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\"Dual-layered text introduces the life cycle of the horseshoe crab, with a focus on the annual mass-spawning event at Delaware Bay\" --Amazon.com.

Background Persistent monoarthritis in otherwise well-controlled rheumatoid arthritis presents a therapeutic challenge. Intra-articular (IA) steroids are a mainstay of treatment, though some have queried whether IA disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) and biologics can be used in those who fail steroid injections. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted using four medical databases to identify randomized, controlled trials assessing IA therapies in RA patients. Included studies underwent Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 assessment for quality. Results Twelve studies were included, 6 of which examined intra-articular (IA) TNF inhibitors (TNFi), and 6 studies evaluating IA methotrexate. Of those evaluating IA TNFi, one study reported statistical improvement in TNFi therapy when compared with placebo. The remaining 5 studies compared IA TNFi therapy with steroid injections. IA TNFi had statistically improved symptom scores and clinical assessments comparable with IA steroid treatments. In the 6 studies evaluating IA methotrexate, the addition of methotrexate to steroid intra-articular therapy was not found to be beneficial, and singular methotrexate injection was not superior to the control arms (saline or triamcinolone). Risk-of-bias (ROB) assessment with the Revised Cochrane ROB tool indicated that 2 of 6 TNFi studies were at some risk or high risk for bias, compared with 5 out of 6 methotrexate studies. Conclusion For persistent monoarthritis in rheumatoid arthritis, IA methotrexate was not found to have clinical utility. Intra-articular TNFi therapy appears to have equal efficacy to IA steroids, though the optimal dose and frequency of injections is yet unknown.

Background: Health sciences libraries are being closed or are under threat of closure, but little is published that looks at context and causes or alternative library service delivery models such as affiliations or consolidations. There is also very little research about the effect of these changes on health care provider satisfaction, patient care, or hospital quality indicators. Preventing library closures is not always possible, but understanding some of the circumstances leading to the decision and implementation of a closure or consolidation could inform best practice management.Case Presentations: At a recent Medical Library Association joint chapter meeting, a panel of six librarians presented their cases of navigating a library closure or reorganization. Background information was given to highlight reasons that the decisions to reorganize or close were made. Following the case presentations, participants took part in discussion with audience members. Cases and discussion points were recorded for further research, publication, and advocacy.Conclusions: Several points from the cases are highlighted in the discussion section of the paper. An accurate reporting of US health sciences libraries and librarian staffing is needed. More needs to be written about new library service models and best practices for centralizing and maintaining library services. After a consolidation, remaining librarians will be expected to manage the effects of staff loss and site closures and so should be involved in planning and implementing these decisions. It remains to be determined how hospitals with librarians compare in patient care and other quality indicators against hospitals without librarians.

Background/Objectives: Although endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) has been widely accepted as the procedure of choice for nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) management due to most etiologies, concerns regarding the reactivation of disease and involvement of surrounding structures add to hesitation in its utilization for granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) patients. No study has directly compared outcomes of external vs. endoscopic DCR in GPA patients. This information can be helpful for patient counselling and choosing a personalized surgical approach for the best results. Methods: A scoping review of the literature was performed in January 2024. The following databases were searched using a combination of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and keywords: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science. This scoping review is not registered. Medical records of two GPA patients who underwent endoscopic DCR at our center were reviewed. Results: The search yielded 96 articles; 15 articles met the inclusion criteria for a full review. Six studies with 22 procedures reported 100% success with endoscopic DCR. Nine studies with 122 procedures reported success in 88.5% of cases with external DCRs. Additional perioperative immunosuppression was recommended in patients with severe mucosal inflammation. The case series presents the disease course, details of surgery, and perioperative management in two GPA patients with NLDO who underwent endoscopic DCR successfully. Conclusions: Endoscopic DCR was associated with equivalent or better success rates and lower complications compared to external DCR in GPA patients. Ensuring disease remission state and appropriate immunomodulatory therapy can help prevent the proposed risk of endonasal disease reactivation with endoscopic DCR.

INTRODUCTION:Acute portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare diagnosis frequently associated with cirrhosis. Clinical presentation is typically nonspecific with potentially catastrophic short-term complications including sepsis, bowel infarction, and death. Management strategies differ for acute and chronic PVT. Guidelines for treating acute PVT recommend immediate initiation of systemic anticoagulation. Direct and indirect thrombolytic therapy (mechanical thrombectomy and fibrinolytic therapy) may be used in combination with systemic anticoagulation in the setting of bowel ischemia or as an adjunct in patients with a contraindication to systemic anticoagulation. We aimed to assess the success of thrombolytic therapy for non-malignant acute PVT and to compare the success of direct versus indirect thrombolytic therapy.METHODS:This was a systematic review and meta-analysis in which two independent librarians searched the following databases from the date of inception to March 2019: Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Scopus and Web of Science. All included studies provided technical and clinical success data, as well as adverse events, and technique(s) used for the intervention of non-malignant acute PVT.RESULTS:The two independent database searches yielded 143 citations, of which 79 duplicates were removed leaving a total of 64 references and 11 were included in our analyses. The overall success rate of thrombolytic therapy using the random effects model was 83% (95%CI: 0.67, 0.92; P = <0.01; I 2 = 61%). The overall clinical improvement rate of thrombolytic therapy using the fixed effects model was 95% (95%CI: 0.88, 0.98; P = 0.73; I 2 = 0%). The overall mortality of thrombolytic therapy using the fixed effects model was 5% (95%CI: 0.03, 0.11; P = 0.92; I 2 = 0%). In the direct and indirect thrombolytic groups, the rate of technical success was 84% and 52%, respectively, with an odds ratio of 3.37 (95%CI (0.96, 7.67), P-value = 0.127).CONCLUSION:Our analysis demonstrates that thrombolytic therapy successfully eliminates non-malignant acute PVTs with low rates of mortality. Direct thrombolysis may produce increased efficacy compared to indirect thrombolytic therapy. Larger prospective randomized trials comparing these interventions are warranted.

