Special Supplement Research Articles

ADRF Special Research Supplement December 2024.

ADRF Special Research Supplement December 2024.

Development of Measures for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Stigma: Introduction to the Special Supplement on Stigma Measurement Tools.

People who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/DHH) often experience stigma and discrimination in their daily lives. Qualitative research describing their lived experiences has provided useful, in-depth insights into the pervasiveness of stigma. Quantitative measures could facilitate further investigation of the scope of this phenomenon. Thus, under the auspices of the Lancet Commission on Hearing Loss, we developed and preliminarily validated survey measures of different types of stigma related to d/Deafness and hearing loss in the United States (a high-income country) and Ghana (a lower-middle income country). In this introductory article, we first present working definitions of the different types of stigma; an overview of what is known about stigma in the context of hearing loss; and the motivation underlying the development of measures that capture different types of stigma from the perspectives of different key groups. We then describe the mixed-methods exploratory sequential approach used to develop the stigma measures for several key groups: people who are d/DHH, parents of children who are d/DHH, care partners of people who are d/DHH, healthcare providers, and the general population. The subsequent manuscripts in this special supplement of Ear and Hearing describe the psychometric validation of the various stigma scales developed using these methods.

Preface.

The field of diuretic therapy has witnessed significant advancements over the decades. Loop diuretics and other diuretic agents are crucial in the management of various conditions characterized by fluid overload. Torsemide, a loop diuretic agent, has unique pharmacological properties, safety profiles, and varied clinical applications. This special journal supplement aims to provide a comprehensive examination of torsemide, highlighting its role in contemporary medical practice.

Research Agenda and Applications for Preliminarily Validated Measures of d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Stigma.

In this special supplement of Ear and Hearing, we have presented preliminarily validated measures for stigma related to being d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/DHH) in the United States and Ghana. In this concluding article, we suggest avenues for the future refinement and use of these measures. First, the measures should be further validated. Second, they should be used to assess the current state of d/DHH stigma and the importance of different kinds of stigma in different populations, which should in turn drive the development of interventions to reduce d/DHH stigma. Third, these measures can assist in evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of those interventions. The evidence from this work can then inform investment cases and cost-of-condition studies, which will support advocacy efforts and policy development for reducing stigma and improving the lives of people who are d/DHH.

Revealing the Potency of Growth Factors in Bovine Colostrum.

Colostrum is a nutritious milk synthesized by mammals during the postpartum period, and its rich bioactive components has led to a global increase in the consumption of bovine colostrum as a supplement. Bovine colostrum contains key components such as immunoglobulins, oligosaccharides, lactoferrin and lysozyme. It is a special supplement source due to its natural, high bioavailability and high concentrations of growth factors. Growth factors are critical to many physiological functions, and considering its presence in the colostrum, further research must be conducted on its safe application in many bodily disorders. Growth factors contribute to wound healing, muscle and bone development, and supporting growth in children. Additionally, the molecular mechanisms have been explored, highlighting the growth factors roles in cell proliferation, tissue regeneration, and the regulation of immune responses. These findings are crucial for understanding the potential health effects of bovine colostrum, ensuring its safe use, and forming a basis for future clinical applications. This review article examines the growth factors concentration in bovine colostrum, their benefits, clinical studies, and molecular mechanisms.

Let them talk and we listen: what are diseases of neglected people?

This article is a reflection from a person with lived experience of leprosy, who has been working as a global advocate and champion for the rights of persons affected by neglected tropical diseases for the last decade. Synthesising learning from the collection of pieces included within this special supplement that are written from the perspective of people affected by neglected tropical diseases, I argue that it is time to centre the lived experiences of people affected by neglected tropical diseases. These are diseases of neglected people, and it is now time to let them talk while we listen.

