver and HSCT in EPP allow discontinuation of immunosuppression post‐organ transplant
Authors: Malkiel Sarah , Sayed Blayne A. , Ng Vicky , Wall Donna A. , Rozmus Jacob , Schreiber Richard A. , Faytrouni Farah , Siddiqui Iram , Chiang Kuang‐Yueh , Avitzur Yaron 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundEPP is characterized by photosensitivity and by liver disease. When LT is performed in EPP, recurrence often occurs in the allograft due to ongoing protoporphyrin production in bone marrow. Therefore, curative treatment requires allogeneic HSCT after LT. Long‐term immunosuppression could be spared by using the same donor for both transplants.MethodsA 2‐year‐old girl with EPP in liver failure underwent liver transplant from her father. Transfusion and apheresis therapy were used to lower protoporphyrin levels before and after liver transplant. Ten weeks after liver transplant, she underwent HSCT, using the same donor. Conditioning was with treosulfan, fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and ATG. GVHD prophylaxis was with abatacept, methotrexate, MMF, and tacrolimus. We followed the patient's erythrocyte protoporphyrin and liver and skin health for 2 years after transplant.ResultsAfter hematopoietic stem cell engraftment, a decline in protoporphyrin levels was observed, with clinical resolution of photosensitivity. Liver biopsies showed no evidence of EPP. Mild ACR occurred and responded to steroid pulse. Two years post‐HSCT, the patient has been weaned off all immunosuppression and remains GVHD and liver rejection free.ConclusionsSequential liver and HSCT from the same haploidentical donor are feasible in EPP. This strategy can allow for discontinuation of immune suppression.
Risk factors for post‐transplant Epstein‐Barr virus events in pediatric recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplants
Authors: Enok Bonong Pascal R. , Buteau Chantal , Duval Michel , Lacroix Jacques , Laporte Louise , Tucci Marisa , Robitaille Nancy , Spinella Philip C. , Cuvelier Geoffrey D. E. , Lewis Victor , Vercauteren Suzanne , Alfieri Caroline , Trottier Helen 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundEpstein‐Barr virus (EBV) can cause severe disease following hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), including post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). The objective was to analyze risk factors associated with post‐transplant EBV outcomes among pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients.MethodsWe used data from 156 pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients enrolled in the Canadian multicenter TREASuRE study. Cox and Prentice‐Williams‐Petersen models were used to analyze risk factors for post‐transplant EBV events including occurrence and recurrence of EBV DNAemia, increase in EBV viral load (EBV‐VL), and preemptive use of rituximab, an effective therapy against PTLD.ResultsFemales were at higher risk for increasing EBV‐VL (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2.83 [95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.33–6.03]) and rituximab use (HR = 3.08 [1.14–8.30]), but had the same EBV DNAemia occurrence (HR = 1.21 [0.74–1.99]) and recurrence risks (HR=1.05 [0.70–1.58]) compared to males. EBV DNAemia was associated with recipient pre‐transplant EBV seropositivity (HR = 2.47 [1.17–5.21]) and with graft from an EBV‐positive donor (HR = 3.53 [1.95–6.38]). Anti‐thymocyte globulin (ATG) was strongly associated with all EBV outcomes, including the use of rituximab (HR = 5.33 [1.47–19.40]). Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) significantly decreased the risk of all EBV events including the rituximab use (HR = 0.13 [0.03–0.63]).ConclusionThis study in pediatric allogeneic HSCT patients reveals a reduced risk of all EBV outcomes with the use of MMF. Risk factors for EBV events such as EBV‐VL occurrence and recurrence include EBV positivity in the donor and recipient, and use of ATG, whereas risk factors for the most severe forms of EBV outcome (EBV‐VL and the use of rituximab) include female sex and ATG use.
