bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of supervised pelvic floor muscle training with a home-based biofeedback device for urinary incontinence in postpartum women: protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Wang Xiuqi , Sun Zhijing , Xu Tao , Fan Guorong 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionSupervised pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) of at least 3 months duration has been strongly recommended as a first-line treatment for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or SUI-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), including elderly and postnatal women. However, for the treatment of SUI and MUI in postpartum women, it is currently uncertain whether supervised PFMT combined with a biofeedback device is superior to PFMT alone. Despite some supportive results, more reliable evidence is lacking.Methods and analysisThe study is designed as a multicentre assessor-blinded parallel-group randomised controlled trial comparing the efficacy of PFMT with a home-based pressure-mediated biofeedback device (intervention group) and that of at-home PFMT alone (control group) for women with new-onset SUI or SUI-predominant MUI after delivery. Five hundred eligible women from the obstetric outpatient clinics of five tertiary hospitals will be randomly allocated (1:1) and evaluated with repeated questionnaires, physical examinations and pelvic floor assessments at baseline (pretest), 3 months, 6 months and 12 months (postintervention) during the study period. Both groups will be instructed to follow the same training protocol under 3-month supervision after randomisation. The use of a biofeedback device with a self-assessment function will be added to the PFMT regime for patients in the intervention group. The primary outcome is the self-reported severity of urinary incontinence assessed through the short form of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Urinary Incontinence. Secondary outcomes include pelvic muscle support and strength, symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, quality of life, sexual function, self-efficacy and adherence.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been received from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital ethics committee (JS-3192D). All results from the study will be submitted to international journals and international conferences.Trial registration numberNCT05115864.
Testing the effectiveness of a mobile approach avoidance intervention and measuring approach biases in an ecological momentary assessment context: study protocol for a randomised-controlled trial
Authors: Aulbach Matthias Burkard , van Alebeek Hannah , Kahveci Sercan , Blechert Jens 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionUnhealthy eating behaviour is a major contributor to obesity and related diseases and is associated with a behavioural bias to approach rather than avoid desired foods, as measured with reaction time tasks. Approach-avoidance interventions (AAIs) have been proposed as a way to modify food evaluations and help people to eat in accordance with their dietary goals. Mobile implementations of AAI might be easily accessible, low threshold interventions, but their effectiveness has not been established yet.Methods and analysisParticipants who aim to change their eating behaviour are randomised to intervention or control groups. They complete six sessions of a smartphone-based AAI, in which they push (ie, avoid) or pull (ie, approach) personalised food images. Intervention group participants always avoid foods that they personally want to eat less often and approach foods that they personally want to eat more often. In the control group, images are paired equally often with both response directions. To evaluate contextual and dynamic intervention effects, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is measured throughout, with questions about food intake, hunger, stress, emotions, eating intentions, food craving and impulsivity twice a day. Additional EMA preintervention and postintervention measures are administered before and after the intervention phase (4 days each) with a 1-day follow-up EMA 4 weeks after the intervention. Multilevel models will examine the temporal covariance between approach bias and self-reported variables as well as short-term and long-term intervention effects on approach bias, food intake and craving.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Salzburg. Results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at scientific conferences.Trial registration numberGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS, registration number DRKS00030780.
Oral anticoagulant switching in patients with atrial fibrillation: a scoping review
Authors: Adelakun Adenike R , Turgeon Ricky D , De Vera Mary A , McGrail Kimberlyn , Loewen Peter S 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionOral anticoagulants (OACs) prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Several factors may cause OAC switching.ObjectivesTo examine the phenomenon of OAC switching in patients with AF, including all available evidence; frequency and patterns of switch, clinical outcomes, adherence, patient-reported outcomes, reasons for switch, factors associated with switch and evidence gaps.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science, up to January 2022.ResultsOf the 116 included studies, 2/3 examined vitamin K antagonist (VKA) to direct-acting OAC (DOAC) switching. Overall, OAC switching was common and the definition of an OAC switch varied across. Switching from VKA to dabigatran was the most prevalent switch type, but VKA to apixaban has increased in recent years. Patients on DOAC switched more to warfarin than to other DOACs. OAC doses involved in the switches were hardly reported and patients were often censored after the first switch. Switching back to a previously taken OAC (frequently warfarin) occurred in 5%–21% of switchers.The risk of ischaemic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding in VKA to DOAC switchers compared with non-switchers was conflicting, while there was no difference in the risk of other types of bleeding. The risk of ischaemic stroke in switchers from DOAC versus non-switchers was conflicting. Studies evaluating adherence found no significant changes in adherence after switching from VKA to DOAC, however, an increase in satisfaction with therapy were reported. Reasons for OAC switch, and factors associated with OAC switch were mostly risk factors for stroke and bleeding. Clinical outcomes, adherence and patient-reported outcomes were sparse for switches from DOACs.ConclusionsOAC switching is common in patients with AF and patients often switch back to an OAC they have previously been on. There are aspects of OAC switching that have received little study, especially in switches from DOACs.
Hemodynamic assessment for intracranial atherosclerosis from angiographic images: a clinical validation study
Authors: Yang Pengfei , Wan Shu , Wang Jun , Hu Yumeng , Ma Ning , Wang Xiaohui , Zhang Yongwei , Zhang Lei , Zhu Xuan , Shen Fang , Zheng Qian , Wang Ming , Leng Xiaochang , Fiehler Jens , Siddiqui Adnan H , Miao Zhongrong , Xiang Jianping , Liu Jianmin 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundIntracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is one of the leading causes of ischemic stroke. Conventional anatomical analysis by CT angiography, MRI, or digital subtraction angiography can provide valuable information on the anatomical changes of stenosis; however, they are not sufficient to accurately evaluate the hemodynamic severity of ICAS. The goal of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of the pressure ratio across intracranial stenoses (termed as fractional flow (FF)) derived from cerebral angiography for the diagnosis of hemodynamically significant ICAS defined by pressure wire-derived FF.MethodsThis retrospective study represents a feasible and reliable method for calculating the FF from cerebral angiography (AccuFFicas). Patients (n=121) who had undergone wire-based measurement of FF and cerebral angiography were recruited. The accuracy of the computed pressure ratio was evaluated using wire-based FF as the reference standard.ResultsThe mean value of wire-based FF was 0.78±0.19, while the computed AccuFFicas had an average value of 0.79±0.18. Good correlation (Pearson’s correlation coefficientr=0.92, P<0.001) between AccuFFicas and FF was observed. Bland–Altman analysis showed that the mean difference between AccuFFicas and FF was −0.01±0.07, indicating good agreement. The area under the curve (AUC) of AccuFFicas in predicting FF≤0.70, FF≤0.75, and FF≤0.80 was 0.984, 0.986, and 0.962, respectively.ConclusionAngiography-based FF computed from cerebral angiographic images could be an effective computational tool for evaluating the hemodynamic significance of ICAS.
Low protection from breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection and mild disease course in ocrelizumab-treated patients with multiple sclerosis after three mRNA vaccine doses
Authors: Novak Frederik , Bajwa Hamza Mahmood , Coia John Eugenio , Nilsson Anna Christine , Nielsen Christian , Holm Dorte K , Østergaard Kamilla , Hvidt Mathilde Vilhelmine Miller , Byg Keld-Erik , Johansen Isik S , Mittl Kristen , Rowles William , Zamvil Scott S , Bove Riley , Sabatino Joseph J , Sejbaek Tobias 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundOur study investigated the rate of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection and clinical outcomes in a cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who were treated with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (Ab), ocrelizumab, before first, second and third BNT162b2 mRNA vaccinations. To correlate clinical outcomes with the humoral and cellular response.MethodsThe study was a prospective non-randomised controlled multicentre trial observational study. Participants with a diagnosis of MS who were treated for at least 12 months with ocrelizumab prior to the first BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination were prospectively followed up from January 2021 to June 2022.ResultsOut of 54 participants, 32 (59.3%) developed a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test in the study period. Mild infection was observed in all infected participants. After the third vaccination, the non-infected participants had higher mean Ab levels compared to the infected participants (54.3 binding antibody unit (BAU)/mL vs 26.5 BAU/mL, p=0.030). The difference in reactivity between spike-specific CD4+and CD8+T lymphocytes in the two groups was not significant.Conclusion and relevanceThe study results demonstrate rates of 59% in breakthrough infections after the third SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in ocrelizumab-treated patients with MS, without resulting in critical disease courses. These findings suggest the need for continuous development of prophylactic treatments when proved important in the protection of severe breakthrough infection.
Repair of joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis does not relate to previous suppression of inflammation: a subanalysis after 8 years treat-to-target in the BeSt-trial
Authors: van der Pol Joy Ardjuna , Akdemir Gülşah , van den Broek Marianne , Dirven Linda , Kerstens Pit J S M , Lems Willem F , Markusse Iris M , Huizinga Tom W J , Allaart Cornelia F 
Published: April 2023