The nonpharmacologic management of irritable bowel syndrome focuses on dietary modification through the concept of food sensitivity or intolerance. Currently, testing for food allergies is not recommended in the absence of a clinical history consistent with an immunoglobulin E–mediated reaction. Objective means of determining food sensitivity, such as individualized diets, are being studied, but testing for food sensitivity is limited to certain food groups. Diets such as the low-FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet may provide benefit.

What combination antithrombotic therapy is recommended for patients with atrial fibrillation with acute coronary syndrome or patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention? Double therapy (DT) with clopidogrel and direct oral anticoagulants (specifically, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban) is noninferior to warfarin-based therapies for most patients. Double therapy is noninferior to triple therapy (TT) and has less bleeding complications. According to the latest guidelines by the ACC, AHA, ESC, and HRS, in patients with AF undergoing PCI, DT with DOACs (specifically dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban) plus clopidogrel is acceptable. Patients undergoing PCI or with high ischemic risk may still benefit from TT for at least 1 month and up to 6 months before switching to DT. Currently, there is no specific guidance on long-term antiplatelet therapy in these patients. Duration of antiplatelet therapy, whether with DT or TT, should be based on current DAPT guidelines (depending on indication and type of intervention) and discussions with each patient's cardiologist.

Children with developmental delays (DD) are at risk for developing behavior problems. Research suggests that parents’ causal attributions for child behavior are related to parenting. This study investigated this association in parents of children with DD compared to parents of typically developing (TD) children. It specifically focused on attributions of child control by separating these from attributions of responsibility, blame and intent, and from attributions of parent control and responsibility. Fifty-one parents of children with DD and 69 parents of TD children completed two questionnaires. The Written Analogue Questionnaire measured causal attributions. The Parenting Scale measured dysfunctional discipline practices. Parents of children with DD viewed the child’s role in problematic behavior more positively while also viewing misbehavior as more fixed than parents of TD children. Parents of TD children who viewed their child as more in control over misbehavior used less dysfunctional discipline, but this association was not found for parents of children with DD. The results advance understanding of how parents perceive behavior problems in children with DD and the important role these perceptions play in parental behavior management strategies. More importantly, these perceptions relate to discipline practices differently for parents of children with DD compared to parents of TD children, highlighting that parent interventions should be adapted to the specific needs of parents of children with DD.

Evidence that early years interventions can reduce inequalities has led to Scottish Government policy recommending that local areas implement initiatives to improve early child development. How best to measure the effects of these interventions is, however, unclear. We conducted a pilot study of the first UK use of the teacher-administered Early Development Instrument (EDI), an internationally validated measure of global child development now used at school entry in all children in Australia and most of Canada. The study, conducted in the primary school setting in 2011–12, was cross-sectional in design and used qualitative and quantitative methods. During phase 1 the EDI was adapted for the Scottish context. 14 teachers assessed 154 pupils, using the instrument. Focus groups and semi-structured questionnaires were used to gather feedback from teacher participants on the instrument and the process. Phase 2 collected and analysed data from 1090 pupil participants, comprising 98% of eligible school-entrants in East Lothian local authority, assessed by 68 teachers. The 104-item EDI questionnaire has five domains of child development: physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive, and communication and general knowledge. Data were analysed with SPSS (version 17.0). The psychometric properties of the EDI were assessed with Cronbach's α. Mean scores in the domains were linked to levels of deprivation and results were mapped using Geographic Information System. Phase 3 monitored subsequent dissemination and use of EDI results. The study was approved by the School of Psychological Sciences and Health Ethics Committee of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; the Education Authority of the relevant school district; and the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government. In line with EDI data collection in other countries, opt-out consent was used for parents of pupils. All teachers provided written, informed consent. Children in the most deprived quintile were 2·8 times more likely than the most affluent to be developmentally vulnerable in one or more domains; however, substantial developmental vulnerability was found across all five quintiles, not only in the most deprived. The EDI was found to be user friendly and acceptable to teachers, demonstrating high levels of internal reliability. Dissemination of results created a forum for multidisciplinary discussion and raised awareness about the importance of early child development, domains of development, and how inequalities can be tackled, leading to new initiatives based on EDI data. The EDI is a robust instrument able to highlight developmental differences in children between socioeconomic groups and small-scale geographical areas. Its simplicity and usability lend themselves easily to community-wide implementation. Medical Research Council and Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government.