bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Calycosin Protects against Focal Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Inhibiting the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wang Yong , Wang Shifeng , Zhang Peng , Xiao Shengjun , Shi Huizhong , Chen Zihan 
Published: December 2023

Background The rate of disability and mortality associated with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) is high due to limited treatment options, making it a major challenge to clinical management. Calycosin is a biologically active compound hostile to inflammatory, neuroprotective, and tumor effects. Whether calycosin has an ischemia/reperfusion effect or mechanism is unclear. Materials and Methods For in vivo experiments, we randomly divided rats into five groups: blank control group, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) surgical group, calycosin + MCAO/R group (5 mg/kg), calycosin + MCAO/R group (10 mg/kg), and calycosin + MCAO/R group (20 mg/kg). Molding of the middle cerebral artery was performed. Calycosin’s neuroprotective effects were evaluated using the neurological deficit score, brain edema rate, and cerebral infarct volume. For in vitro experiments, we divided PC12 cells into five groups: blank control group, oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) group, calycosin + OGD/R group (1 × 10−6 mol/L), calycosin + OGD/R group (4 × 10−6 mol/L), and calycosin + OGD/R group (16 × 10−6 mol/L). The optimal concentration of calycosin on PC12 cells was determined using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) cell activity assay. The expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)-related factors was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Results In rats, the MCAO/R model resulted in elevated neurological deficit scores, increased brain infarct volumes, and increased brain edema rates. The OGD/R model decreased rat adrenal pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell activity, and calycosin had a significant cerebral protective effect on PC12 cells under OGD/R conditions. In addition, calycosin can inhibit the activation of the NF-κB pathway, and its neuroprotective effect may be related to the NF-κB pathway. Conclusion Calycosin can reduce focal CIRI, and the neuroprotective effect of calycosin may be related to the inhibition of the high mobility group protein 1/toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NF-κB signaling pathways.
Perceived Health Risks, Health Behaviors, and BMI Among Diverse Adults in Israel
Authors: Videl Hila , Levin Chedva , Azulay Chertok Ilana 
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Obesity is associated with an increased relative risk of COVID-19-related mortality. The interplay of culture and religion in the overweight/obesity context has been minimally examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between preventive health behaviors, sociodemographic factors, and obesity among religiously diverse adults in Israel. Methods: Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, an online survey was distributed to diverse adults in Israel during the pandemic using social media, email, and snowball methods. Results: Participants included 635 adults: 69.1% Jewish, 26.5% Muslim, and 4.4% “other.” Jewish adults scored lower than others on perceived personal risk ( p < .001), infection spread risk ( p < .001), and preventive behaviors engagement ( p < .005). Higher body mass index (BMI) predicted higher personal risk and higher likelihood of preventive behaviors engagement ( p < .001). Discussion: Results demonstrate the association between religion, health risk perceptions, and COVID-19-related health behaviors. Nurses should consider the influence of culture and religion on health practices and recommend relevant lifestyle modifications to reduce COVID-19 risks.
School absenteeism in autistic children and adolescents: A scoping review
Authors: Nordin Viviann , Palmgren Maud , Lindbladh Anna , Bölte Sven , Jonsson Ulf 
Published: December 2023

School absenteeism is a major societal problem, with a range of potential adverse long-term consequences. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the research on school absenteeism in autistic children and adolescents, expose important gaps in the literature, and explore possibilities for future systematic reviews. Five relevant databases were searched systematically from inception to June 2023, yielding a total of 46 eligible reports from 42 separate studies. All studies were conducted in high-income countries, and most were published in the last decade. Three major themes emerged: occurrence, contextual factors, and interventions. The results of large-scale population-based studies clearly suggested that autistic children and adolescents were absent from school more often than their non-autistic peers, which partly was attributable to co-occurring conditions. Bullying also emerged as a potential risk factor. Only a few preliminary studies were available on targeted interventions, emphasizing the need for more robust studies. More research is also needed on the mechanisms leading to and maintaining school absenteeism in this group of learners. Overall, the diversity of research questions, methods, and definitions used in this body of research suggests that systematic reviews with narrow focus on a few key questions may still be premature. Lay abstract Autistic children and teenagers are, on average, absent from school more than their peers. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of the research on absence from school in autistic learners in primary and secondary school, to help guide future research. We sifted through 4632 reports and found 42 studies with a focus on school absence and autism. We looked at how, when, and where the studies were conducted. We also summarized the results and outlined how absence was measured in the studies. Absence from school may lead to problems later in life, like incomplete education and unemployment. It is therefore important to know how common this problem is among autistic learners, what the reasons may be, and what type of support they need. The studies were from high-income countries and were mainly published in the last 10 years. Studies based on school registers from the United States and the United Kingdom clearly showed that children and teenagers with autism had higher risk of school absence than those without autism. Absence was often linked to problems with mental health or additional neurodevelopmental conditions. Several studies also showed that absence in autistic children and adolescents was related to problems in school, like bullying or lack of knowledge about autism. Support programs were only evaluated in a few studies with a small number of study participants. We conclude that more research is needed to better understand why autistic learners are absent and what they need to thrive in school.
Digital Volunteers as Trusted Public Health Communicators
Authors: Dunn Silesky Melissa , Sittig Jennifer , Panchal Darshana , Bonnevie Erika 
Published: December 2023