How resilient were family planning programs during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from 70 countries.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic fears of severe disruptions to family planning (FP) and access to services abounded. This paper uses a unique data source, a special Supplement added to the 2021 round of the National Composite Index for Family Planning (NCIFP), to assess in depth the resilience of FP programs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic across 70 countries spanning six regions. The 2021 NCIFP included 961 key informants who were asked questions to assess interference in the countries' ability to achieve objectives, ability to maintain commitment to FP, and availability of information and services. Open ended responses added context. All programs were affected; the magnitude of effects varies by region and country. While the average resilience score, at 47 out of 100, implies middling levels of resilience, further analysis showed that despite interference in many components of programming, with some exceptions, the COVID-19 pandemic generally did not diminish government commitment to FP and programs remained resilient in providing access to services. Common themes mentioned by 178 respondents (18.5% of respondents) included: fear of infection; disruption of services / difficulty with lockdown and travel restrictions; staff / facilities diverted to COVID-19; access to reproductive health services and contraceptive methods affected; shifts in services / outreach; interference with logistics & supplies, training & supervision, and M&E; lack of attention to FP/sexual reproductive health; financing reduced or diverted; and effects on existing partnerships. A strong enabling environment for FP, which the NCIFP is designed to measure, was positively correlated with continued government commitment and access to contraceptive methods during COVID-19. These findings are instructive for programming: it will face challenges and 'interference' when unanticipated shocks like COVID-19 occur, with strong FP programs best prepared to exhibit resilience.

Correction of manifestations of psychoemotional stress in students: meditative techniques in combination with pharmacological support in the martial art of ju-jutsu

The goal is to substantiate and experimentally verify the effectiveness of the combined meditative-pharmacological methodology of relieving emotional stress in students of higher education institutions during Ju-jutsu martial arts classes. Methodology: analysis and generalization of educational and methodological literature, systematization of scientific data, generalization of practical experience, comparison of different views on the investigated problem; pedagogical survey for the purpose of studying the level of stress resistance. Scientific novelty. An analysis of modern scientific and scientific-methodological literature was carried out and factors influencing the mental health of students were investigated, in particular, the severity of manifestations of psycho-emotional stress during studies in institutions of higher education, and the negative impact of this phenomenon on the functional state of organs and systems of the body was proven. deterioration of health and quality of life. The expediency of using meditative techniques to reduce the severity of stressful manifestations is shown. For the first time in the practice of martial arts, a combination of meditation was used during the training process of students engaged in the martial art of ju-jutsu to reduce the severity of manifestations of stress, and the use of a special nutritional supplement with a neuroprotective focus "Acetyl-L-carnitine" to correct the manifestations of emotional stress that occurs in students of higher education institutions during their studies. Conclusions. To reduce the manifestations of stress, students use means that not only do not correspond to the prevention of mental health, but also often have a negative effect on it (nicotine, alcohol, drugs, physical and mental overload, etc.). For this purpose, the use of meditative techniques in combination with special neuroprotective agents significantly helps to reduce the severity of manifestations of psychoemotional stress of university students.

How resilient were family planning programs during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from 70 countries

Background: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic fears of severe disruptions to family planning (FP) and access to services abounded. This paper uses a unique data source, a special Supplement added to the 2021 round of the National Composite Index for Family Planning (NCIFP), to assess in depth the resilience of FP programs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic across 70 countries spanning six regions. Methods: The 2021 NCIFP included 961 key informants who were asked questions to assess interference in the countries’ ability to achieve objectives, ability to maintain commitment to FP, and availability of information and services. Open ended responses added context. Results: All programs were affected; the magnitude of effects varies by region and country. While the average resilience score, at 47 out of 100, implies middling levels of resilience, further analysis showed that despite interference in many components of programming, with some exceptions, the COVID-19 pandemic generally did not diminish government commitment to FP and programs remained resilient in providing access to services. Common themes mentioned by 178 respondents (18.5% of respondents) included: fear of infection; disruption of services / difficulty with lockdown and travel restrictions; staff / facilities diverted to COVID-19; access to reproductive health services and contraceptive methods affected; shifts in services / outreach; interference with logistics & supplies, training & supervision, and M&E; lack of attention to FP/sexual reproductive health; financing reduced or diverted; and effects on existing partnerships. A strong enabling environment for FP, which the NCIFP is designed to measure, was positively correlated with continued government commitment and access to contraceptive methods during COVID-19. Conclusion: These findings are instructive for programming: it will face challenges and ‘interference’ when unanticipated shocks like COVID-19 occur, with strong FP programs best prepared to exhibit resilience.