ObjectivesTo investigate whether repair of erosions and joint space narrowing (JSN) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs and whether clinical variables predict this.MethodsEight-year follow-up data of the BeSt-study were used. Patients with recent onset RA (1987 criteria) were randomised to four treatment strategies and treated-to-target (Disease Activity Score (DAS)≤2.4). Yearly radiographs of hands and feet were scored in non-chronological order by four independent readers, using the Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS). Damage repair was defined as a negative ΔSHS in an individual joint, seen by ≥3 out of 4 readers and persisting ≥2 consecutive years. Associations between repair and DAS, prednisone use, infliximab use, anticitrullinated protein antibody, gender, age, body mass index, symptom duration and randomisation arm were investigated with logistic regression analyses, corrected for mean SHS.ResultsRepair was seen in 17 patients (5.3%); 10 had regression of JSN, 7 of erosions, none had both. There were no significant associations in any of the regression analyses.ConclusionAfter 8 years of treatment to target DAS≤2.4 in 508 patients with recent onset RA, repair of JSN and erosions was seen in 17/320 patients (5.3%). Probably due to the rarity of repair, we found no associations with suppression of disease activity or other predictors and repair.
Tobacco industry interference to undermine the development and implementation of graphic health warnings in Bangladesh
Authors: Shahriar Md Hasan , Hasan Md Mehedi , Alam Md Shahedul , Matthes Britta K , Gilmore Anna B , Zubair A B M 
Published: April 2023