Background Social media influencers are increasingly being positioned by health campaigns as trusted messengers who can share public health information with their communities. There is also an opportunity for campaigns to work with unpaid, digital volunteers (DVs) who want to use their platforms for good, despite not being compensated. DVs are a cost-effective way of supplementing an influencer-driven messaging campaign. Evaluation Approach Our influencer and DV network, El Beacon, aims to spread pro-COVID-19 vaccination messages on social media to the Hispanic community. Since 2021, 3,001 DVs have been recruited. Process metrics related to DVs are tracked using a variety of software including Facebook ads manager, Sprout Social, and Hubspot. Metrics received include the number of volunteer sign-ups, cost per lead generated, ad performance, organic and paid impressions and engagement of ads and El Beacon social content, newsletter open rates, newsletter clickthrough rates, and newsletter engagement. Implications for practice Understanding best practices for recruiting and retaining DVs for a public health campaign can help other practitioners optimize their experience working with DVs. Some of these best practices include: identify a specific DV target audience that will be most receptive to your message and best reached by your recruitment efforts, be responsive to what resonates with your DVs, be flexible in how you define “network engagement,” and use paid influencers to help build momentum.
Multimodal Prehabilitation for Patients Undergoing Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Coca-Martinez Miquel , St-Pierre Jade , Girsowicz Elie , Doonan Robert J. , Obrand Daniel I. , Bayne Jason P. , Steinmetz Oren K. , Mackenzie Kent S. , Carli Francesco , Martinez-Palli Graciela , Gill Heather L. 
Published: December 2023

Background: Elective treatment options for aortic abdominal aneurysms include open repair or the less-invasive endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Recovery from EVAR is generally considered easier and faster than open repair. Despite this, EVAR remains a major procedure, and average return to preoperative quality of life is at least 3 months. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility of multimodal prehabilitation, a multidisciplinary preoperative optimization intervention, in patients undergoing EVAR and its impact on perioperative functional capacity and quality of life. Methods: Candidates for EVAR with an infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm <7.5cm were invited to participate in a 6-week multimodal prehabilitation program that included (1) supervised and home-based exercise, (2) nutritional support, (3) psychosocial support, and (4) smoking cessation. Functional capacity and quality of life were assessed at baseline, before surgery and 6 weeks postoperatively. Recruitment rate, safety, and compliance were also assessed. Results: A total of 24 patients were included, 17 males (70%) and 7 females (30%). No adverse events occurred during the program. Compliance to each component of the program (median [Q1-Q3]) was 66% [67] for supervised training, 100% [67] for home-based training, and 100% [100] for nutrition. The multimodal prehabilitation program elicited a significant increase in functional capacity and quality of life preoperatively. Conclusion: Multimodal prehabilitation for patients awaiting EVAR is feasible and safe. Multimodal prehabilitation improves both functional capacity and quality of life preoperatively. Further research is needed to assess the impact of multimodal prehabilitation on postoperative quality of life and functional capacity. Clinical Impact Multimodal prehabilitation is safe and feasible in patients awaiting endovascular aneurysm repair. The importance of this finding is that multimodal prehabilitation can be safely delivered preoperatively in patients awaiting EVAR. Although further research is needed, multimodal prehabilitation seems to improve preoperative functional capacity and quality of life. This could have an impact for the future implementation of prehabilitation interventions in order to increase functional reserve and quality of life preoperatively so that this high-risk population can cope better with the surgical stress and return to their normal life faster postoperatively.
Primary Arthrodesis of Non-thumb Metacarpophalangeal Joints of the Hand: Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes
Authors: Rode Matthew M. , Strother Courtney Carlson , Welling Benjamin D. , Rizzo Marco 
Published: December 2023