South Asian Transplant Infectious Disease Guidelines for Solid Organ Transplant Candidates, Recipients, and Donors.

These guidelines discuss the epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, posttransplant prophylaxis, monitoring, and management of endemic infections in solid organ transplant (SOT) candidates, recipients, and donors in South Asia. The guidelines also provide recommendations for SOT recipients traveling to this region. These guidelines are based on literature review and expert opinion by transplant physicians, surgeons, and infectious diseases specialists, mostly from South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka) as well as transplant experts from other countries. These guidelines cover relevant endemic bacterial infections (tuberculosis, leptospirosis, melioidosis, typhoid, scrub typhus), viral infections (hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E; rabies; and the arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Japanese encephalitis), endemic fungal infections (mucormycosis, histoplasmosis, talaromycosis, sporotrichosis), and endemic parasitic infections (malaria, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis, strongyloidiasis, and filariasis) as well as travelers' diarrhea and vaccination for SOT candidates and recipients including travelers visiting this region. These guidelines are intended to be an overview of each topic; more detailed reviews are being published as a special supplement in the Indian Journal of Transplantation .

Next steps: Operationalizing resilience research.

The National Institutes of Health have recently gathered internal and external input towards a shared understanding of resilience in the wide context of human health and the biomedical sciences that would help accelerate advances in human health and its maintenance. We suggest the current view that resilience refers in general to a system's capacity to recover, grow, adapt, or resist perturbation from a challenge or stressor. To help harmonize the design and reporting of resilience research studies across multiple domains we have developed and are proposing a Resilience Research Design (ResD) Tool. Researchers can use the Resilience ResD Tool to proceed through a flowchart of six questions that will guide identification of key features in a resilience research study. Through this special supplement, we have shown the application of the Resilience ResD Tool and suggest opportunities and gaps with respect to next steps towards operationalizing resilience research.

The WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (Health EDRM RN)

Introduction:WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network (Health EDRM RN) is a global expert network, launched in 2018, aiming to strengthen the scientific evidence for managing health risks associated with all types of emergencies and disasters, and to foster global collaboration among academia, government officials and other stakeholders. The Health EDRM RN’s activities are in line with WHO Health EDRM Framework, which support Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.Method:Health EDRM RN’s strategic direction is discussed and advised by its Core Group that consists of focal points of WHO HQ responsible unit, all six Regional Offices, WHO Center for Health Development (Secretariat), RN co-chairs, and key external stakeholders. Based on the strategic direction, the Secretariat facilitates global, regional, and local collaborative activities with the RN participants and partners. As of 2022, over 250 global experts participate in the network.Results:Following the results of the Core Group Meeting in 2019, 2020 and 2021, multiple activities and results were generated including the identification of five Health EDRM key research areas. WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health EDRM developed in collaboration with over 150 global experts, initiation of the project to establish WHO Health EDRM Knowledge Hub for developing WHO Health EDRM Research Agenda and aligning with UNDRR research agenda on thematic areas including developing a special supplement on mid-term review of Sendai Framework implementation in health. The 2022 Core Group Meeting, held on October 27, 2022, agreed to promote knowledge dissemination and implementation research for better outputs for regions and countries.Conclusion:WHO Health EDRM RN will continue its unique function as the platform of global experts and stakeholders to produce, disseminate, and apply knowledge. Participation and engagement by more and broader experts are expected.

Imagining the Future of Digital Publishing

As a journal founded by graduate students in one of the few visual studies programs in the United States, Refract has always sought to consider its own role within its relatively new and often-contested disciplinary field. This focus on the possibilities and limitations of visual studies methodologies is exemplified by our Voices of Visual Studies section, an ongoing, cross-volume conversation between diverse practitioners. However, we have had fewer discussions about the implications of our open access digital publication method, despite the fact that such a format also represents a relatively novel approach to scholarly production. While Refract’s founding editors debated the merits and drawbacks of digital publication, the majority of our conversations in subsequent years have centered on the goal of increasing accessibility: our digital team has worked to ensure that Refract’s format is compatible with evolving screen reader technology and that we are producing effective alt text, for example.Recent funding from The Humanities Institute (THI) at our home campus, the University of California, Santa Cruz, has given us an opportunity to extend these preliminary efforts and deepen our understanding of the stakes of digital publishing by producing a special supplement titled “Imagining the Future of Digital Publishing.”