Complicated Webs: Experiential Risk in the Vietnamese Coffee Industry
Authors: Grant Sarah G. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis article explores the political and cultural dimensions of risk and uncertainty as coffee farmers and other industry professionals emerge from crisis and traverse complex economic, environmental, and political landscapes in post‐Đổi Mới (Economic Reform) Vietnam. Based on ethnographic research across the coffee industry and the everyday lives of farmers, this article conceptualizes risk, on the one hand, as a technique of market expansion and, on the other hand, as an experience. It discusses a contrast between emergent market‐based discourses of risk management and experiential knowledge of risk in the Vietnamese coffee industry. In educational and training spaces, coffee industry experts interpret risk within a narrow framework of profitability and long‐term production. Vietnamese coffee farmers, in contrast, experience risk as part of the everyday coffee production landscape, which is shaped by environmental instability, crop failure, and economic volatility. This article argues that this experiential risk catalyzes farmers to employ novel mitigation strategies and to confront contentious state agricultural policies and international development programs. [Vietnam, risk, uncertainty, coffee, commodities]
Touch‐induced emotional comfort results in an increase in the salivary antioxidant potential: A correlational study
Authors: Proskurnina Elena V. , Sokolova Svetlana V. , Portnova Galina V. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractA pleasant touch reduces psychoemotional stress via the oxytocin mechanism due to its anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Our research is aimed to reveal the correlations between the subjectively perceived pleasantness of touch, the antioxidant potential of saliva, and salivary oxytocin. A total of 56 healthy volunteers aged 18–38 years participated in the study. The control group consisted of 24 volunteers. The participants were subjected to tactile stimulation using a specially designed protocol. They ranked the touch pleasantness on a scale from 1 to 10. Heart rate variability and low‐frequency/high‐frequency ratios from the power spectral density of ECG were determined to assess psychoemotional relaxation. Salivary oxytocin and antioxidant capacity were quantified before and after the touch test. We found a significant increase in salivary antioxidant potential and oxytocin after pleasant tactile stimulation for the participants compared to the control group. The difference in antioxidant capacity values before and after the test positively correlated with mean pleasantness in the touch test (r = 0.57) and the difference in heart rate variability (r = 0.67); it negatively correlated with the difference in low‐frequency/high‐frequency ECG band ratio (r = −0.59). Oxytocin ratio positively correlated with the difference in antioxidant capacity values (r = 0.47). As a result of tactile stimulation, a significant increase in the antioxidant capacity of saliva and salivary oxytocin was found in the test group compared to the control group. These findings support further studies of the effects of pleasant touch on hormonal and oxidative metabolism.
The COVID University Challenge: A Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points Assessment of the Return of Students to Higher Education Establishments
Authors: Edmunds Kelly L. , Bowater Laura , Brainard Julii , de Coriolis Jean‐Charles , Lake Iain , Malik Rimsha R. , Newark Lorraine , Ward Neil , Yeoman Kay , Hunter Paul R. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted economies and societies throughout the world since early 2020. Education is especially affected, with schools and universities widely closed for long periods. People under 25 years have the lowest risk of severe disease but their activities can be key to persistent ongoing community transmission. A challenge arose for how to provide education, including university level, without the activities of students increasing wider community SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. We used a Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) framework to assess the risks associated with university student activity and recommend how to mitigate these risks. This tool appealed because it relies on multiagency collaboration and interdisciplinary expertise and yet is low cost, allowing rapid generation of evidence‐based recommendations. We identified key critical control points associated with university student’ activities, lifestyle, and interaction patterns both on‐and‐off campus. Unacceptable contact thresholds and the most up‐to‐date guidance were used to identify levels of risk for potential SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission, as well as recommendations based on existing research and emerging evidence for strategies that can reduce the risks of transmission. Employing the preventative measures we suggest can reduce the risks of SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission among and from university students. Reduction of infectious disease transmission in this demographic will reduce overall community transmission, lower demands on health services and reduce risk of harm to clinically vulnerable individuals while allowing vital education activity to continue. HACCP assessment proved a flexible tool for risk analysis in a specific setting in response to an emerging infectious disease threat. Systematic approaches to assessing hazards and risk critical control points (#HACCP) enable robust strategies for protecting students and staff in HE settings during #COVID19 pandemic.
AI-Timoshenko: Automatedly Discovering Simplified Governing Equations for Applied Mechanics Problems From Simulated Data
Authors: Huang Zhanchao , Li Chunjiang , Huang Zhilong , Wang Yong , Jiang Hanqing 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
The simplified governing equations of applied mechanics play a pivotal role and were derived based on ingenious assumptions or hypotheses regarding the displacement fields for specific problems. In this paper, we introduce a data-driven method by the name AI-Timoshenko in honor of Timoshenko, father of applied solid mechanics, to automatically discover simplified governing equations for applied mechanics problems directly from discrete data simulated by the three-dimensional (3D) finite element method. The simplified governing equations are in variational form, which is compact and advantageous for data-driven discovery. AI-Timoshenko liberates applied mechanicians from burdensome labor, including assumptions, derivation, and trial and error. The simplified governing equations for Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories are successfully rediscovered using the present AI-Timoshenko method, which shows that this method is capable of discovering simplified governing equations for applied mechanics problems.