Background

In Bangladesh, the 2013 Amendment of the Tobacco Control Act made graphic health warnings (GHWs) on the
upper
50% of all tobacco packs obligatory. However, at the time of writing (May 2022), GHWs are still being printed on the
lower
50% of packs. This paper seeks to explore how the tobacco industry undermined the development and implementation of GHWs in Bangladesh, a country known for a high level of tobacco industry interference (TII) that has rarely been examined in the peer-reviewed literature.

Methods
Analysis of print and electronic media articles and documents.

Results
Cigarette companies actively opposed GHWs, while bidi companies did not. The primary strategy used to influence the formulation and delay the implementation of GHWs was direct lobbying by the Bangladesh Cigarette Manufacturers’ Association and British American Tobacco Bangladesh. Their arguments stressed the economic benefits of tobacco to Bangladesh and sought to create confusion about the impact of GHWs, for example, claiming that GHWs would obscure tax banderols, thus threatening revenue collection. They also claimed technical barriers to implementation—that new machinery would be needed—leading to delays. Tensions between government bodies were identified, one of which (National Board of Revenue)—seemingly close to cigarette companies and representing their arguments—sought to influence others to adopt industry-preferred positions. Finally, although tobacco control advocates were partially successful in counteracting TII, one self-proclaimed tobacco control group, whose nature remains unclear, threatened the otherwise united approach.