Northern Ireland’s legal order after Brexit

Editor's 'Introduction' to the Special Supplement on Northern Ireland’s Legal Order after Brexit.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis and attenuate sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy

ObjectivesSepsis can cause myocardial injury, which is one of the leading causes of death in critically ill patients. Fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in ultralong chains has immunomodulatory effects and can inhibit the production of various critically ill proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, this study focused on whether ω-3 PUFAs have a protective effect on sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC). MethodsMale 6-8 weeks old C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with 3% special fish oil supplement rat food for seven consecutive days prior to surgery. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was perfromed to induce polymicrobial sepsis.The cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography, apoptosis of cardiomyocyte were detected by TUNEL assay and Western blotting, and the level of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in plasma was determined 24h after CLP. ResultsPretreatment with omega-3 PUFAs attenuated cardiomyocyte apoptosis, decreased the production of proinflammatory cytokines, attenuated the SIC, and improved the survival rate of septic mice induced by CLP. Conclusionsω-3 PUFAs alleviate SIC through attenuating cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which provides a new direction for the prevention and treatment of SIC.

Introduction and overview of radiofrequency treatments in aesthetic dermatology.

In this introductory article to this special supplement in radiofrequency (RF), we aim to summarize the scientific foundation of RF therapy and its role in aesthetic dermatology. Monopolar, bipolar, and multipolar RF systems are described in detail, along with the different delivery methods such as stamping, dynamic or continuous movement, fractional, fractionated (FR) needling, and non-contact devices as well as the minimally invasive platforms that use subdermal probes. The characteristics of different tissues and the technical parameters that influence the effect of RF therapy, such as the penetration of energy, are summarized. This article expands on the various treatment applications for these devices and the mechanism of action behind skin and adipose tissue remodeling, and also discussed are safety concerns, treatment endpoints, and specific considerations when using RF therapy to provide effective treatment outcomes with reduced patient downtime.

The Shigella Vaccines Pipeline.

Shigella is the leading cause of global diarrheal deaths that currently lacks a licensed vaccine. Shigellosis drives antimicrobial resistance and leads to economic impact through linear growth faltering. Today, there is a robust pipeline of vaccines in clinical development which are broadly divided into parenteral glycoconjugate vaccines, consisting of O-antigen conjugated to carrier proteins, and oral live attenuated vaccines, which incorporate targeted genetic mutations seeking to optimize the balance between reactogenicity, immunogenicity and ultimately protection. Proof of efficacy has previously been shown with both approaches but for various reasons no vaccine has been licensed to date. In this report, we outline the requirements for a Shigella vaccine and describe the current pipeline in the context of the many candidates that have previously failed or been abandoned. The report refers to papers from individual vaccine developers in this special supplement of Vaccines which is focused on Shigella vaccines. Once readouts of safety and immunogenicity from current trials of lead candidate vaccines among the target population of young children in low- and middle-income countries are available, the likely time to licensure of a first Shigella vaccine will become clearer.

Solution of the Thermoelastic Problem for a Two-Dimensional Curved Beam with Bimodular Effects

In classical thermoelasticity, the bimodular effect of materials is rarely considered. However, all materials will present, in essence, different properties in tension and compression, more or less. The bimodular effect is generally ignored only for simple analysis. In this study, we theoretically analyze a two-dimensional curved beam with a bimodular effect and under mechanical and thermal loads. We first establish a simplified model on a subarea in tension and compression. On the basis of this model, we adopt the Duhamel similarity theorem to change the initial thermoelastic problem as an elasticity problem without the thermal effect. The superposition of the special solution and supplement solution of the Lamé displacement equation enables us to satisfy the boundary conditions and stress continuity conditions of the bimodular curved beam, thus obtaining a two-dimensional thermoelastic solution. The results indicate that the solution obtained can reduce to bimodular curved beam problems without thermal loads and to the classical Golovin solution. In addition, the bimodular effect on thermal stresses is discussed under linear and non-linear temperature rise modes. Specially, when the compressive modulus is far greater than the tensile modulus, a large compressive stress will occur at the inner edge of the curved beam, which should be paid with more attention in the design of the curved beams in a thermal environment.