Background: Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint arthritis is common secondary to a variety of inflammatory, degenerative, and traumatic causes. Although MCP arthroplasty is more common for the second to fifth digits, primary arthrodesis can be used for high-demand patients with arthritis or unsalvageable fractures of the MCP joint. There has been limited recent studies on the outcomes of these patients. Methods: A retrospective review of 38 fingers in 27 patients with primary arthrodesis from 1990 to 2020 was conducted. The major outcomes were complications, reoperations, radiographic union, and time to union. Patient-reported outcomes including the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire and a questionnaire specific to the operative MCP joint were collected. Results: Rate of radiographic union was 84% including revisions. The average time to union was 3.6 months. Rates of complications, reoperation, and amputation were 26%, 16%, and 7%, respectively. Arthrodesis as part of emergent trauma reconstruction was significantly more likely to result in reoperation (50% vs 7%) and complication (63% vs 17%) than chronic arthritis. Patient-reported outcomes were fair to good with improvement in pain (79%), function (66%), and appearance (40%). Sixty-six percent (66%) of patients were satisfied with their surgery, and 73% would repeat the surgery. Conclusion: Arthrodesis for unsalvageable MCP fractures was associated with higher rates of reoperation and complication than inflammatory or degenerative arthritis. Excluding emergent trauma, MCP fusion was reliable with a reoperation rate of 7% and a modest complication rate of 17%. Patients rated reasonable levels of satisfaction and willingness to repeat the procedure despite complications.
Risk factors for interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis: a cohort study from the KOBIO registry
Authors: Min Hong Ki , Kim Se Hee , Lee Sang-Heon , Kim Hae-Rim 
Published: December 2023

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a critical extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, little is known about the risk factors of RA-ILD. Objectives: Here, we examined the effect of demographic, clinical, therapeutic, and environmental factors on the incidence of ILD in RA patients using the Korean College of Rheumatology Biologics and Targeted Therapy (KOBIO) registry. Design: We used data from the KOBIO registry, a multi-center, prospective, observational cohort that included RA patients in South Korea. Methods: RA patients who used biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) or conventional synthetic (cs)DMARDs, and were enrolled in the KOBIO registry, were examined. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic characteristics, as well as medications, were recorded at baseline and annually thereafter. Kaplan–Meier curves and the log-rank test were used to compare the incidence of ILD between RA patients taking different b/tsDMARDs. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated by Cox regression analyses. Results: In total, 2492 patients (1967 in the b/tsDMARDs group and 525 in the csDMARDs group) were analyzed. The b/tsDMARDs group showed longer disease duration, higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate/C-reactive protein, and higher disease activity score-28 (DAS28) than the csDMARDs group. The incidence of ILD was significantly higher in those taking tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and abatacept than in those taking csDMARDs (log ranked p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified older age (HR = 1.057, p = 0.001), male sex (HR = 2.824, p = 0.007), time-averaged DAS28 (HR = 2.241, p < 0.001), and rheumatoid factor titer (HR = 1.009, p = 0.007) as having a significantly increased HR for ILD occurrence. Conclusion: ILD is a rare but critical extra-articular symptom of RA patients. Therefore, RA patients with the above risk factors should be monitored carefully for ILD development.
Fungal empyema thoracis, a rare but an emerging entity: a retrospective case series from Pakistan
Authors: Iqbal Nousheen , Ali Akbar Shoukat , Zahid Aqusa , Jabeen Kausar , Irfan Muhammad 
Published: December 2023

Background and objective: Fungal empyema is a rare entity which is associated with high mortality. It is mostly seen in immune-compromised hosts. However, there is limited data available on fungal empyema from developing countries regarding risk factors, treatment, and outcome. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors, clinical features, treatment, and outcome of fungal empyema. Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed on proven fungal empyema cases, admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan during January 2018 to May 2021. We excluded all those patients with polymicrobial bacterial and fungal empyema or with negative pleural fluid cultures. A preformed questionnaire was filled out for each case. Results: A total of 26 patients were diagnosed with fungal empyema with a mean age of 43.6 ± 20.3 years. Of these, 16 (61.5%) patients were male. Diabetes mellitus was the most frequent comorbidity ( n = 11, 42.3%), followed by hypertension ( n = 9, 34.6%), malignancy ( n = 6, 23.1%), and asthma ( n = 1, 3.8%). Ten (38.5%) patients had multiple comorbidities. Candida spp. was isolated in 21 (80.8%) patients and Aspergillus spp. in 7 (26.9%) patients. Fusarium spp. was isolated from one (3.9%) patient. Video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery was done in 14 (53.8%) patients and 12 (46.1%) patients were managed with tube thoracostomy. Twenty-one (80.8%) patients received antifungal agents. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 38.5% ( n = 10) and all patients developed respiratory failure. Clinical improvement was seen in 16 (61.5%) patients. Conclusion: Our data suggest that fungal empyema has a poor outcome as almost one-third of our patients died. Early diagnosis and intervention can improve outcome.
Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging neurography assessment of diagnostic criteria in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome using electrophysiological tests as gold standard: A prospective study
Authors: Alkaphoury Mona Gamalludin , Dola Eman F 
Published: December 2023