Conclusions
The strategies cigarette companies used closely resemble key techniques from the well-evidenced tobacco industry playbook. The study underlines the importance of continuing monitoring and investigations into industry conduct and suspicious actors. Prioritising the implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3 is crucial for advancing tobacco control, particularly in places like Bangladesh, where close government–industry links exist.
Black holes and nilmanifolds: quasinormal modes as the fingerprints of extra dimensions?
Authors: Chrysostomou Anna , Cornell Alan , Deandrea Aldo , Ligout Étienne , Tsimpis Dimitrios 
Published: April 2023

AbstractWe investigate whether quasinormal modes (QNMs) can be used in the search for signatures of extra dimensions. To address a gap in the Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) literature, we focus here on higher dimensions characterised by negative Ricci curvature. As a first step, we consider a product space comprised of a four-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole space-time and a three-dimensional nilmanifold (twisted torus); we model the black hole perturbations as a scalar test field. We suggest that the extra-dimensional geometry can be stylised in the QNM effective potential as a squared mass-like term representing the Kaluza–Klein (KK) spectrum. We then compute the corresponding QNM spectrum using three different numerical methods, and determine a possible “detectability bound” beyond which KK masses cannot be detected using QNMs.
Charged particle dynamics in parabolic magnetosphere around Schwarzschild black hole
Authors: Kološ Martin , Shahzadi Misbah , Tursunov Arman 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe study of charged particle dynamics in the combined gravitational and magnetic field can provide important theoretical insight into astrophysical processes around black holes. In this paper, we explore the charged particle dynamics in parabolic magnetic field configuration around Schwarzschild black hole, since the paraboloidal shapes of magnetic field lines around black holes are well motivated by the numerical simulations and supported by observations of relativistic jets. Analysing the stability of bounded orbits and using the effective potential approach, we show the possibility of existence of stable circular off-equatorial orbits around the symmetry axis. We also show the influence of radiation reaction force on the dynamics of charged particles, in particular on the chaoticity of the motion and Poincaré sections, oscillatory frequencies, and emitted electromagnetic spectrum. Applied to Keplerian accretion disks, we show that in parabolic magnetic field configuration, the thin accretion configurations can be either destroyed or transformed into a thick toroidal structure given the radiation reaction and electromagnetic-disk interactions included. Calculating the Fourier spectra for radiating charged particle trajectories, we find that the radiation reaction force does not affect the main frequency peaks, however, it lowers the higher harmonics making the spectrum more flat and diluted in high frequency range.
On geometrical interpretation of alignment phenomenon
Authors: Lokhtin I. P. , Nikolskii A. V. , Snigirev A. M. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe observed alignment of spots in the X-ray films in cosmic ray emulsion experiments is analyzed and interpreted in the framework of geometrical approach. It is shown that the high degree of alignment can appear partly due to the selection procedure of most energetic particles itself and the threshold on the energy deposition together with the transverse momentum conservation.
THE ECONOMIC POLICY UNCERTAINTY EXTREME DYNAMICS AND ITS EFFECT ON THE EXCHANGE RATE
Authors: GOHAR RAHEEL , OSMAN MOHAMED , UCHE EMMANUEL , AUXILIA P. A. MARY , CHANG BISHARAT HUSSAIN 
Published: April 2023

The effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on other macroeconomic and financial variables has been the subject of prior research investigations. However, a dearth of work explicitly examines the connection between EPU exchange rate changes. By utilizing both nonlinear ARDL (NARDL) and multiple threshold NARDL (MTNARDL) models, we add to the body of literature by analyzing the nonlinear impact of EPU on exchange rates. The MTNARDL model, which distinguishes between the impacts of very small changes in the EPU from very large changes in the EPU on the exchange rate, is an expanded version of the NARDL model. The MTNARDL results confirm an asymmetric effect of EPU on exchange rates in the long run for all sample countries, contrary to the NARDL estimates, which show that EPU has an asymmetric effect in Brazil, Turkey, and China only. Similarly, only one country is supported by NARDL estimates for the short-run asymmetric effect, but MTNARDL estimates support the effect in five countries. Therefore, in our study, the MTNARDL model aids the prior literature in examining the more comprehensive impact of EPU on the exchange rates.
First record of
Rhaphidopteris
(Gymnospermae) from the Lower Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, NW China
Authors: Yang Xiao-Ju 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Newly discovered foliage of
Rhaphidopteri
s
zhouii
sp. nov. from the Lower Jurassic Sangonghe Formation at the Haojiagou section in the Junggar Basin of Xinjiang, northwestern China, is investigated based on morphological characters and cuticular structure. The new species has anisotomically divided leaves and linear ultimate segments with a single vein; amphistomatic cuticle, with epidermal cells that are similar both on the upper and lower surfaces but more regular on the upper surface; stomata that are distributed densely on the lower cuticle and sparsely and confined to two bands near the lateral margin on the upper cuticle; and anomocytic stomata that are longitudinally oriented with four to six subsidiary cells of irregular shape and size. This is the first report of the genus
Rhaphidopteris
from Xinjiang. The gross morphology and epidermal characters of the new species improves our understanding of the morpho-heterogenus
Rhaphidopteri
s.
Clinicopathologic, Genomic, and Immunophenotypic Landscape of ATM Mutations in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Ricciuti Biagio , Elkrief Arielle , Alessi Joao , Wang Xinan , Li Yvonne , Gupta Hersh , Muldoon Daniel M. , Bertram Arrien A. , Pecci Federica , Lamberti Giuseppe , Di Federico Alessandro , Barrichello Adriana , Vaz Victor R. , Gandhi Malini , Lee Elinton , Shapiro Geoffrey I. , Park Hyesun , Nishino Mizuki , Lindsay James , Felt Kristen D. , Sharma Bijaya , Cherniack Andrew D. , Rodig Scott , Gomez Daniel R. , Shaverdian Narek , Rakaee Mehrdad , Bandlamudi Chaitanya , Ladanyi Marc , Janne Pasi A. , Schoenfeld Adam J. , Sholl Lynette M. , Awad Mark M. , Cheng Michael L. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Purpose:
ATM is the most commonly mutated DNA damage and repair gene in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, limited characterization has been pursued.

Experimental Design:
Clinicopathologic, genomic, and treatment data were collected for 5,172 patients with NSCLC tumors which underwent genomic profiling. ATM IHC was performed on 182 NSCLCs with ATM mutations. Multiplexed immunofluorescence was performed on a subset of 535 samples to examine tumor-infiltrating immune cell subsets.

Results:
A total of 562 deleterious ATM mutations were identified in 9.7% of NSCLC samples. ATM-mutant (ATMMUT) NSCLC was significantly associated with female sex (P = 0.02), ever smoking status (P &lt; 0.001), non-squamous histology (P = 0.004), and higher tumor mutational burden (DFCI, P &lt; 0.0001; MSK, P &lt; 0.0001) compared with ATM–wild-type (ATMWT) cases. Among 3,687 NSCLCs with comprehensive genomic profiling, co-occurring KRAS, STK11, and ARID2 oncogenic mutations were significantly enriched among ATMMUT NSCLCs (Q &lt; 0.05), while TP53 and EGFR mutations were enriched in ATMWT NSCLCs. Among 182 ATMMUT samples with ATM IHC, tumors with nonsense, insertions/deletions, or splice site mutations were significantly more likely to display ATM loss by IHC (71.4% vs. 28.6%; P &lt; 0.0001) compared with tumors with only predicted pathogenic missense mutations. Clinical outcomes to PD-(L)1 monotherapy (N = 1,522) and chemo-immunotherapy (N = 951) were similar between ATMMUT and ATMWT NSCLCs. Patients with concurrent ATM/TP53 mutations had significantly improved response rate and progression-free survival with PD-(L)1 monotherapy.

Conclusions:
Deleterious ATM mutations defined a subset of NSCLC with unique clinicopathologic, genomic, and immunophenotypic features. Our data may serve as resource to guide interpretation of specific ATM mutations in NSCLC.
CD16+ Macrophages: An Emerging Biomarker for Combined CTLA-4 and PD-1 Blockade
Authors: Smithy James W. , Luke Jason J. 
Published: April 2023

Summary
In a retrospective analysis of patients with unresectable melanoma, higher pretreatment tissue densities of CD16+ macrophages were associated with clinical benefit from combined CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade. With further validation, this biomarker could serve as a tool in selecting between immune checkpoint inhibitor regimens.
See related article by Lee et al., p. 2513