Microbial Fertilization Improves Soil Health When Compared to Chemical Fumigation in Sweet Lily.

Lanzhou Lily(Lilium davidii) var. unicolor, which is also known as sweet lily in China, is used as a type of food. This lily is distributed in narrow regions, propagates asexually, cultivates perennially, and cultivates commonly in serious consecutive replant problems (CRPs). Soil fumigation is commonly used to control soil-borne disease to alleviate crops’ consecutive replant problems (CRPs). However, due to the improper fumigation application, it is common to cause chemical hazard to crops. In this study, we designed a two-factor experiment to explore the bacterial and fungal community structure and some specific microbial groups in the lily rhizosphere soil after chemical versus bacterial fertilizer treatments, by using a metagenomic analysis of the treated soils. The results showed that metham-sodium soil fumigation (SMF treatment) significantly decreased plant growth, as well as it significantly decreased both soil fungal diversity and abundance at the OTUs levels, while Special 8™ microbial fertilizer supplement (MF treatment) significantly improved plant growth and increased fungal diversity and abundance. Under FM treatment, Chao1 richness and Shannon’s diversity increased by 6.70% and 35.09% compared to CK (no treatment). However, the bacterial diversity and abundance were not significantly changed among these treatments. The fungal and bacterial community structure were different in all treatments. In SMF treatment, the pathogenic fungal species Fusarium oxysporum increased compared to CK, but it significantly decreased in MF treatment; in MF and MMF treatments, some beneficial bacteria groups such as the bacterial phylum Proteobacteria and its member genus Sphingomonas, as well as the fungal genus Mortierella, increased compared to CK and SFM treatments, but the harmful bacterial genera Gemmatimona was decreased, as well as the harmful fungal genus Cryptococcus. Thus, we concluded that under chemical fumigation conditions, both fungal diversity loss and overall microorganism reduction, which impair multiple ecosystem function, in conjunction with the increase of harmful fungal species such as Fusarium oxysporum, are causes for soil degradation. On the other hand, under microbial fertilizer supplement, it was the fungal diversity increase, as well as these beneficial microorganisms groups’ accumulation, together with those harmful groups’ depletion, played important roles in restoring and improving soil health that suffered from the chemical fumigant hazard. In addition, the bacterial phylum Proteobacteria and its member genus Sphingomonas are involved in soil health recovery and promotion. The results also emphasized that whether soil is chemically fumigated or not, beneficial microorganism supplementary is effective in ensuring soil productivity.

A Discussion on Chess in Russian Criticism of the 1850s and 1860s

Purpose. The article aims to consider the public evaluation of chess and attitude toward this game from the perspective of aesthetic disputes of the 1850s (based on the materials from magazines “Sovremennik”, “Otechestvennye zapiski”, “Russkoe slovo”).Results. The popularization of chess in Russian periodicals such as magazines coincided with socio-cultural changes: the opening of the first society of chess amateurs in St. Petersburg, the publication of many manuals and tutorials, including those written by Russian masters. The key role in the popularization of the chess game was played by the patron of society G. A. Kushelev-Bezborodko, who also supported the appearance of a special supplement in the “Russkoe slovo” magazine. The article deals with the attacks of the satirical weekly magazine “Iskra” on the Chess sheet. Concluding this assault, the “Iskra” columnist Vasiliy Kurochkin quoted poetry by Nickolay Nekrasov “No time for chess, No time for songs”.Conclusion. The article attempts to include local episode from the history of literary struggle in a broader context associated with both the configurations of the reader's and writer's everyday life, and the aesthetic disputes of the era. For the liberal critics of 1850, chess became the center of aesthetic theory, allowing the confrontation between geniuses and talents, for the radical commoners, game became an everyday phenomenon using at leisure.