Objectives: Evaluating peripheral neuropathy mainly relies on physical examination, patient history, and electrophysiological studies. High-resolution ultrasound is a fast, noninvasive modality for dynamic nerve assessment that enables the length of the nerve to be examined. Magnetic resonance imaging is preferred for examining deeper nerves with a high contrast resolution; its use shows excellent benefit in patients with atypical presentation, equivocal diagnosis, suspected secondary causes, and postsurgical relapse. We aimed to assess the measurements and criteria for both ultrasound and magnetic resonance neurography for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, based mainly on the three measurements assessed by Buchberger et al. Methods: This prospective study was conducted to test diagnostic accuracy. Thirty-two patients who presented clinically with, and were diagnosed by electrophysiological tests as having, carpal tunnel syndrome participated. Superficial ultrasound of the wrist joint was performed on all participants, followed by magnetic resonance imaging within 1 week of ultrasonography. Results: The three main parameters of cross-sectional area measurement, distal nerve flattening, and flexor retinaculum bowing indices showed positive occurrences of 93.7%, 59.4%, and 59.4%, respectively; 90.6% of patients had decreased nerve echotexture. The diagnostic ability of magnetic resonance imaging was decreased when cross-sectional area measurements were used: positive results were achieved in 81.2% of patients, but the positive results showing the distal tunnel nerve increased flattening and bowed flexor retinaculum slightly decreased to 56.2% for each. A high T2 signal of the median nerve was observed in 90.6% of patients. In an agreement analysis, we found a statistically significant difference that supported the use of ultrasound as a primary diagnostic modality for carpal tunnel syndrome. However, magnetic resonance imaging improved tissue characterization and was a good diagnostic modality, with a statistically significant difference, for cases of secondary carpal tunnel syndrome, detection of the underlying entrapping cause, and early abnormality detection in the innervated muscle. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that ultrasound examination can be used as the first imaging modality after physician evaluation, with results comparable to those of electrophysiological studies for evaluating carpal tunnel syndrome and determining its cause. Magnetic resonance neurography examination is the second step in detecting secondary causes in cases with suspected early muscle denervation changes that cannot be elicited by ultrasound or in cases with equivocal results.
Advances in HIV self-testing: Systematic review of current developments and the road ahead in high-burden countries of Africa
Authors: Mekonnen Habtamu , Manyazewal Tsegahun , Kajogoo Violet Dismas , Getachew Assefa Dawit , Gugsa Bekele Jilcha , Tolossa Debela Dejene 
Published: December 2023

Objectives: Although HIV self-testing technologies have created new opportunities for achieving national and global HIV testing goals, current developments have not been compiled to inform policy and practice, especially in high HIV burden countries of Africa. We aimed to compile and synthesize the evidence about HIV self-testing technologies, strategies, and uptake in the top-10 high HIV burden countries of Africa. Methods: We searched CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Social Science Citation Index, and EMBASE to include eligible articles published in English between January 2012 and November 2022. Results: In total, 865 articles were retrieved and only 16 studies conducted in five African countries were eligible and included in this review. The two types of HIV self-testing modalities presently being used in Africa are: The first is Home Self-Test which is done entirely at home or in another private location by using oral fluid or blood specimen. The second modality is Mail-In Self-Test (self-sampling), where the user collects their own sample and sends this to a laboratory for testing. Perceived opportunities for the uptake of HIV self-testing were autonomy and self-empowerment, privacy, suitability, creating a chance to test, and simplicity of use. The potential barriers to HIV self-testing included fear and worry of a positive test result, concern of the test results is not reliable, low literacy, and potential psychological and social harms. The oral-fluid self-testing is preferred by most users because it is easy to use, less invasive, and painless. The difficulty of instructions on how to use self-test kits, and the presence of different products of HIV self-testing kits, increase rates of user errors. Conclusion: Adopting HIV self-testing by overcoming the challenging potential barriers could enable early detection, care, treatment, and prevention of the disease to achieve the 95-95-95 goal by 2030. Further study is necessary to explore the actual practices related to HIV self-testing among different populations in Africa.